This is the first EP of Flaming Pines` “Birds of a Feather” series
When I was asked to get involved in this project and pick a bird the first thing that came to my mind was woodpecker, it’s my favorite bird, then later when I was asked to write about the reason I chose the woodpecker I thought: “Well, I love the bird and the woodpecking sound is one of the greatest sounds that can be heard in nature.” I have always been fascinated by the sound of this amazing creature and it’s weird nature of finding and eating food, so it was very easy pick!!
Porya Hatami, Sanandaj, Iran.
Reviews:
A largely becalmed meditation on the Black Woodpecker, Hatami’s eighteen-minute soundscape sets the stage during its opening third by presenting an enveloping mist of blurry thrum and sparkle before the first hints of bird chatter and woodpecking appear—perhaps Hatami’s way of suggesting that one must plunge deeply into the setting and gradually become attuned to the subtleties of its realm. Amidst an ambient background that suggests gentle surges of water, the nature sounds of crackle and pecking add a percussive dimension to the lulling flow that rises and falls alongside it. A sense of place is established via the sounds of clumping footsteps that evoke the image of Hatami trudging through the setting and surrounded by a symphony of birdsong. The first in the Birds of a Feather series, The Black Woodpecker proves to be an understated yet elegant beginning.—-/Textura
The Black Woodpecker is a wonderful start to what promises to be another worthwhile series from this forward-thinking label… One thing’s for sure: every release is this series is going to be worth the anticipation —/ A Closer Listen
Hatami says he has always been fascinated by the black woodpecker and its unique dining habits. Living in Sanandaj, Kurdistan, at the foot of a great mountain, his piece is more epic. Hatami climbs upward, bells shivering and wind soughing through the treetops. As he ascends, the throaty, then sweet, call of the birds and the hollow hammering of their bills is all around him.—/Igloomag
Music by Porya Hatami
Design by Kate Carr
Mastered by Taylor Deupree