
500 episodes

Cities and Memory - remixing the world Cities and Memory
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- Arts
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4.8 • 9 Ratings
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Cities and Memory remixes the world, one sound at a time - a global collaboration between artists and sound recordists all over the world.
The project presents an amazingly-diverse array of field recordings from all over the world, but also reimagined, recomposed versions of those recordings as we go on a mission to remix the world.
What you'll hear in the podcast are our latest sounds - either a field recording from somewhere in the world, or a remixed new composition based solely on those sounds. Each podcast description tells you more about what you're hearing, and where it came from.
There are more than 5,000 sounds featured on our sound map, spread over more than 110 countries and territories. The sounds cover parts of the world as diverse as the hubbub of San Francisco’s main station, traditional fishing women’s songs at Lake Turkana, the sound of computer data centres in Birmingham, spiritual temple chanting in New Taipei City or the hum of the vaporetto engines in Venice. You can explore the project in full at http://www.citiesandmemory.com
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Spreading love and light on the borders of silence
"A thunderstorm at 5.00am already has a faraway, mysterious quality, as if you're not sure if you're really hearing it or whether you've dreamed the storm. This piece is an extension of a dream about a thunderstorm, with the arpeggiated synth lines representing the interplay of the falling raindrops.
"The synth lines that emerge later in the piece represent the momentum of the storm as it passes overhead and leaves us behind, and the slight rise in intensity over the piece stands in for the ominous rumbles of thunder that crackle into life. Changes in the piece are minimal, allowing the listener to lock into the piece and drift away with the storm."
5.00am thunderstorm in northern Italy reimagined by Cities and Memory.
Part of the Music for Sleep project - for more information and to hear more sounds from the collection, visit https://citiesandmemory.com/music-for-sleep/ -
Nightime sounds, Rugova Mountains
As nighttime blankets the majestic Rugova Mountains in Kosovo, the symphony of sounds crescendos into a mesmerizing cacophony. The enchanting blend of insects' melodies and the haunting calls of night birds transforms a magical full moon night into a captivating experience. Secluded in a cabin amidst the wilderness, with no one for miles around, the solitude amplifies the ethereal ambiance, immersing you in a truly unforgettable encounter.
Recorded by Rafael Diogo.
Part of the Music for Sleep project - for more information and to hear more sounds from the collection, visit https://citiesandmemory.com/music-for-sleep/
IMAGE: Agim Mala, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons -
At Rumassala Sanctuary
Rumassala Sanctuary (Jungle Beach), insects + birds +road traffic far away + passages + man talking + waves, and a monkey towards the end of the recording.
Recorded by Stéphane Marin/Espaces Sonores.
Part of the Music for Sleep project - for more information and to hear more sounds from the collection, visit https://citiesandmemory.com/music-for-sleep/
IMAGE: Raveenhw, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons -
The 5.00am thunderstorm
A huge thunderstorm passes overheard at 5.00am in northern Italy - this recording is made from an open patio door directly out into the storm. Pouring rain clatters against the wooden shutters, while cracks of thunder rumble ominously and break overhead.
Recorded by Cities and Memory.
Part of the Music for Sleep project - for more information and to hear more sounds from the collection, visit https://citiesandmemory.com/music-for-sleep/ -
Lucidity’s keep
"Using the sound of the bridge as ambience and texture I re-imagined this piece.
I sampled part of the sound to mimic the sound of breathing. The beat mimics the heart beat as we drift into sleep.
The “tune” represents the awake mind .
As we drift into unconsciousness our subconscious takes over and reimagines the “tune” in a variety of ways.
As we drift into deep sleep we enter the dream.
As with most of my dreams they are repetitive and seemingly never ending.
Finally we awake and become aware of our surroundings once again.
"The narrative / poem dictates the transition from drowse into a deep sleep.
The chorus sings “ When we fall asleep, our awareness of the surrounding world fades. Yet, the sleeping brain is far from being dormant.”"
Salt River, Tempe reimagined by Daniel Chudley - Le Corre.
Part of the Music for Sleep project - for more information and to hear more sounds from the collection, visit https://citiesandmemory.com/music-for-sleep/ -
Glacial exhale
"My recording from Julia Innes was of melting snow. My soundscapes gravitated towards climate collapse and a sense of deep time hearing solid ice turn to liquid. The idea of the earth exhaling and inhaling the cycles of life through the vast oceans of deep time emerged as a sculpted around Julia's field recording."
Snow in Montreal reimagined by Michael Reiley.
Part of the Music for Sleep project - for more information and to hear more sounds from the collection, visit https://citiesandmemory.com/music-for-sleep/
Customer Reviews
This is a gift
Wow keep up the great work. This series is truly a gift!! Hope this project continues, would love to see what obscure sound archives they tap into. It feels like when you’re a little kid, and you just pass the picture book age. When your mind feels so alive with the mental pictures, based on l what you’re hearing your parents read. It’s exhilarating.
Awesome Sonic Mapping!
Wow what a great podcast —thanks