Hereby we would like to introduce our multimedia electronic music and performance project: Obol le.
With an ensemble consisting of performers, inventors, composers and improvisers Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti, Frank Rosaly, Jochem van Tol and Liú Mottes.
The kaleidoscopic music is made with modular synths, tape loops and samples in combination with uptempo beats. Obol le creates a mesmerising sonic dream.
With an algorithm inspired by Bolivian weaving rituals,
Obol le weaves their electro-drone songs into color and light, like a virtual carpet.
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With an ensemble consisting of performers, inventors, composers and improvisers Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti, Frank Rosaly, Jochem van Tol and Liú Mottes.
The kaleidoscopic music is made with modular synths, tape loops and samples in combination with uptempo beats. Obol le creates a mesmerising sonic dream.
With an algorithm inspired by Bolivian weaving rituals,
Obol le weaves their electro-drone songs into color and light, like a virtual carpet.
︎
The Concept of Obol Le
IBELISSE GUARDIA FERRAGUTTI, FRANK ROSALY & JOCHEM VAN TOLUnder her leadership, they explore the musical structures presented on ancient and contemporary carpets from Bolivia. These carpets contain a cosmological vision of their makers the Tarabuco, in the form of scores.
OBOL LE is:
Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti: vocals, electronics
Liú Mottes: Guitar
Frank Rosaly: drums, Jochem van Tol: synths
Harpo ’t Hart : programming
Janneke Raaphorst: weaving adviser
Guests:
Ben Boyle: Autoharp, Keys
Brian Sulpizio: Guitar
Marcos Baggiani: Drums
These people have build a logics of practices and ceremonies to achieve the right conditions for their daily live. One of the main techniques is to stay surrounded by sound for an extremely long period of time. This can control the amount of rain that will fall for example, in order to have a good yearly harvest.
The use of sound as an entity to control their climate. How do they do that?
The seasons of the year are considered as sound periods. The local musical instruments get embodied by the given ‘noise’ and ‘sounds’ whispered by the Sirens at dawn. Sirens are the half living/half dead, half human/half animal and inhabit the space between the upper world (our world) and under world (the invisible world). Considered Sirens are waterfalls, a breeze, a big rock on a plain or the shadow of a bird forexample. These ‘noises’ and ‘sounds’ are played by the Tarabuco people for four months continuously. The woven carpets contain the graphic translation of this four month sound cycle and are also worn as clothes during the ceremony.
The use of sound as an entity to control their climate. How do they do that?
The seasons of the year are considered as sound periods. The local musical instruments get embodied by the given ‘noise’ and ‘sounds’ whispered by the Sirens at dawn. Sirens are the half living/half dead, half human/half animal and inhabit the space between the upper world (our world) and under world (the invisible world). Considered Sirens are waterfalls, a breeze, a big rock on a plain or the shadow of a bird forexample. These ‘noises’ and ‘sounds’ are played by the Tarabuco people for four months continuously. The woven carpets contain the graphic translation of this four month sound cycle and are also worn as clothes during the ceremony.
OBOL LE explores the intermedial nature of this sound ceremony, where body, sound, image, and the intention in the space have equal importance. With that in mind we make songs, we improvise, make noise, play pop and folk music and perform our compositions. Our musical material is translated in new graphical scores which unfold realtime. With the means of light projections a new “carpet is woven” and presented in a visual concert setting.
The first phase to research Bolivia's Sound-Season-Phenomenon was in may 2016. After a long weekend of performances and with our insights of that experience, we want to take the project to the next step. We aim to be able to not just weave the music live into a light and color projection, but to really weave our music and sounds in real time with a weaving machine. So at the end of the performance you have a graphic translation into a woven material. Not a CD, but a carpet. Our investigation is to better understand the carpets as an imprint of musical information. A graphic document of knowledge. And we want to develop the tools that a musical composition bewitches the spectator as the supposed Sirens do. OBOL LE in this way is a collaboration that exists in both musical, visual and a performative space.
The first phase to research Bolivia's Sound-Season-Phenomenon was in may 2016. After a long weekend of performances and with our insights of that experience, we want to take the project to the next step. We aim to be able to not just weave the music live into a light and color projection, but to really weave our music and sounds in real time with a weaving machine. So at the end of the performance you have a graphic translation into a woven material. Not a CD, but a carpet. Our investigation is to better understand the carpets as an imprint of musical information. A graphic document of knowledge. And we want to develop the tools that a musical composition bewitches the spectator as the supposed Sirens do. OBOL LE in this way is a collaboration that exists in both musical, visual and a performative space.
o k a p i is seeking. It is a new musical laboratory in the 21st century. The ensemble consists of old instruments, obscure instruments and contemporary instruments. Emerged from the shared need of 11 individuals to exchange musical languages and sounds.
o k a p i is moving in its composition; sometimes all together, sometimes four men strong. It is a fairytale orchestra, founded with childlike simple sounds, melodies and harmonies. A fairy tale, until the most violent sound sprouts from unexpected instruments.
THE JOB
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www.doek.org
The Job is a Dutch experimental pop group.
We toured through Tokyo, Japan in March and April 2014.
Armed with three Iphones, this video is based on our live shows and captures our encounters with the city. It is both a musical portrait and a rendition of Japanese culture. Somehow by coincidence there is a synergy between The Job’s improvisations and the vibrant city life of Tokyo – not merely because of its group name!
CONFETTI FOR THE BLIND - 2018
JOCHEM VAN TOL AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS.
JOCHEM VAN TOL