The Metal and the Bow

When Ben Clark worked on recording original stems for Slow Vibes, he delivered more audio material than I needed for a single generator. Those recordings have been waiting patiently on my hard drive, and today I am delighted to release a sequel to Slow Vibes using these unused files.

This new soundscape wraps you in the same ethereal and organic tones and keeps exploring a different way of playing this instrument. Many of the sounds you will hear are born from the gentle friction of a cello bow drawn against the metal bars, creating sustained tones that are fragile and otherworldly.

The vibraphone, often associated with bright mallet strikes and jazz harmonies, reveals here a hidden character; more like singing glass, or the sustain of distant bells. You hear an instrument breathing slowly, producing voices that hover in the air.

The bowed tones of a vibraphone are naturally quiet. To capture them, the recordings had to be amplified more than usual, which also brings up the background sounds of the studio. If you listen carefully, you may notice Ben moving, or even birds singing faintly in the distance. I chose to keep these in, as they add a subtle and beautiful presence to the soundscape.

This soundscape is best experienced with eyes closed. Let it guide you toward sleep, or simply into a quiet moment where you can set aside the weight of the physical space around you. Drift into a world of tone and frequency: a world where metal comes alive and dream alongside you, thanks to the masterful hands that brought these sounds to life. Thank you so much, Ben!

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