We at Blue Pie would like to proudly present the genius savant himself- a man of many talents with an ambitious vision to match, Pete has his fingers in every pie, and showcases these to their full extent. It’s said that only the gifted among us are blessed with synesthesia, and perhaps Hawkes could be used as supporting evidence for this claim! Not only is he a fantastic music composer, but also composes for half a dozen genres, is a master mathematician and data analyst, and is versed in the intricate art of repairing string instruments, an occupation known as a luthier. With over 1200 recordings under his belt, the man shows a true command over his set of skills, and this is reflected in the sheer quality of his work.

As soon as the first notes reach your ears and the eerie, ethereal vibrato of the singer carries the beginning of the melody, you are transported to a soundscape of ambience, feeling, and distinction. Australia is truly lucky to have a composer of this magnitude among its artists. You can also hear the influence from string instruments throughout his work, manifesting itself in many colourful ways such as prominent string sections in his ambient pieces, to his dabbling in rock, to the gentle strum of his acoustic guitar.

His work is clearly something magical and is easily capable of transporting you away to another world, the contents and flow of which is conducted by the maestro himself. Continuing the theme of synesthesia and blending senses together, one might compare his soundscapes to the sfumato painting technique popularised by Da Vinci, in which detail of background set-pieces is intentionally omitted so as to allow the audience to “fill in the blanks” as it were- for instance, leaving horses in a painting somewhat undefined so that the mind’s eye of the observer is allowed to participate in the artwork itself. This is similar to the way Hawkes introduces new elements to his ethereal soundscapes, slowly letting a new contributor bleed in before ramping up the detail and having it become part of the mysterious frolicking dance at the center of the song. Indeed, it is as though you can see his music, just as he can hear the musical tones of various colours… His is an art which one can easily become lost in.

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