Murmur

Brussels was built on a swamp. Today, there is only one tiny part of Brussels that is still officially a swamp. Although continually threatened by development, the area has stayed intact largely due to its location, ensnared between two railroad tracks. Murmur is a collaboration between filmmaker Jan Locus and sound artist Stijn Demeulenaere. Just before first light, they recorded the dawn chorus: the world waking up, the biotope. The animals are roused from sleep, almost one species at the time, and start making their presence known, creating a lush symphony-like soundscape that lasts until the sun is well up in the sky. At the same time, we hear the city awakening in the distance as the continuous bass drone gets louder. The city drone permeates the sound of the swamp, and a strange mix unfolds somewhere between the sound of awakening nature and human presence.