Music and Erotica of Iron Stairs

Evgeny Masloboev

“Music and Erotica of Iron Stairs,” is part of the project “Architecture of Sound, As a Kiss of Meaning.” It was recorded March 19, 2020 using iron stairs at the Orbit Palace of Culture and at other facilities under construction in Irkutsk, Russia.

To create this piece, Masloboev used innovative sound production and the Japanese technique of erotic binding known as “shibari.” The stairs were entangled and connected with strings and ropes. The sound was extracted with a violin bow and with chopsticks and clappers for percussion.

According to Masloboev, “This action focuses the attention of consumers of culture on the details of everyday life in terms of aesthetic experience.”

Dreamland: New Electronic Music

Maria Shesiuk

This composition was born after a trail run on a warm fall day at Loch Raven Reservoir north of Baltimore, MD. Solitary trail running can induce a very hypnotic state. As the body produces endorphins, highly euphoric feelings can be reached. The warm November weather is contributing to the euphoria, but sadness sets in. The beauty of the experience is overshadowed by the stark reality of climate change. The music is a reflection on things that we take for granted such as our fragile environment, relationships, and our own various states of consciousness. It is also a commentary on waiting too long to say something or to do something. But a glimmer of hope is still present.

The sound of a stream was recorded on this particular trail run. Symbolic of fleeting emotional states and thoughts, words are spoken, but they are deliberately masked. The meaning of what is being said is to some extent created by the listener. The gentle, repetitive nature of the arpeggio is as hypnotic as running and symbolizes the forward march of time. The melody is representative of the euphoria of a body fueled by endorphins bathing in the warmth of the sun, taking in the fresh fall air, and connecting with Self and nature.