Mix: Object-ivity

If you’re at all familiar with experimental music or adventurous sounds in general, it’s not an uncommon sight to see a musician credited with playing “objects” in the liner notes of a release. “Object” is clearly not a very specific classification, but here we take it to refer to something whose primary purpose is not music-making yielding sound, whether melodic or textural. The field of sound art is often concerned with exploring the acoustic properties and potentials of such objects, and they are also used in abstract improvisational contexts or as unconventional percussion devices. The tracks selected for this mix range from the primitive junk-painting of early Japanese pioneers Group Ongaku to manipulations of electric circuits and robotics to layered compositions formed from recordings of household appliances. I love this kind of stuff for many reasons: the use of objects requires no formal musical training or knowledge, their unique timbres can be harnessed for such a wide variety of purposes, and, most importantly, unexpected beauty is the best kind of beauty. Enjoy.

00:00. Group Ongaku – “Object” from Music of Group Ongaku (Hear Sound Art Library, 1996)

04:57. Akio Suzuki – “Aeolian Harp” from Odds and Ends (Hören, 2002)

08:49. Jean-Luc Guionnet & Thomas Tilly – “Window, contact recording #1” from Stones, Air, Axioms / Delme (Fragment Factory, 2018)

10:56. John Collins McCormick – “7” from One Bone in the Arm (Pan y Rosas, 2018)

14:32. Joe Colley – “Untitled Unstable Stereo Circuit” from Disasters of Self (C.I.P., 2010)

19:00. Annea Lockwood – “Water Gong” from Glass World of Anna Lockwood (Tangent Recordings, 1970)

24:48. Pierre Henry – “Balancement 2” from Variations Pour Une Porte Et Un Soupir (Philips, 1967)

27:23. Max Eastley – “Half Speed Metal Installation” from Installation Recordings 1973-2008 (Paradigm Discs, 2010)

31:14. Dirch Blewn – “Day 3” from Care Work (Soft Error, 2018)

36:01. Manja Ristić – “Buzzy & the Teapot” from Fairy & the River Teeth (Sonospace, 2018)

39:50. Jeph Jerman, Giacomo Salis & Paolo Sanna – 2nd untitled track from KIO GE (Confront Recordings, 2016)

43:24. Peter Brötzmann & Han Bennink – “Aufen 2” from Schwarzwaldfahrt (FMP, 1977)

45:52. Loren Chasse – “Arbor Pore I” from The Footpath (Naturestrip, 2008)