Wetlands

5th Order Ambisonics (36 channels), and a Binaural version. 10’05”

Wetlands are transition zones (also known as ecotones) between dry land and aquatic environments. Urban wetlands may add anthropogenic pressure because of the proximity of human activity to the natural ecosystems. This composition explores a dialogue between sounds living, moving and interacting in those spaces, creating also tension and release moments when these meet with human-made noise and activity. All sounds live in a cooperative coexistence, even during the most intense moments in this sonic world.

The composition is based on field recordings of urban wetlands around the city of Valdivia in Chile. The original raw recordings were provided by the SoundLapse research team, who commissioned this composition. ‘Wetlands’ received its World Premiere performance in St Petersburg, Russia, at the Epicentroom International Audiovisual Festival on 13 October 2021. Performed also in Valdivia, Chile, on 3, 4 and 5 November 2021, at 14K Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Faculty of Engineering Sciences; at Festival Ecos Urbanos, on 23 November 2021, in Guadalajara, Mexico; on 9-10 February 2022, at the Napoleon Electronic Media Festival, Doudna Fine Arts Center, Charleston, Illinois, USA; on 24 March 2022 at Bournemouth University, UK; between 3-9 May, at three concerts at Ciclo de Música Electroacústica, Isla Teja, Chile; on 26 May 2022, at the Royal Dockyard Church, Chatham, UK; and on 4 July 2022, at the International Computer Music Conference (ICMC2022) in Limerick, Ireland.

Wetlands is published (Nov 2021) by the label Gruenrekorder.

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