Cities and Memory - remixing the world Cities and Memory

"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/

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

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

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/

"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/

"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/