Midsummer, London by one of the world's leading voices in field recording explores the different accents, musics, and other sonic phenomenon of London at locations tracing the river Thames, moving from the outskirts in the west to the outskirts in the east.
Kate Carr is known internationally for her work with field recordings, as well as using objects and experimental recording techniques. Her work often probes the ambiguities and perceptions of field recording, notably on her 2023 album, False Dawn.
"Most of my work these days is interested in thinking about field recording as a set of practices which produce a particular version of a location, experience or even species, and the relationships and practices which produce that recording and which also might be amplified or obscured within the recording itself."
Kate previously developed the idea of a sonic transect—a sound sampling along an axis—for an album made on a Spanish mountain in 2017, From A Wind Turbine To Vultures (And Back). The idea explores sonic niches, the ways they flow into each other and can be stitched together in an attempt to convey the changing aspects of—in that case—the terrain of a mountain and Kate's journey up and down it.
Now, Midsummer, London explores the different accents, musics, and other sonic phenomenon of London at locations tracing the river Thames, moving from the outskirts in the west to the outskirts in the east.
"Midsummer, London was composed with recordings taken on the Summer Solstice June 21, 2023, from one side of the city to the other on the longest of days. The journey began in Loughborough Junction with stops at Clapham Junction, Staines, Shepperton, Hampton, Twickenham, Ravenscourt Park, Blackfriars, Deptford, Woolwich Dockyard, Slade Green."
By listening to these recordings, we make the journey across London in a physically impossible way, but one which speaks to the contribution of sound to the making and unmaking of spaces.
Kate Carr (born 1977) is an Australian sound artist and field recordist based in London. her practice explores the encounters, textures and technologies entangled with field recording using movement, objects and experimental recording techniques. She creates intimate, delicate and hybrid soundworlds which centre the interactions and collectivity which generate soundscapes. She works across composition, performance and installation. Everything from vibrations caused by cars and footfalls, to overheard murmurs, public speeches, music in public space, and the roar of distant sporting events has found its way into her compositions, and live performances. Inspired by the layers, minglings and silences in our collective soundscapes, Carr is interested in composing works probe the soundscape for clues as to how we negotiate living together. She is particularly focused on hybrid soundscapes: where forest meets town, nuclear power plant meets wetland, booming car stereo meets residential street.
In her live work she is increasingly examining some of the ambiguities of field recording, pursuing a practice which blurs live foley work with field recording techniques. As such her instruments move from scientific rockers, massage guns, bird horns, frog rattles, watering cans to bug clickers in compositions which aim to trouble the associations of authenticity often attached to field recording, versus the sonic fictions of foley work.
As part of her practice Carr also runs the sound art imprint Flaming Pines. She has also founded the sound art duo RUBBISH MUSIC with Iain Chambers. Her music can be found on the labels Helen Scarsdale (US), Hasana Editions (Indonesia), Rivertones,
Persistence of Sound (UK), Longform Editions (Australia) Galaverna (Italy) as well as Flaming Pines.
See also
Rubbish Music (Iain Chambers & Kate Carr).
