Exploring soundscapes in an old dairy factory
- Music
Imagine stepping into an old, abandoned milk processing plant and being surrounded by a symphony of sounds that transports you through time. That's exactly what Lena Chen, Matteo Traverso, and Christine Chen accomplished with the project, Melkhal Pulse: A Symphony Across Time. As part of the master's course The Sound of Innovation, the three students created a unique sound installation in De Melkhal, a forgotten gem in Enschede. In the winter of 2023, the doors of the old plant were opened to curious visitors who were treated to a one-of-a-kind sensory experience.
The beginnings of Melkhal Pulse
The idea for Melkhal Pulse came about when the first-year students Lena Chen (from Taiwan), Matteo Traverso (from Italy), and second-year student Christine Chen (from China) were inspired by a project their lecturer had done in an abandoned church with three other performers. During an Innovation Lab meeting, lecturer Phil Mills tasked them with creating a small-scale collaborative project together to explore each other’s workflow and artistic philosophy. The three began by creating an image mood board, dubbed the "Chaotic Mood Board," instead of starting with a sound concept. After a few brainstorming meetings, they crystallized the idea of using a space's architectural characteristics and history to create an unrepeatable sound experience.
The development process
Lena noted that the group benefited from lots of independent time in the program to develop the project as they wanted, while also receiving "soft help" from their teachers. “This assistance was invaluable in creating the initial prototype, from microphone troubleshooting tips to publicity help and artistic guidance in defining 'past' versus 'present' sounds,” Lena explains. The other Sound of Innovation lecturers also kept the project highly student-driven yet practically assisted by helping them utilize the student budget awarded to all students and connecting them with helpful contacts.
Discovering the building
Lena and her boyfriend discovered the Melkhal while shopping at a Jumbo grocery store inside the commercial area of De Melkhal. Lena said, "It wasn't our usual Jumbo store, and there was something about the building that seemed different from everything else. My boyfriend was impressed with it and motivated me to think creatively about the building's possibilities. The unique acoustics there stimulated my curiosity; actually, my initial thought was that it would be great to have a party there!" Christine added, "Eventually, we did have a party there: a sound party!"
The unique acoustics there stimulated my curiosity; actually, my initial thought was that it would be great to have a party there. Eventually, we did have a party there: a sound party!"
Melkhal memories
The sounds used in the performance have also been turned into a mini digital album on SoundCloud, Melkhal Memories. The alum the three students made is a mix of ambient tones and familiar sounds: manipulated memories of sounds that would have been present when the Melkhal functioned as a milk processing area. The listener can recognise a faint sloshing, similar to a worker’s boots walking on the wet floor, dripping sounds, and the low hum of machinery.
The Melkhal’s past & present voices
Christine says that this kind of imagery was intentional. "Those sounds are the 'voices' of the past that we collected. We tried to present those past sounds while creating something new in the present, where both worlds could coexist." Matteo further explained, "We were interested in the linear quality of time, and we had this big multi-level space with three separate floors. So we designed an experience where every level gave space to the Melkhal's voices throughout time: the past voice (with sounds such as the workers' boots), the present voice (a manipulated collection of pre-recorded sounds from the group's past Melkhal visits), and the future voice at the top (a speaker emitting live sounds of the audience experiencing the space, taken from a microphone on the bottom floor). All of these audio clips were aleatoric [red: the element of chance or randomness inherent in a system or outcome].”
As for any activistic undertones in the performance, Matteo that Melkhal Pulse is "more of a sublimation of the past and present in sound, without any judgment. The beauty of the project is that art usually belongs with time, and we transformed it into something that also belongs in space. You can walk through the space and explore it in relation to the sounds, a sort of 'sound architecture'."
Spaces like the Melkhal accessible for everyone
Christine expressed that they received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the audience. "Most of our audience didn't know that the Melkhal was publicly accessible. One lady, who had even studied at ArtEZ, commented on how wonderful it was that we brought our artistic practice into this public space. That was one of our goals in this project: to connect the neighborhood with these spaces and highlight potential future artistic practices there. It's perhaps a bit romantic to say, but it's true - these places are waiting for us to use them!"
Got curious? You can listen to the full album of Milkhal Memories via Soundlink by following this link, or by clicking one of the tracks below.
Follow Lena, Matteo and Christine
Fractal, a project by Christine Chen, on Instagram
About Sound of Innovation
The master's course The Sound of Innovation is about discovery. Discover yourself and your own unique musical talents, and use them in exciting and new ways. Develop innovative creations, projects and concepts that have their roots in music, but reach as far as your imagination allows you to. Expand your professional practice to include music and other sound-based creations that cross boundaries between sectors and challenge existing conventions.
