No time like infinity
"The original piece of shortwave radio inspired me to imagine the radio waves transmitting through the air, over the mountains of the the Himalayas and eventually across the universe." Composition by Andrew Howden. Part of the Shortwave Transmissions project, documenting and reimagining the sounds of shortwave radio - find out more and see the whole project at https://citiesandmemory.com/shor...
10m Nov 08, 2021
10m
LP Livicate
"Samples from Radio Afghanistan 1976 used in the track: Treated loop of music from part of the original recording used at 0.01 in and throughout. Bass tone from the beginning of the original recording used at 0.03 in and throughout. I was intrigued when I initially heard the recording of Radio Afghanistan from 1976. I was a young Short Wave Listener in Coventry at the time so it comes with som...
4m Nov 08, 2021
4m
WDX - best bass beating ever
"It was a very simple sample to start with, so it was easy to separate out useful sounds to make percussive sounds, tones and reverb impulses. I layered a couple of synths on top, echoing the shortwave signal and then drenched everything in loads of reverb and delay to try to recreate the sense of the signal struggling through space." Composition by David Webb.  Part of the Shortwave Transmis...
5m Nov 08, 2021
5m
Radio Afghanistan station ID, 1976
The first [Radio Afghanistan] recording is from 1976. The recording was made with the GRUNDIG Satellit 600 Professional recorder unit prototype I got from my uncle who worked at GRUNDIG as mentioned before. Date: ?, sometime in 1976 Time: around 1130 GMT/UTC QRG: 15195 kHz Listen carefully to this recording. In the background you can hear the VOA Yankee Doodle played before starting its pro...
4m Nov 08, 2021
4m
All India Radio
Filename:  All-India-Radio-(AIR)_India Bitrate Mode:  vbr      Channel Mode:  mono      Sample Rate:  44100 Hz Recording by Jerry Johnston. Part of the Shortwave Transmissions project, documenting and reimagining the sounds of shortwave radio - find out more and see the whole project at https://citiesandmemory.com/shortwave
2m Nov 08, 2021
2m
BBC World Service ident
Filename:  BBC_England_(Four-notes-B-B-B-E).mp3  (317.23 kB) Bitrate Mode:  vbr      Channel Mode:  mono      Sample Rate:  44100 Hz Recording by Jerry Johnston. Part of the Shortwave Transmissions project, documenting and reimagining the sounds of shortwave radio - find out more and see the whole project at https://citiesandmemory.com/shortwave
1m Nov 08, 2021
1m
Uh yes, uh no
"I worked on the recording of the Chinese invasion of Vietnam in  18th February 1979. I mixed it with Uh Yes Uh No, the voice of Andy Warhol  from Jeff Gordon, Art Voices.  Gordon's interviewed Warhol but then he erased the questions and just left the “yes” and “no” answers. Warhol would talk a loved recordings of people’s voices. Gordon claims that his favorite was Jacqueline Kennedy’s because...
16m Nov 08, 2021
16m
Havana Syndrome (psychogenic origin mix)
"All sounds used were from the original recording, the psychogenic origin refers to the Havana Syndrome. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana_syndrome for further details. The interesting element is the application of the various listing of potential causes and the application (by modulation and FX) of some of them within the composition.  All was edited / synchronised in Logic and some of ...
7m Nov 08, 2021
7m
Voice of Korea
As a child, I was often found glued to my dad’s shortwave radio station in pursuit of voices from across the globe. If lucky, I would exchange a few words, in very limited English, with a stranger somewhere far away. Most of the time, all I got was static, in itself a hint of the vast universe yet to be explored by a young soul. This was in the 1970’s and it was my internet. My piece is a trea...
5m Nov 08, 2021
5m
China invades Vietnam
Voice of Vietnam, Chinese Invasion of Vietnam, 18 Feb 1979. 20-30 GMT (i.e. 6-30 am Eastern Standard Time, 19 Feb 1979) 10-40 KHZ Recorded off-air by Ian Holder, Brisbane, Australia. Part of the Shortwave Transmissions project, documenting and reimagining the sounds of shortwave radio - find out more and see the whole project at https://citiesandmemory.com/shortwave
16m Nov 08, 2021
16m
Speech by Fidel Castro
Speech by Fidel Castro (in Spanish) on the 15th Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. Originally delivered January 2, 1974. Broadcast January 10, 1974- 0420GMT- 11.840khz. Recording by Ian Holder. Part of the Shortwave Transmissions project, documenting and reimagining the sounds of shortwave radio - find out more and see the whole project at https://citiesandmemory.com/shortwave
7m Nov 08, 2021
7m
Voice of Korea
This recording comes from the aircheck archives of Michael Pool. According to Michael’s notes, the following recording of the Voice of Korea was made on March 25, 2005 at 0300 UTC on 9345 kHz. The reception location was likely New York City. No other notes were included with this recording. Part of the Shortwave Transmissions project, documenting and reimagining the sounds of shortwave radio ...
