This essay was commissioned by Mille Plateaux’s legendary and sadly missed label manager Achim Szepanski. It is now part of the book Ultrablack of Music Vol.2, available from November 2025.

Contents

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A disturbance in the airwaves

Paragraph One: Biomimetics

Paragraph two: Minimalism and alternate tuning systems

Paragraph three: The Invisible Prison

Paragraph four: Loops and Glitches

Paragraph five: Analog-digital-acoustic-synthesized-recorded-virtual

Literature

About the author

Foreword

Before delving into this essay you can regard the information presented as impersonal and anonymous: in other words, coming from a place of ultrablackness. I believe information is best received without prior knowledge of who delivers it and their personal background. Evaluating it solely based on the content level, devoid of biases and prejudice, poses a significant challenge. Information flows in serial motion, amplified by communication technology, and cannot be inherently owned by any individual or a group. Traditional principles of authority (ipse dixit) often relying on familiarity or perceived status, whether unquestioningly accepted or critically examined, can distort the way we perceive information due to biases associated with the author’s identity. Such external and cosmetic factors about authors’ prominence or lack thereof can undermine and obfuscate the way we absorb it, due to biases associated with the author’s persona. This speaks volumes to our ingrained evolutionary psychology as highly social beings, living in a hierarchical and densely stratified society, so easily manipulated into defining our identity compared to a prevalent mentality. Refraining from relying on an author’s perceived status requires a leap of faith, a tolerance for uncertainty and a vigilant critical mind. Embracing any content, be it in the realm of music or the arts, irrespective of these factors, takes courage and may temporarily unsettle one’s foundational beliefs.

1. BIOMIMETICS

-a reminder from nature or how to strive for dynamic equilibrium-

“Fundamental changes in society are sometimes labeled impractical or contrary to human nature, as if nuclear war were practical or as if there were only one human nature. But fundamental changes can clearly be made; we’re surrounded by them. […] The old appeals to racial, sexual, and religious chauvinism, and to rabid nationalist fervor are beginning not to work. A new consciousness is developing which sees the Earth as a single organism, and recognizes that an organism at war with itself is doomed. We are one planet.”

Carl Sagan, Cosmos (Ballantine Books, 1980)

Biomimetics is defined as the emulation of the models, systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex human problems. It means regarding nature as the primal teacher when it comes to imitating forms & shapes, but also learning from complex processes (like photosynthesis in a leaf) and even to mimicking larger arrangements at the ecosystem level (e.g. building nature-inspired cities).

The exact timing and causes of this phenomenon remain subjects of debate, but there has occurred a clear separation between humans and the natural world. From a perspective of social psychology, the tendency to view ourselves as the most advanced primates or the self-appointed dominant species on Earth has led to more harm than balance. Ego carries numerous fears and defense mechanisms, serves to provide a sense of identity and fuels an illusory perception of competence (“I excel at this”, “I deserve that”). We construct and believe our own narratives in order to function in a dysfunctional society, which forces the general population to take up jobs they often dislike, just to make ends meet. It’s mostly about making do and trying to stay afloat.

I believe it is from these premises that a sort of arrogance towards all living beings has found its validation. It’s only in recent times that scientific research has revealed plant intelligence, which should be esteemed on par with other advanced form of intelligence—oftensurpassing our own¹. Humans have existed for minuscule fraction of time on the cosmic calendar, compared to the majority of other living creatures, yet, we have proclaimed ourselves kings of the biosphere. Organized religion has historically contributed to reinforcing this notion of being the “chosen ones”, positioning us at the center of the universe and persecuting those who would counter that immature and egocentric belief. This is a massive defense mechanism at play, aimed at fostering a shallow feeling of self-importance, amidst our unbridgeable ignorance regarding the purpose of existence. We are a species afflicted with amnesia, akin to young orphans carried to the gates of planet Earth, whose ancestors’ shadows have been long forgotten.

