Classical Music's Bloody New Sound

Pianist and sound artist Noémi Büchi has released her new album, "Exuvie," which audaciously reimagines classical music. Drawing inspiration from the raw, visceral origins of instruments like gut-strung violins and skin-headed timpani, Büchi applies a modern, digitally mangled aesthetic. The album's title, "Exuvie," has a dual meaning, referencing spoils from ancient combat and the molted husks of insects, a metaphor for shedding previous sonic skins.

Büchi's work on "Exuvie" stitches together disparate genres and historical periods, creating a collage of "dislocated bodies." Tracks like "the cryptic precision" exhibit a fragmented, assembled quality, evoking comparisons to artists known for blending organic and artificial sounds. The album explores intense sonic experiences, including amplified internal body sounds, with tracks described by their vibrational qualities rather than traditional instrumentation.

Despite her classical training, Büchi is an experimentalist at heart. Her sound scapes incorporate elements reminiscent of electronic music genres and synthetic brass fanfares. For the first time, Büchi prominently features her own voice on "Exuvie," with fragmented speech appearing on tracks like "dislocated bodies." She describes her relationship with classical music as one of a surgeon, dissecting and transforming rather than preserving, signifying that the music remains alive and evolving.