“Melting Point is a spatial sound installation for hydrophones (i.e. an underwater microphone), ice and water by sound designer-artist Antti Puumalainen (Mäkelä). The installation utilizes the changing states of water – frozen melting to fluid – according to prevailing conditions. The sound installation recycles the continuous phase transition of water, making them audible in the most spatial and nuanced ways. Installation aims to achieve an autonomic sound creature of which behaviour is impossible to precisely predict.”
I chose this installation as I think it represents the current state of the world’s climate very well. Although very far away from us, (in the UK), the sound of ice melting on the earths poles is becoming a far more common sound, and this piece brings that sound to people who may be unaware of the effects of the current climate crisis.
“The plant’s “state” is represented through sound, primarily frequency. The plant responds to changes in its environment such as humidity, temperature, light, and touch. The micro-voltage fluctuations of the plant are detected by Ag/AgCl electrodes. The voltage is amplified and sent into an Arduino to be digitized. The numeric values are sent to oscillators, resulting in the soundscape.”
I chose this piece as it reflects my interest in bioacoustics, I think also the piece allows communication between plants and humans. This piece also raises long thought questions regarding plant consciousness and if a plant can think and feel. It also reminds me of another sound art piece regarding plants. Mort Garson also explored plant consciousness in his 1976 electronic album, “mother earth’s Plantasia” which was an album composed “for plants and the people who love them”
“Soaring to the depths of our universe, gallant spacecraft roam the cosmos, snapping images of celestial wonders. Some spacecraft have instruments capable of capturing radio emissions. When scientists convert these to sound waves, the results are eerie to hear.”
I chose this collection of recordings/sonifications from the fascination of deep space and the unknown that I have. I find these recordings so eerie having come from the vast emptiness of space.
Bill Wurtz is a Surrealist musician/comedian/animator not sure if this can really be considered sound art, but he plays a lot with conventional tropes of modern pop music, education and world history. I chose one of his works out of pure entertainment value. His works are funny, entertaining but also intriguing and baffling and I feel that really brings his art a lot of value, especially during a time of civil unrest/anger in the world and also the global pandemic.