Industrial port sounds, Belfast
Industrial port noises and drones heard at a distance next to The Great Light, with gentle wave sounds and the occasional seagull. An oppressive, industrial soundscape. Recorded by Cities and Memory.
5m May 03, 2024
5m
Industrial port and cigars
"The original recording had a nice drone to it which I heightened with resonators. There was also some wind booms which I isolated and looped. I then mixed this down and did some live looping with it, adding dubby delays and reverbs too." Belfast port soundscape reimagined by Wave Debb.
5m May 03, 2024
5m
When birds do sing
"I wanted to capture the rolling rhythm of a water in the original field recording so I've used a series of pads and synth sounds to create that feeling. I also used a repeating piano melody to mimic the sounds of the water going over rocks etc. I tweaked the original recording to bring up the bird song." Vermont bird soundscape reimagined by Richard Watts.
5m Apr 25, 2024
5m
Forest stream and birdsong, Vermont
In this scene in Berkshire, Vermont, a small babbling stream takes center stage as a variety of birds can be heard singing both near and far. Recorded by Chris Ruprecht.
3m Apr 25, 2024
3m
The seven artists of San Stae
"Inside the church of San Stae, the right wall contains altars with works by Niccolò Bambini, Giuseppe Camerata, and Antonio Balestra. The three chapels on the left house works by Giuseppe Torretto, Pietro Baratta, Francesco Migliori, and Jacopo Amigoni. "There are seven distinct synth sounds within the piece - each representing a different artist whose work can be found within the church, lay...
5m Apr 16, 2024
5m
The Grand Canal heard from San Stae
The iconic sounds of the Grand Canal in Venice, as heard from outside the Chiesa di San Stae. The low thrum of vaporetto taxis and smaller boats, the lapping of water on the sides of the canal, the conversations of locals zipping up past us on boats, all on a warm, sultry summer afternoon. Reimagined by Cities and Memory.
7m Apr 16, 2024
7m
Spice market, Pointe-à-Pitre
"A walk through the Spice Market and the surrounding area in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe.  It's 11 a.m. on September 7, 2019." Recorded by Azadeh Nilchiani.
5m Apr 16, 2024
5m
Pointe-à-Pitre
"My track “Pointe-à-Pitre” is based on a field recording from a spice Market in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe. I was drawn to the field recording because it captures the magical atmosphere of the city. I can imagine being taken away by the smell of the spices, fruits and vegetables at the market on this Caribbean paradise. "It is this feeling that I have infused in this reimagined music, of being...
5m Apr 16, 2024
5m
Haunted streets of Montmartre
"Reimagined the streets of Montmartre as haunted from the ghosts of the past." Montmartre street recording reimagined by VVHΛLTHISИEY.
3m Apr 16, 2024
3m
Four o'clock in a perfect world
"My recollection of this field recording was standing in Campo San Giacomo di Rialto at 4pm, after an entire day of recording the sounds of Venice - my favourite urban space in the world for sound recording. The sun was warm and mellow, and the campo was unusually quiet and empty considering its proximity to the Rialto Bridge, one of Venice's most popular and crowded tourist spots. "The trickl...
5m Apr 09, 2024
5m
A lazy afternoon in Rialto
A walkthrough across Venice's iconic Rialto Bridge, through the market at the bottom of the bridge, and out into Campo San Giacomo di Rialto. In this quiet square just away from the hustle and bustle of one of Venice's most popular tourist spots, all we can hear is the gentle trickle of a water fountain, and the bells chiming for 4pm. An unusually contemplative and mellow end to a soundscape o...
4m Apr 09, 2024
4m
Migrating terns
"The sound of the migrating terns is replaced by violins playing a the same rhythm as a short loop of the field recording. This pattern is faded in and out with other orchestral string instruments playing similar tern patterns." Migrating terns reimagined by Simon Woods.
14s Mar 29, 2024
14s
Tern colony at Cemlyn Bay
Tern colony at Cemlyn Bay, Anglesey. Sandwich, Common and Arctic tern migrate from Africa or as far as the Antarctic for the Artic tern every spring to breed there and then head back each autumn hopefully with young terns following them. Recorded by Phil Cunliffe.
4m Mar 29, 2024
4m
Promise of the pier
"In my mind, a pier is almost always a busy place, people are coming or going and that alone brings excitement. For those who in fact are on the pier to embark on a voyage it is perhaps even more exciting. Remember the feeling as a child going on your first travel by boat, being in the moment just before embarking, feel the tremble of joy, but also of fear of the unknown. What may happen once o...
4m Mar 08, 2024
4m
To step outside time's relentless flow
"I listened and listened to the beautiful recording and played along the best I could on my acoustic guitar to form an idea. I used the recording complete in places and cut up and sampled in others , to creat a kind of vocal line to the piece. "To step outside of times relentless flow is a journey , a holiday if you like. A trip away from the everyday. Music for me is the escape , the trip , t...
6m Mar 08, 2024
6m
Path
"I loved how the field recording provided a really nice atmospheric layer to the song. The interesting thing is that the recording has different moments as in one part you hear the sounds of the waves and in another, human voices combined with other elements that inhabit the place. "This song talks about the wish of feeling nature, of experimenting the outside. I think that the feelings of tra...
6m Mar 08, 2024
6m
A page of the night book
"A period of time a few minutes long fifty-eight years wide." "This recording gave such a strong sense of a moment in time held still - the way in which the space of a minute in the middle of the night can take on the same qualities as an hour during daylight. "The nighttime rainfall sits as a bed throughout the track, which overall is structured into one section punctuated by the calls of an...
4m Mar 08, 2024
4m
Early morning at Pepperskär Hamnen
"A sleepy harbour at Pepperskär on the island of Järsö, 12km south of Mariehamn, Åland's capital. It's just after 7am on a Sunday. The roe deer on the road vanish into the woods as I arrive, the gulls haven't yet flown in from the rocky havens in the bay. "A slight breeze stirs the tide to softly lap the the wood-clad harbour walls and the hulls of the handful of boats moored therein. Alongsid...
14m Mar 08, 2024
14m
Finlandia
"I used the field recording unedited and throughout the duration of my piece. It inspired me to put myself in the outdoors, listen to the sounds of nature in the recording and transfer how this made me feel into music: peaceful and hopeful, and then adventurous. I started with a piano solo and build instrumentation around it. I also drew inspiration from the classic composition by the Finnish c...
5m Mar 08, 2024
5m
Sting Club Muay Thai gym, Chiang Mai
"People from across Chiang Mai and the globe training in a Muay Thai gym." Recorded in Chiang Mai, Thailand by Alex Boyesen. Part of the Sound of Adventure project in partnership with Exodus Travels. To learn more and explore the full collection, visit https://citiesandmemory.com/adventure.
21m Mar 08, 2024
21m
Unboxing
"The field recording from the martial arts studio in Thailand is over 20 minutes long, so I initially selected several parts that appealed to me because of their athletic energy, community spirit and sweat. "I chose sound sections that reflect the general training atmosphere in the room and, of course, the sports activities with rhythmic sequences. Muay Thai is a national sport in Thailand, so...
4m Mar 08, 2024
4m
CO-PI-I
"Quite coincidentally, the track "CO-PI-I" was made on the go during my recent travels in late 2023. I believe it happened for a good reason since it serves the purpose of the "Sound of Adventure" project. "Over the years I made an interesting observation. Before venturing into new territory, two things happen: first - we suddenly are opened to fantasy, meditating on possible/probable experien...
4m Mar 08, 2024
4m
On the edge of a lake in the jungle
"A dense and captivating dawn chorus of Vietnamese wildlife in Huyện Đà Bắc, Hòa Bình, Vietnam. The waking of animals, birds, insects and people on the edge of a lake in the jungle at around 5am." Recorded in Vietnam by Kit Wilmans Fegradoe. Part of the Sound of Adventure project in partnership with Exodus Travels. To learn more and explore the full collection, visit https://citiesandmemory.c...
20m Mar 08, 2024
20m
Shadows unveiled
"The field recording in this piece inspired me to create a story about how an adventure can begin feeling dark and uncertain but can then open up to an expanse of lightness and magic. "Often when I have travelled, being in an unknown places it can feel unsettling but often hidden gifts reveal themselves when you immerse yourself in all that it has to offer." Vermont, USA dawn chorus reimagine...
6m Mar 08, 2024
6m
Vermont's dawn chorus
"The wildlife of Berkshire, Vermont awakening. The scene features Morning Doves' distinctive calls, along with other song birds, a few Raven calls, as well as the croaking of frogs at a nearby pond." Recorded in Vermont, USA by Chris Ruprecht. Part of the Sound of Adventure project in partnership with Exodus Travels. To learn more and explore the full collection, visit https://citiesandmemory...
3m Mar 08, 2024
3m
Adventures in temporal displacement
"Lots of small sounds stood out from the field recording I worked with, small enough not to be noticed, yet, in the right frame of mind, significant enough to catch one's attention. I tried to be open to letting them take my attention for a wander and responded to that by making sounds that followed them, resampling, ornamenting, mimicking. Sometimes the best adventures are small ones, unexpect...
