Hybrid label and collective, New York.
Cultivated Sound is a hybrid between a collective and label in Brooklyn, New York. We are focusing on showcasing artists locally and internationally. Our mission is constantly evolving as we strive to integrate programs with collaborators and residents. To cultivate music as sound and introduce new music breaking genres.
NODES
CSS077: Syntax Erika
[Live Set]
12232021.
Text. Mara Peralta
CULTIVATED SOUND 077.
We invite you to listen and explore a special one hour of curated strata (layers) of sound, the live set embodies elements of darkambient, field recordings, industrial- strength drone, art-techno, noise and synths experimentation.
LISTEN TO
CSS077
WITH
SYNTAX ERIKA
HERE
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A spectra is a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary without steps, across a continuum.
SYNTAX ERIKA IS A NEW MEDIA ARTIST BASED IN MEXICO AND BARCELONA
In Latin, spectrum means ‘image’ or ‘apparition’, including the meaning ‘spectre’.
So this live set created for Cultivated Sound label explores two ideas, one is of the spectral evidence, that is testimony about what was done by spectres of persons not present physically, or hearsay evidence about what ghosts or apparitions of Satan said. The other idea is that sound spectra (the plural of spectrum is spectra) are usually measured using.
So through her music selection and the use of her field recordings, Syntax Erika has added a special touch to this live set to create the artifacts of sound that become self-expression experiments with the concept, so she can bring ‘Spectra’ into live.
Last track that moved you?
Sorry, But We Don't Hear You by Kettel
Last film you watched?
“Robot and Frank”
Favourite album to relax to?
“Sakura by Susumi Yokota”
“Angel Tears in Sunlight by Pauline Anna Strom”
“Music for Airports by Brian Eno”
“Clara by Loscil”
Favorite producer?
“Donato Dozzy, Brian Eno, Pauline Anna Strom”
What's the best club/bar you've played at?
“I don't play yet my own project, but will be soon. In the past years I have a good time putting some vinyls on Gran Torino Garage Bar, in the Gothic Quarter, Barcelona. "
Next city you would like to write and play at?
“Mexico City & New York City”
UPCOMING RELEASES:
AMBIENT FLUX VA - JANUARY 2022.
ALBUM WITH ALAIN DEVAL 2022.
AMBIENT FLUX VA - JANUARY 2022.
ALBUM WITH ALAIN DEVAL 2022.
TOUR DATES:
MEXICO CITY - TBA
NEW YORK CITY - TBA
MEXICO CITY - TBA
NEW YORK CITY - TBA
We were excited to hear you wanted to design an ambient noise set for us, what are some of the focuses you had when you recorded this set?
Erika: A hybrid live set that explores two ideas, one is of the spectral evidence, that is testimony about what was done by spectres of persons not present physically. Explore new ideas of new worlds, ex: the spirts world. So exploring through immersive atmospheres that I created by hypnotic patterns and experimental sounds, such as some field recordings (made by me in different countries that I've been collecting), so the basic idea is to let yourself go wherever it have to with a deep listening.
We love your recent self-release 'A Dark Metallic Blue' and the album's artwork, could you tell us what was your idea behind this record and the artwork?
Erika: As a new media artist I always work with image, sound, colors, textures ... So this EP is based on the concept of synesthesia.
Basically reading about classical music, I read a fun fact about Mozart. In which he said that he heard that the key A was a colour red. And that's how I do create this composition. Hearing some colours and seeing some sounds, I heard that F major is a dark metallic blue.
The artwork is designed by me. It's about to represent that blue lunar dot suspended into the blackness space.
Erika: A hybrid live set that explores two ideas, one is of the spectral evidence, that is testimony about what was done by spectres of persons not present physically. Explore new ideas of new worlds, ex: the spirts world. So exploring through immersive atmospheres that I created by hypnotic patterns and experimental sounds, such as some field recordings (made by me in different countries that I've been collecting), so the basic idea is to let yourself go wherever it have to with a deep listening.
We love your recent self-release 'A Dark Metallic Blue' and the album's artwork, could you tell us what was your idea behind this record and the artwork?
