Cover art by Hasmik Badoyan and Gohar Martirosyan
ODG213 : Arash Azadi / Sociology of Perception
After his magnificent and intriguing album 'Mathematical Labyrinth' (see ODG105), Arash returns with another extremely interesting project.
What Arash says about his album:
“Sociology of Perception” is an avant-garde exploration of sound and perception—a three-track experimental electronic album that challenges the boundaries of mainstream music through the transformative power of granular synthesis. The album emerges as a bold commentary on how mainstream media and popular genres shape our sensory and emotional frameworks, conditioning us to derive pleasure and entertainment from tightly controlled, consumable patterns.
In contemporary capitalist societies, mainstream media operates as an architect of sonic perception, framing our notions of enjoyment within the narrow constructs of commodifiable genres such as hip-hop, techno, and pop. These genres, while diverse on the surface, often rely on formulaic loops and repetitive structures that serve to normalize consumption-driven habits. This phenomenon subtly aligns individual perception with the capitalist system’s needs, reinforcing conformity and limiting the scope of artistic and personal liberation.
“Sociology of Perception” seeks to dismantle these constructs by repurposing and deconstructing loops sourced from these popular genres. Employing granular synthesis—a technique that breaks sound into minuscule fragments and reconstructs them into new forms—the composer transforms the familiar into the abstract. This sonic deconstruction serves as an allegory for liberating perception from the confines of standardized pleasure, encouraging listeners to question and expand their auditory and emotional experiences.
The album’s creation is rooted in live improvisation, a method that rejects the rigidity of premeditated structures. Each track begins with loops extracted from mainstream sounds, chosen deliberately for their repetitive, archetypal qualities. Through real-time manipulation using granular synthesis, these loops evolve into complex, abstract textures that break free from the confines of their origins. The improvisational nature of the process allows spontaneity to guide the compositions, reflecting the unpredictable and fluid possibilities of liberated perception.
The album aspires to more than just sonic innovation; it is a manifesto for the liberation of individual perception. By breaking down familiar sounds and reconstructing them into unpredictable abstractions, “Sociology of Perception” challenges listeners to resist passive consumption and engage actively with sound. It proposes a pathway toward sonic liberation as a metaphor for broader personal and cultural emancipation.
In “Sociology of Perception,” the composer invites the audience to step beyond the comfort of familiarity and venture into an expansive world of sound that defies categorization and challenges the normative. It is an auditory rebellion against conformity and a call to rediscover the infinite possibilities of perception."
After his magnificent and intriguing album 'Mathematical Labyrinth' (see ODG105), Arash returns with another extremely interesting project.
What Arash says about his album:
“Sociology of Perception” is an avant-garde exploration of sound and perception—a three-track experimental electronic album that challenges the boundaries of mainstream music through the transformative power of granular synthesis. The album emerges as a bold commentary on how mainstream media and popular genres shape our sensory and emotional frameworks, conditioning us to derive pleasure and entertainment from tightly controlled, consumable patterns.
In contemporary capitalist societies, mainstream media operates as an architect of sonic perception, framing our notions of enjoyment within the narrow constructs of commodifiable genres such as hip-hop, techno, and pop. These genres, while diverse on the surface, often rely on formulaic loops and repetitive structures that serve to normalize consumption-driven habits. This phenomenon subtly aligns individual perception with the capitalist system’s needs, reinforcing conformity and limiting the scope of artistic and personal liberation.
“Sociology of Perception” seeks to dismantle these constructs by repurposing and deconstructing loops sourced from these popular genres. Employing granular synthesis—a technique that breaks sound into minuscule fragments and reconstructs them into new forms—the composer transforms the familiar into the abstract. This sonic deconstruction serves as an allegory for liberating perception from the confines of standardized pleasure, encouraging listeners to question and expand their auditory and emotional experiences.
The album’s creation is rooted in live improvisation, a method that rejects the rigidity of premeditated structures. Each track begins with loops extracted from mainstream sounds, chosen deliberately for their repetitive, archetypal qualities. Through real-time manipulation using granular synthesis, these loops evolve into complex, abstract textures that break free from the confines of their origins. The improvisational nature of the process allows spontaneity to guide the compositions, reflecting the unpredictable and fluid possibilities of liberated perception.
The album aspires to more than just sonic innovation; it is a manifesto for the liberation of individual perception. By breaking down familiar sounds and reconstructing them into unpredictable abstractions, “Sociology of Perception” challenges listeners to resist passive consumption and engage actively with sound. It proposes a pathway toward sonic liberation as a metaphor for broader personal and cultural emancipation.
In “Sociology of Perception,” the composer invites the audience to step beyond the comfort of familiarity and venture into an expansive world of sound that defies categorization and challenges the normative. It is an auditory rebellion against conformity and a call to rediscover the infinite possibilities of perception."
credits
Recorded live at Azadi's home studio in Yerevan, Armenia, January 2025.
Visual concept and design: Hasmik Badoyan, Gohar Martirosyan
Digital release on the 11th of April 2025.
Track listing:
Track listing:
1: Broken Machine of Juxtaposed Media
2: Interconnected Web of Extreme Consumption
3: Mass Hypnosis
2: Interconnected Web of Extreme Consumption
3: Mass Hypnosis
Itunes, Spotify, etc.:
And on Bandcamp:
