The Unheard: Sound and Music Festival is returning to Eaton HK for its fourth edition this summer, bringing a genre-blurring celebration of community and creativity linked through sonic curiosity. This year’s theme is ‘sound signatures’ and explores how sounds – whether it’s the beeping of closing MTR train doors or the pulsing bass from clubs – shape personalities and everyday experiences.
Festival-goers can expect live performances, workshops, film screenings, talks, and interactive sound installations to explore at your own pace. Eaton’s vinyl sharing series A2B x Mystery Train will host listening sessions of Kendrick Lamar’s newest album GNX as well as analyses of the lyrics and themes. The Colony Kids Record Fair also returns with a marketplace selling rare vinyls, second-hand sound equipment, zines, and DIY electronics – perfect for any sound enthusiast.
One of the most interesting highlights of the festival is a pet-friendly sound healing session guided by Shoji, which pet owners are encouraged to attend with their dogs. If you’re unfamiliar with singing bowls, it is a therapeutic practice that uses harmonic sounds created by tones and vibrations from striking or stroking metal bowl-shaped bells, which promotes relaxation, mindfulness, and a state of meditation. The sound waves produced can help both dogs and owners reduce stress, so if you’ve got an anxious doggy, try out this sound healing to see if they feel more at ease afterwards!
Of course, no music-related festival can be without live performances, and this year’s Unheard line-up includes Donna Goldn, a Belgian vocalist who interestingly creates genre-melding pop in Korean and English; experimental duo cehryl & hirsk; local musician and producer Loisey; and the debut of Hong Kong-based collective A Vivid Machine.
The festival events will be spread across two weekends from July 26 to August 3, with most being free to take part in, though some performance nights will be ticketed. Check out the full programme details here.
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