Above (left): Collage by Aya & Jason (Overture), created live in the radio station during the broadcast of Arthur Radio Voyage #9. Double-click to view fullscreen.

Stream: [audio:http://www.arthurmag.com/magpie/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Arthur-Radio-Voyage-9-Forest-Dwelling-with-Jason-Aya-3-14-2010.mp3%5D

Download: Arthur Radio Voyage #9: Forest Dwelling with Overture

This week we arrived at the Newtown Radio studio to find it transformed beyond recognition… emerald green vines blanketed the walls, and a lush carpet of multi-colored mosses and swamp grass covered the floor. We pushed our way through a thicket of elephant ears into a sun-dappled glade, where our guests Jason & Aya (otherwise known as Overture, the minds behind the cover of the recent Six Organs of Admittance/Azul split LP), were seated on bed of soft purple and magenta leaves. We listened under the shade of a poplar tree as they read tales of fantastical landscapes where landslides, floods and rainfall had created a boggy wonderland full of dancing musical animals, rhubarb babies, and a wise old vegetable lady…

After the storytelling, we ventured into the glade to ask our enchanting guests more about these worlds they had woven before our eyes. The first reading, it turns out, was inspired by a spine-tinglingly beautiful animation that the the super-artist duo made for Múm‘s song “Rhubarbidoo” from their 2007 album Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy.

The second reading was inspired by the following three animations, which the artists made for experimental piano maestro Hauschka‘s 2008 album Ferndorf:

The third reading, a story in which “An old man confronts his fears, traveling across a personal landscape to realize and accept his path,” was based on an animation Overture made for the song “Bless” by Icelandic musician Kira Kira, which is featured on her 2008 album Our Map to the Monster Olympics. This video was just released to the world officially yesterday — Enjoy!!!

Learn more about Jason & Aya’s work and future escapades at http://www.opertura.org and on their blog.

This week’s playlist…

“the frog pond” – frog noises
jon hassell – chor moire
emunclaw – opening of the dawn
avey tare & kria brekken – was oniap (double reversed)
painting petals on planet ghost – side a
meredith monk – gotham lullaby
feathers – silver leaves in the air of starseedlings
lavender diamond – i want to rest my heart
micheal hurley – penguins
leo kottke – song of the swamp
john fahey – bicycle built for two
aphex twin – avril 14th
penguin cafe orchestra – the sound of someone you love who’s going away and it doesnt matter
masaki batoh – world of pain
brion gysin – “i am” machine poem
yahowa 13 – ho
pilgrims – spooky theme
pearls before swine – the surrealist waltz
fear itself – bobby gene / trad gras och stenar – live jam

…2ND HOUR…

STORYTELLING WITH AYA & JASON… FEATURING:
six organs of admittance – furnace
mum – rhubarbidoo
azul – campanella / momo / ocean / gnya gnya blues / a short tip along the way (for david tibet)
haushka – freibad
mum – sleep/swim / green grass of tunnel
life on earth soundtrack – side a