Experimental Electronic Musician
Based in South Korea
Audio + Mechatronics
About
Hailing from Sydney, Australia, h.eund (Hee-Eun/Bekkie Kim) is a boundary-pushing electronic music producer turned audio performance & installation artist currently based in South Korea.
With a unique background in science and data analytics, h.eund's journey began amidst the vibrant music scene of Sydney, where her bold and ambitious sounds captivated audiences and earned acclaim for their colorful experimentation.
In 2018, a pivotal move to Korea ignited a new chapter in h.eund's artistic evolution.
Here, she delved deeper into merging her technological prowess with her musical expression, blending her background in tech and science seamlessly into her sonic landscapes. Utilizing tools like Microcontrollers and Max MSP, h.eund embarked on experimental projects, crafting immersive experiences that defy traditional boundaries and invite audiences into a realm of exploration.
Her current focus lies in the intersection of art and technology, as she continues to explore the possibilities of mechatronics and audiovisual integration.
Exhibitions &
Performances
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Solar Happy Hour (Online streaming, June 2024)
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<솔라해피아워 디지털 아카이브 전시>
송파도서관, 송파문화재단
2024.8.5 ~ 8.21"Sonification of Soil Contamination Data (토양 오염 데이터의 사운드화)"는 환경 오염과 도시화, 산업화로 인한 자연환경의 훼손을 청각적으로 재해석한 작품이다. 환경부 국립환경과학원에서 제공받은 토양 오염 실태조사 결과 데이터를 기반으로, 이 작품은 Max/MSP를 통해 필드 리코딩, FM Synthesis, 사운드 이펙트를 활용하여 오염도의 핵심이 되는 다섯 원소의 측정값에 따라 소리를 변화시킨다. 땅을 파고 긁는 소리를 중심으로 대지의 앓는 소리를 표현하였고, 즉흥적인 악기 연주는 마치 그 한을 달래는 듯한 모양을 하고 있다.
"Sonification of Soil Contamination Data" is an immersive exploration of environmental resonance through sound. Drawing from datasets sourced from the Korean Ministry of Environment on soil contamination (환경부 국립환경과학원 - “토양오염 실태조사 결과”), this project endeavors to create an auditory journey that stimulates reflection on the intricate dynamics between urbanization and the natural world.
The Max MSP patch responds to API data, focusing on the levels of key chemical compounds found in soil, indicative of contamination. These values modulate generative sounds, interwoven with field recordings, improvised flutes, and percussive instruments, resulting in a discordant cacophony reflecting modern environmental disturbances.
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Dongbin 1969 Art Space, 2024 (포항융합예술실, 포항문화재단)
Max/MSP, Interactive Map, 4.1 Surround Sound, Conveyor Belt, Joystick, PrintLocated in Pohang, a city emblematic of Post-Fordism with its dense concentration of major steel mills, this installation probes the environmental repercussions of industrial advancement through an artistic lens. It centers on the Hyungsan River, a focal point for environmental scientists documenting escalating levels of heavy metals near steel production facilities. This installation piece translates these datasets into sound using a Max/MSP patch that renders data into frequencies, amplitudes, and spatial audio across a 4.1 surround sound system. Higher pollutant concentrations are conveyed through lower frequencies, with specific elements represented by unique sonic characteristics based on their atomic data. The installation's visual core—a conveyor belt draped with data visualization prints—serves to draw viewers into a contemplative engagement with the nuanced interplay between technological progress and environmental degradation.
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Art & Tech Cluster Forum, 2024
Max MSP, Python, Ableton Live
"Deviated Vibrations" is a jazz piece that creatively interprets frequency vibration data from the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, showcased at the Pohang Art & Tech Forum. This data sonification project takes a novel approach by mapping the deviation points within the data graph to improvisation points in jazz, transforming the scientific data into an abstract jazz composition.
The piece reimagines how data shapes can be interpreted as mainstream music, offering a unique auditory experience that blurs the lines between structured data and musical spontaneity. The result is a dynamic exploration of how variations in data can inspire new forms of musical expression, inviting audiences to experience the rhythmic and melodic possibilities hidden within empirical scientific data. -
Arko Gallery/Gwangju Biennale, 2024
4x4 Seoul Edition>, a collaborative performance of the project <4x4> by !𝑴𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒓𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒆 𝑩𝒊𝒕𝒏𝒊𝒌!
김한나, 김희은, 문규철, 장영해로 구성된 The Shot은 일상적 공간에 침투해 그 틈을 비집고 들어가는 사운드를 탐구한다. 생성되고 해체되는 조형물과 설치된 조형물의 실시간 영상을 사운드로 변환하는 과정을 통해, 공간에 스며드는 소리들이 교묘히 중첩되고, 그 속에서의 발생하는 이야기가 하나의 음악적 구조로 펼쳐진다. 플루트와 전자음의 이질적인 충돌과 조화, 화음과 불협화음은 시간에 따라 얽히며, 공간과 소리의 상호작용을 통해 제한된 공간과 소리의 경계를 탐색한다.
