Hazard's [Benny Jonas Nilsen] 3rd album for Ash International, after North [Ash 4.5] and Wood c/w Bridge/Field [Ash 5.4/5.5]. Here he collaborates with Chris Watson [Touch], a process about which Benny writes:
'I had been working on this project about wind and weather for half a year, recording and putting together sounds from various locations in the USA, Canada and Sweden. I was really happy with a great deal of it but less enthusiastic about the rest, particular the pure wind recordings. Anyone who tries to record in the open air with primitive or less than professional equipment knows that it's not easy getting good sound and avoiding distortion in the microphones. I did however catch some fine air movement in trees, branches, grass and hail or thunderstorms.
Later Mike Harding and I had a discussion about Chris Watson's work and he convinced me that we should try to ask him if he had some recordings that could be useful. Coincidentally Chris had just finished a radio program about wind for the BBC and he had a tape ready which I could use. This was a great honour and relief for me to be able to take hold of such professionally recorded material which could easily stand on its own but [obviously] I wanted to do something else with it, incorporating nature with technology, and in conjunction with each other I created these pieces.'
Track listing:
1. Stream Today will drift (and become stationary).
2. Barrier Barriers are built to withstand hurricane force winds and debris thrown by a raging storm.
3. Downslope [Foehn] There are four significant factors associated with the development of major downslope wind events:
(1) Strength of the cross-barrier flow (at about 850mb)
(2) Magnitude of the cross-barrier pressure gradient (measured as MSLP)
(3) A layer of stable air near ridge crest with lower stability above
(4) Presence of a critical level
4. Village An energetic storm...centred near the four corners.
5. Shear Line A shear line is a narrow zone across which there is an abrupt change in the horizontal wind component.
6. Anemo The Airflow Anemo wind speed and strength cup Anemometer is a highly versatile instrument perfect for all those who need to measure outdoor conditions, accurately and economically.
Ergonomically designed for one handed operation the meter is weather resistant and ruggedly constructed to withstand everyday use. Reading directly in km/h, m/sec and knots, Anemo also indicates wind strength in the Beaufort scale. Using the inter-nationally accepted rotating
cup principle, accurate and comparative readings are repeatedly achieved even in gusty, uni-directional wind conditions.
7. Sough sigh, moan, wail, swish; or v. sugh [Robert Burns]
NOUN: A low, indistinct, and often continuous sound: mumble, murmur, sigh, susurration, susurrus, whisper
VERB: To make a low, continuous, and indistinct sound: murmur, sigh, whisper [Roget's Thesaurus]
8. Landmass The west wind brings showers
Design and photography by Jon Wozencroft. Mastered by Denis Blackham @ Country Masters'