Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SST (Sonic Street Technologies (SST): their diaspora and what they tell us about technology and scientific knowledge)
Reporting period: 2021-01-01 to 2022-06-30
Sonic Street Technologies (SST) examines the role and value of bottom up, subaltern mobile apparatuses for playing recorded music technologies in public spaces. Jamaican sound systems, Brazilian aparelhagem, Mexican sonideros and Colombian picos are examples. While these SST are the centre for local communities in marginalised sections of society they are hardly known outside – let alone abroad.
The project addresses the problem of these SST not being recognised or valued – either in the societies in which the originate or in the scientific research community – as pioneering ways of repurposing music technologies for community good, social wellbeing and progress. To help to do this the project addresses the problem of universalist epistemic ideas of knowledge preventing awareness of other knowledge systems that are often situated, embodied and tacit. Thus, the dominant idea of where knowledge inhibits access to invaluable sources of experience and expertise. SST audio engineering techniques and practices provide excellent examples of such “subjugated” knowledge systems.
The research project is important at a local level for raising the profile and respect for SST practitioners and their important cultural, social and economic contribution to the community. This might encourage local authorities to refrain from harassing them and to take their demands more seriously. It is also important for society at large as evidence of tried and test practical ways in which technology can be a constructive force, rather than either as a miraculous saviour of developed world or its existential threat.
The overall object is to establish SST as a research subject area and to encourage further work to explore the increasingly fraught relationships between technology and culture. To this end it aims to develop non-extractive research methodologies appropriate for a practice as research approach.
The project addresses the problem of these SST not being recognised or valued – either in the societies in which the originate or in the scientific research community – as pioneering ways of repurposing music technologies for community good, social wellbeing and progress. To help to do this the project addresses the problem of universalist epistemic ideas of knowledge preventing awareness of other knowledge systems that are often situated, embodied and tacit. Thus, the dominant idea of where knowledge inhibits access to invaluable sources of experience and expertise. SST audio engineering techniques and practices provide excellent examples of such “subjugated” knowledge systems.
The research project is important at a local level for raising the profile and respect for SST practitioners and their important cultural, social and economic contribution to the community. This might encourage local authorities to refrain from harassing them and to take their demands more seriously. It is also important for society at large as evidence of tried and test practical ways in which technology can be a constructive force, rather than either as a miraculous saviour of developed world or its existential threat.
The overall object is to establish SST as a research subject area and to encourage further work to explore the increasingly fraught relationships between technology and culture. To this end it aims to develop non-extractive research methodologies appropriate for a practice as research approach.
Work performed includes:
Online survey tool designed, refined, tested and deployed. Jamaica survey near completion with results beginning to populate the SST sonic map available online.
Research service provider agreement in place for Jamaica.
Written case studies completed or in final revision: Huddersfield, Astrabene, Lewisham, Jamaican Videography, Jamaican sound system technology.
First “reasoning session” (group discussion between practitioners) successfully staged in Kingston, Jamaica, in February 2022. This model will be rolled out in each country or region.
One online conference Sound Systems at the Crossroads staged in association with Sound System Outernational in July 2022. This focused on Brazil with simultaneous interpretation Portuguese/ English and English/ Portuguese for all panels.
Staged an online SST researcher and research agent symposium and one in person for Goldsmiths colleagues.
Named Collaborator agreements in draft for Brazil and Australia.
Research service provider agreements near complete for SST Country Surveys for France and Canada.
Local research agents established in India, Columbia and Brazil with the PI visiting these countries, also Mexico.
Commissioned three short documentary films from SST in Brazil, Columbia and India.
While academic publications will come towards the end of the project, it takes dissemination for SST scenes as an ongoing necessity:
Two research documentary films case studies completed (Sounds of the Future, Rockers Sound Station) and given screenings for participants and for the interested public
The project is active on our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts and has a weekly blog postings.
Online survey tool designed, refined, tested and deployed. Jamaica survey near completion with results beginning to populate the SST sonic map available online.
Research service provider agreement in place for Jamaica.
Written case studies completed or in final revision: Huddersfield, Astrabene, Lewisham, Jamaican Videography, Jamaican sound system technology.
First “reasoning session” (group discussion between practitioners) successfully staged in Kingston, Jamaica, in February 2022. This model will be rolled out in each country or region.
One online conference Sound Systems at the Crossroads staged in association with Sound System Outernational in July 2022. This focused on Brazil with simultaneous interpretation Portuguese/ English and English/ Portuguese for all panels.
Staged an online SST researcher and research agent symposium and one in person for Goldsmiths colleagues.
Named Collaborator agreements in draft for Brazil and Australia.
Research service provider agreements near complete for SST Country Surveys for France and Canada.
Local research agents established in India, Columbia and Brazil with the PI visiting these countries, also Mexico.
Commissioned three short documentary films from SST in Brazil, Columbia and India.
While academic publications will come towards the end of the project, it takes dissemination for SST scenes as an ongoing necessity:
Two research documentary films case studies completed (Sounds of the Future, Rockers Sound Station) and given screenings for participants and for the interested public
The project is active on our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts and has a weekly blog postings.
The project will provide the first comprehensive mapping of SST around the world, both geographical and historical. This is an open-access and user-generated map aiming to become self-sustaining. The sonic map serves SST practitioners to increase their profile by placing themselves as part of a global movement. It aims to help establish a global “technological diaspora” where audio engineers and other practitioners can share information and ideas – irrespective of the particular genres of music they play.
The map will also connect them with our own documentary films and YouTube clips together with a library of other images video and print resources.
For research purposes the map survey tool harvests further data (not available for open access) allow comparisons between SST with respect to age, gender, technologies, history and so on. Country and regional surveys written up chapters of the project’s published edited volumes will provide a definitive account of SST scenes around the world, including their socioeconomic environment, achievements and challenges. These will make use of the survey data, but in addition include selective in-depth case studies of particular SST, pieces of equipment, venues or media.
The map will also connect them with our own documentary films and YouTube clips together with a library of other images video and print resources.
For research purposes the map survey tool harvests further data (not available for open access) allow comparisons between SST with respect to age, gender, technologies, history and so on. Country and regional surveys written up chapters of the project’s published edited volumes will provide a definitive account of SST scenes around the world, including their socioeconomic environment, achievements and challenges. These will make use of the survey data, but in addition include selective in-depth case studies of particular SST, pieces of equipment, venues or media.