This March, Riga, Latvia’s Skaņu Mežs festival for adventurours music announced a sound art open call as part of the tekhnē project, co-funded by the EU and the Ministry of Culture of Latvia. It is intended for residencies with installations and performances as creative outcomes. After several months of deliberation, three artists have been selected.
tekhnē, supported by the European Union and the Latvian Ministry of Culture, delves into technology’s diverse nature, examining its potential for both empowerment and disruption. The open call for proposals led to the selection of two artists who will visit Riga for two weeks from late September to mid-October to create new works and perform at the Skaņu Mežs 2024 festival (4-5 October). They are: German-Filipino sound and performance artist Tintin Patrone and Berlin-based sound artist and electronic musician Nick Klein. Furthermore, a third residency will take place in December 2024, featuring turntablist NikNak.
Tintin Patrone is a German-Filipino sound and performance artist who is captivated by the exploration of interconnections among music, art, sound, and experimental forms of expression. Her creative works revolve around the visual aspects of music and the ways in which personal and societal connections are established with it. By involving herself with robots and artificial intelligence in her artistic practice, Tintin Patrone challenges established notions of human subjectivity and physical presence. Using a trombone as her main instrument and modulation devices, she meticulously crafts soundscapes with sustained tones, inviting listeners into contemplative atmospheres.
Nick Klein is an artist working in sound and art and sometimes sound art with a lean towards the social potential in those modalities as they interact. Klein has recorded a large amount of music and also has shown work in visual art contexts. Klein is uninterested in the prohibitive ideological tropes and circumstances that both contexts offer, and focuses the intent of his work on trying to see what productive energy comes from the friction between the two. Klein likes loud volume, cooking, offline community building, records, bars, synthesizers, and comedy. Klein is currently located in Berlin.
NikNak (aka Nicole Raymond), an artist well-known for her creative and boundary-breaking work, has gained worldwide recognition with her unusual albums, remixes, and engaging performances. In 2020, she made history as the first Black Turntablist to receive the prestigious Oram Award. Not limited to any one genre or role, NikNak excels in composing, sound design, DJing, and electronic arts. With multiple releases, collaborations, and live shows, NikNak stands out in the music industry for her unique style. Featured in various publications as a rising star, NikNak continues to advance the boundaries of sound innovation with her complex turntablism and spatial music production.
Tintin Patrone
Tintin Patrone is a German-Filipino Sound and Performance artist. She is captivated by the exploration of interconnections among music, art, sound, and experimental forms of expression. Her creative works revolve around the visual aspects of music and the ways in which personal and societal connections are established with it.
By involving herself with robots and artificial intelligence in her artistic practice, Tintin Patrone challenges established notions of human subjectivity and physical presence. Through the integration of these technological elements, her objective is to go beyond outdated concepts of “human nature” and nurture fresh perspectives that continuously evolve alongside contemporary advancements in science and technology.
Another profound source of inspiration that shapes Tintin Patrone’s artistic approach is the culture of associations and collectives. She frequently collaborates and engages with fellow artists and groups, creating an environment of mutual exploration. In 2009 she founded the noise ensemble Krachkisten Orchestra, in 2012 the International MusicMotorcycleClub, a regular event for sound art and mobile sound reinforcement, and in 2018 the performance collective The Ambassadors of Disappointment in collaboration with the Goethe Center in Guadalajara, Mexico. In 2021 she opened a temporary fake Asian snack bar in Hamburg called german Rice, a place for experimental music and experimental food. 2024 she started a bamboo instrument marching band project in collaboration with musicians from Germany and the Philippines.
As a musician and composer, Tintin specializes in minimal sound work and drone based solo performances influenced by her studies in microtonality and interspecies communication. Using a trombone as her main instrument and modulation devices, she meticulously crafts soundscapes with sustained tones, inviting listeners into contemplative atmospheres.
https://www.instagram.com/tintin_patrone/
https://soundcloud.com/tintin-patrone
Nick Klein
Nick Klein is an artist working in sound and art and sometimes (begrudgingly) sound art with a lean towards the social potential in those modalities as they interact. Klein has recorded a large amount of music for tape, CD, digital file, and vinyl editions for music labels around the world, as well as running his own amorphous label project PL (primitive languages, Psychic Liberation, etc). Concurrently, to the best of his ability, he has shown work in visual art contexts. Klein is uninterested in the prohibitive ideological tropes and circumstances that both contexts offer, and focuses the intent of his work on trying to see what productive energy comes from the friction between the two. Klein likes loud volume, cooking, offline community building, records, bars, synthesizers, and comedy.
Klein is currently located in Berlin. Klein has operated a monthly radio show on Montez Press Radio since its inception and is spending 2023-2024 developing a monthly invitational program at the Volksbühne Roter Salon. Klein has performed and shown works in contexts and festivals like The Amant Foundation (USA), SARA’S (USA), MOMA PS1 (USA), De La Cruz Collection (USA), Volksbühne (DE), Empty Gallery (HK), Berghain (DE), Tresor (DE), Seendosi (SK), Cafe Sismo (CDMX), Cafe Oto (UK), Folkteatern (SE), Burning Fleshtival (USA), Herrensauna (DE), and Summer Scum (USA).
NikNak
NikNak holds an impressive repertoire of roles, experimental albums & EPs, and remixes that have captivated audiences worldwide. With her enthralling self-released debut album “Bashi” earning rave reviews, NikNak has also made history as the first Black Turntablist to win the prestigious Oram Award in 2020. As a rising sensation in the music world, NikNak’s wide-ranging experience and expertise fuel her innovative spirit and ability to adapt to diverse environments. Her charming sense of humor and exhilarating festival performances never fail to captivate her audience and elevate their spirits. Without a doubt, NikNak’s limitless talent will leave fans enthralled for years to come!
With releases on Kynant Records, First Terrace Records, Inventing Waves, OTONO, Come Play With me and more, this multifaceted virtuoso skilfully traverses various music genres, crafting experimental masterpieces and performing immersive live concerts that showcase the vibrancy of her unique sound. With an exuberant, passionate, and comic book-nerd persona, NikNak emerges as a truly dynamic performer, composer, sound designer and sound artist. Recently, NikNak completed a commissioned residency with the Richard Thomas Foundation at Stone Nest in London and collaborated with 4DSound & Monom Studios in Amsterdam, further accentuating her growing expertise in immersive and spatial turntablism. Previously featured in DJ Mag’s ‘Ones to Watch 2022’, Wire Magazine, Clash magazine and more, the award-winning artist invites fans into incredible sonic realms with her groundbreaking artistry. Harnessing live improvisation techniques and spatial electronic music production, NikNak astounds listeners by unfolding unparalleled sonic landscapes just waiting to be explored and experienced.
