Cities And Memory

"Tortillas are the food base of rural Mexico, made by female hands in a completely sensory ritual: sound, smell, taste, sight and taste. The sound of the palms shaping the dough is very characteristic of the rural regions of Mexico, a beat that has been heard for hundreds of years and that unfortunately is disappearing. "For the composition, we isolated the sound of tortilla-making and one part was reduced to 500%, and another to 800%, which allows us to reduce their frequency and distinguish textures that at normal speed are imperceptible. These samples were then processed with virtual synthesis using VCV Rack." Mexican tortilla making reimagined by Colectivo La Pesera. ——————— 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 rhythm of cicadas on the backdrop of electronic music has a very tight connection in Japan. That's why I chose this sound and used the cicada sounds as a fun rhythmical element."  Cicadas in Derbent reimagined by Bob Rogue. ——————— 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

"Thinking of how tourism is now a major industry for Madeira I started with the now, the field recording submitted to the Sonic Heritage project. Already rhythmic in the sound of the footsteps I looped parts of this, and brought it back in at the end. I really liked the image the recording brought up of walking the narrow Levada (waterways) and the muffled greetings and people saying 'sorry' and 'your welcome' as they squeeze past each other. The World Heritage Site is promoted today for its wildlife, tranquillity and calm, so I also closed the loop with brought in birdsong recorded in the Laurisilva (the World Heritage Site in which the field recording was made) "In the past however, for all the lush and ancient forest, this was essentially part of an industrial landscape, with the Levadas (waterways) carved and built through the rock to facilitate the sugar industry that was developed from the mid 15th century onwards. This industry was also the model for the plantation slavery across the Caribbean, Brazil

This recording captures my experience walking along a "levada," a traditional water channel originally built to transport water from the north of the island. These networks of aqueducts stretch across many kilometres and are accompanied by narrow walking paths, open to the public and popular among tourists. In the recording, you can hear a unique aspect of these trails: the interactions with fellow walkers. Since the paths are often very narrow, it's common to pause and allow people coming from the opposite direction to pass. These brief stops create moments of spontaneous interaction—exchanges of greetings, expressions of gratitude, and sometimes even light conversation. They also offer a chance to pause and appreciate the surroundings. The levada runs through a high-altitude area characterised by lush greenery, dense forests, and an incredibly tranquil atmosphere. The soundscape is dominated by the melodies of birds, wind, and the soothing presence of water—whether gently flowing through the channels or r

While on an excursion to the citadel, you can hear the sound space that is now the main one for this place. The centuries-old history has transformed not only the stone and architecture, but also the sound that once filled this place. UNESCO listing: Citadel, Ancient City and Fortress Buildings of Derbent Recorded by Pavel Lopatin. ——————— 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 soundscape from Kraków’s Old Town reveals the heartbeat of a city steeped in history and animated by modern energy. Formerly Poland’s royal capital, this UNESCO World Heritage site continues to captivate with its medieval streets and enduring charm. Echoes of tradition weave seamlessly with the rhythm of everyday life: ancient clock towers toll above the hum of trams, mingling with the soft shuffle of cars and the lively chatter of travelers and locals passing through narrow streets. Voices carry through the air, layering over footsteps and faint bursts of activity that make the square a hub of movement and connection. Kraków’s Old Town is more than a preserved relic; it’s a dynamic space where stories unfold within its timeless architecture. This recording offers a glimpse into its living narrative - a harmony of sounds both historic and immediate, embodying the spirit of a city that celebrates its legacy while moving ever forward. UNESCO listing: Historic Centre of Kraków Recorded by Serge Bulat.

Traditional home made tortillas process. Stereo 48kHz 24bit. UNESCO listing: Traditional Mexican cuisine - ancestral, ongoing community culture, the Michoacán paradigm Recorded by Erick Ruiz Arellano. ——————— 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 sound of the bells playing in the background created an eerie feeling that I wanted to expand on. I used effects such as chorus and reverb to make the bells sound more dissonant and ghost-like. I felt that this sound worked well as a build up to something much more heavy, so I created a metal composition that uses the sound of these bells to provide atmosphere for." Stare Miasto, Krakow reimagined by Henry Svageris. ——————— 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

"Originally I had my heart set on making a more upbeat track, but me and my mate came up with a more mellow chord progression and then it all came together. There is not much story behind this beat, I want the listener to make their own story, letting the beat help them reimagine an event or time, whether it is a good or bad memory. The overall message for this beat is to keep going in life, no matter what happens. The soft kick playing in the intro and end of the track is meant to enforce this message as It is a sample of a heart beating. The sample we used was an Italian church bell ringing, which I pitched up and added echo. It plays every four beats." Piazza dei Signori, Vicenza reimagined by Isaac Dudzicki. ——————— 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

My journey to Machu Picchu was a grueling five-day trek through some of the most challenging yet breathtaking terrain in the Andes. Descending from the high mountains into the lush jungle, I was surrounded by the rhythmic squelch of muddy paths underfoot, the cheerful chirping of dawn birds, and the distant roar of rivers carving through valleys. This soundscape captures the essence of an epic adventure, blending exertion with awe. UNESCO listing: Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu 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

