natural sound possesses an inherent intelligence, an idea invoked through the work of John Cage, Edgard Varèse and others. To apply a degree of determinism and a geometric framework to naturally occurring sonar, is to apply a method for making art.

 

“…natural events such as the collision of hail or rain with hard surfaces, or the song of cicadas in a summer field. These sonic events are made out of thousands of isolated sounds; this multitude of sounds, seen as a totality is a new sonic event…” Iannis Xenakis

 

the modular system used in this recording was configured to act as an autonomous agent, so that it might create sound and movement in collaboration with a human. The patch is built around a sample of Cigarra (Cicada) insects recorded in December 2016 in the small post-colonial town of Paraty on Brasil’s green coast. The sound of the Cigarra is omni-present throughout the region, and this creates an unsettling backdrop to a faded 16th century settlement, once populated by the Guaianás Indians and later used by the Portuguese to export Gold mined in the mountains of Minas.

 

the thousands of Cigarras that feature in this piece are resonating in approximately A to A sharp. The system was tuned accordingly to join their song.