The sounds were recorded in September 2025 in the Quiet Orava Valley in Slovakia, over three days.
‘Klopať’ means “tap” or ‘tapping’ and describes the sound of light rain just after dusk, when deer began to gather in the clearing. At first, you can hear the deer tapping their antlers against the branches.
‘Hlas’ is a recording of the deer rut before dawn. In the background, you can hear nocturnal birds: tawny owls and pygmy owls. As the recording progresses, more and more diurnal birds can be heard waking up.
‘Výstrel’ is a recording of the rut at dawn. Most of the stags have retreated to their forest hideaways, and you can hear occasional bellows in the distance. There are many birds in the recording: black woodpeckers, tits, treecreepers, goldcrests, jays, ravens, nuthatches and buzzards. The recording ends abruptly with two gunshots.
Released in digital format and on C-60 cassette tape in a limited edition of 33 copies.
https://maciejwirmanski.bandcamp.com/album/hlasn-tr-benie-v-tichej-doline
The cover photo is a photograph of Michał Wywiórski’s painting ‘Highlander sitting next to a dead deer’.
https://polona.pl/item-view/671ce7a0-49b0-4b0e-b6ce-20ab12b5f48a?page=0