The Distillation of Sound
Glenfiddich, a family run distillery which has been making globally revered single malt Scotch whisky since 1887, has partnered with Dumbarton’s own state of the art production team Skapade Studios.
The new documentary reveals how Glasgow DJ and Skapade director Stephen Kirkwood worked alongside Glenfiddich ambassador David Allardice, to produce an ambient-electronic masterpiece using only sounds recorded from the Highland distillery.
As it turns out, Skapade and one of the country’s oldest distilleries share a very similar approach to production, using a blend of carefully selected elements to create one, perfectly balanced product.
Whisky barrels, copper pot stills and huge industrial machines were all used as original sounds in the project. However, perhaps the most significant and unique addition to the track was the voice of whisky making legend Dennis McBain, who has worked in the industry for almost 60 years.
The coppersmith’s lifelong passion for Glenfiddich runs throughout the track, providing an authentic listening experience that perfectly encapsulates the love that has gone into 130 years of making Scotland’s favourite whisky.
Based in the village of Dufftown, The Distillation of Sound celebrates Scottish heritage with a glimpse into one of the country’s most beautiful distilleries; and the creative process behind the production of a piece of music like no other.
Dave Allardice, Glenfiddich ambassador and project creator said:
The idea came to me a couple of years ago to fuse my passion for electronic music and whisky by creating a unique track using sounds recorded at the whisky distillery. I needed to find the right partner. Someone that could bring their own creativity to the project and that had an appreciation for all the elements involved - whisky, music and Scottish heritage.”
An old friend of mine, Andy Begg suggested that I connect with Stephen on Instagram. I was already aware of Stephen’s reputation as a DJ/ producer and we started to message via social media. Within a few months we had built a rough plan. We lined up an amazing video production partnership with Enterprise Screens and off we went to the Scottish Highlands to record the sounds of distillation!
DJ/producer and Director of Skapade Studios Stephen Kirkwood said:
I was approached by Dave about a project that involved two of my favourite things - music and Scottish Whisky! As soon as we got chatting about the idea, I knew I was the person for the job. Ideas started flowing between us and before we knew it, we had Glenfiddich’s distillery booked out for a couple of days to record sounds of the whisky making process. What an honour it was to get the chance to go behind the scenes of one of the world’s most popular and sought-after whiskies!
The documentary we produced gives a window into the traditional process of whisky making, a beautiful distillery and its people, as well as a unique look at how everyday sounds can be creatively transformed into a piece of music. What a truly amazing experience.
This is a very interesting short documentary about a collaboration between two industries using only sounds captured within a whisky distillery with no traditional instruments and then fused to create a unique and engaging ambient electronic track.
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