Ozymandias by INFECTED SENSES

Further (re)adventures in micro editing, mini looping, collage, cut & paste & plunderphonics —four decades of popular (western) musical artifacts from the future. For the first four tracks, there was no intention to arrange loops in a way to keep beat matching or musical sense, but rather to let chance syncopation, polyrhythms, and phrases appear by themselves. Also, there is no intention to try to cover EVERY nuance of pop music culture from those decades either. The selection was pretty random tbh, though obvs with some subjective choices. See what you can spot, but also try to listen, detached from what the clips signify, or are from, to the sonic sculpture that is here. It's tricky but possible. The whole project was quite a laborious process and I really should get a life :)

This sound piece is a sonic journey through four decades - 60s to 90s - of popular Western music, reimagined and reassembled into a collage of unexpected rhythms and harmonies. Drawing inspiration from the plunderphonic movement, pioneered by artists like John Oswald, the artist has meticulously crafted a soundscape that challenges our preconceived notions of music and invites us to listen with a fresh ear.

The first four tracks eschew traditional notions of beat matching and musical sense, instead embracing the serendipitous nature of chance syncopation and polyrhythms. The result is a chaotic yet captivating soundscape that defies categorization, reminiscent of the experimental works of DJ Shadow and The Caretaker.

While the selection of musical artefacts is eclectic, the artist has carefully curated a collection that reflects the diversity and evolution of popular music over that period. Listeners are encouraged to identify familiar snippets and explore the ways in which they have been transformed and recontextualized.

However, the true power of this piece lies not in its nostalgic appeal, but in its ability to transcend the original context of the musical fragments. By detaching ourselves from the familiar, we can experience the sonic sculpture as a purely abstract sound art, appreciating its intricate textures and rhythmic complexities.

As Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem "Ozymandias" reminds us, even the most powerful and enduring creations are ultimately subject to decay and oblivion. This sonic composition serves as a poignant reminder of the ephemeral nature of popular culture, while also celebrating its enduring legacy.

Ozymandias
By Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792 –1822)

I met a traveler from an antique land,
Who said—“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;
And on the pedestal, these words appear:
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

DIY electronic and experimental project of Kev Winser,(aka DJ Louie Louie) Blending pop sensibilities and avant-garde forms. Co-founder and promoter of 'Music Is Murder' in Exeter, UK. Completed an MA in Sound Design in 2023. Over 100 of his releases have been curated by the British Library Sound Archive, marking his work as a unique contribution to underground experimental music (apparently)