20/03/2020
Small Crystal release is out now: https://awal.lnk.to/smallcrystal
Small Crystal is a single from: CONDITIONS : 1218-0719' - MÆKUR's first vinyl release availiable from: https://maekur.bandcamp.com/
Small Crystal is improvised live drawing on the notion of electromagnetic radiation and sound amplified through crystalline minerals - crystal radio. The composition considers ways of focusing attention on listening and transmission as two core elements of the planetary interdependence.
MÆKUR is the collaborative project of Maiа Urstad , Anton Kats .now and Eva Rowson . The collective synthesizes artistic, sonic and radiophonic practices to research communication technologies, amateur radio networks and archival practices.
As new technological forms open up and others become obsolete, MÆKUR are interested in how methods of self-organising, listening and transmitting as well as the sounds of the technology itself – its errors, interruptions and signals – also evolve. At the core of the MÆKUR collaboration is an ongoing archive, to emphasise multiple soundings of technical development and the different communities that form around it.
'CONDITIONS : 1218-0719' features live performances and excerpts from the MÆKUR archive, including recordings from the Blind Veterans UK Amateur Radio Society, Bergen Kringkaster (Bergen Broadcasting Association) and the Deutsche Welle radio archive. The recordings were gathered and improvised during residencies at Bergen Kunsthall, Norway (2018) and Lighthouse, Brighton, UK (2019), as part of ‘Who’s doing the washing up?’, an 18-month artist commissioning programme to explore how different voices, histories and types of work are valued in imaginations of the future, and with what consequences.
The vinyl was first released February 9, 2020 Sonic Acts
'Distant voices still live' by Maia Urstad, recorded live by Jonas Skarmark at Landmark, Bergen Kunsthall, Norway, 2018. All tracks developed with and mixed by Njål Paulsberg, Bergen, Norway, 2019. All tracks mastered by Jørgen Træen, Bergen, Norway, 2019. Design by Luke Drozd, London, United Kingdom, 2019.
Vinyl pressed by Deepgrooves, Netherlands, 2020.
Deep Grooves Record Co.
MÆKUR would like to thank everyone who has inspired and supported the collaboration so far: Karl Andersen and Sjøfarendes Aldershjem, Bergen; Øystein Ask and Bergen Kringkaster; Glynis Gillam and Blind Veterans UK; Patrick Murphy and Blind Veterans UK Amateur Radio Society; Solmaz Aslan, Olivia Melkonian, Nats Spada and Platform B; Sue Davis, Kim Newland and the Mid Sussex Amateur Radio Society; everyone working at Landmark and Bergen Kunsthall including: Sjur Eide Aas, Adan Awale, Åsa Bjørndal, Oda Førde Braanaas, Thor Brødreskift, Synne Dahl, Dino Dikic, Åsne Eldøy, Robin Everett, Lars Hallaråker, Sofia Marie Hamnes, Martin Harkjerr Halse, Sofie Hamre, Renate Karin Hårklau, Thea Haug, Ragna Haugstad, Ask Holmen, Aleidis Houthoofd, Andrea Grundt Johns, Ana Jorge; Sarah Jost, Hanna Elise Jozefiak, Vilja Kjersheim, Niklas Kleppe, Mats Kornerud, Gudrun Kringlebotn, Mai Lahn-Johannessen, Caroline Larikka, Øystein Larssen, Annabel Lee, Jan Richter Lorentzen, Dillan Marsh, Hilde Marie Pedersen, Martin Midtbø Rokkones, Tuva Mossin, Maria Rusinovskaya, Steinar Sekkingstad, Jonas Skarmark, Henrik Skauge, Simon Skøien, Torjus Slettsnok, Einride Torvik, Siv Torvik, Vegard Vindenes, Eric Alvin Wangel, Axel Wieder, Maja Zahl, Mia Øquist, Tord Øyen, Stein-Inge Århus; everyone working at Lighthouse including: Alli Beddoes, Connor Clark, Josh Craggs, Eleanor Ferns, Corinna Fitzpatrick, Kizzie Furini, Stewart Alex Gardiner, Sian Habell-Aili, Emily Kyriakides, Ruth Oliver, Mai Omer, Peter Paulic, Lucie Rachel, Ben Richards, David Richards, Mass Roman, Jessica Weiss, Emma Wickham, Alex Yousif, Thomas Zemancik; everyone working at Sonic Acts including: Mirna Belina, Eve Dullaart, Gideon Kiers, Masha Muracheva, Julia Nuesslein, Anne van Waveren, Stefan Wharton, Lucas van der Velden; everyone working at Paradiso including: Hans Heerema, Annette Wolfsberger; and everyone who has been involved in the production of this release: Luke Drozd; Jiska Huizing; Njål Paulsberg; Lars Ove Toft; Jørgen Træen; everyone working at Deepgrooves – and to those who have contributed and supported in many more ways but whom we mistakenly overlook listing here, you most likely deserve the greatest thanks.
Co-produced by Bergen Kunsthall (Norway), Lighthouse (United Kingdom), Sonic Acts and Paradiso (Netherlands). Part of Re-Imagine Europe, co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.
Bergen Kunsthall Lighthouse Paradiso Amsterdam Re-Imagine Europe Council of the European Union
Photo: Retouching:
Spacesuit:
© MÆKUR, 2020
