strange strangers is one of six cassettes being released this week as part of Vertical Music’s final (double) batch. The series has been a labor of love for Ludwig Berger, best known on these pages for Melting Landscapes. The Vertical Music series has expanded from field recordings to ambient and experimental music, and the fifteen tapes look amazing placed end to end, as seen above.
pablo sanz‘ entry was recorded in the forests and rivers of Amanã and Mamirauá. The title implies an “otherness” to the sounds, whether they be created by creatures or nature. This is apparent right away, as the first character to come to the foreground sounds like a bleating lamb but is more likely a flirting bird, an inebriated warthog, a laughing frog or some other species unknown. Soon there seem to be more than one of whatever “this” is, before the creature dashes away to amuse other listeners. Whatever it is, it’s delightfully weird.
The same holds true for the other creatures who contribute to this rich biophany. Without a map, a photo or a glossary, they are indeed strange strangers. We don’t dream about these beings in our philosophy; we speculate about them in science fiction. And yet they are real, although it’s likely many are endangered. Could that first creature have been a pink river dolphin? Are capybaras making those high-pitched squeaks? Are the potoos hiding? Would we even hear the glass frog? What’s making the chuffing noise in the seventh minute? Who’s imitating a squeaky toy in the eighth? The Amazon is so rich in rare sounds, so aurally dense, that it cannot help but amaze.
The midsection offers a chance to get one’s bearings; we recognize the sound of a flowing river, a nearby woodpecker, some manner of cricket or cicada. While the opening explores otherness, this section celebrates commonality. Now when more of those strange strangers enter, they join a host of more familiar sounds, which may prompt listeners to think about the blessings of biodiversity. Compared to this, many of our local soundscapes are downright bland.
Night falls in the 22nd minute, bringing a tradeoff of species and sounds. The animals we’ve met are sleeping; their neighbors are emerging to feed, frolic and mate. From home, one is free to wonder at the deep-hued call of some strange beast without having to worry about being eaten; and fortunately we know that sanz is okay, as he returned safely to release this cassette. Flipping the script, one wonders what the creatures felt about him, and whether some of these sounds, if translated, might mean Is it threat or food? How does its blood taste? Anyone want to get near this two-legged thing? To the residents of Amanã and Mamirauá, we are the strange stranger.
Be sure to check out the other five cassettes in this week’s double batch release; it’s been a fun run for Vertical Music, and we’re sorry to see them go, but they’ve given us a great wealth of sounds in an all-too-brief time. (Richard Allen)
a closer listen 