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Guyana is one of the world’s brightest biodiversity hotspots. Full of unique giant species and undiscovered insects, birds and amphibians. Dan O’Neil is a field biologist who has spent years in this stunning rainforest recording the soundscapes and identifying calls. In this ‘Between the Ears’ Dan is bringing the Grammy Award-winning musician and songwriter Imogen Heap deep into the forest hoping Imogen can find inspiration from the cacophony of calls and proximity to untouched nature.

As a scientist Dan is afraid that the ecosystem he loves is under threat. Perhaps Imogen will respond to this place and its abundance of animal life in a different way that can help him convey why it is so important. Together they will record, sample, listen and react to the sounds of species, rain, trees and water. For Imogen this is part of her ongoing work to find a way to harness the power of digital audio without being impeded by screens and keyboards. She has brought with her the Mi.Mu Gloves, a wearable musical instrument, for expressive creation, composition and performance. which she has developed to allow her to compose music. Can she harness that nascent technology to help her create in this remote environment? Dan and Imogen hope to find out what the sonic world of the forest can inspire.

Produced for True Thought Productions by Melvin Rickarby and Sara Conkey (with additional music from John Cranmer).