Album Description"Sublime ... this is music that transports you to another world." - DISCOVER "Genuine 21st century music." - THE GUARDIAN The Belly of the Whale project was brilliantly conceived by two of the prime movers in the Natural Art scene: Interspecies and Greenmuseum. The goal was to create digital music from underwater sound samples of creatures like orcas, dolphins, beluga whales, sperm whales, humpback whales, bearded seals, lobsters, shrimp, and more. Together, Interspecies and Greenmuseum compiled a sample CD of 350 captured sounds and sent it out to many of their favorite electronic artists. Nineteen composers responded. The eclectic group included Scanner, commissioned to compose the National Anthem for the European Union; Petri Kuljuntausta, recently honored as Finland's Artist of the Year; Christina della Guistina & Jayne Fenton Keynes, who have won awards for their music worldwide; Merzbow, well-known for his noise art; Kent Clelland, a senior programmer for Native Instruments in Berlin; and even drummer John Hanes, whose credits include the theme music for the film Grizzly Man. What's most compelling about this project is the thoughtful way that the artists have listened and responded, both individually and as a community, to the sounds of our environment. It is a unique blend of modern electronic music and underwater educational experience that includes some of the foremost electronic composers in the world making music for two of the foremost groups in the Natural Art world. Further emphasizing the various artistic perspectives is the brilliant source material, which is included as a special bonus disc. Those who purchase Belly of the Whale are encouraged to send in their own versions, the best of which will be uploaded to the Important, Interspecies, and Greenmuseum websites for download.