The Atacama desert is the most arid desert on Earth.
Some parts of it have never received any rain since measurements started a few hundred years ago. It is a hot, dusty and harsh environment that not much life can survive in. On my expedition to the Atacama I wasn’t sure what to expect. The little wildlife that exists in these places has to carefully manage their energy so they don’t really call much. Although I’ve seen animals like vicuñas, llamas, rheas, birds of prey, etc., they were all eerily quiet. The dusty and rocky plateau is the perfect location to record wind though. With careful research and planning it is not impossible to get away from the touristy places and associated noise. This way I was able to record wind in a variety of settings, from dry desert vegetation to rocks and canyons.
Recording by George Vlad