Heike Vester

Marine Mammals and fish of Lofoten and Vesterålen’ is a collection that fits perfectly within the Gruenrekorder field recording series. The driving force behind this publication was Heike Vester, a marine biologist who in 2005 founded the organisation Ocean Sounds with the aim of encouraging a greater understanding and appreciation of marine animals. From 2005-2008, Vester recorded the sounds of species encountered by her team in Norwegian waters and presents a selection of these recordings here. Species such as Killer Whales, Pilot Whales, Harbour Seals and Atlantic White-striped Dolphins form the core of this publication, but the listener also gets to eavesdrop on an echolocating male Sperm Whale and the sounds of a Basking Shark and mackerel feeding on plankton. There are certainly some star recordings in this selection, most notably the carousel feeding Killer Whales (track 1) and Pilot Whales resting in Vestfjord (Track 9). The variation and clarity of track 1 is quite astounding and makes for a beautiful recording. The accompanying booklet explains the method of carousel feeding: “The whales herd the herring tightly together and chase it close to the surface, where they hit it with their tails to kill or stun it.” This recording features a range of buzzes, clicks, whistles and calls as well as the occasional tail slap and, placed alongside the description, is highly evocative. The booklet definitely deserves a mention. Each track is well described and all but one is accompanied by a photograph. I think it’s fair to say that most of us need a certain degree of assistance when trying to identify the sounds of marine species. The booklet proves very helpful in a case such as this where the subject of the recording is not immediately obvious to the general listener. The first track and last track are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Both feature Killer Whales, but where as the first is beautiful, the last is plagued by the constant sound of boat noise. We tend to think of the ocean as it’s portrayed in track 1; however the sad truth is that track 11 is the more realistic of the two. Concerns over the effect of noise pollution on the marine environment have been steadily gathering momentum, so closing with this track creates a powerful and poignant ending to the compilation. (Cheryl Tipp)