mockART recorded a new track called Kulman Takana for the compilation Communal Music Vol. 7 by AEMC Records. The album also features a track by Mark Daelmans-Sikkel who has contributed some vocals for the forthcoming mockART album Men Who Lost Their Heads. In total the compilation features 19 tracks by various artists who experiment with music. For this album each musician had to contribute two samples and all the music was composed by working with the collection of these samples. AEMC describes the process as follows:
This album is part of the Communal Music series. AEMC created this ongoing experiment as an exploration of the usage of audio sources, the methodology of experimental ambient composers and sound in general.
Beforehand, each composer contributed audio – recorded instruments, field recordings, analog synthesizers, etc – resulting in a collective sample pack. The composers then had to translate this audio material to a musical composition. They weren’t allowed to add anything, so each composition is made with the same audio material.
It is striking to hear how the audio is interpreted, used and contextualized differently by the individual composers and how diverse and unique the compositions are. This clarifies the agency of the creators: they – not the audio – make the music. On the other hand, the audio sources demarcate a certain musical terrain, similar as to the limits of an acoustic instrument.
Above all, the Communal Music series is a celebration of experimental music and the collaboration between – often underappreciated – artists.
You can download the album from AEMC Records on Bandcamp.