Satch Hoyt – Un-Muting

Satch Hoyt – Un-Muting

On Un-Muting, Berlin-based artist Satch Hoyt brings historical African instruments out of the silence of Western museum collections and into a remarkable new sonic conversation. Rooted in his concept of sonic restitution, the record explores the relationship between sound, cultural memory and colonial history through a series of deeply expressive, improvised compositions.

The project began in October 2023, when Hoyt was granted access to a selection of African instruments held at London's British Museum. Working without written scores, he responded instinctively to their textures and resonances, capturing the voices of thumb pianos, talking drums, trumpets, whistles, flutes and percussion.

Back in the studio, these recordings were expanded with synthesizers, electric flute, glockenspiel and further African and Western instrumentation. The result is Un-Muting Beyond Misspelt Borders, originally commissioned by Nottingham Contemporary and presented here as ten interconnected movements spanning experimental electronics, African percussion and free improvisation.

Thought-provoking without losing its physical, rhythmic pull, Un-Muting is an extraordinary meeting of ancestral sound and contemporary experimentation. A record about memory, resistance and the power of listening differently.

Released on Traza as a limited-edition black 10-inch vinyl, housed in a reverse-board sleeve with exclusive liner notes by Tavia Nyong'o.

Tracklisting

Side A

• A1. Un-Muting Beyond Misspelt Borders (A1)

• A2. Un-Muting Beyond Misspelt Borders (A2)

• A3. Un-Muting Beyond Misspelt Borders (A3)

• A4. Un-Muting Beyond Misspelt Borders (A4)

• A5. Un-Muting Beyond Misspelt Borders (A5)

Side B

• B1. Un-Muting Beyond Misspelt Borders (B1)

• B2. Un-Muting Beyond Misspelt Borders (B2)

• B3. Un-Muting Beyond Misspelt Borders (B3)

• B4. Un-Muting Beyond Misspelt Borders (B4)

• B5. Un-Muting Beyond Misspelt Borders (B5)

RIYL:Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber, Sarathy Korwar, Art Ensemble of Chicago, African percussion, Afro-diasporic sound art, experimental electronics and free improvisation.

Artist: Satch Hoyt
Title: Un-Muting
Format: 10" Black Vinyl
Genre: Experimental, African Percussion, Avant-Garde, Electronic
Label: Traza
Country: UK
Year: 2025
Catalogue: TRAZA001

Credits

Composed, arranged, produced and performed by Satch Hoyt. Engineered and co-produced by Dirk Leyers. British Museum instrument recordings by Adam Laschinger. Additional sound design and production by Call & Response Studios. Mixed by Hendrick Valera. Mastered and cut by Kassian Troyer at Dubplates & Mastering.