Yuri Suzuki designs The Ambient Machine
Sound artist and designer Yuri Suzuki who is also a partner at design consultancy Pentagram has launched the Ambient Machine, a device designed to create atmospheric sounds for “non-active listening.”
Inspired by early sketches Suzuki found from his student days at Royal College of Art, the wooden sound machine is made from walnut and printed circuit board (PCB) and has an internal memory card that holds the sound data, as well as an internal speaker that sends the ambient sound out from the back of the machine. With a bright yellow cover it contains eight different types of sounds, including bells, ocean waves, white noise and bird song, with all sounds able to be combined with one another.
Combining sound and music to form “background environmental noise” has a long history, explains Suzuki, citing the work of French composer Erik Satie to Brian Eno’s ambient music. “White noise can mask unpleasant sounds around us and give us a sense of relief,” Suzuki says, while natural sounds can “provide the feeling of relocating to a new environment”.
By flicking the machine’s 32 switches, which also control volume, effect and speed, users can mix and match the different sounds to create their own unique soundscapes.
Designed to be relaxing, the sound options on the machine also include long, drawn-out tremolo drone tones, stutter pad – which Suzuki describes as sounding “almost like the flapping of a bird’s wings” – a ukulele rhythm recorded on an old cassette tape and echo kalimba, a traditional instrument originating with the Shona people of Zimbabwe.
“Each of the sounds can be enjoyed on their own, but are also built to be mindful of each other,” Suzuki said. “Each sound is designed to allow the other sounds room to be heard when played all together, ensuring that no matter what combination of sounds is played, no voice is ever lost.”
The Ambient Machine was designed in association with Japanese furniture company E&Y and featured in its “Thirty Six Views” Exhibition in Roppongi, Japan.
The initial 20 model run of The Ambient Machine was featured at E&Y’s ‘Thirty-Six Views’ exhibition in Roppongi, Japan, where it quickly sold out.
