Leah Barclay

River Listening reimagines the world beneath the surface of the Brisbane River. The sounds of the river system are layered with creative responses that connect to river systems across the world. This sound walk is part of an interdisciplinary project exploring the art and science of listening to rivers and the creative possibilities of aquatic ecoacoustics. River Listening is a collaboration between the Australian Rivers Institute and the Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre with support from the Australian Network for Art and Technology through the Synapse program. 

Launching for World Science Festival Brisbane 2017, the South Bank Augmented Reality Sound Walks use GPS points along the Brisbane River to trigger audio based on location and movement. Walk towards the points on the River Listening map and the sounds will play automatically when you are in the right locations. River Listening is best experienced with headphones. 

The augmented reality sound walks for World Science Festival Brisbane have been developed by Leah Barclay as part of 100 Ways to Listen (100waystolisten.com) 

Tweet @LeahBarclay or #RiverListening for further information. 
#100xListen #WSFB2017

Processed hydrophones recorded on the Brisbane River Bed

Snapping Shrimp, also know as Pistol shrimp or Alpheidae, are found worldwide with over 600 species living in oceans, rivers and freshwater catchments. The sound they emit could be likened to a crackling fire, but has the capacity to stun crabs and fish and reach an impressive 218 decibels.

The snapping shrimp has two claws, one which appears to be disproportionately large with two unique joints that create the distinctive sound. The speed in which the joint snaps shut creates a powerful wave that results in the loud popping sound. The sound is generated by the collapse of a cavitation bubble formed in an extremely rapid closure of their claw.

Brisbane River Catfish recorded with hydrophones near Lone Pine in the Brisbane River.

The spangled grunter or spangled perch (Leiopotherapon unicolor) is a species of fish in the family Terapontidae. It is endemic to Australia. This fish lives in fresh, brackish, and salt water. It also tolerates variable pH and temperature. It can be found in lakes, streams, and billabongs. It can live in very small collections of water, such as puddles and accumulations of rainwater in road ruts. The hydrophone recordings of spangled grunters can be used to monitor the health of a freshwater ecosystem.

Dawn recording on the banks of the Amazon River, near Mamori Lake in the Central Amazon Biosphere Reserve, Brazil.

The Amazon river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis), also known as the boto, bufeo or pink river dolphin, is a species of toothed whale classified in the family Iniidae. The Amazon river dolphin is the largest species of river dolphin, with adult males reaching 185 kilograms (408 lb) in weight, and 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) in length. Adults acquire a pink color, more prominent in males, giving it its nickname "pink river dolphin". In 2008, this species was ranked by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a Data Deficient, due to the uncertainty regarding their population trends and the impact of threats. While hunting is a major threat, in recent decades, greater impacts on population are due to the loss of habitat and changing environments. Hydrophone recording is a highly valuable noninvasive tool to monitor Amazon river dolphins.

Sunrise field recording at the mouth of Noosa River in the UNESCO listed Noosa Biosphere Reserve. This recording is mixed with process hydrophone recordings responding to the natural environment at sunrise.

Recorded on the banks of the Amazon River near Mamori Lake in the Central Amazon Biosphere Reserve

Lyndon Davis on the banks of the Noosa River welcoming the community to the opening of the first River Listening sound walk in 2015. Lyndon Davis is from the Mooloolah River, Sunshine Coast-Gubbi Gubbi country and is involved in delivering cultural awareness to schools and community groups throughout the area. He is also the director of Gubbi Gubbi Dance troupe and an active visual artist.

Alpheidae is a family of caridean snapping shrimp characterized by having asymmetrical claws, the larger of which is typically capable of producing a loud snapping sound. Other common names for animals in the group are pistol shrimp or alpheid shrimp. When in colonies, the snapping shrimp can interfere with sonar and underwater communication. Snapping shrimp are a major source of sound in marine and freshwater environments.

Creative response to field recordings of frogs recorded with hydrophones in the Mary River.

Processed deep hydrophone recordings of Brisbane CityCats

Lyndon Davis (Director of Gubbi Gubbi Dance on the Sunshine Coast) speaking about treading lighter on the banks of the Noosa River.

Community voices at Floating Land along the Noosa River.

