Mikromedas

Honorary Mention for Mikromedas AdS/CFT 001 for the S+T+Arts Prize – Ars Electronica

Album entitled Mikromedas AdS/CFT 001 featuring black hole released on label Ash International

The new album with Mikromedas project entitled Mikromedas AdS/CFT 001 is released on the label Ash International, subsidiary of Touch.
Listen to the album via this link or via https://kud.li/ash141

About the project

Mikromedas is a data-driven musical project in which compositions are elaborated using data stemming from space and deep space and astrophysical simulation models.

Using data sonification, data visualisation and algorithmic composition as key methods, compositions are created from data captured in outer and deep space, or simulation models originating from theoretical physics and astrophysics.

For the realisation of the project totally new approaches and visions are being developed how to use astrophysical data and models as new tools for artistic creation and live performance.

The project is presented under various thematic project-series. These series are:

  • OGLE2005BLG390Lb (2014 – ongoing):
    Theme of this project-series is a possible voyage from earth to the exoplanet OGLE2005BLG390Lb situated near the center of our Milky Way, Sagittarius A*
  • AdS/CFT (2019- ongoing):
    Theme of this project-series is black hole astrophysics and study of regions with extreme gravitational fields

AdS/CFT 001 (2018- ongoing)

Central focus of the Mikromedas Ads/CFT 001 project series is the utmost fascinating world of astrophysical black holes. All music for this project series is produced using data stemming from simulation models of astrophysical black holes and regions of extreme gravitational fields.

The elaboration of this series aims at the realization of sonic, musical and audiovisual experiences where various mathematical simulation models and the data they produce related to black holes are used as compositional instruments.


1 dimensional representation of gravitational waves emitted by black hole merger

With this series new ways are explored to integrate various new emerging paradigms and phenomena. A central role in this series is provided by black hole astrophysics and their associated numerical simulation models. But also other objects such as white holes, neutron stars and white dwarfs.

On a conceptual level this project-series deliberately balances on the edge where scientific knowledge ends and a speculative vision of reality starts to emerge. This highly inspiring paradigm becomes more and more apparent in current state of the field of theoretical physic. Researchers working on black hole astrophysics provide a growing amount of mind bending models of reality that might never be tested by human endeavour. In this way a fictional reality is being created where scientific and artistic creativity become interchangeable.


Simulation of particle trajectory near black hole event horizon

2 dimensional representation of gravitational waves emitted by black hole merger

2 dimensional representation of gravitational waves emitted by black hole merger

The music of Mikromedas AdS/CFT 001 is released in the similarly titled album Mikromedas Ads/CFT 001 and is presented as a live audiovisual concert. Visuals for the live AV concert are from Dutch multimedia and digital artist Jaromir Mulders.

The album Mikromedas Ads/CFT 001 is released by the label Ash International (https://ashinternational.com/), subsidiary of Touch (https://touch33.net/). Publishing of the album is signed to Touch Music (https://touch33.net/touchmusic) and Fairwood Music (International) Ltd. (https://fairwoodmusic.com/).

In 2022 Mikromedas AdS/CFT was awarded with an Honorary Mention for the S+T+Arts Prize Ars Electronica, a prize for art science projects issued on behalf of the European Commission. You can find more info here.

All music in the album is produced using data stemming from simulation models of astrophysical black holes and regions of extreme gravitational fields.


Picture by Jaromir Mulders. Artistic interpretation of magnetohydrodynamical distortion caused by black hole. 

For more in depth info on Mikromedas AdS/CFT 001 you can also check the interview on the Music Production Podcast below.

 

This project series is realized in coproduced with Concertgebouw Brugge and Baltan Laboratories .

The scientific aspect of the Mikromedas AdS/CFT 001 is realized in collaboration with several academic partners including the Department of Physics and Astronomy of Alabama University (US), the Institute for Theoretical Physics of KU Leuven (BE), the Centre for mathematical Plasma Astrophysics of KULeuven (BE), the Department of Mathematics-Computer Science of University of Antwerp (BE, quantum cosmologist Prof. Dr. Thomas Hertog, former colleague and long time collaborator of Stephen Hawking, Prof. Dr. Matthias Kaminski, Casey Cartwright (Phd Candidate), Dr. Ileyk El Mellah, Dr. Bart Ripperda, Dr. Fabio Bacchini and Prof. Dr. David Eelbode.

For more detailed info on this project-series click here.

OGLE2005BLG390Lb series (2014 – ongoing):

Voyager 1 Satellite, NASA

This series was launched 2014 under the name of OGLE2005BLG390Lb. In this series focus is set on a sonic representation of a possible voyage from earth to the exoplanet OGLE2005BLG390Lb situated near the center of our Milky Way, Sagittarius A*.

For this series compositions are produced using sampled radio astronomical data coming from various sources e.g. data stemming from several spacecrafts such as Voyager1 and Voyager2 or data originating from various astrophysical objects such as pulsar stars dating up to 22000 years ago. Other sources that are used in the composition process include synthesized sounds as well as data feeds from satellites turned into sound and music using newly developed sonification techniques. During live performances within these series the compositions are remixed as well as combined with the sonified live data feeds coming from various satellites revolving earth.

For more detailed info on this project-series click here.

Tracks of OLG2005BLG390Lb performance series

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Press coverage of Mikromedas

For a full overview of press coverage click here.

Links to science and technology used in Mikromedas:

Science used in Mikromedas:

Technology/software used in Mikromedas: