Wind Is the Original Radio

This was recorded on a spring day in the forest near White Deer Lake, a seasonal lake in Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The lake is large and shallow when full, but only lasts a couple months in spring before drying up entirely. It’s surrounded by coniferous forest of Ponderosa Pine, Lodgepole Pine, and White Fir. At the time I made this recording there were only a few small pools of water left. I arrived late in the morning and the sky was blue and sunny above, but clouds were beginning to build all around. I set up the microphone in the forest not far from the lake under a dense bunch of young White Fir trees which provided shelter from rain and wind when the storms eventually passed overhead. The clouds continued to build until the first rumbles of thunder were heard in the distance. The chirping calls of Mountain Chickadees and Dark-eyed Juncos are heard along with other birds, and frogs can be heard in the distance in the remaining pools of the fast drying lake. As the storms moved closer, gentle rain began to fall and a light breeze blew through the trees above. The thunder became increasingly loud and powerful until it passed directly overhead. Recording by Kelly Rafuse

Early in the morning I walk along a remote lake in Ecuador’s lower Amazon basin. Far from a city, road, or town, the sounds here are all natural. Thick foliage covers the ground and sky. Everywhere is muddy. Leaves dripping from a recent rain. Dawn approaches and the barking croak of giant frogs gradually becomes less frequent. Mysterious birds calling nearby. The jungle here is one of the most unique and pristine environments I have witnessed. Evoking a sense of magic for me anytime I listen. Recording by Nick McMahan

To record a soundscape characteristic of this region – and attempt to encapsulate my observational thoughts and views as a soundscape recordist – I arrived at a preserved section of the forest. The Pambar Shola plantation acts as a nursery for shola trees, which grow in the shade of taller pines and eucalyptus. A visual change was provided by a few rhododendrons – a Himalayan species believed to have spread over 1,200 miles (2,000 km) during periods when the temperature and ecology of the Western Ghats and the Himalayas were similar, due to seed dispersal by birds. I stationed my equipment beside a small stream, the sound of which, to me, symbolized the larger ecological processes taking place over centuries in the Western Ghats, to create a soundscape which could become a starting point for discussing Vattakanal, as per the hypothesis I am trying to explore through this project. At a personal level, I will remember this flowing water as the sound of sunrise in a tropical forest in the Western Ghats, layered with the sounds of birds, the occasional howling of Nilgiri langurs, and the distant barks of dogs which had followed me along the trail. This excerpt is from the article Soundscapes of Lesser Nature, by Mustard Lake, a grantee of our field recording grant program.

Eight episodes went by so fast! Symbolically, this episode with Axel was the first one to be recorded. Since our conversation, Axel travelled south into the west coast of Africa and is currently in Sierra Leone, to record and tell the stories of migratory birds in the East Atlantic Flyway. So, this will be a special one! We talk about the dynamics of this impressive journey, how technology led Axel to nature and out of the studio, his crazy blindfolded experiment in the streets of London, our general will to encounter "exotic" animals and how that can deafen us to the wonders right outside our window. Learn about Axel and Ario's project on the Sounding Wild page and connect with them on Instagram and Twitter. You can listen to some of their recordings on earth.fm. Episode's references: Virtual Barbershop (listen with headphones) Book Becoming Wild: How Animals Learn Who They Are, by Carl Safina Field recording work: Songs of the Humpback Whale: Dr. Roger Payne If you have been enjoying this season of Artist Talks reach out to us, maybe leave a comment where you listen to the podcast. Until next time!

A calm nocturnal ambience recorded in the rainy season in a tropical rainforest in western Thailand. At this time of year, the frogs are very active and can be heard chorusing throughout this recording, along with the sounds of insects, and rain gently dripping from the canopy above. Recorded by Marc Anderson in the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand

Hello and welcome to our 7th episode of this special series - only one left for this season to close! Today we have a super informative and fun conversation with Rüdiger Ortiz-Álvarez, a biologist and film-maker with a PhD in Ecology. In 2019 he became an National Geographic Explorer and made the incredible documentary Ecotone, which we'll be talking about in this interview. We discuss human disconnection with nature, ancient ecosystems, animal and human languages and how they possibly intersect in a given geography. We'll also get to know the story of how Rüdiger fell in love with sound which shifted his life. You can connect with Rüdiger on his Twitter and Instagram, as well as finding more about his grant with National Geographic here. Don't forget to check his recordings in our website on his artist profile. Field recording work: Songs of the Humpback Whale: Dr. Roger Payne Books mentioned: The Great Animal Orchestra: Bernie Krause Musical artists mentioned: Stura with the album Llangres and Gregorio Paniagua with Batiscafo