Creative response to dawn on the Noosa River with Lyndon Davis playing didgeridoo

Hydrophones close to the surface capturing the sounds of waves and wind

Jo Tito speaks about the meaning of water in Māori language and culture. This piece is part of a long term water and sound collaboration between Leah Barclay and Jo Tito which inspired elements of River Listening. Jo Tito performed live with one of the first augmented reality sound walks as part of SCANZ 2011 in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

Stephanie Haslam from NICA (Noosa Integrated Catchment Association) talking about sustainability and the Gubbi Gubbi history of the Noosa River. This piece includes samples from the Noosa River and Lyndon Davis with Gubbi Gubbi Dance (Gubbi Gubbi songs recorded by Leah Barclay and included with permission).

Recordings of irrigation and excerpt from Australian composer Ros Band't work 'Blue Gold' featured in the first phase of community engagement for River Listening.

Lyndon Davis (Gubbi Gubbi Dance) singing across the river. This recording has been processed with the sounds of the river system.

Voices from the banks of the Narmada River in North India recorded by Leah Barclay during the DAM(N) Project, a venture which began in 2011 when a group of artists from Australia and India journeyed deep into India’s Narmada Valley. They met and lived with communities that are gradually being submerged due to large scale dam development in their region. To date over 30 million people have been internally displaced, and the resulting Indigenous activist movement – the Narmada Bachao Andolan – has become one of the most successful and sophisticated in contemporary history.

Submergence draws on hydrophone recordings from the Narmada River in North India. It forms part of the score for ZAMEEN, a contemporary dance and multimedia work that pulls you into the heart of a remote Indian community fighting for their way of life. An immersive audiovisual environment – built entirely out of recordings done on site with the community itself – sustains the show, pitching you from the very start in the midst of their song and struggle to secure land in the face of large scale dam development. To date over 30 million people have been internally displaced by the Narmada Dams and the resulting Indigenous activist movement – the Narmada Bachao Andolan – has become one of the most successful and sophisticated in contemporary history.

Children of the Narmada Bachao Andolan singing on the banks of the Narmada River in North India. The Narmada Bachao Andolan is a social movement to protect the Narmada River and protest against a number of large dams being built across the Narmada River, which flows through the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra in India. To date over 30 million people have been internally displaced by the Narmada Dams and the movement continues to inspire communities across the world to fight for the protection of rivers.

The performers of the Vanuatu Women’s Water Music group hail from the remote northern tropical islands of Vanuatu. They travel the world performing Water Music as a call to action to respond to climate change in the pacific islands. This is recording from the Noosa River during Floating Land 2013 and forms part of a collaboration with Sandy Sur, a community leader and researcher from the remote tropical Island of Merelava in Vanuatu. His research focuses around the Water Music of Vanuatu and its connection to the environment. Sandy believes water connects everything on earth and is essential for survival. At a time when the world is facing increasing environmental challenges, it is critical to deeply understand the role of water in our life. Investigating the dynamic sound and rhythm of Vanuatu Water Music allows us to explore the environment in new ways. Sandy’s research aims to develop a deeper understanding of the role sound plays in the environment and our communities. The Water Music of Vanuatu is site-specific and deeply inspired by the surrounding environment. This cultural tradition is now evolving in response to rapidly changing climates that are affecting island communities. Water Music can be a call to action.

The sounds of boats in the Siene River recorded with hydrophones during the River Listening sound walks at COP21 in Paris (2015). The sounds of the Siene - while highly anthropogenic - were a powerful way to reflect on the tense climate discussions occurring at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21), considered one of the most important climate meetings of our time.

Aquatic insects recorded with hydrophones near Obi Obi on the Mary River in Queensland.

Drawing on hydrophone recordings from the Brisbane River and Noosa River, this piece uses a Ghatam (South Indian Percussion instrument) to explore patterns forming on the surface of the river. This was recorded on the banks on the Pamba River in Kerala, South India - connecting the soundscapes of three river systems during Leah Barclay’s Sound Mirrors project. Water Rhythms was also a featured soundscape in Sonic Babylon - the first augmented reality sound installation on South Bank, created by internet music pioneers Nora Farrell and the late William Duckworth in 2009-2010.

Snapping shrimp, soniferous fish and aquatic insects recorded with hydrophones along the Brisbane River.

RIVER LISTENING

34 ECHOES

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The Echoes

Brisbane River Bed

Snapping Shrimp / Brisbane River

Brisbane River Catfish

Spangled Grunter

Amazon River Bank at Dawn

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