Names in the air
"In my composition, I mixed the sound of an air raid siren in Prague, Czechia; the sound of a metronome as a symbol of time’s relentless march and history’s cyclical nature; two voices: a child repeating after his mother the names of Ukrainian cities; and an old Ukrainian folk song, Grey Goose, sung dramatically by a solo a cappella female voice (Yulia Volovik). "I chose the air raid siren in ...
3m Mar 27, 2025
3m
Air raid siren
The air raid siren in Prague that sounds the first Wednesday of every month, and it is a practice alert as part of the Czech Republic's emergency preparedness system. The siren goes off at 12:00 PM and it's not meant to signal an actual threat, but rather to test the nation's readiness in case of a real emergency. It serves as a regular reminder of the country's civil defense system, helping ci...
3m Mar 27, 2025
3m
Mariachis at Plaza Garibaldi
Distant Mariachis bands play at Plaza Garibaldi in Mexico City. Mono 48kHz 24bit. UNESCO listing: Mariachi, string music, song and trumpet Recorded by Erick Ruiz Arellano. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage
3m Mar 27, 2025
3m
Ewe Kente weaving in Kpetoe
Ewe Kente weaving by a group of two weavers in the Kpetoe community in Volta Region, Ghana. Kente is woven on a horizontal strip loom, which produces a narrow band of cloth about four inches wide. Several of these strips are carefully arranged and hand-sewn together to create a cloth of the desired size. Most kente weavers are men. Weaving involves the crossing of a row of parallel threads cal...
3m Mar 27, 2025
3m
Piazza San Pietro
Recording of St Peter square, with people speaking, walking, waiting in line to see the Vatican. Millions of tourists visit this sight every day so this it how it sounds all the time. UNESCO listing: Vatican City Recorded by Danilo Crnogorac. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole...
4m Mar 27, 2025
4m
Pulse of Yellowstone
"The first National Park in the United States was Yellowstone, and the most recognised attraction is the geyser Old Faithful. Predictions of Old Faithful eruptions are central to human activity at the site. People plan their days around these times. Efforts are made to make the most accurate predictions possible, however there are variations and it is never exactly known at what moment the geys...
3m Mar 27, 2025
3m
In those days
"I was inspired to create a piece reflecting the complex history of this World Heritage Site via the personal recollections of a centenarian with fond memories of growing up on such a cosmopolitan coast. And yet if we go further back, more complicated histories also reside here - and so I wanted to refer to that ambiguity sonically - especially in a place which is now such a tourist destination...
7m Mar 27, 2025
7m
Clogra
"I originally picked this sample because it reflected my research interest in pedestrianism. Listening back, I was wondering what the volume of conversation and impression of sociality around the Vatican that was captured in the sample might mean....at the same time, I had the idea of incorporating the Angelus bells which still ring twice a day in Dublin. Similarly, everyday life happens around...
4m Mar 27, 2025
4m
Spice market in Stone Town
Inside the spice market a seller offers a variety of spices, flavorants and perfumes. UNESCO listing: Stone Town, Zanzibar Recorded by Marg Laing. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage
5m Mar 27, 2025
5m
Rhapsodie d'Serra
"Composed over several weeks using the entire recording used in sections takes the lively street and voices as introduction numerous sounds sampled and were sculptured using audio software and Eurorack hardware itself becomes a rhapsody dedicated to sound recordists and artists everywhere. "This beautiful momentary field recording of Valldemossa, Mallorca Spain inspired our composition and enc...
8m Mar 27, 2025
8m
Snow memory
"Multiple tracks were played on a keyboard, arranged and combined with the audio field recording using midi workstation computer software. "The sound for this piece is a recording of a stream running under the snow with the sounds of running water, the popping of ice melting and pebbles bumping and clacking as they are rolled by the water. I live in California now but as a child I lived for a ...
8m Mar 27, 2025
8m
Dos caminos
"The field recording I chose was rich with historical resonance, immediately reminding me of another sacred route in Japan—Kumano Kodo, an ancient pilgrimage trail deeply connected to spiritual tradition. This parallel between Camino de Santiago in Spain and Kumano Kodo in Japan felt natural, as both sites are UNESCO-designated partners in preserving cultural and historical heritage. "Fortunat...
7m Mar 27, 2025
7m
Water under the snow
A short recording with an hydrophone. A stream running under the snow, popping sounds of ice melting and pebbles. UNESCO listing: High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago Recorded by Shachaf Polakow. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage
4m Mar 27, 2025
4m
The mechanical clock
It's 9pm in the village of Valldemossa in the Serra Tramuntana, and we hear the bells chime the hour from a clock tower with an interesting mechanical clockwork sound that's clearly audible on a quiet night like this. Following the chimes, we walk around the church, to hear the sounds of restaurants doing a brisk evening trade. UNESCO listing: Cultural Landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana Rec...
