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| Sonic Sounds | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sonic Sounds |
| Cultural origins | 20th century |
| Instruments | Electronic synthesizers, samplers, turntables, modular rigs |
| Popularity | Niche to mainstream crossover in late 20th–21st centuries |
Sonic Sounds Sonic Sounds is a multifaceted musical and sonic-art approach associated with experimental composition, sound design, and electroacoustic performance. It intersects with movements and institutions such as Musique concrète, Electronic music, Avant-garde music, Experimental music, Sound art, and Noise music, drawing practitioners from scenes around New York City, Berlin, Tokyo, London, and Paris. Practitioners often collaborate with ensembles, galleries, festivals, and academic programs including the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, MIDI Forum, IRCAM, STEIM, and various conservatories.
Sonic Sounds synthesizes techniques from Musique concrète, Tape music, Acousmatic music, Ambient music, and Industrial music to create works presented in venues from Carnegie Hall to MoMA PS1, in festivals like Mutek, Sonar, Unsound Festival, and on labels including Warp Records, Erased Tapes, Touch (record label), Mille Plateaux. Its practitioners range from solo auteurs to collectives affiliated with institutions such as Birmingham Conservatoire, Royal College of Music, Columbia University, UC Berkeley, and public broadcasters such as BBC and NHK. The field engages with composers, sound artists, and technologists linked to Pierre Schaeffer, Karlheinz Stockhausen, John Cage, Brian Eno, Merzbow, Aphex Twin, Alva Noto, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Christian Fennesz.
Roots trace to early 20th-century innovations by figures associated with Futurism, Dada, and the Darmstadt School, extending through postwar centers like Studio di Fonologia Musicale and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. The lineage includes landmark works premiered at institutions such as Donaueschingen Festival, WDR, and Cologne Opera, and advances through technological shifts exemplified by the proliferation of Moog synthesizer, Fairlight CMI, SP-1200, and later Ableton Live and modular Eurorack systems. Cross-pollination occurred with scenes around Detroit techno, Chicago house, Japanese noise, and Berlin techno, alongside academic curricula at IRCAM, CCRMA, and STEIM that trained generations of artists.
Sonic Sounds pieces often prioritize timbre, spatialization, and texture over traditional melody and harmony, employing techniques linked to Granular synthesis, Convolution reverb, Spectralism, and Algorithmic composition. Production workflows integrate hardware and software such as Eurorack, Moog Modular, Roland TR-808, Akai MPC, Max/MSP, Pure Data, and SuperCollider, with mastering practices informed by studios like Abbey Road Studios and engineers associated with Bob Ludwig and Chris Bellman. Performance conventions include multichannel diffusion borrowed from Acousmonium, live coding as practiced at Algorave events, and improvisation traditions related to John Zorn ensembles and free jazz figures like Cecil Taylor. Commissioning bodies include British Council, Arts Council England, DAAD, and experimental labels such as PAN and Sub Rosa.
Critical reception spans coverage in outlets such as The Wire (magazine), Pitchfork, Resident Advisor, The New York Times, and The Guardian (UK newspaper), with debates framed by conferences at ICMC, NIME, and symposia at Columbia University and Goldsmiths. Sonic Sounds has influenced contemporary art institutions including Tate Modern, Centre Pompidou, and Whitney Museum of American Art, and informed soundtrack work for films by directors like David Lynch, Terrence Malick, Christopher Nolan, and for games developed by studios such as Thatgamecompany and Blizzard Entertainment. Its practitioners have received awards from institutions like the Pulitzer Prize for Music, Prix Ars Electronica, and Nobel Prize in Literature–adjacent recognition for multimedia authors.
Canonical and influential figures associated with Sonic Sounds techniques include Pierre Schaeffer compositions, Karlheinz Stockhausen’s spatial works, Brian Eno’s ambient albums, Merzbow noise catalog, Aphex Twin’s influential releases, Alva Noto collaborations with Ryuichi Sakamoto, and improvised ensembles led by Earl Brown–era experimentalists. Contemporary and related artists include Fennesz, Ben Frost, Tim Hecker, Oneohtrix Point Never, Arca (musician), Hildur Guðnadóttir, Mica Levi, Laurie Spiegel, Christina Vantzou, Sarah Davachi, Grouper (musician), William Basinski, Alvin Lucier, La Monte Young, Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Terry Riley.
Instrumental and technological ecosystems range from bespoke hardware such as Buchla, Moog, EMS Synthi, and custom Max/MSP patches to consumer devices like Roland TB-303, Korg MS-20, and digital audio workstations including Pro Tools and Logic Pro. Further tools include Ableton Live controllers, MIDI interfaces, OSC (Open Sound Control), Arduino, Raspberry Pi for installations, and spatial audio formats like Ambisonics and Dolby Atmos. Research institutions contributing technology include IRCAM, CCRMA, MIT Media Lab, and companies like Native Instruments and Ableton.
Sonic Sounds techniques have permeated Ambient music, Techno, IDM, Drone music, Post-rock, Experimental hip hop, and Contemporary classical music, informing artists across labels such as Warp Records, 4AD, Sub Pop, and Ninja Tune. Its aesthetics are evident in soundtracks for films tied to David Lynch and Christopher Nolan, in game scoring trends at Sony Interactive Entertainment and Nintendo, and in contemporary dance collaborations with companies like Nederlands Dans Theater and choreographers associated with Merce Cunningham and Pina Bausch.
Category:Experimental music genres