Mark Harris - In the Forests the Animals Are Moving (2015)

2015 release from UK sound and visual artist Mark Harris. The genesis and first initial recording of In The Forests The Animals Are Moving began in early 2014, with a series of experiments with modular synthesis processes mimicking the harmonic properties of bell tones. As I proceeded, I became more interested in the harmonic properties of bell tones, and as I work primarily an improviser I would improvise short compositions which I would then make into "mix tapes" which I would listen to more or less constantly whist doing the day job and had as background audio at home. Gradually when I came back to my studio and improvised new compositions I found myself subconsciously reacting to previous work I had been listening to, these new pieces were then mixed down to new "mix tapes" which became new source material. So gradually, as the project proceeded I added other elements, live electronics, field recording and some heavily proceed prepared guitar all reacting to those initial improvisations and gradually over a year and a half's work the piece which became In The Forest The Animals Are Moving took shape. As for the title, as I mentioned I spent a long period just listening to these original "bell improvisations" and these had obviously wormed there way into my subconscious as I had a recurring dreams over the period of time working on the project of being alone in a forest at night and hearing a single repeated bell which I used orientate myself to find my way home and avoid the wild animals that I could hear moving around unseen in the forest... I hope the listener catches some of that mood. Mark Harris.