William Basinski, with his album The Disintegration Loops. Basinski’s work deals with the decay of tape loops, creating haunting and evocative soundscapes.
Another artist in the field of tape music is Lawrence English, whose work often combines live recordings, found sounds and manipulated tape loops to produce immersive and textured sound experiences.
Jana Winderen is another sound artist who works with tape. She explores underwater environments and captures their acoustic properties to create mesmerising works that transport the listener to unique acoustic realms.
These contemporary artists value the materiality and tactile nature of music on tape. They embrace the inherent imperfections and idiosyncrasies of analogue tape, producing a warm and organic quality that differs from that of digital recordings. The unique aesthetic and expressive possibilities offered by magnetic tape appeal to artists who seek to explore new sonic territories and challenge traditional notions of musical composition.
The results of the experiment revealed that while some participants did express nostalgia for the past, many others were attracted to vinyl for different reasons. These reasons included the aesthetic appeal of vinyl records, the tangible and physical nature of the medium. In addition, participants appreciated the deliberate and ritualistic listening experience that vinyl records provide, in contrast to the convenience and instant access of digital music. This study highlights the complexity of motivations for vinyl consumption in the digital age and challenges the notion that nostalgia is the only driver. It suggests that vinyl enthusiasts engage with records for a variety of reasons, including a desire for sensory and tactile experiences, a connection to the physical, and an appreciation for the intentional and immersive listening experience that vinyl offers.
Contemporary art is consumed through a variety of channels such as museums, galleries, art fairs, online platforms and public spaces. Institutions play a crucial role in curating and presenting artworks, shaping the narrative and context in which they are experienced. Audiences actively engage with artworks through observation, contemplation and participation, promoting their own understanding and appreciation. Contemporary art is influenced by social, political and cultural contexts. Artworks often address social issues, challenge norms, provoke reflection and reflect cultural diversity. Contemporary art can be a platform for cultural exchange, dialogue and activism, reflecting and shaping the broader social landscape.
How I Grow Up is a sound work inspired by old photographs of mine. It is a collage of my memory flashbacks.
Old cassette recordings, nursery rhyme, and samples from music that I used to listen were used as elements to represent my fragmented memories.
How I was inspired: I extracted the color / exposure metrix from the pictures and used the diagrams to generate sound waves. By in porting the wave geometry into synthesizers, I will get different sounds at different pitch and tones. I used these sounds to create rythm and then integrated them into this sound piece – How I Grow Up
“Analog technologies being used today: from the popularity of vinyl records to the resurgence of film cameras. “
Why people are drawn to these analog technologies? The tactile and sensory experiences they offer? Or the sense of community and shared experience that often accompanies their use? The esire to reconnect with the sensory and physical aspects of our world? How do these technologies trigger nostalgia?
Synesthesia, or the perception of one sense in response to stimuli from another sense. Audiophotography can be seen as a form of synesthesia, as it combines the visual and auditory senses to create a more immersive and multi-dimensional experience.
The analogue medium in the age of digital reproduction.
Vinyl records possess an iconic status that transcends their utilitarian purpose as a means of reproducing sound.The ritual of playing a vinyl record, including the physical act of placing the needle on the record and the inherent imperfections of the medium, contributes to its aura and its sensibility of coolness (haha!)
The role of analog photography in preserving memories and providing a sense of authenticity in a world where digital technology dominates?
The unique qualities of film and the emotional connections that can be created through analog image-making, as well as the cultural significance of preserving the images. The physicality of the process, the unique color palette and tonal range of film, and the unpredictability and imperfections that are inherent in the medium and the ritualistic nature of developing and printing images can evoke a sense of nostalgia for a simpler time when images were more precious and deliberate. Analogue photography offers a more tangible and emotional connection to the images captured, as they are a direct representation of the physical world.
