Resonant Undergrounds

Sound Walks & Performative Intervention
Sofia, Bulgaria - 2025

Resonant Undergrounds is a sound-based artistic research project developed in the context of Sofia Underground 2025. The project investigates the acoustic, social, and ecological layers of the city of Sofia through collective listening practices.

The project unfolded through a series of guided sound walks in the neighbourhoods of Krasno Selo, Lagera, and the area surrounding the National Palace of Culture (NDK). Participants were invited to engage in attentive listening to everyday urban environments, focusing on how architecture, infrastructure, human presence, and non-human sound sources interact to shape the city’s acoustic character.

A central research axis of the project was sonic migration-the contribution of people who have moved to Sofia for economic or personal reasons, and how their sound memories, languages, and daily rhythms intersect with those of long-term residents. Participant reflections and short survey responses were collected during the walks, forming a qualitative archive of sound-related memories, anecdotes, and perceptions of urban change.

The project integrates eco-acoustic approaches by foregrounding fragile urban sound ecologies, including natural and residual environmental sounds often masked by infrastructural noise. Special attention was given to underground and semi-underground spaces, ventilation systems, and acoustic resonances around the National Palas of Culture, addressing the relationship between built environments and sonic perception.

The project concluded with a performative sound intervention in the underground space of OKI Krasno Selo. Recorded materials and live sound elements were reintroduced into the environment through a PA system and voice, activating a shared listening situation and emphasising otherwise overlooked sonic details.

Concept & Facilitation: Viktoria Nikolova, Yves-Christian Angelov
Collaborating Musicians: Alexandra Shkodrova, Pavlinka Shkodrova