The dangerous consequence of perceiving ourselves as superior or separate from nature is steering us towards an environmental catastrophe, exacerbated by an economic model accelerating the negative spiral exponentially. As explained by astronomer Carl Sagan, the fundamental truth uniting all living beings is our shared genetic blueprint, DNA, that nature’s intelligence has crafted over countless eons. Nature doesn’t recognize divisions among living creatures; rather, it contemplates a vast gene-pool of potentiality and explores creative options for each to develop.

A more rational approach to understanding ourselves involves recognizing that we are part and parcel of a larger, interdependent organism, whose well-being influences all of its components. Multi-faceted phenomena are comprehensible only when viewed through the lens of their emergent properties, whose significance far transcends the sum of each parts. “Emergence” occurs when a complex entity exhibits qualities or behaviors that its parts do not possess on their own, becoming apparent only through interactions within a wider field. Consider phenomena like swarm intelligence or the economic system. By embracing emergence and adopting a systems thinking approach, we can uncover those underlying dynamics that would remain obscure if we were to analyze each component in isolation.

The harm inflicted on the environment causes inevitable damage upon ourselves in the long term, as the notion of a distinct boundary between nature and us is only but fictitious. It equals to inflicting self-harm. Despite this, our understanding is often limited, due to a truncated frame of reference or unawareness of the chain of causality of our collective actions. As long as one can’t see it in their backyard, it’s none of their business. Sadly, it’s typically populations in precarious socioeconomic conditions that are affected first and foremost, most notably by human-induced climate change. How can we still be so oblivious to this reality, when communication and information is so abundantly available? How have we become so desensitized, and what are the underlying causes of this apathy?

Biomimetics brings the accent on nature’s intelligent organizing principles, emphasizing the importance of striving for dynamic equilibrium, if our aim is long-term survival. However, our current economic model, driven by the relentless pursuit of infinite growth on a planet with finite resources, prevents us from foreseeing the near future with clarity. The focus remains on short-term gains. The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the precariousness of living within a labor-for-income paradigm, where most individuals find themselves living paycheck to paycheck. As soon as this fragile transaction is disrupted, millions of people lacked the necessary savings to cover obligatory expenses such as rent or mortgage. We move through life wearing blinders, our actions motivated by the anticipation of short-term gain and rewards—a dopamine rush akin to chasing a dangling carrot.

While the poor, the “unpersons”, serve as a scarecrow to the middle class—a stark reminder of the potential consequences, should one stray from conforming to the structural violence perpetuated by the economic system. So much for the argument of voluntarism, which suggests that individuals are rational agents somehow able to freely choose their preferred employment. In effect, the reality is coercive, especially for individuals burdened with loans and substantial debt, as they face palpable pressure for constant financial turnover. Such individuals are more likely to accept any available occupation offered to them, if one happens to be available at a given time, that is.

Over time, people have become increasingly detached to the outcome of their actions, operating as if their choices have no significant impact in the long term; as mentioned above, this truncated frame of reference leads to the careless disposal of large quantities of waste, often without considering the repercussions. The system is designed to deflect responsibility away from individuals. By the same token, when purchasing food from supermarkets, many fail to consider the distribution chain, whether a produce is seasonal or had to travel across oceans, neither the environmental implications and negative externalities of globalized markets. This disconnection from the logical chain of causality is deliberate, encouraging a state of passivity while the financial oligarchies manipulate the system to their advantage. It’s a setup designed to alienate us from one another and from the place we inhabit.

Biomimetics serves as an urgent reminder that we either align with what nature’s inherent requirements are or face the dire consequences of self-annihilation in the long term. It also shifts the focus from the self-appointed status of superiority we often attribute to ourselves and highlights the delicate and intelligent balance Nature demonstrates in myriad ways. Unfortunately, we are too preoccupied feeding the insatiable machinery of cyclical consumption and treating it as an unquestionable mantra. We exist in a delusional state, having fabricated an artificial separation between us and whatever is not us.

The album I released via Mille Plateaux is indeed titled “Biomimetics”. Sound sources vary from heavily treated recordings of older analog synthesizers then manipulated as samples and percussion designed via a physical modeling engine, which rendersreal-life drum sounds through the lens of synthesis. The rhythms are intentionally uneven, aiming to create a groove which is equal parts natural and alien. It is an invitation to move, dance and behave in unordinary ways, breaking free from traditional norms of conduct. The sound stage is designed to evoke a sense of organicity, resembling a living being reflecting on its own sense of balance and complexity. There’s a “chattering” element in some of the melodic phrases, as if synthesized sprouts of electricity would want to communicate with each other. In writing this album I felt like a master puppeteer animating and setting in motion a vast ecosystem of intertwined critters striving for dynamic equilibrium.

