June Lam

"I felt they weren't very awake just now.", June said as she struck all the bowls in turn. Just this awakening ritual could be a sound bath in itself. We had just finished our first recording and talking about her relationship with her bowls during our break.

"Years before, when I was crazy about my bowls, I would wash them, put them in sunlight, burn incense over them, like a spa", she said.

"They have names too. I call this one, beauty."

Sound Bath 038: [Listen Here]

In this recording June begins with tuning forks which is unique. Tapping metal, the magic is revealed as she gets closer to the mic as another sonic world appears. She moves onto the singing bowls in a soft melodic song with higher tones. I enjoy her dynamic playing as she plays with tempo and loudness, varying the strength at which she hits the bowls. At one point she begins to play the tuning forks with the bowls, playing a sequence from the bowls and then answering with a strike of the tuning fork. She finally finishes with the tuning fork slowly awakening you from slumber as you take a deep breath.

Sound Bath 017: [Listen here]

I recorded June's three sessions at a rented yoga studio in Kwun Tong she usually holds her sound baths. She had decided this recording would be more energetic and awakening.

In this recording, June's style begins subdued and gentle, almost timid. It feels loose, as she gently tip-toed around the bowls with her mallet. Slowly the piece gains composure and clarity, with more defined movements and improvised combinations. The clustered rings of high frequencies provided a playful, fresh feeling in the windowless studio. As the adjacent offices shuffle and shut doors I do not hear them. She plays her gong at the end. Its grounding low tones are very welcome and warming; played in a heartbeat rhythm. A much needed contrast before settling back down and finishing with the tap of a tingsha bell.