Listening to our earth. Within recent weeks Ghost In The Loop (GITL) released a new album named Le Chant De La Glace. This multi-instrumentalist blends his musicality with high-quality recordings from nature. His album Le Chant De La Glace was recorded in the heart of the Final Glacier in Switzerland. His hydrophonic recordings represent movement and destruction taking place within the glaciers. A beautiful trajectory to his sound art.
Not only does his work represent the bigger picture behind global warming and the destruction of planet Earth – its creates intricate and beautiful sonic soundscapes.
I find the contrast of narrative and sound such an inspiring pair. His contextual message behind the piece provides us with first-hand sonic evidence of our planet melting and dying – yet the synthesised sounds and overall music are so meditative and calming. This prayerful-like sound completely juxtaposes the premise of the piece – however, its sonic structure leaves you space to reflect and enhances you to ponder on the idea of where this piece came from. Its meditative influence helps a listener contemplate upon the issues in their own way.
Overall I believe his work is a thing of beauty – not only has it inspired me to go and use hydrophobic recordings, it has encouraged me to listen more to our Earth. Since moving to London from the countryside, I have noticed that my being of art has solely focussed on Politics and Society. One could argue that this is a natural transition due to the lack of nature we have surrounding us in the city. However, this piece has moved me to look beyond this and back into the realm of nature and our Planet. I hope to listen more to nature and it’s natural vibrations and movement. Something that may not necessarily be heard in daily life but can be when you explore deeper.
Finally, GILT’s work has helped me recognise that the end result does not always have to directly mirror the message or feeling behind the piece. His angelic musicality contrastingly merged with a darker message and recordings left space for reflection. Showing the beauty of nature whilst also giving you space to think about the effects and causes of global warming. I hope to mirror this juxtaposing style within my own work.