Elizabeth Joan Kelly – The Found Sound Project

Artist: Elizabeth Joan Kelly
Title: The Found Sound Project
Keywords: experimental ambient classical collage electronic instrumental New Orleans

Sometimes you walk around with your head up high in the clouds & suddenly ‘boom’ your down on the ground, stumbled over a found sound that had to be on the ground… if it happens a lot you might change your walking habits and look at the ground more, just because falling could be painful & might be a reason to break a leg or two, but also; there are so many treasures out there on the floor too good to be missed!

Personally I fell over a whole pile of mutated found sounds, but as I lay on the ground for a closer look, I was happily pleased that this was a collection of found sounds as collected by Elizabeth Joan Kelly. One of the artist’s that I recently found out about and love for her diversity and will to experiment, her music talent in combination with a will to try out different things that makes it for me – as a listener- a adventurous advent to explore her discography. So you could imagine how utterly pleased I was to have fallen over this pile of sounds that she had previously found before me… I was over the moon, even though in reality I was just on the floor floored by this pile of sounds.

The first layer I explored with attention, I found birds, strange field recordings, noisy bits that made me think of under water engines, backwards vinyl records that turned the other way around & street-life with musicians going around with their hats for potential coins. What a great bunch of found sounds this was and how nice that Elizabeth Joan Kelly managed to knit them all so nicely together. It’s s bit as if these found sounds are her golden thread and she weaves more beautiful garments from then that the emperor could ever wear!

The next layer I sniffed with delight to satisfy my newly found sound fetish, in it there was so much to hear and ‘see’ a true wonderful collage of cute things, from sheep, backwards music material, cars passing by, drunk motor-drivers, watery bits that drop from a ceiling, a sweet pling ploing and something that sounded like a digital phone from the olden days. They made a nice rhythm to nod off with in a world of found sounds wonder. I was so happy to go through more of the materials on this bungled bunch as they seemed to have all different possibilities and ways to come out. The next layer felt very alien to me, as if Elizabeth Joan Kelly had found sound recordings last stored by aliens and had giftedly made them her own. I felt that these sounds had been special, from space and surreal galaxies to bubbling around in the unknown. If I would have broken all my legs over this collection of found sounds it probably should be worth it! Even if my knees had to be removed in a operation it somehow seems to be fine with me; as long as these found sounds stayed with me I sure would be happy.

Oddly the cutting of the knees sound also got a appearance in the pile, strangely sounding so much nicer than I thought it would be. Really making the gruesome thing of horrid horrors into something that doesn’t look so bad at all. Especially when it is in combination with the other mysterious found sounds that Elizabeth Joan Kelly had founded! Strange creatures in reverse mode, fine tones of the hints of music; all there to comfort and amaze! A sheer feast for anyone that loves sounds to much, that they want to hear them compiled and in a different new light.

Another glorious grab in the pile of founded found sounds comes with the sounds of friendly noises, crackles, synthesized swooping swoops, the sound of a pig stall, laser like objects and manipulated small talk. It’s quite intense this bit, as if this part of the sound mix is a bit possessed but not by an unwanted spooky thing, but more like a nice gentle hearted deity. I found it all highly amusing and interesting. Hell, if I had fallen over it and broke all my arms in the process i would still happily type to you about it by using my nose on the keys…

After a tiny interlude in between the found sounds the last bit of the collection was unfortunately already in sight! This was really nice though, sounding more triumphantly than ever, with sounds that I found very pleasing and inspiring. A collection that was carried by a muffled drum that kept them all in line for a surrealistic get together. Sounds had been so mutated and manipulated here by Elizabeth Joan Kelly that it felt impossible to find out what they had been in their previous lives, but for now… they had formed a new life as a pile of found sounds that I found a piece of art worth breaking your bones for!
https://elizabethjoankelly.bandcamp.com/album/the-found-sound-project
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