By Derek Schlennstedt
A fascinating album that explores the sounds of Laos is being produced by a Healesville musician.
Peter Wadham travelled to the remote South-East Asian country in 2017 and experienced a journey that influenced him to create an album focusing on Laos’ diverse singing culture.
One song recorded inside a cave produces an incredible sensation with the singer’s voice echoing through the cavern.
“I was taken on a small tour with people, and the tour guide himself started singing in the cave, his voice was so pure and reverberated in the cave; it was so rich and it overwhelmed me, and I asked if I could come back and record him,” Peter said.
Peter has more than 20 years’ experience producing music and has developed his own style of music-making called ‘organic electronic’ which involves the use of synthesizers and recording sounds through a microphone that he carefully blends into rhythms and melodies.
The hour-long album has taken Peter nearly 2000 hours to produce and includes various nature sounds to capture the essence of Laos.
“I love the Earth, and love creating music that’s different. I want to give people a new experience, a new way to feel connection with the Earth,” Peter said.
Peter put out a crowdfunding appeal to help produce the album and a percentage of royalties will be given to the Laotian singers and their communities.
He has already been able to send some funds back to Laos to help one of the singers pay for his children’s schooling.
To find out more about Peet Wonderfeel and the album visit http://bit.ly/wonderlao or http://wonderfeel.com.
