Cities and Memory - remixing the world

Early morning English village ambience takes inspiration from Tomas Transtromer's wonderful poem "The Half-Finished Heaven", as we attempt to translate these words into a reimagination of the source sound that evokes some of the simple joy and complex melancholy of a bright summer morning: Despondency breaks off its course. Anguish breaks off its course. The vulture breaks off its flight. The eager light streams out, even the ghosts take a draught. And our paintings see daylight, our red beasts of the ice-age studios. Everything begins to look around. We walk in the sun in hundreds. Each man is a half-open door leading to a room for everyone. The endless ground under us. The water is shining among the trees. The lake is a window into the earth.

An early morning recording next to a quiet stream in Gittisham village, England. Birds are singing all around us as the stream rushes past, glistening in the June sunlight. Recorded by Cities and Memory.

"I wanted to compose something as a clarion call for cities across the world in an Olympic year, so this was perfect. Using the sound of the traditional Chinese instrument which was then stretched and chopped up into a 'siren' sound, which was then turned into a loop on which the whole track was based. "The sound was then stretched and modified using granular synth plugins to act as a basis for the main melody sounds. This inspired a woozy analogue-style piece with added guitars and slightly trip-hop beats." Chinese violin in Boston reimagined by Graeme Worsfold.

A busker plays an amplified Chinese traditional stringed instrument in the Boston public park for passers-by, competing with the industrial drones of leaf-blowing machinery, but cutting through very clearly as we pass closer and closer by him. Recorded by Cities and Memory.

"When I first considered the themes relevant to the Migration Sounds project I instantly thought of the oceans. Living in the UK, an Island surrounded by water, we often hear of people attempting to cross the channel to find safety, with frequent news reports of drownings due to unsafe, overcrowded boats. All too often, these people are dehumanised by simply being referred to as 'migrants', as if lesser individuals. "Living in Edinburgh, we are next to the sea where the mist, or ‘haar’, often roles in over the water and only the silhouettes of people can be seen walking on the beach or swimming in the waves. "When I first heard the lapping water sounds of the sample, I found myself visualising people through the haar getting into boats ready to make the treacherous crossing to a better life, knowing that some may be taken by the sea and not survive. I wanted my piece to reflect this scene and so in ‘Foam and Flow’ I try to paint that picture. It was also important for the sample to continue through the whole piece, as a reminder that the water plays such a crucial role in these stories." Birdsong in Hamilton reimagined by Simon Holmes. Part of the Migration Sounds project, the world’s first collection of the sounds of human migration. For more information and to explore the project, see https://www.citiesandmemory.com/migration

"My piece "Portland" is my emotional response to the field recording of anti-Trump protestors following an election in Portland, Oregon. "Say it loud, say it clear" they chant about welcoming immigrants to the USA. "In the second part of my piece I incorporate the chant, manipulating it to time with the music as if they were performed together. My aim was to give an emotional companion to the chanting that mirrored my own response." Portland protest reimagined by Kid Kin. Part of the Migration Sounds project, the world’s first collection of the sounds of human migration. For more information and to explore the project, see https://www.citiesandmemory.com/migration

"When I first heard the field recording before even reading the description it really took me back to conversations in the temple (Cambodian and Vietnamese where I am from). The chatters between elders and sense of calm flew over me. When I read what the field recording was about that is when I knew this was right up my alley. A lot of my music has field recordings of moments in time that mean a lot to me, which is why I chose this particular sounds to work with. "I knew I wanted to add in some zither samples to ensure that it flowed with the story, I then added some ambient sounds and foley to complete the track. I wanted it to be calm, mediative but also impactful, as someone who is constantly rediscovering my roots, it’s important to share music that not only upholds tradition, but also brings the future children/people into the sounds so that we can grow with tradition and not go backwards." Xiamen temple reimagined by Maggie Tra. Part of the Migration Sounds project, the world’s first collection of the sounds of human migration. For more information and to explore the project, see https://www.citiesandmemory.com/migration

"Joseph describes himself as a painter by profession - this piece attempts to paint musical scenery around the edges of Joseph's story, recounting his own journey of migration, and wanting to place him very much at the centre, and highlight rather than draw attention away from his words. The tone of the accompanying music is a simple reflection of some of the emotions his story generated in me when listening to it. A field recording taken elsewhere in the Mediterranean flows underneath much of the piece as a reference to the journey. "The piece is dedicated to Joseph, about whom I have thought very frequently since hearing his story for the first time. Above all I hope he's doing well, and I hope in some small way this piece helps others to think not just about his story, but also the mostly untold stories of many hundreds of thousands like him, who are making journeys "between life and death" that most of us cannot even comprehend every single day." Joseph's story reimagined by Cities and Memory. Part of the Migration Sounds project, the world’s first collection of the sounds of human migration. For more information and to explore the project, see https://www.citiesandmemory.com/migration

