* featured in Les Mille merveilles de l'univers starring Julie Delpy

"Australia: Sound of the Earth is an important album which seems to know no barriers—It is world music, ambiance, traditional music and electronics all blended together in a powerful and innovative mix." Sydney Morning Herald, Australia

the project

Just as the mythology of the Australian people and their continent was personified through the complex Aboriginal creation stories called The Dreamtime, the land also gave rise to a rich musical culture unlike any other. Australia: Sounds of the Earth captures the primordial hums and rhythms that have emerged from and moved across this continent in the four directions, like the winds themselves since The Dreamtime began. This recording features the didgeridoo, an Aboriginal wind instrument of remarkable flexibility and power, in traditional and innovative formats. Virtuoso solos by Aboriginal artist, David Hudson, are complemented by performances of up to four didgeridoo players accompanied by drums and electronics.

Tracing the development of an indigenous music firmly rooted in patterns of existence dictated by the rhythms of the land, Australia: Sounds of the Earth embraces Australia's musical past and present. The riveting performance of cellist Sarah Hopkins, acknowledges the debt 20th century composers owe to the influence of Aboriginal music. By utilizing a combination of bowing techniques and overtone singing, the Australian cellist emulates sounds of the didgeridoo. Producer, Steve Roach, blends the recordings from the outback with their haunting modern echoes by creating evocative soundscapes, and the illusion of a journey through time and space to the origins of these primal sounds.

the artist

The source recordings for Australia: Sounds of the Earth were compiled with a DAT machine by acclaimed composer and synthesist, Steve Roach, who traveled the entire continent gathering material and absorbing the rhythms of the land and culture. As producer, he edited hours of digital recordings to present a compelling look at how music in Australia has been affected by the land since the ancient beginnings of The Dreamtime. With more than a dozen recordings to his credit, including his landmark Australian inspired release, Dreamtime Return (18055), Roach's reputation as one of America's pre–eminent synthesists has grown throughout the United States and abroad.

Aboriginal artist, David Hudson, mastered the didgeridoo and the interpretive dances of his tribe at an early age. He performs and tours with the Tjapukai Dance Theater. Sarah Hopkins is known for compositions resonant with the northern Australian landscape, and characterized by an expansive, pure musical style. She has received international recognition through her tours and appearances at events such as the Paris Autumn Festival and the 1988 International Composers' Symposium in Telluride, Colorado.

biography - hopkins

biography - hudson

discography - hudson

biography - roach

discography - roach

tracklist