∏-node is an experimental platform for hybrid Web/FM radiophonic composition. As a multi-dimensional radio infrastructure platform, ∏-node explores the narrative, participative, and imaginary possibilities of radio through the use of both historic and new, digital technologies.

∏-node aims to explore the many dimensions of radio’s format and diffusion: its physicality (ether, radio waves, and the electromagnetic spectrum), its spatiality (bandwith, frequencies), its infrastructure (network of radio receivers/emitters), its methods of creation and editorial content management (programming boards/teams, recording studios), its methods of metadata reception (RDS/SDR), its history (radios libres and pirate radio movements), its legislation. Most importantly, ∏-node also wishes to examine radio’s future at a time when everything is moved towards "the digital".

The interconnectedness of these various dimensions, tools, and networks allow for the establishment of a decentralized and hitherto unseen diffusion structure, where each of the network’s nodes serve to both receive and diffuse information. Such a structure creates a break with the classic one-way radio format, substituting it with a horizontal peer-to-peer model that creates room to play with new potentials for multi-diffusion and superposition, as well as room to rethink the radio network’s topology.

How To Participate?

∏-node will be broadcasting its hybrid radio stream online, 24 hours a day, from 24.1.–2.2.2014 via p-node.org. Both local Berliners and radio/hacker enthusiasts worldwide are invited to feed content (live music, streams, talks) into ∏-node’s diffusion stream as of 24.1. via an IRC (internet relay chat) on the group's website.

Those in Berlin are invited to visit ∏-node at its week-long home in the Where is Jesus? café (20.1–2.2.2014, daily 11–22h ), and to participate in the project by building radio transmitters and various devices such as small radios, cheap emitters/transmitters, and frequency jammers.

The public is also invited to search for radio transmitters diffusing ∏-Node’s ongoing, 24-hour broadcasts. Transmitters will be placed in different locations in the Kreuzberg neighbourhood daily, and indicated on the p-node.org map.

CTM Radio Lab

∏-node is part of the CTM Radio Lab, and has been co-commissioned by Deutschlandradio Kultur/Klangkunst, Goethe-Institut, ICAS, ECAS, musikprotokoll, and CTM Festival. 

∏-node’s experimentation will culminate in a final event on Sunday 2.2.2014 at West Germany and will subsequently be broadcast on Deutschlandradio Kultur / Klangkunst on 07.2.2014, 0h05.

The project will also be presented as an ORF Ö1 broadcast, as well as at the ORF musikprotokoll im steirischen herbst festival in Graz, in autumn 2014.

∏-node’s presentation at CTM 2014 is supported by the French Institute in Germany, by Espace Multimedia Gantner, which will also provide residency support to further the project’s development after CTM 2014. Thank you also to Labomedia for research and prototyping support, and to Collectif Mu.