Barbara Ellison

'Murdúchann’: Where layered vocal transformations summon siren songs and sonic phantoms from within the source. The word ‘Murdúchann’ comes from a Middle Irish word evoking a siren-like being—a sea singer or mermaid. It derives from ‘muir’ (sea) and ‘dúchann’ (chant, song). The singing melodies said to hold sway over seamen were characteristic of the sirens of classical mythology—likely imported into Irish literature via Homer’s Odyssey.

"Over the past decade I have been working with a vast source pool of female singing voices (*) as the generative ‘primordial soup’ of vocal-originated ‘sonic phantoms’. These arise, unfold and evolve in wonderfully unpredictable and unruly ways when the studio summoning work is right and when they get the dedication and patience they deserve. In my experience, this intricate and long-term sonic-compositional work unleashes creative forces and materials that are literally unheard-of: surprising, unplanned, multiform, diverse, and –most importantly– with their own agency." - Barbara Ellison