Festivals have embraced d&b Soundscape as a new tool.
Among the artists embracing the technology at the UK’s WOMAD this year was sound artist Jason Singh. For WOMAD, Singh used ‘biofeedback’ recordings from the site’s trees, played through Soundscape.
The Houghton Festival in Norfolk, UK, is another event continuing its association with d&b Soundscape. One of the highlights was a new commission from visual artist Weirdcore, featuring themes explored during his work with his most frequent collaborator, Aphex Twin. Using lights, visuals, and the “mind-bending” sound of d&b Soundscape, Weirdcore expanded the boundaries of the site.
In Bentonville, Arkansas, USA, the Format Festival again opted to work with d&b. Soundscape was available in The RØDE House.
d&b Soundscape is also used in opera, held annually in Torre del Lago, the Puccini Festival this year benefited from a deployment of d&b Soundscape, in the hands of BH Audio’s Massimo Carli.
Meanwhile in Stuttgart, Germany, the popular jazzopen Festival saw a series of concerts benefiting from the d&b Soundscape. The cardioid d&b KSL system became part of the 180° d&b Soundscape setup for performances by Joss Stone, Grace Jones, Simply Red and rock legends Deep Purple. Connected to a zactrack SMART server via its ready-made presets, Soundscape provided a sound experience, linked to the visual appearance and the performers on the stage.
d&b Soundscape is also making an impact at smaller festivals. At Jazz Stroud in May, in the Brunel Goods Shed venue, organisers once again teamed up with d&b, enabling a line-up which included saxophonist Laura Misch to perform through the d&b Soundscape system. Later, the Goods Shed hosted the Hidden Notes Festival, with artists including the Manchester Collective and music producer Hannah Peel. In the Particle Shrine installation, created by composer Christo Squier, Soundscape was used: including generative 360˚ audio compositions, projections, and lighting design. Other artists to have presented through Soundscape in the Goods Shed include Jonny Greenwood, Sarathy Korwar and Yazmin Lacey.
Jack Page, from d&b’s Global Artist Relations, commented: “These festivals are actively changing the way that sound is experienced by their audiences. Whether they’re large or small, they’re all playing their part in revealing the creative possibilities of Soundscape to an expanding network of musicians, sound artists and, importantly, their audiences.”
“Sound is no longer a two-dimensional, ‘good enough’ aspect of a live show,” Page added “Soundscape allows it to become so much more: it gives artists and designers a new level of finesse in their creative output. In some of these immersive environments we’re seeing it used in exciting new ways, to envelop and transport listeners, while in other, let’s say more ‘purist’ environments, it’s being used to be all but indistinguishable from the ideal ‘natural’ acoustic that they expect.”
He concluded: “Either way, it’s a big step forward for sound reinforcement. It’s an endlessly creative tool, and we’re seeing real excitement from artists. By working closely with these practitioners, we’re learning new things every day about what we can do together.”
