lo: sound art

Rather than one specific project, I’d like to talk about a genre that’s very dependent on digital production to experiment and push the boundaries of music. Hyperpop is a fairly new genre in mainstream culture and is defined by its exaggerated and dramatic nature compared to contemporary pop music. Many of my personal favorite songs include larger than life basslines, quirky sound effects, and almost nonsensical lyrics, if any. Much of this experimentation is possible due to digital workstations and tools, making and mixing sounds that would not naturally happen in traditional music. Certain artists, like SOPHIE, also viewed music making as an entirely different process than people of the past would have. She described her process as something similar to building a sculpture – where each sound mimicked a certain material and sensation. While there isn’t one specific way these artists generate music, I think this subculture encapsulates how the advent of technology in the musical space has broadened their possibilities.