Atmospherics

Book synopsis: Sonic Mediations: Body, Sound, Technology is a collection of original essays that represents an invaluable contribution to the burgeoning field of sound studies. While sound is often posited as having a bridging function, as a passive in-between, this volume invites readers to rethink the concept of mediation by examining the relationships between the body, sound and technology. The chapters provide a series of focused case studies involving sound and music technologies, performances and installations, which address key issues for sound scholars: How are audio performances mediated by sound technologies as well as the performer’s body? In which ways is the immediacy of live performance influenced by sound technologies? How do bodies and technologies mediate the experience of auditory perception? What is the role of the listener in audio-based performances? How does sound mediate the experience of viewing optical media and how does this complicate vision-oriented theories of spectatorship? By incorporating a range of interdisciplinary responses to these questions, Sonic Mediations provides a model for the future of sound studies