Derick Armah
The Essay
Sound and the Soil
Produced for The Essay on BBC Radio 3 and commissioned in association with the Multitrack Audio Producers Fellowship, this documentary explores African and Indigenous ecological practices in London’s communities, in the context of our climate emergency.
Beginning with a visceral account of eco-anxiety in young Londoners, as told by scientist David Adebiyi and poet Iyarhi, the piece goes on to ask gardener Edward Adonteng and artist Seyi Adelekun; how can we move away from habitual ways of taking from the earth (which contribute to the climate emergency) and introduce more sustainable, imaginative modes of relating to our shared environment?
The documentary features Seyi’s art, which centres ancestral ecological knowledge and weaves installation, performance, ritual and sound art as tools for building liberatory futures. Edward, who curated the Garden Museum’s Black Gardening in Britain exhibition in 2025, discusses his garden and how traditional growing methods provide practical solutions to environmental degradation.
Anna Jones of the Radio Times described the piece as “boundary-pushing, intelligent and engaging radio”.
This was a Reduced Listening production, produced, presented and sound designed by me, Derick Armah. Anishka Sharma was the executive producer.
Listen here.
Promotional image photographed and edited by Derick Armah.