Synaesthesia is a repository for my exploration of the relationship between imagery and sound design. Presented as a quadriptych (Grace, Solitude, Light and Dark) it is also a place to consider perceptions, emotions and responses to audio-visual stimuli. A personal playground, if you will.

The Fence

Muranów, Warsaw, Poland
52.248734 N, 20.999468 E

The Wall separated two entire worlds. A vivid contrast between light and dark. The sounds from the funfair hit an invisible barrier higher than the sky. Walking the wall. The Fence.

Descent

Muranów, Warsaw, Poland
52.24912° N, 20.99889° E

Like a magnet, it draws me in. Tree-lined streets. Overwhelming calm. Shaded courtyards sleep to the echoes of passing trams. Like in a dream I feel the arms of the city hold me.

In Fields (Redux)

Poland & Lithuania

When solitude collides with trauma, and the light flickers through the gently swaying pines. Walking the lonely forest paths, In Fields.

Hollow

Jewish Cemetary, Izbica, Poland
50.89488° N, 23.16019° E

Slowly the marketplace filled with a strange mass of people: at one end there were only children; further on, only the elderly. The most miserable sight was a large group of infants lying on blankets, attended only by a few women. The majority, however, were mothers with children, though not all were on their own. The youngsters understood what would happen to them, the horror was clearly seen in their eyes.

Toivi Blatt

Overground

La Villette, Paris, France
48.89508° N, 2.38895° E

Sliding through the mire of narcissistic torture. A new year dawns cold and uncertain. Escaping underground, claustrophobic and afraid. Knowing only that beauty exists above you, out of reach.

Origins

Siekierki, Warszawa, Poland
52.20750° N, 21.08554° E

The allure of cities lies not only in their grand landmarks and bustling attractions but more in the hidden secrets that lie beneath their surface. Beyond the familiar tourist trails, there's a whole world of hidden areas waiting to be discovered. Welcome to Siekierki.

Audio Explanation

The audio in Synaesthesia was, for the most part, created using Norns and SuperCollider.

Norns is a monophonic synthesiser created by Monome. It is known for its unique approach to sound design and user interaction. Norns runs on open-source software and offers a variety of synthesis engines, including FM, granular, and subtractive synthesis. 

SuperCollider is an open-source programming language for real-time audio synthesis and algorithmic composition. It offers a flexible and expressive environment for creating complex sound designs and musical structures.

As the project evolved, however, a wider range of audio sources and instruments were used including:

Teenage Engineering (OP-1 Field; OP-XY; TP-7; TX-6 & CM-15), Organelle M, Polyend Tracker, X-Synth, Borderlands and Tardigrain.