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 Following on from a recent Australian tour, sound artist LAWRENCE ENGLISH educates ANDREW TUTTLE in matters of harmonic and transcriptive distortion.
An artist with a prolific release schedule, English has released dozens of solo and collaborative works in the past few years. Encompassing a broad spectrum within experimental and sound art, English’s body of work ranges from minimalist field recordings to heavily processed electronic drones to abstract pop productions. His latest solo release is Kiri No Oto, an exploration in reinterpreting visual distortions within an aural framework. A Japanese phrase, Kiri No Oto roughly translates into English as ‘the sound of fog’, and the sonic dimensions reached within the album certainly indicate this. English explains that the conceptual genesis of Kiri No Oto “streams out of a range of ideas, all of them loosely revolving around the transcription of visual distortions – such as mists, sea sprays, storms etc – into an auditory setting. I think there’s something so special about the idea of depth of perception – both in visual and auditory ways – and Kiri No Oto plays with that by creating washes of sound that can be experienced at multiple levels of listening.”
Kiri No Oto is the first in a series of upcoming productions by English involving the utilisation of harmonic distortion, a practical investigation of intertwining sounds.
“There’s two kinds of harmonic distortion – firstly it refers to a series of mathematic relationships between the fundamental and various harmonic components. The second and for me the most important in terms of the actual sound of Kiri No Oto is the idea of harmonically related elements that are brought into differing states of distortion. These states intertwine and augment one another to bring the listeners ear into and out of focus around certain sound clusters.”
In addition to his own creations, English runs experimental record label and touring company Room 40. In addition to keeping him working non-stop, it provides English with an involved perspective of Brisbane’s experimental sound and art scenes.
“In terms of presenting work here [in Brisbane], and by that I mean other musicians, I think Brisbane is really now one of the leading cities to hear and experience sound and experimental arts. This is working from the ground up, with interested people getting involved and going for it.”
Presenting Kiri No Oto this week in a live context as part of a double album launch with doomwave bass/drum duo No Anchor, English anticipates an opportunity for audiences to “get really lost in a mist of sound – and also No Anchor and I might join up for a little transition!”
One could forgive English for taking a breather after the launch, however judging by upcoming events it will be quite some time before he gets to take time out.
“Next up will be a tour from Tujiko Noriko and a month of sound art activities in September for the IMA and Valley Fiesta. After that is Room40’s annual festival Open Frame – it’s a completely stellar line up this year! I also have to finish a new album for the American label 12K, which I am very excited about.”
LAWRENCE ENGLISH launches KIRI NO OTO at The Hangar Friday August 8 alongside No Anchor. KIRI NO OTO is out now on Touch.
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