On the surface, a chorus of crickets is a familiar paean to a country night -- the comforting chirp of legions serenading summer from tall grasses.
And maybe reminding you that it's so very good to be alive.
Now, slow down that chorus and the real angels emerge from nature's architecture.
That's exactly what musician Jim Wilson did, when he recorded these tiny romantics -- and then slowed down the audio.
Here's the recording, as posted on SoundCloud:
The recording isn't new -- it was part of a 1992 song called Ballad of the Twisted Hair, from the album Medicine Songs by David Carson & the Little Wolf Band. But it remains an abiding viral sensation, likely because the recording conveys a kind of wisdom sorely needed in the modern rush that is humanity -- about slowing down and listening to the details.
Here's how musician Tom Waits described Wilson's Overture in Cricket Major to the Daily Bruin:
"Wilson, he's always playing with time. I heard a recording recently of crickets slowed way down. It sounds like a choir, it sounds like angel music. Something sparkling, celestial with full harmony and bass parts - you wouldn't believe it. It's like a sweeping chorus of heaven, and it's just slowed down, they didn't manipulate the tape at all. So I think when Wilson slows people down, it gives you a chance to watch them moving through space. And there's something to be said for slowing down the world."
Here's an explanation of how the track was produced -- and it's nearly as mesmerizing as the original.
Of course, crickets aren't technically singing, but rather grinding out a melody. The sound comes from their wings, fervently rubbed together, in order to lure members of the opposite sex to an evening of carnal pleasure.
Apparently, these gracious critters are also known to sing a song of post-copulation celebration.