Avian Harmonies - Nicky Babin

6 ECHOES

Sunshine Coast

The geolocated audio installation “Avian Harmonies” uses Echoes to create a rich and immersive experience that aims to encapsulate the diverse biospheres of the sunshine coast area by allowing listeners to enjoy their various bird calls on a single walk. The audio experience features the iconic sounds from a range of Australia’s native birds, such as Magpies, Ibises, Willie Wagtails, Rainbow Lorikeets, and many more. The audio tour was recorded using a H2 Microphone, allowing for a crisp surround sound experience that transports listeners to the environment it was captured in. Also incorporated into the project are a series of minimalist digital artworks, which aimed to combine my personal memories of these bird calls with a dream-like abstract art style. Each artwork was designed to reflect its respective audio file to create a harmonious experience. Highlighted in this project is the stunning diversity and complexity of bird calls, allowing the vast array of melodies to take centre stage with minimal disruption from other sounds. Furthermore, these soundscapes have been carefully recorded at the most opportune times of day when many bird species are highly active. By using Echoes to present the experience, it can be enjoyed at any time of day by anyone with the means to access the app, allowing a wide range of people to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of avian harmonies.