3m Mar 27, 2025
3m
Praza das Praterías
At the core of Santiago de Compostela, Praza das Praterías (Plaza de las Platerías) pulses with the sounds that embody its spiritual and cultural spirit. The resonant toll of bells from the nearby cathedral forms a solemn call, echoing across the plaza as pilgrims gather, their conversations blending into the hum of the crowd. Galician bagpipes provide a distinct, melodic layer to the atmosphe...
1m Mar 27, 2025
1m
Ships sail softly
"The sound of waves and voices intertwine in an endless field, creating an immersive experience that echoes through the depths of the Neva River. Field recordings were processed through a resonator to expand space and enhance sub-bass frequencies. "A tape-recorded and processed recitation of the poem Requiem by Anna Akhmatova adds lyrical meaning to the composition. The Peter and Paul Fortress...
8m Mar 27, 2025
8m
The soft entrance
"I worked in Edinburgh for 13 years and was part of the team that led on the nomination bid for the Forth Bridge. The sound of The Bridge was important for me to include in the piece as I feel partly responsible for it being considered a WHS. "The aim of the piece was to highlight the role of sound in shaping the tourist experience. The familiarity of the train crossing could evoke a sense of ...
13m Mar 27, 2025
13m
Icthyophaga vocifer
"This piece was made from a field recording of African Fish Eagles in duet at Djoudj Bird Sanctuary in Senegal. The recording has been processed through software to manipulate its pitch and other characteristics, in order to unearth mutations in timbre of the birdsong and create a chorus of ersatz birdsong. What interested me about working with this sound is the questions it raises about the na...
3m Mar 27, 2025
3m
El retiro, Madrid (1 February 2025)
"In recent years, I've developed a field recording based practice of reworking and remixing sounds using small portable speakers, using binaural headphones in combination with a stereo pair to record my hybrid performance-installation. I happened to be in Madrid shortly after choosing my sound, and so I reworked the original field recording of monk parakeets in Madrid's Retiro Park in situ, my ...
12m Mar 27, 2025
12m
Trains crossing the Forth Road Bridge
Living in Edinburgh, I often forget that I see a UNESCO Heritage site every morning rising above the River Forth. I catch a train across the Forth Road Bridge to Fyfe, drive past it through South Queensferry or simply see it in the distance as I walk the dog in Portobello. I remember the first time I saw it I was in absolute awe of the huge iconic structure, wondering how on earth was it built....
4m Mar 27, 2025
4m
Monk parakeets in Madrid
Madrid has the greatest population of Monk Parakeets in Europe, many of whom can be seen and heard in the El Retiro park. This park was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2023 and includes the tree-lined Paseo del Prado avenue as well as the 120-hectare Jardines del Buen Retiro (Garden of Pleasant Retreat), a remnant of the 17th-century Buen Retiro Palace. In this recording we hear a group o...
5m Mar 27, 2025
5m
The national beat
"Tortillas are the food base of rural Mexico, made by female hands in a completely sensory ritual: sound, smell, taste, sight and taste. The sound of the palms shaping the dough is very characteristic of the rural regions of Mexico, a beat that has been heard for hundreds of years and that unfortunately is disappearing. "For the composition, we isolated the sound of tortilla-making and one par...
7m Mar 27, 2025
7m
The rhythm of cicadas
"The rhythm of cicadas on the backdrop of electronic music has a very tight connection in Japan. That's why I chose this sound and used the cicada sounds as a fun rhythmical element." Cicadas in Derbent reimagined by Bob Rogue. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https:...
12m Mar 27, 2025
12m
The memory of water
"Thinking of how tourism is now a major industry for Madeira I started with the now, the field recording submitted to the Sonic Heritage project. Already rhythmic in the sound of the footsteps I looped parts of this, and brought it back in at the end. I really liked the image the recording brought up of walking the narrow Levada (waterways) and the muffled greetings and people saying 'sorry' an...
3m Mar 27, 2025
3m
Walking and waiting to pass
This recording captures my experience walking along a "levada," a traditional water channel originally built to transport water from the north of the island. These networks of aqueducts stretch across many kilometres and are accompanied by narrow walking paths, open to the public and popular among tourists. In the recording, you can hear a unique aspect of these trails: the interactions with f...
