Author: Yusuf Mahmood

The initial stages of our idea stemmed from the theme of sonically portraying colour. It felt like something we could all do and each have an individual take on, without having clashing ideas.

It created the main basis for our album and we collectively ran with it. The creation of the idea was surprisingly instantaneously natural once we thought about it and the ideas came together, I feel like each through discussion we each had came up with ideas and could come up with pieces that linked back to the overall theme. Although it was very rough in the beginning the overall building blocks for the idea came through.

We discussed ideas relating to colour – such as colour spectrums and converting colour into sound-waves and put them on a collaborative padlet setting a deadline for draft pieces next week.

One sonic experience I fondly remember was a Lights Show in ___. It incorporated atmospheric sound and visual elements to create environments of beauty and magic that reminded me of the many sound installations the visiting practitioners have introduced to me in previous lectures, except on a much grander scale. You would walk through buildings, pathways and gardens being met with a series of detailed lightworks each with an array of different colours illuminating the nebulous yet lurid night sky. Patterns plastered the walls in intricate formations – it was something out of a novel of magic. Overtaken by the multitude of different colours and arrangements I took a minute to stop and think about how all of this would have been without the lush, grand and enchanting scores in the background playing through speakers camouflaged in the wonderous aesthetic of the park – and the answer was it just wouldn’t be the same. Despite the wonderful sights, without the music the entire experience would have felt somewhat hollow, empty and devoid of any passion or emotion.

This was my first experience with sound that had such a strong visual element separate from anything diegetic. The comparability of each element was that the whole thing would not be the same without the other creating a very immersive experience. I remember how well the music synched with the cascading patterns, making full use of the atmosphere environment and space showing the importance of space in sound and the acoustic environment in which the sound is played.

Upon further research the term acoustic space is an acoustic environment in which sound can be heard by an observer. I thought about how easy it was for me to see such a ‘sound installation’ – and although sound wasn’t the main focus of the entire experience it certainly was a large contributing factor the creativity of it and how the development of such an experience was unique to the development of sound and architecture in the 20^th century.

A quote from the book Music, sound and space: a transformation of public and private spaces by Georgina Born references this:

‘the emergence of sound installation art in the second half of the twentieth century reflects fundamental shifts within multiple arenas: conception of space and space- time;… the extension of music and sonic arts into expanded and sculptural and architectural models”

The use of space and environmental visuals placed alongside the sound, allowing the consumer to pass through multiple different sonic environments and spaces was something that I found interesting – the changing of the space through movement and the way in which the sonic environment evolves – specially to shift moods and emotion as the passage continued. The type of dynamism involved in to creating a place where the moods changed so sporadically (as well as the music) all to stay in touch with the atmosphere they were intending to create with all the layers involved is genuinely really interesting to think about.

NFTs

This was the first time i had ever heard of the term NFTs. The consumeristic culture surrounding music has never been my main interest although I do definitely see its importance – music is just as much a business as it is an art. I had always considered music to be this ‘unsellable’ commodity – most artists relying on other forms and outlets to sell their works such as merchandising – so to hear about NFTs was definitely something new and exciting.

it does definitely create this idea of scarcity – my understanding of it that by trying to make music rarer it will increase the value of said music. I wonder whether it will shape the landscape of artistic consumerism. From what I have read theres no solid way to value the product which is probably quite concerning but doesn’t seem too awry considering the mispayments of artists on Spotify and other forms of dishonesty in the music industry. Wired describes NFT’s as “Pokémon cards for the bitcoin era” – once again creating a description of ‘rarity’ and ‘scarcity’.

NFTs almost ‘force’ you to look at music creation and art as something to be sold and consumed rather than pure expression and ‘feeling’. How do you commodify ‘feeling’? – certainly it creates a new lane for the selling of art and in my opinion, offers something for artists to aspire to on a business side of things. Marketing yourself as an artist is definitely not a new thing, neither is selling music, but selling the official ownership of it is something i haven’t seen before.

The reputation aspect of NFTs are also interesting – for NFT’s to sell viably the artist must have a reputation, so for smaller artists the introduction of NFTs might not be too game-changing. Does it just benefit the big and rich or does it help shape the climate of music as a whole?

Deconstructing Violence in Grime //

I think a prevalent part of a lot of music born in the grungy capitals and cities of concrete mazes, is the crime and violence associated with music birthed from those environments. Hip-hop, grime and drill – all very different sonically – share the veins that connect the genre to its inner city locations.

