Strictly speaking, the term “soundscape” refers to the totality of sounds in a specific place, including all its natural sounds, traffic noise, and voices—both loud and soft. This definition can also be applied inward to describe people’s mental state. This is roughly the approach taken by singer and composer Zola Mennenöh, who lives in both Berlin and Copenhagen, when she began working on her program “A Labour of Love.” To stand up for her convictions and give voice to her anger at an increasingly chaotic world around her, Mennenöh actually takes a step back and lets the lyrical timbre of her voice speak for itself, just as much as the quiet flow of her spoken words. Combined with digitally developed sound textures and the nuanced dynamics of analog instruments, these imaginary soundscapes create a captivating emotionality.
Zola Mennenöh – voc/comp
Caecilie Balling – viol
Emily Wittbrodt – cel
Kathrin Pechlof – harp
Gintė Preisaitė – p/synth
Phil Donkin – b