Saturday, January 1, 2011

Stephen P. McGreevy - Electric Enigma: The VLF Recordings of Stephen P. McGreevy






"...pure, natural beauty a must listen for anyone interested in minimalism and science."
"...digital glitch electronics maybe in fashion at the moment, but this release shows how nature is always one step ahead."
"...ambient noise that verges on the enchanting, but is actually created by natural conditions. Amazing stuff."


Electric Enigma is a double album on which California-based artist Stephen P. McGreevy has documented recordings he made of Natural Radio - electromagnetic emissions in the very-low-frequency band caused by massive discharges and their after-effects in lightning storms and by the solar wind buffeting the earth's magnetic field, visible as Aurora Borealis and Australis. It would normally take long wires to pick up these emissions, which would hamper the mobility of a listener or recordist.

McGreevy developed a portable receiver with a whip antenna, allowing him to travel to places with optimal recording conditions - that is, anywhere in temperate to polar zones, but away from urban settlement and power cables. He further improved the unit by transforming it from a hand-held device to one that he could mount on his camper, so that he did not need to brave adverse weather conditions in order to make his recordings. The material on Electric Enigma was all recorded with the newer design.

There's more information in the PDF booklet included with this double CD release.


http://www.archive.org/details/ird062

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