San Francisco Multi-Instrumentalist Nate Mercereau Shares Duet EP With The Golden Gate Bridge

Due to high winds coming across the San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge comes alive with a droning hum that locals are subjected to whether they like it or not. After reading an article in the San Francisco Chronicle about the phenomenon, local multi-instrumentalist and producer Nate Mercereau was inspired to use the sound to his advantage: “When I heard phone recordings of the sounds the bridge was actually making, I knew there was potential to reframe these sounds as something unique and beautiful”.

Mercereau recorded a four-track solo guitar collection using the droning hum as his ambient accompaniment titled Duets: The Golden Gate Bridge. Explaining the process, he shares:

“Renovations to the bridge have caused it to vibrate and “sing” in high winds, reverberating loud tones throughout the bay, effectively making it the largest wind instrument in the world. While I feel the pain of SF residents who are constantly subjected to this drone, there is nothing quite like hearing something so vastly large make that much sound powered by nature. It’s an all encompassing immersive experience, even from a distance. The tones smear and crescendo as the wind picks up, and it gets so loud that at some points you can feel your own body vibrate with it. To get inside and create sounds with something so large and with that much history (including my own personal history of living in San Francisco) was an emotional experience. I could see my old neighborhood from the recording location! I hope that by sharing these duets I can offer a recorded artifact of a world renowned monument, and also an alternate perspective on its reverberations as something special to be appreciated while it’s happening“.

As one might expect, the tracks are looming and grandiose, with a hypnotic and ambient quality backed by a unique and innovative swell of an omnipresent musical hum.

Listen to “Golden Gate Bridge Duet” below and stream the full collection just past. As well, Mercereau will be releasing a full-length on September 24th titled SUNDAYS and you can read his feature in the San Francisco Chronicle here.