akio suzuki & aki onda: ke i te ki

Room40 release Akio Suzuki and Aki Onda's Ke I Te Ki. "Akio Suzuki and I have been performing together frequently for the last five years; we have a tendency to perceive sound as space, or to always consider sound in relation to space. We don't usually hear sound sources as they actually are, since they are always modified by a space's acoustics and its reflections, absorptions, and attenuation. Sound is affected by the conditions and characteristics of a particular setting. We respond to the extra acoustics of these phenomena. Our ears have to be wide open, constantly adjusting to ever-changing detail. In performance, we opt for opens space where the audience can surround us or position themselves throughout the space. We also like tailoring site-specific performances to unusual locations, creating a dialogue between us and the environment. Ke I Te Ki was recorded in New York City in 2015 at The Emily Harvey Foundation - a SoHo loft-style art space that was once the studio of Fluxus founder George Maciunas. It is a historic building of New York avant-garde culture, and the last of the artist co-ops that Maciunas created in New York City. We had one day of preparation for the multi-track recording, performing for two nights surrounded by a limited but packed audience. The loft is itself quite constrained, and Akio and I needed a significant portion of the floor to place our gear and roam around. Microphones were everywhere, since our sounds diffused across the space. My role was to set an assortment of "scenes" with field recordings, sustained drones generated by an industrial electric fan, and electronic tones and pulses from radios, et cetera. Akio then built upon these with layers of melodies and rhythmic patterns, while we both engaged in fabricating distinctive texture and timbre. Akio kept changing his instruments, bringing surprises and sudden changes, creating contrast and powerful tension. Ke I Te Ki in Japanese means the sound of an alarm, or a whistle to call attention to a hazardous event. We hoped to develop our style by adopting a set of self-imposed rules related to the multi-directional soundscape, acoustical response to the space, and implementation of visual elements. Akio suggested the name Ke I Te Ki as a reminder to push ourselves further. It was a lesson for us in questioning 'norms' and exploring other possibilities." --Aki Onda.