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Test subject 1.19 @tangerine_tangerine launches into a murky space consumed by chaos and dark matter. Arcs of aggression and tendrils of rage are implemented with deadly precision to enact a no-holds-barred aural onslaught from all directions. An incredible expression of the human psyche in a state of frustration and confusion - come well prepared for the high-intensity skirmish set to ensue.

"I felt like I was observing a take on the (emotional) representation of chaos and frustration. Messy, smudgy, and confusing! Inspiration for this mix definitely came from a period recently when I was churning through ZULI’s music and mixes. He does not hold back whatsoever and makes way for a lot of angry and high-intensity sounds. This image seems to evoke similar feelings to what I experience when listening to his selections so I decided to take a similar approach of not thinking about holding back whatsoever, which is a really cool opportunity with a mix since there is no pressure to conform to a context other than your own whim." Tangerine on her interpretation of the visual stimulus.

Manifestation // Tangerine

Test subject 1.20 @djgiulia blurs the lines between the nightmarish and ethereal, holding quicksilver-like mobility between shadow and light without ever crystallising in either state. This dynamic odyssey constantly evolves and reinvents itself, materialising beauty and love into a harsh and anguished landscape; the ripples of this healing can be felt deep within.

"The process of putting together this mix was completely immersive, with deep dedication to what I wanted to express. I felt an immediate connection to this image and knew exactly how I wanted to approach the mix. The image is very dystopian, complex and sort of scary but with so much beauty in it. It's a direct reflection of my current internal landscape: I'm presently working through some pretty intense personal trauma and I channeled a lot of that energy into this. To me, the mix is dark, harsh and hard to sit with, but is peppered with moments of beauty and peace throughout, and you reach the end of it with a real sense of hope. When I was recording it I actually cried as the last track played - there was so much energy that was put into this mix and it felt like a huge release. I hope that can be felt as people listen. As a full-time sculpture student, I am constantly thinking about multiple art forms and know that this informs how I piece mixes together. I often treat these compositions as forms of sound art, seeing myself as a sound curator rather than a dj. I'm constantly thinking about collaboration and generative processes, so it was really great to be asked to create this in response to an image created specifically for me to respond to. It was deeply rewarding hard work and a real pleasure to put this mix together." Giulia on their connection and approach to translating the stimulus.


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New York, an Eternity - Aquarian
MVMNT i - Hiro Kone
NOT - Thrax
3 - Karol Firmanty
Site: Suspension - Lily Tait
Magical - O) (M
1 - World Room
Cutting Into Flesh - Gazelle Twin
Chlorine Bomb - r hunter
embræ - cypha
Basstrap - Makeda
Test Piece 2 - John Tchical
5 - World Room
untitled - DBR
RAM - Slikback
Nar - Susu Laroche
Stretching - Mara
shed - Fake
Rest Yr Troubles Over Me - Objekt
6059 - Night Dives
Foment (Recursive) - Avbvrn
Jefre Tropod - Legiac
Diptych of Imprinted Textures - r hunter
Enfold - Madeleine Cocolas
Colonial Redux - Kcin
Fine - MOHINI
Elastic Scream - Roy Batty Jr.
Offshore - biome
Wingless - Grasps_
Penrose Steps - Wytchings
VII - Oedura
[TBC] - Aarti Jadu
Immersion - OWL
Like A Gun - Laila Sakini
Four Turntables Under Swaying, Sympathetic Suspension - Clinton Green
Ritual Body Posture - Laurence Pike
Lotem Regev Part ii - Ran Bagno
Bedroom Community - Oak
The Object Activates - Plyanci
Stochastic Percussive Workout Part 1 - Third Space
Stochastic Percussive Workout Part 2 - Third Space
hustle - Fake
disinvited - Shoeb Ahmad
Cause 1 - cypha
Cause 3 - cypha
After the Rain - Sleep D & Albrecht La'Brooy
Sorgente Termale in un Cantiere - Scott Gailey
Asphyxia - Kōjin
T4l - Grań
There's a Dying World in Us - Lara K
Loophole - Little Snake, Amon Tobi
Preparations III - Del Lumanta
Barnumbir - Grace Ferguson

Manifestation // Giulia

Test subject 1.21 @mijahealey plunges into a state of uncertainty and misdirection. Arcane patterns and tensile glitches tear at the fabric of a wavering mythic reality. The fractal core of this labyrinthian place pulls like an undercurrent; magnetic, pulsating. Answer to the call of the centre of the labyrinth... to escape is to descend.

