PHONOGRAPHIC ARTIST
transforming vinyl
archives into
immersive live sonic
environments
Performance
A live performance exploring vinyl as archive, instrument and sonic material. Live Phonographic Performance by OSOSONIC Archive Resonance is a live phonographic performance in which OSOSONIC transforms vinyl archives into immersive live sonic environments. Working with four turntables, he composes layered sound worlds from fragments of avant-garde, ambient, library music, film scores and experimental soundscapes. Three turntables function as archival sources, while a fourth is dedicated to original sound generation using physically altered vinyl records. Through sanding, cutting, tape interventions and heat deformation, the material is pushed beyond its original function, producing raw textures, noise structures and unpredictable sonic behaviour. Through live manipulation, layering and intuitive composition, the performance unfolds as a dynamic sonic narrative in which archive, material and experimentation converge. The result is an immersive and evolving sound environment, shifting between subtle atmospheres and more intense experimental passages.
Phonographic Art
Phonographic Art, as explored by OSOSONIC, is a form of sound art in which recorded sound becomes the primary artistic material. In this practice, vinyl records are approached not only as carriers of music, but as archives, instruments and physical sound objects. Through live manipulation, layering and transformation, fragments of recorded material are recomposed into immersive sonic environments. The phonographic medium itself, with its textures, imperfections and traces of time, becomes an active part of the work. Archival sound is not preserved, but reactivated and reshaped into new sonic narratives.
Procesed vinyl
Vinyl records are physically transformed through sanding, cutting, drilling and tape interventions. By heating and reshaping the surface, subtle deformations emerge, altering the behavior of the grooves and opening up new sonic possibilities. These interventions push the material beyond its original function, generating raw textures, noise structures and unpredictable sound patterns. Shaped through filters and effects, the altered records become a foundation for live phonographic composition a source of evolving layers from which new sonic environments are built.
Phonographic Sessions
My first experience with layered, experimental sound composition emerged during a DJ performance for North Sea Round Town at Brutus, as part of Wild Summer of Art. At that time I was not yet working with turntables, but using CDJs. Towards the end of my set, I intuitively shifted direction, moving away from the dancefloor and following something that came from much deeper within. It was not about entertaining, but about exploring sound in a more personal and expressive way. The response that evening was overwhelmingly positive, and I immediately felt that something meaningful was happening. That moment marked the beginning of a deeper exploration, and the decision to further develop this approach into my current phonographic practice.
Bio
OSOSONIC is a Rotterdam-based phonographic artist exploring vinyl as instrument, archive and sonic material. With over 28 years of experience as a DJ and six years of intensive work with modular synthesizers and sound composition, he has developed a practice in which live performance and experimental sound research converge. In his current work, he focuses on live phonographic performances that transform vinyl archives into immersive sonic environments. Using four turntables, he constructs layered compositions from fragments of avant-garde, ambient, library music, film scores and experimental soundscapes. Alongside these sources, he generates original sound material using physically altered vinyl records, producing noise structures, textures and unexpected sonic worlds. His performances unfold as dynamic sonic narratives where archive, experimentation and intuitive improvisation meet.
Artist statement
My drive is to create sound art that moves people and transports them into unknown emotional landscapes, shaped through layered and intuitive sonic compositions. I create immersive sonic landscapes by working with layered fragments from vinyl archives, transforming them through live phonographic composition into new dimensions of sound. In my performances, dynamic sound worlds emerge where atmosphere, intensity and emotion continuously shift and interact. Intuition plays a central role in my process. Spontaneous decisions, unexpected connections and moments of discovery shape the musical landscape of the performance. Through these moments, the work unfolds as evolving sonic narratives in which different worlds of sound and emotion meet. At the core of my practice lies a fascination with recorded sound as cultural memory. Vinyl carries traces of time, ragments of music, textures and atmospheres embedded in its grooves. During my performances, I reactivate these archives through live phonographic composition. Using multiple turntables, I work with fragments drawn from avant-garde, ambient, library music, film scores and experimental soundscapes. These sounds are layered, stretched and recombined into new sonic environments. Alongside these sources, I generate original sound material using physically altered vinyl records. Through tape, abrasion and effects processing, the record becomes a sculptural sound object capable of producing noise structures, textures and unexpected sonic behaviour.
