Weaving rhythms

Cities and Memory - remixing the world

#Audioboom #Society #Travel #Music #Cities And Memory #Arts #Word Go Project

30:55

A secret field that summons lightning. A massive spiral that disappears into a salt lake. A celestial observatory carved into a volcano. Meet the wild—and sometimes explosive—world of land art, where artists craft masterpieces with dynamite and bulldozers. In our Season 2 premiere, guest Dylan Thuras, cofounder of Atlas Obscura, takes us off road and into the minds of the artists who literally reshaped parts of the Southwest. These works aren’t meant to be easy to reach—or to explain—but they just might change how you see the world. Land art you’ll visit in this episode: - Double Negative and City by Michael Heizer (Garden Valley, Nevada) - Spiral Jetty by Robert Smithson (Great Salt Lake, Utah) - Sun Tunnels by Nancy Holt (Great Basin Desert, Utah) - Lightning Field by Walter De Maria (Catron County, New Mexico) - Roden Crater by James Turrell (Painted Desert, Arizona) Via Podcast is a production of AAA Mountain West Group.…

about a year ago 3:20

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"With its sharp, clipped sounds and natural rhythm, this recording immediately drew me in. It felt like a composition in itself, already crafted, and required little manipulation to tease out its natural syncopation and lively tempo. In my reimagined piece, I aimed to enhance these natural rhythms, capturing the physicality of Kente weaving - the movement of hands, the crossings of parallel threads, the interplay of warp and weft.
"As I listened, the percussive quality of the weaving reminded me of the gyil, the traditional Ghanaian xylophone/ wooden. The gyil’s bright, buzzing resonance created by its gourd resonators mirrors the sounds of the wooden loom and treadles. Inspired by this connection, I incorporated gyil-like tonal elements into the composition and played with a few samples. The warm, resonant timbres of the instrument blend with the weaving sounds, creating a dialogue between craftsmanship and music, tradition and reinterpretation. This interplay between instrument and craft reflects the deep relationship between Ghanaian music and artisanal traditions.
"Many thanks to Samuel, Emmanuele, and the individuals featured in this recording. Through your hands and laughter in this recording, I feel a deep connection to this moment in time and wondered what you were creating.
"The title, "Weaving Rhythms," highlights the profound cultural and historical significance of Kente weaving, Ghanaian music and the community that comes together through both art forms. Just as each thread in Kente cloth carries meaning, I wonder what stories the loom has heard. Interlacing tradition, storytelling, and heritage, kente is rich with symbolism. The piece unfolds in layers like a woven tapestry, as I build up the motif before scaling it back to reach the final few seconds, where a spool of thread is spun."
Weaving in Kpetoe reimagined by Delphine Boagey.
———————
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

688 episodes

Weaving rhythms

Cities and Memory - remixing the world

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published about a year ago

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688 episodes

#Audioboom #Society #Travel #Music #Cities And Memory #Arts #Word Go Project

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Cities and Memory - remixing the world

1
Hydrophone recording of photosynthesis activity 4:12

3 days ago4:12

4:12

Hydrophones at the bottom of a seasonal pond, in the ecologically rich Orchard St Marsh and Forest which is threatened by a developer who wants to build condos. Recorded by Matt Rogalsky.

Cities and Memory - remixing the world

1
Wetland time 1:48

3 days ago1:48

1:48

"Like so many other areas, time is running out for the wetlands at Orchard Street Marsh, Canada. Development decisions are under review. To reflect this in my piece, I have kept the sound of the hydrophone from the original recording as a time clock. "Accompanying, I have played layers of tenor recorder to represent the harmony of breath beneath the water. You will also hear the natural sounds of the wetland in real time; the fluid movements of carbon storage, flood control and biodiversity." Wetland in Kingston, Canada reimagined by Cheryl Beer.…

Cities and Memory - remixing the world

1
Electrical storm, Perth 5:10

4 days ago5:10

5:10

This recording captures the sferic sounds from an electrical storm that occurred on 30.03.2025. The fizzes, crackles and zaps are from natural electrical phenomena, specifically broadband electromagnetic (EM) impulses caused by lightning discharges, that were detected via a homemade receiver I adapted from the Shortwave Collective’s Open Wave-Receiver. There are 3 recordings, the first half is prior to a power blackout, the second half is after - showcasing the atmospheric sounds without human-made EM noise. The third recording was taken with an ultrasonic mic capturing the rumblings and movements which provides the base notes of this piece. Recorded by Aliesha King.…

Cities and Memory - remixing the world

1
Roar of the wild, hum of the machine 1:59

4 days ago1:59

1:59

In the Chocó jungle near Capurganá, Colombia, the natural soundscape is interrupted by the hum of generators. This recording captures the morning interplay between the haunting calls of howler monkeys and the mechanical drone of generators, creating a unique, chaotic harmony. Recorded by Rafael Diogo.…

