~ max. 5 p. per walk
Life in the city and the sounds that come with it (traffic, voices, music, birds, laughter, shouting, …) are inseparable. Together they form a soundscape that moves us, evokes memories, and tells us something about who we are. Yet, the discussion about urban sound is often reduced a matter of silence versus noise. This limited view overlooks how differently people experience the city. What is calming for one person may sound threatening to another. When the volume is turned down, voices are erased.
In his thesis “Soundvoice – the City as Concert,” Lieven Martens explored how these suppressed sounds and stories can be made audible again, drawing on insights from social work, sound studies, urban studies, and psychology through action research in the city of Antwerp. Together with BosLabs, he set out to explore what the city really sounds like, and how young people themselves can speak about it, instead of others speaking about them. This is how Soundvoice came into being: a new way of listening and engaging in dialogue about urban sounds. For within the everyday sounds of the city — and in how they affect us — lies a wealth of stories about who we are, where we live, and how we feel at home.
An important part of Soundvoice is the “Soundwalk”: a listening walk through the city. During such a walk, participants consciously listen to and record environmental sounds. At the same time, the experience invites creative reflection: what do you hear, what do you feel, and what does that sound mean to you?
These soundwalks show that sound does more than merely exist. Sound can reveal who or what is heard in public space, and who or what is not. A Soundwalk embodies a deep connection between sound, memory, and identity. The sounds of the city can evoke memories of other places, times, or emotions — sometimes even of places that no longer exist, or of stories that are rarely heard.
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Lieven Martens (°1981, Turnhout) creates conceptual music that challenges expectations and pushes the boundaries of what is possible. Through experimentation and the act of making mistakes, he reveals beauty, a narrative, a fantasy, or a hard fact. He conducts research into field recordings and the sociological dimensions of soundscapes. His live performances hover between field recordings, ambient music, sound art, and contemporary composition, and he has recently collaborated with Christina Vantzou, M. Sage, Miaux, and Sugai Ken. Lieven Martens has released albums on, among others, the Japanese label Em Records, the American label Not Not Fun Records, and the Belgian labels Ultra Eczema and Kraak. He also runs the record label Edições CN, which is praised for its high-quality catalogue of international artists.
RADIO BOSLABS is a platform by and for young people, where young participants from diverse backgrounds and cultures come together to make radio. During this show, they create music together, tell stories, and play their favorite tracks. From universal themes to personal stories, RADIO BOSLABS brings raw energy, fresh ideas, and powerful music straight from the heart of youth. For Soundvoice, they made sound recordings in the city, at home, or in places that are meaningful to them. Come and see, listen, and discover what is alive within the new generation!