A collaboration between a popular Cincinnati brewery and a local audio agency dedicated to capturing the sounds of the Queen City has produced a new original song that will have you stomping along while pouring yourself a cold one.
In November, Play Audio Agency launched PLAY IT, a public-facing series that aims to create music tracks based on iconic spots around Cincinnati. Since its launch, the PLAY IT team, made up of sound designer and composer Drew Marcum, project director Ann Driscoll and creative director Adam Pleiman, has captured the natural “songs” created by places like the Roebling Bridge, as well as Corsi Tree Farm and Doscher’s Candies around the holidays.
In their newest project, Play teamed up with Over-the-Rhine’s Rhinegeist to craft a track based on the unique sounds of everyday life in the brewery. Play took the brewery’s distinct sounds and wove them into a rhythmic, percussive musical composition that tells the story of a day at Rhinegeist, especially the things happening behind the scenes before your beer gets poured.
“We believe in the power of music to tell stories,” Dan Carruthers, CEO of Play Audio Agency, said in a press release. “When we visited Rhinegeist, we immediately recognized the potential in the unique sounds of the brewery. We wanted to create something truly original that celebrates the artistry of both brewing and music. The result is an immersive sound experience that is as much a celebration of the brewery’s craftsmanship, as it is the creative process. We also seized the opportunity to sample some delicious beer — an added bonus!”
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Play It: Cincinnati Audio Agency Launches Series Capturing the Iconic Sounds of the Queen City
There’s no written rulebook for how the team creates the music from these iconic places, but there is one main rule: the sounds have to be recorded at the location, and the team can’t add anything else to them. The “instruments” you hear in the finished product all belong to the subject. In the case of Rhinegeist, those are sounds like hops being shuffled in a bucket, the bubbling of fermenters, the tapping of kegs and glasses clinking in a toast.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Play Audio Agency. We found their process fascinating and truly original,” said Mike Gertz, creative director of Rhinegeist. “We love the way they were able to capture the spirit of Rhinegeist, not just the daily ambient sounds we all hear, but the deeper hustle and love that goes into everything we do.”
Play says the collaboration with Rhinegeist marks a moment where two seemingly unrelated worlds can collide in an unexpected but harmonious way, showing how creativity can unite industries and encourage audiences to experience the world in a new way.
Play officially released the song on Tuesday. You can listen to it, as well as their other PLAY IT tracks, on their social media platforms.
Learn more about Play Audio Agency here.
Rhinegeist, 1910 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. More info: rhinegeist.com.
This article appears in Feb 19 – Mar 4, 2025.
