THE PROJECT BEGINS
Mapping my experiences with negotiating artistic co-ownership
Throughout my career, I've played various roles in a wide range of projects, from primary creator to co-creator. My focus has often been on helping other artists express themselves, but my contributions have always left a unique imprint on the final productions. Each project therefore reflects my personal choices, which influence its direction and feel.
A key aspect of my work involves exploring who holds the authority to decide what remains or is omitted in the artistic process. Understanding the origins of ideas—whether lyrics, melodies, or chord progressions—and developing them fully is essential. This approach allows ideas to reveal their potential naturally, rather than forcing them into predetermined shapes.
My career has involved varied degrees of artistic co-ownership, from contributing elements to structuring foundational soundscapes. As previously noted while I've been writing songs and lyrics since my teens, I haven't widely shared this work, focusing instead on honing my skills as a sound engineer and music producer. My artistic co-ownership is evident in all projects, even if I'm not the face of the music.
The projects I find most engaging are those with room for discovery and innovation. Writing songs or creating soundscapes often feels like an expedition, where elements are discovered and integrated flexibly. My work is guided by a core principle: individual components must fit into a larger whole, evoking an emotional response. My choices are primarily intuitive, arising instinctively rather than through a rational process.
Technical competencies:
My expertise extends beyond mastering DAWs, plugins, and audio equipment. These tools are extensions of my artistic vision, essential for creating immersive soundscapes with samples, synthesizers, and field recordings. Projects like “At the Heart of a Selkie” with Eivør Palsdottir illustrate my ability to align production methods with thematic elements, using custom reverbs and impulse responses to create unique auditory landscapes.
Musical competencies:
Musically, I bring extensive theoretical and practical knowledge. My skills in arrangement and creating innovative harmonic structures are pivotal in many projects. For example, my work with Peter Jensen on re-contextualizing Carl Nielsen’s music demonstrates my ability to blend traditional compositions with modern soundscapes and improvisation.
Negotiating artistic co-ownership is a dynamic process. My presence is woven through the music in the choices I make and the emotional tones I help shape. This negotiation is ongoing, whether through demonstrating ideas or presenting them verbally. Ultimately, whatever serves the music best always prevails, the result of negotiations is what comes out of the speakers in the end.
Interviews
For my project, I interviewed several international engineers, musicians, and producers, including Joe Carson, Nikolaj Torp, and Dyre Gormsen from London, as well as Jake Burns from Nashville. These conversations provided valuable insights into their work and a reflection of my own approach.
While I could have interviewed more people or chosen different individuals, the focus of my project was to examine my own practice through the lense of others, not to offer a comprehensive overview of the current status of music production worldwide.
The sum of the interviews is that these professionals' work is influenced by various factors, in both the artists, engineers and fellow producers: basically everyone involved in the studio. My takeaway from the interviews were also, that the aesthetic possibilities depend largely on the artist's self-perception and openness to growth.
All of them states, that a key aspect of their work is trust. Building trust between the artist and producer is essential. This trust develops slowly, especially in new collaborations, while in established relationships, much communication is unspoken and implicit.
Roles and functions are clearly defined at the start of a collaboration. However, as the creative process unfolds, these roles become fluid, making it difficult to pinpoint who contributed what. Some said it likes this: “we enter the studio with roles and functions, in the studio they dissolve and it is a collective effort. Once we leave the studio our roles and functions reappear”.
Despite this fluidity, it is crucial for the artist or band to feel a strong connection to their work, confident that the music reflects their unique artistic expression. The producer plays a supportive role, like a parent, but also takes responsibility for the final quality of the music, ensuring a finished product is delivered. There is duality to the task of producing music.
The interviews I conducted highlight the emotional and psychological aspects of working with artists. Producers need to understand the creative journey, including its challenges and opportunities. They must support artists, especially during moments of doubt or insecurity and to know what happens to people during the creative process.
This understanding improves studio dynamics and makes discussions more effective, essential for ongoing teamwork and conflict resolution. The interviewees emphasized the importance of knowing the creative flow. These conversations confirmed that every music project is unique, and the approach depends on the specific group involved.
I have chosen to keep interviews and research materials confidential and rather focus on how they inform my artistic conclusions. This approach prioritizes the artistic essence of these materials over their standalone academic merit. I felt it was important for at least the podcast listener to learn about the outcomes of the interview rather than backtrack what was said. My focus has been on how I used it.
FUSION OF MUSIC
In music production, true innovation requires more than just technical skill; it demands deep self-awareness and a developmental mindset to break free from familiar sounds. For my work in this Artistic Research project, I investigated how others have blended musical ideas from opposites or differences. While the term "fusion music" is commonly used, I prefer the concept of "the fusion of music" to avoid referencing a specific style.
The fusion of music is not merely a mix of genres; it's a convergence of cultural narratives and individual expressions. It demonstrates how diverse musical elements can be combined to create something greater than their individual parts, challenging us to look beyond traditional boundaries.
Historically, composers have incorporated global influences, but fusion as a distinct genre has gained prominence, especially since the 1960s.
Initially, "fusion" referred to jazz-rock, a style popular in the 1970s and early 1980s. As it declined in the 1980s, new fusion styles emerged, influenced by pop, hip-hop, rap, and punk. This shift led to vocal-driven fusion styles, while instrumental music became less mainstream.
An early, but key example of fusion is rock and roll, a blend of gospel, jazz, rhythm and blues, and country music from the 1940s and 50s.
Other notable examples of fusion could be:
- Gorillaz: The virtual band Gorillaz, created by Damon Albarn, blends alternative rock, hip-hop, electronic, and world music. Their album "Demon Days" is a prime example of this eclectic fusion.
