THE FOLKL0RE OF PL4NTS (2017)

Works by 31 artists comprise this fructuous, conceptual compilation:  "Flora Britannica, the matter of Britain. This island’s plants clothe the landscape, characterising the country, lending it colour, scent and texture. They also colour the human imagination, suffusing it with a heady pharmacopoeia of mythic legends, local tales and magical lore."

Short pieces: meditative, pastoral, elemental, summery. Highlights include J. Bonnetta, Paper Dollhouse, Sam McLoughlin, Bridget Hayden, Dean McPhee, Modern Studies among many.

Midsummer's eve potions and poisons....

BIRD S0NGS IN Y0UR GARDEN (1961)

We've been inside, staying out of the sun and in the office. This doesn't mean our minds are not on those lounge chairs in the back yard. Professor Peter Paul Kellogg--renowned orthithologist and parabolic microphone innovator--carefully and crisply recorded these chirps and songs, while his mentor at Cornell University, Arthur A. Allen, provides the narration/ bird identification (side two is narration free). This project was also produced by the Houghton Mifflin Co. and the Federation of Ontario Naturalists in later 1963 editions, for those who care.

It's been awhile since we played and posted some unproduced nature sounds...dream it here.

V1DNA 0BMANA - S0UNDTRACK FOR THE AQUAR1UM (2001)

Swimming in rivers and oceans. Dreaming the life aquatic. In the early 1990s, Antwerp Zoo commissioned a series of soundtracks for their aquarium--atmospheric, watery and otherworldly sounds from two local Belgian acts, V.Obmana (D. Serries) and industrial-ambient-tribal band Hybryds. While the Zoo put out a sampling under their own imprimatur in 1993, today we present both works in their full-album formats.

Here is Vidna's collected recordings, compositions and field recordings (remastered) including a live performance from 1993.

So gentle, dreamy and...wet

HYBRYDS - S0UNDTRACK F0R THE AQUAR1UM (1995)

While you could safely play Vidna's album for your infant children and ensure a gentle night's sleep, the offering from Hybryds is a more haunting, brooding affair. Also rich with field recordings, these works bubble and froth with the sounds of the dark and the deep.

Submerge yourself in it...

TUCKER M4RT1NE - BR0KEN-HEARTED DR4G0NFL1ES (2004)

Subtitle: Insect Electronica from Southeast Asia

Comes with the note:
"Dragonflies, cicadas, and all other insects recorded in Thailand, Burma and Laos.... These recordings were not processed, the insects actually sound like this!"

(For more insect music, we have Cicada Dream Band by P. Oliveros and D. Rothenberg here)

D0UGLAS QU1N - ANTARCT1CA (1998)

"Bernie Krause presents" this wonderful follow-up to the producer's own recordings in Alaska (here). Recorded primarily in the Ross Dependency of the southernmost continent, this album is comprised of faunal vocalizations that would put any sound poet to shame and "deep" elemental field recordings that outpace the most trance-inducing, deep-listening electronic composition.

Another brilliant album of nature sound from Miramar's "Wild Sanctuary."

PAUL1NE OLIVER0S, DAVID R0THENBERG, TIM0THY H1LL ‎– C1CADA DREAM BAND (2014)

Absolutely beautiful...

"2013 marked the arrival of millions of periodical cicadas to the New York Metropolitan area. These musical insects appear only once every seventeen years. On the occasion of this auspicious event, Rothenberg performed a series of concerts together with composer and deep listener Oliveros, overtone singer Hill, and live singing insects brought in from the trees. The ensemble of digital accordion, clarinets with electronically enhanced nature sounds, and harmonic singing is certainly a trio unlike anything heard before."

Dream it...

ANN CHASE - A CHANT F0R Y0UR PLANTS (1976)

To ring in the New Year, here are four albums celebrating growth and renewal: music for and-- in the last case--from plantlife. This one comes from the enigmatic Ann Chase, who wrote the chant in question, as well as produced the project. This is an adaptation of Satie's Trois Gymnopedies, set to flute, guitar, and narration.

An attempt at a dreamtrack for house plants.

M0RT GARS0N - M0THER EARTH'S PLANT4S1A (1976)

The original release of this new age masterwork in the music-for-plants genre included a booklet on plant care and nourishment. I'd love to see the research on the successes or failures of music as it relates to plant growth, but this album has me believing. Much like D. Teie's groundbreaking music for cats (although I would think with far less research, and certainly far less evidence--check out the vids), this album takes up the question of human music for non-humans, a dream of sorts in itself.

Tendrils and rhizomes....

J0ËL FAJERM4N - LA AVENTURA DE LAS PLANTAS (1982)

A garage sale find from the mid 90s--a Spanish CD reissue of the original French titled release. This is a leftfield electro soundtrack for a TV series on fauna, a solo production by this composer and keyboard/synth player. Filled with what sound like sonic nods to his fellow countryman, Jarre, the Younger. Only more--you may have guessed it--organic somehow.

Not sure what plants would think about this, but it may help you dream about them.

S0UNDS OF THE TR0P1CAL RAINF0REST (1989)

Best to end the post with the ecosystem speaking for itself, another nature recording on repeat at OWOD. "Gentle Persuasion" according to the cover. Indeed. No info on field recording artist.
From CD.

Dream...

BERN1E KRAUSE - WH4LES, W0LVES & EAGLES OF GLAC1ER BAY (1998)

A meditative and somewhat harrowing series of field recordings from a legend in the métier of sound. A short-term member of The Weavers with Pete Seeger, Bernie would become an innovator in electronic music, nature recordings and the emergent field of sound ecology. He would make the influential Nonesuch Guide to Electronic Music educational album in '67, and went on to record Moog and other synths on sessions for The Doors, George Harrison, and Stevie Wonder. He provided sound to Rosemary's Baby and Apocalypse Now, among many others. He went on to make dozens of nature recordings, of which this is one of my dreamy favorites.

DAV1D TE1E - MUS1C F0R CATS VOLUME ONE (2016)

And on my cat's ipod this morning, the first three tracks of Teie's much anticipated, newly released album...composed, indeed, for the feline in your life. The feline is also you.

Dream, kitty...