4m Mar 08, 2024
4m
Crossroads - bird chirping, Tokyo
"The recording location is an unidentified crossroad in Tokyo. Whenever the traffic light turns green, the speakers on the traffic lights play continuous bird chirping sounds to alert people to proceed. "In some parts of China, which is also in the Asian region, pre-recorded human voices are used to signal pedestrians at crossroads. I believe that using bird chirping sounds instead of other pr...
4m Mar 08, 2024
4m
The distant horizon
"This work was composed by Michael Serafin-Wells, performed and recorded by Bipolar Explorer - Summer Serafin (vocals), Michael Serafin-Wells (guitars, baritone guitar, bass, tape loops, percussion, vocals) and Sylvia Solanas (vocals). We used the field recording throughout, with some small edits, looping and reverb. The field recording itself is lovely and evocative and we wanted our contribut...
13m Mar 08, 2024
13m
Piazza San Marco on a hot August day
"In Piazza San Marco, the most famous tourist destination in Venice, at 3pm on a hot August day. Bells chime the hour, and the famous jazz cafes play live music as we walk past. After a great deal of summer rain, there was an unanticipated acqua alta (high water), so you can hear the occasional sloshing of puddles too - very unusual for a summer afternoon." Recorded in Italy by Cities and Memo...
6m Mar 08, 2024
6m
Delhi's memory lane
"'Delhi's Memory Lane' is a musical tale that paints a vibrant picture of the diverse sounds that define old Delhi. Imagine wandering through the bustling and bright streets of Paharganj, where there is beauty in the sounds of every corner. Suddenly, go to the outskirts of the city and find yourself in the semi-countryside, surrounded by moments of serenity where time slows, marked by the dista...
4m Mar 08, 2024
4m
Eid Milad-ul Nabi at Nizamuddin Dargah
"The recording is placed in Hazrat Nizamuddin, a mausoleum dedicated to the Sufi saint – Khawaja Nizamuddin Auliya who lived during 1238 – 1325 CE. He was a saint of the Chishti order and a firm believer in secularism and religious harmony. The mausoleum was constructed in 1325 by Muhammad Bin Tughlaq (The eighteenth Sultan of Delhi). "The recording was made while walking the premises of the D...
4m Mar 08, 2024
4m
Arrival
"I used Diego Espeleta's recording of a dawn chorus in Costa Rica as the starting point for my composition 'Arrival'. I wanted this piece to communicate an uplifting feeling - the joy of arriving at your destination and the wonder of exploring a new place. This is what field recording has been for me - a way to explore more deeply. The joy of collecting sounds and immersing yourself into a new ...
4m Mar 08, 2024
4m
Savia Monteverde: dawn chorus, Costa Rica
"It is a brand new day and the the forest is starting to wake up. It had been raining the whole night before and although it is not raining at the moment, water droplets keep falling down from the canopy. "The birds are getting playful and are moving around singing and looking for food, several groups of them can be heard in all directions. A slow breeze passes through the forest bringing in t...
14m Mar 08, 2024
14m
Deer and owls in the middle of the night, France
"The beginning of autumn goes pair with nature changing... And alpha male deer are seeking and fighting for their partners to preserve their species. This is the time, at the end of September, where you can hear deer in the evening and in the night. "Hidden in forests, with owls calling as well, you can immerse in pure nature with no human intrusion. Some wind goes through the pine trees and o...
4m Mar 08, 2024
4m
Masai Mara warriors' song, Kenya
"I am at the open space of a traditional Masai village with a population of about 250 people. All around are little huts and in the centre, cows and goats are laid down. The Masai men sing and dance the warriors song. They jump as high as they can as a sign of bravery and in order to attract the women's attention." Recorded in Kenya by Christina Antoniadou. Part of the Sound of Adventure proj...
5m Mar 08, 2024
5m
Sound Reflections on the East Wall, Portugal
"Workers from the "Museu de Arte Popular" assembled at Torre de Belém before heading to the Lisbon city center for a conference. During this gathering, one of the museum collaborators pointed out a location on the east wall where you can hear both the sounds of the sea and the Torre de Belém garden, thanks to the unique acoustic properties of the wall." Recorded in Belém, Portugal by Carlos Be...
6m Mar 08, 2024
6m
On the pier, Cape Town
"Kalk Bay Harbour embodies the raw beauty of Cape Town’s False Bay coast. Listen to the sound of waves; seagulls flying overhead; seals snorting from time to time as they bathe in the sun, waiting for scraps; the low hum of tools as fishermen repair their boats; an artist who takes out a selection of works to sell to passers-by, and the chatting of tourists and locals walking up and down the pi...
