Ian Flemming


I Have No Mouth: Postdigital Spectralism and the Voice


I Have No Mouth explores the validity of combining elements of both spectral and postdigital ‘glitch’ approaches in order to create a hybrid aesthetic. Similarities between spectral-thinking and postdigitalism can be identified; they also possess inherent tensions which could ultimately lead to a rich composition. The piece is based on an audio reading of a short story (the titular 'I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream' by Harlan Ellison). The human voice acts as the main narrative and compositional element. It was chosen for the extensive frequential content of the source material, and its philosophical and thematic affinity to the overall aesthetic. It is the voice which acts as the entry point to the work. By using software to analyse the frequency content of Ellison's reading, I composed sections which correspond to each character very specifically, using samples of the reading to tell the story.
The work is divided into 6 sections, one for each character. Each individual section is influenced by the character's frame of mind and actions in the story; the finished piece follows the chronology of Ellison’s narrative closely. Extreme glitch effects are used to denote intense moments in the narrative, whereas a ‘spectral-thinking’ approach is used for more subdued moments.

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Ian Flemming