Marc Namblard, Chants of Frozen Lakes (Kalerne)

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I recall these sounds; I have heard them on an isolated frozen lake in Northern Ontario. They are among the most remarkable to be heard when nature is at its quietest.

One "service" provided by field recordists is the revelation of unheard-of and unheard sounds. Some of their sources can astonish and educate as much as any deep-sea documentary. Here, the soft melody and unexpected percussiveness of something which appears to lie very, very still is showcased - the frozen surface of a lake.

With the occasional lone crow cawing in the background and gust of wind howling through the treetops, Marc Namblard spent a day in January recording the ice on Lac de Pierre Percée in northeastern France, eventually editing it down to a fifty-five minute symphony.

Various atmospheric changes throughout the day cause changes in the tension of the ice sheet, and as the occasional crack appears it gives off the most unexpected, sharp sound, like the cheap electronic zap of a video game eliminating alien spaceships. Occasionally these zaps turn into a swarm as one crack leads to a chain reaction across the ice. It is a fascinating experience and wonderful to have indoors to enjoy.

First release on a new label from Taiwan, of all places, co-run by Yannick Dauby, himself no stranger to ambient field recording.

http://www.kalerne.net