New digital release by Hugo Esquinca available via Bandcamp

Sonic Acts publishes a new digital release by artist Hugo Esquinca. During Sonic Acts Academy 2020, ten limited edition 7" dubplates – pressed with rough edits of feedback manipulations from a Buchla 200 synthesizer – were played back and recorded as an exclusive ten-minute set. While none of the material pressed onto the dubplates has otherwise been preserved digitally, this specially recorded rendering will be released via Bandcamp on 5 June. As Bandcamp waives its fees for the day, the artist has committed all of his proceeds to the direct distribution of ear protection against potential LRAD deployment within an undisclosed network in the US and the MX/US border. All of Sonic Acts' proceeds via Bandcamp on 5 June will be directed to The Black Archives, Nederland Wordt Beter and Black Queer & Trans Resistance NL. The original 7" dubplates, which are also available to buy, are the result of a series of exercises in analogue, digital and acoustic feedback manipulations with a Buchla 200 synthesizer at Studio 4, Elektronmusikstudion Stockholm. The documentation emerges from interactions between the synthesizer, open microphones, indeterminate processing in different programming environments, induced crashing and the resampling of software and loose cable amplification. The audio file resulting from the initial analogue to digital conversion – pressed into the ten unmarked 7” dubplates – was obtained directly from the synthesizer output without additional processing or edits.

Hugo Esquinca’s work in sound focuses on exploring different degrees of exposure to erratic processing techniques, indeterminate occurrences, spectral de-gradation, abrupt irritation, the potential of involuntary modifications, opaque functioning and excessive levels of amplification. His work has been presented in different contexts such as Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, National Centre for Contemporary Arts NCCA (Moscow), Fondazione Antonio Ratti (Como), Ujazdowski Castle for Contemporary Arts (Warsaw), Ploschad MIRA for Modern Art – Siberia (Krasnoyarsk), A4 (Bratislava), Goethe Institut (Athens), MAYHEM (Copenhagen), Aalto University (Helsinki), BEARS (Osaka), Haus der Kulturen der Welt and Berghain (Berlin). Commissioned by Sonic Acts and Paradiso for Sonic Acts Academy 2020 Part of Re-Imagine Europe, co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.

This site uses cookies.