9 mins. 8- and 24-channel diffusion. German work in the Radio Series – ZKM commission for the ARD Hörspiel Tagen Festival

Programme note: This composition is the second in  the composer’s Radio Series. Each work is based on the radio in a particular country. Like many recent works, these pieces focus on recycling sounds (also known as appropriation, plundering, sampling, etc.). All works in this series use diverse broadcast recordings covering very few days as source material. Other than on one or two occasions in each piece, all sounds are presented in their original state. The role chosen is simply to re-compose this sound material. For those familiar with the given nation’s radio, familiar voices and logos can be heard. The piece works both at the level of heightened listening – understanding every word spoken if that is what you wish to pay attention to – and reduced listening – catching the occasional phrase, but listening to the work as organised sound. The pieces seek to take the known, tilt it ever so slightly and re-present it as a sound-based artwork. They are intended to celebrate common as well as distinctly different cultural characteristics of our broadcast worlds. Humour is one of the works’ key elements. As far as copyright is concerned… don’t ask. ‘Radio-aktiv’ was commissioned by the ZKM in Karlruhe for the 2011 ARD Hörspiel Tagen (national radio play festival). Thanks to Ludger Brümmer for commissioning the piece and recording the huge diversity of broadcasts as well as introducing me to composing space at ZKM’s Klangdom. Translation video – Andrew Hill.