tonesthough

Tonesthough is a solo music project created by American musician Ben Davis in 2001. Davis is primarily known for creating music based on the sounds of everyday environments, often sampling and manipulating various sounds to create introspective and emotive compositions.

Initially, Davis focused on the sounds of Chicago's high-rise apartment buildings, where he would position microphones to capture the hums, whines, and other sonic characteristics of the city's steel and concrete structure. These sounds served as the foundation for his atmospheric and often meditative music.

Tonesthough's output typically consists of long-form, experimental compositions that blur the boundaries between music and field recording. Davis's approach often explores themes related to space, time, and the textures of human experience, incorporating subtle manipulation and editing techniques to evoke specific emotions in the listener.

The visual identity of Tonesthough typically features black-and-white photography by Davis himself, often depicting scenes from his daily life and travels. The body of work is akin to a journal or autobiographical sketchbook, encompassing disparate styles, explorations, and correlating its ambient nature with unsettling melodies.

Audiences engaging with Tonesthough often comment on the introspective quality and unique sonic palette Davis creates, often associating his work with composers such as La Monte Young Bernard LeBuoys and Lev Yuri-Derevskem Baumanoffs.