The audio sample above is a two minute sample taken from the complete Glow track.

A Glowing review of ‘Glow’ by Steve Sheppard from One World Music Radio

“There are certain musicians with whom you just resonate with, you find that their catalogue suits your taste, and with each passing composition this musical relationship just keeps on getting better, this can be said for my appreciation of the work of Australian guitarist Ian Cameron Smith, the best bit of all is he has a new single on offer called Glow, and it is on this voyage of sublime quality we travel today.

This crafted new release is truly special; it starts with a gentle and cautious beginning and then a slight percussive beat is added to that flowing narrative, when the guitar of the artist breaks cover, it is a treasure to behold.

We have a slight mix of tone here that works so well, one of new age, chill out and blues, all combined they gift us a manifestation of a track that is as laid back and chilled as an August evening.

Glow is an exceptional new single, this is going to be one of those pieces that will appeal to everyone, and it is also beautifully produced and reminded me greatly of the style of guitar in Telegraph Road by Dire Straits back in the day. This is a warm, all-embracing new single from Ian that I, as a music writer urge you to get; quality singles like Glow don’t turn up every day, so this is one to be snapped up at all costs.” Review by Steve Sheppard

Thank you for dropping by to check out my new single, Glow

The initial impulse for composing Glow, interestingly came from listening to Binaural beats. I’ve always wondered what the deal was with Binaural beats, so decided to check some out. 

According to C. Nicole Swiner, MD, a binaural beat is an illusion created by the brain when you listen to two tones with slightly different frequencies at the same time. This is called the frequency-following effect. This means you can use binaural beats to entrain your mind to reach a certain mental state.

I’d heard they offered benefits such as reduced anxiety and stress, increased relaxation and improved sleep and so on, so was curious as to how and why this was so. What I heard through my search was a bit hit and miss to my ears, but then I came across a particular composition that was immediately soothing in its simplicity and relaxed tempo.

As I listened, I was taken into a deeply relaxed state and started to hear lots of musical inspirations that could work well with this hypnotic style of music. The piece I was enjoying was complete and effective in itself, however in my imagination, I could hear a rhythm section, bass lines, and lots of possibilities for my style of guitar playing, so I decided to see if I could create in real life, what I was hearing in my head.

The way Glow starts is inspired by the open spaciousness I heard in the Binaural beats music, then I added my contemporary palette of instrumentation and inspiration and before long, ‘Glow’ was a thing, sounding very close to what I’d imagined.

The main element that carried through from the piece I’d originally heard, was the super relaxed tempo of the song, at 66 beats per minute. During the production of Glow, I actually drifted off into little micro sleeps many times, so the hypnotic effect of what I'd heard, really became a feature of my piece as well.

So, if you’re ever feeling a bit strung out, or it’s taking a while to wind down after a hectic day, this is the perfect piece for a sound healing retreat to rejuvenate your inner Glow and although it’s deeply relaxing, it has a cool, sensual late night vibe to it too.

I hope you enjoy my new sounds and thanks again for your continued support, it’s always deeply appreciated.

Warm wishes, Ian 🙏🏻