Sonic Minds: a research project into the future of sound, space, health and well-being

Sonic Minds is an evolution of past projects that combines the ambient works of Sonic Elements by MSCTY Studio with the attributes of Wild Minds, such as equanimity, generosity and empathy, to explore the future of sound, space, health and well-being.

The project begins this September in The Fields, with a four-day sound camp led by Nick Luscombe and James Greer of MSCTY Studio. During this sound camp, with members of The Pineapples Eyes and local music communities, we’ll be researching and exploring ideas and ways of thinking through music, sound, health and well-being. In The Fields, this will include capturing field recordings, sound explorations, listening sessions, interactive performance workshops, meditations, lectures and discussions. 

Rooted in nature’s generously provided tools, this exploratory work will work with the Okinawa Institute of Sound and Technology to test how sound can improve well-being, physiology and health by attempting to induce certain feelings and connecting science and technology to religious concepts in Buddhism and the wider world.

We’ll be joined by musicians, composers, academics and researchers, like Tatsumi Akinobu, a Jodo Shinshuu Buddhist monk performing as TA2MI, and Mark James, a neuroscientist with OIST. These evolving relationships will be reflected in both Wonderfruit and ongoing projects throughout the year.

Audio collected during the camp will be featured in the Sonic Minds activations at Wonderfruit 2024 across venues like Enfold, Polygon Live and Ancestral Forest.

As the year goes on, we’ll keep updating this space with outputs from the sound camp and beyond, giving you a preview of what to expect in The Fields.