1m Mar 27, 2025
1m
Cicadas and tourists in the citadel
While on an excursion to the citadel, you can hear the sound space that is now the main one for this place. The centuries-old history has transformed not only the stone and architecture, but also the sound that once filled this place. UNESCO listing: Citadel, Ancient City and Fortress Buildings of Derbent Recorded by Pavel Lopatin. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, e...
4m Mar 27, 2025
4m
Stare Miasto
This soundscape from Kraków’s Old Town reveals the heartbeat of a city steeped in history and animated by modern energy. Formerly Poland’s royal capital, this UNESCO World Heritage site continues to captivate with its medieval streets and enduring charm. Echoes of tradition weave seamlessly with the rhythm of everyday life: ancient clock towers toll above the hum of trams, mingling with the so...
1m Mar 27, 2025
1m
Tortillas made at Michoacan
Traditional home made tortillas process. Stereo 48kHz 24bit. UNESCO listing: Traditional Mexican cuisine - ancestral, ongoing community culture, the Michoacán paradigm Recorded by Erick Ruiz Arellano. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/...
3m Mar 27, 2025
3m
Dark hours
"The sound of the bells playing in the background created an eerie feeling that I wanted to expand on. I used effects such as chorus and reverb to make the bells sound more dissonant and ghost-like. I felt that this sound worked well as a build up to something much more heavy, so I created a metal composition that uses the sound of these bells to provide atmosphere for." Stare Miasto, Krakow r...
3m Mar 27, 2025
3m
Keep on running
"Originally I had my heart set on making a more upbeat track, but me and my mate came up with a more mellow chord progression and then it all came together. There is not much story behind this beat, I want the listener to make their own story, letting the beat help them reimagine an event or time, whether it is a good or bad memory. The overall message for this beat is to keep going in life, no...
3m Mar 27, 2025
3m
The trek to Machu Picchu
My journey to Machu Picchu was a grueling five-day trek through some of the most challenging yet breathtaking terrain in the Andes. Descending from the high mountains into the lush jungle, I was surrounded by the rhythmic squelch of muddy paths underfoot, the cheerful chirping of dawn birds, and the distant roar of rivers carving through valleys. This soundscape captures the essence of an epic ...
6m Mar 27, 2025
6m
Machu Picchu paces
"Machu Picchu Paces is inspired by my own trek along the Inca Trail in 2024, a journey of beauty, grandeur, and mystical setting culminating in Machu Picchu that left a deep impression on me. The raw beauty of the young Andes Mountains, the shifting terrain and biomes, and the sacred sense of place – a perfect integration of architecture into the landscape – resonated deeply with me. "My compo...
10m Mar 27, 2025
10m
Horses at Machu Picchu
After days of trekking through the Andes, the sight of Machu Picchu is unforgettable. Nearby, the horses that carried supplies for the arduous journey graze peacefully, their heavy breaths mingling with the faint, ghostly hum of the valley below. The stillness and raw power of the landscape create a profound connection to this historic wonder. UNESCO listing: Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu...
3m Mar 27, 2025
3m
Dawn at Machu Picchu
As dawn breaks over Machu Picchu, the ancient Inca citadel is bathed in ethereal light. Before the rush of tourists, the sacred site is alive with the soft hum of nature—distant birdcalls, the rustle of leaves, and the occasional whisper of wind through the ruins. This is a moment of profound serenity, where the past and present converge in one of the world’s most iconic landscapes. UNESCO lis...
3m Mar 27, 2025
3m
Guinea pigs at Machu Picchu
In the traditional mountain homes surrounding Machu Picchu, guinea pigs are an integral part of life. Their soft chirping fills the air, a domestic melody woven into the cultural fabric of the Andes. Raised by locals as both companions and a cherished delicacy, these small creatures bring a unique charm to the region’s soundscape. UNESCO listing: Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu Recorded by...
2m Mar 27, 2025
2m
Recollecting
"As I listen to the captured birdsongs of Machu Picchu, I wonder how the sonic landscape has changed over the course of 500+ years. Would these calls be the same birdsongs heard long before the citadel's construction, and how long until the birdsongs cease? Will they become nothing but a memory for those who have visited the site? "I emphasize these thoughts of sonic heritage augmenting the so...
5m Mar 27, 2025
5m
Cuy
"The guinea pigs were so musical on their own, and I imagined them kept in a peaceful, quiet village. I didn't add any other sound sources beyond the field recording. The recording was processed with a variety of granular engines, delays and reverbs and the original sound is progressively distorted and altered until it's unrecognisable. I was thinking of the press of modernity and the seemingly...
