It sounds simple, but what is noise? Is it unwanted sounds? Is it a set of frequencies? Or is it something that is always around us but something we don’t usually notice? Today we talk with Felipe Vareshi about their compositions and performances that give voice to the quietest and most hidden forms of noise pollution that affect us as individuals and as groups coexisting within urban spaces. We talk about sound, noise, listening, and the potentials of sound as a medium for “possible” futures and of the artist as the enabler for these kind of possibilities.

Bio​

Felipe Vareschi is an Experimental Electronic Musician, Performer and Mastering Engineer based in Berlin. Their work explores the way people interact with each other through objects, with a particular focus on the interactions between individuals, technology and nature.

Felipe Vareschi is developing a new musical language where interactions between electronics, sound objects, performers, and installation sites mimic social interactions and human-object networks. Inspired by the physical and imaginary sounds of everyday life, Felipe aims to empower listeners to value and participate in the soundscape around them and embrace the noise of interconnected life.

Links

https://www.felipevareschi.com/

https://www.vareschimastering.com/

https://www.instagram.com/frmvar/

Your host

Steve Williams / drusnoise https://instagram.com/drusnoise

https://sustain.fm

So what is trash really? What is waste? How do we cut down how much we throw away? And what happens when we throw things away? Is that really the end of things? Many groups like Bye Bye Plastic and Clubtopia are thinking about questions like these; how to reduce waste in clubs and festivals, get rid of plastic water bottles and so on. But a different approach is to completely rethink the idea of waste and trash. Today I talk with Veerle Pennock and Etta Harbar from Utrecht in the Netherlands. They are live performers, teachers, makers, and hackers exploring the crossover between e-waste, art, music, and instruments and I am happy to talk more with them about their work and approach to sustainability. And we hear a recording of their heavy-hitting noisy trash music live at Voltage Control Amsterdam.

Show notes and links

Performance recordings featured:

Modulation, 16.07.2023, de Nijverheid Utrecht, NL

Voltage Control Amsterdam, 21.01.2024, Paradiso Amsterdam, NL

Parallel Problems https://www.instagram.com/parallelproblems/

Veerle Pennock https://veerlepennock.com/

Elektrotek https://www.instagram.com/elektortek/

Etta HarBar https://www.instagram.com/ettaharbar/

Acid Solder Club https://www.instagram.com/acidsolderclub/

Intergalactic Cyber Trash Collective https://www.dbstudio.nl/event/expo-opening-wreckage/ Voltage Control Amsterdam https://www.instagram.com/voltagecontrolamsterdam/

Modulation Utrecht https://www.instagram.com/modulationutrecht/

Bye Bye Plastic Foundation https://www.instagram.com/byebyeplasticlife/

Clubtopia https://www.instagram.com/clubtopia

Today we talk about the intersections of sustainability, health, data and sound in drusnoise’s techno composition ‘We are but dust and shadows’. The composition investigates how sonification of air pollution data can be used for modulation of sound, mirroring the ways that unseen particles in the air affect humans and the environment – usually in ways we do not notice or understand. The live experimental techno set features analog and digital modular synthesizers, samplers, FX pedals, iPad granular synths, and analog drum machines. Additional sounds and modulations come from public air pollution data, live sample and loop manipulation, field recordings, and scientific lectures.

Guest host JacqNoise (host of the Hijack show on RBL Radio) interviews drusnoise and we talk about sustainability and sound, data sonfication, improvisation, geek out on gear, and more.

Show notes

Links and references

• Data artist: Lisa Knolle
• Data sources: World Air Quality Index - Graz Air Pollution: Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI), https://aqicn.org/city/graz/ | Das Serviceportal des Landes Steiermark, https://app.luis.steiermark.at/luft2/suche.php
• European Environment Agency report on Air quality in Europe https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/air-quality-in-europe-2022
• Link to performance at Institut für Elektronische Musik und Akustik, Kunst Uni Graz 23.11.2023 https://youtu.be/CeQQ7NSPBC0
• Link to artist talk https://youtu.be/EMHHu3v6zIA
• JacqNoise https://jacqnoise.cargo.site/
• Hijack RBL https://rbl.media/programs/hijack/ Every 1st Saturday at 9pm

Gear mentioned

• Eurorack modules
  • Intellijel MIDI – CV interface https://intellijel.com/shop/eurorack/1u/midi-1u/
  • Mystic Circuits 3DVCA https://www.mysticcircuits.com/product/3dvca
  • Worng Electronics Soundstage https://www.worngelectronics.com/
• Elektron Octatrack https://www.elektron.se/en/octratrack-mkii-explorer
• Elektron Analog Rytm https://www.elektron.se/en/analog-rytm-mkii-explorer
• Borderlands granular synth iPad app https://www.borderlands-granular.com/app/
• Eowave Quadrantid Swarm https://www.eowave.com/synthesizers/quadrantid-swarm/
• Bastl Instruments Softpop SP2 https://bastl-instruments.com/instruments/softpop2
• Error instruments Cloud Busting https://www.errorinstruments.com/a-74329068/bricky-format-standalone-box/cloudbusting-gold-xo-brickie/#description
• Ableton Live https://www.ableton.com/en/
• Dust granular synth plugin https://www.soundmorph.com/product/49/dust