Sonisk Selskap 2023
That All Sounds Very Important - 1st - 3rd December
Musicians (residency and concert):
Bjørnar Erevik Nilsen - Samples & percussion (Sonic Sheriff)
Henrik Nesse - Drums
Hans Marius Andersen - Saxophone
Dancers:
Rita Maria F. Munoz
Brita Grov
Anaïs Carreras
Teresa Kurowska
Ine Terese Hogstad
Malin Nøss Vangsnes
Ewa Pyclik (performer + score)
M. Veronica L. Robles Thorseth (performer + score)
Live Illustration:
Kim Holm
Crew:
Sound Engineer - Paal Rasmussen
Assistant Sound Engineer - Priscilla Alejandra Miranda Navas
Cameras and video-over-network - Øystein Nesheim
Streaming - Leo Preston
Camera (concert) - Nils J Nesse
Technical Coordinator - Leo Preston
This was the fifth edition of Sonisk Selskap in Wrap’s AV Lab. The studio residency was led by Bjørnar Erevik Nilsen and recorded by Paal Rasmussen. The residency lasted three days (although only two of the three musicians were present on the first day) culminating in a 30 minute improvised multi-media concert on the 3rd of December with dance improvisation by dancers from ImproLaBergen in two different rooms, and live illustrations by visual artist Kim Holm. The dancers performed in The White Room, and in the Big Project Room, and Kim Holm had his painting station in the Big Project Room.
The ensemble was put together by Nilsen, who led musical improvisations based around a multitrack soundscape, played through 8 different guitar amps using an LP-16 Live Player (Cymatic Audio) and manipulated using various effects pedals and amp settings. This soundscape provided the basis for improvisations with saxophonist, Hans Marius Andersen, and drumer Henrik Nesse. Nilsen also played assorted percussion, including spades, chains and a Tibetan prayer bowl.
Nilsen is well known within the metal scene for his roles as song writer/front man in Vulture Industries and record lables Karisma and Dark Essence.
The dancers used scores by M Veronica L Robles Thorseth, and Ewa Lorenc. For the first time, it was also decided that we would rig some theatrical lighting up in the dance spaces, to give video more drama.
Recording was done from studio A using a streamlined workflow based on the mixing software TotalMix FX from RME for monitoring and live mixing. Eventually audio distribution to one monitor mix, as well as to the PA's wherre the dancers and visual artist were, was done using Wraps very flexible, modular dLive mixing system (Allen & Heath).
The final interdisciplinary public concert was live streamed to an enthusiastic online audience, and a new video was compiled and released following further post-production by Leo Preston (audio re-mix, and video editing).