Dzintars Briedis

Sound artist

Riga, Latvia (Local)

About

My name is Dzintars. In Greek, 'ἤλεκτρον' (ēlektron) means amber. I live in a strange place called Saulpalampe—Under Sun Lamp Land—a realm lit by a great lamp known as the 'Sun,' casting its glow over a hidden world beneath. While it shines, all sorts of creatures below, in this Under Sun Lamp Land, bustle and stir. At times, the Sun is switched off, and darkness falls upon the people. Then they call for me to bring them a bucket of electrons. And so, this time, I’ll play electron music, performed on my self-made instrument, the 'Slīdskanis.' The Slīdskanis is designed so the sound glides fluidly up and down, rather than merely hopping along the stairs of notes. It came into being some 15 years ago, but this is its latest incarnation, the 'Pitch Ruler.' When I take up the instrument, I don’t know beforehand what my fingers will do—I listen and observe what unfolds. As I play, I try to imagine a world beyond this Under Sun Lamp Land below, seeing beings that dwell elsewhere on spherical planets— ancient civilizations, events of bygone eras, cosmic ship battles, and even a longing for home, the place from whence I came