"Parts of Speech" (1995) by Pamela Z utilizes found texts from advertising, communications systems, "buzzwords," and slang. The sound sources for the work are a combination of actual samples from these language elements, and versions rendered by the artist reading, singing, chanting, and processing the language. These fragments are woven together by non language sounds sampled and composed into a cohesive audio environment that deals with words as propaganda, words as mantra, words as poetry, words as authority, and words as music. Commissioned by New American Radio.

In its ten years as a weekly national series, 1987-1998, New American Radio (NAR) commissioned and distributed over 300 original works: conceptual new drama, associational documentary, language explorations, sonic meditations, environmental compositions, musical explorations and works that pioneer new dimensions in acoustic space. Wave Farm is thrilled to be partnering with New American Radio to ensure these works remain available to listeners today and into the future.

New American Radio was organized by Helen Thorington, Executive Producer and Regine Beyer, Associate Producer. A special thanks to both Helen Thorington and Jo-Anne Green for their generous support and collaboration of this partnership, and their contribution to the field at large!

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