Since beginning to write electronic music I have been interested in exploring sounds that listeners may hear as bordering the line between noise and music, particularly with use of the human voice. To this end, when composing “Cradle” I began with samples of a baby talking and otherwise vocalizing. I was struck by the ambiguity of some of these sounds, which could range from ecstatic to anxious. The live alto saxophone player interacts with the vocal sounds to elaborate on and contrast with the implied emotions. To this I added tabla samples for the use of lower frequency timbres and rhythmic propulsion.