Various Artists: Synthetic Water Music
Mappa’s latest release, Synthetic Water Music, expands its Synthetic series into a three‑hour exploration of water through field recordings, electronic soundscapes, and imaginative world‑building. The album, curated by founder Jakub Juhás, spans four fictional aquatic realms, each offering a distin…
In the world of independent music, a label’s ambition is often measured by the breadth of its catalog. Slovak independent label Mappa has been steadily building a reputation for curating soundscapes that demand attentive listening. Over the past decade, the company has released a series of records that weave field recordings, electronic experimentation, and folk traditions into immersive auditory experiences. Its most recent project, Synthetic Water Music, pushes those boundaries even further, offering a three‑hour, multi‑artist exploration of water in all its forms.
From Birds to Water: The Evolution of the Synthetic Series
The Synthetic series began in 2023 with a compilation that celebrated birdsong. That release gathered a diverse group of musicians and sound artists to reinterpret the natural calls of birds, layering them with electronic textures and ambient drones. The project was a success, both critically and commercially, and it set the stage for the next chapter in the series. Now, Mappa’s founder Jakub Juhás has turned his attention to the elusive element of water, a medium that is far more complex to capture and represent in sound.
Four Fictional Aquatic Worlds
Unlike the bird‑focused collection, Synthetic Water Music is divided across two cassette formats, each side named after a fictional aquatic realm. The four worlds—Tlālōcān, Nephelora, Žaboglach, and R’lyeh—offer listeners a sonic journey from bright, electronic surface waters to dark, mysterious depths. Tlālōcān, for instance, leans into brighter, more synthetic textures, while Žaboglach evokes the murkiness of swamps with field recordings of insects, mud, and low‑frequency drones. R’lyeh, inspired by H. P. Lovecraft’s cosmic horror, introduces a sense of ancient, unknowable depths, while Nephelora, a lesser‑known mythic place, provides a middle ground of ethereal, cloud‑like sounds.
Jakub Juhás’s curation is meticulous. He has assembled contributions from several dozen artists, ranging from veteran field recorders to avant‑garde electronic composers. Each track is designed to function as a building block within its respective world, allowing the listener to traverse from one sonic environment to another seamlessly. The result is a layered, almost cinematic experience that invites repeated listening.
Real Sounds, Imagined Worlds
One of the most compelling aspects of the compilation is how it transforms ordinary water sounds into the foundation for entirely new, imagined ecosystems. For example, Pauline Anna Strom’s “Emerald Pool”—originally part of the 1982 Trans‑Millenia Consort archive—has been recontextualized with synthesizers and everyday environmental recordings. The track blends a synthetic harp with the subtle hiss of running water, creating a phantasmagorical landscape that feels both familiar and alien.
Eva Sajanová’s “Oh, to Be a Fountain” offers a different approach. As the director of the documentary short How to Listen to Fountains, Sajanová interacts directly with water, letting the splashes and resonances shape her vocal performance. The result is a piece where the human voice and water are inseparable, a living dialogue that blurs the line between performer and environment.
Perhaps the most striking example of world‑building on the album is the collaboration between Ursula K. Le Guin and Todd Barton on “A River Song.” The track is a product of what Le Guin’s fictional anthropology—“imaginary ethnomusicology”—and Barton’s homemade instruments, inspired by the Kesh people from her novel Always Coming Home, bring together. The result is a sonic document that feels like a field recording from a culture that never existed, illustrating how sound can be used to create entire cultural narratives.
Why This Matters
Synthetic Water Music is more than a collection of tracks; it is a statement about the power of sound to shape perception. By blending real field recordings with invented sounds, Mappa invites listeners to question what is real and what is imagined. This approach not only expands the possibilities of ambient and experimental music but also offers a new way to engage with the natural world through listening.
What Happens Next?
While the compilation is already available on vinyl, cassette, and digital formats, Mappa plans to release a series of companion pieces that will delve deeper into each fictional world. Fans can look forward to expanded liner notes, interactive web experiences, and perhaps even live performances that bring these imagined hydrospheres to life. As for the label, the success of Synthetic Water Music solidifies its reputation as a curator of sonic exploration, setting the stage for future projects that challenge the boundaries between nature and imagination.
- Three‑hour, multi‑artist compilation exploring water through field recordings and electronic soundscapes.
- Four fictional aquatic worlds—Tlālōcān, Nephelora, Žaboglach, R’lyeh—each with distinct sonic palettes.
- Notable tracks include Pauline Anna Strom’s “Emerald Pool,” Eva Sajanová’s “Oh, to Be a Fountain,” and Ursula K. Le Guin & Todd Barton’s “A River Song.”
- Curated by Jakub Juhás of Slovak label Mappa, building on the previous Synthetic Bird Music release.
- The album blurs the line between real water sounds and imagined hydrospheres, offering a new listening experience.
FAQ
- What formats is Synthetic Water Music available in? The compilation can be purchased on vinyl, cassette, and digital streaming platforms.
- Who are some of the artists featured on the album? Contributors include Pauline Anna Strom, Eva Sajanová, Ursula K. Le Guin, Todd Barton, and dozens of other field recorders and electronic musicians.
- What is the concept behind the fictional aquatic worlds? Each world is a sonic representation of a different aspect of water, ranging from bright electronic surfaces to dark, mysterious depths.
Why it matters
By merging real acoustic elements with imaginative sound design, Synthetic Water Music invites listeners to re‑experience water as a living, evolving entity, expanding the possibilities of ambient and experimental music.
Key points
- Mappa’s Synthetic series now explores water instead of birds
- Four fictional aquatic worlds provide distinct sonic palettes
- Tracks blend field recordings, electronics, and folk traditions
- The album blurs real and imagined sounds, creating new listening experiences
- Future releases will expand on each world’s narrative
Frequently asked questions
What formats is Synthetic Water Music available in?
The compilation can be purchased on vinyl, cassette, and digital streaming platforms.
Who are some of the artists featured on the album?
Contributors include Pauline Anna Strom, Eva Sajanová, Ursula K. Le Guin, Todd Barton, and dozens of other field recorders and electronic musicians.
What is the concept behind the fictional aquatic worlds?
Each world is a sonic representation of a different aspect of water, ranging from bright electronic surfaces to dark, mysterious depths.
