ASAVAJIT BOYLE | CRAFTING AN AESTHETIC TO SOUND
Asvajit Boyle | Crafting an aesthetic to sound
Exploring the boundaries between sound design and abstract digital art, Asvajit Boyle is an audio visual artist and designer who lives and works in Colombo. As part of the first wave of electronic musicians to emerge from post-war Sri Lanka, his passionate mixing style and playful blend of the deeper elements of house and techno music have not only entertained dance-floors across the island, but have also imparted a sense curiosity towards the exploration of the craft of sound design and its relationship with other contemporary forms of art.
In 2012, Asvajit released his first vinyl record ‘Waran Dub’ in collaboration with Philpot label boss Soulphiction on German imprint Phil_E Records. His “Float/Parallel EP” on the Berlin based Frucht Label reveals his continued love affair with the lush aesthetics of dub music. Asvajit’s productions have been released on record labels worldwide and apart from shows in Sri Lanka and the southasian region, has performed in London and Berlin at clubs such as Kater Holzig, Sisyphos, Suicide Circus and the notorious Golden Gate. Additionally, he has performed at multiple music festivals including the 2013 edition of Fusion Festival in Germany, the experimental world culture mashup and the Worldtronics Festival at the iconic Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin.
“Most of my work is instrumental. In fact the non-requirement of lyrical content in electronic music is one of the things that drew me to it and away from the more traditional forms in the first place. People are extremely familiar with the sound of another human being’s voice, this is why singing tends to resonate with almost everyone, regardless of their background or culture. I saw an interesting challenge in trying to elicit a similar emotion on people without having to resort to the safety of using voices, but rather by using sound design, instrumentation and arrangement” Asvajit passionately elaborates.
What we find particularly interesting about Asvajit’s recent work is his ability to transcend the more dance floor-oriented sound, often associated with popular electronic music. We find his sound compilations unique as they explore the possibilities of combining the sensibilities and technologies of contemporary sound design with more traditional artistic disciplines. Both Asvajit’s works at Colomboscope 2015 & 2016 were the culmination of a process of exploration and experimentation with the thresholds of human perception through a wide range of emotions. Colomboscope 2015 ‘Shadow Scenes’ which took place in the dilapidated rooms of the abandoned Rio Hotel, witnessed Asvajit together with technologist Lalindra Amarasekera, whose expertise lie in cutting edge projection mapping and generative visuals, transforming the space into an interactive audio visual experience.
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