This work is made from three stones taken from the shingle coastland surrounding Dungeness Nuclear Power Station, and a recording of the sea in its shadow.
Each stone was first recorded hitting the other. The sound of the stones’ impact is then triggered and filtered using randomly modulating repetitions, echoing the ‘click’ of a Geiger counter’s audio readout as it detects each randomly emitted particle of radiation.
Each stone was also scanned using Virtual ANS, to generate the technical, ominous texture you hear at 1:00, 2:00 and 2:55. A reminder that the station is now inactive after an inspection in 2018 found dangerous levels of corrosion classified as a level 2 incident on the International Nuclear Event Scale.
Inspiration also came from ‘Music for Pieces of Wood’ by Steve Reich and ‘Rock Piece’ by Pauline Oliveros.