Field Recording

About field recording

I make field recordings for reasons I'm not entirely yet certain of. Are these sonic objects, complete in themselves without need of any reference point, or are they inextricably linked to their source environment and actors? What do field recordings have to say about the sentient, enchanted, animated nature of the world and the networks of communication occurring in it (between living beings and stones, spirits, ideas etc.)? I'm interested in these questions and more, and happy to remain immersed in the activity which I find at least very interesting and which gives me access into another mode of listening.

Here are some essays, books, artists and blogs that I find to be interesting and inspiring. Would love your suggestions on more reading.

• David Michael: Toward a Dark Nature Recording
• Francisco Lopez: Sonic Creatures
• Eduardo Kohn: How Forests Think
• Tyson Yunkaporta: Sand Talk
• Radio Cegeste
• ABC Radio National: The Ghost Songs
• Jim Denley: Last Day at Turkey Creek (recording as time travel)​

Here's a few field recordings I've published as stand-alone audio objects:

• Superb lyrebirds in Tarraleah (Tasmanian highlands), September 2019
• Wilgadjny, third visit, Wiilman Noongar boodja (Dryandra woodlands), March 2019
• Footybox, Ballardong Noongar boodja (Koorda), December 2018
• Wilgadjny, first visit, Wiilman Noongar boodja (Dryandra woodlands), October 2018

The photo on the left is from Nanda country - it's the Murchison river, in the Kalbarri gorges, about eight hours drive north of Perth.

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