Dallas Simpson 'Sonic Bathing 1'
(Binaural performances by Dallas Simpson) 7.95

3D recordings for headphone listening.

Tracklist and MP3s
1. Abha
2. Waterpump (Aquapump) [Hi-Fi]
3. Bryer, Rushy Bay [Hi-Fi]
4. Bottle Disposal [Hi-Fi]

Lo-fi not available for this release - binaural does not work in lo-fi. The final CD also works much better than the Hi-fi MP3s above. You have to buy the real thing to hear it in full effect!

Totally unique recordings and performances from Dallas Simpson. Featuring tracks originally released on the hard to find Em:t 1197 and 2296 compilations.

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Release Notes

abha
abha presents a natural soundscape narrative full of complex symbolism and metaphor alluding to a spiritual journey. For example, the passage of traffic at the opening of the work, if viewed above the listener, describes the mathematical symbol "pi" - a constant relating to the radius and circumference of a two dimensional circle. At the end of the work we are presented with a bouncing ball - a symbolic sphere, so the result of the journey represents an increase in dimensionality, from two dimensional to three dimensional, from physical to spiritual...

Recorded over a period of about nine months in 1995/6, these were among my first experiments using in-ear binaural recording techniques. The sub miniature microphones cost under £2.00 each at the time and the complete microphone rig was custom designed and hand built by myself, including a stabilised phantom power supply for the microphones. The recording was direct onto a Sony D7 DAT.

Inside booklet design

aquapump (waterpump)
The correct title for this piece is "aquapump", which has an obvious resonance with "abha". Sadly the piece was always referred to as "waterpump" in Time Recording and the name stuck! Originally released as waterpump on EMIT 1197

Recorded in Shining Cliff Woods, Ambergate, Derbyshire, May 29th 1996. The juxtaposition of the water pressure powered pump buried in the woodland undergrowth and the natural ambience was simply sublime. Includes some subtle improvisation on the loose concrete lid of the pump housing, which I stood on for part of the recording.

Recorded with the same microphone / DAT rig as abha.

Bottledisposal
Developed from a series of works entitled "The Stonevandal Suite", where stone throwing and other mildly violent activity provides the sonic impulses to illuminate the acoustic of the environment and to reveal its characteristics, this work extends the performance into the realm of ethical behaviour. A disposed plastic bottle is first used to reveal the acoustic of a blue brick stairwell under a railway viaduct in the Broadmarsh area of Nottingham. At the end of the work the bottle is appropriately disposed of into a municipal skip.

Recorded using DPA 4060 microphones into a Sony D7 DAT.

All recordings use custom binaural techniques optimised for headphone
listening.

Photographs : dallas simpson

DS. October 2004.

Artwork: Stuart Tolley

Order from our shop (select 'Music by Record Label > FARFIELD Records')