Sound Art Takes Center Stage in liepaja

Liepaja, Latvia, is set to host the 12th International “Sound Days” Festival from April 22nd to 26th, 2025. This interdisciplinary event promises a vibrant fusion of music,visual art,and sound exploration through creative workshops,exhibitions,captivating performances,and electrifying electronic music concerts. The festival aims to unite and strengthen the sound art and electronic music community in Latvia,fostering international collaboration and growth by showcasing unique and experimental compositions.

This year’s festival centers around the innovative theme of live programming and algorithms in audiovisual art. Attendees can expect to witness firsthand how artists are pushing the boundaries of creative expression by manipulating code in real-time to generate mesmerizing sounds and visuals.

Algorave: Where Code Meets the Dance Floor

A highlight of the 2025 festival is the introduction of the first-ever “algoreivs” – a live electronic music party where artists create rhythmic electronic music and hypnotic visualizations by writing computer program code “live” or in real time.

The Algorave movement, which began in the United Kingdom in 2012, has rapidly evolved into a global phenomenon, with events taking place in major cities like London, Berlin, New York, and Mexico City. This underground scene resonates with a growing audience captivated by the raw energy and unpredictable nature of live-coded music. imagine a DJ set,but instead of mixing pre-recorded tracks,the artist is crafting the music and visuals from scratch,line by line,on the spot. This is the essence of Algorave.

Algorithmic music frequently enough produces unexplored and exciting musical shapes, but algoreans are notably exciting as live programming does not rely on safety nets and can be very spontaneous.
Patrick Borgeat,Musician,creative programmer and curator

Patrick Borgeat,a musician,creative programmer,and curator from Germany,has been instrumental in organizing the algoreivs program in Liepaja. He notes that algorithmic music ofen leads to “unexplored and exciting musical shapes,” and that algoreivs are especially thrilling because they embrace spontaneity and eschew traditional safety nets.

For U.S. readers, think of it as a live coding jam session mixed with the energy of a rave. The closest American parallel might be found in the burgeoning fields of generative art and creative coding, where artists use algorithms to produce dynamic and interactive installations. Events like the annual Creative Coding Fest showcase similar approaches, highlighting the growing interest in algorithmic art across the globe.

A Fusion of Art, Technology, and Education

The “Sound Days” Festival is more then just a series of performances; it’s a dynamic learning environment. creative programmer Lina Bautista and Sola Sarratea, known for their Algoreiva performances in Leipzig, will be part of the event in Liepaja.

The festival unfolds across various locations, including the RTU Liepaja Academy Art Research laboratory (MPLab) and the “Printing creative Quarter.” Over five days, attendees can participate in educational creative workshops, networking events, performance programs, concerts, and creative workshop presentations.

Krista Dintere, festival producer, sound artist, and associate professor at RTU Liepāja, emphasizes the festival’s role as a “meeting place for young artists and musicians with already experienced and recognized sound art, electronic music and audiovisual media artists.” This year, nine creative workshops will engage approximately 90 art students and othre interested individuals at RTU Liepaja Academy.

“Sound Days” Program Highlights: April 22-26

Performance Highlights and Artistic Visions

Paula Vitola, curator of the closing concert, hints at a surprise improvised performance with composer and pianist Plato Buravicki. She notes, “In it I will play my own synthesizers that make sounds with modulated light, but It will be exciting to hear and see the elizabeth balcuses in Latvia and abroad.” This performance promises to be a captivating exploration of sound and light.

another anticipated act is Alice Rancane, who incorporates machine learning model training in real time to create a “conversation with an unstable system… located on the limit of emergency.” This performance showcases the intersection of art and artificial intelligence, reflecting a growing trend in the creative world.

The Broader Impact of Algorithmic Art

The “Sound Days” Festival and the Algorave movement represent a significant shift in how we perceive and interact with art. By embracing code as a creative medium, artists are not only generating new and exciting forms of expression, but are also challenging traditional notions of authorship and performance.

The rise of algorithmic art also has implications for industries beyond the art world. The techniques and tools used in Algorave, as an example, can be applied to fields such as data visualization, interactive design, and even software growth. as businesses increasingly rely on data-driven insights, the ability to create dynamic and engaging visualizations becomes ever more critical.

Engaging with the “Sound Days” Community

“Sound days are a great possibility to combine the useful with a pleasant, working with recognized artists for a week and expanding their artistic vision. The value of the event is the sense of community among all those involved – participants, master class leaders and artists, spending time out of classes.”

The “Sound Days” festival offers a unique opportunity to engage with a vibrant and innovative community of artists, programmers, and musicians. Whether you’re a seasoned electronic music enthusiast or simply curious about the intersection of art and technology, the festival promises a stimulating and unforgettable experience. As algorithmic art continues to evolve, events like “Sound Days” will play an increasingly vital role in shaping the future of creative expression.