Porcelain Tears and Sympatheia, an audio-visual project by Liv Kourambas

Interesting use of visual art and music by Liv Kourambas in their EP of two songs “Porcelain Tears” and “Sympatheia”. This single demonstrates the nuances of complex emotion and how our brains interpret the kinetic manifestation of these experiences.

“Porcelain Tears": A disconnection to self. There are no tears, nothing left to cry. This song reflects on the nuances of hopelessness—the state and feeling where not even a tear can release the pain from within. 

The track is composed with an array of samples intended to reflect the muted, organic droplet sounds that occur within our microbiology. The human experience is distilled down to emotions categorized by a name, a mood state, or rather a feeling. If isolated in a soundproof room, what would we hear? The sounds of our own bodies—the heartbeat, microbiome, and blood running through our veins. The underlying beat mimics internal bodily systems, prompting this contemplation.

"Sympatheia": The perfect unity of imperfection. 

Sympatheia is a term used by Stoics to describe the affinity and interconnectedness of all things. This term encapsulates the journey of this track and the single as a whole. Beginning with an array of contrasting samples—external sounds such as kitchen sink disturbances, running on gravel, and whispering. The track arrangement gradually becomes a whole, combining all uniquely irritating sounds into one final journey. I wanted this track to feel chaotic yet blissful at the same time, a symphony of noise and distraction.

You can check out the songs here on their soundcloud and the preview below.