We set off on the trail of successful musicians who have recently started touring by sailing or cycling. "Slow music" is the name of the new movement: An alternative to the commercialized music industry.
Some people's heads are still spinning from the breakneck pace of the last few decades. What we have behind us is known in specialist circles as the "greatacceleration". This refers to a rapid increase in pretty much everything: resource consumption, the earth's population, environmental destruction, the rise in CO₂ emissions, etc. Higher, faster, further, wherever you look? Not quite. In many a niche of our society, another phenomenon is making its way: the discovery of slowness.
We are now familiar with 'slow food' and 'slow travel' has also been given a prominent face by Greta Thunberg. With the 'slow music' movement, the next cultural revolution is now in the starting blocks. It is also about taking the pace out of our hectic lives and creating more connection again: to music, to the environment, to others and to ourselves. Slow musicians create soothing oases of sound in the midst of the loud and garish information bombardment of our time.
But it is also about taking a stand against commercialization and monopolization by a few large music corporations. The movement's website explains it like this: "We want music that comes from the heart and is made with love. And that is not produced for the sake of money or for bonus-hungry board members of large corporations."
Music in transition: the "slow music" movement
Leah Song, lead singer of the American band "Rising Appalachia", is considered a co-founder of the movement. Most of the band's songs tell inspiring stories of change, resilience, healing and the magic of rethinking.
In Leah Song's vision (see Ted talk), the music scene is not only independent and diverse, but also sustainable. What is needed for this? A kind of "organic segment" of the music industry.
Set sail
For Leah Song and her sister Chloe, this means a rethink on all levels. For the next concert tour (June 2021), the sisters will be sailing along the east coast of America, playing at selected venues in a small setting in order to really engage with the audience. Regional food and drink is served at the concerts. They also often use their concerts to publicize and network local initiatives for change, for example by giving away a contingent of free tickets to representatives of social and environmental organizations.
Decelerated concert tour...by bike
Admittedly, the sailing boat definitely falls flat as a concert tour option in this country. Hang percussionist Manu Delago demonstrates what a slow music concert tour in Austria looks like. He is currently pedaling all over Austria with his band on his 2021 recycling tour. Instruments and equipment are stowed in bicycle trailers. Equipped with solar panels, the trailers also provide the electricity for the concerts. Their rain jackets are made from recycled plastic. The musicians have their snack boxes repeatedly filled by talented culinary supporters along the route in order to save packaging waste. Needless to say, the laundry is also only washed where renewable energy is available.
The sound of deceleration
We can usually influence what we eat. What we hear often less so. With her compositions, Colombian composer Natalia Domínguez Rangel wants to create awareness of the influence of sounds and tones on us. She therefore used the calm of the first lockdown in March 2020 to capture soundscapes of otherwise busy Viennese squares. The clouds of sound that she weaves from this evoke some acoustic memories, but at the same time stir up new longings for permanently decelerated places.
Slow, but not a bit quiet
So 'slow music' has nothing to do with monotony or sleepy faces. On the contrary. A powerful horse of change may be pawing at its hooves here. A number of thought leaders and sustainability experts consider the cultural scene to be a hub for the great transformation - one that has received far too little attention to date. As a catalytic place where the turnaround towards sustainability will gain momentum.
The pioneers of the 'slow music' scene make one thing clear: being slow does not mean being quiet. Nor does it mean cowering in the face of challenges and adverse circumstances. Rather, in the words of Rising appalachia: "Step up, speak out, show up, be lou-ou-ou-oud!".
We have put together a Spotify playlist(Songs for change) with songs of change - have fun listening!
About the author
Dr. Sybille Chiari is part of the editorial team at "Nachhaltigkeit. Neu denken" (Rethinking Sustainability) and has been researching and writing about sustainability and climate communication for many years. She is part of the Scientists for Future movement and chairwoman of the Bele Co-Housing association (a community housing project with organic, regenerative agriculture www.belehof.at).
