Kate s conversation with Vlad
As the founder of Strix Instruments, Vlad was recording samples in the Exclusion Zone for an audio project when he discovered one of Pripyat s many pianos. He says the sound from hitting the keys made him realize they would never be heard again. Over the 100 visits to Pripyat, he and his team recorded 20 different pianos in various conditions. Many were missing their lower strings, which had been stolen for the metal, but they still had functioning sustain pedals. Vlad overlaid the samples he recorded to create a single unique voice.
Vlad and the team also recorded the sounds of the spaces in Pripyat and other areas of the Exclusion Zone, including one of the partially-finished water cooling tanks. He says the otherworldy resonance of the tank was the most incredible sound he s ever heard.