2m Mar 27, 2025
2m
For horses, insects, birds, and pedal steel
"This recording from Machu Picchu was very beautiful on its own, with the resonant sound of hoof beats, and the sounds of birds and insects seeming to suspend time. I wanted to make sure any transformation of those sounds still honored those qualities. I wanted the piece to linger over those sections, so they're extended--by looping and by dropping pitch, to allow these sounds to touch lower pa...
8m Mar 27, 2025
8m
Jagged and unrestrained
"The tension in the knife sharpening, and the repeated voice, shouting instruction, morphs into a state of freedom, floating in a beautiful state. Familiar sounds blend into patterns and notes to transport us musically." Arequipa knife sharpeners reimagined by Michelle Breslin/Lostworldsounds. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most ...
9m Mar 26, 2025
9m
Raising giants
" was inspired by the human presence, so transient and passing in relation to the constant swirl of the sea and wind. I liked the sound of the natural forces and began to think of power, giants, myths, and stories given to landscape. "When I first heard the sound I was in Llanberis in North Wales, I spend a lot of time there, and often walk through another heritage site, Dinorwig Slate Quarry,...
7m Mar 26, 2025
7m
Bus ticket vendors, Cuzco
In the heart of Cusco, the voices of bus ticket vendors create an impromptu symphony. Their melodic calls, each vying for attention, blend into a captivating polyphony that is uniquely Peruvian. This vibrant tradition brings life to the city’s bustling streets, a testament to its role as a crossroads in the Andes. UNESCO listing: City of Cuzco Recorded by Rafael Diogo. ——————— This sound is...
2m Mar 26, 2025
2m
A droning memory
"Browsing through the audio files and listening to a few, I came across a recording that caught my ear. The sounds of different insects formed an afternoon melody in the desert. "Paquimé is an archaeological site of a long-gone culture, the ruins of a once-thriving city. I try to imagine how it sounded when it was populated—how it must have felt to walk through its streets. As a pre-industrial...
13m Mar 26, 2025
13m
Distant but close
"The field recording, sounds of individuals selling bus tickets in Peru, reminded me of similar sonic experiences I have had in San Francisco and New York City. Hearing the recording immediately took me to the images I know of Peru and promptly meshed those images with the sounds and imaged from mass transit terminals in the US cities I have lived in and traveled in. It represents, for me, a so...
2m Mar 26, 2025
2m
Knife sharpeners at Arequipa
Knife sharpeners at Arequipa. Stereo 48kHz 24bit UNESCO listing: Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa Recorded by Erick Ruiz Arellano. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage
3m Mar 26, 2025
3m
Clochán an Aifir
The last time that Felicia Barr and I had a "real" vacation was just before the pandemic. We travelled to Ireland in September of 2019 and one of our stops was Giant's Causeway which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986. Giant's Causeway is a magical place which features hexagonal columns that form stepping stones which disappear into the sea. According to legend, the columns a...
3m Mar 26, 2025
3m
Desert insects at Paquime
Desert hum wind and quiet insects at the Archaeological Zone of Paquimé. Stereo 48khz 24Bit. UNESCO listing: Archaeological Zone of Paquimé, Casas Grandes Recorded by Erick Ruiz Arellano. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage
4m Mar 26, 2025
4m
Self possession
"The field recording that I chose was of temple bells in a Buddhist Temple in Myanmar. The bells represent calmness and meditation and symbolises the Buddha's voice. I started my composition with just the bells to represent someone being in a clear minded stated, and gradually included other elements into the composition until the bells can barely be heard, symbolising how small daily life stru...
3m Mar 26, 2025
3m
Agave
"The piece is based on a field recording of workers cutting agave near Tequila, Mexico. The rhythmic, percussive sounds immediately captured my attention, as well as the cultural significance of the plant. The composition explores themes of Sonic Heritage, preserving the importance of agave labor, which is deeply tied to Mexica (Aztec) traditions and the reverence for Mayahuel, the goddess of a...
5m Mar 26, 2025
5m
Jimadores cutting agave at Tequila
Jimadores cutting agave at Tequila. Stereo 48kHz 24bit. UNESCO listing: Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila Recorded by Erick Ruiz Arellano. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage
2m Mar 26, 2025
2m
Temporal resonance: choirs of modulation
"When I first listened to the field recording, I was drawn to its spatial rendering, which made me curious to learn more about the place and its surroundings. Historically, it functioned both as an orphanage and a hospital, with certainly thousands traces of stories. This history, along with the architecture, inspired me to explore the relational characteristics of frequencies, materials, and m...
6m Mar 26, 2025
6m