A collection of writings merging history and art, reflecting on the ideas and elements which created the Oracle experience.
Writer, editor and illustrator
Publisher: the rubberbodies collective (2012)
Epilogue
a dip in sonic waves
It does not start in the studio. It all starts at Ħaġar Qim. Like children sweeping butterflies with nets, they gather atmospheres from a space which vibrates with life.
Few words are said in the studio; evolution and cycle. They immerse themselves in the silence of a space which they recall. Sounds are suspended in space. An invisible communication channel connects their heads. They communicate through silence, through listening. They create emotion and plough the fields of sonic layers, seeking for a cycle which will hold the soul of their creation.
Silence belongs in a time and space which breathes air and allows movement. They transform sounds into sensations and awaken the senses creating tangible sounds. They create poetry which does not need paper. It buds, disperses and returns to the earth which nourished its first cell of life. The energy it releases regenerates through the pores of bodies which receive it.
Like love,
it is sacred.
q & a with sound artists Mario Sammut and Vincent Villuis
They submerge in the studio. Silent like the stones in the Temples, they connect to the memory of the space. I feel like a mouse in their studio. I sneak in their temple; an electronic meditative centre. They lay blocks of sounds, the metronome ticks away and harmonies begin to emerge. I go back to the beginning of the creation…
Why do you want to work together?
We met 5 years ago and played together in a number of events. We always spoke about audio techniques and processes. We have different approaches in composition and designing sound, but the collaboration gives rise to a unique process of working. It was a mutual decision to work together. Of course, this brings along its own challenges in the creation of the working process as each of us has his own personal methods and vision in creating, and yet, it is precisely this challenge that gives birth to this exciting collaboration.
What are the Temples giving to the music you are creating?
The Temples’ inner essence represents a fusion of the ground (stones) with air (circulating winds). We are creating ethereal music pulsating with grainy rhythms.
What is you starting point?
We recorded with digital equipment some vibrations from the stones, and winds from behind the columns of stone. There is a certain beauty to be able to connect and absorb the reality of this magical space and to be able to transform it into something new.
What is the process in the studio?
We start by creating a sound and then transfer the audio from workstation to workstation. We treat each sound and after exporting these ideas, we start amalgamating the work. It is about having singular ideas and then letting these small creations take a life of their own.
Which elements of the site and inspiring your score?
The telluric energy, the history, the mystery.
What does it mean to you to perform in Ħaġar Qim?
To be a guest in this ancient place, where rituals wereperformed…it is an honour to be able to create this link between our roots and the present day. We are so disconnected from these roots; our aim is for the audience to immerse themselves in this mystical point.
…like children they are eager to play. They lose the sense of time and colour their temple with atmospheres. Do you want we don’t sleep tonight?
rebecca camilleri 