Cities and Memory - remixing the world Cities and Memory

The evocative source field recording painted a beautiful picture of a hot, hazy night in Luxor, with a call to prayer drifting in over the wind as the city settled down towards its nighttime rhythms. 

The composition is written in response to the feeling the field recording evoked, weaving in lines from the call to prayer as an instrument in amongst guitar, bass, piano and synths, as the city's night time soundscape nestles in the background. A crepuscular composition for a nocturnal source sound.  

An extensive feature on CBC The Current (Canadian national radio) on 6 March 2023 on the Polar Sounds project.

Features interviews with Stuart Fowkes, a sound artist who curates the global database of sounds called Cities and Memory; and Geraint Rhys Whittaker, an artist-researcher at the Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity and the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research. There are also interviews with contributing artists Elissa Goodrich and Alex Abahmed from the project, and clips from multiple compositions from Polar Sounds in this 27-minute special feature. 

"Kujundziluk is a historic bazaar located in the Old Town of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is also known as the "Copper bazaar" due to the large number of copper crafts that were once sold there. The bazaar dates back to the Ottoman era and is characterized by its narrow cobblestone streets and traditional wooden buildings. 

"The bazaar is also known for its lively atmosphere, bustling with street performers, local musicians, and vendors offering a range of goods and services. In the Old Town, you may hear the sound of travellers and locals walking on the cobblestone streets, vendors selling souvenirs and traditional foods, the sound of the Neretva river flowing nearby, the sound of street performers playing music and singing, and the sound of the call to prayer from nearby mosques."

Recorded by Rafael Diogo as part of the Cities and Memory Mostar city sound guide. For more city sound guides, visit https://citiesandmemory.com/city-sound-guides/

"The Neretva river is a river in the western Balkans, flowing through Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. It is the largest river in the eastern part of the Adriatic basin and one of the largest in the Balkans.

"The Neretva is known for its diverse ecosystem and is home to a variety, for example in the summer the cicadas might be more active, and in the winter the sound of the river flowing and the water moving over rocks and through rapids. It's worth noting this is louder because of the snow melting.

"At the Neretva River, you can just walk by the margins and immerse yourself in the sound of the water flowing and splashing underneath the bridge."

Recorded by Rafael Diogo as part of the Cities and Memory Mostar city sound guide. For more city sound guides, visit https://citiesandmemory.com/city-sound-guides/

"Ravens are found throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina and are known to be common in urban areas such as Mostar. They are known to be scavengers and opportunistic feeders, and can often be seen foraging for food in urban areas. The ravens in Mostar can often be seen around the Old Bridge, and the sound of their calls can be heard echoing through the city's narrow streets. They are a common sight in the city, and their presence is a reminder of the city's connection to the natural world."

Recorded by Rafael Diogo as part of the Cities and Memory Mostar city sound guide. For more city sound guides, visit https://citiesandmemory.com/city-sound-guides/

"The Old Bridge is one of the most visited places in Mostar, and it can be busy during the day and even more in the summer season, so the sounds that could be heard at the Old Bridge might be diverse and lively.

"At the Stari Most, depending on the level of activity around the bridge one might hear a variety of sounds such as the river flowing below, the sound of people swimming and jumping from the bridge, the sound of boats and rafts moving along the river, and vendors selling refreshments and souvenirs."

Recorded by Rafael Diogo as part of the Cities and Memory Mostar city sound guide. For more city sound guides, visit https://citiesandmemory.com/city-sound-guides/