The spells used in »Incantations« are a codified attempt to conjure the supernatural, avert bad luck, and deflect misfortune through apotropaic magic. In their raw, oral, and vernacular states incantations bridge a gap between speculative futures and passing realities.
The one-hour-long piece was recorded in collaboration with Melos New Vocal Music Collective, and runs continuously throughout the day. All of the sound material was generated through the process of voice transmutation into a variety of sonic textures and instruments. »Incantations« is played through a multi-channel speaker system and a six-metre-long brass object suspended from the ceiling. Long known for its acoustic properties, brass simultaneously amplifies and distorts the voices and spells. Using diaphony and resonance, »Incantations« unfolds slowly into the night, offering a hypnotic and spell-bound experience.
Commissioned as part of the CTM Radio Lab, led by CTM Festival and Deutschlandfunk Kultur – Radio Art / Klangkunst in collaboration with Goethe-Institut, ORF musikprotokoll im steirischen herbst, Ö1 Kunstradio, and The Wire magazine. The brass object is commissioned by Centrala Space, Birmingham.