floe state takes inspiration from a variety of sources. The first topic examined is the idea of “flow state”, which is a term used to describe a mental state of being completely absorbed in an activity or task. For me, I feel like music often induces this state both as a composer, performer, and listener. I wanted to sonically recreate this mental state by using a combination of fluid lines and drifting motific ideas. I also took inspiration from icebergs and floe. Floe is simply a sheet of floating ice. For me, this idea of ice slowly drifting across a surface is very similar to how the mind drifts while in a flow state. While in a flow state, the mind moves through a task in an unconscious, semi-hypnotic manner. Similarly, floe drifts across the ocean in a natural, unbothered state. The final piece of inspiration for

this piece was Elizabeth Bishop’s poem Imaginary Iceberg. This poem meditates on the beauty of the natural world and its impact on the human psyche. Similar to the comparison between floe and flow state, it juxtaposes nature and humanity, inevitably pointing to a deep connection between the two. The final three lines of this poem make up the titles of each of the three movements in floe state, and

are as such:

 

Icebergs behoove the soul

(both being self-made from elements least visible)

to see them so: fleshed, fair, erected indivisible.

 

At its core, floe state is a meditation on the connection and overlap between nature and the

human psyche, and works to present music that progresses and develops in an almost subconscious

nature.

Gibson Mahnke

1 February 2025