Sonance by Stephen Shiell

"natural radio in a desert that goes on forever
obsidian chimes under the earth
life waiting under the salt

entering the wood
the first church
the dappled light
organ pipes play

voices come together with the wind, vibrating the air

these sounds ring inside my head
become memory imprint"

1. Desert
2. Wood
3. Air

All tracks composed by Stephen Shiell.

Released on Linear Obsessional recordings

"Sonance" consists of three equal length pieces - each a diverting exploration of place, and added human interaction. All three are absorbing and enveloping constructions, that sustain a strangely moving and powerful atmosphere." Richard Linear

"All three pieces are evocative and atmospheric, especially the first one, which does a lot to transcend its sources and isn’t just process art for its own sake." The Sound Projector

"Sonance feels itself like stepping into a myth. It is an album of strange vibrations, resonating on multiple planes simultaneously. A pungent, fertile treat for the ears." The Quietus

Tracklist

1.	Desert	11:00

2.	Wood	11:00

3.	Air	11:00

Credits

released March 19, 2019

Credits:

Desert:
Natural radio field recordings made in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada using a Very Low Frequency receiver constructed by Stephen P McGreavy, and a self-created magnetic loop aerial..

Additional studio recordings by Stephen Shiell: Obsidian needle chimes - mined in Nevada and well known for their musical quality

Voice - inspired by the story of the fairy shrimps, whose eggs lie encased in the dry playa soil of alkali flats until the rains come, flooding the desert and prompting the eggs to hatch, grow and reproduce.
Vocals by Hannah White

Wood:
‘Earth Organ’, a score written by Stephen Shiell and performed in the West Woods in Wiltshire with a group of musicians, organ pipes and wooden cow bells.

Many thanks to:
Andrej Bako
Julie Picard
Sarah Sparkes
Ian Thompson
Mark Wagner
Ella White
Hannah White

Recorded by Ian Thompson.

Additional recordings by Stephen Shiell:
The Red Spring at the foot of Glastonbury Tor. Studio recording of self-created singing bowls and gongs, played by Stephen Shiell and Hannah White.

Air:
This is a deep listening track, using excerpts of field recordings I've made exploring the work of Pauline Oliveros. These sit alongside a field recording of a windmill in Cabo de Gata-Níjar, Spain, using a contact mic on one of the wooden beams. The underlying drone is a recording of an air conditioning unit.

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