Cities And Memory

This field recording, captured on May 13th, 2023, in Pisa at the Battistero di San Giovanni, immerses the listener in the acoustics of one of Italy’s most iconic heritage sites. The soundscape is a blend of the bustling noise of tourist groups, their conversations drifting in and out of focus, and the captivating vocal performance of a tour guide.  As the guide demonstrates the remarkable acoustics of the Baptistery, their voice rises in song, reverberating through the building’s awe-inspiring echo. This recording reflects the tension between the overwhelming presence of tourism—where quiet reflection is almost impossible—and the reverence for the sacred space. The unique resonance of the Baptistery, with its long, warm reverb, amplifies both the chaos of modern tourism and the humility of the building’s spiritual and sonic qualities. UNESCO listing: Battistero di San Giovanni Recorded by Richie Herbst. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most fam

At dawn in the heart of the Amazon Biosphere, Colombia, the world emerges from its slumber in a harmonious symphony of life. The dense, emerald-green rainforest envelops you, and the morning stillness gives way to a vibrant medley of birdcalls, insect chatter, and distant howler monkeys marking their territory. This timeless soundscape reflects the pulse of one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth, a sanctuary teeming with life awakening under the golden hues of a new day. UNESCO listing: Recorded by Rafael Diogo. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage IMAGE: Photo by Ivars Utināns on Unsplash

"My wife and I traveled to Seville on my honeymoon and saw Flamenco. I even created field recordings of Flamenco while there. But I never did anything with the recording, though I've thought about it quite often. When it showed up on the list of possible sounds to remix for Sonic Heritage, it felt like that sound chose me. "Musically my goal was to keep the essence of the original piece intact while using a more traditional LoFi song structure. But rather than modernize the tune and strip away the history in the art form, I tried used atmospherics and subtle instrumentation to enhance the otherworldliness of the live sound captured by Stuart in the original recording." La Carboneria, Seville reimagined by Josh Silverman. IMAGE: Benjamín Núñez González, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https

"The recording was so beautiful to listen to, that I decided not to do my usual stripping the wav down to its bones and rebuild it into something else.   "I took my cue from Rafael's description using Emerald as the title. I also included the whole recording as the base and created a reflection of electronic sounds to mirror and respond to the sounds of the Amazon, layering to build up to the dawn with a pulsating arp representing the jungle awakening but also its importance in the life force and energy of our planet."   Amazon biosphere, Colombia reimagined by Museleon. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage IMAGE: Photo by Ivars Utināns on Unsplash

"We felt the field recording had quite a psychedelic and surreal feel about it, it holds melodic qualities that are unique to the voice of a gibbon, and you would never expect to hear from a human voice. Once flipped and processed by us, it had a much more synthesiser like sound, though still with a lot of organic charm to set it apart from artificial sounds. "Our composition addresses the theme of tourism through the introduction of the organic gibbon vocal sample to a more traditional house track, with artificial drums and synthesisers. This theme is further explored through the way in which the sample has been distorted, warped and chopped up in order to fit within the track and make it palatable to the listener. "We used granulation, manual resampling + chopping (to time the gibbons), resonators (to tune the gibbons), OTT (to bring out the high-end sparkle of the gibbons) and a touch of reverb (to let the gibbons ring out)." Kaeng Krachan Park reimagined by Oli Noble and Murray Gray. IMAGE: JJ Harriso

"After hearing the sound piece 213 Asakusa Bell of Time Senso-ji Temple bell and reading the accompanying description I became fascinated by the sounds and the history of this and other bells in Tokyo. Particularly by the fact that the bell is still rung everyday and is mostly now not heard above the sounds of the city.  "I spoke to my friend Mike Ward and fellow musician from Longstone https://longstone.bandcamp.com/ as I knew he would be interested having a deep passion for Japan and Japanese culture and has visited Tokyo many times. He told me he had visited the Senso-ji Temple but had not heard the bell before. Mike recommended that I read The Bells of Old Tokyo by Anna Sherman https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/anna-sherman/the-bells-of-old-tokyo/9781529000498 which was crucial as it too provided many more ideas for the kind of sounds we wanted to use.  "The overall piece I knew had to include the original sound piece in full as it is so full of drama. To this we added new sounds, echoing not only, t

