Ear Expansion with Kamari Carter

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages with Kamari Carter—a producer, performer, sound designer, and installation artist—in a deep and insightful conversation. They discuss Kamari's early influences from cartoons, video games, and his music education which helped shape his understanding of sound as a medium of storytelling. The discussion then moves to Kamari's work using police dispatch audio in installations like Event Horizon, Patriot Act, and Codes, reflecting on power, governance, and the sonic landscape. Kamari also talks about pieces like 'A Ballad for Black Blood' and 'Landline Lifeline,' which address themes of Black death, memory, and the emotional charge carried by fragmented materials. Kamari’s series, including Vexilary and Room Tone, are explored in terms of their minimalistic but powerful symbolic content, including the American flag reconfigured with musical notations. The episode concludes with Kamari sharing his thoughts on sound memories and the emotional resonance of everyday sounds, alongside his approach to creating art that's both critical and reflective without being overly didactic.