Cities And Memory

"The gentle murmur of the river as it meanders through the tranquil landscape has always been a profound source of inspiration for me, particularly when it comes to creating music for sleep. There is an undeniable harmony in the way the river's flow mirrors the soothing melodies that fill my mind, harmonizing together to create an environment of serene tranquility." Cabana river reimagined by Roberto Vodanović Čopor.  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/

A peaceful morning in a forest, just a few miles from the suburbs but with a tranquility that could be from another world. Recorded by John Tenney. 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/

The Cahaba River is the longest substantially free-flowing river in Alabama and is among the most scenic and biologically diverse rivers in the United States. It is a major tributary of the Alabama River and part of the larger Mobile River basin. Recorded by Jake Carnley. 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/

Waves crashing on the sandy shore. The "noise" of the waves contain frequencies that can help mask loud sounds that stimulate your brain. The expectant rhythm of the sounds of those waves can help support a cadence that allows for relaxation and sleep to occur.  Recorded by Meghan Fohl. 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/

This is the mating song of spring peepers and other frogs (the double-bass GUNG of a bullfrog can be heard near the end) in a rural beaver pond, recorded on my iPhone using Voice Record Pro the evening before my son and daughter-in-law celebrated their marriage there. The green sound speaks of life and desire, but also deep tranquillity: faith in continuance. Recorded by Maria Margaronis. 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/

"I layered Meghan's field recording of the crashing waves across the stereo field and then added my own slowly evolving pads to invoke the listener beyond a state of shallow slumber into deep dreams." Bodega Bay reimagined by Michael Lilley.  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/

"The underwater atmosphere of Singapore Hydrophone Underwater Labrador Park at night reminded me of the sensation I had for years as a kid to dive into the darkness of my sleep. I later learnt about Hypnagogia, the transition between wakefulness and sleep. I was experiencing visual and auditive hallucinations, which are still feeding my creativity today. The field recordings I have been inspired from is a sound I have already heard in that state and it was both strange and therapeutic to dive into. Sleep has always been a mysterious struggle in my life so it was a great opportunity to explore it and plunge into the darkness of a temporary death once again." Singapore hydrophone recording reimagined by Jeremt Moors.  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: See page for author, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons

"The composition is inspired by one of those daydream moments that gets interrupted by a storm which then becomes part of the daydream. The idea was to use sparse orchestration and percussive sounds to create an ambience that compliments the storm and integrates it into the ambience." Singapore storm reimagined by Andy Lyon.  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/

Underwater hydrophone recording taken in Merlion Park, Singapore. Recorded by Marcel Gnauk. 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: Ank Kumar, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

"Teals, mallards and green sandpipers come down to a small forest pond to bathe and drink water at dawn. Droprig recording close to the water surface. A relaxing background chorus of thrushes, warblers and tits can be heard throughout the recording." Recorded by Bo Soderstrom. 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/

"The composition is inspired by the birdsong heard throughout the original recording, and the practice of unihemispheric slow-wave sleep. Some migratory birds use this as a way to allow one hemisphere of the brain to rest during flight. Similar to how, if we take a long flight, we may rest while flying without sleeping completely, only to sleep deeply at the first opportunity after landing. The composition includes a synth with a white noise filter and recordings of water." Swedish forest reimagined by Symbal.  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/

" Main interests in the recording? Bugs,noise,frogs.  Distractions? Noise, footsteps,dogs, masking. Filtered footsteps, and dogs. There are two main frog sounds that appear late in the recording. 3:30-3:45. The first 2 sounds were used as a kind of time keeper. the nest 6 sounds made a series and were used as themselves and also processed to make the midrange drone phrases.  The low drone is a low chord synth.  The bell is a Japanese temple bell. 1600-7000 hrz is where the bugs/frogs live and what a swarm! (lol) A bit of filtering brought them down to a workable chorus of a dozen or so." Thailand frog sounds reimagined by Joel Graham.  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/

"The lilting music from the end of the recording comprises the bulk of this piece. The synths applied, very loosely follow the voices, and a harmonious tuning between the oscillators and the recorded voices naturally drifts out, but comes together towards the end. Percussion runs through the piece to try and tie this all together." Taipei temple sounds reimagined by Finlay Wright.  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/

"Residing in Singapore during its rainy season allowed us to experience frequent thunderstorms, yielding a rich archive of natural sounds. En route to Decathlon from the Ju Koon MRT station, a distant rumbling caught our attention. Armed with my audio gear - a Zoom F8n, DPA 4060, and Zoom H3 VR for ambisonic recordings, I seized the opportunity to capture the impending storm. Stationed at a bridge's end, I recorded the rhythmic patter of rain on the roof, its subsequent fall onto the street, and the encroaching thunder. The soundscape evolved, introducing distant thunder echoes, explosive lightning bolts, large thunder cracks and rolls, and fluctuating rumble intensities." Recorded by Marcel Gnauk. 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/

Underwater hydrophone recording taken in Labrador Park, Singapore. Recorded by Marcel Gnauk. 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: See page for author, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons

"The original hydrophone piece is part of the backing, played unedited, as received. Overall the piece forms the soundtrack to a dream which, like a lot of dreams, is not entirely comfortable." Merlion Park reimagined by Ian Evetts.  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: Ank Kumar, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

"This was recorded in our rice paddy. Super muddy and will steal your sandals given half a chance! The rice had just been harvested so it was full of birds and insects foraging, mating and just having fun. Right now the sound is changing to a heavy duty frog chorus as the paddies are being flooded for a second harvest. Nothing stands still here. Over the past few days I have encountered two golden tree snakes, a cobra and a python, big and small scorpions, frogs in the bathroom, herons, moorhens, squirrels, rats and our chickens have had three more chicks." Recorded by Alex Boyesen. 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/

Sound of chanting of first morning prayers in Lungshan Temple, Taipei. Recorded by James A. Holland. 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/

"I wanted to convey deep, simple and sleepy underwater sounds to go along with the waterflow field recording for a calm and dreamy effect." La Reunion river sounds reimagined by Andy Cartwright.  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: JoKerozen, CC BY-SA 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons

"The composition starts with the flowing water track recorded in Hiroshima by Gretchen Jude. The beginning symbolizes pleasant dreaming. The middle section contains an audible "explosion" sound to indicate the dropping of the first atomic bomb in Hiroshima, Japan. Chaos and nightmares result and are musically represented in the middle of the piece with dissonant electronic loops and sporadic percussion. The end indicates healing- the flow of water returns. Here, the percussion beat becomes more stable (and is in a "heartbeat" pattern). The return of pleasant dreams occurs here symbolically in the music and tapers off into the ending." Hiroshima water memorial reimagined by Frank Ferraro (The Back Channel Project).  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: Balon Greyjoy, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons