Helmsdale

Exploring the sounds of a single place

This album is the result of a residency in 2014 at Timespan, in the village of Helmsdale in the North of Scotland.

During my time in Helmsdale I tried to record a sample of every musical instrument in the village - I knew that succeeding in this quixotic mission would be close to impossible, but what I did not anticipate was how many doors this idea would open, both literally and figuratively. Musical instruments, I learned, are a wonderful gateway into identity, memory, and place.

Every sound on this album comes from an instrument in Helmsdale, and contained in that sound is everyone who has ever heard it.

The album is available on Bandcamp for digital download, and a very limited number of CDs are available for sale.

Each track on the album focuses on some particular sonic aspect of the village. The track “Something You’ve Never Done Before”, for example, is made up entirely of recordings of children in the school playing instruments they have never previously played in their lives.

Many thanks to Frances Davis, Anna Vermehren, Aaron McCarthy, and all of the staff at Timespan, as well Helmsdale Primary School, Church of Scotland, and all of the people who let me into their homes. Thanks to Matthew Herbert and Moondog for musical inspiration, and to Kristina for helping me see magical things.