Place Language, a compilation of 28 different artists’ works inspired by Robert MacFarlane’s book Landmarks, is out now on Bandcamp. It includes “Black-east from the Crow” – a new work made for this project, and all proceeds go to War Child UK, helping children displaced by conflict. Read more about the project on the Bandcamp page.
Listen again to The Field Recording Show episode 3, featuring interviews with Chris Watson and Polly Stanton, and a new short piece entitled ‘Dunes’, based on recordings from Eureka Valley.
Dunes
The Eureka Dunes in California are one of about 40 sites around the world where the sand dunes ‘sing’ or produce a resonating tone, given the right conditions. When I recorded this in June 2019, the sound occurred a number of times, each time following a similar pattern of events. The wind picked up, blowing across the face of the dune and whipping grains of sand into motion. This movement of the sand grains is what causes the resonating sound to build, but while the wind was still buffeting my ears and the microphones, it was almost inaudible. As the wind eased, a tone, around F (peaking at 87Hz and 174Hz), emerged clearly in the soundscape. I heard it first through the hydrophones buried in the sand, but as the air became still, I was able to hear it without mediation, taking my headphones off and listening as the tone continued. After the wind stopped, the singing didn’t die away, but instead built to a crescendo during which I could clearly hear the tone, and also feel the vibration through my body as I sat on the surface of the 700ft sand dune. Positioned around half way up I could see for many miles down Eureka Valley – a view that takes in the two mountain ranges that enclose the valley, stamped with the marks of the processes that produced the forms currently visible, including the particular structure of the Eureka Dunes that produces this incredible sound. As the resonance finally stalled, with a slight rise in pitch as it did so, I was left in near silence with this image extending out into the distance. Moments later, the wind rose – again disturbing the surface of the dunes into rolling clouds of sand particles, and the process began once more.
Dunes is a short, ‘first impression’ piece, made shortly after recording this environment, and drawing upon the experience described above. The sound the listener is left with toward the end is the recording of the singing dunes as it emerged, crescendoed and stalled.
Episode 3 of The Field Recording Show airs on Resonance Extra on Sunday 8th September, and features a new short work entitled Dunes.
Excited to announce that I will be performing live for A Night of 100 Solos, the largest Merce Cunningham “Event” ever staged, taking place at BAM in New York, CAP UCLA in Los Angeles and Barbican Centre in London on April 16, 2019. I will be taking part in the UCLA production, staged by Andrea Weber and featuring live music from Stephan Moore, Madison Greenstone, Stephanie Richards, Suzanne Thorpe and myself. With specially curated set design by Jennifer Steinkamp and new costume design by Reid & Harriet. More information and tickets available here.
WOLAKOTA by Tim Sessler features two tracks from Aven – “Low” and “Vision”.
Spheres is nominated in the Special Venue category of the Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel Awards 2019. For full list of nominees click here
The Phantom 52, directed by Geoff Marslett, is showing in Shorts Program 4 at Sundance Film Festival.
Loneliness: a trucker who calls out on his CB radio waiting for a reply that never comes. A ghost that haunts the deserted highways. A whale that sings at a frequency no other whale can even hear.
Screening times:
Friday, January 25th 6:00 PM Park Avenue Theatre Park City
Saturday, January 26th 9:45 PM Broadway Centre Cinema 3 Salt Lake City
Monday, January 28th 1:00 PM Redstone Cinema 2 Park City
Friday, February 1st 10:00 PM Holiday Village Cinema 4 Park City
