Breathe

2008; dur: 6'; Electronic

SONIC VISTA is a project by Nuproductions in cooperation with Stavanger2008. 10 benches designed by Mil Strivovik and produced by the company Ranso are placed at various sites in the Stavanger area. They contain a mp3 player in each armrest. Plug your headset and they start playing music which is specially composed for this bench.

The composers are: Biosphere, Goodiepal, Nils Henrik Asheim, David Toop, Kim Cascone, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Hai Nguyen Dinh ( Next Life), Maja Ratkje, Kaada and Sten Ove Toft.

“Breathe” was also released on Rune Grammofon’s celebratory album Twenty Centuries Of Stony Sleep with various RG artists, released in 2010.

“Maja Ratkje, känd från noiseduon Fe-mail och som allround experimentalist i många olika konstellationer, använder sin expressiva röst i stycket “Breathe”. Som ofta, är Ratkjes verk nyskapande och engagerande. Här är det häxeri på hög nivå. Allt låter som att hon hittat en bortglömd trollformel i de djupa norska skogarna eller som ett hedniskt stridsrop i ett land som rent moraliskt vittrat sönder under kristendomens ok. Skrämmande och imponerande, men ibland faktiskt plågsamt att lyssna på.” (Carl Abrahamsson, Tidningen Kulturen)

I will share a secret with you, and that is the link between “Breathe” and the cover I did for the Prince compilation (that was banned!) where I made a version of his song “solo”. When I made Breath, I just muted the vocal and saxophone track and made another vocal track! (Did some editing and remixing of course too, but but that much.)