One is a dreamy soundscape collected from the peaks of the Dolomites. The other is a drum’n’bass track that samples a nightingale’s quickfire song.
These contrasting tunes have won the inaugural Tune into Nature music prize, a contest that seeks to showcase new music by upcoming artists that is inspired by the natural world.
Dawn, Aurora, by Josephine Illingworth, was created from sounds that the 23-year-old musician and artist from London recorded during several weeks sleeping alone in mountain huts in northern Italy, with lyrics taken from the entries left by hikers in the hut guestbooks.
Nightingale by Wildforms, real name Dan Cippico, is inspired by recordings the electronic musician made last spring of the rare bird’s incredibly fast, mesmeric song.
The two winners beat nine other shortlisted artists, covering genres including hip-hop, rock, pop, jazz, folk and classical, to take the prize, which was founded by Miles Richardson, the professor of nature connectedness at the University of Derby.
The prize, which was judged by musicians, artists and writers, including Cosmo Sheldrake, Andrew Fearn of Sleaford Mods, Melissa Harrison and Sam Lee, aims to support young talent and showcase how the natural world is central to creative life. Both songs will be played on BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Radio 3.
Illingworth described her song as “a tapestry of the memories and experiences taking place across the mountains, and a call for us to see life and movement in things we may think are silent”.
She added: “I am so honoured to be chosen for the Tune Into Nature prize, and I hope that you can listen to the song, and that perhaps it touches you in some way.”
Cippico wrote his track after hearing the nightingale’s song for the first time last spring. He said: “I was instantly inspired by its song, which to me evoked the jungle and drum’n’bass music genres that were a major influence on my musical upbringing. I’m excited that the interplay of nature and music is being celebrated by a prize such as this.”
Judge Madame Gandhi said: “Both tracks are richly emotive, deeply creative and immersive. In Nightingale, Dan was able to seamlessly sample the often robotic nature of a nightingale’s song as the core motif in his drum n bass style piece. In Dawn, Josephine was able to drop us back into our human-centred heart space, encouraging us to listen to nature more and recognize oneness with our environment.”
Fellow judge, sound artist and nature beatboxer Jason Singh, said: “There is a great feeling of hope in the music, and it was wonderful to hear tracks created from recordings of birdsong and sampling twigs and grasses to create new instruments which all feel unique.”
Richardson, who chaired the judges’ discussion, said the panel wanted to give equal exposure and support to both tracks. He said: “We constantly hear about the climate and biodiversity crises, but fostering hope and forging a new bond with nature is part of the solution. The entrants of the Tune into Nature music prize exemplify this, offering music that not only celebrates but also inspires hope through our connection with the natural world.
“Listening to all the entries gave me an immense sense of hope. It was thoroughly enjoyable and at times a true celebration of the natural world. Nature has featured less and less in song lyrics over recent decades, but the entries show that there is a great deal more to explore.”
The shortlist also included indie singer Lizzie Esau and artist and producer Ciaran Austin.
The two prize winners will both receive £500 as well as a professional remix and access to one of the world’s best archives of nature field recordings from The Listening Planet. The competition has been supported by organisations including University of Derby’s Nature Connectedness Research Group, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, the Conservation Foundation, EarthPercent and Sounds Right.
