Successfully build a Boss FS-6 Clone.
Started working on Workers Stretching -series in preparation of Neighborizome activities.
20180124
Response for the Berlin Wall Distortion has been great! The demo video has received over 1000 views in under 24h and the response on Reddit has been warm. Rasmus Hedlund shared the video on his Facebook and Kristian said he’d show it to students at the National Institute of Design (Ahmedabad) where he’s teaching.
20180119
Aikamme estetiikka: kapitalistinen realismi (2017) Anna Tuori & Aleksis Salusjärvi. The criticism of boring artist is appealing but the rest of the text is silly and echoes a besserwisser mindset. It fails to provoke because many of the claims are inaccurate. The text is fueled with a hatred towards computers and tactical artist who succeed in renewing and maintaining their practice despite current cultural schemes. I don’t think we need culture journalism which attempts to convince audiences about the intrinsic value of art – We need cultural journalism to make sense of the world (with art as a collaborator when possible and sensible). Salusjärvi has made a career as a protector of the autonomy of the arts, but I’d much rather read texts in which he would analyse the world in an equal partnership together with artworks. Art it not a weekling. The text makes me think that culture journalists frame themselves as champions for the autonomy of arts primarily because it helps them to protects their jobs.
Culture journalist need art more then artist need culture journalists. #ॐ
Listening to noise or ambient is scary. I’m sometimes afraid that the musician is faking it and tricking me, playing games with my lack of taste and testing me. Watching a noise/ambient gig live doesn’t help.. The PA of the venue alone has such a powerful impact that I can’t recognize which part of the acoustic experience is rooted on the musicians expression and what is a result of the volume/acoustics/resonances. The best way to experience music is by participating to it by dancing or playing along. Unfortunately opportunities to do this are rare. I guess this is why I’ve grown fond of instrument demo videos. They feel honest.. I like videos in which musicians experiment with the technical properties of effects pedals etc. My position as an audience is clear and the sonic experience is not presented as “art”. This makes it easy to enjoy new sounds. Listening to effect pedal demo videos is the best route in developing acoustic awareness which is not dependent on interpretation of the artists motives. Effect pedal demo videos form the basis of a natural ecology of un-natural machine made sounds.
20171215
Preparing for tomorrows gig at the Porin Juhlaviikot. I’ll go there today and stay at Jussi Matilaises place. Preparing a piece with techno (Drums from SOW: Blacksmith ed1 – Samplepack), Berlin Wall Distortion pedal, soviet electronic music, shared bodyweight exercises (as presented in Brussels) and a kettlebell. I have a lot of shit to carry with me.
Sonic Reducer circuit by Fredrik Lyxzén seems like a possible pedal build too. Lyxzén is also a musician: Friends in the Force – Rough mix (2013)
20171211
The Berlin Wall Distortion build was successful. Unfortunately my schematics had a critical error which took the better part of the day to figure out. All of the components are soldered on the board, potentiometers, buttons and switches are in place. Sounds works but one of the diode pairs is still causing issues. I’ll try to find potentiometer hats tomorrow and attach the window.
Giovanna guided our Neighborizome group as a consultant over the weekend. The discussions were very fruitful and I feel way more confident about the project.
Preparing for Porin Juhlaviikot performances (should be writing texts for it already but I’m too tired due to a day of breathing solder gas).
The Truth about ‘Cultural Appropriation’ (2017) Kenan Malik for ArtReview. Too strong arguments for me..
What is really being appropriated, in other words, is not culture but the right to police cultures and experiences, a right appropriated by those who license themselves to be arbiters of the correct forms cultural borrowing.