Ear Expansion Podcast

Ear Expansion with Jess Rowley

In this episode of Ear Expansion, LaMont Hamilton speaks with Jess Rowley about her path from architecture and librarianship into sonic archival practice and research on Black sonic histories in Victorian Britain. They discuss wax cylinders as early sound-recording technology and Jess’s discovery of the Bohee Brothers, who may have been the first Black artists to record commercially on wax cylinder in Europe, leading to the Brothers Archive Project: a digital archive that gathers ephemera and invites musicians to create interpretive arrangements to revive a lost duet. Jess links this work to lecture-performances exploring wax, stone, and earth as tactile vessels for “sonic rememory,” including Emmanuel Road and Stone Circle Project, emphasizing non-linear, living archives. They also cover Jess’s Ghost Edit Group within the Decolonising Wikipedia Network, which collaboratively edits and builds Wikipedia pages to address gaps and misrepresentations in underrepresented Black British sound histories.

Ear Expansion with Eiliyas

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton speaks with Eiliyas, a Macon, Georgia–born artist based in Berlin for over a decade, about his formative influences (Hendrix, Prince, A Tribe Called Quest), early experiments with mixing, sampling, instruments, and poetry, and the making of The Violet Tape and Basel No as cathartic, voice-fragmented “exorcisms” focused on energy over technical perfection. Eiliyas explains how an accident while recording saxophone led him to feedback as a self-made instrument, evolving into spiritually grounded live pedal-floor performances and 2014 releases Invocation, Encryption, and Crimson and the Indigo, later extending into 2025’s Tithes and its renewed vocal presence. He discusses his exhibition Bugging Out and Cutting the Fool (Holy Ghost Adjacent), shaped by James Baldwin’s “uses of the blues,” layered feedback compositions, visual feedback, and the joyful “Black Twitter Quilt.” He also outlines MixTape Menage’s intimate, rule-light music conversations and Black Communion Berlin’s two-night format fostering black diasporic experimental sonic community.

Ear Expansion with Anaïs Maviel

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton speaks with Anaïs Maviel about how her Haitian lineage—especially her mother’s artistic influence and Haiti’s history—braided music with political and spiritual life, shaping her grounding in ancestry, tradition, and collective eras. Anaïs reflects on long-term disembodiment as an Afro-descendant woman in Eurocentric patriarchal contexts and describes a return to embodiment through dropping concept-driven language, becoming a wordless (and consonant-less) singer, and focusing on listening, attunement, relation, and harmony as practices for truthful connection and collective liberation. They discuss how instruments and vocal work relate to healing, how oral and choral traditions transmit wisdom through breath and the body, and how mantra, prayer, repetition, and collective singing can intentionally shape reality and invite the “Holy Ghost.” Anaïs also discusses her element- and trigram-based work Listen to the Rain as an evolving, immersive live practice.

Ear Expansion with JoVia Armstrong

In this episode of Ear Expansion, LaMont Hamilton converses with percussionist-composer and educator JoVia Armstrong. In this conversation, they speak about wide-ranging topics from her early sonic formation and major projects to her later immersion in global rhythms. She discusses the ensemble Musique Noire, her first solo album Fuzzy Blue Robe Chronicles, and her performance ethos of receptivity— which led to Eunoia Society and music aimed at deep audience connection. Armstrong recounts encountering the cajón through the work of Susana Baca, learning it on a South American tour, and developing her hybrid cajón kit. Also in this conversation, JoVia explains her use of drones, repetition, deep bass, time-based effects, and hybrid scoring as a way to elicit the therapeutic aspect of sound. Later, they discuss her PhD concept “Black Space,” and its central thesis: composing meditative music through a Black lens to combat unconscious bias (as reflected in her albums The Antidote Suite and Inception).

Ear Expansion with Tongo Eisen- Martin

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton speaks with Tongo Eisen-Martin about the revolutionary atmosphere that shaped his poetry and praxis. Tongo reflects on his upbringing in San Francisco within alternative community institutions, and music as a vessel for spirit and a foundation for craft. They discuss imagination made praxis, resisting bourgeois cultural subjugation, police terror and dehumanization, and a relational ethos summarized as “the humanization of others is the only thing that humanizes me,” linked to interconnected reality and craft. Tongo explains his polyvocal, trickster-inflected poetic method and discusses the We Charge Genocide, Again curriculum as a creative, flexible tool for ideological clarity about extrajudicial killings as systemic policy, writing against tyranny toward liberation, and collective survival.