Guns, crime, drugs and violence are all common themes in the music – all themes that are commonplace in the impoverished areas of interurban residences. The nature of violence in the music almost seems inevitable and can be seen a reflection of the exaggerated hyper-masculine bravado that sews the fabric of those complex genres together – its what makes the genre what it is, but does it have to be a vital part it? Is violence a reflection of the genre as a whole?

It also makes me think about the use of artistic expression as a form of evidence in the court of law – we’ve seen multiple artists who have had their own works used against (e.g Bobby Schmurda) – creating a very one dimensional view of expression and artistic integrity. A very ‘if they said this – it means this’ view of sound and music, especially when you count for the unsurmountable use of similes and metaphors used in these genres, the idea of prescribing a real life action to artistic expression seems very absurd.

Another topic of contention is the influence violence lyrics have on the people listening to it – and to a certain degree I believe artists have a conduct of responsibility with the platform and voice they have. However, I also believe like any form of art taking lyrics, music and the creation at face value can be seen as extremely derivative.

Coming from a background of making mainly hip-hop based music, i see that the potential in these types of genres as being able to push past a singular narrative – be more than what people expect – as can be seen with multiple artists within in the genre who do more that express acts of violence in their music, it doesn’t always have to be about violence. On a personal level hip-hop has helped me express certain frustrations I may have in day to day circumstances allowing me to release the tension experienced in a positive manner. Many artists use the energy to call out the authority blaming the artists for violent lyrics when they are part of a system that kills innocent civilians daily.

A quote from Brother Ali’s song Father Figures highlights the issue of hypocrisy using the genre as a canvas for his expression:

“Power obsessed authoritarians detest what I’m channelin’
He said his mission keep the innocent from dyin’
Had to laugh a little bit to keep from cryin’
Messiahs if we don’t know about the Co. and tell pro and devilish drones
They rain hell into homes
Never an empire rose without blood on its hands and face
They hate the poets for exposin’ the channel the rage, sacred space“

Im really interested in the way radio listening allows for vivid mental imagery and narratives. Audiobooks mixed with music such as the flickerman episode specifically allow for a wide range of sonic momentum, changing paces within the story with the supporting music to create tension and suspense. I think the formation of tension and suspense is vital in the creation of the flickerman episode where it is integral to the stories overall themes.

“Touching the Elephant” also uses detailed description. The idea of interviewing blind individuals creates a similarity between the audience and interviewee where a visual element cannot be projected for both. I think it is interesting to see how memory is for the audience to recall what an elephant looks like, showing that radio can be used to help the listener remember certain events through sound.

There is also a level of enigma when there is no visual element, accentuating all sonic elements. “Delia Derbyshire / Barry Bermange – Inventions For Radio No 1 – The Dreams” makes full use of this, creating an eerie fear of the unknown. There is also a sense of momentum and story, slowly developing as the piece moves forward. The multiple descriptions create a deep sense of vivid mental imagery, especially because you do not know what it is. The repetition of the word “running” further enhances the momentum of the piece.

For the radio project I was assigned the beginning off the track. The opening was set in the womb, where I tried to create a musical interpretation of the womb – dark, ethereal, mysterious. The music I made try to eventuate that element of birth, the loneliness as well as the magnificence of life. I felt that synth Pads helped reflect the tonalities I was going for and so I began with a pad undertone. On top of that I then added another pad like sting that was panned to bring a sense of atmosphere to the entire piece. Next, I added a sweeping breath riser synth that sounded like a human breath which I felt accurately portrayed the idea of life and mortality. Under all of this was Pedro’s more realistic sounding portrayal of the womb, the sound of a heartbeat and blood flow. I felt like this amalgamation of both realism and surrealism brung an interesting level of dynamism and interesting atmospheres. Trying to imagine what it would be like In a womb was obviously very difficult but nevertheless it was allowed me to display my interpretation of what it seems like the womb might be like. I think it accurately plays into the idea of nostalgia – it being something enigmatic and hard to remember, yet musically familiar. I think I captured the feeling of closeness and atmosphere that I was trying to go for. I tried to lead this part up to a sudden drop to represent the unexpected surprise of birth, with the loud sounds of ‘baby cries’ (made using my own voice and a vocal transformer). I wanted a clear contrast between the quiet atmosphere of the first part with the loud and chaotic nature of the second part. I used the atmos from my bathroom and beeping sound effects from a computer, as well as the sound of my shower curtain to create the sounds of a hospital. Moving forward I would like to add the sound of chattering conversation to further enhance the sound of the hospital.

