Other Minds is pleased to present Lost Horse Wash Drone, a new recording by composer and guitarist Giacomo Fiore. The CD features Fiore’s playing on a variety of justly-tuned guitars alongside field recordings from Joshua Tree National Park.

The concept for this album grew out of Giacomo Fiore’s week-long residency at the Lou Harrison House in Joshua Tree, California in March 2023. Immersed in the surroundings of the desert, Fiore delved into an exploration of Lou Harrison’s musical legacy, drawing inspiration from Harrison’s creative practice and his commitment to environmental conservation.

Armed with a fretless electric guitar, a resophonic guitar (a copy of the instrument Harrison designed for his last composition, Scenes from Nek Chand), and his recording equipment, Fiore ventured into the heart of Joshua Tree National Park to capture the aural essence of the desert landscape. Despite encountering challenges with human-caused noise pollution, Fiore persevered, employing inventive techniques such as placing microphones inside his guitar to blend the sounds of the environment with the acoustics of his instrument.

Fiore’s time at the Lou Harrison House allowed him to rediscover the profound influence of Harrison’s music and ethos on his work, reflecting on Harrison’s advice to “Cherish, Conserve, Consider, Create.” Through the lens of his microphones, Fiore observes the fragility of the desert’s natural treasures and our role in preserving them.

…there is much to enjoy in the interplay among instrumental sounds, natural sounds, and products of imaginative audio editing. Stephen Smoliar, The Rehearsal Studio, June 2024

1 · Morning, 6:17
2 · Pine City Air, 5:33
3 · Lost Horse Wash Drone, 9:54
4 · Ryan Mountain Suite, 10:25
5 · Night, 8:33