Music in the now

With the rise of streaming and social media, dancers have never been closer to the techniques and gear used by their favourite live acts. But while those in the crowd marvel at alien-like machines on stage, for those using them, it can be hard to find the right piece of hardware. Torso Electronics tries to bridge that gap by making the production journey less daunting, says co-founder and engineer Mathias Bredholt. Together with his Copenhagen-based team, he is creating instruments that lean into modern, generative technology, focusing on a rich music-making process with intuitive interfaces and workflow, aiming to create ‘music in the now’. ‘Our goal was to create an instrument that would give the same expressive freedom as a jazz solo. We want to contribute to the culture of live performing by making it more accessible.’ No sooner said than done, they released the first groundbreaking piece of equipment in 2020 according to prolific artists such as Richie Hawtin, Surgeon and Nadia Struiwigh, as well as contemporary producers like Spekki Webu, Atikka and Loek Frey. 

Another great admirer is Jochem Paap, or Speedy J, who we meet in his basement studio in Rotterdam (which is - unsurprisingly - a very impressive studio space). The 55-year-old producer's seminal works, like his album ‘Ginger’ (1993), have been influential in the development of abstract techno and IDM. He now plays a key role in pushing cutting-edge live sounds through his latest project, STOOR. Perhaps best described as an array of mixed media, STOOR operates as a vinyl label, event series and video platform showcasing the best in off-kilter electronic and live techno jams, and was born in this exact same studio (the first STOOR event took place at the end of the studio’s hallway). 

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From his earliest productions, running cheap gear in the ‘80s and ‘90s, making music ‘on the fly’ was built into his practice using a performative approach. His vision - highlighted best in the marathon live sessions STOOR hosts at ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event) - falls seamlessly in line with the vision of Mathias, as both chart a path towards the future of music production and in-the-moment creativity. But - what makes up a ‘good instrument’? How do you stay in the moment while operating hardware gear? And is it even possible to envision what the utopian instrument would look like?

Creativity by design

The design of an artist’s tool is a key factor in production. To effectively create ‘music in the now’, it's crucial that a machine's interface is easy to navigate, allowing artists to move quickly and intuitively between functions without losing creative flow. Intuition is key to finding your creative flow when working in the studio. Think about playing a guitar or piano, the controls are straightforward. It allows you to engage with the instrument in an intuitive way. Something you’d also want when working with electronic instruments. 

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That being said, the first impression of Torso Electronics catalogue is peaceful and calm. The layouts are sleek, with small screens that part with any over-the-top information and tiny icons supporting the buttons and knobs. Its minimal design doesn’t feel overwhelming at first glance, which can easily happen with hardware instruments. Speedy J tells us he values the instrument that offers just enough information to guide without being too much: ‘I can stay in my own imagination’, he says when speaking about the T-1 algorithmic sequencer.

Creating without a fixed plan 

With Speedy J’s way of working, this is especially important. Between his yearly STOOR events, the artist gives himself time off from any gigs and spends his winter months in his underground bunker studio, working on music on a daily basis always without a plan: ‘The intention is to come up with stuff that is releasable, but even if it’s not, it’s fine. Time in the studio is never wasted time.’ His T-1 machine supports this open-minded, freewheeling studio approach and deep dive into a continuous creative flow, by never being too much of a distraction or even a hiccup during music making. 

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‘The machine doesn't tell me what to do and leaves enough for my own imagination to interpret what's going on. It's very powerful because you focus on the music and listen to what you are doing, it's your imagination that steers the process.’ With this freedom, artists can balance between functionality and creative autonomy, as they are guiding the process themselves but also receive real-time generated input. Just like when entering his studio without a fixed plan, there is no plan when he plugs in the machine. ‘It's the zone between witnessing and guiding, you are in the moment without knowledge of the future.’ 

Jamming with a band member

Speedy J has decades of experimentation and learning under his belt, but the early stages of music production can often feel like a solitary endeavour. However, as J puts nicely: ‘You are actually never alone, because you are with the machines’. Metaphorically a studio set up could be seen as a living organ that you set up and interact with. A vision that can be taken further down the road in our technological era, like with generative workflow that Mathias and his team incorporated. ‘A lot of electronic music instruments focus on the studio, rather than the stage. In contrast, we see acoustic instruments as the ideal live components. By incorporating generative design, we want to bring the spontaneity of jamming back into electronic music production.’ he explains. It promotes the same type of immediacy and playful exploration that Speedy J explores with invited collaborators on STOOR events.

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Speedy J explains how this creative dynamic between musician and machine is fascinating as the machine almost behaves as if a member of a band would, offering unpredictable, but personalised outcomes. ‘You’re aware of how it works’, he says, ‘but how it is actually going to sound is something that is unpredictable to a certain extent’. This unpredictability, especially when integrating elements like probability, turns the machine into a creative partner. It offers feedback which the artist can choose to accept, enhance, or reject.

The conversation flows to the topic of generative art in music production. Are we really still creating when the music is generated? Speedy J explains that in these types of flows, the artist’s role isn’t in managing every detail, but in deciding on the point where the spontaneous output aligns with their vision. In this way producing is a constant feedback loop between man and machine. ‘Yes, you generate something, but what makes you the artist is the moment where you say “this is the stop here…”’. This balance between control and chance is what makes working with generative gear so compelling and your first steps into the studio maybe a little less daunting. ‘Indeed, it’s a must to have joy in the process of making music. It shouldn't be daunting, but fun!’ Matthias agrees.

A step into the future: the artist without inhibition

At all steps of the creative journey, there is a border between the imagination of the artist versus what they are actually capable of creating. For many, this is the ultimate goal; finding a way to capture their idea without barriers. Matthias explains: ‘Traditionally, synthesisers were built by and for ‘engineers’, with interfaces that allowed them to control every aspect of the machinery.’ Although full control seems like what you want, it also eliminates the aspect of curiosity and randomization. ‘We are ready to compromise the level of control and introduce a higher level of abstraction using musical algorithms and randomization’ he states confidently. This new way of looking at instruments paves the way for an era where creativity will be further enhanced on and off the stage. 

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But as many creative industries navigate the line between human input and technological innovation, how does the artist refrain from over atomizing their sound? ‘Those who can predict the future do not work in the music business’, Speedy J adds jokingly, ‘Maybe Neurolink will become a thing at some point’. In the meantime, Mathias and his team will be building tools that advocate for more live-production in the electronic music regions. It’s hard to say where hardware will be in five years, but Speedy J is of the opinion that for something to stick, it must continue down the path that Torso Electronics is building, ‘Maybe something comes along at some point that really hits and the barrier between human and machine, and it will stick around’. For now, the T-1 and S-4 are innovative, user-friendly jump-off points where artists can quickly begin playing with new generative methods. Something J underlines just before the conversation is ended: ‘The value is in people trying out new things in this field. Just try different things out and some things will stick’.

Follow Speedy J’s next STOOR odyssey here, find out more about Torso Electronics here.

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