Dva Zagorodnyh Doma. Sounds of Rauma, 2013

During the residence Elena (Lena) Filatova and Alexander Shevchenko made a CD ”Sounds of Rauma” – a field book of audio recordings made and found in Rauma. The compilation is based on the sounds of the environment: the sea and nature surroundings, streets and urban area, inside talks and noises; life performances of elderly people, children, amateur musicians, own improvisations; sounds of old cassettes from flee-markets, church bells and seaman songs by local men’s choir. It is a book of found sounds, a share of impressions about the city based on the puzzle of sounds from which the artists tried to recollect the clear picture of atmosphere and life in Rauma. The CD is not on sale, but can be borrowed from Rauma City Library.

During the residence Sasha and Lena visited Kaunisjärvi retirement home, performed own and old Russian songs, Finnish songs together with old ladies, attended lessons at Rauman Freinetkoulu and played along (quietly) with children, met and played improvisations with Kimmo Haikonen, an amateur musician and music therapist, visited his live performances at schools in Eura. They have also been visiting Rauma Men Choir rehearsals, Independence Day Eve Concert, different Christmas concerts, church mass, exploring Rauma’s environment, Finnish music and seamen songs of Rauma, playing Hannele’s accordion and other instruments, and whistling most of the time.

Sasha and Lena performed as Sashash Ulz and Kot Kot at a festival of the previous Raumars project - Pacific Pandemonium in October and at Porin Juhlaviikot in Gallery 3h+k in December.

Sasha and Lena are two sound artists from Petrozavodsk, Russia, perfoming and recording music under the aliases Kot Kot and Sashash Ulz, Dva Zagorodnuh Doma. Together and solo play and record music based on found sounds and sound collages, both abstract and rhythmic. In their creative works they use different instruments, samplers and tape loops. Sashash Ulz’s music varies in between ambient, ascetic synth pieces and broken clusters of field recordings. Kot Kot is more into minimalistic songs with synthesizers inspired by soviet magazines and books for children.