This recording was anonymously submitted from a recent migrant to the UK, who has a partner with a job in the UK but still works in the Netherlands themselves. Here, he is passing the border and going through the passportcontrol to get to and from work. It's illegal to record at the border crossing, but this restriction makes you wonder why - why can't the public record or document what is happening in this space? What would we expose? Going back and forth between UK and EU for work involves a lot of traveling and a lot of passport controls. The recording at Calais was taken in the middle of the night, after having been ordered off the night bus by rude bus drivers who work for Flixbus.The recording was made by someone who avoids short-haul flights for ecological reasons. But all in all it is tiring, and expensive. Recorded by Anonymous. Part of the Migration Sounds project, the world’s first collection of the sounds of human migration. For more information and to explore the project, see https://www.citiesandmemory.com/migration

In 1196 AD, the Minnan people established the Quanzhou A-Ma Temple, dedicated to A-Ma, the goddess of the sea. The spread of A-Ma's belief led to the establishment of A-Ma Temples in Xiamen and later in Qingdao in 1467 AD, as maritime trade flourished from south China to the North. After relocating to Xiamen for work, I visited the Xiamen A-Ma Temple one afternoon. In this recording, administrators chat loudly in Minnanese on a quiet afternoon with few visitors. Amidst the chatter, faint sounds of lighters represent devotees offering incense to A-Ma. Their quiet devotion contrasts with the private prayers of believers in Quanzhou. The historical journey of A-Ma's beliefs parallels the migrations of the Minnan people, shaping the coastal regions' cultural landscape in China. As I reflect on my journey, I find solace and connection in the enduring traditions observed at these revered temples. Recorded by Jiyuan Sun. Part of the Migration Sounds project, the world’s first collection of the sounds of human migration. For more information and to explore the project, see https://www.citiesandmemory.com/migration

In 1196 AD, the Minnan people established the Quanzhou A-Ma Temple, dedicated to A-Ma, the goddess of the sea. The spread of A-Ma's belief led to the establishment of A-Ma Temples in Xiamen and later in Qingdao in 1467 AD, as maritime trade flourished from south China to the North. Growing up in Qingdao, I never visited its A-Ma Temple until I became a sailor and felt moved by the devotion to A-Ma. During my 2022 visit to Quanzhou. Although scenes of faith have vanished in Qingdao's A-Ma Temple, this recording captures the resonance of local music, now echoing within the temple walls as part of a folklore museum and documents visitors to the A-Ma Temple, unfamiliar with A-Ma's beliefs, seeking information from their companions. The historical journey of A-Ma's beliefs parallels the migrations of the Minnan people, shaping the coastal regions' cultural landscape in China. As I reflect on my journey, I find solace and connection in the enduring traditions observed at these revered temples. Recorded by Jiyuan Sun. Part of the Migration Sounds project, the world’s first collection of the sounds of human migration. For more information and to explore the project, see https://www.citiesandmemory.com/migration

In this audio recording, you can hear the gentle sound of small waves crashing onto the shore, accompanied by the sweet melody of birds singing and the distant chime of a train bell signalling its upcoming stop. The recording captures the beginning of spring as the sun rises, bringing in a new day. After relocating to this city a little over a year ago, I was inspired to learn more about the indigenous birds in the area as a way to establish a deeper connection with the land. Delving into the avian population of this region has been an eye-opening experience, as I've learned of a rich and diverse array of species, each with their unique characteristics and songs. Ever since I've learned to recognize and differentiate the birds and their unique songs, I have found myself experiencing a profound sense of wonder and connection with the natural world around me. It's as though a whole new layer of beauty has been added to my surroundings, and I feel a deeper gratitude and intimacy. Recorded in Hamilton, Canada by Nala Ismacil. Part of the Migration Sounds project, the world’s first collection of the sounds of human migration. For more information and to explore the project, see https://www.citiesandmemory.com/migration

November 2017, Portland, OR - anti-Trump chants following the election in Portland, with this particular chant about welcoming immigrants to the USA - "say it loud, say it clear, immigrants are welcome here!" Recorded Benjamin Glas-Hochstettler. Part of the Migration Sounds project, the world’s first collection of the sounds of human migration. For more information and to explore the project, see https://www.citiesandmemory.com/migration

This is testimony from Joseph, an asylum seeker from Nigeria, onboard the charity rescue ship the Ocean Viking. Joseph along with over a hundred other people was rescued from an unseweaworthy rubber boat headed for Europe from Libya. Several days later, he sat down to record his story, leaving from Nigeria, across the desert to Libya and onto that rubber boat headed North. He describes suffering extortion, robbery, detention, forced labour and other abuses in Libya. His story is very indicative of the treatment African migrants experience in Libya. He is now in the Italian asylum system. The audio has been lightly edited to remove identifying details. Recorded by Frey Lindsay. Part of the Migration Sounds project, the world’s first collection of the sounds of human migration. For more information and to explore the project, see https://www.citiesandmemory.com/migration

"Qingdao was once a German colony and the city is an exotic place with Western-style buildings. It is also relatively close to Japan and has historical ties. The recorded opera is probably Peking Opera, judging from the language. "Mainland China is so vast that the West could completely fit in it, and it is likely that the performers of this opera toured around the country." Local music at a temple reimagined by Keisuke Oki. Part of the Migration Sounds project, the world’s first collection of the sounds of human migration. For more information and to explore the project, see https://www.citiesandmemory.com/migration

