Syllables repeated quickly back-and-forth between left and right channels, filtered and gradually mixing in and out, sounds appear as different words or sentences to some people, or as rhythms and melodies to others. based on an auditory illusion described by diana deutsch, in which our attention wanders and allows for a shift between what we hear and what we imagine—not as a puzzle to solve, but as information in raw form that we meet halfway as language or as music. Lyrics composed entirely by listeners taking note of the words and phrases they hear in the repetition.

⤷ part of Speak Your Own Language

Speak Your Own Language (2015) is part of lucky dragons’ continuing exploration of the auditory illusion by which short fragments of speech, when repeated, can appear as entire words and sentences like an audio rorschach test. Spoken syllables, sequenced and filtered into layered rhythms and harmonic textures, occupy an area between music and language that each listener hears differently. For this record’s cover artwork, five listeners (native Danish and Spanish speakers) were asked to write down any words or phrases that they heard, composing lyrics to the music. Released as a 7” record by Harmonipan in connection with the project Variety Gate at Museo Universitario del Chopo in Mexico City.

⤷ part of Speak Your Own Language