2. MINIMALISM AND ALTERNATE TUNING SYSTEMS

-or how tuning lost its diversity and standardized-

“If you are or were ever a college music student, you probably read, or were told, that Johann Sebastian Bach wrote his collection of preludes and fugues, The Well-Tempered Clavier, in all 24 major and minor keys in order to demonstrate equal tempered tuning.

If so, you were misinformed.

Bach did not use equal temperament. In fact, in his day there was no way to tune strings to equal temperament, because there were no devices to measure frequency. They had no scientific method to achieve real equal-ness; they could only approximate.”

Kyle Gann, “An Introduction to Historical Tunings”

As a conservatory piano student, it was quite shocking to discover that temperament has been largely a feedback loop between a technical compromise (due to the inability to measure Hertz in the past) and mutating aesthetic preferences. Early music composers favored intervals that were easier to tune or sing, which, through familiarity and adaptation, came to be perceived as as more beautiful. It’s now evident that advancements in tuning weren’t solely motivated by technological progress, but also by the evolving taste of the composers, who sought a broader expressive palette in their writing. In my views, it was primarily the artistic necessity that drove technological advancements, rather than the other way around. J.S. Bach is known to have collaborated closely with the an organ tuner and struggled to to compose in keys with poor consonances like F# major: writing in a particular key meant highlighting its peculiarities, avoiding to harbor on intervals perceived as unpleasant. Due to the technical limitations faced by composers, each piece became inherently tied to a specific key and showcased its distinctive qualities. In this regard, tuning serves as a testament to the aesthetic preferences of a particular historical period.

Until Equal Temperament became the new standard, that is. “Playing Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier in today’s equal temperament is like exhibiting Rembrandt paintings with wax paper taped over them.” — aptly remarks K. Gann. In essence, the frequency calculation required to tune the 12 tones to equal temperament results in intervals that are technically out of tune. They no longer relate to one another according to the physics of sound, which would require ratios expressed in fractions or cents. Instead they are determined simply by dividing the artificial 1200 cents equally over the 12 tones (resulting in 100 cents for every half step over an octave). This procedure eradicates all the original relatedness of the partials, which would otherwise follow the harmonic series. Frequencies can be likened to nested ecosystems; equal temperament removes them from their mutual relatedness, according to a principle which is equal parts arbitrary and cultural.

Since 1917, when a method for tuning in equal temperament was first devised, there’s been nothing natural to how, for instance, a piano sounds. Exploring the history of tuning sparked my curiosity, leading me to discover La Monte Young’s minimalist masterpiece “The Well-Tuned Piano”. The title itself, with its subtle irony and reference to J.S. Bach’s work, underscores the fact that temperament equals to a compromise, resulting in an instrument out of tune. Frequencies that once behaved according to the physics of sound are now semi-strangers to one other. When you take a piano tuned in equal temperament, its timbre is altered by the fact that the higher harmonics are not in phase; they begin to cancel each other out or move independently as their original fractional relationship or ratio has been severed. They don’t vibrate in sympathy as much as they would in a Just Intonation system, which La Monte has extensively studied throughout his life (he lists the dates of the WTP as “1964—1973—1981—present). La Monte recorded his masterpiece on a Bösendorfer Imperial grand piano, which has one extra octave in the lower register, but is otherwise built like any other acoustic grand. Only when you appreciate and experience the metallic, radiant, shimmering quality it acquires because of the specific tuning he adopted—and the way all higher harmonics vibrate in pure consonance with one another—do you begin to understand how profoundly tuning can influence the timbre and frequency spectrum of an instrument, whose sound we often take for granted and assume to be natural.

