Landman initially worked as an award-winning comic book artist and then played bass and guitar for indie rockers Zoppo. However, after five years of creating various electric string instrument prototypes of his own design, in 2006 Landman delivered his first instrument to a prominent client, Aaron Hemphill, guitarist of Liars, just before the band’s self-titled album. The Moodswinger, a twelve-string electric zither, is featured on that album’s “Leather Prowler”. The instrument’s pickups are located in the neck rather than the body, and a free-moving rod is inserted to act as a third bridge, creating eerie overtones and multiple mathematically complex scale options.

His next client would seem almost too obvious: Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo. The Moonlander reportedly sounds, as Landman puts it, “almost like if you are playing in a cathedral.” The guitar features a second set of droning, sympathetic strings that vibrate in resonance with the main strings in two octaves of circles of fourths. Over the past three years, Landman has also produced unique instruments for the likes of Liam Finn, HEALTH, and Lightning Bolt.

One of the stranger instruments Landman has made (which is saying something) is The Bachelor, a design made for Half Japanese’s Jad Fair. As Fair isn’t all that interested in chords, Landman instead created a single-string instrument, in which the string is connected to a bicycle brake mechanism that can be used like an extreme tremolo bar while the string is strummed. The “guitar” also features a sort of amplified thumb piano, a technique that Landman has gone on to use on other instruments.

The Burner Harp Guitar was initially designed for Finn Andrews of The Veils, and is almost a crossover between the Moonlander and the Moodswinger. It features sympathetic droning strings, but also has a capo built onto those drone strings that can be used as a third bridge, making the secondary strings playable as a separate instrument. A bass version including thumb pianos was also created for bassist Pat Noecker of These Are Powers.

Landman has also designed a few drum guitars, played much in the same way a hammered dulcimer would be. Versions of the Desu Drum Guitar have been given to noisier bands like Lightning Bolt, HEALTH, and PRE, as well as indie folk darlings The Dodos. The instruments’ six strings comprise a single tone over three octaves. Sliding a drumstick over the strings produces overtones, while the instrument’s percussive tones are captured by pickups at either side of the strings.

While Landman is constantly creating new instrument prototypes, past workshops have included The Homeswinger (a no frills version of the Moodswinger), a Quick Steps electric kalimba, and a Caterpillar drum guitar which features two movable bridges. For now, it seems that these workshops are the only way to get your hands on one of these amazing, eccentric, gorgeous instruments, so keep your eyes peeled, and Landman might just find his way into your hometown.

Audio Archaeology is a presentation of Media Potluck and Consequence of Sound.

The festivities take place every Saturday afternoon in the PS1 courtyard, located at 22-25 Jackson Avenue at 46th Avenue in Long Island City, Queens. Find the complete schedule below and more info about the event itself here.

July 3rd
Delorean / True Panther Sounds, Barcelona, Spain (live)
Janka Nabay and the Bubu Gang / Sierra Leone/Brooklyn (live)
Glasser / True Panther Sounds, Los Angeles/New York (live)
John Talabot / Permanent Vacation/Hivern, Barcelona, Spain (DJ set)
Korallreven / Acéphale Records, Sweden (DJ set)

July 10th
agnès b. presents:
Klement / Contre Coeur, France (live)
Acid Washed / Record Makers, France (live)
Veronica Vasika / Minimal Wave, New York (DJ set)

July 17th
Air France / Something In Construction/Sincerely Yours, Gothenburg, Sweden (DJ set)
Ratatat / XL Recordings, New York (DJ set)
ARP / Smalltown Supersound/RVNG Intl, USA (live)

July 24th
MoMA PS1 Greater New York presents:
JD Samson / New York (DJ set)
MEN / Brooklyn (live)
Kalup Linzy / Brooklyn (R&B, Soul, Disco DJ set)
Kalup Linzy and the Sweet, Sampled, and LeftOva / Brooklyn (live performance set)
DJ /rupture / Dutty Artz, Brooklyn (DJ set)
With surprise guests!

July 31st
Animal Collective / Domino (DJ set)
Blondes / Merok/RVNG Intl (live)
Oneohtrix Point Never / No Fun/Editions Mego, Brooklyn (live)
CFCF / Acéphale Records, Montreal (DJ set)
Babe Rainbow / Warp Records, Vancouver (live DJ set)
Prince Rama / Paw Tracks, Brooklyn (live)

August 7th
Gavin Russom / DFA Records, New York (DJ set)
Alden Tyrell / Clone Records, NL (live)
The Crystal Ark / DFA Records, New York (live)
Special Disco Version feat. James Murphy & Pat Mahoney / DFA Records, New York (DJ set)

August 14th
?uestlove (DJ set)
These Are Powers / RVNG Intl/ Dead Oceans, New York (live)
Kingdom / Fools Gold/Night Slugs, Brooklyn, New York (DJ set)
Treasure Fingers / Fools Gold, Brooklyn (DJ set)

August 21st
Peter Zummo Ensemble / New York (live)
Glissandro 70 / Constellation, Toronto, Canada (DJ set)
Peter Gordon & Love of Life Orchestra / DFA Records, New York (live)
Tim Sweeney / Beats In Space, New York (DJ set)

August 28th
Big Freedia / New Orleans Sissy Bounce, New Orleans (live)
DJ Rusty Lazer / New Orleans (DJ set)
DJ Rashad / Juke Trax/Movel Trax/Ghettophiles, Chicago (DJ set)
GHE20 GOTHIK DJs Venus X and Brenmar / Brooklyn, New York (DJ set)

September 4th
Holy Ghost! / DFA Records, New York (live)
House of House / Whatever We Want, New York (DJ set)
DJ Mehdi / Ed Banger Records (DJ set)
Plus Special Guests TBA

The newly unveiled, Stephen Agnew-directed “Baby” captures what the collective does best— enjoying the company of close friends. It’s this free-spirited, upbeat vibe that draws an ever-increasing international fanbase. Check out the video below– it makes the following news even better.

Following its currently ongoing European tour, The Phenomenal Handclap Band will turn stateside this month for a short trek. Launching in Brooklyn on June 12th, the six-date tour also has the band playing in Buffalo, Detroit, Chicago, and Cleveland, plus Toronto, where it will be appearing this year’s North by Northeast.

Once again, the band’s tour includes incredible talent: These are Powers, Javelin, Kid Sister, and De La Soul will each provide support at different cities along the tour. Not a bad summer road trip if you ask me.

The Phenomenal Handclap Band 2010 Tur Dates:
06/01 – Munster, DE @ Gleis 22
06/02 – Dresen, DE @ Scheune
06/03 – Munich, DE @ Kongresshalle
06/04 – Berlin, DE @ Ritter Butzke
06/05 – Paris, FR @ Le Social Club
06/06 – Offenbach, DE @ Hafen 2
06/07 – Cologne, DE @ Gebaude 9
06/12 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg #
06/16 – Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place ^
06/17 – Detroit, MI @ Macho City Party @ Magic Stick
06/18 – Chicago, IL @ Just Desserts Party @ Lincoln Hall
06/19 – Cleveland, OH @ Solstice Festival @ Cleveland Museum of Art *
06/20 – Toronto, ON @ Yonge-Dundes Square (NXNE) $
06/26 – Pilton, UK @ Glastonbury Music Festival
07/03 – London, UK @ Wireless Festival
08/07 – Ledbury, UK @ The Big Chill
08/08 – Hertfordshire, UK @ Standon Calling

# = w/ These Are Powers & The Stallions
^ = w/ Warpaint
* = w/ Javelin
$ = w/ Kid Sister & De La Soul