Ear Expansion with Brandon Ross

In this episode of Ear Expansion, LaMont Hamilton and guitarist-composer Brandon Ross dive into his expansive musical journey. Ross recounts his early experiences, including self-teaching on the guitar and absorbing his brother’s musical influence, as well as his father’s jazz and classical tastes. He also shares accounts of his first professional recording with Archie Shepp and reflects on formative collaborations with artists like Marion Brown, Leroy Jenkins, Butch Morris, and Henry Threadgill. Along the conversation, Ross speaks about collective listening, generative silence, vibrations, cymatics, chordophones, and composing as affective experiences. He cites For Living Lovers with Stomu Takeishi as an example of a telepathic duo while traversing topics such as his band Harriet Tubman, his research into blues processes in Mississippi, and his later sound-world projects (Pendulum, Phantom Station, Dark Matter Halo).

Ear Expansion with Nour Sokhon

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages in a deep and reflective conversation with sound artist Nour Sokhon. They discuss Nour's journey from visual arts to sound, driven by a desire to capture and archive fleeting moments and memories through soundscapes. Nour shares her personal experiences and the impact of growing up in ever-changing Lebanon and Dubai, which influenced her fascination with capturing vanishing moments. The conversation delves into various projects, including 'Rectification of the Wretched' and 'Louder than Words,' which focus on collective memory and preserving narratives through sound. Nour talks about the emotional and cultural weight of her work, using everyday objects and recording techniques to create immersive soundscapes. They also explore her collaborative piece 'Onion is Definitely Tears,' which uses the onion as a metaphor for layered memories and emotions. The discussion touches on themes of migration and displacement, particularly in the context of the Lebanese diaspora. Nour's work emerges as an ongoing act of witnessing, processing trauma, and maintaining a connection between those who have left Lebanon and their homeland. The episode highlights Nour's innovative approach to sound, memory, and the power of collective narratives in reshaping identities and preserving histories.

Ear Expansion with DeForrest Brown Jr.

In this episode of Ear Expansion, LaMont Hamilton engages in a deep and expansive conversation with interdisciplinary artist, musician, and theorist DeForrest Brown Jr. They discuss Brown's early musical influences, the integration of black history and techno within his work, and the critical intersections of race, class, and cultural history in America. Brown talks extensively about his major projects, including 'Assembling a Black Counterculture,' 'Black Nationalist Sonic Weaponry,' and 'Techxodus,' highlighting the themes of empathy, trauma, and the sonic futures of black America. Additionally, they delve into the intricacies of Brown's collaborations and his reflections on techno as a form of black cultural production, as well as his innovative blending of music, writing, and activism.

Ear Expansion with Ryan C. Clarke

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton speaks with multidisciplinary artist, DJ and theorist Ryan C. Clarke about his practice, which integrates sedimentology, coastal geomorphology, black electronic music studies, blues epistemologies, ethnomusicology, regional environmental history, and more. Clarke shares his early influences, from his grandparents' gospel radio to video games, and explains deltaic thinking, a framework connecting black music's social histories with geological processes. They discuss blues epistemologies, the relationship between blackness and ecologies under colonial pressures, and the deep time concepts in techno music. Clarke also highlights his work with the Dweller festival to support black electronic artists and foster community.

Ear Expansion with Bonnie Han Jones

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages in a conversation with artist and sonic explorer Bonnie Han Jones. They explore Bonnie’s artistic journey, particularly her experimental work in sound and language. Bonnie shares her unique approach to instrumentation, her experiences in diverse musical communities, and the conceptual frameworks that guide her exploration of sound and language. The conversation also delves into her interests in the materiality of sound and her projects that examine the complexities of transnational adoption and identity, the concept of sonic citizenship, and her ongoing engagement with sound and language as a medium for personal and cultural storytelling.