57m Nov 08, 2021
57m
Radio France International, 2014
Radio France International. This broadcast was recorded on February 8, 2014 around 07:00 UTC on 9,790 kHz. This broadcast originates from the Issoudun transmitter site (500 kW). Recorded by Thomas Witherspoon. Part of the Shortwave Transmissions project, documenting and reimagining the sounds of shortwave radio - find out more and see the whole project at https://citiesandmemory.com/shortwave
1hr 1m Nov 06, 2021
1hr 1m
Death of Yuri Andropov
Death of Yuri Andropov (14 Feb 1984) (Tues 1200GMT). Andropov succeeded Brezhnev as General Secretary of the Communist Party. Radio Moscow shortwave broadcast. Recorded by Ian Holder. Part of the Shortwave Transmissions project, documenting and reimagining the sounds of shortwave radio - find out more and see the whole project at https://citiesandmemory.com/shortwave
7m Nov 06, 2021
7m
Radio Moscow - German/Soviet Treaty
Radio Moscow (8 August 1970). Propaganda broadcast discussing German-Soviet Treaty, Northern Ireland, Vietnam and the Middle East. Recorded by Ian Holder. Part of the Shortwave Transmissions project, documenting and reimagining the sounds of shortwave radio - find out more and see the whole project at https://citiesandmemory.com/shortwave
10m Nov 06, 2021
10m
Soviet October Revolution parade (1970)
Shortwave coverage from Radio Moscow of the Soviet October Revolution Parade (7 November 1970). The military parade celebrated the October Revolution beginning in 1918 and continued until 1990 (the year before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991). Recorded by Ian Holder. Part of the Shortwave Transmissions project, documenting and reimagining the sounds of shortwave radio - find out more...
9m Nov 06, 2021
9m
A man of talent with great abilities
"The piece is called "A man of talent with great abilities", which is what Putin said about Yuri Andropov, which I thought sounded rather sinister. It's more of a soundtrack to the original recording. I wanted to do something a bit like Benjamin Britten's 'Russian Funeral' so it's mainly a horn based instrumental. There are three main parts to it - intro, march and bridge." Composition by Rich...
7m Nov 06, 2021
7m
Moscow shortwave 1970
"There's something I loved about grit and the words coming out of the interference that grabbed me. My original idea was to try and make the whole track out of samples from the original piece. Although it didn't quite work out that way, I did create a lot of the drums, pads, bass and the kind of piano / xylophone lead thing at the end by dropping samples from the recording in to various ableton...
6m Nov 06, 2021
6m
Red Square '70
"The piece is made up of samples from the commentator's voice in a “Zoolook” style (JM Jarre 1984). Sometimes words can be heard and sometimes it is just rhythms." Composition by Simon Woods.  Part of the Shortwave Transmissions project, documenting and reimagining the sounds of shortwave radio - find out more and see the whole project at https://citiesandmemory.com/shortwave
4m Nov 06, 2021
4m
Nation shall speak peace unto nation
"I spent six months in the 1980s working at the BBC World Service, so I felt a particular connection to the original recording. The vast majority of the piece comprises clips of this, processed and manipulated. A montage of other Short Wave transmissions was added at the top  - thanks to Electronic Battle for the loan of the SW Receiver (and for helping me to the rig the aerial over the roof!)....
9m Nov 06, 2021
9m
Back home
"I started by playing with the recording in my software - processing it in different ways. As I was messing around tinkering with sounds, the recording made me think of a deserted giant cargo spaceship and a lone character boarding and searching the ship while the recording mysteriously played through the ship's tannoy. I added some field recordings I made recently on a village green near me. A...
4m Nov 06, 2021
4m
The challenge to world peace
A shortwave transmission from Radio Peking. Propaganda recording about the challenge to world peace posed by "the U.S. Imperialists”. Recorded in Australia by Ian Holder. Part of the Shortwave Transmissions project, documenting and reimagining the sounds of shortwave radio - find out more and see the whole project at https://citiesandmemory.com/shortwave
11m Nov 06, 2021
11m
Radio Peking on Sino-Italian relations
Radio Peking (6 November 1970). Commentary on establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Italy; message from China to Soviet Union. Recorded by Ian Holder. Part of the Shortwave Transmissions project, documenting and reimagining the sounds of shortwave radio - find out more and see the whole project at https://citiesandmemory.com/shortwave
7m Nov 06, 2021
7m
1966 Spanish Numbers Station recording
The period before 1980s,1950s and 1960s were very active in terms of espionage. Many declassified documents tell us about CIA and SIS operations in Baltic States, Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and elsewhere using Morse code messages. Then there is a case of Operation SOLO of FBI infiltration in the American Communist Party and Soviet secret service, where numbers transmissions from the Soviet...
