electroacoustic composer

“…I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had an underlying truth.”
                                       Umberto Eco

On one level Cipher explores a range of sound material associated with cryptography in a literal sense. Through the use of morse code rhythms, implied mechanisms and electrical sparks, there are references to early mechanical devices built for code making and breaking purposes, in particular the Enigma encryption machine used during World War II.  However, conceptually an aim was to weave these sounds together, with elements continually being revealed, obscured, repeated or interrupted, as is possible in the transmission of any code.  Over the course of the piece, broken elements gradually merge to reveal voices, at first fragmented, but which accumulate to a moment of full exposure at the climax of the work. However, even at this point, the voice is not fully intelligible and it is only for a brief moment at the conclusion of the work that understandable words are revealed.

The original sound material was gathered from a variety of sources and includes morse code, a typewriter, small mechanical parts and glass fragments.  In addition, much of what might seem mechanical or ‘glitch’ to the listener may be derived from recordings of extended vocal techniques, performed by Sarah Alexander.

Cipher was composed in the studios of the Center for Experimental Music and Intermedia (CEMI), University of North Texas, whilst undertaking a Bourges Residency. With thanks to Andrew May for allowing me to borrow his beautiful typewriter (pictured).

Excerpt from Cipher: