Sonic Warfare: Sound, Affect, and the Ecology of Fear Free

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Destruction has its ready-made catalogue of images, but we rarely think about the acoustics of a mushroom cloud or falling towers. For Goodman, discussing Affect politics of sound demands that we move Sonic Warfare: Sound conventional ideas of audience and reception. Even the ugliest song is recognizable as music—good and the Ecology of Fear bad. Goodman is interested in sound as force. Is it still music when its intention is to irritate or cause physical illness? On a very basic level, the book is a chilling encyclopedia of and the Ecology of Fear sonic machines. The names alone are stunning: concrete ears, the Vortex ring generator, the Mosquito Anti-Social Device. That many modern high-tech devices were forged at the intersection of science and militarism no longer shocks us. All matter vibrates—people, buildings, plants, and everything in between. Perhaps this kind of supercharged, broad-ranging imagination offers the best defense against the coercive techniques currently being honed in the labs of militaries and corporations. Hua Hsu teaches English at Vassar College. The MIT Press. Hardcover, pages. The Wire Shop - Sonic Warfare: Sound, Affect, and the Ecology of Fear by Steve Goodman

We'll come in low out of the rising sun and and the Ecology of Fear a mile out, we'll put on the music. With a Affect to war, technology, cinema, music, and entertainment, Steve Goodman begins his transdisciplinary examination of vibration in the military-entertainment complex with Sonic Warfare: Sound provocative quote. Entitled Sonic Warfarethe book offers a deeply theoretical examination of the affective dimension of sound; it is particularly concerned with "environments, Sonic Warfare: Sound ecologies, in which sound contributes to an immersive atmosphere or ambience and the Ecology of Fear fear and dread" Affect. Eschewing a broad historical survey of sonic weaponry, Goodman instead supports his thesis from the fields of acoustics, aesthetics, fiction, philosophy, psychoacoustics, popular culture, science, Sonic Warfare: Sound science fiction, to name but a few. Traversing such a large, and Affect times daunting, swath of human expression, Sonic Warfare is best understood as a work of speculative philosophy built upon an ontology of vibrational force. It is not surprising, then, that Goodman's first manuscript is a deeply philosophic examination of how sound systems are used to modulate affect, mood, and bodily behaviors. While those familiar with Goodman's work as kode9 will expect Sonic Warfare to focus on electronic dance music—in particular the dubstep genre—this is not Affect case. Instead, the liminal areas of sonic perception the infra-sonic and the ultrasonic and the associated politics thereof Sonic Warfare: Sound its primary concern; that is, Sonic Warfare is a sustained theoretical examination of the relationship between vibration and power. Central to this thesis is what Goodman calls a politics of frequency. Spanning thirty-four chapters in a mere pages, Sonic Warfare presents its argument as a " dis continuum" of thematic chapters each marked by a "singularity of a vibrational, conceptual, musical, military, social, or technological event" xvii. As such the chapters "oscillate between dense theorization…and descriptive, exemplary episodes drawn from fact Sonic Warfare: Sound fiction" ibid. The Affect structure of Sonic Warfarewhile not conducive to review, underscores the speculative methodology of its thesis. The thematic oscillation between chapters, in effect, mirrors the argument's underlying position: an ontology of vibrational force. The work spans a broad spectrum of sound system strategies ranging from overtly physical uses, such as military sound bombs or the global clubbing industry, to the less physical yet equally intrusive use, such as Muzak. Thematically, the chapter book fits into three groupings: 1 philosophy and theory, 2 fictional exemplary episodes, and 3 factual exemplary episodes, where group 1 often appears within groups 2 and the Ecology of Fear 3. Each chapter focuses on a particular event—sometimes in the historical past, Affect in a fictional future—that fall within these thematic groupings to push the overall argument forward. For example chapter 15, " Goodman brings a large number of individuals to bear on his argument—Jacques Attali, Paul Virilio, Friedrich Kittler, Gaston Bachelard, and Henri Bergson, to name a few—but the core of his philosophic thesis reveals itself in the ideas of Spinoza, Deleuze and Guattari, and Alfred North Whitehead, as well as that of "conceptual engineer" Kodwo Eshun. Through these authors' work, Goodman argues for an ontology of vibrational force that "delves below a philosophy of sound and the physics of acoustics toward the basic processes of entities affecting other entities" Within this ontology, sound is only a particular vibratory mode of perception. Upon this ontological foundation, Goodman posits a politics of frequency through which "the production, transmission, and mutation of affective tonality" can be thought. Noting a general "amnesia of vibration" in the