"It's led me down a path of which I'm unsure, an unsuspecting path that nudges closer to a kind of sequence."

Manifestation // Mija Healey

Test subject 1.22 Kavil (@absorb-label / @city-bleus) dissipates and reforms, melding tenderness and volatility like a fray of tidal sets. Caustic waves in each cluster crash down; surface tension fractures on impact... the corrosive liquid slips back into the deep; enduring, infinite. Tension re-engages, splitting the lull to restart the hypnotic cycle that craves finality.

"[The image] seems really tranquil at the back but it’s obvious that the foreground is hogging. Taken together, their interaction feels muddled to me... almost unstable. I’ve spent some time staring at this composition and six versions later, here we are. A tension-to-resolution that is quietly raging. Meet me in between the black and blue :3"

Manifestation // Kavil

Test subject 1.23 @genie4 plunges into a jagged fever dream where uncommon threads knit together warped, incomprehensible memories that feel like you're experiencing someone elses déjà vu. Sweat drips, the heart races, and the fever burns while the mind tumbles further down into angst-driven delirium. Let this one run its course and ride out the mania...

"This image is mega scary but cute... Lately I have been listening to a lot of Sicara Sound, Nat James, Ehua and GiGi FM! I wanted to try djing different genres I wouldn’t usually play, I think because the image is mysterious and you look at it for a while and find things that weren’t in it before. I feel like there is a background to the image that you can’t really grasp, that’s what I’m trying to show in the music , extreme angst and darkness with a bit of fruity fresh fun. Also I did this after getting my COVID vax so best enjoyed when u have if you have some kind of fever."

Manifestation // Genie

Test Subject 1.24 Marley Swain @marleyys gently guides us through sonification of a dense subaquatic ecosystem, separating from the constraints of linearity to explore and circle back to every corner of the landscape. Feel yourself squeeze through bubbling, dimly lit caverns, brush past forests of kelp and coral, and get caught up in turbulent ocean currents as you explore Marley's Drexciyan world....

"The image for this mix hit me almost instantly. At first It was giving deep sea vibes and the more I looked at it I started visualising a forest in the mix too. So my imagination landed somewhere inside of some kind of aquatic forest deep below. Maybe somewhere Drexiyans go for a hike. Which I guess is why I got into some sub aquatic / deep bass kinda tip!"

Manifestation // Marley Swain

Test subject 1.25 @allurein of the beloved @neurocrankk collective, unearths a primordial dance between the hunter and it’s prey as they weave through an aberrant, glitching biosphere. A true narrative of survival where tension rises and falls as the hunt plays out through alien flora.

“I made the visual prompt my lock screen first and foremost, so that I’d be met with it every day. Any time I was listening to music it was right there; either to remind me to be listening for certain sounds I associated with the visual, or so that the visual would be so deeply engrained in my mind that I was always listening to music with a lens directly associated with the visual. 

I developed this sort of sci-fi story, of predator and prey that I felt came as a consequence of this relationship between the lushness of the visual; and the striking contrast of the sharp, grey, almost extra-terrestrial intrusions. Notwithstanding the embarrassment factor, it helped me create a narrative that I felt the interplay of songs could tell. 

I tried to imagine the strange sounds and animals that might arise, the ups and downs of my participation: haste, fear, exhilaration, and brief moments of tranquillity. As I said, it’s pretty embarrassing, but honestly it brought the visual to life and meant when looking for music, these were all the ways I wanted it to make me feel.

