Aww, to slow down… To take in the present. To tune out the chaotic world around us. To experience each sensation as it comes, one at a time. In the modern world, we are programmed — even praised — to consume, to multitask. Dutch novelist and visual artist Bette A. says it’s dire time to slow down with her latest release Slow Stories, a book 20 years in the making. Born Bette Adriaanse, Bette A. is not only revealing her latest work in a physical sense on March 3rd via Unnamed Press, she’s taking it a step further with 2 Short Stories — a vinyl-meets-art collaboration with renowned Roxy Music star Brian Eno.
The singer-songwriter’s contributions to the multimedia collab pairs two of Bette’s stories, “The Endless House” and “The Other Village”, to ambient soundtracks that gradually build over Bette’s intentionally drawn out narration.
“Usually, when we hear stories read, we expect the pace of the reading to be fairly even,” states Eno, who encouraged Bette to read “slow, slower, even slower, yes, more slow” in the recording studio. The intention is to force the listener to focus on each and every word spoken, visualizing the narrative in greater detail as it unfolds.
“When a story is told slowly,” explains Bette, “every sentence becomes more vital.”
Truly captivating, the lethargic pace amps the eeriness of the two tales, both revolving around two young female protagonists curious to explore beyond the boundaries of what others can perceive. In “The Endless House”, a young girl accesses parts of a relentlessly growing residence while others are denied; in “The Other Village”, a young girl roams beyond the borders of her town to find a foreign village she is too scared to enter.
What are the inherent lessons of the stories? You’ll have to purchase to find out. You’ll also have to act fast if you want the full experience, as there are only 444 copies available of the exclusive collaborative bundle of the vinyl record, the book, and a 20 x 20 cm (approx. 7.8″ x 7.8″) hand-painted panel signed by both Bette A. and Brian Eno.
Not only is it enjoyable, it’s for a good cause. Proceeds from the audio-visual project will benefit Bette A.’s Heroines! Movement, a global storytelling organization centered around women’s role models, as well as Brian Eno’s Earth Percent, a music industry-based charity funding efforts to assuage the climate change around the world. For more information or to pre-order your copy of the limited bundle today, visit Bette A.’s website or the link below.
Links: Website
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Disclaimer: All views presented in this album review are those of the reviewer and not necessarily those of Top Shelf Music.
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