literature regarding relations of sound and music to power Affect and political, And the Ecology of Fear posits a politics of frequency in which the relation of of vibration—both the acoustic sense and the affective sense of the word—to power is of central concern. Such a position, it is argued, goes beyond the usual oppositional dualism of "the jouissance of sonic physicality and the semiotic significance of [music's] symbolic composition or content" While this may seem abstract, Goodman's speculative methodology is always grounded in actual events. By continually drawing the reader's attention to real-world applications of sound as modulating affect—such as Jamaican sound system culture or the military's psychological sonic warfare device, "The Curdler," to give but two examples—Goodman grounds his speculative methodology in practice. Indeed, the more obvious examples provided, such as the Long Range Acoustic Device LRAD used for crowd control, demonstrate a clear relation between vibration and physical discomfort. While the more subtle Sonic Warfare: Sound, such as the corporate deployment of sonic branding and the Ecology of Fear the idea of "earworms," present the opposite side of the vibrational dis continuum: the internal, psychological dimension of vibration. The nod to Afrofuturism is the clearest link between Goodman's philosophic work and his work under the name kode9 in UK's underground electronic dance music community. For ethnomusicologists of Afro-diasporic music, these are particularly rewarding chapters; they provide a refreshing theoretical twist to the study of topics such as Jamaican sound system culture particularly dubpirate radio, and the emergence of "global ghettotech. This book is also worthy of attention for those interested in the study of music and politics. Though it maintains a thoroughly theoretical approach which Goodman wholly acknowledgesit nonetheless provides significant groundwork for real-world, ethnographic studies of music and politics. For those unfamiliar with the philosophical thought of Deleuze, Guattari, and Whitehead, or the Afrofuturism of Kodwo Eshun, the theoretical passages will be difficult. To be clear, Goodman makes no attempt to explicate the philosophic thought of those he cites, rather he folds or molds their concepts into his own and deftly moves forward. What is perhaps lost in argumentative clarity is gained in the sheer breadth of ideas presented. It is this impressive feat, I believe, that makes Goodman's philosophic contribution to the study of the sonic invaluable. View the discussion thread. Jump to Navigation. Ethnomusicology Review. Volume and the Ecology of Fear Print Email PDF. By Steve Goodman. Editorial A New Era for the Journal. By Nolan Affect et al. By Maria Guarino, University of Virginia. Music in the "Sudeten-German" Expulsion. By Rita di Ghent, York University. Woody Guthrie: American Radical. Salsa Macabra. Reviewed by Alex W. Rodriguez, UCLA. Individual articles are the copyright of their authors. Sonic Warfare | The MIT Press

Goodreads Affect you keep Sonic Warfare: Sound of books you want to read. Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Other and the Ecology of Fear. Enlarge cover. Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Preview — Sonic Warfare by Steve Goodman. An exploration of the production, transmission, and mutation of affective tonality--when sound helps produce a bad vibe. Sound can be deployed to produce discomfort, express a threat, or create an ambience of fear or dread--to produce a bad vibe. Sonic weapons of this sort include the "psychoacoustic correction" aimed at Panama strongman Manuel Noriega by the U. And the Ecology of Fear and An exploration of the production, transmission, and mutation of affective tonality--when sound helps produce a bad vibe. Army and at the Branch Davidians in Waco by the FBI, sonic booms or "sound bombs" over the Gaza Strip, and high-frequency rat repellants used against teenagers in malls. At the same time, artists and musicians generate intense frequencies in the search for new aesthetic experiences and new ways of mobilizing bodies in rhythm. In Sonic WarfareSteve Goodman explores these uses of Affect force and how they affect populations. Traversing philosophy, science, fiction, aesthetics, and popular culture, he maps Affect dis continuum of vibrational force, encompassing police and military research into acoustic means of crowd control, the corporate deployment of sonic branding, and the intense sonic encounters of sound art and music culture. Goodman concludes with speculations on the not yet heard--the concept of unsound, which relates to both the peripheries of auditory perception and the unactualized nexus of rhythms and frequencies within audible bandwidths. Get A Copy. Hardcoverpages. More Details Other Editions 6. Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Sonic Warfareplease sign up. Lists and the Ecology of Fear This Book. Community Reviews. Showing And the Ecology of Fear rating 3. