Final Artist Statement #2

Link to Disquiet Dreams on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/carlos-trigo-142582902/disquiet-dreams?si=701b690de2be4f6aa1a2c8115b148b1a&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

"Disquiet Dreams" is a sound story that explores the experiences of a college student and their relationship with drugs. Through this sonic journey, the listener is invited to follow the protagonist's daily routine, punctuated by the chaotic sounds of their mind as they succumb to the effects of cannabis.

This piece is a reflection on the pressures and anxieties faced by young people in today's society. It highlights the struggles of balancing academic responsibilities with the desire for relaxation and escape. The story of the student's descent into chaos towards the ending represents the ways in which drug use can offer temporary relief from these pressures, but ultimately can exacerbate the underlying issues.

As the story unfolds, the sounds go from narrating a very typical day in the life to becoming increasingly dissonant, reflecting the protagonist's internal turmoil. The music and sound effects combine to create an immersive experience, where the listener can make out what is happening and maybe relate to it somehow, to then create an experience that evokes the listener's own sense of unease and disquiet. Also, I wanted to make this audio somehow loop, which is why I made it sound like there is a clear "ending" that subtly connects to the beginning of the piece again. Looping is a powerful technique that reinforces the cyclical nature of the protagonist's experience while also providing structure and coherence to the piece as a whole.

Ultimately, "Disquiet Dreams" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of using drugs as a coping mechanism. It serves as a reminder that, while drugs may offer temporary relief from the stresses of everyday life, they can ultimately lead to more harm than good. Through this sound story, I hope to encourage a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between mental health, substance abuse, and the pressures of modern life.

Working with limited sound options can be particularly challenging when trying to convey complex emotions and mental states, which was the hardest part about this project. Not only this, but making a 4 minutes and 33 seconds long composition seemed to be a challenge at first because of how long of a time that seemed to me. However, during the process, it looked like the total opposite and felt like more time was needed to accurately transmit the message that was trying to be conveyed.

Lastly, the main inspirations for this were John Cage's style and Pink Floyd's music, utilizing John's style of using everyday sounds to create music and some of Pink Floyd's sound techniques to create feeling and emotion in the listener.

Pictures of Inspirations and Process: