Polifonia Song Contest: listen to the winning ‘Soundtrack of our History’
From April 8 to May 6 Polifonia organised their own version of the Eurovision Song Contest, the Polifonia Song Contest: musicians of all levels were challenged to create the ‘soundtrack of our history’ by using samples from the rich collections in the Polifonia project. Today we can announce the winning song.
From April 8 to May 6 Polifonia organised their own version of the Eurovision Song Contest, the Polifonia Song Contest: musicians of all levels were challenged to create the ‘soundtrack of our history’ by using samples from the rich collections in the Polifonia project. Today we can announce the winning song.
Douze points for ‘Isolation’
A jury consisting of 12 members with various background have casted their votes. The winner of Polifonia Song Contest is: Isolation by Adam Tristar. This artist from The Netherlands used 5 samples from the Polifonia Sample Pack and created a melancholic minimal wave song.
Some words of praise by the jury:
Lots of sounds used, audible in track, nice groove and production. Good to hear these sounds in a unique context. The bells add a drama to the song, lifting it past a standard wave track.
Gregory Markus
Adam Tristar’s ‘Isolation’ stands out for its captivating and immersive composition. From the first note, the track commands attention and holds it throughout, showcasing a well-rounded and meticulously produced piece. The incorporation of archived samples, particularly the bells, demonstrates remarkable creativity and seamless integration. The bells evoke echoes of Pantha du Prince, while the vintage electro undertones bring to mind the classic sounds of I-F and Fischerspooner, resulting in a harmonious blend that’s both innovative and nostalgic. This is a track that transcends the competition, not just for its adept use of samples, but for the sheer pleasure it brings to me as a critical listener. Will definitely play this one again.
Miles Niemeijer
Honourable mentions for the song Ivory Flute by 3bergen (86 points) and Aveg-no by Francesco Stiffoni (70 points).
The winner was informed shortly before the Eurovision Finals entertained us last Saturday, and we congratulate the winning artist once more here with the victory and the €500 prize money.
Polifonia Song Contest: an invitation to reuse heritage
This contest was produced in collaboration with RE:VIVE, an initiative of Netherlands Institute for Sound & Vision. Together with this Dutch project supporting the reuse of audiovisual heritage in new musical contexts, the musical heritage project Polifonia presented a Sample+MIDI pack to encourage the creation of the ultimate ‘soundtrack of our history’. The contest was initiated to increase audience engagement with the Horizon2020 project ‘Polifonia’, which is all about unlocking Europe’s musical past and sharing this wonderful heritage. We also hope to have inspired other cultural institutes to act on engaging and playful ways to support the reuse of heritage.
Do you want to continue making soundtracks of our history?
The Polifonia Sample Pack remains online in the RE:VIVE sample pack library. In this library you will find many other great samples to explore and bring the past back to life.
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From April 8 to May 6 Polifonia organised their own version of the Eurovision Song Contest, the Polifonia Song Contest: musicians of all levels were challenged to create the ‘soundtrack of our history’ by using samples from the rich collections in the Polifonia project. Today we can announce the winning song.
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This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement N. 101004746