Electronic Music Performances
2017 Oxford Art Factory, 38/46 Oxford St, Darlinghurst, Sydney, Australia
2017 Cake Wines Cellar Door, Redfern, Sydney, Australia
2017 The Vic On The Park, Marrickville, Sydney, Australia
2017 Marrickville Ritz Hotel, Marrickville, Sydney, Australia
Project 01
Mechatronics
Distance Reactive Spatial Audio Control
Through the integration of an ultrasonic sensor with spatial mixing, this project explores the manipulation of sounds within a three-dimensional space. Data from the ultrasonic sensor is intricately mapped to parameters such as reverb, spatial panning, and volume, yielding immersive effects that vividly emulate distance.
Testing the accuracy of ultrasonic sensor (Arduino)
Arduino OSC test on Ableton Live
Producing music for the project
Testing different FX for creating auditory distance in sound
Automation test for spatial panning plugin
Testing different methods of data smoothing (Max MSP)
Project 02
Mechatronics
Light Activated FX
Utilizing Arduino Uno as a MIDI controller in Ableton Live,
this project maps values from the photoresistor to LFO rate control.
By integrating a brightness-adjustable light bulb, dynamic modulation of vocal sound in the track is achieved.
Schematics for a single photoresistor with Arduino Uno
Test phase: Generative midi m4l device mapped to photoresistor values
Brightness adjustable lightblub (diy)
LFO parameters mapped to incoming values from the photoresistor in real-time
Project 03
Mechatronics
Emotion Triggered Music (Max MSP)
Incorporating Real-Time Facial Emotion Recognition with Max MSP, this ongoing project delves into the synthesis of emotionally driven soundscapes in real-time.
Showcasing a dedication to innovative interactive music composition, it leverages Facial Recognition and custom emotion detection scripts to explore new territories of auditory expression.
Testing different facial recognition scripts (DeepFace)
Max MSP Project with js running in real-time
Initial Test (Confirmed Emotion recognition in real-time)
Drum Racks
Audio
h.eund's innovative spirit propels her beyond the traditional confines of music, a passion that finds its expression in her drumrack projects.
Among these are the "Trash Percussion" Drumrack, crafted from the sounds of recycled materials,
and the "Kimchi Drumrack," featuring recordings derived from the traditional Korean dish. These projects not only underscore h.eund's dedication to pushing musical boundaries but also emphasize her commitment to sustainability and cultural expression.
Available for download at:
heund.gumroad.com/l/trashperc
heund.gumroad.com/l/KgZCa
Releases
Data$h!+
A Collection of Sonification Experiments using phone usage data and image to sound conversion
"Fly in my Soup" is a data sonification experiment crafted from phone usage data using Sonic Pi and Turing machines. This electronic piece mirrors the random, unexpected path of a fly, from life to its untimely end in a soup. h.eund merges technology and art, reflecting her innovative style as an electronic music producer and a sound artist.
Released May, 2024
Cheap Connections
(Feat. Richard Farrell)
“This song is about connections.
One that gravitates around my own relationship with the current digital landscape.”
Released November, 2022
More releases on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp +
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“h.eund is an emerging, Sydney-based name doing some incredibly exciting things. It’s dark, haunting, smooth and mesmerising, with the production largely influenced by themes of glitch-hop, reminiscent of The Glitch Mob, Prefuse 73 and PHFat … everything meshes well here and it's rad AF.”
Rob Carroll, PileRats (AUS)
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“Sydney-based producer Bekkie Kay aka h.eund (say like “haitch-oond”) has been making wonderfully quirky electronica with an unbridled sense of fun for some time now. This fizzing, busy little miniverse is every bit as tangy and delightful as the much-loved juice flavour it’s dedicated to.”
Tone Deaf Magazine
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"It's what you'd expect from h.eund. Something totally different from the last, a little strange and seriously quirky. Love the way you experiment with your sound."
Claire Mooney, Triple J Unearthed (AUS)
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"I hope you continue to lean into your quirky songwriting tendencies; the hard-to-place genre experimentation of this project also makes it pretty hard-to-forget imho"
Lachlan Whylie, FBi Radio
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“This is experimental chill with most connection to artists such as Flying Lotus and Bonobo. The prevailing mood is birdsong and rippling electronics. There’s an offbeat sensibility, as if everything is coming from just off where you expect. A sense that this is ART.”
ACID TED
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“Producer from Sydney presents a bitterly angry production and feature guest Rennan moves with his vocals somewhere between light heartedness and tension that couldn't sound better.”
TONSPION (GER)