The SLAP? Music EP presents a collection of four musical
compositions by KMRU, 7headc0, DJ Raph and [MONRHEA]. The
four producers used recordings in the SoN archive from the
Sounds Like A Pandemic? project and each track presents a
unique approach to the source material.
Let’s start with the track order. The tracks are arranged
according to song length because each one stands on its own as
a composition, so to speak (therefore the order would not really
matter - you could arrange them according to any theme or
scheme). Starting with the shortest to longest is not only neat, it
might be easier on listeners not used to songs of unusual length,
not to mention the genres these particular ones might fall under.

1. me tal

me tal is based on an audio-buffer and granular concept, where
you take audio and route it to another sound, morphing through
elements of the spectrum to bring out new textures and colours
from the sound source using granular synthesis. SON000183 and
SON000187 are the basis of this piece creating a bed of textures
to build on throughout. The composition is a prelude to three
more sections that will be developed using the recordings from
the archive.

2. LBRTN Song One

A field recording of an old No. 15 matatu engine is stretched to a
flat time texture. It is then filtered out in 3 non-identical ways to
form 3 pieces that are then chopped and layered up to form one
composition that also involves a slugged out recording of a KLFA
(Kenya Land and Freedom Army) liberation street performance
by descendants of freedom fighters at the Dedan Kimathi statue
on Kimathi Street.

3. Motion

SON000183 is the source of this piece. The original recording is
3:50 in length, about the same as a proper song. It was recorded
on May 21, 2020, at 12:20:00pm in Kikuyu Town. Water splashing,
clicking, squashing, dishes clinking. The entire recording is used
as the sample for a composition that transforms in shape and
scale by looping and chopping.

4. untitled

Raw, uncut, unprocessed recordings take us on a journey across
Nairobi, a sort of panorama across the city, the scenes forming a
sequence that takes place in its own time and space, out of which
emerge a beat and a rhythm.

All of us used recordings made during the earlier pandemic
period of 2020 as inspiration for independent sonic explorations
meant as just that and not as particular commentary or
testimony about pandemic time things. Still, I ask myself if, by
listening to the music, you can tell that it was made during (if not
about) a time when the world was supposed to be ending. Can
you? Or might life have gone on in spite of the pandemic?