credit: Abe Vink

language fades in the dominion of the birds

Description

My composition “language fades in the dominion of the birds” was included on Communal Music Vol. 9, released by AEMC (Amsterdam, Netherlands) on Bandcamp.

This album is part of the Communal Music series. AEMC created this ongoing experiment as an exploration of the usage of audio sources, the methodology of experimental ambient composers and sound in general.

Beforehand, each composer contributed audio - recorded instruments, field recordings, analog synthesizers, etc - resulting in a collective sample pack. The composers then had to translate this audio material to a musical composition. They weren’t allowed to add anything, so each composition is made with the same audio material.

It is striking to hear how the audio is interpreted, used and contextualized differently by the individual composers and how diverse and unique the compositions are. This clarifies the agency of the creators: they - not the audio - make the music. On the other hand, the audio sources demarcate a certain musical terrain, similar as to the limits of an acoustic instrument.

Above all, the Communal Music series is a celebration of experimental music and the collaboration between - often underappreciated - artists.

Cover by Abe Vink.