The other day I was recording general ambience for my sound library, sitting back and listening to the totality of the jungle when there was either a huge monkey fight—or else the troupe had spotted a python, puma, or another predator. I got about ten minutes of the most hellacious stuff imaginable—all set to the background polyrhythmic percussion of insects. [Listen]

For primal, blood-curdling effect, it's right up there with my buffalo recordings from Yellowstone [Listen]. These are sounds that when morphed just a little could be part of a sound track to Hieronymus Bosch or Francis Bacon—two of my favorite painters. 

In general I'm recording source material to process for the CARBON installations and for Catherine's Ant Works videos. These samples also end up in live shows. I'm as interested in primal nature as I am in virtual realities and new technologies, which I hope is evident in my work. Field recording has dramatically affected my listening skills, not necessarily with regard to humans at art openings—but definitely for signs of avalanche, predators, and pleasure. Its evening, the toucans are making a racket.

Editor’s note: Artists Charles Lindsay (DART March 9) and Catherine Chalmers (DART March 12) will be reporting from the Osa Peninsula for the next several weeks.

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