Sisters with Transistors

Think of early electronic music and you’ll likely see men pushing buttons, knobs and boundaries. While electronic music is often perceived as a boys’ club, the truth is that from the very beginning composers such as Suzanne Ciani, Pauline Oliveros, Daphne Oram and Laurie Spiegel have been integral in inventing the devices, techniques and tropes that would define the shape of sound for years to come. Yet when electronic music was finally recognised, these women were almost forgotten. Lisa Rovner sets out to change that. With energy, curiosity and enthusiasm for the medium, Sisters with Transistors showcases the music of, and rare interviews with, these remarkable female electronic pioneers. With the legendary Laurie Anderson as narrator the result is more than just the history of a music genre, it’s the story of how we hear — and the critical but little-known role female pioneers play in that story.