Sounding Something Out

Mute

Sounding Something Out

AIMS Creative Sounds of Lockdown

We usually meet up as a group at AIMS Advocacy, but because of lockdown we have been finding different ways to stay connected. We share our experience of mental health and use these conversations to creatively express ourselves.

This is not something we've just started. 

After creating our lockDown but not Out online zine in 2020, we started to think about how sounds have affected us during this time and how we can be in tune with the world. We started off just collecting sounds and tried to think how that made us feel.

Everyone hears sounds differently and everyone feels sounds differently.

We worked to put these together and created compositions that tell our own stories. Although we made individual compositions, the process was about listening, being able to sound something out and resonating with the ideas and experiences of eachother. 

Sometimes it is difficult to find the words of decribe how you are feeling. We've found that we can use sounds as a way to find those words for ourselves.

You don't just hear them, you can feel sounds deeper down inside of you.



You can listen to our individual compositions below. Each sound tells a story, so listen to each one all the way through and see what that story means to you.

Threshold

1:27

I lock the door at night, to be safe. I unlock it in the morning, hoping I'll be brave enough to open it, and go out. If I don't (or is that can't?) go out, I get mind, cabin fever. Thinking of plans, ideas, and what I could do come all at the same time, and they (who are me) talk over one another, clamouring for attention. So noisy that I can't pay attention to any of them! And I feel worthless... stuck in my loud, limbo.

The little, shy me goes into hiding when the Drummed Dragoons march in, declaring my critical Dogma of 'SHOULD':

'I should do this!'

'I should do that!'

'I should have done this, that, and the other!'

It crams into all the spaces and I feel that I can't move, or even, breathe...

That's when my body takes over. She is the survivor. No thought needed. Just breath...in and out...

It's quieter now. Little, shy me pipes up; she asks if we can go outside and have an adventure? Fearful me is doubtful but, bored me and healthy me are already getting my jacket and wellies on.

Out the door we go...

In to space...

We walk, we pay attention, we play.

Creative me tells the stories.

Life's Journey

1:11


MASKS

2:26

Not for covid, but contaminated masks.

Not of sickness but concealment. 


Sometimes they slip when we are in tune with others. 


Maybe we need them just to have the normal.

Nightweights

1:13

CAN YOU HEAR ME?

2:07

We are often unaware that someone has tossed a pebble into our smooth pond until we start to see ripples appearing on the surface of the water.
When the water quickly becomes turbulent and we start to feel anxious, we politely ask for help and support from those responsible for our safety.


When we are assured that the cause had already been identified and is currently being addressed, we trust that this is the case and feel hopeful that our smooth safe pond will soon be restored.


When that fails to happen and no-one tells us the reason why, our anxiety level increases, the water becomes a whirl pool and our cries for help get louder and more desperate.


When these are ignored, the shock of having our trust betrayed and our hopes so cruelly dashed leaves us traumatised and speechless.


Encouraged by family and those who care about us, we reach out for professional support and guidance. This helps us to find our voice again and strengthens our confidence to respectfully state our case and seek a resolution.


When this is denied and no professional is provided to help us achieve it, we find ourselves on a white water rapids course, our cries of 'CAN  YOU  HEAR  ME?' being drowned out by the noise of the water.


When our next approach for professional support and guidance also fails, we find ourselves sinking into a quagmire, our cries of 'CAN  YOU  HEAR  ME?' getting weaker and going unanswered.


Exhausted from our struggles to survive, our further cries of 'CAN  YOU  HEAR  ME?' are now inaudible as we are dragged down deeper into the quagmire when hope gives way to abject despair.

Cheer Up and Smile

1:02

I can hear the birds cheeping away.

And I can hear the water through the riverbank.

I can see people walking along the riverbank.

Enjoying some fresh air.

I can see swans in the water with their babies.

But the sad thing is in icy water.

Can you hear me?

Don't throw rubbish in the water.

À la modem

0:32

eeee e e urrrr brurrrrrr blublublublu blu beep beep boop boop boop boop blublublublu blu beep beep beep boop eeee e e urrrr brurrrrrr blublublublu blu beep beep boop boop boop boop blublublublu blu beep beep beep boop

How does that sound?

Let Me In

0:46


On The Rocks

2:00

That's everyday life,

You have a storm.

You can't get past that,

When you've got destruction inside. 

Lost and alone,

You're on that tidal wave.

If you're in the water,

You feel like you're drowning.

Up and down, high and low.

You need to have deep breaths.

Breathe in, breathe out.

You have to keep going, 

To get past the waves.

Walk Through the Woods

2:31

Can you feel what I feel?









Can you see what I see?









Can you believe?

π    
   

0:35


Tide

1:44

We hope that you enjoyed listening to our compositions that this will inspire you to be more in tune with the world around you. 


You can listen to our recorded sounds and create your own stories using our sound bank


Have fun and don't be afraid to just try Sounding Something Out!