"I want to dedicate this composition to my grandfather - Anatoliy Mytianskyi. He was a passionate tourist and loved Berlin school of electronic music very much. He actually was at Svaneti in the 1970s and made some beautiful photos of this place.  As a kid I remember looking at this old photos, admiring the towers of Svaneti and mountains around them while my grandfather was listening to some epic instrumental pieces by Klaus Schulze.   "So when I saw this sound in the database and heard it - it was a miraculous little moment of recognition and delight, as I felt like I've already been there. And I really love bell sounds! "Happy accidents continued, as at this time I had a rather unique modular system in my hands. It's called UkrRack and made entirely of Eurorack modules made in Ukraine. So I've created a patch and walked to the rhythm of sequencer until it felt right. Then recorded an improvisation with it and it determined the structure, harmonic movements and hence the mood of this composition. "Origina

"Voices in the Bows explores the resonance and cultural significance of the Botswana mouth bow, an instrument with a rich history of oral transmission and performance. The original field recording captivated me with its percussive qualities, harmonic overtones, and rhythmic fluidity. Rather than manipulating or digitally altering the bow’s sound, I chose to preserve its natural timbre, allowing its delicate nuances to emerge organically within the composition. "This approach was driven by a deep respect for the mouth bow’s historical and cultural context. By layering my voice with the unmodified bow recordings, I sought to create a dialogue between human expression and instrumental resonance—an interplay that highlights the instrument’s sonic purity while simultaneously expanding its presence into a new musical space. "The composition aligns closely with the themes of Sonic Heritage, particularly in the areas of sound preservation, cultural significance, and the evolving role of traditional instruments in c

Hidden deep within the breathtaking mountains of Svaneti lies Ushguli, one of the highest and most remote inhabited villages in the world. The air here is crisp, and the silence is punctuated by the gentle chime of temple bells. These bells echo the prayers of villagers who live amid snow-draped peaks and ancient stone towers, their faith and traditions anchoring them in this harsh, otherworldly terrain. UNESCO listing: Upper Svaneti Recorded by Rafael Diogo. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage IMAGE: Arian Zwegers from Brussels, Belgium, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The Seworoworo or commonly known as the Mouth Bow, is one of the world’s oldest instrument, originally invented by the Bushmen. I really feel lucky that I had the chance to record it right at the very heart of the Okavango Delta in Botswana. The instument is played by Tango, a young man from the Delta. Birds sing during his playing as well. This instrument has a palm-leaf string that is made to vibrate by rubbing a stick across notches cut in the bow stave. This action produces a rhythmic whirring sound in addition to the echo sounds made by Tango 's mouth when he gently blows the string. These very grounded and primitive sounds are truly wonderful and so unique in the sound world heritage. I feel that this is an enchanted sound world rediscovered. UNESCO listing: Okavango Delta Recorded by Christina Antoniadou. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/her

"The field recording I chose is of an old blind man singing to himself and talking about how he uses sound to get around the city of Coimbra. My partner and I visited the city while travelling around Europe in our VW camper in 2003, and had a lovely experience there, walking the streets, attending an avant garde music event and soaking up the city's atmosphere. We may have even passed this man on a street corner, unaware that I would create a piece of music around him years later. "I wanted to make a piece using the song he was singing to himself, and some of his conversation, as his experience of the city is ALL sound. There is a lot of traffic and activity in the field recording, but the man sounds calm and in his own world. I love the Portuguese language and the sound of his voice. "I wanted my piece to be like the man's sonic daydream, keeping him amused as the world rushes past him on the street corner. I wanted to imagine I was able to hear what was inside his mind. The parts of the field recording I

Recording with a blind man at the entrance to the shopping mall who has been a regular presence there for 50 years. Your voice and the importance of sound in your everyday life. UNESCO listing: University of Coimbra – Alta and Sofia Recorded by Luís Antero. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage

This is a field recording that I made in 2014 of the ringing of the Senso-ji Temple bell. What is heard is walking on traditional gravel path up to the bell, hearing the monk approach and ring the bell which has been rung at 6:00am for 400 years. During the Edo period at the heritage site of the Senso-ji Temple time was announced with bell chimes.  These were “official” time bells called toki no kane (時の鐘) or “Bells of Time". This was an announcement that people were able to hear far away. The well-known poet Matsuo Bashō, who lived in Fukagawa actually thought he heard it and wrote about it as "sounding through clouds of flowers." A monk still rings this bell every day, at 6 o’clock in the morning. But since the bell is now surrounded by buildings, few people can still hear it. UNESCO listing: Senso-ji Temple bell Recorded by China Blue. IMAGE: Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exp

