I’ve always been fascinated by the ubiquity of radio communication. From commercially broadcast FM/AM to shortwave ham radio and the coded messages of mysterious government agencies, it perpetually saturates the very air we breathe. For most, it’s simply a way to pass the time between destinations, but for some it is a gateway to another universe. With a little knowledge and a few cheap components, you can explore a seemingly infinite variety of sounds, music, languages, and ideas from around the world.

In this piece, I wanted to encapsulate that experience of haphazard discovery in the electronics, which are all derived from recordings of various radio transmissions. For the live performer, I also chose to embody that same mindset by focusing on the exploration of timbre rather than idiomatic techniques and sounds that we have come to expect from the snare drum.