Leif Karlstrom - The Volcano Listening Project

Listen to data from the natural world and you may hear music. The Volcano Listening Project documents the many moods of volcanoes through the ambient music of their data, chaotic and serene, below and above the Earth’s surface, spanning seconds to centuries. This album is a collection of composed and improvised performances that integrate volcanic data turned into sound by computer algorithms as well as field recordings from volcanoes around the globe.

The Volcano Listening Project merges geophysics research and computer music synthesis with acoustic instrumental and vocal performances. Volcanoes actively participate in every track, dictating the contours and structure of music composed by featured artists. Performances were tracked all around the United States at recording studios in Nashville, Eugene and San Francisco, as well as the Computer Music Center at Columbia University in New York City.

Making these pieces involves a certain workflow. Sonifications of volcanic data are generated, then given to performers who are encouraged to interpret freely. The result is both a reflection of the composers’ sensibilities and a record of volcanic activity. Data come from volcanoes around the world: Mount Saint Helens, Kīlauea, Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apei, Fagradalsall and more. A few tracks feature the data alone and unadorned. Many features that can be heard have yet to be explained by science. But through listening, we develop an intuition for the tempo and dynamics of the natural world. Experiencing music gives a kind of understanding.

What do you hear?