KWI: UKUYOOKI-YOU
COUNTRYSIDE MUSIC FROM EASTERN CLARE - CAPPADUFF
overview_overhear of 2018 until now - examples: recorded live as it was performed by Slavek Kwi.

Extracts of explorations with emphasis on live instrumental “interaction” or co-existence: (work in progress: searching for tendencies and patterns repetitions, experimenting with modified instruments; exercises for ukutar, bitar, dark mattar - and other instruments - within artificial, semi-urban
and natural audio-habitats, looking for the ways to co-exist)

Trk01: ukutar with antenna, bodyrattles, wind-flags, gongs in the garden (July)**
Trk02: ukutar, soundshoes (July)*
Trk03: ukutar with antenna in EMF-environment (July)*
Trk04: ukutar (August)*
Trk05: bitar in the woods, river (May)**
Trk06: ukutar (August)*
Trk07: bitar (August)
Trk08: dark mattar, microphones eavesdropping in the garden - playing in studio (May)**
Trk09: ukutar with antenna in EMF-environment (July)*
Trk10: spring resonator with microphone placed on it and leading inside studio (June)
Trk11: sonar of hunting bats (probably common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus) flying around 5 am outside of studio listened in direct via ultrasonic detector (about 48-50 kHz) complemented with sounds of bubbling devices (May)
Trk12: plastic flag capturing movements of wind and triggering analogue synth indoors (May)
Trk13: talking drum (October 2017)
Trk14: electric guitar (February)*
Trk15: sound shoes, gestural drawing on paper (July)
Trk16: electric guitar (February)*
Trk17: talking drum and bodyrattles in the woods (May)
Trk18: ukutar (August) - play in loop indefinitely*
Trk19: koncovka flute and bodyrattles via ultrasonic detector (July)
Trk20: plastic blue pipes (July)
Trk21: electric guitar with rain droplets amplified via plastic bag over mics placed outdoors (May)**
Trk22: ukutar with bodyrattles (July)
Trk23: bitar with bodyrattles in the garden (May) - starlings nesting in the roof close to mic**
Trk24: bitar with antenna, EMF strobes pulsating triggering old analogue synth (August)
Trk25: ukutar with antenna and soundshoes (August)
Trk26: spring resonator in the rain (June)
Trk27: talking drum in the shed while raining (July)**
Trk28: echolocation of bats flying outside of studio via ultrasonic detector complemented with sounds of bubbling devices and EMF strobes; reminiscent of clicks of sonar (May)**
Trk29: bitar with antenna, bodyrattles and wind-flags in the woods (May)**
Trk30: electric guitar, bubbling devices, EMF strobes and photographic flash (January)
Trk31: darbouka drum with fingerratles, rain drops heard through plastic bag over mics placed outdoors (May)**
Trk32: ukutar (August)*
Trk33: bitar (August)*
Trk34: electric guitar, bubbling devices, flash (May)
Trk35: dark mattar in the greenhouse, while raining - “Music for Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Salad” (July)**

* looking for tendencies and emerging patterns
** trying to tune in sound environment conserving individual voice;
co-existence

Instruments:
(1) ukutar = 2 string fret-less ukulele with removable “feelers”, antennas and wind-flags (with piezo contact mic for possible amplification)
(2) bitar = 2 string acoustic guitar with carved neck for extra flexibility of vibrato with removable antennas and wind-flags (with contact microphone designed by Sala - thank you!)
(3) dark mattar = “dark matter” guitar = black fret-less acoustic guitar
(4) electric guitar
(5) bodyrattles = various removable rattles used to amplify body-movements, the most designed to produce high-frequency sounds being amplified additionally (optionally) with ultrasonic detector. rattles are being placed on fingers (=fingerattles), arms, legs and feet - also in the form of “sound shoes” and large “wings” to capture also movements of air triggered either by body or wind. designed to create additional acoustical layer, sounds are generated in consequential way rather than in conscious playing = my body is moving in particular way, the bodyrattles are placed to amplify this movement to become more aware of the body
movement in the space.
(6) talking drum, darbouka = little drums with very expressive qualities, sometimes played with fingerattles, soundshoes and other bodyrattles creating automatically another layers of polyrhytmia.
(7) sheppard's flutes from Slovakia called “koncovka”
(8) simple effects: echoes, delays, reverberations

Audio_habitats:
either created with combination of various detectors and devices as
(a) bubble devices = miniature air and water pumps creating poly-rhythmical bubble-pulsations and fractal clusters amplified with sensitive hydrophone
(b) EMF environments (=electromagnetic fields) made audible via specifically designed detectors. using sources such as wi-fi devices, laptops and computers, various electrical machines, also lights, flash and strobes = 3-9 stroboscopic lights with blinking speed control used as
pulsation click-drum machines (reminiscent of echolocation of bats, dolphins and crackle-language of crustaceans). the light is being translated to sound via EMF-detectors.
(c) mechanic air-fans/ventilators with attached plastic sheets and contact microphone, triggering analogue synth (similar idea as outdoors wind-flags = (e))

or triggered and eavesdropped via microphones placed outside of studio as with
(d) spring (large “slinkie” spiral) with resonator, microphone is placed inside resonating body (=bucket). spring is hanging in the tree and transmitting movements of wind and sounds through acoustic properties of spiral; sounds like reverberating “spacey” sounds.
(e) large plastic flags with attached contact microphone depicting movements of wind which is triggering analogue synthesizer inside studio
(f) microphones placed under roof near to nest of starlings, ultrasonic detector picking up sonar of resident bats etc. - any events in close surroundings.

Various combinations of using these devices and detectors allows me to create highly sensitive perceptual organ - my presence within is influencing whole sound-organism in dramatic way: I can hear every slightest movement of my body. Tremors-vibrations via contact microphones or through water with hydrophone, air waves from outdoors and indoors, ultrasonic frequencies - all directly transposed to human range of hearing. I can hear electromagnetic fields not only via EMF detectors, but also within ultrasonic realm - frequencies are overlapping and seems interconnected across whole spectrum. This heightened sensitivity gives me a possibility to raise my own sensitivity, becoming more aware of my own presence - my body - within environment, the
consequences of my actions.