Karman Line Collective - New Single Swarm - Out Now

The new single SWARM has been created to provide an immersive new soundscape for Buttress’ latest artistic project Bees: A Story of Survival - a new multi-sensory experience at The World Museum Liverpool. The exhibition highlights the essential role these ingenious pollinators play within the planet’s ecosystems, as well as the existential threat faced by both bees and humanity alike due to our mistreatment of the planet.

 Accelerometers (vibration sensors) were placed inside a beehive by Wolfgang’s collaborator Professor Martin Bencsik and the sounds, vibrations and data feed from inside the beehive were recorded for two years. This is the first ever audio recording from inside a swarm in action, these bee vibrations were perfectly captured for SWARM. Karman Line Collective played along with the swarm on a loop for days - a genuine and collective live response to the recordings of the bees swarming process. SWARM is the culmination and essence of this experience. 

 Over the course of 4 minutes, the track slowly builds up to a climax echoing and expressing the vibrations and energy of a swarm as it leaves its existing home. As it plays, there is a palpable sense of excitement, danger and frisson. The result is an unlikely marriage of the controlled chaos, repetition and tender beauty of Velvet Underground, Coltrane, Can, Phil Spector and Erik Satie. Primal and peculiar, SWARM creates and expresses a beautiful and a visceral connection between humans and the ‘natural’ world. 

The track is taken from their forthcoming album TO BE, due for release on 20th May 2025 (National Bee Day) on 12” black vinyl and digital platforms via Solitary Bee Records.