STM 241 - Jaroška

Jaroška, an emerging Lithuanian producer, has been carving out a distinct space in the realms of rhythmic industrial music and techno. Over the past few years, he has honed his craft through intense live sets at various events and festivals across Lithuania, operating under different monikers such as David Blackwing and Karkasas. In 2017, he released a tape on the local underground label Ghia. Jaroška's performances are characterized by a bold fusion of seemingly incompatible elements, leaping across diverse sonic palettes and moods, often nudging the listener out of their comfort zone. His creative process involves a blend of software and hardware, utilizing everything from contact mics and acoustic instruments to phones and an Elektron Octatrack. Growing up in a homestead in Juodšilis, a remote Lithuanian village, Jaroška experienced a profound sense of isolation after moving to Vilnius—a factor that significantly shaped his unique artistic vision and his willingness to defy conventions. In addition to his work as a performer and producer, Jaroška hosts a radio show titled Dėžė Dėžutėj with a collective of like-minded individuals and collaborates with the Coherent Sound project.

Secret Thirteen Mix 241 is a conceptual journey through noise, musique concrète, and other abstract sonic landscapes. Jaroška recorded this mix using an Octatrack and a portable power supply amidst the woods of Antakalnis in Vilnius, Lithuania. This setting was chosen deliberately to foster a state of solitude and introspection—a stark contrast to the overwhelming information age. The mix reflects this mindset, where fragmented snippets of conversation, music, and other sounds intrude upon the consciousness of an unwilling listener, evoking feelings of frustration, confusion, or, conversely, bliss. A persistent, synthetic sequence threads through all 27 tracks, perhaps symbolizing the real amidst the chaotic reflections. The mix is seamlessly crafted, maintaining an unbroken flow that feels like a single, cohesive track, enhanced by meticulous audio manipulation and the inclusion of Jaroška’s own field recordings. The chaotic, unconventional use of instruments and objects in Rebecca Horn’s “Concert for Anarchy” installation could serve as a fitting visual companion to this mix, as both share a disorienting dynamic in their relationship to the observer, much like the connection between artist and listener here.