Partly inspired by Lucier and Reich I intend to use the beats and pulses picked up by the soma ether and phase them slightly. Though Lucier played with the acoustic phenomena, I think the ether creates a similar effect. In the inbetween as you point from one source to another the two drone like signals interfere and create a feedback almost like beating. With the original track in one ear and the phased in the other albeit in an incomplete and rudimentary way compared to Reich, a semi binaural effect occurs where the ticking, beeping, pulsing feel as though they rush through the head or fight each other from each side. Coincindentally, in the more active moments of the soma’s tones the snarling and ricocheting sound reminicent of parts of Stockhausen’s seminal ‘Kontakte’.
However the other psychoacoustic sensation I am inspired by is the ‘Aftersound’. I have always liked songs that end abruptly for example ‘my angel’ by Adrianne Lenker where you are forced aware and suddenly made to confront the sublime simplicity and pure beauty of the song and whole album as it’s the last track. Her heartfelt voice and peaceful guitar reverberate in your mind in only the same way as the buzzing silence before applause at a concert. Though the aftersound is not limited to abruptness and endings (in class we listened to how a singing bowl lasts seemingly forever until you yourself disengage – another link to meditation) I want to use that kind of ending in my piece. It would however, manifest in completely the opposite way to Lenker. Rather than the sublime beauty echoing through the head you would be dealing with the raw, static aftershocks of the ether’s noise.