For me, the mix conveyed a story of survival in this glitched-out rainforest – a strange subsection prompting the discernment of what is artificial in an environment that was seemingly so close to a rainforest here on earth.”

Manifestation // Allure

A Place of Worship in the Night Forest 

Wasp's set from the Manifestation X Steeplejack event at Miscellania on the twenty seventh of August

Tracklist coooming

Avatar Blue II - Wasp: A Place Of Worship In The Night Forest

Test subject 1.26 K.L. Mai (@b_pd) braids shades of twilight; threading sensitivity into the murky fabric of a darkened and deranged landscape - a warping trip from start to finish.

"I find this image balances darkness and sensitivity in a really harmonious way, I think I'm always searching for this in the music I'm drawn to. The layered textures weave in softness throughout an otherwise chaotic environment. Familiar natural elements that don’t adhere to their expectations, almost as if you're completely submerged whilst floating over the surface. I imagined reaching a body of water in outer space, like I was wading through to try and find signs of new life."

Manifestation // K.L. Mai

Test subject 1.27 @index-exe connects the listener into a hallucinatory device, pulsating out a collection of distorted memories and visions that become ever more vivid as you plunge deeper. Bursts of mutating melodies are intertwined with a whirling hum, and glitches that transport you between the tangled visions.
Feel time dissipate and distort as you explore Index's memory vortex...

Recorded live at Manifestation X @steeplejackrec 27/08/22 - mastered by @bluetung

"I struggle to put my constantly racing, messy thoughts into adequate words. I think this is in part why I’m drawn to overstimulating, unpredictable or “broken” music. 

When I played this mix live it was the first proper opportunity I was given to do a mix where I was never worried about whether people were dancing, and instead I could focus on sharing music that moved me or fascinated me in some way. 

Much like the artwork, I wanted to play around with shattered crystalline, processed textures, and allow the mix to morph and expand sonically at whim to mirror its visual counterpart. Swerving from tightly programmed algorithmic sequences to euphoric, nostalgic samples, this mix has a lot of reverb, re-pitching and emotional, glitchy stutters that I love so much!  

I hope when absorbing this piece that the listener lets the hyper-digital swells wash over them, like bathing in an endless virtual lake under formidable 3D-rendered mountains."

Manifestation // Index

"A thick, supernatural fog
distorting your neural waves
upending your sense of now
infiltrating your mind"
@hennessysean @manifestation-fm

Art by Arthur Dove

CLVII - seán

006 - Seán

Test subject 1.28 @nelly_dj wades through the shadow and gloom of the undercroft, pushing against thick wreathing darkness like a beacon keeping shades at bay and lighting the way for those to follow.

“​​The artwork evoked a certain eerie atmosphere and I instantly knew what kind of mix I wanted to create. The image contained certain details like patterns and colours that reminded me of some tracks I had in my collection. With these tracks from my archive combined with fresh new productions from my favourite producers, I created a new trip. There are dark and heavy tones in it but with bright points. Think of it as a long walk through a gloomy cave which ends in a beautiful serene forest valley (and yes, of course, filled with fairies 🙂 🧚🏼‍♂️🧚🏼)”

Manifestation // Nelly

Jasper Torque

Monthly topographical conspiracies & sonic accountabilities recorded for Skylab Radio.

//

https://soundcloud.com/hennessysean

Bodiless, we swerve into Chrome's castle of ice. It feels like we're surfing the crest of the invading program, hanging ten above the seething glitch systems as they mutate. We're sentient patches of oil, swept along corridors of shadow.

But at the heart of the darkness, the still centre, the glitch systems shred the dark with whirlwinds of light, translucent razors spinning away from us; we hang in the centre of a slow motion explosion; ice fragments falling away forever.

