Music is essential to the story telling of UNDERGROUND. The musicians exist in the play as cosmic entities. We are a part of their world and can engage with their surroundings, unbeknownst to them.

Iben and Carla have been conceptualising UNDERGROUND’s music from the start of the project. All of the music in the play stems from one idea: that music is an active ingredient in the story. From this, ideas such as live amplification and sampling naturally grew into the language and world building of UNDERGROUND.

Chloe realised Carla’s idea with Ableton Live, Max MSP, and a lot of patience. They devised and composed alongside the rehearsal process, experimenting in conversation with the director and actors. Soon ideas and motifs such as live manipulation of sound and the use of silence emerged. 

A main motif throughout the entire play is the manipulation of silence. Chloe and Carla question the adaptability of the audience’s ear. How much do you actually hear? If you listen closely, you might hear the sound of the underground. Chloe composed the ambient soundscape that runs throughout the entirety of the play using her own field recordings of water dripping, metallic objects creaking, and the lift going up and down.

Capturing live sounds from the set is also a big part of UNDERGROUND’s musical language. Carla uses a variety of microphones including contact mics and shotgun capsules to capture sound, which Chloe is then processing using Ableton. All the music you hear tonight is made live.