The Substation/​ Asuna (Japan)/​ 100 Keyboards/

The music of multi-instrumental sound artist Asuna has reshaped multiple facets of the experimental music scene of Japan, from ambient and drone to improvisation. His landmark work 100 Keyboards is a site-specific listening experience in which one hundred cheap plastic keyboards play the same key, generating an undulating sonic harmony both mesmerising and mysterious. The crowd of sounds comes to take on its own kind of mass, while subtle acoustic variations emerge, hover and retreat.

Since the late 90s Asuna has created experimental sound works that vault genre divides, crossing from hip hop to hardcore punk to freak folk noise and low-fi pop. His performances might feature sound sources as diverse as popping candy, wind-up toys and kazoos, but the playfulness of his compositions belie the profound sensibilities of a true avant-garde artist.

Presented by The Substation, Next Wave and Melbourne International Arts Festival. 100 Keyboards is supported by Asialink. This Asialink project has been supported through a Gift to the memory of Masa Hiraoka, Setsu Hiraoka and Yasuko Hiraoka Myer and by the Australian Government through the Australia Japan Foundation.”