Silent Media is ever-so-proud to announce the release of Weather Patterns, the multidisciplinary efforts of Derek Piotr, Meire Todão, and Mikah Meyer. This is the first release from Silent Media that takes on three disciplines and, if I may brag on the artists a bit, it is a seamlessly focused and executed enterprise. The music was the original venture, initiated by Derek in 2011 when he contacted Mikah to express his interest in Mikah's countertenor vocals and the possibility of collaboration. They met at St. Peter's Cathedral in Danbury, Connecticut and to record both Mikah's voice and the church's organ. During this session, Derek recognized Mikah's "knack for emulating the land and nature with his voice" and conceived the concept for Weather Patterns.
Meire, whose prolific efforts in photography have been utilized for the visuals in many of Derek's previous musical works, has been collecting compositional studies of the sky for years. Eight of these images are printed on 14 pt cardstock as a part of Weather Patterns. The third medium is Derek's poetry. In his own words, "The poems I chose for Weather Patterns span the last three years of my journal. I write poetry to express a closeness to nature, mostly as a conversation between me and myself, a kind of loose chronological diary of my frame of mind. Weather and nature figure prominently into my experience with the external world; the poems are both homage to and exploration of this phenomena." Seven of these poems are paired with Meire's photography on the reverse side of the cards, with the final card used as for titles.
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Silent Media is a label that cares about packaging. Here we have a 'lasercut chipboard box' with cards on fine stock and CDR. It's the collaboration between Meire Tadao, who is responsible for the photography on this release, Mikah Meyer and Derek Piotr. The latter we know from his earlier releases (see Vital Weekly 828, 799 and 871) as someone who loves computers to process sounds, and also with a fine dedication to using his voice as an instrument. Meyer is a tenor and met up with Piotr in 2011. They did some recordings in St. Peter's Cathedral in Danbury, Connecticut (where Piotr also recorded bits of his previous release, 'Raj') of Meyer singing Piotr poems, which, along with the church organ, were then processed on the computer. Meyer's singing sounds at times like Wim Mertens and at other times as a bunch of Gregorian monks down at the monastery and recorded through a long tune from the high middle ages until now. Quite voice heavy this release, and the voice as such is always recognizable. Piotr keeps his processing down to a minimum, but puts in those spots where it is needed. It's all less beat oriented than the previous and more about textured sounds and monk chanting. Occasionally there is a click, a cut or some hiss, as Piotr doesn't hide his previous interests. I said the previous was a major leap forward, and I'd like to say that about this one too. It's not another leap forward compared to the previous release; this is a further exploration into what Piotr does and as such another major leap in exploring more roads. (FdW) - Vital Weekly
Weather Patterns creates its own universe. Derek Piotr and Mikah Meyer work together in building up sonic ecosystems. The songs are intimate. Many of them feel voyeuristic in terms of their impulses. Hence there are songs that explore changes. Nature is made digital through these songs that incorporate both the visceral (singing, chanting) and the digital (glitch, pulses, static). Brought together the sound is an accurate depiction of an average life surrounded by constant whirs of computers and machines.
The change between the digital and the natural is pronounced. For the beginning the songs feel quite naturalistic. Derek Piotr and Mikah Meyer begin to hint at new structures a few moments into the work. Elements of it recall a lighter version of Derek Piotr’s solo work. Organ swells help give the opening track “Rain Rhythm” a nearly mystical feel. “Snow Drifts” goes for harsher territory successfully combining the digital debris with voice. “Sun Spots” and “Climate Change” make up the heart of the album. “Sun Spots” begins with beautiful crisp crystal wordless vocals. With the passage of time the vocals find themselves accompanied by ominous clouds of unsettling ambience. For “Climate Change” the digital reasserts itself. Glitch takes charge. Little is spared in the absolute mincing of sound. “Climate Change” is by far the highlight of the collection.
“Shore Fog” offers a respite from the digital allowing the humanity to flow. For the finale stretch the digital and natural manage to coexist creating a delicate balance. Weather Patterns is an album about the balance between the real and digital. - Beach Sloth
It's worth glancing at the passionate little press release for this set to glean just what you are getting for your money. The box alone is a cracking, sturdy piece of graphic art that you could use for stamps, small feathers, locks of deceased loved-ones hair or your favourite narcotics if you ever tire of the contents. Which is unlikely as the sounds and art/poetry cards contained therein are a real joy.
The music is based around wordless vocal/choral chant manipulations; micro-electronics; eerie, implicitly deployed church organ washes and shifting ambient sonics. To say it is truly unusual, verging on the remarkable is fair, I think. The second piece, for instance, distinctly recalls Biosphere's work with the Higher Intelligence Agency with, say, the sustained ghostly primal wails of early Inca Ore or Fursaxa laid over the top. It's a beautiful, spiritually enriching listen throughout that I don't quite feel qualified to say lots of insignificant words about.
Following my half hour of immersion in 'Weather Patterns', I must state that we have here a very personal, zen-like journey that will appeal to fans of contemporary choral composition, absorbing sound art/field recordings and electro-acoustic works. I'd definitely say it's a reasonably accessible collection; not over-abstracted or pretentious by any means. This is beautiful music that results in a fantastical, atmosphere-drenched CD which is made even lovelier by the inclusion of the serene multimedia inserts that accompany the package. - Norman Records
credits
released May 1, 2014
Music by Derek Piotr / Mikah Meyer
Photography by Meire Todão
Poems by Derek Piotr
On the surface, Silent Media is a platform for artifact based, interdisciplinary art projects. Everything arising from the
endeavors of Silent Media involves at least two mediums communicating an overarching concept.
More information can be found on the Silent Media website www.silentmediaprojects.com...more
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