I am honestly happier with my final product than I initially anticipated. Although it had less of a looping repetition or entropic feeling, I am satisfied with the way that my soundscape somewhat resembles William Basinski’s compositions. I ended up trying to utilize the various sounds to create a narrative that imagines what it might sound like to be in a coma and to gradually awaken from it. The sounds, as well as their distortions and modifications were intended to place the listener at a distance, to feel far away from reality. As the “song” progresses, the sounds become more obvious and a little more clear, but they delay and repeat themselves, as if there is something still wrong with the way that the listener is processing the sounds around them. Additionally, I tried to select sounds that not only broke up the composition in a way that kept listeners interested but also provided interjected memories that would overlap with the “outside world” noises to give a sense of remembrance and internal reflection, which I can only imagine would occur in someone's mind while they are in a coma. If I could change anything, I would have liked to use a greater variety of noises, and possibly even incorporated faint dialogue that supports and reiterates the coma narrative. If nothing else, I have learned how to navigate audition successfully, and I am glad that this project has forced me to think in terms of sound rather than visuals, as it was very new territory for me.
(Basinski on the right)
