Since time in memoriam, artists have visualised that moment when
life collapses, when order ends, when our presence on this earth
is brought into insignificance and we are asked to consider sizes,
lengths of time and concepts that are almost beyond us.
What if in
the abundance of images, the image did not survive in the darkness?
When the image stops, the deafening cacophony of the metropolis
subsides and the noise and thought pollution clears, does the clarity
of sound remain? The static hum, the crackle of left-over electricity,
the inaudible frequencies, the quietness of absence. Transmission,
signal, no signal, broken interference, catastrophic silence.
On this CD, artists, musicians, scientists, composers, a radio astronomer and a field linguist take catastrophe as their
point of departure and reveal the importance of sound and auditory perception to this imagining. Produced by Jump Ship
Rat and compiled by artists Ben Parry and Alan Dunn, the collection is an eclectic mix of soundscapes, low frequency
transmissions, sonifications, noise patterns and field recordings; crashing waves, creaking glaciers, voices, breathing,
children playing and languages dying.
Premiered at MANIF D’ART, the Quebec Biennial as part of the sound installation at Le Cerle, 1 May – 30 June 2010. Supported by The British Council and Arts Council England. Edition of 1,000, distributed free of charge, not for sale or re-sale. This is cantaudio032. Design of the CD packaging is by John Barton and Sean Thomas, two Second Year Graphic Design students at Leeds Metropolitan University. To order a free copy of the CD please email Alan Dunn at a.dunn@leedsmet.ac.uk
