Ed Osborn

Flying Machines is a set of delicately balanced sounding objects that are moved slowly by propellers suspended below loudspeakers at the end of long, slender arms. They have a lifelike aura and emit vocalesque sounds that recall large creatures in a state of mild agitation. These sounds seem too low to be generated by objects of this size, an acoustic mismatch intended to mirror the slippage between the title of the work and the machines' inability to leave the ground. A microcontroller-based circuit directs the objects' actions, modulating them though evolving patterns of activity. Their motions are deliberate and graceful, allowing a sense of calm despite the presence of quickly turning fan blades. The piece is designed to be experienced in extended durations, and over time it reveals complex and subtly shifting forms of movement and sound.