Totnes-based composer and cellist Ben Roberts’ visionary new project Vibrator harnesses sacred frequencies to elevate wellbeing and inspire a creative revolution among his audience. The album, Vibrator, is out now, and fresh from a wildly successful live debut of the project he’s in the process of booking some follow-up dates.
Hey Ben! I hear you unleash strange cosmic magic with your cello.
Yeah, that’s right. Music is vibration, everybody knows that. But the more I learn about the universe, the more I understand that everything is vibration. What I’ve set out to do with this project is align my music making with the fundamental frequencies that underpin our very being.
Crikey. How so?
Well, each of the body’s chakras, or energy centres, resonates with a specific frequency, so for each track I re-tune my cello to align with the vibration of that chakra. Ultimately, the overall work chimes with the body’s fundamental core energy.
So it’s kind of like… music therapy?
I hope Vibrator will be enjoyed as a standalone work of art. But yes, I passionately believe this music can help people. Vibrator tunes into your body, healing negative patterns, releasing the unhelpful vibrations that cause dissonance in our souls – especially during this tumultuous period in human history. So it’s part composition, part improvisation, and part guided meditation.
We should talk about the name, probably.
Yes, it’s cheeky isn’t it? But we’re all vibrators, deep down. The whole universe, not least all of human life, boils down to vibration. Quantum physics has been saying this for a century now, so it’s not exactly a niche idea.
You performedVibrator live in full recently, did it penetrate in the way you hoped?
I’m very happy to say it worked amazingly live. I played to a practically full, good-sized venue – St Mary’s Church in Totnes, a gloriously beautiful space – and the feedback was astonishing. People were genuinely spiritually moved and emotionally impacted. The intensity of positive feedback surprised even me. I’ve been stopped in the street several times.
Whoah, you brought Vibrator to church?
Yes. Father Jim, the reverend, was delighted at how many people came along and had a deep and meaningful spiritual experience in his space. It’s what churches are for, surely? We’ll do it again at some point, without a doubt. I was lucky to have the help of my partner Steph Kelly, who was able to talk people through the concept between tracks while I was re-tuning, and Jess Wooler, a fantastic visual artist who created a stunning dynamic backdrop.
What’s next for you?
The Vibrator show was so well received we’ll be doing it again for sure, probably at a bigger space, most likely on tour. I also have another solo record in the works, plus assorted projects I’m involved in like The Rave Orchestra. I also play guitar and sing, but cello is my main focus for the time being.
How do you hope listeners react to Vibrator?
I hope they engage with an open mind, and an open heart. And allow for the possibility that as we all sit on the cusp of radical changes in our society, music can be made and enjoyed in drastically different ways.
Photo credit: Simon Congdon
Styling: Willow De La Roche
