welwitschia mirabilis by Justin Jones

Welwitchia Mirabilis, (also called “tweeblaarkanniedood” in Afrikaans, or "two leaves that cannot die”) is a low slung, scrubby looking shrub found in the Namib Desert. What is most miraculous about this unassuming desert plant is its remarkable lifespan, with some individual specimens continuously growing for upwards of 3000 years. I first encountered Welwitschia Miriabilis through conceptual artist Rachel Sussman’s book, The Oldest Living Things in the World - a series of photographic portraits of organisms that have been alive for 2,000 or more years. Much of this album was created in response to this book with tracks serving as musical portraits of these inspiring survivors—5,000 yr. old trees, 100,000 yr. old sea grass, 3,000 yr. old map lichens… I hope to capture their unique character and built musical structures inspired by their ingenious strategies for survival including adaptation, slow growth, and self-cloning. I’ve also tried to echo the way Sussman’s portraits capture the sweeping timescales evident in each remarkable organism, inviting the audience to listen their way into “deep time.” Thanks so much for listening!

Creation of welwitschia mirabilis supported by the 2021 MRAC Next Step Fund and the 2021 New Music USA Creator Development Fund. Big thank yous to: aether royalty Jesse Whitney for years (yes years) of support and expert mastering; Ivy Baldwin and the dancers of Folds (Saul! Katie! Kayvon!) for inspiration, embodied listening, and FaceTime residency companionship; Eric Tilton for generous feedback and support along the way. Many other deep thanks to Sami, Anat, Ellie, Lucy, Henry, Floormat and Rachel Sussman’s The Oldest Living Things in the World. Digital album art by Justin Jones with additional design by birthday-twin, Michael Grossman (thanks MG!).

Tracks 9-11 originally heard in December 2022 at The Chocolate Factory, NYC in Ivy Baldwin Dance’s production of “Folds.”

electronic sounds to peel open your mind
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Minneapolis, Minnesota.