“The Well-Tuned Piano’s” tuning favors perfect fifths and pure minor sevenths. Nowadays there is a plethora of digital as well as virtual instruments available to musicians and composers that allow them to input their own scales and experiment with them quickly. This is a significant advantage compared to the arduous task of tuning each and every string of a piano manually. Having a basic understanding of all this—and I have to say you don’t need serious math skills to succeed, rather a general understanding of fractions—allows exploration of intervals more freely. This newfound ability raises questions such as “How do I prefer my minor thirds to sound?”, “What are the various options for tuning them?”. Ultimately, this exploration leads to the awareness that I had unwillingly conformed to a normative standard, when it comes to pitches and scales.

Minimalism, when considered beyond its musical significance, can be also regarded as an ally to environmental sustainability. The educational system hasn’t adequately emphasized the consequences of our daily actions on life-supporting systems, ranging from water conservation to internet data consumption. Despite the availability of the necessary technology we lack an integrated monitoring system across the planet that informs us about the scarcity of a given material of energy resource and guides extraction based on the regeneration time required by nature. Concepts of this kind have been widely proposed by Resource Based Economy advocates. While small everyday habits will likely not have a profound change, a minimalist approach as regards preservation of resources points towards a more responsible and environmentally conscious lifestyle.

3. THE INVISIBLE PRISON

-hypernormalization, mental bias and the double-edged sword of group identity-

“By the way if anyone here is in advertising or marketing…kill yourself. It’s just a little thought; I’m just trying to plant seeds. Maybe one day they’ll take root – I don’t know. You try, you do what you can.

(Kill yourself.)

Seriously though, if you are, do.

Aaah, no really. There’s no rationalization for what you do and you are Satan’s little helpers. Okay – kill yourself.

No this is not a joke. You’re [going], “There’s going to be a joke coming.” There’s no fucking joke coming. You are Satan’s spawn filling the world with bile and garbage. You are fucked and you are fucking us. Kill yourself. It’s the only way to save your fucking soul. Kill yourself

Planting seeds.

I know all the marketing people are going, “He’s doing a joke…” There’s no joke here whatsoever. Suck a tail-pipe, fucking hang yourself, borrow a gun from a Yank friend– I don’t care how you do it. Rid the world of your evil fucking machinations. (Machi…) Whatever, you know what I mean.”

Bill Hicks, excerpt from his routine on advertisers and marketing.

For many of us, the effect of familiarity is desirable, if anything, to avoid the discomfort of new and potentially unpleasant information (a phenomenon known as cognitive dissonance). There’s a sense of solace in revisiting a safe space, a sort of safe haven amidst the uncertainties. Given our deeply rooted psychology as social beings, the desire for group inclusion provides a feeling of mutual acceptance and reinforces our sense of identity (what some refer to as “finding safety in numbers”). We give up part of our individuality and uniqueness in exchange for security. Few would be willing to tolerate the uneasiness of prolonged isolation.

However, is there any downside to this very basic human need? Are there (neuro-) marketing strategies taking advantage of this knowledge? The answer to both questions is likely yes. In the current neoliberal capitalist landscape we find ourselves entangled in, where virtually everything is commodified, any material or immaterial element can be monetized. Everything gets their price-tag, from buying political influence through lobbying to healthcare. Most day-to-day relationships have become transactional, with people feeling obligated to reciprocate even a favor as a form of payback, replicating the zero-sum game mentality fostered by capitalism in the form of emotional accounting.

The idea of spontaneous generosity has largely been forgotten in westernized countries, let alone the idea of a gift economy, well documented in anthropological studies of hunter-gatherer societies². Interestingsocial psychology studies³demonstrate how people who are shown spontaneous generosity from a stranger on the street are often startled and unable to accept it; it is unfathomable that someone you don’t know would show generosity. This transactional reality or trade-mentality (from which capitalism stems, largely speaking) has estranged us from one another. It has become our root socioeconomic orientation towards most interactions.

The concept of spontaneous generosity and gift economies indeed contrasts sharply with the transactional mindset prevalent in many modern societies, particularly in westernized countries influenced by capitalist ideologies. Anthropological studies have highlighted the prevalence of gift economies in hunter-gatherer societies, where goods and services are exchanged without the expectation of immediate or direct reciprocity. In such societies, generosity is seen as a social norm, and gifts are given freely to strengthen social bonds and build community cohesion.

