Cities And Memory

Handcraft seller imitates animal sounds with ancient instruments at Chichen Itza pyramids. Mono 44kHz 16bit. UNESCO listing: Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza 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

This recording captures the atmosphere inside the Roman Arena in Arles, Southern France during a Corrida (bull fight). Recorded by Colin Hunter. ——————— 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

"One of the aspects of the recording that struck me was how well the spaciousness of the amphitheatre was captured. I wanted to take the three main sounds (clapping, horns, voice) and see how those could be re-contextualized into something new and unexpected. It was clear to me that I wanted to use the recording as the only sound source.  "All sounds you hear are from the original recording..including the "drums". Snippets of sound were processed in my modular synthesizer until they became something completely new. The final piece is an imaginary live performance in the amphitheatre that moves around in time. The amphitheatre was there before us and will be there after us." Corrida in Arles reimagined by Josh Kaplan. ——————— 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 Jurassic Coast is so called for its richness in terms of fossil finds and dinosaur discoveries, with this beach in Lyme Regis particularly well known for the huge number of ammonite fossils that can be found. In this recording as well as the waves and beach soundscape, you can hear the sound of dozens of people with chisels and homemade gear chippning away at rocks in the hope of discovering fossils to take home.  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

"This piece is based on a field recording of a drum and gong ensemble performance in Beijing's Forbidden City. In Chinese culture, such performances are traditionally associated with ceremonial events, including weddings, funerals, housewarmings, Lunar New Year celebrations, and dragon or lion dances. While the rhythms may initially seem repetitive, they are filled with intricate sonic textures and dynamic nuances. "In my composition, I deconstructed the original recording, isolating specific elements, such as the cymbal strikes, and used granular synthesis to generate new sonic materials. At the same time, I retained portions of the ensemble’s characteristic rhythms to encourage the audience to focus on these distinctive traditional sounds. To maintain a connection with the original recording, I introduced a steady percussive rhythm at 1:25, with its density meticulously designed to mirror the rhythmic complexity of the source material. "In Chinese tradition, drum and gong performances often serve as backg

"The sound of modern humyns chipping away at solid rock searching for ancient organisms that have been turned to stone through pressure and time... the percussion of tool use was the perfect place to start, maybe the use of tools is where the idea of instrumental music came from in the first place... thoughts of musical evolution as humyns evolved with as much slowness as the forces that turned those organisms into solid rock... gradually multiplying percussion lines are kinda like the evolving complexity of life. 66 million years is an inconceivable length of time. at one point in the recording, you can hear a humyn voice, so i isolated that voice and stretched it out and used it as a melody line... as humyn voices mix with percussion, thoughts of the primal nature of percussion and voice, how ancient is this kind of humyn sound? sonic heritage indeed.  "The piece ended up having three movements: the first is the percussive rhythmic stomp of humyn activity... i pictured more and more humyns adding their par

This recording captures the beautiful performance of traditional music and dance at the Forbidden City (Imperial Palace) in Beijing, China. Recorded by Colin Hunter. ——————— 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

"I gave priority to my sonic imaginary. While listening to the recording I was simply inspired by all the multiple layers of sound and how they mix together resulting in some dissonances but also in an orchestrated confluence of ambience sound. This experience reminded me about my hometown's main square inhabited by pigeons and the sonic aura of the place, filled with a swooshing sound of birds' wings when they pick up the food offered to them by locals and tourists alike. Even though no actual birds' voices can be heard, their presence in this spot is suggested by how the recording is weaving all the sounds and their reverberations." Nijo Castle floor reimagined by Anna Nacher. ——————— 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 field recording of the Church of the Acheiropoietos with its capture of someone speaking in this echoing sanctum, as well as intruding street noises, inspired me to combine synthesis techniques using vocal wavetables, expressive reed like synth tones, and futuristic modular synth elements. The juxtaposition of the modern with the past, and the sound of this sacred space, led me to title the piece ELPIS, which is Greek for hope. As we forge our path toward the future all our past comes with us, along with a desire for hope." Paphos Castle reimagined by Wei En. ——————— 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

"I have chosen a recording by Erick Ruiz Arellano of ancient Mayan instruments which sound like bird calls and I wonder if these were used for ceremonies for people to assume bird or animal spirits for specific rituals as practiced in some ancient cultures today. "I have chopped up fragments of the original sound recording and used some FX to create a chant like call, along with a recording layered in, that I made a few years ago of an installation in a church of replicas of ancient clay flute bowls. Finally I have added a looped seagull cry from where I live in Hastings which the original recording bring to mind. My idea is to create an echo of sonic worlds reverberating down the centuries and embalming the present." Chichen-Itza temple reimagined by Mary Hooper. ——————— 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 was taken inside Nijo castle, one of Kyoto's Cultural World Heritage site, which features a 'nightingale floor': the wooden floor's nails are positioned in such a way that they rub against a jacket or clamp, and overtime produce squeaking or chirping noises when walked on, sounding almost like the bird it is named after. Legend has it these floors were installed as an analog security system to ward off intruders, but it seems that the effect initially arose by chance. You can hear these floorboards singing in the recording, along with the sounds of the flow of tourists that make them sing. In the first half an anouncement in Japanese (and then English) can be heard, and the overall atmosphere gradually changes as we move through the building. Some handling noise can be heard too (recorded with a phone handheld). UNESCO listing: Nijo Castle Recorded by Virginie Lesaffre. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights. Find ou

