No Translation - Inner Distance (2021)

No Translation is Emma Palm, a Joshua Tree based artist who uses field recordings, vocals and synths to create personal and meditative soundscapes. Inner Distance will be Palm’s full-length debut on Pure Person Press.

It has been 4 years since Palm has last seen her mother. Palm’s mother, who struggles with Paranoia and Bipolar Disorder currently lives in Taiwan. After being estranged for years, their relationship began again over the phone during the Pandemic. Soon, to learn more about each other, they started sending each other field recordings:

“The last time I saw my mom was also the last time I was in Taiwan. I miss both my mom and Taiwan. I would hear her voice through our calls, but I wanted to feel closer. One time, she took a trip to mingchih forest in Taiwan and made a recording of a chorus of frogs and bugs at night. She was telling me about how beautiful it was on the phone and mentioned that she made a recording. I asked her to send it to me. I loved hearing something that she experienced, enjoyed, and had a personal moment with. Those are moments when I start recording sounds too. It made me feel like I was sharing that intimate moment with her.”

The tracks on Inner Distance often sound like memories fading in and out of clarity. Almost every track contains recordings of both Palm and her mother. By combining the sounds of their respective worlds, she has created a moment where the two can coexist regardless of distance.

This album is a gift for Palm’s mother: a healing space where the bold sun of Joshua Tree can reach the city lights of Taipei. Please listen and enjoy this intimate offering on Pure Pure Press.