Explore the wonders of Soundasaurus
The annual Soundasaurus Festival of Multimedia Sound Arts is taking over the Epcor Centre this week introducing Calgary to three days of vanguard sound art of varying degrees and approaches. From electroacoustic improvisation to multidisciplinary performance (live and on film) the music of laptop shrapnel and acid-washed analog in forms danceable and shall we say less predictably rhythmic it’s safe to say there’s a rather broad spectrum of stuff happening. While there’s no word on whether anyone will install a gigantic noise-blasting dinosaur in downtown Calgary (though I suppose one can always dream) this year’s festival once again brings together an exciting assortment of sound art styles and figures both local and from abroad.
Thursday opens with a pair of audiovisual works including a piece entitled Geometries of Flight from British artists Monty Adkins and Julio D’Escriván followed by a live cinema work entitled Peregrination by Gary James Joynes (a.k.a. Clinker). Local programmer/musician Ivan Reese will also be presenting A/D a work exploring the possibilities of artificially intelligent musical algorithms (or as I’d like to imagine it what happens when math rock puts down the guitar to leave home and study computer science). Headlining the night will be Kranky recording artist Loscil the long-running project of Vancouver-based ambient musician Scott Morgan.
Friday night does its best to bring sound art to the party with a headlining performance from Ceephax Acid Crew a.k.a. acid techno producer Andy Jenkinson who has been tinkering with analog synthesizers and other vintage equipment since 1997. Just to make sure you don’t get lost in the haze there’ll also be a noise piece from Vancouver’s Ross Birdwise a set from Calgary dance producer Homesick and a manipulated audio piece from Saskatoon’s Tod Emel.
Saturday takes us away from the acid leanings of Friday night and into the academy with a headlining performance from Holly Herndon whose impressive work processes bleeding-edge technology with a keen ear for human immediacy — think Stockhausen raised on minimal techno or know that Herndon has an MFA in electronic music without being impenetrably academic as a composer. There will also be a film and analog synthesis piece from Saskatchewan artists Ian Campbell and Ernie Dulanowsky a playful intersection of audio and performance art from local artist Kyle Hinton and an improvisational piece from local noise artist and No Face curator Aaron Sereda.
There are free events happening as well including an interactive sound installation from Kyle Whitehead a workshop with Dulanowsky and Campbell and a Plus-15 soundscape installation from Reese. Now quit worrying about whether you understand the term “kosmische” or not and go check out some sound art.