Ura - Lettingo
Nightech - qovxbadl
I/DEX - Tetrapolar01
Dy - noctambulation
Loek Frey - Cite Dialogue
Ninestein - Fracture
Christina Vantzou - Enter
Masayoshi Fujita, Simon Harris, Derek Shirley, Jan Thoben, Kassian Troyer - 14_24
Y-E-T - Lightsloft
¬[d] - Axon
qebrus - ⋌.⋋ ⋤.⋥ ⋌.⋋
Archidi - MaTTTaG
qebrus - ⊶⊑∷⌊∴⊹∵⌉∷⊒⊷
Atomhead - Vortex
.o.O.o. - Enantiodromia
Hazcaush - 3_20_3
Suunk - Out of Frame
¬[d] - Colleoptera
.at_on & v4w.enko - Slow Motion
Shinkei & Mise en Scene - Cuts
Woopheadclrms - Refrain
Woopheadclrms - 2020
Nozumu Matsumoto - Sustainable II
Nile Koetting - Garden of Debris
Nile Koetting - Flood
Hironori nagatsuma - Osynlig struktur
Erratic - Gravitational Lens
ssabæ - sommet d’une église
B(if)ten - In Memoriam (The Silent Spring Mix)
Idle Blip - deepening
Fp - Meca
Tlactoc - Organic EFT
Marihiko Hara - Mirage

Faultlines E36 - Seán - Sentient Patches of Oil, Swept Along Corridors of Shadow

Test Subject 1.29 黑芝麻 (@heizhima) shatters through serenity of their opening sequence with sirens, foreboding the chaos yet to unfurl. Relentless energy cracks the glacial undertone, allowing space for solitude to take hold…

"At the heart of an icy winter, amongst fractured emotions and endless blues, I found stillness. Through distorted kicks, hardcore rhythms, and eerie melodies, a moment of serenity revealed itself. This paradox I experience often, but it is something I censor. Manifestation has provided a space for me to express my full self. This mix is a playlist of tracks and artists I (re)listened to during this challenging year."


Source list:

+ Retaliation – Nazar [hyperdub] https://nazar.bandcamp.com/track/retaliation

+ An Outward Visible Sign Of An Inward Invisible Hell (Skrilleggz) – Escha [Toothgrinder Press] https://hahahafuckoff.bandcamp.com/album/an-outward-visible-sign-of-an-inward-invisible-hell

+ sunta – CORIN [UIQ] https://uiqmusic.bandcamp.com/track/sunta

+ Scribble Machine – Emily Glass [Decisions Records] https://decisionsrecords.net/album/consequences

+ Texture Analyst – Ikonika [Ikonika]  https://ikonika.bandcamp.com/album/no-feelings-required

+ NIGHTS – L U C Y [L U C Y]  https://lucyproduction.bandcamp.com/album/primary-ep

+ Nightmares About Past & Future - Sonia Calico [Minimal Surface] https://soniacalico.bandcamp.com/album/desert-trance

+ Daddy I Want A Pony – NARA [SZNS7N] https://szns7n.bandcamp.com/track/daddy-i-want-a-pony

+ TYRANID – SLIKBACK X GIANT SWAN [Slikback] https://slikback.bandcamp.com/album/condense

+ Dawn – The Gazette [Sony Music Records] https://music.apple.com/jp/song/dawn/1658009463?l=en-US

+ Fear Dub (Jellvako Remix) – Stelfox [Forestbiz] https://forestbiz.bandcamp.com/album/fear-dub-ep

+ Where Do You Go – ZULI [UIQ] https://zulimusic.bandcamp.com/album/all-caps-uiq0012

+ Spider – Mun Sing [Planet Mu] https://munsing.bandcamp.com/album/inflatable-gravestone

+ Plasma Sunrise (Nahash Remix) – Gooooose [SVBKVLT] https://svbkvlt.bandcamp.com/album/rusted-silicon

+ Distant Lament - Mang [Genome 6.66Mbp] https://genome666mbp.bandcamp.com/album/gnm011-mang-ritual

+ IF MY BODY KNOWS EDGES – Zhi Yi Cham [poem – excerpt]

+ Afterlife – Hirokazu Koreeda [film - sample] https://archive.org/details/after-life-1998-1080p-blu-ray-x-265-silence

+ Attachment Style – KAVARI [KAVARI] https://kavarimusic.bandcamp.com/track/attachment-style

