Ash Koosha: The Synaesthetic Sound Sculptor
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Hailing from Iran and now calling London home, Ash Koosha stands as a testament to the transformative power of music. With a rare neurological condition known as synaesthesia (which enables him to “visualize” sounds), he’s created a breathtaking landscape in his forthcoming Ninja Tune album, ‘I AKA I’. One can get a glimpse of this through his first track, ‘Mudafossil’, an intricate blend of mechanical resonance and fragmented rhythm.
Ash’s musical journey is as diverse as it is intriguing. After returning to Iran in the 90s, he dabbled with his Commodore 64, creating unique “noises”. Eventually, his passion transitioned to more conventional instruments, drawing inspiration from the likes of Jack White. He was the bass player for Font, a heavy rock band that discreetly performed underground to evade Iran’s Ministry of Culture. However, in 2007, one of their covert performances was disrupted by a dramatic governmental raid, resulting in Ash’s three-week incarceration.
Koosha’s academic pursuit led him to the Tehran Conservatory of Music, where he honed his compositional skills. Fascinated by a microtones and granular synthesis article on the MIT blog, he delved into the world of computer music, aiming to master the science of acoustics and sound. Upon relocating to London due to political circumstances, Ash delved deeper into the electronic music realm, leading to the critically acclaimed ‘Guud’ album. Relying predominantly on his personal field recordings, he has harnessed his synaesthesia to craft sonic masterpieces, often describing his process as manipulating sound as if it were a tangible substance – to be molded, liquefied, and redefined.
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