Brian Harnetty Sociophonic Key from the Sun Ra / El Saturn Archives

When BRIAN HARNETTY was commissioned to work with the Sun Ra/El Saturn archives in Chicago, his goal was to develop a series of conversations with SUN RA through the many recordings in the collection. On one level, the resulting pieces combine these diverse materials to create a sonic collage. On another level, Harnetty uses these elements to reveal multi-layered stories, drawing out the many connections and complexities of the Sun Ra archives. For this 7-inch single, entitled "The Sociophonic Key," Harnetty has created a stand-alone work drawn from "The Star Faced One," a 2010 sound installation at the Experimental Sound Studio in Chicago. Despite the variety of samples used many subtle relationships are heard--both literal and fantastic--from Sun Ra rehearsing a group of children fading into an answering machine, to the intensity of a gospel preacher alongside the Arkestra's invitation to join them in outer space. Edition of 500 copies. Includes a download.