+ ICS – Dübël [Sound Museum] https://soundmuseum.bandcamp.com/album/eclectic

+ DS Glitch – TWEAKS [Seet Deh Records]  https://tweaks.bandcamp.com/album/older-now-ep

+ Nightmares (Ricky Force VIP) - DJ Monita [Skeleton Recordings] https://skeletonrecordings.bandcamp.com/track/nightmares-ricky-force-vip-remix

+ Blue Violet – Djrum [R&S Records] https://djrum.bandcamp.com/track/blue-violet

+ CYA (feat ZK King) - Teether & Kuya Neil [Chapter Music} https://teetherkuyaneil.bandcamp.com/album/stressor


+ Trust - TSVI & Loraine James [AD 43] https://ad93.bandcamp.com/track/trust  

+ Love Is Why - Kareem Ali [Kareem Ali] https://kareemali19.bandcamp.com/track/love-is-why

+ Soma – Bloodz Boi [YEAR0001] https://bloodzboi.bandcamp.com/album/365-3

+ Eventually He Will Come Into My Life – Organ Tapes [worldwide unlimited] https://worldwideunlimited.bandcamp.com/track/eventually-he-will-come-into-my-life

Manifestation // 黑芝麻 (Hēi zhī ma)

Test subject 1.2 Public Housing interprets the visual stimulus by seamlessly weaving sound to facilitate an introspective three-hour extended recording. A truly borderless and enduring take, allow the enigmatic selections of the Towerblock Sounds label head to transport you. https://urbansoundcorp.org

"I try to approach it like having a jam, organise some tools before and see what I’m feeling when I put them together. I don’t really see the point of mixes trying to recreate the club feeling, as they lack the context or communion to fully capture the spirit. So when I'm putting a mix together I like to stretch into combinations that may not fit time and place into a club setting." Public Housing on their approach towards selection and mixing.

Manifestation // Public Housing

Test subject 1.5 Eduardo (@nedsmith) moves inconspicuously by nature. Don't underestimate his modesty and low-profile though as he weaves a dynamic and mesmerising melodic driven tale. Lower the guard surrounding your mind. Embrace the hazy mirage formed by these hypnotic sounds. Let your body move.

Manifestation // Eduardo

Enter into the mind of Liucy (@liucyliucy). Test subject 1.3 draws upon the “apocalyptic” nature of this image while combining it with “deep, darker space” to create a hauntingly beautiful dystopian narrative. Traverse the ominous landscape that one-half of the brains behind the revered Slow Burn (@slowburncast) parties has concocted for your listening pleasure. 

“Imagery definitely plays a role in how I come into contact with music. Whether that be finding a record with a visually satisfying cover, seeing a painting or photograph and translating that into sounds that best reflect the feelings being evoked. It felt like an apocalyptic wasteland... and some other dark, deeper space. This kind of pushed me to try and think about what kind of music would convey how I would feel being placed there.” Liucy on the relationship between sound and imagery for his Manifestation mix.

Manifestation // Liucy

The first of our test subjects @EPHACY(fka Captain Oshi), uses the above visual stimuli to influence the mood and direction of their mix. Residing in Perth, Western Australia - Ephacy takes the reigns of RTR FM and co-hosts the show 'Full Frequency' every Thursday evening. Allow the interrelatedness of the visual and aural matter to synchronise along your listening journey. 

“It gave me direction. My sets are usually spontaneous and reflect a mix of what I'm feeling in the moment. Not that that is a bad thing but having a strong sense of what I wanted the mix to sound like made it what it is. This wasn't something I jumped straight into. It took time. I didn't go searching for songs for this mix because though I had direction, it also had to naturally reflect me.” EPHACY on her mixing process for Manifestation.

