SHIFT (encounters), 2024
SHIFT (encounters) is an album and a visual work in progress.
The core of this work revolves around transformative composition techniques and social encounters and who the one can represent the other.
As a computer musician I am fascinated by the intimicy of musicians practicing their accoustic instruments. The physical investment and the endless hours of vulnerability seem to be from a different planet compared to my practise of digital and electronic productions.
Over the last couple of years I invited myself occasionally to rehearsals and practice moments of befriended instrumentalists - like the cellist Julia Kortoba, flutist Dominika Àcs first, violist Clara Levi to observe their practice and subsequently to record them, mainly during their technical exercises.
New electronic compositions, in which movements were mechanised and new patterns were created, were based on these recordings. The result has been a number of compositions and videos that are currently in the final stages of completion.
Drafts of SHIFT (Encounters) can be lisented here.
Selected Stills from SHIFT Encounters
Cecatea, performance, 2024
Cetacea, 2024
These laser-cut RVS metal plates have been designed to produce different sound effects (mainly suspended or colliding) when played with viscoelastic mallets. The sounds range from pure tones to microtonal multiples, overtones and loud drones. The working title is Cecatea derived from exploring our relationships with human and non-human communication that is outside our (human) frequency range. The complexity of the whalesongs, inaudible to the human ear without technology, provides a starting point and analogy for this work.
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Cecatea, RVS plates, lasercut, 2022 - ongoing
De Warande, De Hoge Riele, festival ‘Uit het donker’, 2023 ©Anne van de StarBling rrring extended, 2023
6 steel rings, 50 to 180cm diameter, 3 motors
Bling rrrring extended is a kinetic installation installed in a forest during the festival Out of the Dark. The metal rings sound an alliatorial, microtonal composition, produced by detimed and undetimed rotational movements and the resulting collisions.
Bling rrrring extended is the orchestral version of Bling rrring.
Exhibition: Out of the dark, The Warande (2023)
Link to sound documentation
Installation view at BOS! Festival, Wilde Westen, Kortrijk, 2022Bling rrring, 2020
2 steel rings , 2x160cm diameter, motors
Bling rrrring is a meditative work creating a resounding dialogue between two rotating steel rings, one controlled regularly by a motor, the second irregularly by the collisions between the two rings. produced in collaboration with C-TAKT and Musica
Exhibitions: BOS! Festival, Wilde Westen (Kortrijk, 2022), Emerging Sound Artists, STUK (Leuven, 2021), Spring Expo, Musica Klankenbos (Neerpelt, 2021), At an early alpha stage, Atelier Lucas Pellens (Pelt, 2020)
Klankenbos, Spring Expo, Musica, Neerpelt, 2021 ©Anne van de Star
Selected still from the video Synthetic Strings
Synthetic Strings, 2022
For this work, I combined two recordings that at first glance have little to do with each other. Recordings are always the first step of manipulation. I go far in my edits and look for the point where something new arises. A new source.
Every recording is a broken mirror. Every mirror is a change.
When image and sound are strongly alienated, they can constantly alternate as each other's bearers of meaning.
For the sound I recorded the cellist Julia Kotarba improvising with extended techniques on her instrument.
Every touch is a cut,
every cut is a wound,
every wound is an opening.
Through the opening
you can see inside.
Seeing is healing
and healing is changing.
every cut is a wound,
every wound is an opening.
Through the opening
you can see inside.
Seeing is healing
and healing is changing.
Selected stills from the video Synthetic Strings