a stone widens it, by Charmaine Lee

a stone widens it

by Charmaine Lee

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acousmatix CL does it again! This time with the landscape as her collaborators. Vocal contours flicker, pop, and capture an ecology of fragment snapshots, leaving a sweet after burn that warrants repeated listening. Favorite track: congealed (for cg).

Lukas Papenfusscline Another stunning album from a pioneer of vox and noise. Just like its companion art piece, this work exists somewhere between the animate and inanimate; the detailed natural voice paired with deeply considered effects & editing transports you up hudson to the mountains.

listen to ooom(dot) with your eyes closed, you might as well be a stone in the river as water and wind rush around you. Favorite track: ooom(dot).

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1.	enceladus 01:19
2.	congealed (for cg) 01:37
3.	erin's veil 00:58	buy track
4.	x-clams 01:31
5.	slater 00:52
6.	ooom(dot) 01:37
7.	a stone widens it 01:41
8.	u tried 01:10
9.	as is 00:59

about

Note: A limited 7" lathe cut is available as part of a bundle purchase release by Wendy's Subway for Martha's work: www.wendyssubway.com/publishing/titles/a-stone-widens-it

Earlier this summer, artist Martha Tuttle and poet Gabe Kruis invited me to perform at Martha's installation at Storm King Art Center in New Windsor, NY. Storm King has been close to my heart since I first moved to New York and I was thrilled at the opportunity.

Martha’s work, “A stone that thinks of Enceladus” is an 8-acre installation made of 200 hand-crafted glass and marble stones on top of and around large boulders from Storm King’s site. The work addresses the historical practice of mapping, as well as the search for emotional and physical meaning within a landscape.

Due to health restrictions, a live performance was not possible. Instead, we considered other ways for me to engage with the installation, with the leading question in mind: how can one capture the essence of a space?

When I went up to the site in July, I felt an immediate connection and clarity with Martha's work and the site. The installation site is situated in a complex sound environment in a valley framed by the I-87 NY Thruway, the distant Schunemunk Mountain, and the tree-lined Bunny Road. There is a noticeable presence of bird and bug activity, including a swarm of giant ground hornets which readily attack bees in close proximity. I was struck by the ways that Martha's work felt both of the space and distinct from it, and how her writing on the accompanying sign (of which I sample in the title track) set a pointed tone for the work. Given the complexities of the sonic, tactile, and emotional sensibilities present in Martha's installation, I decided to create a set of short pieces (which I’m fondly calling 'miniatures'). Together with Storm King, we decided that the album can be played as part of the Audio Guide on site, as well as on the exhibition website for those without access to the space.

All field recording material, including some vocal samples, were taken on site. Each track includes an image that I took of the work and surrounding environment. This project has been a guiding force for creativity during an intensely reflective summer and I am grateful to Martha, Gabe, and Storm King for the opportunity to share it with you 🪐✨

credits

released September 4, 2020

Charmaine Lee, voice, electronics, field recordings, composition, images
Track 7 words by Martha Tuttle

Special thanks to:
Martha Tuttle, www.marthatuttle.com
Gabe Kruis, www.2009-2019.poetryproject.org/people/gabriel-kruis/
Storm King Art Center, www.stormking.org
Chris Goudreau, chrisgoudreau.bandcamp.com

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about

Charmaine Lee New York, New York

Charmaine Lee is a New York-based vocalist. Her music is predominantly improvised, favoring a uniquely personal approach to vocal expression concerned with spontaneity, playfulness, and risk-taking. Beyond extended vocal technique, Charmaine uses amplification, feedback, and microphones to augment and distort the voice.

www.charmainelee.com ... more

discography

KNVF

Mar 2021
a stone widens it

Sep 2020
Ones

May 2020
Ggggg

Apr 2018

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