London-based radical sound artist
WHO HE?
Polychronopolous was born in Athens and is now based in London where he makes all manner of very interesting electro-acoustic music. He has 15 albums in his back catalogue, both under his own name and as Spyweirdos. Check out the deeply satisfying and perception-messing ‘Electronic Music’ from 2014 which explores electronic sound in ways that appear to update the electronics of mid-century academic composers like his fellow countryman Iannis Xenakis.
WHY SPYROS POLYCHRONOPOULOS?
Polychronopolous’ latest “album” is quite the piece of work. It’s actually a device called ‘Live Electronic Music’. It is, in the words of its creator, “a stand-alone, interactive composition housed in a bespoke hand-crafted polycarbonate box”. This modest box is like the Tardis of sound: “It’s a universe, collected and housed in a tiny yet endlessly deep object. Each ‘playback’ is different to the one before it. The piece reveals itself endlessly, exposing new dimensions and dynamics drawn from a table of acoustic elements”. The piece is different every time, with five channels of audio being processed, mixed and played in real time.
TELL US MORE…
Underpinned by Polychronopolous’ interest in Walter Benjamin, the cultural critic and philosopher, in particular his “aura” texts, ‘Live Electronic Music’ is a fabulous, thought-provoking experience. You can buy one for $75, and/or you can listen to the first-ever playback on YouTube.
‘Live Electronic Music’ is on Room40
