Steve Roden — Transmissions(voices of objects and Skies)
Original conceived for an art exhibition inspired by astronaut John Glenn’s first transmission from space at the fresno metropolitan museum in Los Angeles. It consist of one 37 minute long track, that slowly revolves towards you out of the darkness then slides back out into darkness once more in it’s last few moments. It’s never threatening or sinister, it’s deeply soothing and relaxing, consisting of one main breathing like series of melodic drones, from which Roden builds on Morse code like blips, whirling & whispered dialogue, 50’s space craft like swirls and hovers of sound and all manner of shifting and soothing tone detail. At around the twenty minute mark he introduce this wonderful child-like cum African plans drift melodic pipe organ like tone, that he builds wonderful soothing and quirky detail into. All of the sounds where created from recordings made by amature astronomers from the 1960’s to the 1990’s, then Roden played them back though a series of small speakers and manipulated there patterns and texture.
Though out the piece Roden keeps your attention with its beautiful melodic spacey drones and developing sound maps. A highly rewarding, detailed, playful and stress releasing long form sound work, that invites you back for often replays. To find out more about Mr Roden's work go to here