Loud Silence EP

Author(s) Information

• Jacob Megaw, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis ObispoFollow

College - Author 1

College of Liberal Arts

Department - Author 1

Music Department

Degree Name - Author 1

BA in Music

Date

5-2026

Primary Advisor

Julie Herndon, College of Liberal Arts, Music Department

Abstract/Summary

“Loud Silence” started with an electrical spark inside my head during my time in Berlin in the summer of 2025. I was sitting on the subway, going somewhere, and noticing pairs of eyes everywhere. Each pair had their own screen to gaze into—a handheld screen perfect for gazing into. Any feeling of satisfaction could be replaced by it… or could it? Do people feel truly satisfied after staring at their screen for long periods of time?

It seems like many of us are slaves to the phone. There are so many people on it everywhere I go. I’ve noticed people staring at it while walking their dog, at dinner tables in public, or in the car at red lights. The thing is, I’m also a slave. I have urges to go on it when I don’t need to every day. However, I’d like to think of myself being on the lower end of the usage spectrum.

Each song in this EP tells a message surrounding these observations through sampling, synthesizers, and acoustic sounds.

URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/musp/157