SPOOKY SOUNDS FROM SPACE 3: The Northern Sounds

The Cluster spacecrafts record the sounds of "the interaction between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetosphere." That's what creates the Aurora Borealis, "The Northern Lights," that not only look spectacular, but sound pretty cool too - like some hard-core electronics, e.g. Morton Subotnik, David Tudor, Cage, that kinda thing.

But it's also kinda scary, like "Electronic Voice Phenomenon."

Auroral Kilometric Radiation (ESA Cluster mission)

Reminds me of a brilliant bit of retro-techno by the sadly short-lived Richard Maxfield that was inspired by the nocturnal birds and insects he heard in New York City parks. As great as this piece is, it doesn't appear to be in print - I ripped this from a 1967 album called "Music Of Our Time: New Sounds In Electronic Music" that also features famous folk like Steve Reich (the first appearance of his seminal tape-loop piece "Come Out") and Pauline Oliveras.

Richard Maxfield: "Night Music"

Maxfield's obscurity is no doubt due to his brief life and career - he jumped out a window whilst on a bummer trip in 1969 at age 42. Someone reissue this man's works, please!