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How Two Glasgow Producers Created an Ambient Track From the Sounds of a Scotch Whisky Distillery

May 18, 2020 By Brie French-Sorgini

A carefully curated concoction of Scotch whisky and electronic sounds is something we can always get behind. In the new documentary The Distillation of Sound, Glasgow DJ, producer and Skapade Studios director Stephen Kirkwood partnered with Glenfiddich ambassador and producer David Allardice, to create an ambient-electronic piece using only sounds recorded from the Highland distillery.

The short documentary begins by taking us straight to the source of the project – the inside of one of Scotland’s oldest and most beautiful distilleries, Glenfiddich. Stephen Kirkwood and David Allardice guide us on an unedited tour as they begin to test out and use whisky barrels, copper pot stills, and large industrial machines with drumsticks to capture varying elements of sound for the track.

The most unique addition to the final piece 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 favorite whisky.

David Allardice recalls, “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.” He said, “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!”

Glenfiddich is a family run distillery which has been making globally revered single malt Scotch whisky since 1887. As it turns out, Stephen Kirkwood’s Skapade Studios and Glenfiddich share a very similar approach to production – using a blend of carefully selected elements to create one, perfectly balanced product.

“I was approached by Dave about a project that involved two of my favorite things – music and Scottish Whisky! As soon as we got chatting about the idea, I knew I was the person for the job,” Kirkwood said. “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 honor 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.”

Based in the village of Dufftown, the short documentary shows a raw and curious take on what the production process looks like when creativity and passion for music and heritage beautifully collide.

Watch The Distillation of Sound below: