Construction - Reconstruction

By Chicago sound artist Lee Barry:

Dull, inert cities contain the seeds of their own destruction and little else. But lively, diverse, intense cities contain the seeds of their own regeneration.--Jane Jacobs

This certainly is the story of Chicago.

Federal Plaza at Dearborn and Adams was built in 1974 replacing the existing structure as a part of urban renewal taking place in the late 50s and early 60s. Remixes of field recordings are both destructive and reconstructive, a good metaphor for urban renewal, a "remix" of places, and is resonant with the oblique strategy supplied: "It is only a matter of work."

The source recording is the sound of jackhammers recorded both outside and inside of the post office building, with high frequencies attenuated by a thick pane of glass. The sound resembles a distortion effect, set against an E pedal point, derived from the pitch of the jackhammers. The effect is subtly ironic given the decibel level, and pushes the loudest event in the field to the background.