Stellar OM Source

Stellar OM Source originated from Christelle Gualdi’s desire to unhinge from her academic musical upbringing. A double bassist in the Konigin Katharina Stift Schulorchester and a student of music theory at Université Paris VIII, Gualdi completed her studies in electro-acoustic composition at the Conservatoire de Paris after earning an architecture degree.

The process of Gualdi’s “unlearning” began in experimental ensemble settings, and it became more recognizable as she moved toward solo performance. Stellar OM Source’s name is fittingly inspired in part by the pathway to higher consciousness and cosmos via one’s own voice.

Gualdi was also inspired by – and also an integral member of – the late aughts DIY synthesizer community. Alongside Oneohtrix Point Never, Emeralds and James Ferraro, Stellar OM Source’s stream of self-released CDRs defined a zeitgeist of artists trending away from their noisy roots via polyphonic escapism.

Based many miles away from her US counterparts in The Hague, South Holland, Gualdi received a prophetic sign in 2010 when a regional eBay seller offered her a mint Roland TB-303 for a mere €25 – or $33. The instantly identifiable sounds of the analog bass synthesizer began appearing in Gualdi’s studio and live practices. More importantly, the pattern possibilities propelled Stellar OM Source toward its future foundation – a planet still floating in the synth universe, but orbiting light years away on a rhythmically revolving axis.

Gualdi’s latest interplanetary offering, Nite-Glo, sees her tempering the freneticism unleased on 2013’s Joy One Mile and its offspring 12” Elite Excel. Recorded solely with live hardware, this limited edition 12” highlights the emotive and mediative potential of combining synths and 303 lines within more a more spacious field. Forming the next chapter in Gualdi’s unfurling story, Nite-Glo is a snapshot of the artist’s personal and creative transition / transformation.