3m Mar 08, 2024
3m
Migration Sounds on BBC World Service Newshour
An interview with Cities and Memory founder Stuart Fowkes on BBC World Service's Newshour about the Migration Sounds project, playing recordings already contributed from the USA, the UK and the Sahara desert and discussing our callout for contributions to the project. Broadcast on 23 February 2024.
5m Feb 24, 2024
5m
Migration Sounds on BBC Radio 4 Today Programme, February 2024
Our Migration Sounds project featured in BBC radio news bulletins, 23 February 2024. This clip taken from the Today Programme.
16s Feb 23, 2024
16s
Method of writing music by means of dots
"This reimagined sound starts from the fact that the impressive sound of these church bells is dramatically quietened by traffic noise on all sides, and this is an oasis of peace in a busy urban centre. "The light piano motifs and crystal healing bowl sounds bring to mind the idea of a church as a sanctuary away from everyday life and a centre of peace - but the growing, heavily effected guita...
4m Feb 19, 2024
4m
The chimes of Saint Nicolas
Church bells at Saint Nicolas des Champs in Le Marais, Paris, chime 11 o'clock in December 2023. There are two major roads either side of the church, which are constantly busy with noisy traffic and mean that this once peaceful oasis is almost drowned out by car traffic. Even the chiming of the bells has difficulty cutting through and making itself clear in the soundscape. Recorded by Cities a...
1m Feb 19, 2024
1m
Hypatia in the night market on the vernal equinox
"I was unsure how to find a way into the project until I found the bell sound - maybe from a tram or bus or something? - which worked really well as a simple rhythm as the bell pattern is quite syncopated and then the final 'beat' is a car door shutting. "It became quite hypnotic, so I decided to go with that feeling and try to capture an implied altered-state, hallucinogenic journey through t...
5m Feb 14, 2024
5m
Sima
"This piece begins with a beautiful recording of the Ushuaia River in Lapataia, Tierra del Fuego, made by Raúl del Mestre. The peaceful play of the water over rocks and stones gradually gives way to various manipulations of the river sound (using pitch shifting, looping, reversing and sampling) evoking some of the tensions between this natural waterway and the rapidly accelerating changes in th...
3m Jan 03, 2024
3m
Bahía Lapataia, Tierra del Fuego
Let's listen to the movement of water, near the end of route 3; Lapataia Bay Ushuaia Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Recorded by Raúl Del Mestre.
1m Jan 03, 2024
1m
Beneath the streets of Rome
A metro journey beneath the streets of Rome from the Termini station to Circo Massimo, with announcements, train noise, doors opening and closing and lots of Roman conversations. Recorded by Cities and Memory.
7m Jan 03, 2024
7m
Non stop/Ciclo continuo
"The original recording of the Metro ride in Rome is very specifically located while also having echoes of travel that are characteristic of cities around the world. A mix of sounds that encompass those from the newest visitors to the city, to everyday commuters. Whether riding the Metro, Subway or Underground, the systems in place allow us to work our way around the familiar and unfamiliar. If...
4m Jan 03, 2024
4m
Il est entré dans mon coeur
"Despite the bombast and musicianship of the first busker in the field recording, it was the quieter and more subtle performance that grabbed my attention. Rotonda Foschini is an open, oval piazza with a gorgeous natural reverb, adding an extra dimension to this performance of 'La Vie En Rose'. "The natural reverb of the recording location was the starting point for the composition, as we imag...
6m Dec 26, 2023
6m
La Vie En Rose and looping guitars
Ferrara International Buskers Festival 2023 - one of the top dates in the global street music calendar. Two acts in quick succession - first we hear looping solo guitarist Ziggy O'Neill, before heading down a corridor into a natural auditorium inside some buildings, in which a French singer gives a beautiful, reverb-drenched version of La Vie En Rose. Recorded by Cities and Memory.
11m Dec 26, 2023
11m
I am the air
"The ‘Oxford Hot Air Balloon’ sample was like nothing I had really heard before and I was instantly drawn to it. It had a certain tonality, colour and texture that I felt could be used as the basis for a composition. I wanted to use the sample in its entirety, perhaps as a pedal note running throughout any resultant piece of music. Along with the additional hint of ‘Autumn’ I was taken to the s...
3m Dec 21, 2023
3m
Far fields
"Not usually a fan of cow bell as an instrument, so this field recording was a revelation; we used the waveform shape to produce a stream of stochastic triggers/gates (Mutable Ears into Mutable Marbles) to generate a musical phrase using two primary voices with additional modular synthesizer elements; this phrase was further resampled to produce multiple layers which were mixed and overlaid tog...
6m Dec 21, 2023
6m