EX WIISH
Shards of Axel
[Incienso, 2023]
The soundtrack to our present day consists of an intertwined, grinding pulse. An inhabited ‘natural’; telephone lines running through the Amazon, fiber optic cables hundreds of feet below sea level, a ‘connected’ yet alienated world. “Shards of Axel'' acts as a sonic inquiry into conflicts resulting from the prioritization and thus development of digital communication networks & automated systems. The record is its own progress trap, disoriented within a collective virtual consciousness , continually respawning into harrowing, metallic landscapes. We wander through cable-ridden labyrinths, caught in a subtle sisyphean resistance to techno-utopian optimism. In the midst of this submerged metropolis, we force ourselves into moments of respite, space to breathe; a voluntary peace as we find ourselves together again. “Shards of Axel” reflects this back to us.

Modular synths feedback through custom Max MSP patches, obfuscating the human voice. A necessary sampling and resampling of the self elicits a question of authenticity. This record was intentionally mixed with specialty immersive panning software, allowing for the intensity and frequency of sound to control its spatiality. Performed live in collaboration with Will Freudenheim and Jack Wedge, founders of 3D animation studio Laser Days, the performance explored improvisation between Unreal Engine, lasers, Ableton Live and eurorack. Shards of Axel was performed live at Dripping Music & Arts Festival, Pioneer Works, Public Records, Ormside Projects (London), and 90mil (Berlin).
A Short form dance piece directed by Chinese filmmaker Bing Cao. Ex Wiish initially met Bing online in 2023 when they were asked to score one of a series of shorts entitled “Sleep”. The video involves two disoriented characters trapped inside of a tiny room, exploring their complex dom/sub relationship through claustrophobic anxiety. A latent trap becomes a perpetual respawn."
Synthesizes blender animations and scenes from gameplay within a custom-built flight simulator in Unreal Engine. The game was initially designed to be played live as visuals for performances. The “player” has the ability to control movements of an airborne dragon, camera, time of day, weather, and particles in order to improvise with music being played or performed.
Selected Singles
Mixes
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Live
Ex Wiish - Shards of Axel [Live]
The "Shards of Axel" live performance is an ongoing collaboration between Ben Shirken [a.k.a. Ex Wiish] and real-time rendering, worldbuilding studio Laser Days. The set can combine live stream diffusion AI, modular synthesis, motion tracking, Max MSP, and laser projection to create a system for live improvisatory performance. Audio from Ableton Live and modular synths is piped into Touch Designer and Unreal, which interacts with game mechanics in custom ways. Utilizing generativity and randomness as the impetus for a controlled abstraction, the set focusses on the entanglements between analog and digital machines as a method of communication.  
Clips and excerpts from Dripping Music Festival, Pioneer Works, Nowadays, Light & Sound Design.
Ex Wiish - Live at Montez Press Radio, Tryptik, Blade Study, Cassette, Baby's All Right
10.1.24 - 12.6.24
A series of performances using custom instruments & modular synthesizers designed by artist Brian Oakes.
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Ex Wiish & Dorothy Carlos - Live at Public Records
9.11.24
A collaborative performance with cellist Dorothy Carlos utilizing experimental cello processing techniques via machine learning. The technology known as Real Time Autoencoding is implemented live, weaving Dorothy's neoclassical, surrealist cello riffs through custom models trained by Shirken on various open source environmental sound, GPS, and instrument libraries.
Ex Wiish - Live at KWIA, Nowadays, Pioneer Works, Dripping Festival, Ormside Projects (LDN), 90mil
3.1.23 - 11.3.23
A recording from a live performances in 2023 surrounding the "Shards of Axel" release.
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Ex Wiish Ensemble
One-off ensemble performance featuring Ben Shirken on electornics, Kevin Eichenberger on bass, Ryan Easter on trumpet, Matt Bent on drums
One-off ensemble performance featuring Ben Shirken on electornics, Kevin Eichenberger on bass, Ryan Easter on trumpet, Matt Bent on drums