Tales from a Bruised Mind

I thought it was just me at first, but about a year or two ago, I came across something on YouTube that actually took my breath away.

It’s a craze on YouTube called ‘slowed and reverb’, and it’s continuing to grow every single day.

A group of individuals have banded together to slow down thousands of popular songs and, while they’re at it, add some extra reverberation.

Sounds a bit boring at first, right? But the fact is that it can actually have a profound impact. I have experienced it first hand.

But why is this YouTube trend worth listening to?

I can’t exactly remember what song I first experienced slowed down and with reverb.

It was probably something great from HONNE, or Phoenix, or even Imogen Heap. I can’t remember, but it had a big impact.

I remember sitting back and taking in the sounds of Imogen Heap’s Just For Now, or Coldplay’s Warning Sign, and simply how beautiful it sounded.

It was almost as if the music should have been this slow to begin with. It sounded like hearing music play at a party from the bathroom at a friend’s place, or during a storm, or while you’re underwater.

It’s a unique experience that works, and you should absolutely listen to it for yourself.

How does slowed music actually help us?

You might think songs might sound really weird when slowed down, like they are distorted or just way too low.

But slowed music is having greater impacts than you’d first think.

According to an article by Clash, music that is slowed down originated around 2017 and was particularly popular during the widespread COVID-19 lockdowns.

“A sign of the times, slowed + reverb allows young people to illicit control in a historical period of instability, demonstrated by rejecting the polished production of music preceding their birth.”

I think it’s simply fascinating.

But it might simply come down to listening to relaxing songs that are slowed and are therefore less fast paced and therefore hold more resonance with audiences.

There are many, many songs that we love, but by listening to them in slow motion, they hit even harder.

Think Cindi Lauper’s Time After Time, HONNE’s Good Together and even Linkin Park’s One More Light – deeply powerful songs that are even better when slowed to a degree.

What do you think about this trend?

Let me know!

Love,

Zak