"chemo acoustic" is basically about exploring the process of energy transformation through sound
What interests me has always been the conversion of energy, certainly of making energy visible.
If you want to understand things, hearing it gives you a very clear picture. A lot of the time I can hear more details than I can see. That has always fascinated me. It’s one of the things I am always busy with. If I hear a strange sound, some industrial things, I’m fascinated with the sound—the approach behind it and forming it. This is why I call myself a chemo acoustic artist.
Bastiaan Maris
aka Mr. B
Bastiaan Maris
worked, among others, with Eric Hobjin, Kain Karawahn, Stephan Strucks , Sarah Wright, Kal Spelletich and the american 'Survival Research Laboratories' . He is a true (mechanical) machine builder, and chemo acoustic engineer. Together with Eddie Egal, he formed the Berliner Pyrophoniker, and closely collaborated with Jeffrey Funt on various pryo-acoustic music instruments and flame throwers.
The Relaytor de Luxe
Mr. B has collected relays for years. He collects all sizes and types, from finned Bakelite monsters (20cm x 20 cm) to small plastic blocks (3cm x 5cm); he collects mercury switches and timers. Relays are heavy, altogether his collection weighs tons. He also collects single strand electrical cable to connect them all together. 'Relaytors' is a sound installation. Each relay makes a sound as it switches, a deep 'thump' or a strong 'clack'. Using tens to hundreds of relays wired together on wooden boards of various sizes, from 1 x 2 meters to 20 x 30 cm, he creates rhythmical sound-scapes. Each relay wired to trigger another and each board to effect the next, turning on and off in choreographed sequences. The effect is stunning, rousing and mostly very loud!