NOX LUX charts a musical orbitâan induction into the rhythms of light and shadow, mapped through sound. Specifically, it traces the movement of the sun as experienced from Earth, highlighting the equinoxes and equiluxes, the solstices, and cross-quarter days: Imbolc, Beltane, Samhain, and Lughnasadh. These events have been mapped musically and structurally to help orient the listener in time, not just space. Through tonal shifts and harmonic gradients, this album transforms solar phenomena into a perceptible sonic arc. As listeners, we enter a cyclical passage: from the height of summerâs radiance to the hushed darkness of winter, and back again toward the return of light. These are sonic meditations on timeâs unfoldingâour days stretched and folded by the gravitational dance of solstice and equinox.
Side A begins at 528 Hz, just before the summer solsticeâs 526.75 Hz, and recedes toward the winter solstice, descending to 396 Hz by the end of the side. Along its arc, it crosses significant seasonal markersâ the traditional quarter days of Lughnasadh and Samhain, and the autumnal equinox and equilux, where light and darkness find brief equilibrium. Side B reverses the trajectory: beginning at 396 Hz, it ascends steadily back to 528 Hz, completing the solar cycle through Imbolc, the vernal equinox and equilux, Beltane, and culminating in midsummer brightness.
The albumâs frequencies follow a sinusoidal path aligned with the lengthening and shortening of daylight throughout the year, translating the Earthâs axial tilt into tone. Each point along the vinylâs edge corresponds to a celestial thresholdâtime and tone in tandem.
Listening Instructions
There is no single intended way to experience NOX LUX. This composition unfolds across multiple formats, each revealing a different aspect of its inner architecture.
There is no single intended way to experience NOX LUX. This composition unfolds across multiple formats, each revealing a different aspect of its inner architecture.
The most accessible format is a standard stereo playback at 45 RPM, with Side A followed by Side B, as one would typically listen to a vinyl record. As described above, the listener is guided from the summer solstice (526.75 Hz) toward the winter solstice (396 Hz) on Side A, passing through the autumnal equinox along the way. Side B then begins at 396 Hz, ascending to a height of 528 Hz, crossing through the vernal equinox.
A more immersive experience is unlocked when sides A and B are played back simultaneously, creating a quadraphonic induction. This can be done using two turntables or a digital reproduction. When synchronized (begin playing Side B and then within 43 seconds, Side A), the listener will perceive acoustical phenomena such as phase cancellation, difference tones, and a third, hidden layer of composed binaural beating patterns, something only fully revealed in four-channel spatial listening. These interactions become most pronounced around the equinoxes and equiluxes, where the balance of daylight and darkness is sonically mirrored in shifting phasing textures.
A more immersive experience is unlocked when sides A and B are played back simultaneously, creating a quadraphonic induction. This can be done using two turntables or a digital reproduction. When synchronized (begin playing Side B and then within 43 seconds, Side A), the listener will perceive acoustical phenomena such as phase cancellation, difference tones, and a third, hidden layer of composed binaural beating patterns, something only fully revealed in four-channel spatial listening. These interactions become most pronounced around the equinoxes and equiluxes, where the balance of daylight and darkness is sonically mirrored in shifting phasing textures.
A further variation involves playing Side A at 45 RPM while playing Side B at 33â RPM simultaneously, which creates new sets of binaural interactions. As example, the raises lowers Side Aâs highest pitch from 396 Hz to approximately 534.65 Hz, aligning it closely with the 528 Hz at the start of Side A. The resulting interval creates a 6 Hz binaural beat, which resides in the theta brainwave rangeâa frequency known to support deep relaxation, meditative states, and altered consciousness. In this configuration, NOX LUX functions as both sound journey and neurological tuning fork.
Each version of NOX LUX offers a distinct portal into the geometry of the year. Whether encountered in stereo, quadraphonic, or asynchronous playback, the album invites deep listening and personal exploration. It is not just a recordâit is a rotating calendar, a tonal compass, a ritual of time.