Crumble

Sophie Rose

Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression

Abstract

Crumble depicts the fracturing of a mind grappling to reconcile traumatic events spiritually, emotionally, and logically through interweaving text layers in a multi-channel sound environment. It is a survivor-led presentation of the psychological space during and following (a) distressing event(s). The piece symbolizes the fragmented threads of thought that may emerge when someone is trapped in situations beyond their control, in a bid to make sense of them in the broader context. This chaotic mental space, where thoughts rapidly shift from ideas to fears, seeks self-governed meaning, cause, and remedy. Six pre-recorded, interwoven text layers are played through separate speakers and divided between neutral and emotionally charged content. Each line of text is voiced as a different character based on its narrative content. The scripts reveal layers of thought stemming from sexual trauma, weaving through memory fragments, varying viewpoints, and forbidden knowledge, offering a confessional glimpse into the mind’s innermost workings. Three neutral-toned voices intellectualize the events, attempting to neutralize the emotional content. One acts as a loudspeaker announcement broadcasting a trigger warning. Another discusses biopsychological mechanisms behind memory and trauma as an academic-style presentation. A third summarizes sexual crime statistics in workplaces and universities as a newscaster. These voices contrast with three emotionally charged layers, including censored recordings, re-enacted journal excerpts, and a text derived from a Somatic Experiencing® exercise. The layers interlace to create a verbal soundscape, or word bath (a textured sound environment that fills the space and submerges the audience without an explicit focal point). Each character has a corresponding track which live-samples the initial voice to further fragment the narrative. Additional sound components include sampled audio, such as retimed and repitched mobile phone vibrations against a wooden surface. The audio environment is designed to allow the audience to roam freely within the space and listen to different excerpts of text, “mixing” their own experience of the piece.

Citation

Sophie Rose. 2026. Crumble. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20782049 [PDF]

BibTeX Entry

@inproceedings{nime2026_music_8,
 abstract = {Crumble depicts the fracturing of a mind grappling to reconcile traumatic events spiritually, emotionally, and logically through interweaving text layers in a multi-channel sound environment. It is a survivor-led presentation of the psychological space during and following (a) distressing event(s). The piece symbolizes the fragmented threads of thought that may emerge when someone is trapped in situations beyond their control, in a bid to make sense of them in the broader context. This chaotic mental space, where thoughts rapidly shift from ideas to fears, seeks self-governed meaning, cause, and remedy. Six pre-recorded, interwoven text layers are played through separate speakers and divided between neutral and emotionally charged content. Each line of text is voiced as a different character based on its narrative content. The scripts reveal layers of thought stemming from sexual trauma, weaving through memory fragments, varying viewpoints, and forbidden knowledge, offering a confessional glimpse into the mind’s innermost workings. Three neutral-toned voices intellectualize the events, attempting to neutralize the emotional content. One acts as a loudspeaker announcement broadcasting a trigger warning. Another discusses biopsychological mechanisms behind memory and trauma as an academic-style presentation. A third summarizes sexual crime statistics in workplaces and universities as a newscaster. These voices contrast with three emotionally charged layers, including censored recordings, re-enacted journal excerpts, and a text derived from a Somatic Experiencing® exercise. The layers interlace to create a verbal soundscape, or word bath (a textured sound environment that fills the space and submerges the audience without an explicit focal point). Each character has a corresponding track which live-samples the initial voice to further fragment the narrative. Additional sound components include sampled audio, such as retimed and repitched mobile phone vibrations against a wooden surface. The audio environment is designed to allow the audience to roam freely within the space and listen to different excerpts of text, “mixing” their own experience of the piece.},
 address = {London, United Kingdom},
 articleno = {8},
 author = {Sophie Rose},
 booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression},
 doi = {10.5281/zenodo.20782049},
 editor = {Lia Mice and Nicole Robson and Tara Pattenden},
 issn = {2220-4806},
 month = {June},
 note = {Remote Performance},
 numpages = {6},
 pages = {27--32},
 presentation-video = {https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yi3eLjx9Nl0},
 title = {Crumble},
 track = {Music},
 url = {http://nime.org/proceedings/2026/nime2026_music_8.pdf},
 year = {2026}
}