Puzzle Wood

Barrett, Natasha

The term acousmatic sound refers to sound that you hear, but cannot see the origin of. Natasha Barrett’s intention is that the removal of visual information frees the listener’s ‘audio-fantasy.’ A master in electroacoustic music and digital sound manipulation, Barrett leaves few traces of familiar sounds or instruments in her music, although the audio sources often are acoustic. For the Ultima Festival, Barrett premiered the commission ‘Involuntary Expression’ under the heading “We’re surrounded! Electroacoustic works specially created for 24-speaker systems.” Here, she is presented along with 85 year-old avant-garde legend Eliane Radigue and improvisational and electrojazz musician Hilde Marie Holsen. The title Puzzle Wood refers to a forest in Gloucestershire, England, where Barrett grew up, and also gives name to this album’s key track, and oldest composition. The technology available at the time in 1994 did not suffice in creating what Barrett viewed as a representative master. Hence, this is the first time the piece is now available in an edition which brings forth musically important elements lost in the original version.

Price: $27.98