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 at 14K Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Faculty of Engineering Sciences in Valdivia, Chile in three concerts (3, 4 and 5 Nov 2021); in Festival Ecos Urbanos, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Guadalajara, Mexico in November 2021; at the Sound Stage, Bournemouth University, UK (March 2022); at SoundLapse concert, Royal Dockyard Church, Chatham Historic Dockyard (May 2022); and at LIS (Laboratorio de Imagen y Sonido) Campus Cultural Isla Teja, Chile in three concerts (9-13 May 2022).

Wetlands has been released through Gruenrekorder label.