Prequel Tapes - The Pandora Star Sessions live @ No Bounds, Sheffield 2019 (2020)

‘The Pandora Star Sessions’ were recorded live at No Bounds festival 2019 in Sheffield, during Debbie Chia’s ‘Light and Sound Bath’ installation. Festival organiser Liam O’Shea was introduced to Chia through Prequel Tapes, and things fell into place for the performances when it emerged that the ‘Pandora Star’ - a specialist lamp that Chia uses in her phototherapy project - was developed and continues to be manufactured in Sheffield.

During the ‘Light and Sound Bath’, each ‘Pandora Star’ lamp is positioned above 5 reclining audience members. For the two Prequel Tapes sessions, the ‘LSD’ setting on the lamp was activated. Strobing, undulating light combines with sound to induce an hypnagogic, psychedelic state. Geometric, kaleidoscopic shapes form and dance on the inside of the eyelid.

Prequel Tapes took two distinct compositional approaches for the sessions. Session 1 is a delicate, immersive sound world of rolling drones and barely audible whispers, as if spoken to the sleeper from outside a dream. Session 2 is by contrast more playful and dynamic. If the first describes place, then the gentle yet driving melodic synth lines in Session 2 seem to tell a story. Each invites the listener to follow their gradual evolution, whether taking a trip or listening at home.