The track is composed from a mix of field recordings and site-specific sound actions made in the Spring of 2009 in Southeast Estonia and Riga Latvia, some of which include my ongoing fascination with found long wire installations. This is a slightly remixed version of a piece composed for the Active Crossover installation by Simon Whetham that was exhibited in Bristol in October 2009.

The framework250 compilations are only available by making a donation to the framework radio show. So please support framework and get in on this splendid collection of music and sounds.

from the framework host, Patrick McGinley:

the framework250 compilations are now ready to ship!

we are celebrating a landmark. in september framework aired its 250th edition. to mark the occasion, a collection of artists who have been important to the program over the years agreed to donate new and exclusive tracks, which we have published on a pair of double-cdr compilations, in handmade packaging.

they come in hand-cut, hand-folded, hand-silkscreened opaque origami sleeves, with inlay cards printed on local 100% recycled estonian-made paper from the rapina village paper factory, about 20km from me here in mooste. the sounds are slow-burnt onto the highest quality taiyo yuden cdrs, and hand-stamped with custom made rubber stamps. they sound andlook great, if i do say so myself. all in all, my novice over-enthusiasm means these are more effort that i would probably ever be willing to make for a release again, so snap them up while you can!

images, full tracklists and notes here:
http://www.frameworkradio.net/framework250

these compilations are available only through the framework website, and you will receive one as a thank-you for your donation of €25 or more (or any subscription that will result in the same amount). alternatively, for a minimum donation of €40 euros, we’ll send you both!

including exclusive works from: jeph jerman, loren chasse, nuno moita & matteo uggeri, felicity ford, tarab, murmer, scott sherk, steve roden, peter cusack, keith berry, toshiya tsunoda, maria balabas, asmus tietchens, keith de mendonca, seth nehil, martin clarke, maksims shentelevs, hitoshi kojo, dallas simpson, eric cordier, jonathan coleclough & ben owen, toy.bizarre, mark schreiber, michael ruesenberg, jim haynes, thomas tilly /TO, john grzinich, jean-luc guionnet, emmanuel mieville, jez riley french, giancarlo toniutti, rie nakajima, chris watson, joel stern & lloyd barrett, richard garet, aaron ximm, michael northam, simon whetham, and phill niblock

This is a question I’ve been asking myself ever since I realized that “field recording” was something of a viable genre for many working with sound. Before hearing the term “field recording” (and I’ll throw in Phonography), I never thought much in making a distinction between working in or out in the field. I recorded what I wanted and where I wanted (and still do).

While some view it as a recording technique for any place other than the studio, others seem dedicated to the cause and strive to reach new levels of purity. The spectrum of approaches is wide from scientific ‘nature recording’, and commercial ‘relaxation environments’ (some may know the interesting ‘environments’ series from the 70s) to weekend hobbyists who simply like to get our and record sounds they like.

Like any term, the definition is open to interpretation. The artist Jez Riley French has opened up the discussion with his ‘four questions’ series regarding sound artists/musicians and their use of “field recording” in their work. Below is the current list of artists Jez has included in his survey which I feel is more than worthy to help promote. I’m sure more are on the way, but this should be more than enough to start with:

• Andreas Bick
• Cedric Peyronnet / toy.bizarre
• Eric Cordier
• Goh Lee Kwang
• Jean Francois Cavro
• Jez riley French
• Jez riley French interviewed by John Grzinich
• John Grzinich
• Kiyoshi Mizutani
• Lawrence English
• Maksims Shentelevs
• Marc Namblard
• Matt Davis
• noid (Arnold Haberl)
• Patrick Farmer
• Rob Curgenven
• Simon Whetham
• Thomas Tilly
• Zoe Irvine

Yannick Dauby makes and important point  in his description of “Field recording and phonography” as to why we who record sounds in the field are shaping the sound as much as we are simply capturing it:

“The couple microphone/headphone acts as a filter and an enhancer for perception. The use of these tools is absolutely not neutral : the choices of the place and the moment, the gestures, the technical limitations and the zoom/macro effects of the microphone affect the result of the recording. The recordist makes a series of decisions in his practice, and these decisions are related to his own subjectivity.”

Numerous other in depth perspectives on the practice have emerged in recent years, I suspect due to the availability and ease of use of digital technology. People like Aaron Ximm (Quiet American) and Patrick McGinley (murmer/framework) have been long term proponents of creative uses of filed recordings and seem to have inspied many through their output. As the “field recording” bug spreads I suspect we may see ever more variations and mutations on what this is about. As for listening to field recordings it’s a fertile matter for another post.

I produced a framework afield radio show based on some of my recordings in Nodar during my residency there. This show was broadcast live on Resonance FM in London on Sunday June 8th, 2008. I have now made the show will also be available to listen to:

Framework afield – field recordings from Nodar

/*framework*/ – phonography / field recording; contextual and decontextualized sound activity presented by patrick mcginley

/*framework*/ broadcasts sundays on *resonance104.4fm* in london (uk) or worldwide on http://www.resonancefm.com from 10-11pm gmt

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Also, my Location Sound Films project was recently mentioned on the Networked Music Review site.