Yashas Shetty »Approximation of the Sea«

The ‘drone’ influences Western minimalism for almost 60 years now. Beyond its influence on Western classical music, its presence has extended into popular music as well, with early bands such as The Velvet Underground to some German Krautrock groups borrowing heavily from the concept of the drone. Its influence reaches deep into popular music and culture of today. Yet, the historical narrative of the drone has always been a one way street. It is a story told by American composers in which the early origins of this transfer of technology are shrouded in mythology and mystification.

»Approximation of the Sea«, developed by sound artist Yashas Shetty in collaboration with ZKM | Hertz-Lab sound engineer Benjamin Miller for tanpura, piano, and electronics, explores both the technical and aesthetic challenges of composing with surround systems. It is designed especially for the ZKM_Cube. The piece in itself extends from Shetty's ongoing research into the history of encounters between Western composers and Indian artists in the 20th Century and is rooted in his broader artistic practice of extracting histories from mythologies.

Credits:

ZKM | Hertz-Lab:
Yannick Hofmann – Project manager ZKM bangaloREsidency – Expanded,
Dominik Kautz – Production manager & program, Ben Miller – Sound director,
Hans Gass – Light & Event technician,
Götz Dipper – Guest artist coordinator,
Jakob Schreiber – Technical support

ZKM | Videostudio:
Camera: Xenia Leidig & Andy Koch
Editing: Lisa Michel