Introducing "Through The Looking Glass (Original Score)"

Dive into the ethereal realm of "Through The Looking Glass (Original Score)," an album that brings together the enchanting worlds of Japanese Ambient Music and the unexplored melodies hidden within the very essence of plants. Crafted with ingenuity and a touch of botanical magic, this album is a sonic journey like no other.

The visionary artist behind this mesmerising creation saw an opportunity to intertwine two passions – the captivating allure of Japanese Ambient Music known as 'Kankyo Ongaku' and the revolutionary PlantWave technology. "Through The Looking Glass," is a profound synergy emerged between the tranquility of Japanese soundscapes and the unspoken language of plants.

At the heart of this musical odyssey lies the PlantWave, a remarkable device that bridges the gap between flora and sound. By delicately capturing the minute electrical fluctuations present within plant life, the artist harnessed a symphony of organic impulses. The two electrodes tenderly placed upon the leaves became conduits for botanical expression, each variation giving rise to a universe of harmonies.

"Through The Looking Glass (Original Score)" is a revelation of innovation, where plant-based rhythms merge seamlessly with electronic and organic sampled instruments. The artist ingeniously translated the plant's electrical language into an array of sounds, from celestial voices that echo the whispers of nature to electronic notes that dance like sunlight filtering through leaves.

With a creative arsenal that included the Organelle M, Arturia EFX Fragments, AudioThing Noises, Dexed, and the Tascam Porta Studio, the artist expertly shaped each track, sculpting sonic landscapes that carry listeners through realms unseen.

"Through The Looking Glass (Original Score)" isn't just an album; it's an invitation to witness the harmonious dialogue between nature and technology. As you immerse yourself in this symphony born from leaves and electrodes, you'll be transported to a realm where the boundaries between the botanical and the musical blur, creating an experience that is as meditative as it is groundbreaking.



"Through The Looking Glass

an audiovisual installation by Richard Tomlinson with Music by Daniel Birch

Through The Looking Glass is designed to encourage the visitor to contemplate the fragility of life on Earth and
understand that we, at this brief moment in history, are merely its custodians. The Earth has existed for 4.5
billion years, human civilisation is a very late-breaking development. This artwork allows the time travelling
visitor to glimpse at our collective past and comprehend a vast expanse of time. There is an underlying
environmental message within the work, however this message is not conveyed via a list of lessons in how to care
better for our environment. Instead, the aim is to encourage the visitor to consider their great fortune, against
overwhelming odds, that their precious and delicate home happens to exist in the habitable zone*.

‘Through the Looking Glass’ refers both to the idea of a magical lantern that projects images of life through the
ages and references the idea of the looking glass as a mirror, inviting the visitor to reflect on how their actions
impact on the Earth.

The conventional method of presenting moving image sequences is within a rectangular frame. However, for this
project, there was an interest in breaking from this cinematic norm. The idea of presenting a series of
rotating spheres seemed more in-keeping with conveying notions such as: totality, wholeness, the Self, the
infinite, eternity and timelessness. As the project developed more and more spheres were digitally constructed
and something sculptural, rather than cinematic, started to emerge.

Children and young people’s voices can be heard throughout the installation. The voices describe our collective
history, from the big bang singularity to the dawn of the modern age. The script is not one you would
necessarily associate with children and young people, the language is sometimes quite technical and
scientific. However, it was important that the visitor entered a space in which children and young people were
talking to the adults in the room, not the other way around.

The installation includes a companion piece produced by pupils from Minerva Primary School and Holy Trinity
Primary School in Taunton and Brent Knoll Primary School. Participants were given an opportunity to make very
close-up photographs of natural objects. The participants were able to see details, shapes and patterns in their
pictures they could not see with the naked eye. This, in turn, inspired the production of the creative audio
descriptions featured in the installation.

Many thanks to: Minerva Primary School, Holy Trinity Primary School, Brent Knoll Primary School, Amal Khreisheh
from South West Heritage Trust for allowing access to the South West Heritage Centre for hours worth of
photography, Somerset Youth Theatre who supported the process of recording the voices of young people,
Bodhi Birch for lending her voice to the project, Daniel Birch for his inventive approach to creating sounds and
ambient music, Somerset Film at The Engine Room for their ongoing support and provision of equipment and,
last but by no means least, to the Garfield Weston Foundation and Taunton Brewhouse for providing me with
such an amazing opportunity.

Richard Tomlinson

*The definition of “habitable zone” is the distance from a star at which liquid water could exist on orbiting
planets’ surfaces. Habitable zones are also known as Goldilocks’ zones, where conditions might be just right –
neither too hot nor too cold – for life.

Nasa"