The contrast between gift economies and transactional mentalities highlights broader cultural and social dynamics that shape human behavior and interactions. While gift economies emphasize communal sharing and mutual support, transactional mentalities prioritize individual gain.

Neuromarketing pushes its shrewd agendas onto the general public, also known as the consumers, by means of bombarding them with repetitive advertisements until they become inevitably familiar with them. Beyond instilling a fear of missing out and tying self-esteem to the possession of consumer goods, it preys on people’s vulnerabilities, like scavengers of human fragility.

Additionally, the phenomenon of Muzak comes to mind. The company began customizing the pace and style of the music provided throughout the workday, in an effort to maintain productivity: a phenomenon referred to as stimulus progression. In the 1950s, it gradually became public knowledge that Muzak was using music to manipulate behavior. This revelation sparked accusations of brainwashing, and court challenges.

This process of homogenization or hypernormalization has pervaded virtually every corner of the club-related music scene as well, stripping it of its original purpose as an underground resistance, a haven for minority groups and diverse (experimental) music genres. The flattening effect of reality, driven by market logic have converged with the financial imperatives of venues and festivals to generate constant revenues. How often have we seen the exact same program simply copy-pasted onto another event to minimize financial risks?

This de-risking strategy, a common modus operandi of most state-sponsored private corporations, has permeated the world of the arts as well. Forward-thinking and adventurous event organizers are struggling, under the incessant grind of the voracious machinery, whose only aim is self-preservation through monopoly. Every system seeks status quo, hence marginalization of alternative voices and expressions is inherent.

Conformism takes advantage of our evolutionary psychology, specifically of our herd mentality. We are no more rational agents than flocks of sheep when put in groups. Suffice it to think of the seminal Asch Conformity Experiments⁴, demonstrating how the participants were willing to ignore objective reality and give an incorrect answer, in order to conform to what the majority would respond to the questions.

Herd mentality is contagious and affects our capacity for societal participation and action. Statistically, the likelihood of a group of people conforming to a particular trend depends on a tipping point. In other words as soon as you can count “just enough” individuals engaging in a certain behavior, it is more likely that the rest will uncritically follow suit.

Regrettably, this fast spreading and ever-expanding viral stain has turned many individuals into uncritical, apathetic and lacking in empathy, even in the face of devastating events with no recent precedent such as the unfolding of the war crimes in Palestine, carried out by the US-backed Israeli State and enabled by the carelessness of the majority of the western countries. Corporate media and their manufacturing of consent, willingly deprive people of their right to form a valid opinion.

We have grown desensitized to the abnormality of war as well: we give it for granted, as if it were a necessity. It has become moot in our collective consciousness.

4. LOOPS AND GLITCHES

-this text accompanied “No conspiracy required”, a multichannel composition commissioned by Moers Festival’s Virtual Reality “8-l-∞-p-s”–

“Make no mistake. The greatest destroyer of ecology. The greatest source of waste, depletion and pollution. The greatest purveyor of violence, war, crime, poverty, animal abuse and inhumanity. The greatest generator of personal and social neurosis, mental disorders, depression, anxiety. Not to mention the greatest source of social paralysis, stopping us from moving into new methodologies for personal health, global sustainability and progress on this planet, is not some corrupt government or legislation.

Not some rogue corporation or banking cartel.

Not some flaw of human nature and not some secret cabal that controls the world.

It is the socioeconomic system itself at its very foundation.”

― Peter Joseph

In a broader sense, my use of loops and glitches in “No conspiracy required”⁵ can be seen as a symbolic representation of the inherent inefficiencies of our current economic model, which we have named, quite ironically, frankly, “free” market system. These reflections were inspired by the works of author and social critic Peter Joseph. His structuralist, systemic and social psychology approach has deeply influenced my worldview.

Let us delve into that.

