The Earth's Original 4.5 Billion Year Old Electronic Music Composition

At any one moment there are several electrical storms in progress around the planet. This installation takes as it’s starting point, and explores, the interception of impulsive electro-magnetic signals generated by lightning. A considerable proportion of radio atmospherics is due to the direct and indirect effects of electrical storms on the upper layers of the atmosphere.

Utilising both antique valve-based short wave radio equipment, and a multi- triggered gallery environment, the installation allows us the opportunity to hear the Earth’s own natural electro-acoustic composition, which is as old as the planet itself, and is continuously unfolding around us.

The input channels of the system, which consist of a combination of real-time reception of short-wave atmospheric emissions and digital recordings of various types of Sferics (short for VLF (Very Low Frequency) atmospherics), and natural thunder, are fed via a network of triggers into the audio system.

The installation thus creates a time-sampling matrix giving a large number of temporal variations, and like the natural composition itself, is unlikely ever to repeat itself. This work also allows the audience (or InterActors) an unusual proxy control over the manifestation of an elemental force of nature.