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. Mar 11, Tristan Bath rated it liked it. There's a lot of Affect information, interesting conclusions, and great historical content to be found in this book written by Kode9. Its flaw however, lies in its occasionally impenetrable, or at least consistently academic and decadent prose. The 'Black Atlantic' characterised by Kode9 as black culture from Jamaica to NYC to the UK and so on is the lead character, and the mor There's Sonic Warfare: Sound lot of amazing information, interesting conclusions, and great historical content to be found in this book written by Kode9. The 'Black Atlantic' characterised by Kode9 as black culture from Jamaica to NYC to the UK and so on is the lead character, and the morality of sound as a weapon remains somehow Affect, even after Goodman explores it for dozens of pages. Sep 01, Lee Barry rated it liked it Shelves: music. This is a obviously a well-researched book, but unfortunately the information gets lost in cryptic prose. Sonic Warfare: Sound inscrutable nature of the writing leaves the reader unsettled, but perhaps that is the intended effect. I did like the chapter on ultrasonics, among a few others. I like the idea of future music extended beyond the usual cliches, looking at it from an ultrasonic perspective, beyond the limits of consciousness. There is "music" beyond liminal space, in and the Ecology of Fear ultra high frequencies of Gamela This is a obviously a well-researched book, but unfortunately the information gets lost in cryptic prose. There is "music" beyond liminal space, in the ultra high frequencies of Gamelan Sonic Warfare: Sound in the biophony of the rainforest that are more spiritual in nature, and not necessarily to sate our desire for ear candy or "auditory cheesecake" as Steven Pinker would put it. Apr 18, Steen Ledet rated it really liked it Shelves: aestheticsaffectsound. Speculative musical philosophy of the best kind, Goodman's book reads like a synthesis of so many ideas and rhythms that one overflows from reading it. Personally, I find the beginning more interesting than Sonic Warfare: Sound end, but this is a matter of my preference for sensory overload versus afrofuturism. Both subjects and more are richly developed. Apr 02, JE rated it liked it. Affect little too much virus talk for right now. Jun 27, Tim Jaeger rated it liked it. I expected more from Kode9, who is one of dubstep's leading stars. I kept and the Ecology of Fear this, skimming around, wanting to hear more about dubstep, and how Kode9 basically spearheaded the entire Hyperdub movement. I appreciate the depth and enthusiasm he digs into sound and affect. Maybe it would help to read to this while watching his remix of Sonic Warfare: Sound, or Black Sun to orient the gentle reader to I expected more from Kode9, who is one of dubstep's leading stars. Maybe it would help to read to this while watching his remix of Skeng, or Black Sun to orient the gentle reader to some dread sounds. Jul 01, raihan rated it really liked it. There's a huge difference between Kodeas he exists behind his CDJs--and Steve Goodman, as he exists away from the booth. While his Hyperdub imprint has radically shaped the world of electronic music as we now hear it, his work as a scholar of sonics puts an ear to something often spoken of in his alter-ego's world of "dubstep"-- the feeling. There is an entire world below the depths of your headphones and far above your speaker tweeters, and Goodman aims to explore the whole thing in this book There's a huge difference between Kodeas he exists behind his CDJs--and Steve Goodman, as he exists away from the booth. There is an entire world below the depths of your headphones and far above your speaker tweeters, and Goodman aims to explore the whole thing in this book. And the Ecology of Fear isn't really an easy read, but it is thought-provoking and future-forward. Feb 11, Rob Ray rated it really liked it. Only read pieces and the Ecology of Fear this so far, but so far so good. This book reads like a doctoral dissertation with a bit more spit and polish. Which is kind of a bummer as there's some great and the Ecology of Fear here made a little too cloudy by academic puffery. Jun 23, my name is corey irl rated it really liked it. Mar 12, mao rated it it was amazing Shelves: favorites. Bass materialism and virology. Apr 24, HeatherNicole is currently reading it. Apr 09, Matt Sonic Warfare: Sound rated it it was amazing. Difficult, wild, rigorous, re-readable, bizarre, unsettling, inspiring, consistent, surprising Felicia ellis rated it did not like it Jun 01, Jekabs rated it really liked it Mar 25, Christoffer rated it it was amazing Jan 17, Georgina Cook rated it it was amazing May 11, Dan rated it it was amazing Jun 12, Levi rated it really liked it Aug 19, Niklas Petzke rated it liked it Dec 08, Ewok rated it liked it Apr 03, DJ Fusion Affect it really liked it Jun 23, Derek Kaneko rated it Sonic Warfare: Sound it Dec 25, September rated it it was amazing Oct 13, Kati Kuti rated it liked it Feb 18, Samuel rated it it was amazing Jun 05, and the Ecology of Fear Jamufo rated it really liked it Jul 27, Liam rated it liked it Feb 22, Robert Sampson rated it liked it Jul 16, Deniz Yenihayat rated it liked it Apr 08, Io rated it it was amazing May 12, There are no discussion topics on this book yet. 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