We’re heading to the other side of the world today, with three contributions to our Dada Sounds project from Australia.

First stop: Hobart, Tasmania, and a fascinating encounter with Mat Ward’s Intonarumori devices.

“The original field recording was mixed using a number of the Dada techniques listed as part of the Cities and Memory project. I also used an intonarumori (an instrument invented by the Futurist Luigi Russolo) as the basis for the remix.

“Firstly I set up a PA and played the field recording into the Intonarumori. I recorded the result of original field recording and the Intonarumori being played simultaneously.

“This recording was then collaged with the original recording then treated with a batch of effects that were selected via chance (I blindfolded myself and picked out 3 effects from a hat that I had filled with bits of paper that had the effects written on them).

“This mix was then once again played through the Intonarumori, repeating the whole process twice more.”

City version:

Memory version:

Next, we’re in Avon Park, Western Australia, with Lyndon Blue, who explains his piece like this:

“Sounds included: Collage of field recording samples, local Northam radio (random recording of live radio stream), randomised arpeggiator synthesiser.

“Dada techniques included: sound collage (musique concrete), chance composition (randomised synth and radio sampling), readymade (songs and advertisements on radio), etc.”

City version:

Memory version:

Our final stop is the Luna Park amusement park in Melbourne, courtesy of Anthony Lyons.

“Initially, the original field recording was cut into a number of smaller audio files. This focused the material toward some of the more defined sounds in the multilayered original including tram bells, roller-coaster rattles, voices, waves on the beach, etc.

“The central Dada approach then was one of collage and assemblage of the original through the use of these smaller reconfigured audio files.

“This resulted in both a linear reordering of sound and a textural or topographical change from the different combinations of layering and processing.

“The cut-up technique used often involved frequently small, micro even, fragments of the original combined with a high level of randomness creating a glitch-like atmosphere at times.

“The reimagined sound world is deliberately abstract and saturated at the start of the piece, but slowly becomes sparser and the sounds more defined ending with waves washing onto St. Kilda beach like in the original recording.”

City version:

Memory version: