Through a series of recordings of DJ sets and live performances as part of ‘Ssweep Session’, the Kharkiv formation Some People — with the support of the British Council Ukraine — will introduce the audience to its residents. The performances will be complemented by live visual effects created by the collective’s founder, Slava Prokhorov
According to the Some People team, the format of video lives with visual effects was chosen in order to fully convey the ‘vision of the collective’.
‘Compared to the early years of our work, now we can not only showcase music but also create a full-fledged cultural product that combines sound and visual art,’ Some People add.
About the visual effects of the first live performances
The live performance was edited in real time as the resident played, without re-recording or post-processing. For this, they used 25-year-old equipment: five cameras, including robotic ones, which transmitted the signal through mixers and effects processors to a VHS recorder.
The resulting recording was captured in PAL format, a television standard first introduced in the 1960s. Infographics, individual patterns, and effects were also mixed live using VHS tapes.
‘The image has its imperfections, but it is precisely those that make it better: the absence of intrusiveness during viewing, the characteristic coarseness of the resolution, and the natural range of colors,’ the formation says.
Through the use of effects, the live recording and the video itself were intended to become an ‘experience’ — both for those present at the recording, as the video was broadcast into the hall, and for viewers on YouTube.
The team deliberately moved away from computer post-processing, instead choosing the style of Slava Prokhorov, who experiments with analog photography, vintage cameras, and other equipment ‘that can no longer be found even on eBay’.
About the first episodes
The first two episodes were recorded by Some People at the Kharkiv concept store Ssweep, featuring Kharkiv artists Alpha Centauri and nizvidky.
New live performances from the ‘Ssweep Session’ series will be released weekly. In the future, the team plans to add new processing effects to the recordings.
A short Q&A with the Some People team
— Why did you choose the format of live performances to introduce the collective’s residents, rather than, for example, mixes?
— In this project, we decided to do something more interesting than the usual SoundCloud recordings or YouTube video mixes. While those fulfill the main purpose of showcasing musical taste, it’s important for us to also convey our vision through visuals, adding a visual component — just like we do at our events. Thanks to a grant from the British Council, we were able to implement this idea on a whole new level: to bring in equipment, create a unique analog setup, and give our residents space to experiment. This became a driving force for the growth of both the Some People center and its residents, because compared to the early years of our work, now we can not only present music but also create a full-fledged cultural product that combines sound and visual art.
— Why did you choose the PAL standard, VHS formats, and parallel editing for the recording?
— This is the choice and style of Slava Prokhorov. He has long been experimenting with analog photography, old-school cameras with different recording formats, and video equipment that can no longer be found even on eBay, constructing complex processing setups and more. We like it because nowadays video is mostly processed on a computer. We wanted to make the recordings a kind of experience both for the people present at the recording — the live performances were broadcast on a screen in the hall — and for viewers on YouTube. The visuals captivate, give real meaning to watching and listening, and present something unique. That’s rare nowadays.
— How often will the ‘Ssweep Session’ live performances be released?
— So far, we’ve released two videos, and the series will continue. We plan to update the playlist weekly, and later we will add new processing effects and possibly change the style.
