During the summer of 2022 I created the sound design for a series of podcasts called “The Golden Records Studios” for Matthaei & Konsorten. I had previously worked with the company and their director Lukas Matthaei on the Die Sumpfgeborene performance film at the beginning of 2021. The podcasts, which are in German, can now be listened to here.
Some information about the project:
Welcome to THE GOLDEN RECORD STUDIOS – It’s high time for a new world selfie!
45 years ago, NASA sent its “Golden Records” into the depths of space in the hope that distant intelligences could get a picture of humanity in this way. At that time, a small group of Americans took an enhanced selfie and sent it out into space. The entire earth is curated: photos with retro filters, music between European classical music and Azerbaijani bagpipes, as well as natural sounds in poor sound quality – our still unknown alien friends will get a very strange impression of us. Fortunately, not only the view of the world, but also the view from the world has changed significantly since the 1970s.
In order to produce new recordings, our podcast series THE GOLDEN RECORD STUDIOS includes exosociologists, Anthropologists and other alien artists brainstorm with us for this experiment: How do we want to be remembered? How do you greet foreign intelligences? Which colonial structures do we have to say goodbye to in order to ensure the existence of the species? To secure humanity? And is freezing after death really the smartest way to travel into the future?
THE GOLDEN RECORD STUDIOS are an open invitation to listen and think along. The podcast is aimed at everyone who is concerned with future issues in society and science fiction, and at the same time enjoys a playful and intellectual approach to the present. What would our lives would be like if we encountered extraterrestrial life? How could we communicate with them? What does it say about ourselves as humanity when we imagine aliens as scary or helpful? You will be involved in various considerations by experts. Topics are introduced and at the same time you are invited to discover artistic answers together with us.
You can find out more and get involved at the Golden Records Studios website here.