Ear Expansion with Melissa Almaguer

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton converses with rhythmic tap explorer Melissa Almaguer. In this conversation they explore Almaguer's journey from her early tap dance experiences to her expansive work that spans improvisation, ensemble collaborations, and experimental forms. Almaguer shares how tap dance became her primary sonic language and a means of healing and liberation. The discussion delves into the historical roots of tap dance, its connection to African American history, Latin American, Caribbean and Indian analogs and its role in artistic and personal expression around the globe. Melissa also reflects on her collaborations with renowned artists and the importance of improvisation and community within tap dance. Themes of rhythm, movement, and sound are woven throughout the conversation, highlighting the transformative power of movement and sound.

Ear Expansion with Giulia Loli aka Mutamassik

In this episode of Ear Expansion, LaMont Hamilton engages in an extensive conversation with Giulia Loli aka Mutamassik, a multifaceted artist known for her work as a producer, multi-instrumentalist, essayist, and thinker. The dialogue explores Mutamassik's formative experiences with a culturally diverse musical background, her deep dive into punk, classical, and jazz genres, as well as the ethos syncopation, which she learned from her mother, guiding her approach to turntablism. Giulia shares insights from her experiences living with the Maasai in Tanzania, highlighting the cultural and historical connections between East Africa and Egypt. She discusses how resourcefulness and creativity are interlinked, especially in harsh environments, and reflects on her work's philosophical and spiritual dimensions. The episode also delves into the collaborative and improvisational nature of her project 'Rough Americana' with Morgan Craft, emphasizing a blend of ancient and modern influences in their music. The conversation concludes with reflections on the essence of sound and its deep connection to humanity and the natural world.

Ear Expansion with Beans

In this episode of Ear Expansion, LaMont Hamilton converses with Beans about his journey through the vibrant hip-hop scene in Westchester County. They discuss early inspirations and the significance of White Plains in Beans' musical formation. Beans reflects on his transition from being a DJ to forming his first band Treadin Measures, and the impact of famed venues like the Nuyorican Poets Café on his artistic evolution. They explore his unique approach to merging hip-hop with avant-garde poetry, the significance of his album titles, and his commitment to maintaining hip-hop's core principles while embracing radical experimentation. The discussion also delves into the macabre elements in Beans' work, his foray into crime fiction, and the influence of musical icons like Public Enemy.

Ear Expansion with Jordan Deal

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host by LaMont Hamilton is inc conversation with multi-dimensional artist Jordan Deal. The conversation explores Jordan's artistic journey, rooted in various mediums including sound, performance, poetry and installation. Jordan discusses their early sonic influences growing up in Philadelphia, influenced by a diverse array of music. They reflect on important milestones such as their engagement with political thought and Black radical traditions, and their deep dive into jazz and free jazz. A significant part of the discussion is about their performance practices, which include invoking spiritual and ancestral presences through sound and ritual. Jordan explains how chaos and guerrilla tactics influence their work and their concept of 'chaos force'. The episode also delves into the interwoven themes of memory, trauma, and healing in Jordan’s practice, and their use of water as a symbolic and physical element in their art. They also elaborate on the impact of their projects like 'Momma I Rode the Beast' and 'Seas of Triple Consciousness'. They wrap up by discussing their recent work 'Go-Go Underworld' and the multidimensional aspects of their sound practice. (Note: We had some audio issues towards the end of this conversation. Please forgive the technical difficulties)

Ear Expansion with Leila Bencharnia

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages in an in-depth conversation with Leila Bencharnia about her artistic journey and deep connection to sound, rooted in her childhood experiences with her father, a prominent Gnawa musician. Leila explores how her early sound experiences were holistic and spiritually significant, contrasting with her later academic study of classical composition. She discusses how acousmatic music and sound system culture eventually guided her to merge traditional Gnawa music's spiritual and communal aspects with modern electronic and recording techniques. The conversation delves into her creative processes, emphasizing field recordings, non-linear time, and matrilineal influences that shape her unique sound installations. Leila addresses the political critiques embedded in her work, particularly concerning the Mediterranean migrant crisis and the deeply personal and communal impact of migration. Through a series of poignant reflections, she ultimately connects her practice to broader themes of human experience, spirituality, and resistance.

