Coral reefs are not only dazzling ecosystems but also acoustic worlds, alive with clicks, crackles, and calls that guide marine life. Coral Nursery takes inspiration from “coral DJing,” a method where healthy reef sounds are played to damaged reefs to encourage regrowth. In this piece, underwater recordings blend with synthesizers and spoken word to evoke reef life as fragile yet resilient – communities held together by sound. Snapping shrimp, lobsters, and whales intermingle with degraded and thriving reef textures, underscoring how sonic cues drive orientation, reproduction, and survival. Spoken word becomes less spell, more invocation: a poetic gesture toward repair and interspecies kinship. The reef emerges as a choir of shifting voices, fragile but capable of renewal when given space to be heard. The work reminds us that biodiversity is not silent – it resounds, and in listening we participate in its regeneration.
***
Created by
Chiara Pitrola, Luca Venturini
All field recordings are from coral reefs recorded by Dr. Aran Mooney / © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. To donate to their coral reef restoration projects, follow https://explore.whoi.edu/giving
***
This track was picked by our jury:
“A well-chosen concept that exemplifies how sound can be used as a tool for the renaturalisation and regrowth of ecosystems. It also stands out for its powerful production and composition.”
@xayide
@whoissitting
Lennart Posch
***
About the artists:
Chiara Pitrola, aka cosmic swarm, is a hydrofeminist practitioner who ritualizes slowness
through hydration liturgies as a form of resistance to ecological, sensorial, and imaginative
crises.
Luca Venturini, aka Walter Magi, is a Torino-based sound designer, composer, and producer
active since 2022. He co-founded the live electronic project TRAMPA and is part of the trio
Tresca y Tigre. His music has been released by labels such as Sovn Records and Funclab
Records.
#renatura #Crescere #Growth #experimentalmusic #biodiversity #soundart #electroacoustic #electronica #freeimprovisation #coralDJing #coralnursery #experimentalpop #measurements
