Liew Niyomkarn is a sound artist and composer based in Brussels, Thailand, whose work explores memory, space and time through sound. Her work, which includes both installations and live performances, is created by combining experimental listening practices with field recordings, voices (human and non-human), text and the sounds of everyday life. In her music, Liew combines a rich sonic palette with the qualities of space acoustics to create mantric and deeply immersive compositions.
Her latest album In all possible places at once, released by Chinabot, is an intimate tale of memory and identity. Niyomkarn uses field recordings from her native Thailand, which she combines with sounds recorded in Brussels. In doing so, he uses both traditional instruments and unique handmade instruments designed by Yuri Landman. The result is a sonic journey that crosses the boundaries of cultures and times, offering a space for reflection and contemplation.
Liew has performed on stages around the world, including the High Zero Festival in Baltimore, WORM in Rotterdam and Toneelhuis in Antwerp. She also runs workshops on graphic scores and co-hosts radio programmes. In conversation, she reveals what inspires her to create, how sound becomes a vehicle for memories and the place of experimentation in her work.
Artur Mieczkowski
Artur Mieczkowski: How did your adventure with experimental sound and music begin? What made you choose this particular creative path?
Liew Niyomkarn: It probably started back in my undergrad years when we had to write pop music. My composition was a little unconventional for typical pop music structure, so my professor suggested I check out Stockhausen, Wendy Carlos and Morton Feldman. That’s when I realized I wanted to create my own sound from scratch. Then I found SuperCollider, a programming language Mark Trayle was teaching at the time, and that’s when everything took off. My world feels full of endless possibilities.
A.M.: Your work often combines field recordings with various sounds of space and voices. What emotions or memories are you trying to capture and convey through sound?
L.N.: Field recordings are mostly like archives for me. I know when I recorded them, and when I listen back, I start to recall the situations and scenes. It’s like an archive of memories.
A.M.: How did your education at CalArts and the Sonology course in The Hague influence your work? What have these experiences taught you?
L.N.: I got into SuperCollider while studying at CalArts. Mark Trayle was my mentor—an amazing composer and professor. Later, I took a SuperCollider class with Scott Cazan, who’s also an incredible friend and mentor. I also studied with Sarah Roberts, Clay Chaplin, and Michael Pisaro-Liu. I even took a sound-for-film course with Betzy Bromberg.
My time at CalArts was both interesting and challenging, but I’m still in touch with some of the community I built there. Later, I joined the Sonology course, which had a completely different approach. There, I mostly studied with Justin Bennett. These two institutions are so different from each other, but I had a lot of fun during both experiences.
A.M.: Your latest album In all possible places at once – which I am delighted with – is described as a journey through different dimensions of space, time and identity. The recordings were made in a variety of locations – from your home in Brussels to your friend’s home studio in Thailand. How does the space in which you create influence your music? Do you think that a place can somehow ‘dictate’ a sound?
L.N.: The places I’ve lived, and where I live now, really influence my sound and the way I create. They open up my perspective and shape how I just exist.
It feels like I’ve lived different lives, and I’m trying to make sense of my journeys, you know? Right now, I’m all about listening and tuning into sustaining long sounds, harmonics, and even exploring text and words in sound. Oh, and Brussels is so underrated—it’s such a fun place to live! There are so many amazing musicians and artists here who inspire me.
A.M.: Your compositions often combine the sounds of traditional instruments, such as the zither, lyre or steel hand drum, with modern electronic sounds, such as synthesizers or sounds of nature, such as the sounds of birds. How do you manage to balance these diverse elements and create a harmonious whole?
L.N.: I usually improvise a lot with different tunings and end up with a bunch of sketches. From there, I pick a set of notes and build from it. Sometimes, I start with a field recording and try to compose sound around it.
A.M.: You use different tuning systems in your pieces and are inspired by the work of Glenn Branca as well as traditional music from Southeast Asia. What are your favorite techniques for experimenting with tunings?
L.N.: I use some of Sonic Youth’s tunings—they’re available online! I’ve also tried tuning similarly to certain Thai instruments, like the Saw Duang. I don’t really have a favorite tuning, but I go with what works best for my album and the technique I use to strum my lap steel. One tuning I use is: Top—B2 D E A B D.
A.M.: What is the significance to you of the liminal space you mentioned in the context of making this album? Is this a subject you would like to explore in the future?
L.N.: I think so. Liminal space can be interpreted in many ways. In music, it can refer to the use of extended techniques or ambiguous harmonies—such as alternative tunings. It can also denote slow, gradual transitions between stages, creating a sense of fluidity or uncertainty. Essentially, it embodies exploration and the moment of transition between different states or ideas.
A.M.: How do you see the role of randomness and spontaneity in your work? What importance do these elements have in your music?
L.N.: I don’t think my music is random—at least, I don’t aim for it to be—but maybe it feels that way sometimes. I think of it more like a sound installation, where you can come and go anytime, and it still makes sense or grabs your attention without needing a clear start or end.
Spontaneity, though, is super important. It keeps me in the moment and helps me respond to what’s happening, especially during live performances or when creating soundscapes. It makes the process exciting and often leads me to new ideas and textures that feel fresh. For me, randomness and spontaneity aren’t just tools—they’re part of the whole creative flow.
A.M.: How do the different venues you have performed in – from festivals in Baltimore to performance in Berlin – influence your work and the way you perceive sound?
L.N.: I mostly rely on pauses and spaces. When I play live, I usually mix in samples and improvise on the lap steel and synth. For this, I really just focus on listening to my own sounds. Every venue brings out something different, and that’s what makes it so great.
A.M.: What are your plans for the future? Are you planning further sound experiments or collaborations with other artists? What projects currently excite you the most?
L.N.: I’m collaborating with two amazing filmmakers and a dance performance. I’m expanding my performance into an ensemble. I want to write music for a larger group of musicians to perform.
A.M.: Thank you very much for the interview. I wish you the best of luck with your plans.
L.N.: Thank you so much for your time and insightful questions!
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