MATILDE MEIRELES

Slieve Gullion is renowned as an area of natural beauty, but what does it sound like? Over a six-month period, we recorded the sounds around the mountain: from foot to summit. Using surround recording techniques and a variety of microphones, we captured the dawn chorus, forest winds, farm animals, streams, and sounds from within the mountain-top cairn and lake. In this way, we could explore unique sounds and spaces that make up the area. We also recorded sounds inaudible to the human ear, such as atmospheric activity using a VLF antenna and underwater sounds with a hydrophone. The combined recordings resulted in a 60-minute surround-sound audio experience that takes the listener on a journey around Slieve Gullion and draws from the rich tapestry of its sonic environment.

Belfast Lough

Digital release

Funded by the Arts Council Northern Ireland

47 mins. longform composition using field recordings

2017

Belfast Lough is an environmentally informed project that uses field recordings from urban and rural locations around the Belfast Lough area, Northern Ireland. The work has been composed to take advantage of the unique immersive audio possibilities of the Sonic Lab, Sonic Arts Research Centre, Queen’s University Belfast.

Recorded locations: Carrickfergus, Jordanstown, Belfast Harbour, Window on Wildlife Centre – RSPB Belfast, Botanic train station, Belfast Central train station, Victoria Park, Holywood, Cultra.