Recording by Martha Mutiso

Hello and welcome to our 6th episode of this special series. Today we have a wonderful conversation with award winning sound artist Félix Blume, who has a variety of works in many distinct regions of the world, marked mainly through his collaborative process. We talk about forms of listening, sound authorship, the power of sound to inquire and understand and working with children. You can find the rich work of Félix in his website: https://felixblume.com/ and in his vimeo: https://vimeo.com/felixblume Books mentioned: The Falling Sky - Davi Kopenawa Yanomami with Bruce Albert R. Murray Schafer - The Tuning of the World Juliette Volcler - L'orchestration du quotidien - Design sonore et écoute au 21e siècle Artists mentioned: Chris Watson, Gordon Hempton, Bernie Krause

This soundscape was recorded in an indigenous reserve called Wacoyo, in Meta (Colombia), after the sunset. You can hear insects from all over the valley. The reserve has an extension of 8050 hectares, and it is inhabited by 31 communities of approximately 340 families. The climate is dry tropical, and its biome consists of an alluvial savannah. Recorded by Nícolas Gutierrez García in Resguardos Indígenas de Wacoyo, Meta, Colombia

A new month of episodes starts with Christine Hass, a field biologist with a background on social behaviour of mammals. She has extensive recordings and stories from her journeys in the American West. You'll be drawn by Chris' attentive ear to environmental subtleties and connection to place with all her (truly) wild adventures outdoors. We also talk about the various impacts of forest fire and how to listen and record water. Please check Chris blog containing not only journal entries from her trips as well as equipment and techniques advice. Episode's references: Field Recordist Lang Elliott Book What the Robin Knows, by Jon Young

Recording in the Masaai Mara by Martha Mutiso

Hello! This is already our fourth episode of the series Artist Talks. Our guest today is Seán Ronayne, an ornithologist and zoologist with a mission to record all the bird species in Ireland and to inspire change through his work and the fascination he nurtures by animal behaviour and outdoors. One very fascinating topic Seán shares about is how we can listen to the birds' stories if we pay attention to their mimicry. So prepare yourself as we're going to listen to some incredible bird vocalisations on this episode. As always, we also talk about being in nature and wander in nature at night... alone but holding a parabola. Seán's website Irish Wildlife Sounds Seán's SoundCloud and Twitter Listen to Seán's recordings on earth.fm Watch ‘My mission is to record all of the bird species in Ireland’, a piece for the Irish Times, by Kathleen Harris. References talked about in this episode: The Great Animal Orchestra: Bernie Krause Jay mimicry of a cat on Xeno-Canto: XC585280; recording by Adrianna Muszyńska

Recorded in January 2017 in Minas Gerais by Melissa Pons

Welcome to our third episode of this series where we have conversations with the best nature listeners in the world. In this episode, our guest Darcy Spidle, also working under the name chik white, talks with Melissa about his connection to the landscape where he lives in Nova Scotia, dreams and his unique way of approaching field recording, parallel in a way to his musical explorations and performances as well as their specific differences. This is very much a conversation on creativity and the inner and outer worlds. Darcy is a jaw harpist, screenwriter, actor and - of course - a field recordist. His works, which you can listen on his bandcamp page, are distinguishable intense with a strong aesthetic sense. As a staple in this series, we talk about being in nature, deep listening and being alone in the dark outside. Find out more about Darcy on his website. Episode’s references: Darcy's essay Trauma of My Mouth Chris Watson: Stepping into the Dark Roger Payne: Songs of the Humpback Whale Lawrence English: Field Recordings from the Zone Hildegard Westerkamp - Kits Beach

Recorded in Croatia by Ivo Vicic

Welcome to our second episode of this series where we have conversations with the best nature listeners in the world. In this episode, Chris Hails talks about his multi-faceted career as an ecologist and zoologist in Malaysia, an environmental advisor in Singapore and Conservationist in Switzerland. Nature field recording has been a practice for Chris since tape recorder days. He has a PhD in bird ecology, and his professional activities have led him to research, teach and advise, with the efforts of saving the environment. We discuss why there is so much disconnection between people and Nature, ways to bridge this gap and be conscious about our own consumer patterns and the connection to politics. As a staple in this series, we talk about being in nature, deep listening and being alone in the dark outside. Find out more about Chris on his website. Episode’s references: Chris' book Birds of Singapore Tools for species ID: Cornell University Bird NET Merlin App Xeno-Canto Chris' Website Wild Echoes The Sound Approach Literature and films mentioned: The Singing Life of Birds. The Art and Science of Listening to Birds by Donald Kroodsma Memoirs of a Birdman by Ludwig Koch Wild Soundscapes: Discovering the Voice of the Natural World and The Great Animal Orchestra: Finding the Origins of Music in the World's Wild Places by Bernie Krause The Singing Planet, by Liz McKenzie

Recording by Martha Mutiso in Tanzania

Welcome to our very first episode of this series where we have conversations with the best nature listeners in the world. In this episode, Mélia Roger discusses how her approach to sound has changed; intimacy and empathy through sound;, and the context of politics and ecosocial conflicts in which sound and listening exists. "Her work explores the sonic poetics of the landscape, through field recordings and active listening performances. Exploring human non-humans relations, she tries to inspire ecological change with environmental and empathic listening. She believes in the importance of participatory projects in order to share knowledge and personal experiences through sound." (from Portfolio - Selected Works, 2016-2021). "Mélia Roger is a sound designer for film and art installation. She has a classical music background and owns a Master[’s] Degree in sound engineering (ENS Louis-Lumière, Paris, France). She spent her last year of Master in the Transdisciplinary Studies Program at ZHdK (Zurich University of the Arts, Switzerland), where she developed an artistic approach of sound, working with voice and field recordings. She is now living between Paris and Zurich, working for post-production film and her own artistic works." Find out more about Mélia on her website. Episode's references: Donna J. Haraway - Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene Environmental philosopher Vinciane Despret Karen Barad -: “On Touching the Stranger Within – The Alterity That Therefore I Am” Field recordist Marc Namblard Philosopher Timothy Morton Glenn Albrecht - Environment Change, Distress & Human Emotion Solastalgia Bernie Krause - The Great Animal Orchestra exhibition Solastalgie podcast [French language] Land Body Ecologies podcast Field Recordist and Sound Artist Félix Blume

Upon my odyssey for wisdom, destiny cast me ashore on the isle of Little Tobago, a haven where avian secrets awaited, concealed within the artistry of bird banding. Here, amidst the tranquil embrace of nature’s symphony, my passion for recording the melodic tales of the wild began to unfold. Little Tobago, a minuscule jewel adrift off Tobago’s northeastern shores, a realm within the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. A realm of seclusion, where the only passage is by sea, where human comforts relent, surrendering to the unspoiled canvas of the night sky, adorned by the celestial dance of the Milky Way. This sacred isle cradles a dry forest, a sanctuary for seabirds—Red-billed Tropicbirds, Audubon’s Shearwaters, Brown Boobies, Brown Noddies, Sooty and Bridled Terns—all gracing the island as custodians of the heavens. White-tailed Tropicbirds, a rare sight nesting among the rocks, weaving their tales into the tapestry of this mystical land. Stepping ashore, one is transported to a Jurassic kingdom. The dry forest, a verdant abode for diverse songbirds and near-passerines, like the Trinidad Mot-Mot wielding anvils to conquer beetle shells, while shearwaters echo their cackling calls in the distance. The saga unfolds as the Tropicbirds, pelagic wanderers of the azure expanse, commence their aerial ballet. At 2:30 pm, a celestial rendezvous at the cliff’s edge, where winds sculpt destiny. In elegant circles, they harness the invisible currents, orchestrating a grand descent into the embrace of shrubs below. Yet, should the first dance falter, a daring plunge off the cliff, a daring encore to perfect their art. Enter the Frigatebird, the ocean’s marauder, soaring through the mid-air theater. Aware that Tropicbirds, satiated after a day of feasting, carry the ocean’s bounty, these aerial pirates seize their opportunity. Mid-flight, a violent shake coerces regurgitation, and the Frigatebirds seize the harvest in a daring mid-air ballet. As the clock ticks towards 4 pm, the winds subside, and the avian performers retire to their roosts, leaving but a fleeting window to capture their symphony. In this ephemeral dance, the Red-billed Tropicbirds emerge as the maestros, rendering their enchanting melodies, making them the most bewitching notes I have ever endeavored to record. Recorded by Giselle Ragoonanan Little Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago

Recorded by Martha Mutiso in Kenya