In this episode, we walk with sound artist and producer Brian d’Souza to explore the power of deep listening, nature, and sound as tools for creativity and healing. Brian shares the story behind his work with bio-sonification, field recording and Ambient Flo, and opens up about losing his father during lockdown. A grounded, thoughtful conversation about sound, grief and how nature helps us reconnect.

In this reflective walk through London’s Alexandra Palace grounds, we’re joined by Brian d’Souza — award-winning sound artist, DJ and founder of A State Of Flo and Ambient Flo.

Together, we explore how nature, sound and creative practice can become lifelines during overwhelming moments in life.

Brian shares:

• How lockdown shifted his awareness of the seasons, soundscapes and the natural world

• The origins of Ambient Flo, and why listening became essential during a time of global uncertainty

• How field recording and “deep listening” changed his relationship with creativity and presence

• The science and art behind bio-sonification — turning the electrical signals of plants into music

• What nature teaches us about interconnectedness, sound, and attention

• His experience of losing his father during lockdown, and how walking and nature became part of navigating grief

• The role of responsibility, lineage and “stepping up” after loss

This episode beautifully weaves together creativity, sound, ecology, grief and healing — all through the lens of a walk outside.

🌿 KEY THEMES / TAKEAWAYS

• Nature as lifeline: How walking and open space helped Brian through lockdown and loss.

• Deep listening: Using attention and presence to reconnect with the natural world.

• Soundscapes & ecology: Understanding the layers of sound — geological, biological, human — and their impact on wellbeing.

• Bio-sonification: Turning plant bioelectricity into musical expression.

• Grief & responsibility: Processing the death of a parent through nature, movement and reflection.

• Creativity & healing: How sound, attention and ritual connect us to ourselves.

Brian d’Souza is an award-winning sound artist, DJ, producer and live performer known for blending field recording, global influences and electro-acoustic techniques. Through his work as Auntie Flo, A State Of Flo and Ambient Flo, Brian explores the psychological, ecological and healing potential of sound. His innovative work has been featured by the BBC, Tate Modern, Glastonbury, New Scientist, The Guardian and more.

http://www.briandsouza.in/

http://www.astateofflo.com

www.soniferous.app

https://www.instagram.com/auntie._.flo/

https://auntieflo.bandcamp.com/

Join the journey https://linktr.ee/whereareweheadingpod

Credits

Hosts: Kim and Dan

Guest: Brian d’SouzaPodcast: Where Are We Heading?Logo Design: Jane Hogan IllustratesMusic & Production: KimRecorded in: Alexandra Palace, UK

In this honest and open walk-and-talk podcast episode, Where Are We Heading? co-host Kim reflects on releasing her new EP after years away from music. She and Dan dive into what it really feels like to return to something you love - the nerves, the pressure, the data, the burnout, and the quiet joy of simply creating again.

Across the conversation, Kim opens up about the realities of coming back after a long break: rebuilding confidence, setting boundaries, protecting your wellbeing, and learning to make work that fits your energy rather than pushing against it. Together, she and Dan explore what it means to define “success” on your own terms, reconnect with your craft in a healthier way, and find a rhythm that actually supports your life.

A reflective, grounded episode for anyone navigating a return - to creativity, to music, or to themselves.

They talk about:

• Releasing music in an age of metrics, data, and algorithms

• The pressure to perform online and how to release at your own pace

• How the body signals burnout (and why it often hits right after a big creative milestone)

• Finding a balance between ambition and rest

• Redefining what success means when you no longer fit the industry mould

• Building connection through smaller, slower, more intentional art experiences

• Why sometimes “starting again” is the bravest creative move you can make

Recorded while walking through Canterbury, this conversation captures the mix of reflection, laughter, and real talk that defines the show.

🔑 Key Takeaways / Themes

• Creative growth is cyclical — it’s okay to pause, restart, and do it differently.

• Burnout often shows up in the body before the mind catches on.

• Metrics don’t define meaning - creativity is about connection, not numbers.

• Building slowly and sustainably is a radical act in a culture of urgency.

• There are no rules anymore - and that can be both freeing and frightening.

• You can’t make your best work in survival mode.

Join the journey https://linktr.ee/whereareweheadingpod

CreditsHosts: Kim and DanPodcast: Where Are We Heading?Logo Design: Jane Hogan IllustratesMusic & Production: KimRecorded in: Canterbury, UK

In this episode of Where Are We Heading?

We walk with Tara Austin, co-founder of PAR – Psilocybin Access Rights, to explore the science, stigma and political barriers surrounding psilocybin. Tara shares why she believes legal access to psilocybin-assisted therapy is not just a medical issue, but a human one - especially for people living with depression, PTSD and end-of-life distress. A grounded and thought-provoking conversation on healing, policy and hope.

We walk and talk about:

• Why psilocybin is still a Schedule 1 substance in the UK despite growing medical evidence

• The science behind psilocybin therapy and how it works in the brain

• Breakthrough results in treating depression, trauma and PTSD

• Why policy change matters — and what stands in the way

• Harm reduction, set & setting, and why context is everything

• Shifting from fear and stigma to education and compassion

• The global movement toward psychedelic reform - and where the UK sits now

This episode explores not just the politics of psychedelics, but the human stories behind them - people searching for hope when nothing else has worked.

🔑 Key Takeaways / Themes

• Psilocybin shows strong clinical potential for treatment-resistant depression, PTSD and end-of-life anxiety

• Current drug scheduling laws block research access and patient treatment

• Rescheduling (not legalising) psilocybin would allow regulated medical use

• Psychedelics aren’t risk-free — set and setting make all the difference

• The campaign for access is science-led and compassion-driven

• Healing shouldn’t be limited by outdated policy and stigma

  
  

Guest Bio – Tara Austin (PAR)

Tara Austin is a behavioural scientist, activist, and co-founder of PAR – Psilocybin Access Rights, the UK’s grassroots campaign calling for psilocybin to be rescheduled so it can be prescribed for therapeutic use. PAR has mobilised thousands of citizens, delivered 89,000 campaign leaflets, run the UK’s first psychedelic billboard campaign, and taken psilocybin reform to Parliament.

Tara is also a Partner at Ogilvy Consulting, working at the intersection of behavioural science, psychology and systems change. She co-hosts Nudgestock, the world’s largest festival of behavioural science and creativity.

🔗 PAR links:
Instagram: @‌par.global
Website: www.par.global

Join the journey https://linktr.ee/whereareweheadingpod