Rain Beast by Charles Harding

These recordings were partially collected in the unceded lands of the Wolastoqiyik, Mi’kmaq, and Passamaquoddy peoples also known as the Wabanaki Confederacy, including what is now known as New Brunswick. This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship” that did not deal with the surrender of lands and resources but rather recognized Passamaquoddy, Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik titles. Some recordings were also collected in Tiohti:áke/Mooniyang/Montréal of which the Kanien’kehá:ka Nation is recognized as the custodians of these lands and waters.

Rain Beast is a collage of field recordings collected in New Brunswick and Montréal between 2018 and 2021. As part of a greater meditation on connecting technological mediums in artistic practice to notions of Anthropocene, this collection reflects upon the dissonances of nature and industry in the south of NB and some of the prominent soundmarks that relate to this theme. This collection is intended to address some of the nostalgias and issues of an audience local to this province, as well as to present an auditory picture to more distanced audiences, whose perspectives can be abstracted, building imaginative scenes from the sounds on display. Inspiration for these pieces comes from the repertoires of artists such as Hildegard Westerkamp, Barry Truax, and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Many of the techniques and themes were guided through studying The World Soundscape Project, ideas surrounding deep listening from Pauline Oliveros, and theories of Auditory Scene Analysis from Albert Bregman. My hope for this work is that those who engage with it may find themselves inspired to listen deeply to the world, in many modes, with malleable perspectives, and to remember that we are very much a part of the family of nature.

Putting a tone against a beat against a noise. It's all poetry and storytelling for the ears.

Releases by Counting on Downstairs along with other artists on similar trajectories as Patient Records.

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