Fracas

Icelandic composer and computer scientist Bjarni Gunnarsson presents Fracas (2025), a four-track album that expands upon his recent research into algorithmic composition and networked sound systems. Based in The Hague as a faculty member at the Institute of Sonology, Gunnarsson situates this release as a sonic accompaniment to his research exposition in the Journal for Artistic Research titled "Selective Retention." While the title track was originally issued as a recorded improvisation on the SUPERPANG label, this 2025 edition provides a broader context by including three related pieces: Averse, Costest, and Protean. The album’s sonic identity is defined by "process-based" ideas, where machine learning and database-driven reconstructions generate fluid, mutating textures that shift between microscopic detail and dense noise. By emphasizing internal activity and emergent behaviors, the release offers a rigorous exploration of how digital interrupts and algorithmic constraints shape electroacoustic environments. This album further establishes Gunnarsson’s role in contemporary computer music, continuing the trajectory of his high-precision sound design found on previous works for labels such as 3LEAVES and Flag Day Recordings.