Urban Nature: Dodder Valley Park sounds inspire new album

The idyllic and peaceful surroundings of Dodder Valley Park in Tallaght served as the key inspiration for electronic musician Mick Chillage’s new album, ‘Urban Nature’.

Mick, who lives in Bawnville, creates ambient electronic compositions which he melded with bird song and other sounds captured in Dodder Valley Park for his new album.

‘Urban Nature’ is the latest in a prolific collection of albums released by Mick, who has been a musician since 1996 and largely records and produces his tracks in his home studio in Tallaght.

Mick told The Echo about what appeals to him most about creating ambient, electronic music, why he feels more people should connect with nature, and he described his favourite area of Dodder Valley Park.

You’ve been a musician since 1996, what do you think has been the key to your longevity as a musician?

I started out wondering if I could realise some of my ideas or concepts, as I’m not formally trained, so I guess what gives my art longevity is being open-minded.

My tastes have changed in many ways over the years. Although I work mainly within electronic music, I listen to and embrace classical, jazz, folk, new and old, and many other forms of electronic music also.

Although it’s not intentional to emulate a particular sound or artist, often these influences just trickle through subconsciously.

You’ve been creating ambient, electronic music for over 25 years. How did you discover this style of music?

As a child watching TV in the late 1970s, I was always more interested in the instrumental music and soundtracks of film rather than pop music.

The works of John Barry, for example, who composed most of the Bond movies, his soundtracks transferred me into another world.

In the early 1980s, electronic scores in movies became more popular, more economical and more inventive as a result.

Groups like Tangerine Dream, Vangelis and the director John Carpenter made very minimal yet brilliant soundscapes and scores that I was really fascinated with, and had me thinking, ‘Maybe I’ll do that one day’.

What about ambient music appeals to you most as a creator?

For me, it’s a very freeform style of music, it doesn’t have to be structured with the usual rhythmical elements of rock, pop, or dance music.

You can just lose yourself in the process of creating it, because you’re not thinking about the relationship of other elements too much.

It’s a wonderful genre for improvisation. Strangely, while working on an ambient piece, you can become in an almost meditative state which is often the desired result for listening to it.

Some of my works often result in durations of up to an hour long. Your latest album, ‘Urban Nature’, is inspired by Dodder Valley Park.

Is there a particular section of the park that you find especially inspiring, or that led you to develop this album?

I pretty much find the whole park fascinating. The idea that this rather thriving, natural habitat sits between two urban sprawls for the last 40 plus years or so…it shows that nature is very resilient.

However, I do have a soft spot for the Weir near the M50, and the meadow that grows on the banks of the park in summer that is adjacent to Bawnville.

‘Urban Nature’ features sounds recorded in and around the park, such as birdsong and the M50, alongside delicate piano and electronic compositions. Do you ever find it hard to balance how much ‘live’ footage from the area to use alongside your music?

Strangely, I found the balance quite easy.

I was mindful at the beginning that perhaps the music elements would need to be fairly minimal, meaning not too many individual electronic sounds that could possibly drown out both the recorded urban sounds, and the more delicate natural sounds and the piano elements which are also played for the most part quite gently.

I focused more on the piano compositions, making sure each composition had a strong sense of identity, and I was very subtle with the use of electronic sound.

What impact do you hope the album will have?

Ultimately, I hope when people listen to it. it makes them realise the importance of nature and that it might inspire them to explore their own local natural surroundings.

We spend way too much time in front of screens and are absorbed in the commercial world almost 24/7.

Getting out into nature a few times a week can boost your sense of well-being and help reconnect with the simpler lifestyles of our ancestors.

I also hope that the music and sound contained can help you to unwind or just escape after a hard week, take the time to listen and recharge and perhaps some of the melodies/musical themes may connect with the listener in some personal way.

‘Urban Nature’ is out now and is available on CD and digital formats at beforeaftersilencerecordings on bandcamp.