In Cloud Light is inspired by a work by American artist Anthony Howe, who creates what he calls 'kinetic wind sculptures', which are large, metal constructs which move in the wind. The kinetic sculpture 'In cloud light' is made from stainless armatures that rotate around a circular axis as the wind blows - the speed of the movement is determined by the speed of the wind. The pitch material for the piece comes from a rotating number pattern, and the electronic sounds are all created from metal sound sources. The piece was written for Conrad Marshall as part of Psappha ensemble’s Composing for… scheme.

The piece is for solo alto flute and electronics. The electronics can be played back as a linear ‘tape’ part, and timings on the score have been provided. However, the piece can also be performed using Ableton live, in which the player has more control over the speed of the electronics, using a foot pedal to control discrete audio events. More details, and the electronics file, can be obtained at michaelcryne.com