Thinking in Sound: Connecting through Human Experience with Isabella Lau

Isabella Lau is a composer, sound designer and classically-trained pianist with a passion for crafting sonic worlds and experiences. She's written library and bespoke compositions for the likes of Universal, Audiosocket's The Red Collective, SATV and BMW, with recent syncs including BBC Panorama and Channel 5.

Isabella's work spans many genres, from neo-classical and electronica to indie and hard rock, but her signature style incorporates hybrid orchestral and cinematic genres with dynamic sound design. From the delicate, ethereal and lyrical to the dark, heavy and aggressive, she enjoys building on visual story-telling with dramatic musical extremes and opposing energies.

LBB> When you’re working on a new brief or project, what’s your typical starting point? How do you break it down and how do you like to generate your ideas or response?

Isabella> It can vary quite a bit! I typically start out riffing off whatever the references are, finding commonalities if there’s more than one given, as well as what they’re all not.

I definitely like to know as soon as possible if I’m heading in the right direction, so I’ll try to sketch out something short but comprehensive to get the ball rolling, or even share more references in response. On projects where I have more creative reign, I’ll often look for contemporary tracks that resonate with my aesthetic to keep my sound as fresh and authentic as possible.

LBB> Music and sound are in some ways the most collaborative and interactive forms of creativity - what are your thoughts on this? Do you prefer to work solo or with a gang - and what are some of your most memorable professional collaborations?

Isabella> To be honest, the bulk of my work hasn’t been collaborative in terms of co-writing/co-producing, and I definitely enjoy riding solo for speed and flow. I’m also quite introverted anyway, but I think it depends on the nature of the work, and where there’s space to collaborate, I definitely relish it. What’s crucial as a composer is being able to get in and out of your own head quickly, so I always search for feedback to keep me sane!

LBB> What’s the most satisfying part of your job and why?

Isabella> Being able to resonate and connect with others emotionally is definitely one of the best bits, and in that sense I love creating music that allows me to share a moment in time with others. I also love the idea of creating immersive sonic and musical worlds, especially if they’re allowed to inform how a story is told, so pulling that off is really satisfying.

LBB> As the advertising industry changes, how do you think the role of music and sound is changing with it?

Isabella> It’s hard to say without looking in hindsight, and obviously AI is having its effect on all industries. One good thing about the music industry is that it’s no stranger to copyright/IP infringement lawsuits, and with sonic branding becoming more and more of a thing, I’m hoping it will bolster the protection of sound and sonic logos.

I’ve noticed various agencies jumping on the AI train and it’ll be interesting to see the sonic and musical impacts of that. While I’m wary of the scope for many companies to wangle their way through loopholes using AI as a crutch, I can’t help but have an optimistic hunch that ethical methods that respect human creators and collaborators will prevail eventually.

LBB> Who are your musical or audio heroes and why?

Isabella> I’ve heard quite a few people mention Bach at this point, but I don’t think I’ve ever consciously tipped my hat to him in the process of making anything… There’s so many, but I’d say Joe Hisaishi, Ennio Morricone, Vivaldi, Mozart and Rachmaninov will always be my classical heroes, at least for their melodies if not also the emotional rollercoasters they can take me on. I also have to mention Judas Priest, Yngwie Malmsteem and Ronnie James Dio - I definitely channel my love for metal into my trailer music!

(Scan - Så Här Smakar Tillsammans)

LBB> And when it comes to your particular field, whether sound design or composing, are there any particular ideas or pioneers that you go back to frequently or who really influence your thinking about the work you do?

Isabella> The idea of connecting through the human experience is usually very key to a lot of what I do. I often try to zero-in on whatever might be most universally understood as evoking something and go with that.

Having said that, I don’t really like going for the obvious if I can, but at the same time I don’t want to be a causeless contrarian. Ultimately, the idea of creating whatever serves the work best is probably what I hold on to tightest, since that allows me to put imposter syndrome aside and stay focussed on creating the best work I can.

LBB> When you’re working on something that isn’t directly sound design or music (lets say going through client briefs or answering emails) - are you the sort of person who needs music and noise in the background or is that completely distracting to you? What are your thoughts on ‘background’ sound and music as you work?

Isabella> I’m actually a big fan of quiet and silence since I’m very easily over-stimulated. Working in music and audio means my ears are switched on most of the time, so by the end of the day they usually really need a break.

I’ll listen to music working with numbers, but definitely nothing with lyrics if I need to read or write something. As you can tell, it can be hard for me to zone out of the many sounds around me! And besides, as Mozart said, “The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between'', and I don’t think I can fully enjoy music or sound without also experiencing their absence.

LBB> I guess the quality of the listening experience and the context that audiences listen to music/sound in has changed over the years. There’s the switch from analogue to digital and now we seem to be divided between bad-ass surround-sound immersive experiences and on-the-go, low quality sound (often the audio is competing with a million other distractions) - how does that factor into how you approach your work?

Isabella> It’s definitely a tricky one, and maybe I’m not as fully exposed to lower quality sound as many people I know like high quality audio wherever possible. There was a time in my life when all I used were terrible quality earphones, but I never noticed because I was so used to them, so there’s always a tiny part of me that sympathises with people who still do!

If I was able to enjoy music on them, then it’s only right that a good song (obviously with a good mix and master) should still come across as a good song from almost any sound source.

Of course, I do love listening on the best speakers I can find and watching films in Dolby Atmos wherever possible... I’m also looking forward to what the next sonic innovation might be that’ll make what we use now feel totally antiquated. Will the next step be flying speakers on silent drones? Or some brain chip that unlocks new levels of sonic perception? I hope I witness it in my lifetime either way!

LBB> On a typical day, what does your ‘listening diet’ look like?

Isabella> It depends on my mood, and the kind of work I’m doing during the day. It could be a podcast, often at 1.25-1.5 speed to get through all the umming and ahhing. These days, if I need a bit of rhythm to get me going, it might be Yussef Dayes, Nujabes, Flamingosis, Anderson Paak… if I want something ethereal and heartfelt, I might reach for Aurora or Mree… and if I want some epic hybrid music, it’ll often be Ivan Torrent.

I also love my fair share of latin, jazz, rock and metal, and I invariably end up listening to classical music, even if it’s mostly when composing. Suffice to say, my YouTube Music recommendations are all over the place, and that’s exactly how I like them.

(Scan - Vego)

LBB> Do you have a collection of music/sounds and what shape does it take?

Isabella> I don’t have much of a collection myself, but I grew up listening to my mum’s vinyl collection on her vintage hifi system, and the warmth and depth of that analogue sound really holds a special place in my heart. If the first time I heard a song was on vinyl at home, hearing it on anything else after that has never felt quite as good. I do keep a good stash of cool sounds and samples I find in my travels, but I’d like to make more of a point of making a sonic diary for myself at some point.

LBB> Outside of the music and sound world, what sort of art or topics really excite you and do you ever relate that back to music?

Isabella> I particularly love food, art and animation, and I’d say they all inform my love of music and sound as well as each other. Back when I wanted to be a painter, I loved exploring the concept of the sublime, which is probably what attracted me to epic/trailer music. As is often the case with my music tastes, the more dramatic and colourful, the better.

Really painstakingly detail-oriented animation is also another fascination of mine, and animation sequences are frequently in my mind’s eye when I visualise musical ideas. As for food, I relate a lot of the music creation process to cooking and imagine a well-rounded composition a bit like a dish needing the right balance of ingredients.

LBB> Let’s talk travel! It’s often cited as one of the most creatively inspiring things you can do - I’d love to know what are the most exciting or inspiring experiences you’ve had when it comes to sound and music on your travels?

Isabella> I was in Hong Kong earlier this year, which is definitely one of the loudest places I’ve been to. I have a weird affinity with the sound of the traffic lights there and the mad reverb you get with their tropical storms is something to behold.

Another unforgettable sound for me was the sound of the waves at night in Gran Canaria lapping at the rocks. It sounded like what you’d hear standing next to a straw at the bottom of a giant almost empty glass as some giant person slurps up the last of their drink. The sea and sky being pitch black all around me made it feel even louder and more unnerving!

LBB> As we age, our ears change physically and our tastes evolve too, and life changes mean we don’t get to engage in our passions in the same intensity as in our youth - how has your relationship with sound and music changed over the years?

Isabella> In a way it’s changed a lot, but fundamentally it hasn't changed much at all. Maybe that’s because my youth isn’t over yet! As my composing work has increased, I’ve definitely stopped going to as many loud live gigs, which is very sad. Perhaps it’s because I don’t want to feel the need to bring earplugs with me, or because I’ve gotten too attached to the controlled clarity of a mastered recording.

Taste-wise, I’ve deliberately tried acquiring taste in genres I’ve felt less drawn to so that I like at least something in every genre. In that sense, my taste evolution has been deliberate, but most of my music tastes have stood the test of time, even if they belong more to a particular season of my life.