Island Dawn Suite

Just a quick refresher: My Listening Spot series features one long, stationary environmental recording with a bespoke ambient composition. Peaceful, atmospheric, ambiguous. You’re invited to press play and read on!

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Ah, the South Pacific. Hawaii. The Big Island. It conjures all kinds of idyllic images, sounds, and fragrances: romantic sunsets, palms gently swaying in the tropical breeze, the sound of birdsong and tumbling surf, the fragrance of Plumeria wafting through the air…

Reality is often different. The traveller may encounter the glaring midday sun, the roar of landscaping machinery, the buzz of AC units, the fragrance of exhaust as vehicles vie for parking at popular beaches.

Warbling White Eye with Plumeria blossom. author photo

Is paradise a myth? Why is it so tantalizing?

Airbnb will let you allow the traveller to filter accommodations down to the amenity of a hair dryer, but offers little help in for finding a quiet place to stay. Analyzing maps is often more helpful than parsing descriptions.

I was grateful to find a sleepy 1960’s era condo resort in Keauhou, tucked away from the highway, for our family summer vacation. This soundscape was recorded in the dawn hours of an August morning last year. A little slice of deep island quiet.

I’m no Hawaii bird expert but I think what we are hearing is the gentle dawn song of Java Sparrows, a bird native to the islands of Java and Bali—where it is now rare—and introduced to Hawaii and elsewhere.

Java Sparrow, author photo

It’s possible there’s Warbling White-eye or Saffron Finch chiming in, but it’s all new to me, honestly.

Saffron Finch, author photo

The composition is a little different than my standard fare. There’s a synth pad built from cricket sounds, and there’s another synth pad that has a unique choral timbre… The reverb is bigger, and the harmonic complexity is pushing my comfort zone. That is to say, there’s some dense chords being played here—minor 9th chords, suspended 4ths, and so on—often blurring from one to the other. I’m kind of a lightweight when it comes to harmonics that introduce tension, but I’m curious. All in all, it’s very peaceful and reflective, but also bittersweet; like a Mona Lisa smile painted in sound waves. For an environmental recording from paradise, it’s not exactly what I would call “escapist”.

Thanks for reading and listening. I’m grateful for your interest. Island Dawn Suite is available under the artist name Listening Spot on all streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple, Tidal, Amazon, YouTube…) Friday, February 7th.