Space Is The Place with Lea Bertucci

Music

New York-based artist Lea Bertucci's work sits at the intersection of performance, installation and sound design. Her compostions look at the relationships between acoustic phenomena and biological resonance, realised through various methods including the use of woodwind instruments, electroacoustic feedback and extended instrumental technique.

Her most recent LP Acoustic Shadows, which finds a home on SA Recordings, links together three incarnations; it began as a series of site-specific musical performances and a sound installation in Koln in 2018, which then became an album, and inspired a sample library for other artists to use.

Ahead of the release she charts her favourite otherworldly tracks…

Buy Acoustic Shadows.

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Nubibus Atris

This track is by one of my favorite early music groups, Sequentia. An interpretation of medieval philosopher Boethius’s Songs of Consolation of Philsophy, the opening lines of the final poem in the book: Nubibus atris condita nullum fundere possunt sidera lumen. This translates to: When hid by clouds, the stars at night cannot pour forth their brilliant light. It seems to be a good time to remember that the clouds will eventually clear, and once again we will be able to see the stars again, to be guided by their brilliant light.

Nubibus Atris

This track is by one of my favorite early music groups, Sequentia. An interpretation of medieval philosopher Boethius’s Songs of Consolation of Philsophy, the opening lines of the final poem in the book: Nubibus atris condita nullum fundere possunt sidera lumen. This translates to: When hid by clouds, the stars at night cannot pour forth their brilliant light. It seems to be a good time to remember that the clouds will eventually clear, and once again we will be able to see the stars again, to be guided by their brilliant light.
Alice Coltrane - Galaxy In Satchidananda

The entire hour and a half opus of Alice Coltrane’s Reflection on Creation and Space is undoubtedly one of the most moving, celestial pieces of music ever made. With Coltrane on piano, organ and harp, her compositions are illuminated by psychedelic orchestration and an ensemble including Pharoah Sanders, Rashid Ali, Ron Carter, Reggie Workman, Jack Dejohnette, among many other deep musicians
Henry Flynt - You Are My Everlovin'

Essential listening for those interested in early pioneers of minimalism, drone and general American weirdness. Flynt remains one of the less celebrated practitioners of minimalist music from the 1960’s due to his uncompromising politics, eccentric philosophy and melding of influences from American primitive, Indian raga and avant-garde traditions.
Coil - Time Machines - 5-Methoxy-N,N-Dimethyl- (5-Meo-Dmt)

If you want to find out about celestial bodies, take DMT, or listen to Coil.
Maja S.K. Ratjke – Crepuscular Hour

An excerpt of the Norwegian composer’s epic hour-long piece to be performed in a church for six noise musicians, three choirs and pipe organ. Inspired by activity during “crepuscular” or twilight hours, the term also refers to rays of sunlight that burst through gaps in clouds. Ratjke is one of those artists who I listen to and feel like she dares me to continue to push the envelope with my own work.
Olivier Messiaen - L'Ascension, Orchestra

Although Messiaen was a staunch Catholic, I find his music to have an otherworldly quality, something that transcends organized religion and speaks to a something more spiritual, of humanity and our relation to forces larger than ourselves. This piece L’Ascension for orchestra narrates Jesus’ journey into heaven and has an equally amazing interpretation for pipe organ. I’ve always been attracted to the totality of Messiaen, to his sense of harmony and the rapture of his sound.