Manifestation // EPHACY

Test subject 1.4 Volcano Relief Fund (⁠@volcanorelief) plunges to the depths with this mystic oceanic mix. Also producing under the alias Winston Lloyd (@winstonllyod), he attempts to unravel the mysteries of this "underwater cathedral." Take a deep breath before descending into this one.⁠

"The image made me visualise an underwater cathedral. It reminded me of a dream I had that really stuck out to me about a year ago. I was struggling to fight some men crossed with fish wielding spears underwater. It inspired me to centre this mix around the awe-inspiring, introspective, chaotic and ominous feelings you could have descending deep into the ocean." Volcano Relief Fund on his interpretation of the visual stimulus.

Manifestation // Volcano Relief Fund

Test subject 1.6 Séan (@hennessysean) has ventured beyond the heavens, transcending terra firma and finding solace in the great unknown. Embracing the otherworldy, Séan has journeyed back to Earth with sonic documentation of atmospheric, alien cacophony and celestial euphoria. Allow yourself to fall under the enchantment of this moving astral soundscape.

"My feelings towards the image were impacted a lot by our current surrounding context - isolation, frustration, rising fear of infection, technology and surveillance. The image reflects this for me with the monochromatic pallet, the sporadic glitches and the indistinguishable, robotic or faux-organic objects. Translated into the mix I sought to evoke these feelings of isolation early on, building tension towards intermittent bursts of energy." Séan's perspective on dealing with the given visual stimulus for his mix.

Also be sure to follow PlanarSrf, a new joint project on currents.fm by Séan and Angeliiiii, regularly sharing music "that will make you want to dance but also cry a little bit". (https://open.currents.fm/current/3PWm5w3BC6Tv0egzF35N)

Manifestation // Séan

Test subject 1.7 Cash (@chris-a-cashmere) takes a deliberate, contemplative approach towards the exploration of this foreign territory. After letting the dust settle following an emphatic two-hour b2b set alongside the equally talented CB in Barry’s Bait Shop at Hopkins Creek Festival last year, allow Cash to take control of your craft. Drift through interstellar wonderment, solar warmth and cosmic light... don’t be too worried if you get “lost in space”, he’ll steer you back home safe and sound.

“Having the image to go off gave me such a clear direction for the mix. I was super engaged with the whole process and had a lot of freedom which resulted in me piecing music together in new ways. It was difficult to not include some music that may have fit however always relating back to the image and making sure it was best represented became very enjoyable. I got lost in space for a bit there.” Cash's thoughts on the process for his Manifestation mix.

Manifestation // Cash

Test subject 1.9 Vain (@vainvainvain) returns to us with a deranged, sludgy, swamp-like recording flirting between states of mania and dementia, ecstasy and misery… a journey of conflicting emotions enough to send one’s mind into disarray. Try holding onto your sanity while trawling through these bubbling, eerie blends.

"The picture was great to work off, normally my process is heavily improvised; I’ll pick a few records out and see where they take me. Having the graphic pushed to explore dubbier, subaquatic sounds which I don’t get the opportunity to play much. It was really refreshing to showcase the breadth of my collection and share some of my favourite slower/wonkier tracks in a less dance-oriented format. To quote Madteo “shit just sounds more interesting when it’s slowed down”. It was fun to put together a nice lil mong out mix. So lay back, spark up and enjoy." - Vain on his experience working with the given image.

Manifestation // Vain

Test subject 1.8 is Eora based creative IV Drip (@iv-dripp), who brings us a transmission veiled in claustrophobia and suppression. Spinning together heavy-weight bass pressure, agitated breaks and chaotic melodies, this recording is representative of differing layers of energy and emotion battling to break free from a world of confinement.

"I found the image kind of chaotic which I guess translates when you listen to the mix. While I was putting it together it was peak lock-down time, and I actually found it was a really good way to get out a bunch of pent up energy that I didn’t have an outlet for." - IV Drip on her approach to mixing using the provided stimulus.

Manifestation // IV drip

Test subject 1.10 @fibreoptixxx travels inward, longing for the forgotten, fixating on glimpses of memories and experiences that have become warped across time and space. This introspective journey is filled with distorted flashes of days bygone, making one acutely aware of the fragility of memory. The age-old deal we are all bound to, to trade the living moment in all its entirety, for mere fragments and gaps we wish we could fill.

