Listen to music by composers who use natural sound as source material with works by Portland-based Amanda Berlind, Minneapolis-born, NYC-based Elori Saxl, and Philadelphia-based Nina Keith.
Listen to layers of livingroom piano, bird song, indistinct atmospheres and wordless vocals by composer and visual artist Amanda Berlind (also a Bang on a Can Commissioned composer) who aims “to investigate, imitate and manipulate sonic textures from the natural world as an exploration of the space that surrounds me.” It’s from Berlind’s audiovisual solo album, Green Cones, which is available as a video album and optional comic book bundle.
Then, hear textured piano arrangements laced with vocals, flute, electronics and found sounds in music by Nina Keith, a trans woman composer and multi-instrumentalist from Philadelphia (Keith's Bandcamp.) There’s also digitally-processed recordings of wind and water with analog synthesizers and chamber orchestra by musician, composer, and filmmaker Elori Saxl. Her music is a dialogue of extremes, for The Blue of Distance was written in the Adirondack mountains in the summer and further conceived on a frozen Lake Superior island in deep winter.
Also, hear field recordings of the land, the birds, and the sea of Ushant, along with solo piano in music by composer Yann Tiersen, from Brittany, France. Then, there’s music by Norwegian bass player Sigurd Hole, from a solo bass record which was recorded on an Arctic island, so that the sounds of wind, and ice cracking are part of the project as well. Plus, listen to music about and including the insects known as treehoppers from electric violist Martha Mooke. And more.
Program#4450, Natural World Sounds (First Aired 1/21/2021)
ARTIST: Amanda Berlind
WORK: Snoom [3:50]
RECORDING: Green Cone
SOURCE: Curious Music
INFO: curiousmusicia.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Amanda Berlind
WORK: Pom 1 [4:27]
RECORDING: Green Cone
SOURCE: Curious Music
INFO: curiousmusicia.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Nina Keith
WORK: §97(a)_ You Were Never Young [4:16]
RECORDING: MARANASATI 19111
SOURCE: Grind Select
INFO: ninakeith.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Elori Saxl
WORK: Wave III [3:42]
RECORDING: The Blue of Distance
SOURCE: Western Vinyl
INFO: elorisaxl.bandcamp.com | westernvinyl.com
ARTIST: Elori Saxl
WORK: The Blue of Distance [7:06]
RECORDING: The Blue of Distance
SOURCE: Western Vinyl
INFO: elorisaxl.bandcamp.com | westernvinyl.com
ARTIST: Yann Tiersen
WORK: Lok Gweltaz [3:50]
RECORDING: EUSA
SOURCE: Mute Records
INFO: https://shop.yanntiersen.com
ARTIST: Yann Tiersen
WORK: Hent III [:54]
RECORDING: EUSA
SOURCE: Mute Records
INFO: https://shop.yanntiersen.com
ARTIST: Yann Tiersen
WORK: Penn ar Roch [3:04]
RECORDING: EUSA
SOURCE: Mute Records
INFO: https://shop.yanntiersen.com
ARTIST: Sigurd Hole
WORK: Himmelrik [5:36]
RECORDING: Lys/Mørke (Light/Darkness)
SOURCE: Elvesang
INFO: sigurdhole.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Superfam Membracoidea Collective
WORK: Martha Mooke: Platycotis IX [4:33]
RECORDING: Buzz- Music in Harmony with Nature
SOURCE: SONIC9 Productions
INFO: superfam.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Amanda Berlind
WORK: Blue Bone [5:01]
RECORDING: Green Cone
SOURCE: Curious Music
INFO: curiousmusicia.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Nina Keith
WORK: Hereditary Trauma Dream Sprinting (Oxford Circle) [4:01]
RECORDING: MARANASATI 19111
SOURCE: Grind Select
INFO: ninakeith.bandcamp.com