4m Nov 06, 2021
4m
Maestro de Espias (Spy Master)
"An original 1960s tape recording of shortwave Spanish language numbers stations is cryptically woven into this original musical composition of a reimagined spy network broadcast.  In addition to the numbers broadcast, you are listening to musical Morse code-like transmissions, and bursts of shortwave static. The frenetic changes in musical passages occur as spymasters discover their codes ar...
4m Nov 06, 2021
4m
Privet conversation
Hedge sparrows in Maltby, UK reimagined by CuSi Sound (Alan Jackson). "Hearing the sparrows chattering away in the hedge with traffic passing by reminded me of people gathering outside cafés to chat as others pass by going about their business. I recorded a sample of the sparrows and traffic as a tape loop then used this in a live studio performance with my Project XII modular analogue synth."
8m Nov 04, 2021
8m
Hedge sparrows at the roadside
Sparrows chattering in a garden hedge at the side of the road with passing traffic and an occasional person. Recorded in Maltby, UK by Alan Jackson.
4m Nov 04, 2021
4m
Impact studies
Crossbow competition in Volterra, Italy reimagined by de Velden. "The setting of the original recording felt bathed in dappled sunlight, so I started with a piano accompaniment that played, flitted and drifted across and around the voices, the sounds of the crossbow competition and bells. The rest of the track grew from there."
5m Oct 29, 2021
5m
Tuscan crossbow competition
Wandering around the medieval city of Volterra in Tuscany, what could be more appropriate than entering the main piazza to the sounds of an authentic crossbow competition taking place? Here you can hear the practice session ahead of the main competition, with the thwack of bolts hitting the target on the other side of the piazza, and the sound reverberating off every wall. Midway through, the b...
9m Oct 29, 2021
9m
Gondolas at rest in Venice
Looking out from Piazza San Marco in Venice across the lagoon, there is a regular mooring spot for many of the city's iconic gondolas, and they rock back and forth, sloshing gently along as motor boat traffic stirs the waters nearby. Here we can hear the gondolas knocking into one another and riding the waves, as motorboats pass on one side, and passers-by walk behind us from another angle. Bin...
5m Oct 28, 2021
5m
Listening to Dante 1477
Moored gondolas in Venice reimagined by Guyda Armstrong. "This re-imagined sound is centred on an object from Venice’s past, a copy of Dante’s Divine Comedy printed in the city by Wendolin of Spira in 1477. It begins with present-day sounds  which could have been heard at the time of the book’s making half a millennium ago, and then moves into the present day and to another city, with field re...
4m Oct 28, 2021
4m
Global warning
San Gimignano sound installation reimagined by Scott Lawrence Whitman. "The original field recording was a fervent spoken word performance about climate change from San Gimignano, Italy. I attempted to convey the urgency of the matter by manipulating the dialog and reinforcing the message with music."
1m Oct 18, 2021
1m
Sound art in San Gimignano
A sound art installation pumps out of a large speaker cone-like structure into the Piazza del Duomo, San Gimignano. The subject matter is around climate change and the impact it's having globally, with impassioned speeches from Italian activists mixed in with soundscapes.  Recorded by Cities and Memory.  
5m Oct 18, 2021
5m
A beautiful song in Padova
A busker of west African origin sings under the porticos in Padova, Italy - this particular singer always chooses this spot for the excellent reverb it offers, as well as the healthy number of passers-by. He has a beautiful voice, and often sings what appear to be exrtemely heartfelt songs in what we assume is his mother tongue - this is an excerpt of one such lovely song. Recorded by Cities an...
2m Oct 18, 2021
2m
Padova busker (Barney J Spigel version)
Padova busker reimagined by Barney Spigel.  "Moved by the music being performed as well as the sense of place captured in the recording, I wanted to zoom in on some of my favourite slices of the soundscape by looping and layering them into an evolving pattern of rhythm, texture, harmony and timbre so as to hypnotise the listener into perceiving the original recording with an extremely heighten...
4m Oct 18, 2021
4m
Daylight
Dolomite cows feeding reimagined by Janae Jean. "The sounds of cows grazing in the mountains with their bells jingling gave me the impression of shimmering light on a summer day. I used the audio to generate MIDI data from I constructed the melody, harmony, rhythm, and tempo of the piece."
