Introducing our Alumni Spotlight series, where we shine a light on composers who have participated in our programmes to showcase what they’re up to now. This month we spoke to the incredible Alice Boyd and present a brand new film score from the New Voices 2020 alum.
Arctic Ice: Under The Midnight Sun is a collaboration between filmmaker Michelle Sanders and composer Alice Boyd. An audiovisual exploration of the beauty of Arctic ice – and the perils it faces – the film is a love letter to an ecosystem on which we all depend, one which is rapidly disappearing.
Watch Arctic Ice
About the Project
In 2023, Michelle Sanders travelled to Baffin Bay in the Arctic Ocean as part of a summer expedition with The Explorers Club and Adventure Canada. Filmed in collaboration with Fujifilm, she captured intimate macro shots and sweeping drone vistas, witnessing the majesty of this frozen realm and the diverse creatures that call it home. Working with composer Alice Boyd, Sanders unveils the mesmerising beauty of Arctic sea ice and its delicate ecosystem. Amidst the awe-inspiring scenes lies a poignant reminder of the looming threat: the rapid loss of Arctic sea ice.
“The film is inspired by a report that states we could see Arctic sea ice disappear by the 2030s. Being in the Arctic and witnessing for myself both the beauty, but also the underlying precarity, brought the urgency of the issue home to me in a profound way”.
– Michelle Sanders
Complementing Sander’s visuals is a haunting score by composer Alice Boyd. Infusing mournful harmonies, ice ambient strings, and ethereal soundscapes, Boyd’s music serves a reflection of the Arctic’s vastness and its fragility.
Boyd collaborates with label Biophonica to incorporate Arctic field recordings by renowned sound recordist and lifelong activist Martyn Stewart. Stewart has a personal connection to the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, having recorded there many times over his career. The recordings featured in the soundtrack were captured during a 14 day trip in 2005 to the Arctic Wildlife Refuge – from the coastal plane to brooks range.
“It was an honour to weave Martyn’s Arctic field recordings into my soundtrack. In ten years’ time if the ice continues to disappear at this rate – these sounds will not exist anymore. The recordings act as a time capsule, grounding the music in the sonic richness of this ecosystem and the sobering reality of its future.”
– Alice Boyd
Legendary music producer Brian Eno describes the film as “Beautiful”.
Singer-songwriter Sandrayati says, “A beautiful and powerful ode to the majesty of Arctic ice.”
Filmmaker and biologist Tom Mustill adds, “Mesmerising, unnerving and playful. An intriguing and beautiful film that lets you have your own thoughts and changes you a little in the tiny time you watch it. So full of textures I wanted to reach out and touch it. I love this film.”
Alice and Michelle in Conversation
New Voices 2020
Alice was part of Sound and Music’s New Voices programme, and a 2020 selected composer.
Speaking about her time on the programme, Alice says:
“Sound and Music’s New Voices gave me the confidence to step fully into my practice as a musician, sound artist and audio producer. New Voices supported me in making my first EP, ‘From The Understory’ as part of my artist residency at the Eden Project in Cornwall. Since then, I’ve been composing music, creating audio documentaries and delving into the world of field recording, all with a focus on the interconnectedness of humans and our environments.”
“Most recently, I’ve collaborated with filmmaker Michelle Sanders to create ‘Arctic Ice: Under The Midnight Sun’ a three minute audiovisual piece celebrating Arctic sea ice and drawing attention to its fragility in the face of the climate crisis. I also presented and produced my first BBC Radio 4 audio documentary, ‘Shifting Sounscapes’ in which I retrace the steps of legendary recordist Martyn Stewart to see how the UK’s soundscapes have changed over the last 50 years. Currently, I am working towards the release of my second EP later this year. Watch this space!”
Alice Boyd
Alice Boyd is a British composer, sound artist and audio producer. Her work primarily explores our interconnectedness with the natural world, often using the voice, ambient electronic textures and novel field recording techniques, which unveil the hidden sounds of our environments. In 2023, Alice released her debut EP ‘From The Understory’, created as part of her artist residency at the Eden Project – the world’s largest indoor rainforest. Since then, her music has been featured on BBC Radio 6, BBC Introducing and BBC Radio 3’s ‘Secrets of the Scottish Rainforest’, and she has performed in botanical gardens, ancient woodlands and music venues across the UK.
Michelle Sanders
Michelle Sanders is a filmmaker focused on telling unique and compelling stories about nature, people, and the environment. Her work has taken her to the Arctic, South Pacific, Europe and North America for topics including the trade in tortoises and tigers, the emerging discussion on whether to mine the deep sea, protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil drilling, protecting America’s wild horse populations, and stopping development of the largest oil field proposed in the North Sea. She has directed and shot work for Fujifilm & Aquatech, National Wildlife Federation, The Turtle Conservancy, and more.
Learn more about Arctic Ice
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