- Fela Kuti: The pioneer of Afrobeat, Fela Kuti fused traditional African rhythms with jazz, funk, and highlife, creating a new genre that carried strong political messages.
- Peter Gabriel: Known for his innovative approach, Peter Gabriel has frequently incorporated elements of world music into his rock compositions, notably in his album "So," which includes the hit "In Your Eyes" featuring African rhythms and instruments.
- Manu Chao: This artist merges punk rock with reggae, ska, and Latin music, creating a vibrant, multicultural sound evident in songs like "Bongo Bong."
- Radiohead: The band's evolution, particularly in albums like "Kid A," showcases a fusion of alternative rock with electronic music, jazz, and classical elements.
- Santana: The band Santana, led by guitarist Carlos Santana, masterfully blended rock with Latin American rhythms and jazz influences
A famous fusion piece, Queen’s "Bohemian Rhapsody," blends ballad, opera, progressive rock, and more, exemplifying the creative potential of genre fusion. This six-minute masterpiece integrates contrasting tonalities and moods into a single composition, illustrating how diverse musical elements can coalesce into a unified, powerful piece.
Subproject two investigates a unique synthesis of varied rhythms, musical activity and harmonies from different recordings, I emphasize the artistic richness achievable through the convergence of different sonic worlds – perhaps in a more modern manner than "Bohemian Rhapsody" but that is the end of any comparison I will make of me vs. Queen. In the podcast you can hear examples of fusion of music.
THIRD STREAM IN ART
In exploring my idea of blending two styles of music or should I say cultures with me hybridizing it into a new third, I have found a parallel in the idea of Third Stream in art. Originally coined by composer Gunther Schuller in 1957, the term "Third Stream" describes a blend of classical music and jazz, aiming to create a new, hybrid form of music that combines the structure and complexity of classical music with the improvisation and rhythm of jazz.
Over time, the concept of Third Stream has expanded to other art forms, where it signifies the blending of distinct styles or traditions to create innovative and hybrid expressions. In visual arts, for example, Third Stream can describe the fusion of Western contemporary art with traditional Eastern techniques, resulting in unique, hybrid artworks. Similarly, in literature, Third Stream might blend genres or cultural perspectives, such as integrating magical realism with postmodern narrative techniques. In dance, it refers to combining classical ballet with modern or contemporary dance forms, creating performances that draw from both disciplines. In theater, Third Stream involves merging different theatrical traditions, such as combining Western dramatic theater with Eastern performance styles like Noh or Kabuki, leading to fresh, cross-cultural narratives.
The significance of Third Stream in any art form lies in its ability to transcend traditional boundaries and foster innovation. By blending disparate elements, it encourages a deeper understanding and appreciation of diverse artistic traditions. Key characteristics include its hybrid nature, its push for innovation, and its cultural fusion, often involving a cross-cultural exchange of techniques and perspectives.
Examples in music include Gunther Schuller's works, which incorporate jazz improvisation into classical forms, and modern interpretations by contemporary musicians who blend genres like hip-hop, electronic music, and classical to create new expressions.
Similar to the Third Stream, my project involves merging different practices and transcending traditional boundaries, both Third Stream and my approach aim to create innovative and authentic artistic expressions.
SINGULARITY
Another way of describing my approach is through the concept of 'singularity.' In music, a singularity refers to the creation of a unique and innovative style by blending elements from different musical traditions or genres. This synthesis results in a new, hybrid form that transcends its individual components, offering a fresh and original auditory experience.
This concept is not new in music. In my podcast, I delve deeply into how the constant clash of new ideas or cultures being mixed together drives musical evolution. The list of musicians who have embraced this method is extensive. For instance, Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew" (1970), produced by Teo Macero, is notable for its innovative blending of jazz with rock and funk elements. This album exemplifies the Third Stream concept, merging distinct musical traditions to create new and innovative forms. Macero's production techniques, such as tape editing and looping, played a crucial role in shaping the album's groundbreaking sound and enhancing its creative possibilities.
Hungarian composer Béla Bartók created a singularity by integrating Eastern European folk music into classical compositions. He recorded and analyzed folk music, then incorporated these elements into his orchestral and chamber music, resulting in a distinctive hybrid style. Astor Piazzolla developed Nuevo Tango, blending traditional tango with classical music and jazz. This style retains tango's emotional intensity while adding complex harmonies and improvisation, creating a new and vibrant musical form.
Herbie Hancock merged jazz with funk and electronic music in albums like "Head Hunters" (1973). His innovative approach produced new sounds and production techniques, further exemplifying the singularity concept.
Ravi Shankar and George Harrison created a singularity by blending Indian classical music with Western pop and rock. Their collaboration on "Within You Without You" (1967) introduced Indian music to Western audiences, creating a unique and influential hybrid.
Beyoncé has also embraced the concept of singularity in her work. Her album "Lemonade" (2016) is a prime example, blending R&B, pop, hip-hop, and even country music to create a multifaceted and deeply personal artistic statement. This album showcases her ability to transcend traditional genre boundaries and integrate diverse musical influences into a cohesive and innovative whole.
Producers like Kanye West have similarly used singularity to push the boundaries of music. Kanye's "Yeezus" (2013) merges hip-hop with industrial, electronic, and punk elements, resulting in a raw and groundbreaking sound. His approach to production often involves sampling and blending various genres, creating unique and influential musical pieces.
In the podcast, I provide audio examples of fusion of music – not fusion music - but the resulting singularity of two or more styles of music.