SPARK LIKE LIVING MOTHERS is a project born out of a question - what happens at the moment that everything stops and restarts again? When considering this, the overriding thought I had was the moment where something renews itself and becomes something new.

To this end, the music is all inspired and originates from an arrangement I did of the beautiful choral piece ‘If ye love me’ by THOMAS TALLIS. I began by taking his wonderful music and editing it in a very arbitrary way, letting my instinct lead me in how I would voice that if I was writing it today. This formed the track ‘AWAKENING’ on side 3.

The rest of the music uses these notes as a starting point, as a point of inspiration from which to launch off from and discover what is yet to come.

When GRAND CHESS asked me to create this record, I had the music not in its final form. It had its first life as the soundtrack to a dance performance made by the company ‘OF CURIOUS NATURE’ in Bremen, but for this record I felt the urge to keep following this path. I wanted to use the human voice as part of this music but as I am not a lyricist myself, I did not know what words to use. Following on from recent musings with my friend and fellow artist SAM POTTER, I decided to ask him to help me write some text. Sam is a wonderful artist, who’s practice explores how we perceive the stories and narratives in our lives. His work has led him to explore dreams and create realities. 2 years ago, we began talking about how he was using an Artificial Intelligence algorithm to process and create material. Using this method, we created the text that formed the poem ‘SPARK LIKE LIVING MOTHERS’.

Using this text as another springboard for inspiration, I went into the studio with ANNA LENA BRULAND and TARA NOME DOYLE. Two beautiful singers and much valued friends, colleagues and artists. We spent a day improvising, taking fragments of words, syllables and using them to create textures and rhythms in harmony with the music.

When I discovered RUTH MARTEN’s artwork there was something about it that spoke to me about the process I was occupied with making this record. The bringing together of different elements to create something new. In her own works, she often illustrates on top of existing illustrations she has found. I was so happy when she agreed to be part of our process. I sent her the music, the poem and a tiny explanation of the project so far and
she sent back the wonderful illustration which makes up the front cover of this record. The following images she sent over felt perfect for the playful process of creativity that this record is for me. It is a pleasure and honour to get to work with such incredible people to make records and art. Without them and you taking part in this exchange as an audience, none of this would be possible.

I thank you all.