Ambient Pulsations

Ambient Pulsations is a 55:00 radio art narrative exploring a universe of pulsating sounds, all without apparent physical sources or material attributes. First broadcast on Framework Radio, as Framework #405, February 2013.

Timeline and Content

00:00 Saturn radio wave transmissions
01:02 Space weather sounds
02:00 Sample, "Electric fence controller bugged by the enemy eraser," track #6, To Make Things Happen in the Bunker Via the Micro Way. Carl Michael von Hausswolff. 1997.
02:41 Sample, "Spirit folio lite detector (no positive results)," track #2, To Make Things Happen in the Bunker Via the Micro Way. Carl Michael von Hausswolff. 1997.
03:59 Enceladus radio wave transmissions
05:00 Alien voices
05:21 Ocean waves
05:54 Boulder River, Colorado
06:59 Psycho soundscape
08:00 Attic fan
08:32 Airplane passenger cabin during takeoff
11:08 Dishwasher fill cycle
13:13 Distant traffic
13:13 Pacific tree frogs
14:15 Rain on vent cover
16:32 Saturn radio wave transmissions
16:32 Boulder River, Colorado (reversed)
16:32 Dishwasher wash cycle (start)
16:32 Distant traffic
16:32 Airplane passenger cabin pulsations
16:32 Blower, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system
19:34 Railroad crossing, Stevenson, Washington
19:55 Rumble under railroad overpass, Vancouver, Washington
22:39 Motor rumble (excavator)
22:54 Motor sounds, antique tractors, Clark County Fair, Ridgefield, Washington
23:04 Motor sounds, antique tractors, Clark County Fair, Ridgefield, Washington
23:36 Pulsations, antique gasoline powered milking machine, Clark County Fair, Ridgefield, Washington
24:36 Motor sounds, antique tractors, Clark County Fair, Ridgefield, Washington
24:56 Motor sounds, antique tractors, Clark County Fair, Ridgefield, Washington
25:56 Drumming, city park, Spokane, Washington
28:38 Home breadmaking machine
29:16 Distant traffic
29:16 HVAC blower
29:16 Rumble under railroad overpass, Vancouver, Washington
29:16 Attic fan
29:53 Dishwasher, wash cycle (reversed)
30:40 Lapellah Restaurant, Vancouver, Washington
32:01 Air conditioning blower, Stevenson, Washington
33:04 Distant traffic
33:27 Terminal light rail, Atlanta International Airport
34:40 Airplane passenger cabin pulsations
34:40 Lapellah Restaurant, Vancouver, Washington
34:40 Lobby conversations, general ambience
35:41 Sample, "Rapid Dots," CD#3, track #22, The Conet Project: Recordings of Shortwave Numbers Stations
37:34 Sample, "Faders," CD#4, track #29, The Conet Project: Recordings of Shortwave Numbers Stations
38:35 Sample, CD#4, track #39, The Conet Project: Recordings of Shortwave Numbers Stations
39:34 Sample, CD#4, track #40, The Conet Project: Recordings of Shortwave Numbers Stations
40:35 Sample, CD#4, track #43, The Conet Project: Recordings of Shortwave Numbers Stations
41:35 Sample, "Workshop," #4, track #30, The Conet Project: Recordings of Shortwave Numbers Stations
42:25 Enceladus radio wave transmissions
42:31 Water down parking lot drain
44:59 SFX sample, Lost
45:11 Womb
45:57 Heartbeat (normal)
46:27 Rainchain
47:09 Loon, rain, and windchime
52:55 Dishwasher, fill cycle
55:00 End

Metadata

Object: audio file
Format: MPEG audio
Bit Rate: 320 kbs
Sample Rate: 44,100 kHz
Duration: 55:00
Created: 2013
Creator: John F. Barber
Original/Edited Files Available: Yes
Rights and Status: All rights reserved. Available for broadcast, installation, exhibition, and/or publication with permission.
Image: ***

Exhibitions

Nouspace Gallery & Media Lounge
Invited exhibition, local
Vancouver, Washington
6 February-6 March 2015

Echoes Echoes #1: How to get lost and start listening
(juried broadcast)
Stress.FM
Lisbon, Portugal
12-14 July 2013
Curated by Paulo Raposo

Echoes was a transdisciplinary art project in Lisbon, Portugal, July 2013-March 2014. Coordinated by the art collective Osso for the city of Lisbon, with a focus on thoughts, experiences, and interventions regarding listening and place, Echoes aimed "to put together thoughts, experiences and interventions on the relationship between LISTENING and PLACE."

Echoes was divided into four parts, presented over four weekends every two months July 2013-March 2014. Each Echoes in the series featured debates, concerts, workshops, soundwalks, film screenings, and radio broadcasts via Stress.FM, London, England. The common theme was how soundscape and aurality contribute to a sense of place. My works were included in each of the four parts of Echoes
Echoes #4: The Stranger That Is Next To Me
Echoes #3: Internet Soundscape
Echoes #2: Paging Greg Lambert
Echoes #1: Ambient Pulsations, Between Sleep and Dreams, and Contact.

framework:afield #405
(juried broadcast)
framework radio
Põlgaste, Estonia
28 January-3 February 2013
Curated by international sound, performance, and radio artist Patrick McGinley (aka murmer).

Framework Radio focuses on field recording of sonic sources and their use in compositions. Featuring juried work by international sound artists, Framework Radio's goal is to present not only the extremely diverse sound environments of our world, but also the extremely diverse work that is being produced by the artists who choose to use these environments as their sonic sources. The research and creative question behind Framework Radio programming asks, "Is field recording a style or genre, or rather an uncontrollable and undefinable tool as any, that may be interpreted, manipulated, and appropriated by anyone with a microphone and idea?" Works produced in response to this question are the answer, the definition, not vice versa. Based in Põlgaste, Põlva County, in southeast Estonia, Framework Radio began broadcasting in June 2002 on Resonance 104.4 FM in London. Episodes are now broadcast on radio stations around the world.

Background

I have created several episodes for Framework Radio, an international showcase of field recording, phonography, and sound hunting, curated by international sound, performance, and radio artist Patrick McGinley (aka murmer).
#829 Southside Soundwalk, 22-29 January 2023
#808 Dawn Birds, Light Traffic, Melodic Machines, 3-9 July 2022
#738 COVID Dreamscapes, 13-19 December 2020
#711 Coho Crossing, 26 April - 2 May 2020
#658 Rainstorm Reveries, 21-27 October 2018
#623 In Progress, 17 December 2017 - 13 January 2018
#583 Transect: London, 29 January 2016 - 4 February 2017
#542 Water, Waves, Dreams, 31 January - 6 February 2016
#433 Between Sleep and Dreams, 9-15 September 2013
#405 Ambient Pulsations, 6 February - 6 March 2013
#389 Tell Me A Story about Meditation, 23-30 September 2012
#386 Meditation, 2-8 September 2012
#381 Contact, 12-14 July 2012

Artist Statement

The inability to visualize sound sources promotes an acousmatic listening experience focused on the act of hearing. As a result, we take interest in sounds for their own merits, refining our listening, thus becoming more aware of our listening variations and subjectivity.