Close your eyes. Imagine you’re standing on the beach, ocean waves lapping at your feet, and the sun shining down on you (but you’re not getting sunburnt). Maybe you dive into the water and go explore a coral reef and visit otherworldly sea creatures and plants. What would it sound like musically?

While I wasn’t able to record any fish singing or sea urchins humming, “Shallows” is the closest I’ve made it thus far to capturing the feeling of exploring a peaceful, underwater world. The song creates a calm and tranquil soundscape that incorporates aquatic elements such as waves, splashes, bubbles, and even whale sounds. Is this what a coral reef sounds like?

Elements of the song, especially the female voice lead, were inspired by the soundtrack for the Luma Pools, an aquatic area in the 2020 video game “Ori and the Will of the Wisps”. If you haven’t heard Gareth Coker’s music before, and you enjoy cinematic instrumental music, I highly recommend it. The scores he writes for games are both beautiful and intense, and some of my favorite soundtracks have been written by him. Someday I would love to record my music with a live orchestra, as he does.

This song is the second single off the “Atmospheres” album, a project that experiments with orchestral, cinematic, and atmospheric songs, sounds, and styles. “Shallows” is on the more ambient and relaxing end of the musical spectrum, along with songs like “Frozen Wasteland”.

A huge thank you to the totally rad Emily Hawk who lent me her beautiful voice for this project. Synthesized robot computer voices can’t compare to the genuine human expression in her voice.

Explore your next coral reef with this song: