Darren McClure ~ The Black Kite

The black kite is a raptor.  Yes, just like the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park.  Fish, bats, smaller birds and *cough* roadkill and garbage are their chosen prey ~ the latter “victims” have earned the species the cruel nickname “shite-hawk”.  But look at the bird below and you’ll see that it’s actually kinda cute, and sounds a bit like a mewing cat.  Black kite, black cat?  A black cat might think of attacking a black kite, but it would be sorry.

Darren McClure lives near the Naraigawa River in Japan and often sees and hears the kites on his daily walks.  They inhabit his piece of the same name as well, and one can imagine them foraging in the fields outside his studio or calling to each other from the trees.  The incorporation of field recordings throughout the piece makes this one of the most evocative of the Birds of a Feather series to date, and with this release, the series seems poised to top the well-received 10-part Rivers Home series in terms of variety and impact.  The irony is that it also contains the sound of a river, the very first sound we hear.  It’s wonderful to see the setting established so early, before the characters are introduced; one can imagine the inspiration of the recording, as well as the appeal.

At first, McClure’s music is secondary to the big picture, then complementary, and finally the main story.  The artist’s humility – kites first, myself second – helps the listener to appreciate his humility in the presence of nature’s predator.  McClure respects the physical environment of the black kite in the recording in the same way as he respects the kite’s physical environment at home.  A series of chime tones repeats like a mating call; drones extend like wind; meandering notes sparkle like sun on dew.

McClure chooses to express the beauty of the creature rather than the scavenging aspect, which is only fair considering the bad reputation the poor bird has received.  Those who hear this recording may revamp their impressions of the black kite, a high complement to the noble species.  (Richard Allen)

Available here