Erika: As a new media artist I always work with image, sound, colors, textures ... So this EP is based on the concept of synesthesia.
Basically reading about classical music, I read a fun fact about Mozart. In which he said that he heard that the key A was a colour red. And that's how I do create this composition. Hearing some colours and seeing some sounds, I heard that F major is a dark metallic blue.
The artwork is designed by me. It's about to represent that blue lunar dot suspended into the blackness space.
INTERVIEW WITH
SYNTAX ERIKA
SYNTAX ERIKA
Can you tell us about your background and stories? How did you get into making music? What are some of you influences over the years?
Erika: My background is that I’ve been always an experimental person, at the early years I wasn't able to see it but with time everything becomes clear. I always like to question everything and go beyond things, it seems to me that I have always been somewhat intense, a very passionate and curious human being.
I have studied and lived in some places: Morelia, Mexico City, Monterrey, Miami, FL., St. Catherins, CA and Barcelona, Spain. In all those places I always surrounded myself with artistic people, who had to do mostly with music and art. So since I was a teenager I have loved music, different genres through time, rock, jazz, blues, punk, disco, some indie projects, and of course electronics. Since 2003 when I was like 16 years old and I was beginning to decide more for myself, and to explore, I listened to a CD that a friend of my brother brought from a trip to Europe. In those years (2003) the internet was just beginning and having music was not yet so digital, so there were incredible projects that it was difficult to know in Mexico. When this friend brought the CD of psychedelic trance, I immediately fell in love with electronic music. I attend to lots of psychedelic trance festivals in many cities, for several years. Now I move on from that genre because in my perspective don’t grow it, or maybe I do. Or just I changed. Friends and an ex-boyfriend had projects in Mexico that they played all over the world. Europe and Russia mainly. So I started to know the world of ableton and instruments. I learned to play the bass, basic bass but I know some and in the years that I started studying at the university in Barcelona, at that time my boyfriend was studying music, so when we returned from classes we both exposed our projects and we helped each other and we were in there… so into Art and sound, we even had the idea of creating an audiovisuals project in 2009. And in that period of college when I took an audiovisual class for a semester, I realized that I wanted to experiment with sound and images in different formats in my life. In the end the design and music tools are quite similar. I've always had a taste for research music, philosophy, art, interesting historic things. so I know a lot of music, philosophy, art history. I believed that all these elements came together in order to start my audiovisual project and path.
Many influences over the years but here are some: Bjork, David Bowie, The Smiths, Kraftwerk, Brian Eno, Donato Dozzy , Kettel, Biosphere, U-ziq, John Cage, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Susumu Yokota, Loscil, Autechre, Pauline Anna Strom, Suzanne Ciani, Psychic TV, Aphex twin, Global Goon, Gescom, Global Communication, Alva Noto. As well young artists like Laura Halo, Caterina Barbieri, Jasmine Guffond, Asako Miyaki, Maria W horn, Delphine Dora, Katrina Burch, Aaron Dilloway, Lucrecia Dalt Projects, The Knife , Royksopp, Air, Fever Ray and many others.
You work in many different mediums. Can you tell us about your creative process when you created ‘A Dark Metallic Blue’ and ‘The Universal Logic of A Sonic Continuum’?
Erika: Everything comes from things that I like and inspire me. I'm a very passionate human. So basically The Universal Logic Of A Sonic Continuum is based on a reading I did of Gilles Deleuze. In my passion for art, philosophy, science, among many other subjects, Gilles Deleuze is one of my favorites.
I read two books that interested me about the time-image in cinema, and basically my album it's the metamorphosing time-space imprinted through my sound-art piece.
As for a dark metallic blue is like I said in the question above. It's a sound-art based on the concept of the synesthesia.
Erika: My background is that I’ve been always an experimental person, at the early years I wasn't able to see it but with time everything becomes clear. I always like to question everything and go beyond things, it seems to me that I have always been somewhat intense, a very passionate and curious human being.
I have studied and lived in some places: Morelia, Mexico City, Monterrey, Miami, FL., St. Catherins, CA and Barcelona, Spain. In all those places I always surrounded myself with artistic people, who had to do mostly with music and art. So since I was a teenager I have loved music, different genres through time, rock, jazz, blues, punk, disco, some indie projects, and of course electronics. Since 2003 when I was like 16 years old and I was beginning to decide more for myself, and to explore, I listened to a CD that a friend of my brother brought from a trip to Europe. In those years (2003) the internet was just beginning and having music was not yet so digital, so there were incredible projects that it was difficult to know in Mexico. When this friend brought the CD of psychedelic trance, I immediately fell in love with electronic music. I attend to lots of psychedelic trance festivals in many cities, for several years. Now I move on from that genre because in my perspective don’t grow it, or maybe I do. Or just I changed. Friends and an ex-boyfriend had projects in Mexico that they played all over the world. Europe and Russia mainly. So I started to know the world of ableton and instruments. I learned to play the bass, basic bass but I know some and in the years that I started studying at the university in Barcelona, at that time my boyfriend was studying music, so when we returned from classes we both exposed our projects and we helped each other and we were in there… so into Art and sound, we even had the idea of creating an audiovisuals project in 2009. And in that period of college when I took an audiovisual class for a semester, I realized that I wanted to experiment with sound and images in different formats in my life. In the end the design and music tools are quite similar. I've always had a taste for research music, philosophy, art, interesting historic things. so I know a lot of music, philosophy, art history. I believed that all these elements came together in order to start my audiovisual project and path.
Many influences over the years but here are some: Bjork, David Bowie, The Smiths, Kraftwerk, Brian Eno, Donato Dozzy , Kettel, Biosphere, U-ziq, John Cage, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Susumu Yokota, Loscil, Autechre, Pauline Anna Strom, Suzanne Ciani, Psychic TV, Aphex twin, Global Goon, Gescom, Global Communication, Alva Noto. As well young artists like Laura Halo, Caterina Barbieri, Jasmine Guffond, Asako Miyaki, Maria W horn, Delphine Dora, Katrina Burch, Aaron Dilloway, Lucrecia Dalt Projects, The Knife , Royksopp, Air, Fever Ray and many others.
You work in many different mediums. Can you tell us about your creative process when you created ‘A Dark Metallic Blue’ and ‘The Universal Logic of A Sonic Continuum’?
Erika: Everything comes from things that I like and inspire me. I'm a very passionate human. So basically The Universal Logic Of A Sonic Continuum is based on a reading I did of Gilles Deleuze. In my passion for art, philosophy, science, among many other subjects, Gilles Deleuze is one of my favorites.
I read two books that interested me about the time-image in cinema, and basically my album it's the metamorphosing time-space imprinted through my sound-art piece.
As for a dark metallic blue is like I said in the question above. It's a sound-art based on the concept of the synesthesia.
What is the first record that speaks to you and inspires you to make music?
Erika: Kettel – Volleyed Iron
What does “listening” mean to you as a performer and artist?
Erika: Listen to me mean to have the ability to jump between levels of understanding, to be able to locate in one perspective/ point of view and then can move into another. Like from one box to another switching concepts in the context where it belongs, then to relocate it and accept all the implications.
Listen is to be empty to fill with the outsider senses not just the ears.
How do you stay motivated as an living artist？
Erika: Living in a more conscious way, Doing what i love, spending time with my love ones, supporting what I like most that is related to music and visual art.
Is to be in constant movement to not loose balance.
Any upcoming projects and gigs that you are excited about?
Erika: Yes, I'm excited about Synthesis<2. It's a compilation that i've been working for almost a year with 11 tracks from female electronic artists that i like what they're doing. So it's the second project curated by me for Ambient flux. S<2 is coming the end of Jan 2022 in cassette and digital format. Synthesis<2 is not a synthesis of one-channel logic. 'It’s a compulsive zapping in and out of neural modes, through and around a context's protocols, always on the prey for the reality switch and the rescaling detonator.'