"Machu Picchu Paces is inspired by my own trek along the Inca Trail in 2024, a journey of beauty, grandeur, and mystical setting culminating in Machu Picchu that left a deep impression on me. The raw beauty of the young Andes Mountains, the shifting terrain and biomes, and the sacred sense of place – a perfect integration of architecture into the landscape – resonated deeply with me. "My composition was created exclusively using a field recording from a 5-day trek along the Inca trail – the same duration as mine. The piece responds to the walking rhythm captured in the recording, which seemed unusually fast compared to my experience. Slow and steady is the way of the Inca Trail, and I wanted to expand the scope of rhythms to embrace the full range of travelers. I used time scaling to adjust the step rate and create four variants at different tempos, ranging from 40 steps per minute (an elderly hiker) to 150 (a professional porter). These operations produced sound files of different durations, which were then

After days of trekking through the Andes, the sight of Machu Picchu is unforgettable. Nearby, the horses that carried supplies for the arduous journey graze peacefully, their heavy breaths mingling with the faint, ghostly hum of the valley below. The stillness and raw power of the landscape create a profound connection to this historic wonder. UNESCO listing: Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu 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

As dawn breaks over Machu Picchu, the ancient Inca citadel is bathed in ethereal light. Before the rush of tourists, the sacred site is alive with the soft hum of nature—distant birdcalls, the rustle of leaves, and the occasional whisper of wind through the ruins. This is a moment of profound serenity, where the past and present converge in one of the world’s most iconic landscapes. UNESCO listing: Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu 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

In the traditional mountain homes surrounding Machu Picchu, guinea pigs are an integral part of life. Their soft chirping fills the air, a domestic melody woven into the cultural fabric of the Andes. Raised by locals as both companions and a cherished delicacy, these small creatures bring a unique charm to the region’s soundscape. UNESCO listing: Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu 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

"As I listen to the captured birdsongs of Machu Picchu, I wonder how the sonic landscape has changed over the course of 500+ years. Would these calls be the same birdsongs heard long before the citadel's construction, and how long until the birdsongs cease? Will they become nothing but a memory for those who have visited the site?  "I emphasize these thoughts of sonic heritage augmenting the sound of the recorded birdsong, representing the memory of the sounds once heard and those imagined before the sound of tourists from the original recording appear to represent change. I then added the sounds of windchimes and thunderstorms recorded at my childhood home in Kentucky to connect the piece to a soundscape from my past. A soundscape that has and will continue to change throughout my lifetime. The temporal nature of sound makes the fleeting moments of day-to-day soundscapes meaningful and unique, yet over time they will change and evolve in natural and unnatural ways. How do we preserve the dense and ever-chan

"The guinea pigs were so musical on their own, and I imagined them kept in a peaceful, quiet village. I didn't add any other sound sources beyond the field recording. The recording was processed with a variety of granular engines, delays and reverbs and the original sound is progressively distorted and altered until it's unrecognisable. I was thinking of the press of modernity and the seemingly unrelenting grind of progress weighing in. I hope in reality this place and people will find a way to honour their lifeways and keep what is most valuable to them." Guinea pigs at Machu Picchu reimagined by m camp. ——————— 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 recording from Machu Picchu was very beautiful on its own, with the resonant sound of hoof beats, and the sounds of birds and insects seeming to suspend time. I wanted to make sure any transformation of those sounds still honored those qualities. I wanted the piece to linger over those sections, so they're extended--by looping and by dropping pitch, to allow these sounds to touch lower parts of the sonic spectrum. (Even with years of digital work, my roots are in tape.)  "I arranged the transformed sections of the field recording into a structure based on these excerpts of the recording, their transformed (or not) speed and pitch, and each excerpt's relations to the other excerpts around it.  "The suspended-time quality of the original recording led me (as a guitar player) to think of the instrument most likely to mirror that quality: the pedal steel. I recorded multiple improvisations with the pedal steel in which I responded to the sounds of the field recording excerpts, in a kind of dialog with the

"The tension in the knife sharpening, and the repeated voice, shouting instruction, morphs into a state of freedom, floating in a beautiful state. Familiar sounds blend into patterns and notes to transport us musically." Arequipa knife sharpeners reimagined by Michelle Breslin/Lostworldsounds. ——————— 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

" was inspired by the human presence, so transient and passing in relation to the constant swirl of the sea and wind. I liked the sound of the natural forces and began to think of power, giants, myths, and stories given to landscape. "When I first heard the sound I was in Llanberis in North Wales, I spend a lot of time there, and often walk through another heritage site, Dinorwig Slate Quarry, an excavation into the mountain, Elidir. When the conditions are right we can see the Irish coastline from the quarry and I began to imagine a dialogue between the scarred Elidir and Fionn Mac Cumhaill, calling across the sea. "I was conscious of the difference between the two sites, one a natural formation, with its basalt columns, and the other man made, its slate exported worldwide. I wanted to respond with sounds generated locally by the elements. I was keen to use recordings I had gathered in the quarry - the wind through pipes and machinery left in situ - and also the 'organ pipe' like formation of the basalt co

In the heart of Cusco, the voices of bus ticket vendors create an impromptu symphony. Their melodic calls, each vying for attention, blend into a captivating polyphony that is uniquely Peruvian. This vibrant tradition brings life to the city’s bustling streets, a testament to its role as a crossroads in the Andes. UNESCO listing: City of Cuzco 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