While many well-esteemed economists, sociologists and even activists maintain that the current capitalist market system simply requires better regulation through stricter reforms and government interventions to contain for example its natural gravitation toward monopoly, it’s evident that none of these measures has provided a real remedy thus far, especially in terms of achieving lasting global change. State governments, which also seek to maintain status quo and self-preservation as any other institution, have rather offered temporary fixes at best, often becoming subservient to market dynamics and its capricious behavior.

Those who have not been paying enough attention have re-branded the current phase of our economic model as “crony capitalism.” This term suggests that phenomena like wealth inequality, where the richest 10% of the world population currently owns 76% of all wealth, are anomalies or deviations from the supposed “good” capitalist plan. As George Carlin would put it: “It’s a big club and you ain’t in it”.

In reality, there’s nothing abnormal about it: once it’s been set in motion it operates according to its inherent principles, as outlined in Systems Theory literature. These principles create feedback loops that reward greed, competition, and dominance hierarchies, ultimately fostering structural bigotry, systemic violence, narcissistic individualism, and other detrimental outcomes.

The current economic model, with its built-in win or lose and in-group vs out-group mentality essentially perpetuates prejudice and spawns intolerant behavior. This can manifest in various forms, including intra-gender conflicts (such as men versus women), intra-class disparities (such as the poor versus the rich), intra-ethnic tensions (such as white versus black), and discrimination against minority groups (such as homo/biphobia and transphobia). These dynamics create strict social stratification, resulting in a culture with fewer opportunities to express empathy. The ability to express empathy, not only receive it, should be considered everybody’s birthright. Furthermore, this issue extends to other causally related issues such as environmental concerns and public health.

We live in a conspiracy culture, where people find solace in reductionist explanations of the complexities of the world. The sheer volume of information and events has made it increasingly difficult to grasp the full scope of these complexities. The rise of social media echo chambers and the isolation of apartment living have only aggravated and sometimes radicalized this phenomenon. Many individuals naively regard the glitches of our current socioeconomic orientation as mere defects that can be addressed through personal transformation (“be the change you wanna see in the world” or “vote with your euros” type mottos), wishful thinking regarding market self-regulation (Adam Smith’s poetic tale of the invisible hand) or reliance on state intervention, as if governments were abstract entities existing in a vacuum, independent of the dynamics of big business and its push-n-pull-agenda.

Some individuals even resort to magical thinking, in a desperate attempt to make sense of multi-layered events or to explain the aforementioned flaws in our socioeconomic system. They put forward ludicrous concoctions that we have pejoratively named conspiracy theories. However, in reality, no elaborate conspiracy is required to explain the systemic faults present in our economic model. No Illuminati, no new world order, no reptilians in disguise or Masons secretly pulling the strings. These system faults are at the very core of the economic model itself and its obsolete design. Consider the system’s natural tendency toward power consolidation: it is deeply ingrained in its DNA and building blocks. It is wishful thinking to hope that single reforms or State interventions will fundamentally change the system’s dynamics in the long term.

The system as we know it has to go. We need to explore alternatives that prioritize an economy of care and sustainable resource management on our finite planet, moving past profit maximization, mutual exploitation, labor-for-income paradigms, competitive advantage and all the market-driven ideologies that have been polluting our everyday interactions and relationships.

”Hey, hold on…but what does this have to do with your music piece?! I thought you were making funny sounds with your synths and stuff.“

All the glitches you can hear in my 8 loops are a musical representation of the several built-in flaws of the current socioeconomic model. These glitches, resembling CPU overload, engine stutter, or internet issues, symbolize the systemic inefficiencies and challenges embedded within our economic structure itself. Just as these glitches disrupt the flow and stability of the music, so too do the shortcomings within our socioeconomic system disrupt the stability and harmony of social life.

While all around everything keeps repeating itself seamlessly.

…who wants change, after all?

“Is my internet failing…? Was the audio badly made…? Is someone hacking this website right now…?

Someone must be f…ooling with me!”

No…and no conspiracy is required. It was all designed in to start with. Just like in my piece.

Because, at the end of the day, the system does what the system does and it has taken a life of its own. It rewards the good players and punishes the bad ones. You just need to look closely in the corners of your neighborhoods to notice those people the system has deemed as ‘losers’.

