Alva Noto

The Profile

Alva Noto is the alias of German artist Carsten Nicolai, a pioneering figure in glitch and microsound. Co-founder of Raster-Noton, he merges precision electronics with visual art and has collaborated widely, including with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Ryoji Ikeda (Cyclo.). His Uni trilogy and Xerrox series are key landmarks.

German electronic artist (aka Carsten Nicolai); co-founded Raster-Noton; active since the 1990s; noted for glitch/microsound, minimalist techno/IDM hybrids; major releases include Transform (2001) and the Uni trilogy (Unitxt, Univrs, Unieqav); collaborations include Ryuichi Sakamoto, Ryoji Ikeda (Cyclo.), Mika Vainio, and Anne-James Chaton; live shows often emphasize synchronized visuals.

Reviews highlight Alva Noto’s shift from pure glitch/microsound toward club-aware structures, especially in the Uni trilogy. Transform is framed as a precision puzzle of glitches; Unieqav is praised as an ‘aquatic’ milestone fusing errors with techno/IDM. Live impressions are mixed, noting heavy visual focus. Public info confirms he is German artist Carsten Nicolai, co-founder of Raster-Noton and frequent collaborator with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Ryoji Ikeda.