[Microsound-announce] [Kalerne Editions] New CD : CHANTS OF FROZEN LAKES by Marc Namblard

[Yannick Dauby]

(sorry for cross-posting)




[KALERNE EDITIONS]

*** new CD publication ***

CHANTS OF FROZEN LAKES

by Marc Namblard

April 2008

more info and sound extracts : http://www.kalerne.net



Marc Namblard, sound artist and naturalist living in the northeast of 
France, has spent several years listening to and recording an acoustic 
phenomenon occuring in the winter time. The tiniest crackles inside the 
ice of frozen lakes produce mechanical vibrations. Under specific 
atmospheric conditions, these impulses propagate in the ice, whose 
tension makes it similar to the skin of a drum. The acoustic result is 
an unbelievable blend of drumming sounds and etheral resonances.

This CD retraces the whole phenomena : in 55 minutes, one can discover 
the different steps of what happened at Lac de Pierre Percée (a lake 
close to Marc's village) on the 16th of January 2006. It began with the 
frost falling on the vegetation accompanied by birds in the distance. 
The first brief percussive sounds announced the ice beginning its work 
under the first sunrays. A little bit later, the ice started to crackle 
: sounds became longer and more intense. At the end of the session, ice 
was breaking everywhere, the lake was singing. The phenomenon vanished 
with the appearance of a slight breeze.

This soundwork gathers some of the most beautiful moments of hours and 
hours of Marc's recordings into a whole piece, but there was no 
processing or overdub in the production of this publication : the aim is 
to propose to the listener an experience of what he would expect in the 
front of the lake (with the exception of the temperature). Marc's 
recording technique is based on ORTF stereo configuration using 
condenser microphones and high-end preamplifiers.

“Chants Of Frozen Lakes” can easily be classified in the domains of 
Naturalism, since it is based on straight observation of natural events, 
and in the field of Sound Art as it proposes a very intense listening 
experience. Therefore, this CD should delight listeners of nature sound 
recording, experimental music as well as electronica.

Audio CD published by Kalerne.net and Atelier Hui-Kan.

Released in Taiwan, in April 2008.

www.kalerne.net
www.hui-kan.com