Sonic Ruptures: Elemental Shapings, Sound Forest and Urban Voices

RESEARCH BACKGROUND: 'Sonic Rupture' is a sound work commissioned by The Creative Audio Unit of ABC Radio National for the program 'SoundProof'. It was nationally broadcast over three episodes (Elemental Shapings, Sound Forests, Urban Voices) on the 9th, 16th and 23th December 2016. The work creatively recounts an international field trip through USA, the UK and Europe during which multiple sound installations, and their creators, were visited and documented with high quality sound recordings, forming the sonic material for the compositions. RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION: The work explores how sound installations discover new 'voices', specifically making international sonic locations available to audiences in a poetic, imaginative form. The textures and qualities of the original recordings are reworked through creative, radiophonic composition to form a unique sonic travel narrative. This contributes to SIAL Sound Studio's ambition to communicate the role that electroacoustic sound design plays in creating unique cultural-urban experiences. The work draws directly from Lacey's book 'Sonic Rupture' (Bloomsbury 2016) and contributes to his ongoing research at the interface of sonic arts and urban design, exploring artistic and conceptual developments in the field of sound studies. The work also evidences Harvey's spatial composition practice and ongoing research as an electroacoustic composer. RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is Australia's editorially independent, public broadcaster. ABC Radio National is a highly prestigious outlet which commissions projects through a competitive application process. As well as being nationally broadcast, a synopsis of each episode of the work was featured on the the ABC Radio National website.