In Brisbane and Melbourne, for two weeks in July 2004, Liquid Architecture will again bring together emerging and eminent artists with innovative and critical approaches to sound as an artistic medium. As in past years, we have selected a wide range of situations and formats to present their work: LA5 will feature a CD for emerging artists, a dome-shaped planetarium, concert halls, a cinema/theatre, art galleries and lecture spaces.

This year's program presents a wide range of ideas and approaches. There's Pierre Bastien's automation orchestra – to hear it is to hear music that sounds like it's made by people, but slightly askew (or is it slightly too right? Is it a composer's ideal ensemble, or do we miss the human ingredient?). Tony Conrad has for 40 years honed in on the sound of sustained notes, and his music has been described as 'the perfect sound'. Played at high volume, and for long durations, it becomes something to live inside, rather than to observe.

Sydney artist Pimmon improvises an evocative theatre of sounds, manipulating a cast of noise, while Darrin Verhagen seduces and lures us into the depths. Former LA co-ordinator Camilla Hannan takes the sounds of the industrial world and creates a soundscape of strength and subtlety.

A number of artists are escapees of the conservatorium, or at least, they're members who take a broom to the dust encrusted cobwebs. Anthony Pateras and Chris Abrahams are two of Australia's most accomplished, dexterous pianists, bringing ferocity and focus to the keys of the ivory tower. Reinhold Friedl, leader of the zeitkratzer ensemble (famous among other things for their scoring and performance of Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music), has forsaken the keys entirely, working inside the piano – the range of sounds he draws from within is unbelievable and his performance with collaborator Michael Vorfeld is expected to be sublime. Taking another door out of the conservatorium are the legendary Bucketrider, whose free improvisations take a battering ram to the limits created by the virtuosity of their instrumental skills.

As always, Liquid Architecture wants to give you the chance to ask questions, and this year is no exception with artist talks at Experimedia, at The State Library in Melbourne, and at the Judith Wright Centre in Brisbane. We are also presenting a program of Tony Conrad's groundbreaking structuralist films and videos (in this instance, structuralist meaning something like 'breaking film down into its smallest components: 24 frames of light flashing past in a second'). Tony's work is a remarkably focused achievement, displaying continuing artistic development over 40 years.

Last but not least is Liquid Architecture's installation program, spanning West Space Inc and First Site Gallery in Melbourne. Here, Pierre Bastien's sound machines are contrasted with Hannah Clemen's breath-controlled soundscape, while Eamon Sprod and Geoff Robinson work with the sounds of the gallery building itself, drawing our attention to that which is unseen and easily overlooked.

As this introduction mentions only a few of the program artists, Liquid Architecture presents only a small selection of the artists working in sound in Australia. We look forward to sharing the fruits of their labours with you.

– Bruce Mowson, LA5 co-director, 2004

read an interview with Bruce & co-director Nat Bates