Sound Systems Architectures: Assemblages, Environments, and Happenings

This year’s Discourse program, “Sound Systems Architectures: Assemblages, Environments, and Happenings,” bridges the legacy of sound system pioneers who played a key role in constructing and affirming a collective diasporan identity with present-day audio complexities that create architectures of liberation. The program investigates the evolving role of the maker(s) in sound system culture, emphasizing the practical and critical application of technology and the creative use of open-source, local, and non-mass-produced resources, independent of traditional market systems.

Featuring the distinct contributions of Felipe Maia, María Huerta, Irazema H. Vera, GG Albuquerque, and Ollin Yahveh Miranda Lopez, this program constructs a narrative of sound systems as both physical and cultural architectures that reshape environments and challenge social norms.

Felipe Maia’s essay leads us through the world of paredões in São Paulo, Brazil, where these mobile sound systems serve as tools for sonic transformation. His detailed account of the construction and calibration of paredões in garages highlights the intricate technical skill and the acoustic embodiment embedded in their creation. Felipe emphasizes the significance of sound systems in reclaiming public spaces through sound, creating territories of auditory dominance that transcend traditional urban boundaries.

María Huerta turns our attention to Monterrey, where sound systems act as powerful mediators between environmental activism and cultural expression. Her work explores how the Santa Catarina River’s resistance to industrial exploitation becomes intertwined with local sound system culture. By amplifying the river’s ecological crisis through sound, María demonstrates how sound systems serve as instruments of environmental consciousness, transforming the relationship between people, sound, and nature in Monterrey’s urban landscape.

Irazema H. Vera’s work focuses on the political dimensions of sound systems in Lima, particularly during moments of social upheaval. Her essay reveals how sound systems become platforms for marginalized voices, using sonic practices to confront political violence and assert communal presence. By tracing the role of sound systems in preserving memory and fostering collective action, Irazema illustrates how sound technologies become crucial in reconfiguring the urban and political soundscapes of Lima​.

GG Albuquerque looks into the sonic thinking of Brazilian funk music, where DJs like Jeeh FDC and Renan Valle use distortion, noise, and dirt to challenge conventional sound aesthetics. GG’s essay presents a critical analysis of how these DJs challenge conventional western perceptions of technical “mistakes” into artistic statements, producing sounds that resonate with the lived realities of their communities. He positions these sonic elements as acts of creative subversion, which redefine the boundaries of music production and disrupt the polished norms of the mainstream music industry.

Ollin Yahveh Miranda Lopez brings a spiritual lens to the construction and experience of sound systems. He reflects on the process of building a sound system as a deeply personal and spiritual journey, where each element contributes to a larger collective experience. Ollin’s work emphasizes the communal and sacred aspects of sound systems, presenting them as spaces for healing, connection, and shared meaning that transcend their physical form.

“Assembling communal life is in itself a technology,” as Nick Estes reminds us. The theme Assemblages, Environments, and Happenings takes on a new context through these contributions, as sound systems emerge as technologies that assert life and solidarity, deeply connected to land and community. These essays illustrate how sound systems—whether in São Paulo, the riverbanks of Monterrey, or the streets of Lima—transform spaces into arenas for communal life, allowing us to redefine our social fabric.

These contributions show how sound systems can foster meaningful encounters, transform environments, and challenge established norms. We hope this program offers you a deeper understanding of how sound itself can become an architecture that reflects our shared realities, and opens up possibilities for different ways of being in the world.