Where Speech Meets Sound
2016
The stories we tell are limited to the capacity we have to describe them through the language and linguistics we use. Might it be possible to tell new and unversed stories through trying to expand our vocal capabilities and aural perception.
The words chosen for this piece highlight that vowels have a perceived pitch because of their associated second formant (the higher of the two overtones that define a vowel sound) when spoken.
The words are intended to be sounded repeatedly until the performer feels disorientated in the semantic space between sign (word) and sound - a space where an individual can potentially attribute new, alternate meaning to the experience.
This piece was published in the book Hausmusik Kollektiv, edited by Claudia Molitor, Uniformbooks
2014
Human beings interpret their environment partially based on experience, and this includes speech comprehension. People are more likely to notice what they expect than things not part of their everyday experiences, and they may mistake an unfamiliar stimulus for a familiar and more plausible version. A 'mondegreen' is a mishearing or misinterpretation of a phrase as a result of near-homophony, in a way that gives it a new meaning
On hearing the song 'Holy Are You' by The Electric Prunes, for the first time, Amina mis-heard 'Holy are you' for 'Lonely are you' which when combined with the following line 'There is no God' completely transformed the anticipated meaning of the words.
Amina was struck by the considerable shift in perspective brought about by the interchanging of one subtle vocal sound. In an endeavour to find even greater significance from the verse Amina removed all the consonants for this particular composition. Also isolating the vowels to exploit their sonic qualities.
The phonetics are intended to be sounded repeatedly until the performer feels disorientated in the semantic space between speech and sound - a space where an individual can potentially attribute new, alternate meaning to the experience.
This project was exhibited at Echo, The Function Room, London.