in memoriam
⚫️ PETE SWINTON
⚫️ PETE SWINTON in nocoVision ...
It is with deep sadness that I learn of the death of experimental musician Pete Swinton, an esteemed figure and pillar of the international ambient and drone scene.
Having moved to the island of Java, Indonesia, in 2015, he built a monumental and deeply singular body of work. His compositions - rich with contemplative soundscapes, free improvisations, and abstract collages - had become a true reference for lovers of dark, enveloping sonic textures. As an untiring traveler of the musical fringes, he stood out for his artistic generosity through countless collaborations with independent creators worldwide.
For nocoVision, his passing leaves a silence that is all the more palpable and painful. His work frequently crossed paths with other sonic explorers within my collective. Beyond my respect for the artist, I have lost a precious collaborator whose work I had the chance and honor to visually illustrate on several occasions, blending my visual worlds with his sonic architectures.
In March 2022, Pete took part in theQuestionnaire project. In his unfiltered responses, he shared his worldview, his absolute love for creation, and his artistic obsessions with raw honesty and a memorable dark humor. Rereading his words today resonates for me as the testament of a free, uncompromising spirit, inseparable from his music.
I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Muji Yati Swinton, to his loved ones, and to the entire experimental music community affected by this loss.
His music and aesthetic visions will continue to vibrate through the dozens of albums he leaves behind as his legacy.
thierry massard