One Step at a Deep Time (2023)

One Step at a Deep Time is a soundwalk composition exploring tensions between human and other-than-human soundscpaes of Canaveral National Seashore, the longest stretch of undeveloped Atlantic Coastline in Florida.

The piece takes listeners from one side of the park, the ocean during sunrise, to the other, the Mosquito lagoon at dusk, two disparate environments, yet interdependent and deeply connected. Besides sounds of environmental phenomena, water, rain, wind, storms and numerous animal species, the listener gets to encounter many anthropogenic noises including electric flows from utility poles, switchboards and vending machines, all ensuring that visitors can experience this unique place. More importantly, the piece brings attention to noises from the ever-intensifying activities of the nearby space center, including rumbling of space launches performed by NASA and SpaceX. The piece transversally cuts through and folds those different sonic layers, at the end leaving the listener submerged in the soundscape of underwater life as experienced and recorded on the lagoon side of the part, an extremely vulnerable environment, home to many species including shrimp, oyster toadfish, drum fish, manatees and bottlenose dolphins.

Additionally, the piece interweaves voices of people concerned with the depletion of biodiversity which is also affected by the intensifying noise pollution in the region. The accounts include members of the local community, Sound Seekers, a group of eye impaired and blind youth who regularly explore natural environments of Florida through sound. They were asked two questions to reflect on: What sounds and soundscapes of today would you like to protect so the future generations can experience them? What sounds do you think will dominate in the future, either in a decade or in the deep future, thousands years ahead?

Based on an array of field recordings I made as a Soundscape Field Station resident at the park in early 2023, the soundwalk composition is developed to be listened to along one of the selected trails within the borders of the park.

The piece can be listened to here

This creative work was produced under the Atlantic Center for the Arts artist-in-residence program at Canaveral National Seashore. The program is funded by Friends of Canaveral, the City of New Smyrna Beach, and Atlantic Center for the Arts.
Thanks to: Eve Payor (ACA), Nancy Lowden Norman (ACA), Avia Michell Woulard, Laura Henning, Jamie, Justin, Dag, Brandon and other park rangers (Canaveral National Seashore), Nathan Wolek (Stetson University), Sound Seekers, Friends of Canaveral, Glenn Payor and Sherry Payor, Brett Ascarelli, Tom Matthews and Sara Matthews