Something In Your Voice was a show by Emergency Chorus, still in development. I collaborated on the development of the show, and composed the sound for the most recent showing.
Ways of Knowing; 2023
an extract from the loudest and most over the top part of the second half of the show. SPOILERS, incidentally.
and here, a sketched version of a song from the end of the first half. SPOILERS, again.
I sound designed this show for Emergency Chorus. I also perform a section of it live, using live processing of the sound of onstage drips. Also did some dramaturgy for it, but this isn’t the relevant part of the website for that.
In their words:
“Can we ever know what will come to pass? Can an act of prediction bring the future into being? Ways of Knowing comprises two distinct halves; mirror images of each other, presented back to back. Part one, All the Barometers in the World, looks up to the skies in anticipation of a storm. Part two, The Spelunkers, follows a pair of explorers as they journey underground.”
Arguably the most ambitious piece of sound design I’ve ever put together. Lots of weird live stuff and big soundscapes, and also a song. Big mix. Very pleased with it.
All the Barometers in the World (Part One) is a stripped down piece and was sparsely scored for the most part. The major original music in this half was a simple set of variations on a metronome pulse, over 8 minutes. It also ended with an original song: a piece of two part close harmony, with the sung parts moving in and out of dissonance and consonance, and the general feeling of an unsettled lullaby. I would like to compose these sorts of songs more! Ask me about it.
The Spelunkers, by comparison, is almost entirely through scored. It begins with a live piece - dripping stalactites set up on stage slowly discharged into contact micced bowls, the sound of which I amplify, pass through reverbs and resonators, and use to trigger bells and synthesisers. This live soundscape smoothly transitions into a ten minute pre-recorded composition, featuring a huge crashing crescendo of jangling strings and engine sounds, and ending with a cacophonous and unexpected sound collage.
For more information and full credits, see HERE.
photo by Jemima Yong
• INSTRUCTIONS •
• THE WHITE DEVIL •
• ROMEO AND JULIET •
• CREEPY •
• BRITANNICUS •
• WAYS OF KNOWING •
• WELCOME TO THE BIG SHOW •
• CAN’T STOP CAN’T STOP •
• SPUR •
• BLOOD WEDDING •
• SOMETHING IN YOUR VOICE •
• DAYS – AND COUNTING•
• LA PESTE •
• I AM HOME •
• LANDSCAPE (1989) •
• HERE COMES THE SUN •
• THE TRIUMPH OF OUR TIRED EYES •
• SPEED DEATH
OF THE RADIANT
CHILD •
• CELEBRATION •
• THE WHITE DEVIL •
• ROMEO AND JULIET •
• CREEPY •
• BRITANNICUS •
• WAYS OF KNOWING •
• WELCOME TO THE BIG SHOW •
• CAN’T STOP CAN’T STOP •
• SPUR •
• BLOOD WEDDING •
• SOMETHING IN YOUR VOICE •
• DAYS – AND COUNTING•
• LA PESTE •
• I AM HOME •
• LANDSCAPE (1989) •
• HERE COMES THE SUN •
• THE TRIUMPH OF OUR TIRED EYES •
• SPEED DEATH
OF THE RADIANT
CHILD •
• CELEBRATION •