Fluidity in medium and in movement,  shapeshifting and amorphous, three dancers journey from the depths to the surface.

 

They transition between five different states on their trajectory upwards. The bodies fluctuating fluidly between submission to the medium and resisting it, the water soon gives way to to the life within it, embodying the aqueous force they blend and morph towards the other side of the surface.

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A collaboration between Joel Cahen and Shaymaa Shoukry as part of New Conversations, a commissioned by Farnham Malting in the UK and Orient Productions, Cairo.  Watch trailer >>>>

Anthropogenic underwater noise is destroying marine life, biodiversity and contributes to climate change. 

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Sonar, underwater drilling, fracking, shipping lines are all contributing to the soundscape of the oceans. Due to poor visibility underwater, all marine life rely on echo-location to feed, mate and navigate the waters. When these sound environments are scrambled by noise pollution this has dire effects.

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This sound programme immerses the audience in the soundscapes of the oceans, feeling the physical urgency for quieter seas.

Inspired by JG Ballard's book of the same name, The Drowned World was commissioned by Essex Book Fair in Feb 2020. 

 

Music was created and performed by: Chris Adams, Joel Cahen, Frazer Merrick and Andrew Wright

 

Visuals by SDNA

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Review by The Guardian

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"I feel as though I’m assisting at the birth of a new art form."

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The music at Wet Sounds is composed and played by Joel Cahen through a multichannel speaker setup above and below the water surface. Music splits between the two areas

 

some of the material has been released on Aquadelique in Oct 2018 by Adaadat Records (CD/Vinyl/DL) Listen on Bandcamp

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AQUADELIQUE ALBUM REVIEWS

Toneshift: it’s sculpted into a far-out abstraction that is quite rare – an enjoyable and challenging listen.... Turn it up!

Freq:  There is a gauzy, gently distorted feel that is unlike how we normally experience sound.

Fear and Loathing: This is Psychedelia without the drugs, or Prog without the pretensions. Taking music forward to a place where you feel it rather than just hear it.... if you can open yourself to the possibilities, this album is going to give you a whole new perspective. It doesn’t rock, it doesn’t roll, but it moves in all the right directions.  

Wet Sounds presented performances above and below the water surface by:

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MEGAN BROADMEADOW

LOUIS CLEMENT DA COSTA

KARLEE NAUMANN

ROSIE SHEB'A

RHIANNON STYLES

PEARL TASSELL

Video projections and lighting design that compliments the pool architecture to transform the space from a sports venue to a surreal environment that enhances the immersion of the listener.

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SDNA

Rod Machlachlan 

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The following musicians played live at Wet Sounds.

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(in alphabetical order)

MAGNAR AM, ATARIAME, KURT BOLIANATZ, GRAHAM BOWERS, BROOD MA, NEIL CAMPBELL, MIRA CALIX,  ERIC LA CASA, CITY SHANTY BAND, CLUSTER, BEATRICE DILLON, DOPPLEREFFEKT, DJ STINGRAY, ESPEN SOMER EIDE, AUDUNN ERIKSEN, JOE GILMORE, ANDERS GJERDE, GROUPER, TOM HAINES, PIERRE HENRY, REBECCA HORROX, PHIL JULIAN, ARIEL KALMA, KEMIALLISET YSTAVAT, ARNFINN KILLINGTVEIT, MATTHIAS KISPERT, HERMAN KOLGEN, LINA LAPELYTE, LARAAJI, LEAFCUTTER JOHN, ANDREW LEWIS, ANDREW LILES, FRANCISCO LOPEZ, ADRIAN MOORE, NURSE WITH WOUND, ANDREA PARKER, PAL ASLE PETERSEN, FRANK PERRY, LORENZO SENNI, AMIR SHOAT, SONIC BOOM, J MILO TAYLOR,  STEFANO TEDESCO, MARIA TERIAEVA, ERNESTO TOMASSINI, UNICAZURN, MAIA URSTAD, DMITRI USTINOV, SASHA VINOGRADOVA, SIMON WHETHAM, JANA WINDEREN, Z'EV, ZOVIET:FRANCE

Wet Sounds presented curated galleries of works made for underwater listening by a selected musicians.

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A selection of these works were released on a CD available to purchase for £10

here

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Includes music by:

Robin Edwards, Sam Salem, Michael McLoughlin, Eric de Luca, Slavek Kwi, Hildegard Westerkamp, Luthnahimat, Tomoko Sauvage, John Wynne, Paul Rudy, Yoshi Shinagawa, Rebecca Horrox, Joel Cahen