Falling Fathoms

2001

an electroacoustic work


Falling Fathoms
Debra Page

Duration: 6 minutes 33 seconds

Created from recorded radio broadcasts and acoustic percussion sounds, Falling Fathoms explores the unpredictable textures and fragmented voices that emerged through the process of capturing sound directly from radio transmissions.

Structured in three connected sections, the work moves between layered vocal distortions, insistent rhythmic figures, and passages of dense percussion, creating an unsettling and atmospheric sound world. The title reflects the imagery that came to mind on completing the piece: a playing radio slowly descending through the depths of the ocean, continuing to transmit unanswered signals as it disappears from reach.

As my first exploration of electroacoustic composition, the work marked an early experiment in sound manipulation and recorded media.