Water as a Muse, Augmented Bass, Sound Curtains and More with Pascal Niggenkemper

We sit down with bassist and composer Pascal Niggenkemper to explore his fascinating approach to the "augmented bass" and look back on our early days together in the 2009 Brooklyn loft scene. Pascal explains how he uses external motors and octophonic settings to create an immersive, ASMR-like experience that places the listener directly inside the instrument. We then discuss his recent large-scale project, the Tuvalu Ensemble, commissioned for the SWR NEWJazz Meeting 2024, which featured eight musicians and a 360-degree audience experience surrounded by vibrating sound curtains. We also trace the recurring theme of water in his work, from his Astghik Waterfall Suite recorded in Armenia to his newest groove-heavy quartet album, The Ocean Within Us. Finally, we reflect on the grueling but foundational Brooklyn DIY circuit of the mid-2000s and reminisce about the recording for the upcoming Birch Grove Media release of Face's Fall 2009.

Note: The Tuvalu excerpt mentioned in this episode can be found at https://www.swr.de/kultur/musik/swr-newjazz-meeting-2024-mit-bassist-pascal-niggenkemper-102.html.

Chapters:

00:00 - Intro: The ASMR effect of the augmented bass

00:37 - Preparing the bass and using motors for sound

03:34 - Pascal's journey into non-standard bass techniques

08:14 - The SWR NEWJazz Meeting 2024 and the Tuvalu Ensemble

10:59 - Surrounding the audience with vibrating sound curtains

14:40 - Exploring the relationship between humans and nature through poetry

20:18 - The recurring theme of water in Pascal's compositions

23:36 - The Astghik Waterfall Suite and recording in Armenia

28:43 - Finding groove and pulse on the new album The Ocean Within Us