Listen with headphones to enjoy the immersive surround  sound worlds of this album!

H.E.A.D. (Hearing Entirely Artificial Dreams)is a work-in-progress based on artificial head technology ("Kunstkopf-Stereophonie) which allows the transmission of spatial 3D sound over simple headphones. Each piece of this collection is dedicated to a specific location, based on four typical soundscapes that have been found there. Those recordings are mixed algorithmically by a computer program written by Karlheinz Essl in Max8 which creates an infinite process.

All recordings are captured with the Sennheiser Ambeo Smart Headset and processed afterwards with Max8 and RTC-lib.
© 2018 by Karlheinz Essl

Info

H.E.A.D. (Hearing Entirely Artificial Dreams) - Generative Binaural Soundscapes (2018 ff.)

Binaural production - listen with headphones!

Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded in Krems, Horn and Gars/Kamp between August 31st and September 1st, 2024. Dedicated to my friend Gerhard Eckel:

    1) At the Taffa creek near Horn
    2) Gerhard Eckel and Jack Hauser performing under a resonant bridge
    3) A train ride along the river Kamp
    4) Sound from MONOCOLOR's audio-visual installation SCREEN—SPACE at the NÖ Landesgalerie Krems        

Released: Sep 2nd, 2024
https://essl.at/works/HEAD.html

H.E.A.D.

G.U.R.X.

G.U.R.X. (Gerhard's Unique Resonating Xylophone) - BINAURAL

NB: Listen with headphones to enjoy the immersive sound of this piece.

Generative soundscape based on a random walk between four binaural recordings from different spots in the city of Graz, Austria: 1) farmers market near the Opera, 2) street crossing at the Stadtpark with cars, motorbikes and bicycles, 3) trams, busses and passengers at Jakominiplatz, 4) birds and a creek in the park of the Music University with a distant vibraphone.

Soundscapes recorded on April 19th, 2018 with Sennheiser Ambeo Headset. Generative software written in Max7 with objects from my RTC-lib.
© 2018 by Karlheinz Essl

G.R.A.Z.

G.R.A.Z. (Generic Research on Ambient Zones) - BINAURAL

NB: Listen with headphones to enjoy the immersive sound of this piece!

Generative soundscape based on a random walk between four binaural recordings from different spots in the city of Vienna, Austria: 1) Café Mozart near the Opera 2) reading hall of the Austrian National Library, 3) children’s playground at Draschepark, 4) pond near Gerasdorf with swimmer and kids.

Soundscapes recorded between March and April 2018 with Sennheiser Ambeo Headset. Generative software written in Max7 with objects from Karlheinz Essl's RTC-lib.
© 2018 by Karlheinz Essl

W.I.E.N.

W.I.E.N. (Where Intelligence Enhances Neuroticism) - BINAURAL

NB: Listen with headphones to enjoy the immersive sound of this piece!

Generative soundscape based on a random walk between four binaural recordings from different spots in the region of Retz, Austria: 1) the main square in the city of Retz 2) Czech people talking in a bar in Šatov 3) birds singing near the river Thaya, 4) a so-called "Kellergasse" in Retz.

Soundscapes recorded on June 8th, 2018 with Sennheiser Ambeo Headset. Generative software written in Max7 with objects from Karlheinz Essl's RTC-lib.
© 2018 by Karlheinz Essl

R.E.T.Z.

R.E.T.Z. (Restoring Energy Through Zest) - BINAURAL

NB: Listen with headphones to enjoy the immersive sound of this piece!

Generative soundscape based on a random walk between four binaural recordings from different spots of the Danube Delta in Romania: 1) morning atmosphere near Sulina 2) evening atmosphere near Sulina 3) frog concert with paddle boats in Canal Magearu, 4)birds singing at Lacu Iaco.

Soundscapes recorded in May 2018 with Sennheiser Ambeo Headset. Generative software written in Max7 with objects from Karlheinz Essl's RTC-lib.
© 2018 by Karlheinz Essl

D.U.N.A.

D.U.N.A. (Diluted Units of Natural Atmosphere) - BINAURAL

NB: Listen with headphones to enjoy the immersive sound of this piece!

Generative soundscape based on a random walk between four binaural recordings made at Lunz, Austria on Aug 7th, 2018: 1) hikers escaping an approaching thunderstorm 2) rain and thunder at the courtyard of the castle 3) swimming in the lake, 4) ride on an electric canoe through a narrow water canal.

Soundscapes recorded with Sennheiser Ambeo Headset. Generative software written in Max7 with objects from Karlheinz Essl's RTC-lib.
© 2018 by Karlheinz Essl

L.U.N.Z.

L.U.N.Z. (Lazy Unicorns Nibble Zealously) - BINAURAL

Born 1960 in Vienna. Austrian composer, improviser and performer. He studied composition with Friedrich Cerha and musicology in Vienna. Besides writing experimental instrumental music, he performs on his own electronic instrument m@ze°2, develops software environments for computer-aided composition and creates generative sound and video environments. Since 2007 professor of composition for electro-acoustic and experimental music at the University of Music in Vienna.

Karlheinz Essl performs on a laptop computer that he has transformed into a live electronic musical instrument. The result is exciting and musical. You just won't hear these sounds anywhere else. He performs solo and in duets and trios, responding with sensitivity to fellow musicians, producing fascinating sound transformations, creating spontaneous surprises, and moving quickly from loops to cacophony to tiny clips of vocal sounds to all kinds of textures and ideas. He does all this with his m@ze°2(Modular Algorithmic Zound Environment) performance software. (Joel Chadabe, CDeMusic, Januar 2002)