Cities and Memory - remixing the world

1
Choleric cemetery 12:18

4 days ago12:18

12:18

The selected recording was made at a roadside metal cross surrounded by a fence, marking the burial place of cholera epidemic victims. Behind the cross, a short distance from the road, the old burial plot has turned into a wild pond covered with duckweed. You can hear a flock of tits flying over the water surface, dragonflies interested in the microphones, and at one point, a raven appears on a tall tree. Only three cars pass by. This recording is a part of the Funereal project, an artistic and research project based on the practice of field recordings in old cemeteries. It is set in the broad context of death studies and considerations on memorial sites and deathscapes. It focuses on the soundscapes related to the heterotopic space of old, forgotten cemeteries. In its considerations, it combines seemingly distant threads, regarding memory, sound ecology and the parascientific EVP - Electronic Voice Phenomena. https://soundcloud.com/user-685437514 The recording has not been modified. The project assumes a deliberate search for places free from anthropophonic noise, green enclaves of cemeteries, but it also indicates that this task is almost hopeless. It is still, a search for deep contemplation in the world full of excess stimuli and information. Recorded by Lena Achtelik.…

Cities and Memory - remixing the world

1
Distant proximity 4:55

4 days ago4:55

4:55

"What grabbed me about the original rainforest recording from Colombia was hearing two opposites collide – the raw, wild roars of howler monkeys and a strange, mechanical buzz. The longer I listened, the more apparent it became that this recording, much like the composition it inspired, revolves fundamentally around the idea of distance. Different kinds of proximity mix here – the clash of nature and machines, things that are near or far (those birds!). It provokes urgent questions: What is our place in nature? Where do we fit in the chain of evolution? What is our impact on the surroundings? "That friction between what’s wild and what’s wired creates a kind of unease. You can hear it in the music: a low, unsettling rumble, sharp spikes of noise, and a quiet ache that hums underneath. It’s that feeling when things don’t quite line up - like we’re close to nature, but also miles apart." Choco rainforest, Colombia reimagined by Przemysław Scheller.…

Cities and Memory - remixing the world

1
Skala 5:08

4 days ago5:08

5:08

"My composition “Skała” (which means rock) is based on a field recording from the Skała Choleric Jewish Cemetery in Pabianice, Poland. One might think what sounds could there be in a cemetery? Silence? Wind? Birds? When I first heard this field recording what I heard were the sounds of history. A very deep complicated history. Skała dates back to the 13th century, and the first Jews appeared settled there at the end of the 18th century. "After the German army entered the town in September 1939, the Jewish community was immediately targeted with persecutions. And by the spring of 1941, an open ghetto of 3,000 Jews was established in Skała. In August 1942, some of them were deported to the Słomniki Ghetto, and then to the Bełżec extermination camp. The rest were murdered in the town or in local Jewish cemetery. It is with this historic background that I composed “Skała”. "I was interested in the dual possibility of such a tragic history lying under the ground, while up above the peaceful sounds of silence, wind, and birds were in the air. This is my attempt to create a piece of music that would embody both realities. Electronic sounds relating to both worlds have been layered and woven together around the original field recording, to create a new way of thinking about this sacred place. “The traces were still there. But time would slowly blur them and nothing would be left.” – Edgar Hilsenrath Cemetery in Pabiance, Poland reimagined by Jeff Dungfelder.…

Cities and Memory - remixing the world

1
Static down under 5:06

4 days ago5:06

5:06

"This composition is built entirely from a field recording of an electrical storm, whose raw energy and unpredictable structure inspired the form of the piece. I preserved the full length of the original audio, allowing its natural rise and fall to guide the listening experience. "Through heavy processing, the storm’s dynamics are brought into sharper focus — from piercing, harsh bursts of energy to more subdued, crackling textures. Randomized sound transformations reflect the storm’s inherent volatility, creating a sonic environment that is both violent and delicate, chaotic and contemplative." Electrical storm in Perth reimagined by Stefan Strasser.…

