UNDERWATER

A psychedelic audiovisual descent into a world that is simultaneously alien and home

We are all part of the same breath. The underwater world feels like a hallucination — yet behind the strange shapes are creatures working, talking, and surviving, just as we do.

Electronic musician An-Ting weaves the conversations of coral, seals, and whales into a tapestry of spatial audio and Chinese verse, creating an epic landscape of deep emotion. As the sound swells, Ian Gallagher's real-time 3D pointcloud environments respond in a kaleidoscope of mind-bending patterns.

Have you heard that fish talk? If we could understand them, what might they show us about their busy lives, what might they tell us about our place in the universe?

Digital Version

Underwater has a real-time digital version of the project to accompany our in-person performance. The performance tonight happens simultaneously with our alpha test of the digital version. All the fish in the world are controlled by real people remotely. The formal digital version will be launched in February 2027.

Underwater is part of the “Lost Communications 失絡之聲” project by An-Ting and Ian Gallagher, which explores non-human communications.

lostcommunications.com/works/underwater

Ambisonic Underwater Recording

We recorded underwater sound through a self-designed underwater ambisonic recorder array, which includes four underwater hydrophones (Aquarium, H1a), a customised stainless steel set with four 3D print connectors to take the hydrophones, Tascam X6, a customised waterproof container set from Blue Robotics, and an Insta360 for visual reference.

Almost all the sounds you will hear during the performance are our own underwater recordings, combined with sounds played live. Most of us are unfamiliar with these underwater sounds, so here are some tips to help you recognise them: We use fish sounds to create many different types of “fish drums.” Seals are highly melodic, while whales sound like they are from another planet. A healthy coral reef is full of rich clicking sounds made by various marine creatures.