[…]

You and I are both Active Agents and Victims of this virtual shared space we call Reality. So pick your avatar, get a front seat and enjoy the game.

5. ANALOG-DIGITAL-ACOUSTIC-SYNTHESIZED-RECORDED-VIRTUAL

-a collection of thoughts over audio sources and how they may freely coexist in a happy mess-

The Analog: using my first analog synthesizers was a revelation of the physicality of sound. Born in the digital era, it all came like a cold shower. Actually, more like a hot shower. The intensity and complexity of the harmonic spectrum left my ears exhilarated and exhausted within a matter of hours; I was flabbergasted. Little did I know. The lows were fierce and tactile, the mids warm and fuzzy, the highs sparkly and fizzy. It felt like forging a deeper connection with the result of your gestures on the machines—so exciting and alive.

With a background as an instrumentalist, I found the analog realm to be perfectly suited to my sensibilities, offering a novel and augmented rendition of acoustic sound. Intrigued, I delved into modular devices to explore further.

What fascinated me were mainly two aspects, a) potentiometers with infinite resolution and b) the topic of instability and unpredictability.

The infinite resolution of potentiometers allowed to strike for a balance which is virtually impossible to replicate with discrete steps, similarly to a fret-less fingerboard of a traditional instrument. Besides, older devices introduced extra levels of unpredictability due to their operational state; for instance the heat generated by the circuitry could affect how different sound modules interacted.

Working extensively on the iconic ARP 2500 synthesizer, I observed slight changes in textures hours after the machine had been turned on. It felt like working with a breathing creature, where the instrument’s operational state added an element of unpredictability and variability to the sound.

Even minor fluctuations in voltage from the power socket could lead to further instability in analog systems. I began to view them as organisms, responding to their own behavioral patterns that needed to be understood.

Interestingly, analog systems use electrical impulses, similar to how our brain synapses communicate. The advantage of a modular interface is being able to consciously decide which parts of the machine will interact and to what end, something we are not so much in control of, when it comes to our own minds. It’s a playful game of possibilities. What also intrigues me is the amount of uncertainty and instability of such devices, especially with the aged ones: it is virtually impossible to replicate the exact same state of equilibrium, which in a sense mirrors the unpredictable unfolding of nature. The more complex a patch, the more each variable is susceptible to slight unintended variations.

The Digital realm, especially with the widespread availability of Virtual Studio Technology (VST) at affordable prices, has revolutionized the way sound artists approach music writing and production. While the advantages are quite evident—endless presets to fire up on the fly and infinite options for re-shaping/tweaking—the disadvantages can be deceiving.

In the early days of recording, studio engineers would run the tape rolling only when the artists had reached their best possible mix. The same applies to those working with reel tape, since splicing tape is a time-consuming affair. People who approach editing in the box (within digital audio workstations) find it more convenient, but it also postpones the question of whether the material has reached its optimal presentation level.

I, too, have fallen prey to the expression “we’ll fix it in the mix”, confiding too much in what can be done at the (post) production stage and delaying the resolution of any unsatisfactory results. In my experience trying to fix an unsatisfactory mix at a later time proves ineffective. Anyone who has worked on dialog editing in smaller productions knows the challenge of tackling issues such as poor microphone placement and loud environmental noise to salvage a mediocre recording.

The advantage of hitting the record button only when completely satisfied, is that it eliminates the need to sift through endless recordings later on. Increased recording space on drives and cards is partially responsible for this approach to recording.

The intriguing aspect of the Acoustic realm and real-life recordings lies in the associations they evoke—for example, hearing a familiar sound may trigger memories based on our own experiential baggage. It is similar to certain words like “love”: we believe to be understood by our listener in what we intimately mean, though each of us possesses their own dictionary and significance greatly differs accordingly.

To paraphrase psychonaut Terence McKenna, words are no more than mouth noises with attached metaphorical or symbolical associations. Their ambiguity is directly proportional to their complexity and dependent on individual differences. On the other hand, when layers of sonic elements conjure up a gray area, a cloud of uncertainty, a space between the familiar and the possible arises (the “wholly other”), which elevates the experience to a level of heightened sensuality.