"I wanted to capture that sense of secrecy and tension that seems to exist within the narrative of the story. This idea that you cannot record in these areas and also the idea of stress associated with travel and border control etc. This idea that it's illegal to cross a border without going through this process but also illegal to record the process you go through to remain legal. The whole feeling I got was one of complete tension, frustration and claustrophobia but also the sense of getting home or beyond this. "So I wanted to try and capture how I imagined it would feel to be bossed around while trying to remain calm and get home or to work. The piece is punctuated with moments of calmer piano but surrounded by a non-stop interference and static created through manipulating the piano and other source material - including the field recording. The idea was to generate a sense of how it feels to be in this kind of tiring and stressful environment with little or no control and perhaps a disengagement from reality that is often created in these environments. "I started with just the field recording and piano but slowly added to this and developed this sense of suffocation/claustrophobia. As the piece comes towards a conclusion I removed many of the fx and brought it back down to just the piano. I was attempting to imagine the journey and the feeling of an ending and quiet release, at least for a time until the next journey." UK/France border crossing reimagined by Glacis. Part of the Migration Sounds project, the world’s first collection of the sounds of human migration. For more information and to explore the project, see https://www.citiesandmemory.com/migration

"We used most of the whole of the recording as the recording is so poignant and beautiful. "We generated and overlayered soundscapes, and a reverse of the recording we used an envelope follower (MI Ears) to trigger the piano essentially then two overlaid soundtracks in a journey in opposite directions; some lows and highs undulate. "We hope traveller to one day reverse his journey and return home. "The title "saippuakivikauppias" itself means "a journey in both directions" translates to a (flea market?) soapstone seller in English but serves as a well-known palindrome in Finnish." Tashkent flea market reimagined by Arvik Torrenssen. Part of the Migration Sounds project, the world’s first collection of the sounds of human migration. For more information and to explore the project, see https://www.citiesandmemory.com/migration IMAGE: Alexey Komarov, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

"I chose a clip of an interview of a man from Brazil talking about his experience with jumping the US border, adjusting to life away from his family, not understanding the people around him, and trying to act straight. The reason that I chose this clip is that his story immediately interested me, and I thought that it was such a strong point of inspiration; I immediately had ideas of how I could create an audio accompaniment to his unique and incredible story. "I also found some relation in the story, as someone who due to my history with mental health has had a lot of experience feeling very distant or different from the people that I was around, I felt that I could be successful in giving justice to the story because I could take my personal feelings that I knew very well and try and convey them through the sounds I was creating. "I decided to create an ambient track, using very airy and drony synths, along with other samples that explore the soundscape and create interesting tonal moments. The combination of all these elements create an uneasy and unhomely feeling, the notes drifting around and never reaching any root or place of comfort as his voice is woven through the synth tones until the track ends in a strong minor chord, and all the elements fade to silence, leaving the words “I’m Just Me” echoing and fading. I feel that the phrase encapsulated the entire meaning of the track and was poignant and relevant for the feeling that I was trying to achieve. "I decided to leave a lot of his voice untouched, as I didn’t want to take anything away from the words he was saying; however I did modulate some samples of his voice to fill in the space and contrast the clarity of the main voice samples. The reason that I did this was to try and recreate the feeling of some of the things he was saying, i.e. him not understanding what people were saying to him in a different language. The fluttery and ambiguous vocal clips reflect that concept and help towards the uneasy atmosphere I originally set out to create." Juan Pablo's migration story reimagined by Finlay Ellis. Part of the Migration Sounds project, the world’s first collection of the sounds of human migration. For more information and to explore the project, see https://www.citiesandmemory.com/migration

This recording was made in the midst of my migration from Russia to Uzbekistan, through Kazakhstan. This recording was also made in the Hamida guest house in Samarkand, but in the internal open courtyard. In the recording, you can hear the hum of the air conditioner, the quiet conversation of guests and the distinct speech of the muezzin coming from the mosque on the next street. Despite the fact that I am not a religious person at all, I am impressed by the beauty of the phonetic pattern of the Arabic language performed by the muezzin. The contradiction between the beauty of rituals, visual ornaments, architectural pearls on the one hand and the cruelty of the orthodox tradition on the other hand direct my attention to the existing contradictions in my own judgments. I am immersed in contemplation and reflections. Recorded by Vladimir Bocharov. Part of the Migration Sounds project, the world’s first collection of the sounds of human migration. For more information and to explore the project, see https://www.citiesandmemory.com/migration IMAGE: RyansWorld, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

"The source field recording was captured in the Alpha King, a vibrant barbershop in the heart of Kasarani, a bustling district in Nairobi, Kenya, owned by a Congolese refugee. Hum in the Air was composed using only sound from the field recording. "The composition reflects the warm camaraderie, the connection through music, and the idea of the hum of the barber’s clippers vibrating in the air, resonating far and wide." Nairobi barber shop reimagined by Nichola Scrutton. Part of the Migration Sounds project, the world’s first collection of the sounds of human migration. For more information and to explore the project, see https://www.citiesandmemory.com/migration