Cities and Memory - remixing the world

1
Old town walkthrough 5:15

4 days ago5:15

5:15

"I live on the Danish island of Bornholm, which is in the western end of the Baltic Sea. People here share a long, rich history with the Baltic countries, so choosing a field-recording from Tallinn felt natural. The dastardly Russian war feels really close here at the moment, and many of us here are more conscious about our cultural heritage and friendship across the sea now than we used to be. "This is, however, not a work about war, but more about celebrating the fact that we're still able to take a silly walk through the old historical part of Tallinn, not being at war, walking through a town that isn't in ruins - and simply exploring and enjoying what that's like. "As you can probably hear, all sounds heard throughout the piece are from the original field-recording. I've used samplers and various sampling effects (like delays and reverbs), and a ton of manual edits (literally thousands of manual edits made over a two week period). The tonal sounds were made with "frozen reverbs". All this editing mainly serves to enhance the original recording, which is kept mostly intact (the enhanced version follows the original recording closely - and therefore also ahas the same duration). "The effect is a sort of personal interpretation of micro-events along the way, as I responded to them while slowly working my way through the piece. "The idea of doing it this way was partly inspired by reading Wittgenstein's "Philosphische Untersuchungen". At one point the philosopher asks about thought-images: "How does one point twice at the same image?" (PU 382), - and, in a way, this way of working with field recordings is a possible answer to this - presenting the same image twice in two different versions at the same time." Tallinn old town walkthrough reimagined by Samatha Dubs (Karsten Høegh).…

Cities and Memory - remixing the world

1
A medieval walkthrough in the rain 5:12

4 days ago5:12

5:12

Walkthrough of Tallinn's medieval Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, on a morning with pouring rain. The streets are quite empty compared to the usual bustle, and we hear rain overflowing from drainpipes and gutters. The soundwalk ends at the famous, beautiful medieval alleyway St. Catherine's Passage. Recorded by Cities and Memory.…

Cities and Memory - remixing the world

1
Brindisi, al porto 3:20

4 days ago3:20

3:20

"The port of Brindisi, end of the Appian Way at five in the afternoon, along the steps at the foot of the Roman columns. "Two stretches of still and silent sea, the engine of the boat that connects the shores of the port, the bar and its cheerful customers, birds singing in spring, a sudden plane that takes flight from the nearby airport. "A counterpoint with an insistent rhythm that melts and drops a semitone at the moment of takeoff and detachment before nostalgia. An instant in a place of transit for centuries, voices and travellers who went." Brindisi port reimagined by Giuseppe Schirone. IMAGE: Freccia53, CC BY-SA 4.0 < https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 >, via Wikimedia Commons…

Cities and Memory - remixing the world

1
Brindisi port 3:20

4 days ago3:20

3:20

The port of Brindisi, end of the Appian Way at five in the afternoon, along the steps at the foot of the Roman columns. Two stretches of still and silent sea, the engine of the boat that connects the shores of the port, the bar and its cheerful customers, birds singing in spring, a sudden plane that takes flight from the nearby airport. Recorded by Giuseppe Schirone. IMAGE: Freccia53, CC BY-SA 4.0 < https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 >, via Wikimedia Commons…

Cities and Memory - remixing the world

1
Radio France Sonic Heritage feature, May 2025 (French language) 2:18

6 days ago2:18

2:18

Feature on French national radio station Radio France on Sonic Heritage, broadcast on 9 May 2025 - French language only. "Une bibliothèque où sont rangés les environnements sonores de 270 sites du patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO Et aussi des objets immatériels , tous réimaginés par des artistes du monde entier. « Accessible gratuitement cette collection permet d’écouter les sons emblématiques du Taj Mahal, des gondoles de Venise, du Fado portugais et de la Tour Eiffel » lit-on dans Times.. Le nouveau projet de l’artiste que l’on pourrait dire gigogne vient s’intégrer à une collection encore plus vaste Cities and memory qui donne d’ailleurs son nom au site internet où l’on peut naviguer sur des cartes interactives à la recherche d’un lieu du monde que l’on voudrait visiter par les oreilles. Cathédrales, ponts, monuments, parcs et square, places et marchés mais aussi danses et chants traditionnels. Aujourd’hui elle compte près de 7000 enregistrements réalisés par plus de 2000 artistes dans 130 pays. Sonic Heritage, la bibliothèque sonore de 270 sites du patrimoine mondial de l’Unesco à retrouver sur le site internet citiesandmemory.com "…

Cities and Memory - remixing the world

1
Ancient Waorani Icaro 2:43

16 days ago2:43

2:43

This recording captures the early morning sounds of an ancient Waorani warrior in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Staying with him in his traditional palm-thatched longhouse, the tranquility of the environment was profound, with minimal external noise. Despite a language barrier—he spoke only Waorani (Sabela)—we connected through gestures and shared moments. At dawn, as we emerged from our hammocks, I asked if I could record him. The resulting sounds offer a glimpse into a way of life that has remained largely unchanged for centuries, providing a powerful auditory link to the past. Recorded in the Amazon rainforest, Ecuador by Rafael Diogo.…

Cities and Memory - remixing the world

1
Cantar 3:55

16 days ago3:55