Ear Expansion with HxH (Chris Ryan Williams and Lester St. Louis)

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages with musicians Chris Williams and Lester St. Louis in a deep conversation about their musical journeys and collaborative projects. Chris Williams, a trumpet player with a flair for electronic music, and Lester St. Louis, a cellist with a passion for expansive soundscapes, recount their formative experiences and the improvisational techniques that define their work. They highlight the significance of their live series 'East River Traverse' and the studio album 'Stark Phenomena,' exploring themes of memory, telepathy, and the limitless potential of acoustic and electronic music. The episode offers a rich exploration of their creative synergy and the emotional depth of their sound artistry.

Ear Expansion with Kamari Carter

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages with Kamari Carter—a producer, performer, sound designer, and installation artist—in a deep and insightful conversation. They discuss Kamari's early influences from cartoons, video games, and his music education which helped shape his understanding of sound as a medium of storytelling. The discussion then moves to Kamari's work using police dispatch audio in installations like Event Horizon, Patriot Act, and Codes, reflecting on power, governance, and the sonic landscape. Kamari also talks about pieces like 'A Ballad for Black Blood' and 'Landline Lifeline,' which address themes of Black death, memory, and the emotional charge carried by fragmented materials. Kamari’s series, including Vexilary and Room Tone, are explored in terms of their minimalistic but powerful symbolic content, including the American flag reconfigured with musical notations. The episode concludes with Kamari sharing his thoughts on sound memories and the emotional resonance of everyday sounds, alongside his approach to creating art that's both critical and reflective without being overly didactic.

Ear Expansion with elijah jamal asani

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages in a profound conversation with multidisciplinary artist Elijah. They discuss Elijah's early sound memories, which are deeply tied to his father’s rhythmic drum playing in rural Kansas that connected him to his heritage. Elijah delves into the concept of softness in his art, relating it to prayer, longing, and desire. The conversation explores how Elijah integrates sound, film, poetry, and visual art to convey deep emotional states and how he uses syntax and titling to enhance multi-sensory experiences. The dialogue further extends to the themes of nature, environment, and their intrinsic connections to personal and spiritual identity. Elijah reflects on his recent return to the place of his birth, near the Wimah River, and how this connection informs his creative process. The episode concludes with Elijah discussing the spiritual technology of sound, memories, and longing, positioning them as tools for deep emotional and spiritual resonance.

Ear Expansion with Pheeroan akLaff

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages in a deep conversation with acclaimed drummer Pheeroan akLaff. The discussion begins with Pheeroan's early musical influences growing up in Detroit, a city rich in black sonic imagination and cultural history. Pheeroan reminisces about his early experiences in rhythm, initially shaped by his parents' love for jazz and reinforced through his spiritual involvement in the AME Church. He reflects on foundational moments such as hearing Alice Coltrane perform live and being mentored by artists like Marcus Belgrave and Travis Biggs. The conversation also explores Pheeroan's time in New York's vibrant loft scene of the 1970s, where he collaborated with icons like Rashied Ali, Oliver Lake, and Wadada Leo Smith, developing a unique approach to rhythm and musical expression. Pheeroan further delves into his travels in Africa during the 1980s, meeting influential figures like Fela Kuti and how these experiences deepened his understanding of rhythm as a form of communal and spiritual practice. The episode concludes with Pheeroan discussing his current work, his work with PHP (Serpentine Story), and his continuous quest to blend spirituality with musical innovation.

Ear Expansion with Luis Perez Ixoneztli

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages in an in-depth conversation with renowned musician and ethno-musicologist Luis Perez Ixoneztli. They delve into Luis's early musical formations, his journey through various bands, and his self-taught instrumental skills. Luis recounts his profound personal and artistic exploration into pre-Columbian music and indigenous Mexican instruments, highlighting significant moments like his spiritual epiphany in Chiapas and his sacrificial life dedication to developing his unique musical language. The discussion moves to Luis's experiences using caves and natural environments for their acoustic properties, and his endeavor to record inside these resonant spaces. They also discuss his albums, including 'Ipan In Xiktli Metztli' and 'Santuario De Mariposas,' as well as his efforts to preserve and transmit his knowledge of indigenous instruments through manuals and workshops aimed at younger generations, emphasizing the cultural and spiritual essence imbued in these instruments. The episode closes with Luis reflecting on the importance of sound, environmental acoustics, and his lifelong commitment to musical and cultural heritage.

• Transcript