Episode 6: MUSIC SELDOM HEARD - with SEC_

Sound Propositions features conversations with artists exploring their creative practices and individual aesthetics, conceived of as a counter-narrative to a dominant trend in music journalism which fetishizes equipment and new technologies. This series tries to take the emphasis away from the ‘what’ and shine light on the ‘how’ and ‘why.’ Each episode combines interviews with music, field-recordings, and experimental sound design. MUSIC SELDOM HEARD explores the intersection of the production and dissemination of music, probing questions of media, form, and feedback from the perspective of a musician and organizer. Earlier this month I attended the final event of the third edition of the Napoli-based festival La Digestion, held at the incredible Maschio Angioino, a 13th century castle on the water front. This was also the first of three Musica Sanae events, exploring the intersection of sound and medicine in consecutive concerts in Napoli, Sokolowsko, and Berlin. This episode features a wide-ranging discussion with Mimmo Napolitano, one of the organizers behind La Digestion. As a musician, he produces challenging and dynamic sounds inspired by musique concrète and noise. Utilizing the Revox B77 reel-to-reel tape player together with no-input feedback and other sounds, SEC_ has cultivated a very singular approach to live performance. This episode brings together his work with music from just a few of the many exciting artists who Mimmo has helped to bring to Napoli over the last decade. Mixed in are live recordings made during Musica Sanae in Napoli, as well as field-recordings recorded around the city earlier in the year (mostly as a part of my [Useless Sounds] series). Headphone listening recommended. For fans of experimental music, field-recording, drone, electro-acoustic, ambient, modern composition, and other contemporary electronic music genres.