Why do you record the sounds of rocks?

I ask myself this question and there is no simple answer.

firstly, my process was inspired by translating the beautifull visuals of marble into the audible and their colour density into harmonics. It is true that all things embody sonic identity and this work has become a way to explore the aural information of geological compositions. Later, with the immersive nature of sound, to what degree could these geo chemical realities be experienced sonically? And to what resolution could they be heard?

There have been projects like this in the past with Bjork and others. How does your work Relate and differ?

For a long time people have wanted to listen and hear the sounds of minerals. The desire to cut through and realise that all things are possible has certainly been at the forefront of design in the 21st century, especially during my time at the RCA. The technical difference with my work to say Bjork’s bioaphilla projects and others is that the basis from which they start is a computational code from the mineral itself. From this sequence of fractal mathematics, they apply digital sounds to play the code. Also work by CM von Hausswolf who’s work uses a emission spectroscopy process in recording the frequencies generated from a material which is then transfered into listenable pitches. Where as my work starts directly from the internal analogue sound world of the material. Where ever it goes from there, the essence and spirit of the material is also.

How do you see this project

Each sonic rock is a testament of time, encapsulating atomic quanta of universe and Earth:

Minerals are forms of technology programed by time itself. Types of rock Lithophones are belived to have been played from prehistoric periods. As cutting technologies evolved to reveal geological compositions they have allways been our visual poems of universal Earth. The auditory resonances they each embody too are unique. Transporting the subtle self to form stories, images, memories and reactions. For me I am trying to harness how from this very raw initial resonate language, I can then digitize the sound and explore their sound as a form of synth. From this 21st century standpoint we can rewire new perspectives and experiences through this inexhaustible library of time.

Talk more about these subtle energies:

Well it becomes apparent that many people who listen to my work can enter into states of deep relaxation. This can mean falling asleep or drifting off into a subconcious state between earth times . We are dealing with forms of mineral energy and each sound carries within it it’s own kind of medication through the micro compression of the minerals at play. Memory is defiantly at the fundermental level of these soundscapes. This is not unusual considering many of these materials formed over billions of years through sometimes violent and sizemic natural events. But also because their natural habitat has been deep inside the earths mantle and crust. A place that’s well hidden from our everyday lives. There are also occult properties yes, tied in with alchemy and the philosophers stone. Dr John Dee reportedly allways used a polished obsidian flat stone to commune with angels and spirits which I find fascinating. But yes sound is sound, geology is geology and within the combination of the two there are many poetical ideas you can allign to it.

How has your work evolved over the last 5 years? Over the last few years this work has discovered and evolved new ways of recording to capture a true audial of each resonant body. Recording rock tableau from both my own travels and also with the opportunity to record from the vast archive within the Natural History Museum, I have now amassed a number of Material recordings. I’ve an album deal with a Rome based label named Glacial Movements that will release some of my digital compositions from the NHM archive. Digital tools allow me to sculpt and tune the sound further as a personal metamorphosis/ synthesis of their languages. Magnifying a stones timorous and distant voices through to the deeper spectrums of their resonant pallet, they become more than a synthesizer, but active mineral time capsules. A malleable sonic source of genuine universal language. Most of all I continue to explore this and learn as I go.

You talk of this works connection with quantum physics, Please explain:

As quantum science now belives that the particle is not a singular classical entity but a vibrational field with quantum potential, these experiments evoke an alligned auditory perspective to such concepts at the fundermental levels of quantum physics.

Like astro photography there is no end to the amount of filters and digital process you can apply to the sonic image. Non the less, within each sound I belive exists packets of quanta connecting us to macro to micro soundworlds that speak differently to the human momment . The beauty is that unlike the synth, the sounds root source is a pure mineral analogue language and this means it’s directly connected to the same fundermental building blocks of the universe. It’s a matter of perspective but certianly these themes and ideas the more I explore them are becoming more profound to this project.

What would you ultimately like to achieve with this work?

I have many ideas and installation concepts, some performed already some to be explored later in my journey. Sound and Material can create a full immersive sensory experience. I’m enjoying how from my niaeve personal discoveries in hearing the differences in sound that each material produces, and seeing how this analogue technology can be harnessed into 21st century contexts.