The jungle settles after a strong rain - light drops of rain patter on leaves while wind swells through the leaves. Distant gibbons sing from deep in the mountains. UNESCO listing: Kaeng Krachan Park Recorded by Paul Virostek. IMAGE: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/), CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage

"This piece is a sonic recreation of the Sema ceremony - a sacred ritual of the Whirling Dervishes, recorded at Istanbul’s Mevlevi center, a UNESCO-listed Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The intent was not simply to reference the ceremony but to immerse the listener in its very essence - the initiation atmosphere, the mystical ascent, the infinite rotation. "At its core, the composition integrates a field recording of a live Sema performance, where the soft rustle of fabric and the subtle friction of feet against the floor become integral textures. These organic elements are resampled and interwoven with spiraling patterns, mirroring the continuous, meditative spin of the dervishes. Layers emerge and dissolve, forming an intricate, self-perpetuating motion - each phrase orbiting around an unseen center, drawing the listener deeper into its gravitational pull. "Titled "Guest House", the piece draws inspiration from Rumi’s poem of the same name, which embraces life’s varied emotions as visitors to be welcome

"This composition is an ode to the intricate labyrinth of one of the world’s largest medinas—Tunis, Tunisia. As I wandered alone through its winding alleys, the uneven cobblestones beneath my feet seemed to whisper and reverberate, as if time itself were suspended in a dense fog of noise and memory. "The medina pulsed with a multidimensional tapestry of sound. Metallic echoes spilled from shadowed shops, forming a chaotic yet organic symphony. Merchants called out their wares in hypnotic repetition, their haggling rhythms rising and falling like waves. The sharp clang of a hammer striking copper rang out from a hidden workshop, momentarily cutting through the thick air, blending with the guttural cries of stray cats that echoed from unseen corners. "I sought to capture this sonic landscape, crafting a 360-degree soundscape that immerses the listener in its depths. Ethereal synth layers create harmonics that blend seamlessly with the ambient hum of the city, drifting like mist through the alleys, binding the

"The piece combines a field recording taken from UNESCO World Heritage sites with instrumentation that can be electronic or acoustic. Its aesthetics are based on the theme of the sampler: the sea and the waves. "Posidònies i ones." serves as the epilogue to a series of ten compositions grouped under the title: "Hipervida. Book 1. Abans que jo, tots els éssers." "One spring, we collected posidonia from the beaches of Mallorca. Back then, my young daughter still could not speak—she only laughed and babbled while playing, her feet in the water, among the waves and the posidonia. "The only inheritance I have left from that day is the dried posidonia resting on my bookshelf, between John Cage’s books and a moudy orange. "My daughter now speaks, and although she still laughs, she no longer plays as much. In a way, she is no longer the same. Though I must admit, I have also changed. In an impermanent existence, the only thing that anchors us to ourselves and protects us from the waves of the infinite cycle of bir

In the heart of Istanbul, within the sacred walls of the Galata Mevlevi House, this recording brings to life the opening moments of the Mevlevi Sema Ceremony. The whirling dervishes begin their silent ritual, their robes swirling with each precise movement.  The space hums with reverence as their feet glide across the floor, initiating a sacred dance that echoes centuries of tradition. The atmosphere is thick with anticipation and devotion, every motion a step further into the spiritual journey, as the room holds its breath in awe of the ritual unfolding. UNESCO listing: Whirling Dervishes Ceremony (Sema) Recorded by Serge Bulat. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage

The Medina of Tunis is a sensory labyrinth — a bustling marketplace during the day and a quiet, mysterious maze by night. During one nocturnal stroll, the eerie cry of what sounded like a baby echoed through the narrow alleys. It turned out to be a fierce territorial battle between two cats, their voices amplified by the silence. This historic heart of the city is a place where every sound tells a story. UNESCO listing: Medina of Tunis Recorded by Rafael Diogo. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage

Cala Deià is a tiny beach down from the mountain village of Deià, in the heart of the Serra Tramuntana in the northwest of Mallorca. The beach is only about 70 metres long and is mostly small pebbles and large rocks. This rich recording captures waves breaking onto the rocky beach on an October afternoon. UNESCO listing: Cultural Landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana Recorded by Cities and Memory.  ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage