The last decade has seen an explosion of sound‑based tools for mental health: meditation apps, “calm” playlists that boost focus or calm anxiety, and seemingly infinitely long generative soundscapes that promise to tidy up the inside of your head among many other solutions out there in an ever-growing market. Major listening platforms now have burgeoning dedicated wellbeing playlists and sections, and it seems the business and public sectors are taking note and joining in with innovations such as dedicated wearables, and more intentional sounds in shared spaces like clinics and hospitals. There is a lot of momentum, but there is also a lot of noise to sift through.

In Sound Mind, we navigate our own pathway via looking inwards, to produce outputs that fuse art and science: to create aesthetically compelling, emotionally resonant sonic works, while collaborating with researchers who can help us test and refine their impact. The aim is not to produce generic “relaxation music”, but to prototype tools for genuine mental support that is methodologically careful, with clear links to genuine input from science and wellness—anchored in lived experience and in the realities of cities and daily life.

The Sound Mind program and activities start with a focus on the personal and individual level, and on tailored small spaces, and from that starting point, to design specific sonic experiences for the solitary moments when one most needs to rest their mind.