Organised Sound - issue coordinator

My call for articles on the theme of 'The Sound of Cultures' for an issue of Organised Sound has been officially released.
I am hoping this opens up a wider dialogue on the issue of cultural sound use:

Organised Sound: An International Journal of Music and Technology

Call for submissions

Volume 19, Number 2

Issue thematic title: The Sound of Cultures

Date of Publication: August 2014

Issue co-ordinator: Manuella Blackburn (blackbm@hope.ac.uk)

Submission deadline: 15 September 2013

Recorded sound often provides the starting point for creative work within the practice of electroacoustic music. Means of accessing sounds and inspiration from all corners of the globe bring these aural and often so-called exotic experiences closer to us than ever before. High-quality portable recording technology, file sharing, networking and the Internet have all contributed to this ‘easy’ access, but what are the ethical considerations here? Should creators of sonic art assume unrestricted access or even proprietary rights over this substantial resource? Where does respect end and appropriation commence? And as audience members, how do we listen and respond to works that borrow, reconfigure and transform cultural/ethnic/exotic sounds?

Following the Organised Sound ‘Global Local’ issue 13/2 (2008), the open sound world of electroacoustic music, where any sound may be sampled and integrated, demands a closer look. Are certain sounds ‘off-limits’ with respect to issues of cultural or social sensitivity? Should we be cautious and respectful when we plunder from the global sound pallet? How do we as composers deal with these sounds in the studio?

Of course culture can manifest itself in other ways. An impression, hint or suggestion may imply inspiration drawn from a foreign ‘otherness’. Understanding how such influences manifest themselves within sonic works may reveal new fusions, hybrids and methods of composing. Cultures can also be described as internal developments within regions, genres, institutions and schools of thought. Greater awareness of sub-cultural contributions to the wider understanding of electroacoustic music is fundamental to the continuation and evolution of sonic practices. Modes of synthesis, programming, installation, audio-visual practices and performance are often defined and contextualized through cultural practice. The role of technology and its ability to capture, collate, preserve and exploit cultural sounds and aural traditions are all aspects at the heart of this issue.

Topics for investigation might include:

·     Issues associated with sonic/musical exchange across cultural boundaries

·     ‘Exoticism’ and its manifestation in electroacoustic music/sound art  

·     Identification and developments of musical sub-cultures

·     Sonic signatures (originating from regions, institutions, genres and practice)

·     Issues of sonic appropriation and borrowing

·     Sound location and dislocation

·     Site- and cultural-specific sound

·     Symbolic/iconic sound use and its prevalence in electroacoustic music

·     The preservation, cultivation or exploitation of local/global sounds

·     Ethnic phonography