“I love playing with that strange territory between language as meaningful communication and language as a purely sonic element,” says San Francisco based artist Pamela Z, speaking to Emily Pothast in The Wire 449. “I know that if it’s language that’s understood by the listener, it’s impossible to just throw it in there and say I’m just using it for the sound of it. So that meaning becomes a layer of the work. But you can play with things that cause that meaning to sort of recede or disappear”, she continues, “like repetition and layering, that will eventually make the sound start to lose its meaning in the ears of the listener. Then it will start to take on new meanings over time.”

Although Z has been active since the 1980s – both as a prolific collaborator and performer – A Secret Code, released by US composition label Neuma, is only her third solo album, following 1988's self-released cassette Echolation and 2004's A Delay Is Better. In her new Wire interview, Z speaks about the key elements of her practice and how it has evolved over the years, her approach to radio programming and experiments with live events organising and more. Read the article in full inside issue 449 or via the online archive.

Tracklist

Erin Gee “Mouthpiece 9 - Part 1”
Pamela Z “Occupy: Site Four”
Florent Ghys “An Open Cage”
Donald Swearingen “Dohee Études No. 2: Deep Scary”
Pamela Z “He Says Yes”
Timet “L’uomo”
Jlin “The Abyss Of Doubt”
Dana Jessen “Carve (Only Reed)”
Negativland “Discernment”
Tim Hecker “Music Of The Air”
Wobbly “Total Systems”
Dana Jessen “Carve (Without Reed)”
David Cunningham “Belgrano”
Pamela Z “Stuff”
Paula Matthusen “AEG Movement III For Dance”

Additional information

“Mouthpiece 9 - Part 1”
Composer: Erin Gee, performed by: Erin Gee (voice), ORF Vienna Radio Symophony Orchestra (6:55)

“Site Four” (from Occupy, a dance score for Stephan Koplowitz and Axis Dance)
Composed and performed by: Pamela Z (voice & electronics, samples) (6:54)

“An Open Cage”
Composer: Florent Ghys, performed by Bang On A Can All-Stars, sample voice: John Cage (4:07)

“Dohee Études No. 2: Deep Scary”
Composed and performed by: Donald Swearingen (samples and MIDI keyboard), sampled voice: Dohee Lee 5:08

“He Says Yes” (from Echo, a dance score for Sara Shelton Mann)
Composed and performed by: Pamela Z (voice & electronics, samples) (4:05)

“L’uomo
Composed and performed by Timet (3:24)

“The Abyss Of Doubt”
Composed and performed by Jlin 3:34

“Carve (Only Reed)”
Composed and performed by Dana Jessen (bassoon bocal) (1:40)

“Discernment”
Composed and performed by Negativland (samples) (4:30)

“Music Of The Air”
Composer: Tim Hecker (4:08)

“Total Systems”
Composed and performed by Wobbly (samples) (1:39)

“Carve (Without Reed)”
Composed and performed by Dana Jessen (bassoon without reeds, and voice) (2:04)

“Belgrano”
Composed and performed by David Cunningham (2:41)

“Stuff” (from Multiple Mary Invisible Jane – a dance score for Jo Kreiter and Flyaway Productions) Composer: Pamela Z, performed by Pamela Z (voice, electronics, samples, MIDI instruments), violin: Adria Otte, sampled speaking voices: Barbara Coleman, Dorothy Chaplin, Kathryn Galvez, Alice Randolph, Michelle Washington, Pamela White (5:17)

“AEG Movement III For Dance”
Composer: Paula Matthusen, performed by Paula Matthusen (electronics), Kathleen Supové & Yvonne Troxler (piano), Molly Shaiken & Tiit Helimets (voice), Abi Basch (text) (5:26)