Valparai - Disrupted Harmonies
British philosopher Tim Ingold explores the nuances in the perception of the environment and discusses the complexities in the ideas of environment and nature. He delves deep into the phenomena of perception and the different aspects of the human-environment relationships. Similarly, this project delves deep into the encounters and experiences of a complex landscape of Valparai, in the Western Ghats of India. The lush green of the tea and coffee plantations of Valparai tell us stories of absence in contrast to the vibrant and dynamic presence of biodiversity in the restored forest patches. The most visceral and evocative way of understanding these ever-evolving phenomena is through the sensory perception of listening to the landscape.
Bernie Krause in his ‘The Niche Hypothesis (1993)’ mentions “If, as we are suggesting, the ambient sound of primary growth habitats functions much as a modern day orchestra with each creature voice occupying its own place on the environmental music staff relative to frequency, amplitude, timbre, and duration of sound, then there is a clear acoustical message being sent as to the biological health of these locations. Some people, believing that fragile environments can be continuously and endlessly developed, must begin to listen, as well as observe what changes are taking place.”
As American anthropologist Anna Tsing writes in her book, ‘The Mushroom at the End of the World’, we are in an age of utility and resourcefulness leading to continuous extraction and exploitation. This is happening rapidly without sufficient care and affect for the earth, landscapes and ecologies. Valparai is a small hill-town in the Western Ghats of India. Historically, it has evolved in the complex way. The intricate relationships between fragmented forest patches, plantation areas and now restored forest patches have made this quaint hamlet an interesting ecological study area. With the tremendous ecological restoration work done by the National Conservation Foundation (NCF), now the area is vibrant and is home to multiple species of rainforest trees and animals. Yet, the vast expanse of tea and coffee plantation areas are dead silent as monoculture destroys biodiversity.
The final sound piece of the album 'Disrupted Harmonies' explores the dichotomies between the sounds of the restored rainforests and the silence of the monoculture plantations. It also layers in the excessive presence of machines and anthropomorphic evolution of the landscape. It explores the possibilities of more care and affect towards the ecologically sensitive rainforest area leading to thinking of it as a living being as opposed to a resource for unlimited human use. This piece was showcased as part of an exhibition supported by the French Institute of Pondicherry (Details : www.ifpindia.org/research/social-sciences/plantasound-the-sonic-politics-of-the-environment/)
The nine tracks provide insight into the region’s ecological dynamics by capturing acoustic variations across restored forest patches, old-growth forests, plantation zones, and human-impacted areas. These recordings reveal shifts in biodiversity, habitat fragmentation, and land-use change, raising questions about whether ecological recovery also restores lost soundscapes. Who Dares to Sing? explores the impact of plantations on biodiversity, where the contrast between silence and mechanical noise underscores the environmental consequences of land-use change. The first three tracks focus on wildlife sounds in restored forest patches and old-growth forest areas, highlighting the role of sound in species communication and movement. They illustrate the biodiversity and species distribution characteristic of a healthy forest environment. By engaging with these recordings, listeners can critically reflect on ecological transformations and consider how restoration, land management, and conservation influence both the visual and sonic aspects of the landscape.
credits
released March 27, 2025
Composition, Mixing and Mastering - Pratyay Raha
Field recordings - David Picherit, Sarah Benabou, Doris Barboni, Gayatri Manu, Ashank Chandapillai, Abhinav Suresh, Pratyay Raha
Album cover photograph - Sarah Benabou
Field recordings supported by French Institute of Pondicherry and Indian Sonic Research Organisation (www.theisro.org)
Details of the project : www.ifpindia.org/projects/sensitive-forests/
Album production supported by French Institute of Pondicherry