A mountain village
under the piled-up snow
the sound of water.

haiku by Masaoka Shiki https://mypoeticside.com/poets/masaoka-shiki-poems

picture by Bryan Rodriguez https://unsplash.com/@yosoybrod

For more information visit http://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

fondle wash

halF snoweD [naviarhaiku450]

rock bottom—
river stones form
gentle waves

haiku by Luke Levi https://www.lukelevi.com/

picture by Nadine Marfurt https://unsplash.com/@nadine3

For more information visit http://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

arch folk

halF rocK [naviarhaiku475]

video @ https://youtu.be/ZnmfVBkzXnc

misty daydream
Vikings land on the shore
of my childhood

haiku by Michael Dudley http://michaeljdudley.com

For more information visit http://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

visuals (YouTube)

halF daydreaM [naviarhaiku484]

See accompanying visuals (YouTube) @ https://youtu.be/1E2l7woX7es

in dream world
was I laughing at a turtle?
winter seclusion

haiku by Kobayashi Issa https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/kobayashi-issa

picture by Todd Trapani https://unsplash.com/photos/ymEcUhbjCrI

For more information visit http://www.naviarrecords.com/about/naviar-haiku

halF laughinG [naviarhaiku488]

See the accompanying visuals @ https://youtu.be/pcGYPoWRkqw

This piece uses sounds recorded in the process of making a loaf with a breadmaker ... enjoy!

halF kaleidoscopE

OK, so this strays a little from the junto brief, but this is where things led!

My field recording ended up being a noodling around on a SW radio dial, avoiding actual voices as much as possible ... The  resulting recording went through (iZotope RX) speech-to-text, which created the crazy text copied below.  That text then became the basis for the (Google) AI 'vocal', which inspired the final track ... a kind of bendy AI rap ... The SW radio recording is still in there somewhere as well ...

Here's the transcription of what the speech-to-text 'heard' - follow along! The track goes through the complete text twice:

ctured 

is 

that yougoing on 

sayin 

itn't 

hbs 

and i thought it in 

no one d'artagnan offer you there said is 

isled on the he said to missus ellivoice i followed with england is now indeed one of masks thou some otherwise if i think employed having his 

eyes on women soon none of the orange do past for battle but it white 

allwith a black beyond oil the touch of the touch of mitya felt a thought he 

you're just a little fairy and osborne 

ilie 

i'm still 

you'll 

have spaster nothing of saint eliza lady's 

a o'er 

my 


More on this 608th weekly Disquiet Junto project, Nature-to-Text (The Assignment: Using a speech-to-text tool, turn a field recording into instructions for a composition), at: https://disquiet.com/0608/

About the Disquiet Junto: https://disquiet.com/junto/

Subscribe to project announcements: https://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co: https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0608-nature-to-text/

more halF unusuaL

halF texT [disquiet0608]

There's a 100% reverb setting on this - a shadow of the music you can't quite hear. See the (slightly disturbing) accompanying visuals @ https://youtu.be/pdBdZPYer60

More on this 622nd weekly Disquiet Junto project, Know the Shadow (The Assignment: Use recently discarded material to make something new), at: https://disquiet.com/0622/

About the Disquiet Junto: https://disquiet.com/junto/

Subscribe to project announcements: https://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co: https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0622-know-the-shadow/

halF shadoW [disquiet0622]

I write, erase, rewrite
erase again, and then
a poppy blooms.

This is the death poem of Tachibana Hokushi, sometimes wrongly attributed to the Japanese painter Katsushika Hokusai.

Tachibana Hokushi, whose real name was Tachibana Genjiro, was born in Kanazawa in 1665. Hokushi was one of Basho’s most famous students at the time, and he even accompanied the great master during part of his famous journey through the narrow roads of the North, from Kanazawa to Matsuoka.

Haiku by Tachibana Hokushi

To find out more and participate, visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge/

halF erasurE [naviarhaiku557]

Be careful! ... The SoundCloud algorithm has deemed this not 'music' so won't be recommending to potentially interested listeners 😁 I wonder why I take that as a compliment?! 😉

More on the 662nd weekly Disquiet Junto project, Spin Cycle — The Assignment: Record a piece of music that pits one bicyclist against another — at https://disquiet.com/0662/

halF spiN [disquiet0662]

More on the 676th weekly Disquiet Junto project, Sub Melody — The Assignment: Bury a slow melody deep inside a drone — at https://disquiet.com/0676/

halF suB [disquiet0676]

Phew! Thankfully this track didn't pass muster with the SoundCloud algorithm ... and so won't be recommended to potentially interested listeners ... Always a signal that something is probably worth a listen! 😁

See the accompanying video at https://youtu.be/wjrGJtwQnP0

This project is the first of three that are being done by the Disquiet Junto in collaboration with the 2025 Musikfestival Bern, which will be held in Switzerland from September 3 through 7. The festival topic this year is « Kette » — which translates, as the organization explains, to “Chain”: “Chains connect but they also bind. They create relationships but also restrictions. As a gift they look nice, feared when used in vice, and yet they can span bridges across fire and ice.” All three Junto projects will engage with the work of Svetlana Maraš, who is the Composer-in-Residence for the 2025 festival.

More on the 696th weekly Disquiet Junto project, Chain of Layers — The Assignment: Make music change by altering its layers — at https://disquiet.com/0696/

visuals

halF layereD [disquiet0696]

Messing with a crystal bell ... !

slanting sunlight rays
a warm hazy afternoon
the forest to hear

Marc Sheridan is an ever-curious person who loves what is just around the corner: the unusual and the mysterious. Even everyday objects and scenes can always be viewed differently.

He is English but currently living in the US, and he always remembers what Ansel Adams once said, "You don't take a photograph, you make it." Marc believes that photography rewards him with a greater connection to everything around him.

Lately, Marc has been writing haiku, but he's not sure whether he illustrates his photos with haiku or reveals his haiku through photography.

He has been published in numerous magazines in the US and the UK and has exhibited up and down the West Coast of the US for the past 23 years.

Haiku by Marc Sheridan: https://bsky.app/profile/northernvoodoo.bsky.social

To find out more and participate, visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge/

halF slantinG [naviarhaiku592]

cloud and mist alike
rendered unnoticeable –
bright moon tonight!

Inawashiro Kensai (1452-1510) was a Japanese poet of the Muromachi period. He was a student of the famous renga poet Shinkei.

Haiku by: Inawashiro Kensai: https://collections.lacma.org/node/1015667

To find out more and participate, visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge/

halF rendereD [naviarhaiku593]

You can't quite see it in the photo out the window, but there's a carpet of plum slate in my back garden ... Great sonic fodder for a little rhythmic experiment like this! It's a bit ASMR-y if you're into that sort of thing too ... Also, I guess because it's just rhythm, you might feel it's ripe for additional parts. It's downloadable (85 BPM) if that remix prospect takes your fancy 🤗❤️

SO great to be part of the 700th Disquiet Junto!! 😁🔥

More on the 700th weekly Disquiet Junto project, View Frame — The Assignment: Share a peek out your window and some sounds inspired by the view — at https://disquiet.com/0700/

halF vieW [disquiet0700]

I filled my gap with Alain Badiou ... for a change ... Excerpts from the brilliant European Graduate School video of Badiou lecturing in English on the Subject of Change: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBxf_hncrN8

More on the 701st weekly Disquiet Junto project, Gap Ear — The Assignment: Break apart a piece of music and fill the resulting spaces — at https://disquiet.com/0701/

halF voiD [disquiet0701]

I 'misused' Microsoft Word to create this ... see the accompanying visuals at https://youtu.be/6dIBIYtLmE4 ... and hear the 'spinoff' track at https://soundcloud.com/half-unusual/half-akjhdjsdmnn ... I think you'll agree, it's the best use of the word akjhdjsd,mnn to date ... 😁😜 ... Oh, and lead vocals by the Word robot! 🤖

This project is the second of three that are being done by the Disquiet Junto in collaboration with the 2025 Musikfestival Bern, which will be held in Switzerland from September 3 through 7. The festival topic this year is « Kette » — which translates, as the organization explains, to “Chain”: “Chains connect but they also bind. They create relationships but also restrictions. As a gift they look nice, feared when used in vice, and yet they can span bridges across fire and ice.” All three Junto projects will engage with the work of Svetlana Maraš, who is the Composer-in-Residence for the 2025 festival.

We are working again at the invitation of Tobias Reber, an early Junto participant, who is in charge of the educational activities of the festival. This is the seventh year in a row that the Junto has collaborated with Musikfestival Bern.

More on the 702nd weekly Disquiet Junto project, Chain of Applications — The Assignment: Make music by misusing a piece of music software — at https://disquiet.com/0702/

halF wrotE [disquiet0702]

Errr ... lead vocals by the Word robot! 🎤🤖

So, this popped out of the process for yesterday's Disquiet Junto project ... I was originally going to use the Microsoft Word 'Read Aloud' function in that track, but got side-tracked in the key tapping noises and 'bips'! 🙊

You can hear the sister track at https://soundcloud.com/half-unusual/half-wrote-disquiet0702 ... and you'll also see where akjhdjds,mnn comes from ... underlined in red in the thumbnail because the wisdom of Word has designated it a spelling error ... 

Enjoy! 😁

halF akjhdjsd,mnN

after the typhoon
I walk around alone -
sunshine everywhere

Hosomi Ayako (1907–1997) was a prominent haiku poet from Aogaki, Hyogo. After a series of personal tragedies, including the deaths of her husband and mother, she found solace in haiku during an illness. She later married Sawaki Kinichi, leader of the modern haiku group Kaze, and was deeply involved in the haiku community until her passing at 90.

Haiku by Hosomi Ayako: https://wkdhaikutopics.blogspot.com/2007/03/hosomi-ayako.html
 
To find out more and participate, visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge/

halF alonE [naviarhaiku598]

My good friend https://soundcloud.com/delirium-funk gave me his Bastl Kastle to play with ... and this rainy, ricey ritual little number slowly emerged from that crazy little box! Enjoy! 😁😜

rain rituals -
if the gods are here now
to see the paddies

Takarai Kikaku was one of the most accomplished disciples of Matsuo Bashō, famous also for writing a manuscript describing his master’s final days, and the immediate aftermath of his death.

Haiku by Takarai Kikaku: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takarai_Kikaku

To find out more and participate, visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge/

halF rituaL [naviarhaiku599]

More on the 704th weekly Disquiet Junto project, Right on Cumulus — The Assignment: Compose 8-bit music inspired by a Cory Arcangel / Super Mario video — at https://disquiet.com/0704/

halF 8biT [disquiet0704]

VERY exciting to be contributing to the 600th Naviar Haiku Challenge!! 🎉❤️

thinking of us
the sound of wind
among the pines

Andrea Cecon is a hearing aids technician, a traveler, and a haijin published all over the world. His first ebook won 3rd place in the Sharp Writ Book Awards contest in 2011 (category: poetry). Residing in Cividale, Italy, with his wife, Russian haijin Valeria Simonova-Cecon. He finds his inspiration in memories, travels, and everyday life…

Haiku by Andrea Cecon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Andrea-Cecon/author/B00955O0CA?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

To find out more and participate, visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge/

more halF unususaL

halF uS [naviarhaiku600]

The first sentence of Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert M. Pirsig is, "I can see by my watch, without taking my hand from the left grip of the cycle, that it is eight-thirty in the morning."

More on the 705th weekly Disquiet Junto project, Book Start — The Assignment: Let the beginning of a book help you begin a new piece of music — at https://disquiet.com/0705/. This week’s project was proposed by Neil Stringfellow.

halF icanseebymywatcH [disquiet0705]

Welcome to a little deep (haiku) space TidalCycles livecoding play! 😁😜

pulling light
from the other world . . .
the Milky Way

Yatsuka Ishihara (1919–1998) was a Japanese poet and co-founder of the journal Aki 秋 with Akira Matsuzawa. He also served as an advisor to the Modern Haiku Association (Gendai Haiku Kyōkai) and the Association of Haiku Poets (Haijin Kyōkai).

Haiku by Yatsuka Ishihara: https://www.brooksbookshaiku.com/MillikinHaiku/writerprofiles/JonesOnIshihara.html
 
To find out more and participate, visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge/

halF milkY [naviarhaiku601]

Another little TC livecoding experiment ... this time with a few sounds from my bathroom ...

