Scottish-born, Phoenix, Arizona, based sound artist, Jimmy Peggie, is best known for his experimental and minimalist work in sound and radiophonic art. The two new releases, Poetry of Corrosion and One Ancient Place, make no exception: like much of his work, the two releases are inspired by the constant movement and transformation of natural processes such as decay and dispersion, using environmental recordings to create subtle, contemplative soundscapes. His art takes as its starting point the idea that all things are imperfect, incomplete, and in a state of flux. For further info on Jimmy Peggie, see:
As a friendly warning: in these two releases nothing really happens on the surface of things, but step by step more subtle variations and modulations are revealed to the ear, showing the vast richness of the texture – and the more one wants to hear. Also, relation to time and spatiality is interesting: the listening experience is that the material is neither fast, nor slow, nor it is going nowhere but constantly pulsating and living.
POETRY OF CORROSION
Poetry of Corrosion was born as Peggie’s work often do: first approaching the environment through location recording and captured fragments, then manipulating and processing the material to reveal the traces and textures of deterioration that develop over time. Corrosion and decay are functioning as both material and process, while also shaping the artist’s aesthetic and conceptual framework. In more philosophical terms, the work is said to emanate from the observation that corrosion is a process of degradation: a slow return of refined materials to their natural, often less stable, states. Men typically bypass it as a sign of decay, failure, and loss, but for those with open mind and ability to make true observations, corrosion also offers a profound, unexpected beauty. This I can truly verify: beauty and eventual breakdown are not mutually exclusive. By hearing the sounds of disorder, decay, and chaos, one can feel a deeper connection to the fundamental rhythms of life and the universe. Thus, Poetry of Corrosion speaks deeply to the human experience. In a sense that is unnecessary to open up here, the sonic material on this release is in a fascinating manner Buddhist in spirit.
https://jimmypeggie.bandcamp.com/album/poetry-of-corrosion
ONE ANCIENT PLACE
This album is a sonic exploration of an ancient building, the Old Parish Church in Kilbarchan, Scotland, while it was undergoing remodeling and preservation at the time, and the artist had the opportunity to make overnight recordings and take photographs, the goal being to capture the emotional resonance that lingers within the space, the energy, vibrations and remnants of previous times. Despite the apparent similarity with the Corrosion, the sonic contents of this release is completely different in essential features, but I’ll skip the analysis because the right way to approach these albums is to immerse oneself in their sonic world and its peculiarities.
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
Kilbarchan is a village in Scotland known for it’s historical handloom weaving tradition. It’s existence has been documented across many centuries . The village is perhaps named after the Irish holy man St Barchan (550 – 650 AD) who was believed to have lived in a location near the parish church for a period. A church building has been located on the present site since the 1100s as the land was owned at that time by Paisley Abbey. Around 1401 landowners built St Catherine’s Chapel in the present churchyard – the ruins of which still exist. These has been much renovation since that time with the addition of private aisles and burial places.
By 1724 the church building was in a state of disrepair and was eventually rebuilt and improved – and a bell tower added. By 1792 a separate single story session house was built in the churchyard. Alterations were again made in 1858 when the main part of the church was extended on the north by twelve feet and the tower on the north-east corner of the building was added. In 1901 a new church was built close by and the Old Parish Church was used as a church hall. By 2015 both churches were no longer in use and ready for redevelopment.
