Sound Bath 054- Nicky Sum

Bivouac Recording SC

It had been more than 6 months since I recorded Nicky, and was happy to schedule another session with her. Our last recording was not ideal as there was construction happening just down the hall which really contrasted with her soft and slow style. This time, we recorded in her studio space which was quiet, smaller, and more comfortable. The space was filled with her own things like furniture, a digital piano, and other things she used for her spiritual practice. The place had a great sense of identity. Nicky used her metal bowls again and added a couple of crystal bowls. Like before, she still used a sequence but it felt more free this time, perhaps because of the location but also of her own maturity of playing style. The session was really relaxing as I was almost fully asleep, occasionally twitching. I wondered how and why I could be in such a deep trance. Reviewing the track at home, I found that for me, tempo=depth. The time between each strike determined the depth at which I was in my trance. Longer time between strikes pulled me deeper down, while shorter times brought me up to the surface. Her space faces a highway so there is the soft swishing of passing cars throughout the track. All of these elements in the recording create a wonderful image of space.