The Presence of Attention

The Presence of Attention is a session in breath, story, and deep listening, played entirely on vinyl. Guided by breathwork facilitator Sylvie Koo, the session begins with a short breathwork practice to settle the body and tune the ear inward. It progresses through three movements—breath, touch, and space—designed to uncover the nuanced details of sound, from the inhale preceding a voice to the decay of a struck note and the atmosphere surrounding music. Each record is selected for its revelatory qualities when heard with focused attention and for the narrative history behind it. John Hwang is a music curator and content creator dedicated to the stories behind records. He builds listening experiences that treat attention as a medium, pairing deep cuts with the histories that make them meaningful. Sylvie Koo is a breathwork facilitator and harmonium player trained at the ALCHEMY Yoga & Meditation Center in Bali, who guides sessions that integrate conscious breathing with sound.