S.A.D. Sounds – 1 (mix)

The joys of springtime usually get the most attention, but the season has a dark side, too: “Spring Fatique”.
The need to eat and to sleep more than usual, inexplicable mood changes, the difficulty to be able to concentrate, etc.

These feelings are not strictly limited to the spring season, however. Comparable feelings are also known in Winter and Fall. About 60% of all people will probably recognise these symptoms. About 2% suffer from the more serious “Seasonal Affective Disorder’ (S.A.D.), also known as ‘Winter Depression’.

The symptoms described can almost be heard in the strange soundscapes of this mix: not only in the titles of the tracks, but also in the atmosphere. Dark sounds, mostly, especially in the beginning. Luckily, the keynote of the pieces used gets lighter when time progresses: it is as if you hear the sun struggling to break through the sky.. Besides being an auditive impression of the tiredness of spring, this program may hopefully also be a remedy against it.

This mix was created in 2004.

The classic Peter Hammill track ‘The Birds’ in the beginning of Part 1 defines the theme:

‘Spring came far too early this year: Mayflowers blooming in February.
Should I be sad for the months, or glad for the sky?
The birds don’t know which way to sing, and, my friends, neither do I.’

(Part 2 of this mix can be found here)

VOORJAARSMOE – 1 Playlist:

• Echoes of Nature – Birdsong
  – Rainforest: The Natural Sounds, 1993, Delta 12251
• Peter Hammill – The Birds
  – The Love Songs, 1971, Virgin CAS 1166
• Dallas Simpson – Bottle Disposal
  – Binaural Performances, Farfield Records
• Falling You – Inside the Whale
  – internet download, 2000, MP3.com
• A Produce – Overground
  – Altara, 2001, MP3.com
• Einóma – Brot Undir
  – Feilnótum, 2002, Vertical Form VFORM019CD
• Biosphere – As the Sun Kissed the Horizon
  – Substrata (remastered), 2001, touch to:50
• Brian Eno & J. Peter Schwalm – Two Voices
  – Drawn from Life, 2001, Virgin Venture CDVEDJX954
• Aaron Ximm – Deep Creatures
  – The Quiet American, http://www.quietamerican.org
• Lull – Lonely Shelter
  – Cold Summer, 1995, Subharmonic, SD 7013
• Michel Redolfi – Crysalis
  – Deep Sleep – Detours, 1995, Mirage Musical Records
• Paul Schutze – Born by Clouds
  – Regard: Music by Film, 1997, Tone Casualties 610743971927
• Matthew Florianz – Duisternis
  – Sprook, 2003, H/S Recordings
• The Innocence Mission – No Storms Come
  – Befriended, 2003, Badman Recording
• Scott Smallwood – Debris
  – Desert Winds: Six Windblown Pieces, 2002, Deep Listening DL 17
• Deeplab Audioscapes – Chaak
  – Deeplab Audioscapes, 1999, mp3.com
• Brian Eno – Emphasizing Harmonic Partials
  – January 07003, Bell Studies for the Clock of the Long Now, 2003, Opal CD02
• Esa Ruoho – Departure (18-02-01)
  – Spaces, 2001, U-Cover 005
• Pete Namlook – Je Suis Triste et Seul Ici
  – Ambient Compilation 4, 1993, Fax +49-69/450464
• Michael Fahres – Mercury Sound Escape Shore
  – Hain, 1996, Trikont US-0232
• Vor der Flut – excerpt
  – Various Artists: Vor der Flut, Hommage an einem Wasserspeicher, EIGELSTEIN 2025/26
• Boxhead Ensemble – One
  – Quartets, 2003, Atavistic 567203
• Thomas Köner – Nuuk (Night)
  – Driftworks, 1997, Big Cat ABB1000CD
• Nils Petter Molvaer – Kakonita-Deathprod Mix
  – Recoloured, the remix album, 2001, Emarcy 013 591-2
• Biosphere – Poa Alpina
  – Substrata (remastered), 2001, Touch 2001
• Pete Namlook – Spring-from April to May
  – Seasons Greeting – Spring, Fax +49-69/450464 sea02
• Andy Mellwig – Coloured Grey
  – Various Artists – Modulation & Transformation 4, 1999, MP 061 3CD
• Dhafer Youssef – Diaphanes
  – Digital Prophecy, 2003, Sony CD / 22.04.03
• Alan Howarth – Interdimensional Vortex
  – Real Hollywood Sound Effects, 1997, GNP Crescendo 052824805422
• Cypher 7 – Falling Backwards
  – Security, 2001, Subharmonic SUB7017
• Brannan Lane – Relaxing Effect of Water
  – Relaxing Effects of Water, 2002, Brannanlane Music BLM503CD
• Greyworld – Studio 5
  – Sonic Boom, 2000, Hayward Gallery, ISBN 1-85332-208-3
• Hildegard Westerkamp – Beneath the Forest Floor
  – Transformations, 1996, Empreintes Digitales, IMED 9631
• A Silver Mt. Zion – For Wanda
  – He Has Left Us Alone…, 2000, Constellation #9
• Hildegard Westerkamp – Beneath the Forest Floor
  – Transformations, 1996, Empreintes Digitales, IMED 9631
• Michel Redolfi – Sons Frisson Cue 3
  – Sons Frisson, 1998, Private Collection
• Susumu Yokota – Beans
  – The Boy and the Tree, 2002, Leaf BAY25CD
• David Sylvian – Darkest Dreaming
  – Dead Bees on a Cake, 1999, Virgin CDV 2471

Peter Hammill – The Birds

Spring came far too early this year:
May flowers blooming in February.
Should I be sad for the months,
or glad for the sky?
The birds don’t know which way to sing and, my friends,
neither do I.

Two days ago, a girl I truly thought I loved
suddenly didn’t seem to matter at all.
Should I sing sad farewell to things
I’m really glad I’ve left behind?
The birds don’t know which way to sing and, my friends,
neither do I.

In another day, heavy snow will lie upon the ground,
and buds prematurely bloom shall fail;
And every creature living now, then will
surely die…
The birds don’t know which way to sing and, my friends,
neither do I.
The birds don’t know if it’s time yet to fly,
and they don’t know which way to go and, my friend,
neither do I.
Neither do I.
Neither do I.
Neither do I.

Innocence Mission – No Storms Come
adapted from a poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins
HEAVEN-HAVEN (a nun takes the veil)

I have desired to go
Where springs not fail,
To fields where flies no sharp and sided hail
And a few lilies blow.

And I have asked to be
Where no storms come,
Where the green swell is in the havens dumb,
And out of the swing of the sea.

David Sylvian – Darkest Dreaming

Stay tonight
We’ll watch the full moon rising
Hold on tight
The sky is breaking
I don’t ever want to be alone
With all my darkest dreaming
Hold me close
The sky is breaking

I don’t ever want to be alone
With all my darkest dreaming
Hold me close
The sky is breaking