The music of Natalia Beylis is deceptively simple and very unusual. The Ukranian-American-Irish composer, speaks with host Josh Thorpe about her work with field recordings, found objects, tape collage, 1970s psychaedelic organs and chickens. We listen to several works of Natalia’s as well as Brad Miller, Ellen Band, Peter Cusack and Max Eastley.
Natalia Beylis is a Ukrainian born, American raised composer now living in rural Ireland. She has released over 40 albums between solo works and collaborations and has appeared on numerous compilations. Her music incorporates both traditional instruments such as pianos, organs, keyboards and mandola, as well as field recordings, tape collage and non-musical sound sources. For example, she recently released an album using just the sounds created by a domestic sewing machine.
Natalia’s latest album ‘Mermaids’ is now available on Touch Sensitive Records, we will listen to some of that today, and she has a new album coming out later this month, so look for that too. You can hear more of Natalia’s work at nataliabeylis.bandcamp.com and learn more at nataliabeylis.com.
We don’t know anything helpful about Brad Miller, except that he was a skilled sound recordist. Ellen Band is an experimental musician and composer from Toronto. Peter Cusack is a renowned field recordist, founding member of the London Musicians’ Collective, known for his work in acoustic ecology and environmental sound art. Max Eastley is an experimental musician, member of the Scratch Orchestra, recognized for his use of kinetic sculptures and Aeolian instruments, known for his contributions to experimental music and sound installations.
Listeners who enjoy the music of Natalia Beylis might also enjoy our previous episode of the Guayaveras, which involves a quiet and lovely site recording of Eric Chenaux and Ryan Driver performing on the street in Toronto.
