chm. three - field recordings

"Laughing Waters is a swimming hole located in Eltham. The surrounding native bushland and running water make it home to an array of species. The area provides a rare sense of isolation within close proximity to the city. Water and the sounds it produces have fascinated me for some time, in many cases, it has been constant for thousands of years, but manages to never repeat itself through an alluring rhythmic and tonal variety. This constant flow is complimented by the calls of birds and the trees whispering as the wind brushes past. Mother nature is an astounding orchestrator and listening in a space such as Laughing Waters highlights her mastery. 

The longer you sit still, the more the birds will sing."

Photo by Lauren Mitchell

chm. three - ben green

Dolphin vocalisations recorded in the Tasman National Park off the eastern coast of Tasmania. These recordings were captured from a boat with an A/B spaced pair of omnidirectional hydrophones. 

"Dolphins use echolocation to “see” objects underwater by producing high-frequency clicks and interpreting the echoes that return to them. They have complex social lives and modes of communication that are not fully understood by humans. This pod was curious about our hydrophones and decided to investigate, targeting them directly with clicks of surprising depth and variety.

Special thanks to Damo from Wild Ocean Tasmania."

chm. three - okeg

Footscray Field Recording 

Walking the main streets of Footscray is a visceral pleasure. It’s a melting pot of cultures that coexist in close quarters; Vietnamese, Chinese, Sudanese, Italian and Greek to name just a few. There’s definitely been periods when these cultures clash but for the most part, it’s a relatively harmonious melange.  Evidently, the area has also given way to elements of gentrification in the last decade (what inner-Melbourne suburb hasn’t?). Despite these tensions, one only needs to do a lap of Footscray market or Barkley Square to be convinced; there is an authenticity to this hub in the west that is greater than the sum of its parts. Every day we are told such diversity shouldn’t ‘work’- politically, socially, culturally… and yet it does, with vibrancy and flair. 

This is not to exoticize Footscray. Vibrancy and flair exists because of the people who come from disparate parts of the world simply living; shopping, running errands, eating lunch with family, friends and co-workers. It is this living which we tried to capture on a Zoom H6 handheld recorder and used as our primary inspiration for our collaboration.

chm. three - grace ferguson & jack burton

This field recording was provided by Alex and was taken on a day out in Healesville together with Sean Labrooy.

"We used the sounds of the environment as inspiration for our improvisational works. Throughout the piece, you can hear the sounds of the strawberry workers and the bell minor birds in the background. It was a rich audio soundscape."

chm. three - alex albrecht

This field recording was provided by Tom and Liam and was taken at Barrington Tops National Park in NSW.

"Barrington Tops National Park is the traditional land of a number of Aboriginal groups including the Worimi and Biripi people, the Gringai clan of the Worimi people and Wonnarua people. A few years ago now we were lucky enough to spend some time with friends on this land. It was a rejuvenating and healing time, and one that's impacts have continued to be felt to this day. The recording was taken from inside our tent one morning on the banks of the Allyn River. It starts with a sweet melody of bird calls which gradually grows to become a cacophony of various insects, birds and the river beside us."

chm. three - field recordings

chomley