Listening to the Flickerman episode presented to me radio listening in a narrative setting – separate from the almost cliche world of music presentation that has been presented to me. Although music plays a heavy role in the momentum and mood of the story, the use of foley and sound effects and narration is a lot more present and become the focus of putting music in the background.

The narration is the driving force behind the narrative whilst the music is used to set the scene, often accompanying the voice matching the pace of the voice, using stings and stabs to emphasise certain words. There is space and silence and build ups to create tension – something we see often in musical pieces, but its different here. The pairing of the paced narration with the immersive music creates something very unique separate from music and regular audiobooks.

The use of silence can be seen as vital in the introduction of the explosion scene within the episode. It is used purposefully and with intent to enhance the incoming whooshing sound – created by the reversal of a gunshot – almost like a riser before a drop in trap/electronic music. Panning is used to create audio movement, as well as the narration of “and then the whole world is ripped to peices” – which is without any music backing emphasising the words used. The explosion itself is roaring and dramatic and matches the build up used for it.

I think the difference between radio and other mediums is the element of control the listener has over what is being played. Sure, one has the autonomy to change radio stations but the media played on said station is entirely in control of the presenter, whilst with say games and cinema, you have a higher element of control of what you want to hear and see.

I think knowing this allows the creator to create a dynamic in which they can use sound as a filtered and concentrated medium in which their message or meaning really shines through without any excess and unnecessary visual elements that may dilute whatever is being shown.

The use of your imagination and mental imagery is also needed to a higher degree compared to visual mediums. One example is ‘touching the elephant’ where a lot of descriptive concepts are introduced to the listener through the narration and description. This could allow the artist/creator to produce a narrative piece that allows for description and explanation to be the main part of the production.

The idea of removing visual elements from the act of listening reminds of the Sound-Walk I did a few months ago. Fully immersing myself in the acousmatic realms of sound without any ‘distractions’. My most recent experience with radio was in the car – listening to Annie Mac as she presented a range of niche dance/garage artists, opening up my ears to something new. The introduction of new artists to the audience is – i feel – something radio does so well. The nature of listening to something someone else has control over – this idea of not having control of what you want to listen to – is something liberating yet also very daunting.

The quote “The pictures are better on radio” by Bonnie M Miller comes from an essay by her on radio listening. At first, on its own it confused me, from my consensus that radio listening was mainly auditory, however upon further research I found that the media audience portrayed radio as a visual art – possibly because of its ability to paint a strong visual image in ones mind.

“This essay takes a sensory approach to the study of radio listening by looking at American radio dramas of the 1920s through the 1950s. Analysis of radio writing handbooks, fan magazines, publicity and radio content from the period will show that radio producers, writers and actors conceptualised the art of radio listening as acutely visual, despite its auditory format. The medium invited the listener to participate actively in the visualisation process, to formulate mental pictures of characters, settings and scenes through the personalised act of listening.“

– Miller, Bonnie ‘The Pictures are Better on Radio’: A Visual Analysis of American Radio Drama from the 1920s to the 1950s

Upon listening to BBC Radio 1, as I am writing this, currently playing is gameshow – its absolutely brilliant. Im completely shocked by how much I enjoy this – it feels warm, inviting and calming, with the expectation being completely boring. There is drama, anxiety, chaos, joy all in one little auditory experience. The idea of capturing conversation live to suddenly transitioning to music ive never heard before feels like an adventure. I precariously stumble upon a sort of foreign dance music without introduction and its amazing – i am ‘forced’ to listen to this without any preconceived bias. I switch to Radio 2 and its a completely different experience – folk music – i again have never really listened to before opening me up to new experiences.

p3) Gabrys, Jennifer, 2011, Digital Rubbish: A natural history of electronics, University of Michigan Press, Page 7

p9) Pollard, Madeleine, 2019,The sounds of activism: Shanti Suki Osman, Exberliner

p10) Concert Etiquette, The academy of movement and music

p15) Thomas, Helen. Dance, Modernity and Culture : Explorations in the Sociology of Dan, Taylor & Francis Group, 1995. ProQuest Ebook Central,

p18) Michael Tippett Concerto for double string orchestra: movement I (For Unit 6: Further Musical Understanding), page 1