ASHES TO ASHES
EXPLORATION OF IMPOSSIBLE INSTRUMENTS, 2013
GORDON DELAP (IE)
In the twentieth century, humans first attempted to harness energy from the nuclear reaction. Uranium, a silvery metallic element that occurs naturally in the crust of the earth, is part of the process to allow this reaction to occur. Only formed in supernovae, heavy elements like uranium are the product of the violent fusion-fuelled death of massive stars, and a reminder that we are made of, and will return to being, dust. In a way, the atomic bomb has always been present in nature, and the fabric of the earth threaded with the means of its own destruction.
Ashes to Ashes was constructed from virtual uranium instruments. Sounds were created through physical modeling technology developed by the Next Generation Sound Synthesis (NESS) project at the University of Edinburgh. Vocal sounds were recorded too, and were driven through massive virtual metal sheets, which had been assigned the physical properties of uranium.
The title relates to a widely-known phrase, encapsulating an outlook on the relationship between destruction and creation that can be found across many spiritual traditions.
BIO
Gordon comes from Donegal and currently lectures in music technology at Maynooth University. His recent work has been concerned with combining electronic sounds with spoken word and video, and researching compositional applications of non-linear plate models during visits to the University of Edinburgh.