"I imagined I was being sucked into a wormhole, and as I was floating through this ominous space I was being presented with different snapshots of my own memories, emotions and experiences. This mix is really special to me because it allowed me to explore the less functional side of my collection and taste, and delve into a style of mixing a bit outside of my comfort zone which was super rewarding." - Fibre Optixxx on his experience grappling with the visual stimulus provided.

Manifestation // Fibre Optixxx

Test subject 1.12 @explicitjoy returns to us from deep space exploration, recounting an odyssey brimming with galactic curiosity and mystifying insights into a world beyond our own. Allow explicit joy to show you what is really out there.

"This mix was actually more challenging than I was expecting. The visual gave me a very cosmic vibe so I wanted to convey the feelings you have on a journey; moments of uncertainty, tension, release, calm, intensity and so on. Referring back to the image, I kept second-guessing my choices and it made me far more particular than usual. I had an original version of the mix and was very underwhelmed with how it went so I scrapped it, but this was a good push for me to create something I’m genuinely happy with." - explicit joy on how they approached working with the image.

Manifestation // explicit joy

Test subject 1.11 and @southernexposurerecords label boss @nicolasure embodies molten lava on a slow, seeping journey between rock and earth, slithering through planetary crust and oozing by relics buried long ago. This one goes very, very deep.

"It was really interesting having an image to base the mix off. I had the print hanging above my set-up for ages and so was constantly analysing it. To me the red tones look like lava or something burning. I tried to reflect that with the long, slow and oozing tracks. I always had this simile of a volcano in my head, some moments are frantic and other times the volcano just bubbles away. I tried to do that with the mix." - Nicola Sure's meditations on incorporating the image into his mix.

Manifestation // Nicola Sure (Southern Exposure Records)

Test subject 1.13 @darcyjustice embarks on a lonely mission to uncover the mysteries of a planet not too distant from our own. Fraught with peril and danger, this solo journey slows as Darcy engages with extraterrestrial life... "...they lead me back to their city. I’m scared but when I arrive there is a parade in my honour, they are celebrating my arrival. I am welcomed, it’s better than Earth already."

"It was an interesting concept to use an image as inspiration for a mix . It definitely changed my creative process. I used the image to create a landscape, then created a narrative to go along with it. The visual stimulus made me think of the images Curiosity Rover has been sending back from Mars (worth checking out https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/images/index.html). I think about space a bit, but not too much. There is more than enough to think about here on earth. I imagined that I was piloting a ship to mars, it was a long, dangerous and ultimately lonely journey. I make it to mars and begin my exploration. I come across another life form, they lead me back to their city. I’m scared but when I arrive there is a parade in my honour, they are celebrating my arrival. I am welcomed, it’s better than Earth already." - Darcy Justice on engaging with the given stimulus.

Manifestation // Darcy Justice

Test subject 1.14 @consulateultra transmits a recording both mystifying and unsettling. A journey that on the surface, makes no logical sense; just an underlying feeling that something isn't quite right. But therein lies its beauty. Juxtaposing sounds and deranged blends are selected with complete precision to generate points of anticlimax and confusion. Embrace the obscure.

"I found it really challenging. It took me three attempts and a bunch of false starts before I was happy with the mix. At first, I saw rope bridges; Mesoamerican symbology; a jungle, but thought doing a jungle mix was a bit blunt. After staring at it for far too long and coming up with dozens of conflicting interpretations, I realised that ‘disorientation’ prevailed. To convey this, I included tracks and artists from disparate time periods and genres to achieve something I hope is disorienting while retaining some sense of cohesion. During lockdown I’ve gone through stages of listening to a lot of music and then listening to none at all. I have managed to consume a lot of books, films and games in the last few months, so I drew some factor of inspiration from those mediums - Carl Jung, John Carpenter, WB Yeats and Robert W. Chambers all feature in audio form, while various other cinematic or thematic influences definitely informed its general direction." Consulate on navigating the image for his Manifestation mix.