Memory associations aside, I think the reason for such sensuality lies in the behavior of harmonics. Real-life sounds and traditional instruments produce nonlinear spectra. Partials are not predetermined algorithms, but depend on the peculiar qualities of the source material, the acoustic properties of the space (early reflections, standing waves, room tones and the like) and the recording equipment used.

Microphones play a crucial role in shaping the character of recorded audio. They don’t interpret it the same way our ears do—remember when when you first heard a recording of your own voice and were a bit startled?—you notice qualities you hadn’t paid attention to (prominent formants, mouth noises). Each microphone has their own “ears” and can be placed so as to minimize or capitalize on particular aspects of the source material. In a sense, there’s a fictional quality to recorded audio, which can be used to one’s advantage at the creative stage.

Instead, the realm of synthesis is more akin to a laboratory experiment, as it doesn’t live in a resonant space to start with and is endlessly malleable. Synthesis offers endless possibilities for shaping sound from scratch. It is non-referential, it didn’t exist before you generated it and is constantly open to manipulation. This promises authenticity and encourages the search for a signature sound.

While in some music scenes artists draw a distinct line between these sonological realms, I believe it’s their combination and interaction that delivers that extra quid, if the goal is to inspire curiosity in the listener and oneself. This approach embraces mystery and raises questions about the origin of sounds. It invites an open-minded approach to auditory exploration.

FOOTNOTES

1S. Mancuso, A.Viola (2015), Verde Brillante

2“Economics of Governance”, Matthew J. Baker & Kurtis J. Swope (Vol. 22, pp119—138)\

3“Paying It Forward: The Psychology of Random Good Deeds”, Dr. Sandi

4S. E. Asch (1940) Studies in the Principles of Judgments and Attitudes: II. Determination of Judgments by Group and by Ego Standards, The Journal of Social Psychology, 12:2, 433-465, DOI: 10.1080/00224545.1940.9921487

5A fragment of the piece can be found here: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/717284080

LITERATURE

Carl Sagan, Ann Druyan (1993), Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors

Stefano Mancuso, Alessandra Viola (2013), Verde Brillante

Peter Joseph (2017), The New Human Rights Movement

Harold J. Morowitz, The Emergence of Everything

George Carlin (1997), Brain droppings

Riane Eisler (1987), The Chalice and the Blade

Terence and Dennis McKenna (1993), The Invisible Landscape

Kyle Gann (1996), The outer edge of consonance

Ludwig von Bertalanffy (1968), General System Theory: Foundations, Development

Thorstein Veblen (1899), The Theory of the Leisure Class: An Economic Study of Institutions

R. Buckminster Fuller (1938), Nine Chains to the Moon

Douglas P. Fry (2013) War, Peace, and Human Nature: The Convergence of Evolutionary and Cultural Views

Walter L. Adamson (19823), Hegemony and Revolution: A Study of Antonio Gramsci’s Political and Cultural Theory

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andrea Taeggi is a composer, live performer, and electronic music producer based in Berlin. He operates under his real name as well as the aliases 5HT2 and formerly as Gondwana. He is also known for his work with Koenraad Ecker in Lumisokea. He has releases on labels such as Mille Plateaux/Force.inc, Präsens Editionen, Opal Tapes, Alter, and Hands in the Dark, and has has worked on 22 albums, counting his collaborative and solo projects, spanning vinyl, cassette, dubplate, and digital formats.

A graduate of the Amsterdam Conservatoire with a degree in piano, his interests evolved from free-jazz to electro-acoustic and electronic music. He now focuses on composed music while infusing elements of surprise and impromptu into his practices.

Andrea has performed at renowned venues and festivals worldwide, including Cafe OTO, CTM, Mutek, and Moers Festival. He has also collaborated with sound research institutes such as STEIM Amsterdam and EMS Stockholm and Willem-Twee in the Netherlands to further develop his exploration of analog synthesis and composition techniques.

In addition to his music studies, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Milano Bicocca University. His thesis focused on the systemic-relational model in psychotherapy, informed by his internship at a facility for abused children. Fascinated by the intersection of neurosciences, the arts, and psychedelics, Andrea continues to explore these areas in his creative work.