Hydra-headed hairdryer vs. rodent-resistant radiator
Aug 15, 2022, 04:00 PM
Composition by Fergus Kelly.
"I've multi-tracked multiple pitch-shifted versions of the source sound to create a series of overlapping drones that phase and beat against each other. Shortly before starting work on this piece I had made field recordings in The National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks in Dublin. These consisted of various recordings of large radiators. Some were made with binaural mics placed between the two panes of the radiator to capture the drone close up, others were made by running my hand across a large upright wall mounted radiator to create resonant bell tones.
"There were rodent poison boxes nearby, hence the reference in the title, which is deliberately alliterative and lighthearted. The piece starts with the source sound at normal pitch, then gradually gets split into various versions of itself at different speeds – it becomes hydra headed, like some kind of mutating drone beast. The piece, after going through various changes, ends with a return to the source sound which is switched off, thus forming a nice full stop to the piece.
"Archival sounds/archival sites: There's an interesting link between the manufacturer of the source sound and the location of the field recordings. Based in Essen, Krupps was well known as the largest maker of steel, artillery, ammunition and other armaments, and was the principal weapons manufacturer for Germany in both world wars. Collins Barracks is a former military barracks in Dublin, having housed both British Armed Forces and Irish Army garrisons through three centuries. It now houses the National Museum of Ireland (for decorative arts and history exhibits). "
This is part of the Obsolete Sounds project, the world’s biggest collection of disappearing sounds and sounds that have become extinct – remixed and reimagined to create a brand new form of listening. Explore the whole project at https://citiesandmemory.com/obsolete-sounds
"I've multi-tracked multiple pitch-shifted versions of the source sound to create a series of overlapping drones that phase and beat against each other. Shortly before starting work on this piece I had made field recordings in The National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks in Dublin. These consisted of various recordings of large radiators. Some were made with binaural mics placed between the two panes of the radiator to capture the drone close up, others were made by running my hand across a large upright wall mounted radiator to create resonant bell tones.
"There were rodent poison boxes nearby, hence the reference in the title, which is deliberately alliterative and lighthearted. The piece starts with the source sound at normal pitch, then gradually gets split into various versions of itself at different speeds – it becomes hydra headed, like some kind of mutating drone beast. The piece, after going through various changes, ends with a return to the source sound which is switched off, thus forming a nice full stop to the piece.
"Archival sounds/archival sites: There's an interesting link between the manufacturer of the source sound and the location of the field recordings. Based in Essen, Krupps was well known as the largest maker of steel, artillery, ammunition and other armaments, and was the principal weapons manufacturer for Germany in both world wars. Collins Barracks is a former military barracks in Dublin, having housed both British Armed Forces and Irish Army garrisons through three centuries. It now houses the National Museum of Ireland (for decorative arts and history exhibits). "
This is part of the Obsolete Sounds project, the world’s biggest collection of disappearing sounds and sounds that have become extinct – remixed and reimagined to create a brand new form of listening. Explore the whole project at https://citiesandmemory.com/obsolete-sounds