More on the 706th weekly Disquiet Junto project, Tile One On — The Assignment: Make the most of your bathroom — at https://disquiet.com/0706/.

halF tileD [disquiet0706]

yet another little livecoding experiment ... enjoy! 😁

scent of plum
in a flash of rising sun!
the mountain path

This week's challenge features a poem by the greatest master of haiku, Matsuo Bashō.

Haiku by Matsuo Bashō: https://www.thehaikufoundation.org/omeka/items/show/206
 
To find out more and participate, visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge/

halF pluM [naviarhaiku602]

The "one sentence that in some manner describes your artistic practice", step two of this week's Disquiet Junto brief, is as follows:

I make music to explore sound and the boundary of what is considered ‘music’ … and I use chance so that, in turn, sound can explore me through the process, as well as, at best, anyone else who listens. 

Perhaps ironically, the SoundCloud algorithm doesn't consider this track 'music' enough to recommend to potentially interested listeners ... so it might actually be worth a listen! 😁😜

Great to be contributing to Musikfestival Bern again with this exploration!

More on the 707th weekly Disquiet Junto project, Chain of Practice — The Assignment: Make music from how you make music — at https://disquiet.com/0707/.

halF practicE [disquiet0707]

insect tremolo
soberingly cools the heat
of farmland roads

Kogetsu Eguchi (1825-1867) was a Japanese poet active in the late Edo period. Together with Kazan Watanabe, he authored the haiku book Tōke shunchō.

Haiku by Kogetsu Eguchi: https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/lookupid?key=ha011984281

To find out more and participate, visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge/

halF tremolO [naviarhaiku603]

More on the 708th weekly Disquiet Junto project, Vocal Chords — The Assignment: Do something with layers of the sound of your voice — at https://disquiet.com/0708/

halF choraL [disquiet0708]

In spring sunlight
the rows of tea bushes
ripple like waves
 

Tōge Morita (1924-2013) was a Japanese teacher and poet from Osaka. In the early 50s, he started publishing his poems in the Katsuragi 葛城 magazine, later becoming its editor-in-chief and, in 1990, its editor.

Haiku by Tōge Morita: https://www.lucacenisi.net/2023/04/16/cinque-haiku-di-toge-morita/

To find out more and participate, visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge/

halF cuppA [naviarhaiku604]

dropped glass -
its ring
outlasts the fall

SO happy that Naviar Records has chosen to run with one of my own haiku for this week's challenge! As you can no doubt hear ... I still very much ❤️ Sumu!! All the Madrona Labs plugins are such inspiring sonic creative genius! 👏🙏

halF unusuaL is "an evolving space inspired by play in the spirit of ‘hai’ (meaning “fun” or “unusual” in the word haiku). Here, improvisation connects the unexpected, mining the boundary between music and non-music to shape sound worlds that feel oddly familiar in their oddity."

You can find Darren’s music on Soundcloud and Youtube, and check out his website to find out more about his publications and merchandise.

Haiku by Darren Bourne

To find out more and participate, visit https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge/

halF droppeD [naviarhaiku610]

Warning! ... This track is not 'music' enough for the SC algorithm to recommend it to potentially interested listeners ... You have been warned 😁😜

More on the 715th weekly Disquiet Junto project, Err Apparent — The Assignment: Make a mistake on purpose. Build something from it — at https://disquiet.com/0715/

halF erR [disquiet0715]

See accompanying visuals @ https://youtu.be/H_Bwdd2KUMQ

Spoken word: Michael Finnissy - Music Matters, BBC Radio 3, 9th April 2016

Listen to the whole episode on BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b0769hbg

halF fivefortysiX [featuring Michael Finnissy]

A deep listening mission to isolate and really appreciate the relief of the repeated phrase ...

halF hiddeN

Welcome to halF unusuaL, an evolving space inspired by play in the spirit of ‘hai’ (meaning “fun” or “unusual” in the word haiku). Here, improvisation connects the unexpected, mining the boundary between music and non-music to shape sound worlds that feel oddly familiar in their oddity. Listen freely, explore deeply, and for the sounds to live for your eyes as well as your ears, please stop by the YouTube channel. Thank you for joining this journey! Your support helps keep this afloat ... and is HUGELY appreciated 🥰

halF unusuaL

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