flutter - a sonic exploration of Tourette’s syndrome for 4 voices and electronics

Flutter is a vocal and sonic exploration of Tourette’s syndrome, vocal and physical tics — by composer and sound artist Deborah Shaw ( Aurora Engine ). Composed for 4 voices the work draws on her lived experience since childhood, moving from the jarring rhythm and pitch of physical and vocal tics into a layered choral and electronic soundscapes that explore anxiety and the relationship between sound, the body, the soothing effects of singing presented in euphoric sonic fields that reflects the calming and therapeutic effect of sound and singing on the body.

Originally commissioned by The Scottish Mental Health Aerts Festival in 2024, the work was further commissioned as a performance / installation by Cryptic Glasgow in collaboration with visual artist Mettje Hunneman’s light sculpture XEON Sphere. The work is set tour in 2027/28, and Deborah is planning to release the works to coincide with the tour.

THE ALBUM

 The 8 track album, explores the jarring uncomfortable side of Tourette’s through sound. Whilst some tracks brim with tension and unease, these are counterbalanced with calming choral compositions, or electronic explorations of breath. In ‘Basal Ganglia’ Deborah sonificates medical data relating to Tourette’s, bringing powerful data to audiences embedding it in the composition.

Deborah is currently finishing the final 2 tracks, but you can hear the album below (DEMOS are clearly marked)

TOUR 2027 / 2028 - XON SPhere

Produced by Cryptic, the work will tour in 2027 / 28

Mettje’s light sculpture works in tandem with the live audio performance, responding to tension and release stretching and spinning visual lines that gather, hold and then let go echoing the way tension builds and releases also in a tic, which is why this collaboration felt so naturally aligned. It appears as if light emits from the sculpture’s frame itself — even though you can clearly see the light is projected onto it. It becomes about projecting movement onto a structure that transforms the movement itself. You can view the 90 second trailer for the tour below - All audio recordings on this example are live.