Inside the Church of the Acheiropoietos, the stillness of the ancient space is interrupted only by the noise of modern Thessaloniki seeping in from the outside. The distant sounds of traffic and city life mingle with the sounds of church workers moving about, their presence adding to the living energy of the space. This recording invites us to feel the pulse of life within the church, where the present's everyday activity becomes part of its ongoing story. UNESCO listing: Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika 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

In Colombia’s lush coffee-growing region, mornings are a celebration of life and sensory delight. Perched on misty mountain slopes, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the melodic calls of toucans, hummingbirds, and the occasional eagle gliding effortlessly above. This UNESCO-designated landscape is not just about coffee - it’s a tribute to the harmony between humans and nature, where generations of farmers have cultivated the land with care and respect. UNESCO listing: Coffee cultural landscape of Colombia 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

By Paphos Castle, the recording reveals the powerful clash of waves against the harbor walls. Each surge reverberates through the air as boats rock violently, their ropes creaking under the pressure. The relentless energy of the sea fills the soundscape, its intensity underscored by the groaning of the boats. Amid this natural chaos, the castle stands firm, a timeless guardian against the raw force of the elements. UNESCO listing: Paphos Castle 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

Recorded under the starry expanse of the Okavango Delta at Gomoti Plains Lodge in Botswana, this audio captures a rare and mesmerizing moment of cultural and natural heritage. Gathered around a crackling fire, the lodge's staff performs traditional songs for their guests passed down through generations of Bushmen and Okavango communities.  Their voices rise and fall in harmony, interwoven with the ambient sounds of firewood crackling and the symphony of the delta's nocturnal wildlife. I feel that this audio is a living tapestry of human and natural connection—a heartfelt tribute to the Okavango's unique cultural and sonic heritage.  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/heritage

"Inspired by both the coastal location of Paphos Castle, as well as drawing on the myths and legends from the eastern Mediterranean, this piece depicts a group of Sirens singing their mournful song just out at sea. The shores of Paphos lap in the background while the slips and discordancies in the voices betray the creatures' monstrous essence. "While not accurate to the mythos portrayed in the Odyssey; the Castle on the rocky shores of Paphos invoked a sense of ancient wonder. A reimagined tale of the empty fort, after all its inhabitants have been lured out to sea. I chose to keep the field recording whole, to really try to recontextualise it within its own alternate history, to tell its tale in a different way as would have been done through the tellings of myths long ago." Paphos Castle reimagined by Aidan Lochrin. ——————— 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.c

"This composition is based on a recent recording created within the Heritage Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia by Rafael Diogo.  "Elements within the original recording of wildlife and human activity are re-imagined as new and expanding melodies and rhythms. In particular there are several predominant bird sounds and vocalizations amongst all the activity. One is the sound of a bird taking flight. Others such as a very distinctive strong rising major melody or loud bird calls are hard to ignore. The soundscape is in three sections: wonder, reflection / vision, action. Electronics: David Leith. Guitar: Colin Mclaine." Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia reimagined by David Leith.  ——————— 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 group chants in Botswana’s Delta left a deep impression on me; especially, I was struck by how the chants echoed a sense of unity, resilience, and reverence for nature, blending individual voices into something much larger than the sum of its parts. The rhythmic repetition created a trance-like atmosphere, inviting contemplation and deep emotional connection. "Inspired by these emotions, I sought to translate the essence of these chants into sound using synthesizers. The idea was to capture the communal spirit and the earthy, organic feel of the chants while using the synthetic tools at my disposal to push the emotional landscape even further. I began experimenting with layered textures, creating complex, evolving sounds that mimicked the fluidity and repetition of the chants, but with a modern, electronic twist. I used the synthesizers to generate warm, pulsing bass lines that grounded the music, much like the steady rhythm of the chants, and layered them with atmospheric pads to evoke the vastness and

An extraordinary recording from the hill at the top of Tallinn's Old Town. At 5pm the carillon of bells at Alexander Nevsky cathedral rings out. The cathedral has eleven bells cast in Saint Petersburg, the largest of which weighs about 16 tons, more than the other ten combined, and sounds incredible. Following the carillon, we head inside and catch a session of rhythmic, sung orthodox prayers. UNESCO listing: Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn 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

Climbing up the medieval spire of St. Olaf's church - a 258-step climb, during which you can clearly hear the creak of the large rope banister we use to haul ourselves up the stairs as we record (as well as the sound of heavy breathing!).  The spire is extremely narrow, with stone steps, making it very tricky to pass people coming in the other direction, but the views of the Old Town at the top are well worth the effort.  UNESCO listing: Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn 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