Erika: Kettel – Volleyed Iron
What does “listening” mean to you as a performer and artist?
Erika: Listen to me mean to have the ability to jump between levels of understanding, to be able to locate in one perspective/ point of view and then can move into another. Like from one box to another switching concepts in the context where it belongs, then to relocate it and accept all the implications.
Listen is to be empty to fill with the outsider senses not just the ears.
How do you stay motivated as an living artist？
Erika: Living in a more conscious way, Doing what i love, spending time with my love ones, supporting what I like most that is related to music and visual art.
Is to be in constant movement to not loose balance.
Any upcoming projects and gigs that you are excited about?
Erika: Yes, I'm excited about Synthesis<2. It's a compilation that i've been working for almost a year with 11 tracks from female electronic artists that i like what they're doing. So it's the second project curated by me for Ambient flux. S<2 is coming the end of Jan 2022 in cassette and digital format. Synthesis<2 is not a synthesis of one-channel logic. 'It’s a compulsive zapping in and out of neural modes, through and around a context's protocols, always on the prey for the reality switch and the rescaling detonator.'
How did you figure out what gear you wanted to use and buy for your live sets, if you have any advice on live sets and performing with analog gear?
Erika: Well, I know the sounds that I like to make, I have knowledge about sound, production, I listen to the teasers of the instruments and with the ear plus my intuition I decide which is the one that best suits for what I'm looking for. Obvious by reading its characteristics and testing the instrument before if I can.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT AMBIENT FLUX? WHAT MADE YOU START THIS LABEL AND YOUR INSPIRATIONS BEHIND IT?
Erika: Ambient flux is an independent label that explores electronic sounds with technological landscape. Basically the label was born from my love for music, selecting music, for electronic sounds, experimental projects. It’s a totally Experimental label that seeks to expose interesting contemporary artists/projects that explore new patterns of expression as well visual art.
LISTEN TO MORE FROM SYNTAX ERIKA
A DARK METALLIC BLUE
LISTEN HERE
Released digitally September 2021. “[W]hat . . . does the anthropologist do in the face of deliberate
provocations to vision?” (Strathern 1994: 243). —— Lecture 1,
p. 74
I heard F major is a dark metallic blue.
provocations to vision?” (Strathern 1994: 243). —— Lecture 1,
p. 74
I heard F major is a dark metallic blue.
THE UNIVERSE LOGIC OF A SONIC CONTINUUM
LISTEN HERE
Release in April 2020. The Universal Logic Of A Sonic Continuum is an EP that I performed accordingly related between the image and sound as previously mentioned by Gilles Deleuze, into the language of images in Cinema1: The movement of image & Cinema 2: The Time-Image.
Deleuze argues that both views are true but both are often not accurately articulated. For Deleuze, the "movement-images" on the screen are merely mobile "slices" or "chunks" of a moving, open whole of fluctuating, metamorphosing time-space.
The dimension of sound constituting an autonomous sonic continuum of speech acts, noises and musical ages to have the connection between sound and image that is total love or absolute desire.
The Universal Logic of a Sonic Continuum is made up of sounds, words and music that is interfused with an inseparable sequence of visual images, but also sounds, words, and music may be part of the relative out-of-frame.
The concept of this EP was created taking the concept from the synapsis of movement and sound.
The Ambient Chaos Music Series hosted at Spectrum since 2012 came to a halt for the 2020 Covid 19 crisis. We decided to make an online series where artists do 15 minute sets from their studios and share their music. The series focuses on ambient, experimental, electronic music, and similar genres.
WATCH AMBIENT-CHAOS STUDIO LIVE PERFORMANCE NUMBER 96
TRACKLIST
All is composed by Syntax Erika
*New compositions– ‘Untitled’
The Time-image
Relative Out-of-frame
Nature As Being The Form Of The Other As Body
The Body As Artifact
Atonal
Electrician and Adventurer
*with few addition of fields recordings, synths and modulars
(Moog/ Make Noise)
– Syntax Erika
*improv–session recordings
12232021.
Interview by Mara Peralta
Artwork by Syntax Erika
Produced by CS