Music For Spiders, Nov 2023. (projection detail) Room to Create artist residency.

MUSIC FOR SPIDERS

My collection of digital photos and videos features the Phonognatha Graeffei, an Australian orb-weaver known as the leaf-curling spider. This spider creates habitats by using leaves delicately lined with silk. Positioned on its intricately woven web, it waits for vibrations from potential prey. The scene reminded me of a stylus on a record player, sparking thoughts about the hypothetical symphony the spider’s web might create if played.

Music For Spiders is a live improvised sound performance to accompany a projection of my photographs and footage of orb-weaving spiders in the City of Melbourne. Sound artists are invited to respond to images of arachnids and their silk webs with a live soundtrack to map their shapes and movement with instruments of their choice.

Phonognatha Graeffei, Fitzroy Gardens 2022. Photo Adele Daniele.

Phonognatha Graeffei, Fitzroy Gardens 2022. Photo Adele Daniele.

Music For Spiders #1

I was joined by Naarm / Melbourne based Japanese electronic experimental artists Ai Yamamoto and Ove-Naxx. Performed at the East Melbourne Library in October, 2022 for the closing party of Handsome Outside Face.

  • AI YAMAMOTO’S music practise centres around sonic exploration and melodies. She sources sounds from her surroundings—including insects, machines, animals, kitchen equipment—as well as instruments like piano, strings, and so on.
    Ai’s compositional process involves extensive sample and pitch manipulation combined with various effects and textural manipulation, resulting in ambient, experimental, soundscape and atmospheric pieces. aiyamamoto.bandcamp.com

    OVE-NAXX is a Japanese electronic music composer and producer. He’s launched sound into the musical galaxy and they crashed into various planets around. Traveling on the turbocharged beat starship MPC and Octatrack with crew of synths, operating modules and tweaking knobs of sample science, in order to tame the wild psychedelic disease which you can extract from super low frequencies generated by fossilized synthesizer.
    ovenaxx.bandcamp.com
    soundcloud.com/ovenaxx"

Music For Spiders #2

The Soft Meadow Collective presented Music For Spiders #2 which took place in November 2023 at our Room to Create artist residency generously supported by the City of Yarra. I collaborated with musicians Marieca Page, Raven Mahon and Leigh Barker.

  • Marieca Page (MPC)
    Hailing from Meanjin/Brisbane, Marieca is a multi-instrumentalist who has played with the likes of Iron On and Aheadphonehome. She has created sound for film and recorded and co-produced Melbourne-based outfit Dark Fair with Adalita (Poison City Records).

    More recently she has written, produced and played all instruments and vocals on the first LP of her solo project Oiseau, entitled Soft Geography. Described as Dream Pop for late night drives, Oiseau’s sound is a connection of warm, melodic, groove-orientated vibes with experimental textures.

    Raven Mahon (alto saxaphone/percussion)
    A musician and furniture designer / maker based in Naarm/Melbourne, Raven began playing in bands in 2003 in San Francisco and has been a part of various projects since then including score work for short and feature films, exhibitions soundscapes, and currently a musical collaboration with her partner called the Green Child.

    Raven has worked as a furniture maker since 2006 and is primarily focused on one off residential commissions that offer opportunities for collaboration and experimentation with material and process. And always with an attention to sourcing, place and longevity.

    Leigh Barker (guitar/synth)
    A Naarm/Melbourne based musician, whose music traverses various genres from fuzzy indie-pop through to ambient and psychedelia, Leigh is at home exploring hypnotic textures and spacious soundscapes. He favours jangly guitars, budget-friendly synths, Casio keyboards and other everyday domestic sounds. Leigh is currently a member of Melbourne bands the Pink Tiles, Les Minijupes and Mote.

Fitzroy Gardens 2022. Photo Adele Daniele.