Wow & Flutter 005 | Solastalgia
Ash Farrand (Hissquiet) on bad art, being optimistic about humanity, and the impermanence of patching a modular synth
I have been facing burnout lately, so it feels appropriate to introduce Ash Farrand (they/them) aka Hissquiet into the Wow & Flutter realm. Ash is someone I look to with admiration for their capacity as an artist across many mediums, ability to rest, and to be forthright about what is difficult and deserves attention when we wish to look away.
If you work in the small world that is experimental electronic music, you have crossed paths Ash. They may have designed your album art, your j-card, your website. With hundreds of shows under their belt in the US, the Mystery Circles and now Mutual Aid Records artist manages to bring us actual messages of hope (ie: hope isn’t a passive idea, it takes collective work) in dark ambient and harsh noise shrouds— and a deep rumble that promises a better way to live and be.
W&F: Hi Ash! Happy summer, I hear your elderly chihuahuas and noise projects are keeping you busy. Which has a more primal sound?
A: Hi! Happy busy, rotting and healing summer to you too! Honestly it’s mostly been my design projects keeping me busy lately. I haven’t touched my gear much this summer except for when I have a show coming up. I try to have 1-3 a month so that I can schedule some beloved music time in. Speaking of here are my next shows!
As for the old men they mostly sleep but have oddly been getting more vocal when awake lately for some reason? That would be a good prompt, trying to recreate chihuahua sounds with the modular? Sounds like a challenge
W&F: In my eyes you're the definitive art school kid— did you go to art school?
A: Really? [Laughter] Nah— I actually never went to art school. I’m self taught. I’ve always been deeply passionate about art but in a vibey kinda way. I expose myself to a lot of different kinds of art because that’s just fun, and I know what I like and what I like to make, but ask me to write something about it and I’m lost. I’m sure school would’ve helped a lot with that. I find inspiration from so many sources—performance art, trash, social media mutuals, friend art, social justice activism, artists in fields I will never have enough of a lifespan to try, street art, the timbre and texture of everything. It’s more about the feeling and the moment for me.
W&F: What's the best work you've made outside of sound art, as far as traditional mediums? I hate the word traditional— is there a better word?
A: “Traditional” art gives non-digital art a slight “make america great again” vibe doesn’t it? Because digital art is just as valid in my opinion. Though I’m not sure of a better and widely known way of describing it. Maybe “tactile mediums”— “analog”?
It’s funny because I started out doing art (and music too) mostly digitally for a long time. I think a combination of finding ways of getting away from the computer, which I don’t think my eyes enjoy a lot, for work and separating work from play had me searching for something I could feel and get my hands on.
As far as my best work, I’m not sure. Maybe the work that makes me feel the most fulfilled is starting and finishing my first ever sketchbook in 6 months. I’ve always wanted to finish a sketchbook but I’ve had this habit my entire life of getting a new sketchbook filling a few pages and then forgetting it for all time and repeat.
I think what changed this year was allowing myself to make a lot of bad art in it. I know that’s what sketchbooks are for but I don’t think I truly wrapped my head around that idea until this sketchbook. Before— when I’ve been doing art— it’s for work and there’s a certain amount of perfectionism you have to have when presenting art to someone who is paying you money for it. I think that mindset made its way to my personal work. So being really intentional about making bad art helped me to shake that mindset and fill this sketchbook. I’m pretty fond of a good amount of the pieces I’ve made.
W&F: I re-listened to Solastalgia released via Mystery Circles to prepare for this interview and I am still very moved by it. The work has a heart that is tackling hard things with an optimism— tell me about that.
A: Thank you so much for giving it another listen that means so much to me that it resonates with you. The concept behind the album Solastalgia revolves around the emotional distress caused by environmental change. A kind of future nostalgia for the environment the way things are now or have been in the past. With the effects of climate change really creeping in and being felt the last couple of years it’s something we are all going to have to deal with especially if you are relatively young. I also think about how some less fortunate groups of people are already dealing with the effects of climate change in a real way or have already been living in a post-apocalypse world us privileged are so afraid of. I think of these people and their resilience and strength through it all and I can’t lose hope. There’s a quote in the second track talking about two paths that we can take— one leads to an uninhabitable planet for humans, one leads to getting our shit together and utilizing all of humanity’s knowledge and creativity to create a culture where we can live in harmony with one another and the planet. This album is kind of a snapshot of where we are now. It could go either way, but ultimately I think I believe in us and that’s where that optimism comes in. I can’t help it.
I’m not sure if you are getting all that from an instrumental album but these were the themes I was thinking about when I was working on it.
I kinda have an idea for an album in the future that kind of touches on envisioning what a future could look like if we got our shit together. Not quite utopia because we are humans— we are fallible and we will always have problems but maybe not late stage capitalism problems. Maybe it’s a collab album?
W&F: What makes dark ambient?
A: Ambient but dissonance!
W&F: What are your preferred instruments and gear?
A: I love getting nerdy with the modular synth. The impermanence of the patch is meditative. Throwing random bits and bobs at modulated effects is pretty fun. 0CTRL and Koma Kommander add some fun expression as well.
W&F: I know Otto Klammer mastered your album and is the Secretary of the Boston chapter of the Audio Engineering society— I imagine they have very good ears— how did that process go?
A: Great! They are super talented and reliable. I pretty much have no notes with the first master pass through. They mastered my upcoming noise album [laughter] bless them. I definitely need to utilize their session work at some point.
W&F: What's next for you in the second half of the year?
A: I finished my noise album! Err— EP? It’s only 14 minutes long. It’s short, sweet and intense. I’m releasing it with a local noise label here in MA, Mutual Aid Records. My apologies to Mystery Circles but I’ll be back with an album that’s not as harsh sonically.
W&F: As an artist— what's the most important thing an artist can do in 2024?
A: In a world soon to be saturated with AI music be sure to stay connected to what keeps us human warts and all. Also, don’t step on anybody we can all lift each other up ok? ➿
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Go get a tape:
Solastalgia - 100 were made in two editions— blue and pink, and while sold out in the US, our good friends at Tobira Records can help
released December 7, 2021
Recorded, produced and mixed by Hissquiet
Mastered by Otto K Audio - ottokaudio.com
Art + Design by Ash Farrand - ashfarrand.design
MC043
mysterycircles.com