dead labor

The University of the West of England (UWE) Philosophy Annual Graduate Conference invites philosophical and performance submissions on the topic of sound. We take sound to mean any acoustic phenomena in nature involved in communication and information grounding theoretical and practical use of reason.

The conference takes place on the 20th June at Spike Island, Bristol.

We are looking for submissions that can go beyond the sonic’s relation to human perception but are willing to consider a wide range of topics relating, in a very broad sense, to sound. We encourage innovative and experimental submissions.

The deadline for this call for papers is the 20th May. We will notify successful applicants by the 21st May. Please submit an abstract no longer than 500 words in length, along with contact details, to [email protected]. Presentations will be 20 minutes long.

Nzʉmbe - Titubeo an Lp of songs by Miguel Prado, now available for pre-order. Ships Feb 27

Organized Music presents Titubeo, the second release from Miguel Prado’sNzʉmbe project. Miguel is a Galician “composer/theorist/ provocateur” (Byron Coley, The Wire) based in Bristol, UK. Since 2007 he has released a number of solo works, and has worked together with artists such as Mattin, Stephen O’Malley, Michael Pisaro and Jozef Van Wissem.

While the project’s first appearance (‘La labor de lo inhumano’; Taumaturgia, 2014) came in the form of an ultra-limited edition of a phonographic cylinder, Titubeo features a fully formed suite of songs in which Prado rises above what may have been taken as a conceptual endeavour and delivers a testament to his lyricism and musical invention.

Built upon a musical bed of modular electronics, guitar, keyboards and percussion, and featuring musical contributions from fellow Iberians Rafael and Roberto Mallo, Ruth Barberán and Alfredo Costa Monteiro, the record’s seven tracks are comprised of several nakedly emotional structures that most closely bring to mind the decadent lyricism of late-70s music and general culture. Unashamedly romantic, the songs waltz through references to disenchantment, affection and humiliation, allowing for grand gestures, electrical explosions and hammering repetitions to tower over the music while the voice maintains a steady and melodramatic tone throughout. The vocals themselves are often heavily processed and broken down to digital shards, reinforcing an unusual disembodiment of the voice.

What in most records is taken for granted –the sound of the recorded voice- here is laid bare in all its isolation, vulnerability and exposure. Coupled with the music’s sharp and dramatic tone, it makes for an intricate and memorable atmosphere.

Titubeo is a cycle of modern baroque love songs.