Cosmosis

Cosmosis is a hybrid of ‘osmosis’ and ‘cosmos’. It refers to the process of connecting to the environment.

‘Osmosis’ describes the alchemy of two entities influencing change on each other. ‘Cosmos’ refers to the earth and the many layers of space above it.

This is not para-natural, it is a natural process. Many aspects are reflected in the pieces, from Call of the Birds to Geological Time, and the higher layer of vertical space in Stratos.

Space is a significant factor with harmonics, both the recording space and the listening space. The resonance of a listening space can be brought out with the volume set at right levels.

The common thread is throat singing, which atmospherically blends with the sound.

Dean Frenkel’s main style is known as ‘harmonic’ or ‘overtone’ singing. It is part of a large collection of throat singing techniques, practised by in excess of 20 cultures. These include Mongolia, Siberia (Eskimos), Canada (Inuits), Tuvans, Tibetans, Japan (Tendai Buddhist sect), Norway (Saamis), Nagaland, Africa (Xhosa, Wagogo and Biaka tribes), Taiwan (three tribes) and Papua New Guinea (Huli tribe).

Throat singing is at least 14,000 years old. The traditions of acoustic practice are also very old. The technology of recorded throat music is less than 1% of the time it has been practised.

A special feature of this album is the appearance of Betty Trevers, performer of the calling of the birds ritual. She can be heard singing for the opening one and a half minutes of the track, then again at the end. Linda Laasi plays the thumb piano, with a collection of native Australian birds taken from the recordings of Andrew Skeoch and Sarah Kostich, from the Listening Earth label. Andrew also has the distinction of being the pivotal pioneer of throat singing in Southern Australia.

At the age of 82, Betty must be the oldest person to make her debut as a recording artist. She began as one of Dean Frenkel’s pupils at the age of 80, and is one of just a handful of Australians who can sing harmonic scales.

Another feature is the Bendigo Youth Choir, possibly the world’s only children’s choir who can all sing harmonics. Their visionary Director, Valerie Broad AO has been brilliant.

Vocal duo Fortyfour Sunsets features Linda Laasi and Mia Shaw, who contributed their considerable vocal skills for the soundtrack to the film Jindabyne, coordinated by Australian music legend Paul Kelly. They appeared under the name ‘Soteria Bell’.

There are also excellent contributions from Ariel Valent, vibraphone player from Invention in Time, who played on Land of Waves with the Bendigo Youth Choir, and Alchemy.

Last, but could well be first, is the invaluable contribution by Australia’s foremost composer, Peter Sculthorpe, who enthusiastically supported the initiative of combining throat singing with his compositions.