A fascinating fusion of South Korean shamanic rituals with contemporary percussion and video work.

Earth Cry, an international collaboration between Synergy Percussion and Korean folk masters Noreum Machi, fuses references to the shamanic rituals of South Korea with contemporary percussion and video work by Samuel James. Each work evolves, both musically and visually, emerging and unfolding, to create unique soundscapes that explore themes of cultural exchange and the natural world.

Tree Rain/After Earth Cry delicately opens out, maintaining a sense of spaciousness. A call to prayer played on ancient orthodox Christian instruments intermingle with a warm marimba melody inspired by Peter Sculthorpe’s re-imagining of songs from Arnhem Land combined with an inverted version of the ancient Korean Chilche rhythm.

The hypnotic gong ostinato, in Wastelands I & II, propels the descent into whirling chaos as it gradually diminishes in length. Traditional Korean wind instruments mix with modern western percussion to create a fiery and disquieting conflict.

Water Song, a traditional song from the Kiongi province, offers a moment of stasis; a powerfully intimate moment, made more special by the use of the everyday. Water, plastic bowls and stones create a rich, nuanced texture.

The Small Drum Dance, in the Samul Nori tradition, was...