Philip Davenport
Constellation of Luminous Details
Apple Pie 2007

01. Strays Use Numbers
02. Attempting to Read
03. The Wishing Machine
04. Driving 6
05. The Bridal Path
06. Replaying Numbers
07. Floating the Rose
08. Red Sheets
09. The House Was Strange Voices
10. A4 Copy of Itself
11. Process Innovation
12. EQ of Summer
13. Big Blue House/Attempting to Read Pt2
14. Pink Photography
15. Pictures of Nothing
16. Louis Famous Giant Hotdogs
17. Drinking Spirits That Burn Your Life
18. Whispered Whisper Removed
19. A Tower of Horses
20. Via White Arc
21. Strays Use Numbers Pt2

«Davenport is a writer and poet who explores the area between the literary and the visual, the tasteful and the transgressive. His poems are based on 'found' text, pushed so far that it becomes poetry. Constellation of Luminous Details is based on notes made from misheard conversations; the poems have both the lightness and the gravity of everyday speech. These texts were given to a broad selection of (amateur) readers in settings ranging from hospital wards to cafés to living rooms.»

>> mfire / divsh (55mb) (d-_-b)
>> love it, buy it (Lotta Continua)

In many cases, Davenport uses the first take of his recordings, thus leaving mistakes. At one point, one of the readers is interrupted by nurses talking next to her hospital bed. Great idea. In some cases the words are 'erased' and only breathing, sighing and traces of voices remain. Some of the material is further transformed by a variety of people, such as Gareth Bibby, Dave Clarkson, Ben Gwilliam, and others. I must admit the whole thing sounds much better than suggested on the cover or press text. Dreamy sequences... Voices mumble rather than recite. When you can understand them, they appear to be going in loops. A very fine mixture of sound and poetry, or perhaps poetry and sound. Or perhaps there is no hierarchy at all in this. The curiosity of sound and poetry recorded in various places makes it a wealth to hear.