4m Oct 17, 2021
4m
Two shorelines
Stromboli beach reimagined by John Savarese. "A walk along an imaginary shoreline, using sounds from the volcanic stone and sand on Stromboli and a rocky beach on Long Island Sound."
6m Oct 17, 2021
6m
Sottopasso
Sottopasso delle Cure, Florence reimagined by Hansklammer. "We reimagined the underpass as an underground florentine network of tunnels through which the listener explores. We took inspiration from the Lou Reed track Glory of Love that is can be heard in the original field recording and based our soundscape on different interpretations of that song using guitar / synth / bass and samples."
13m Oct 17, 2021
13m
Atonement
Camposampiero mass bells reimagined by Lisa Rae Bartolomei. "The act of atonement, contemplation and faith in a higher power brings light to the darkest of times , and we are all finding our own ways to find hope amongst the blackness of a year of misery and confinement. The bell a symbol of love, warning and the heart of community acts as a guiding force through the stormy weather.  "This re...
9m Oct 17, 2021
9m
Fluidity
Dolomite mountain stream reimagined by Andy Truscott. "A simple synth part that has been processed through some modular equipment. Some side chain compression is introduced to add movement to the piece. I felt inspired to write a simple ambient, evolving piece for this field recording." 
3m Oct 17, 2021
3m
Sans objectivity
Villa del Conte campana della sera reimagined by Rafoo. "When I first heard and picked the field recording, I remembered it being warm and idyllic. However, the day I finally got to working on it, I couldn't feel anything but discomfort/uneasiness. The resonance from the bells which builds up in the later part of the recording sounded like something straight out of an avant garde horror flick....
2m Oct 17, 2021
2m
Mountain cows feeding
Cows feed in the Dolomites close to a mountain rifugio, their cowbells clanking melodically - a classic European mountain sound. Recorded by Cities and Memory.
2m Oct 17, 2021
2m
Mountain stream under a bridge
Close to Rifugio Contrin in the Italian Dolomites, a mountain stream rushes past under a simple wooden bridge. We placed the Zoom H6 recorder close to the water under the bridge to get as close a take as possible of the sound.  Recorded by Cities and Memory.
3m Oct 17, 2021
3m
Bells for Sunday mass from a hospital
On a Sunday morning, as dozens of people queue up outside the hospital at Camposampiero in Italy for a Covid-19 test as part of ongoing pandemic precautions across the country, the bells ring out for Sunday mass from the town beyond, to remind us of life trying to go on as normal in the midst of such unprecedented times.  Recorded by Cities and Memory.
2m Oct 17, 2021
2m
The campana della sera
A second recording in a few years of the "campana della sera" (evening bell) in Villa del Conte, Italy, as the original repetitive chime that signals 9pm every day has now been replaced with a series of melodic patterns at the same time every day. The bell has the same purpose - to mark the end of the day to the town, but a very different feel with the new sound.  Recorded by Cities and Memory.
3m Oct 17, 2021
3m
It will be all right, I think
Abbazia Pisani September bells reimagined by Steve Germana. "For the Cities and Memory Italian remix project, I chose a field recording that began with steady bells and transitioned into bird calls. I found a tuning for a guitar to match the bells and improvised with the sounds.  "Using one of my own patches in max/msp, I changed the pitch, speed, and duration of many tracks of the field reco...
9m Oct 15, 2021
9m
A Wednesday in September
On a Wednesday morning in September, bells chime across the village of Abbazia Pisani in Italy - we hear a couple of cars pass by, birds chirping in the trees and passers-by. A peaceful, everyday soundscape. Recorded by Cities and Memory.
1m Oct 15, 2021
1m
At the social heart of Venice
Binaural recording from Campo Santa Margherita, Venice - this square is one of the social hubs of the city, a large open space filled with cafes and bars. This recording really conveys the sounds of a late, warm August afternoon, with cicadas buzzing, life passing by in the bars and cafes, and towards the end the piazza's church bells ring for 5pm. Recorded by Cities and Memory.
4m Oct 15, 2021
4m
Piazza della Cisterna, San Gimignano
Binaural recording from one of the most striking cities in Tuscany, San Gimignano. This is a recording of passing crowds in the unusually-shaped Piazza della Cisterna, surrounded by tall buildings with a lovely reverberation. Recorded by Cities and Memory. UNESCO listing: Historic Centre of San Gimignano ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the w...
5m Oct 15, 2021
5m
Venetian meditation
Campo Santa Margherita, Venice, reimagined by Una Walker. "Working on this piece exactly two years since my last trip to Venice provided an opportunity to re-live walking through the streets, over bridges, by the lagoon, and eating lunch in Campo Santa Margherita. The original recording is used as a spine throughout the piece around which I have woven my own recordings."
4m Oct 15, 2021
4m