Manifestation // Consulate

Test subject 1.15 and one third of @meltmelbourne, @felinefine returns with a transmission exploring mutated biomes and alien environments. This recording tracks through layers of a planet, ranging from deep-sea subterranean caverns, to eerie marshland, then moving further up into a supernal stratosphere and beyond. 

"My guiding concept for putting together this mix was 'the soundtrack to a David Attenborough documentary for a different planet'. The artwork provided made me think of nature and landscapes you might find on another world. So I tried to find textured, atmospheric sounds that were suitably otherworldly and spacey. I also aimed to have different sections that explored sounds that could each relate to different parts of a planet, from deep underwater to the upper atmosphere. I had a lot of fun putting this together and I hope it’s enjoyable to listen to." - feline fine on his approach towards selection for the Manifestation mix.

Manifestation // feline fine

Test subject 1.16 Kitty Whip @kittyxwhip treads tentatively into a dystopian future as an outsider, yet is wholly shrouded from the gaze of any who care to look her way. She uses her illusory state to observe and absorb this dark and unfamiliar territory while becoming lost in the mystique of concealment from the physical realm.

"The image promoted a very mysterious and illusive feeling, almost like walking invisibly through a damp, dark, post-apocalyptic civilisation. Putting myself within a similar internalised predicament throughout my music selection helped me paint a very moody and mystical picture throughout the hour, chopping through unsettling yet romantic sounds. Working from the image provided, helped me build on the intricacy of sounds I love so much and approach the process within almost a dissimilar consciousness." Insight into Kitty Whip's interpretation of the given stimulus.

Manifestation // Kitty Whip

Test subject 1.17 @jpsebastian conjures a tripped-out journey through time and space, awash with the tranquil golden sheen of nostalgia and floating through fond memories of days better spent... Looking to the future, we anticipate big things are on the horizon for the co-pilot of @high_ground.

"Probably contrary to what everyone else would see, I actually found the image quite serene and tranquil. I’m usually very meticulous and nitpicky when recording mixes, I can get stuck on things for ages but with the image I almost found myself in a state of ataraxia haha. You can hear it translate very much so in my song choices. There’s a lot of very warm, lush, slow building ambient tracks which I know is a massive deviation from my usual output, but it’s what I felt the image demanded of me." J. P. Sebastian on grappling with the given stimulus.

Manifestation // J. P. Sebastian

Test subject 1.18 @waspfm observes the ebb and flow of an outlandish and highly complex ecosystem of sound from "distorted biospheres" and "alien landscapes". Traversing through this environment, one becomes immersed within the sonic layers of a cohesive living and breathing biological community. Cyclical tension and angst among organisms pave the way for divine resolve and harmony, the balance becomes disrupted and the cycle restarts. Truly an incredible journey.

"Field recordings or natural soundscapes are, like noise, often unfocused, fragmented and chaotic. This can be gentle and abrasive all within the same breath. A good recording of, say, a meadow will include thousands of layers of living organisms. Even a shallow recording will still pick up larger animals, insects and most commonly birds which are often the focal point. Being given an image of an environment to build around changed my usual process a lot. My image contained an alien landscape complete with otherworldly sky, clouds and green distorted biospheres. This meant that the use of field samples, mostly collected from my immediate environment, would not create the landscape depicted, as they concerned the home and known environments. I changed up the way I look for music instead focusing on different animals I could envision living in this environment. I began researching various song birds that became extinct before archiving could note down their sound. Their bone structure, beak shape and lung capacity all meticulously evolved to create a sound that no longer exists. Archiving is such an important part of recording environments especially as these environments get smaller and quieter with the expansion of cities. Almost every environmental element of this mix, from the rustling of insects to the harsh call of birds is built on hardware. I hope the listener can travel here too." - NuMartha's thought process behind her Manifestation mix.

Manifestation // Wasp

Manifestation aims to explore the interrelatedness of sight and sound. Our podcast is a conceptual series of recordings showcasing how creatives transform optical matter into aural narratives Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

@j-torque @mattsexton_ @hennessysean @waspfm

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