Dreaming Species is a listening experience designed for headphones, conceived and created by Melanie Wilson.

Across three episodes, this dream-like piece embarks on a journey into a world in which human connection to animals is re-imagined using the processes of machine learning. To engage with the crisis of biodiversity loss in the UK, Wilson collaborated with an AI neural net, using the voices of animals at risk of extinction and human voices, creating a new sonic language.

Combining multi-part vocal music, animal and machine voice, text and binaural recording techniques, Dreaming Species is the opening creative chapter of a multi-year research process, in which Wilson has explored the possibilities of machine learning to imagine new sonic meeting grounds for human and animal narratives.

The project was initiated by a Sound and Music’s Dimensions Award and is also supported by funding from Arts Council England.

Dreaming Species can be experienced online for free at: www.dreamingspecies.com 

Duration of listening experience: approx. 15 minutes.