Cities and Memory - remixing the world

Humpback whales song off Westman Islands, South Iceland. A 15 minute recording of a singing humpback whale made using a bottom-moored hydrophone in the Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar) archipelago in February or May.

Recorded by Paul Wensveen.

As a long-distance run, with the participants being over 95% women, takes part through the centre of Oslo, a group of female a cappella singers stands by the roadside, singing songs in English ("Don't Stop Me Now") and Norwegian to spur on the runners, and calling out individual runners' names and cheering. A joyous afternoon sound recording that's sure to raise a smile.

Recorded in September 2025 in Oslo, Norway by Cities and Memory. 

Soundscape inside Hegnen, at the Café-building at Utøya, near Oslo. 13 young people hid here, and was shot by Anders Behring Breivik on 22nd July 2011. The bullet-holes and destroyed furniture is left as it was.

The Ambisonics recording captures close sounds from the wood, and very subtle whispering from a visitor asking "bulletholes, are these actual bulletholes?"

This soundscape-composition is part of the HEYR project, presenting 3-dimensional soundscapes from special locations, connected to special events. Find out more by visiting https://www.heyr.no

Recorded by Anders Vinjar, 2025.

 A street performance as part of the annual Santarcangelo festival, followed by applause and cheering.

Recorded by Alexandra Genzini.

This is a binaural recording made in the evening as young people on motorbikes revved through a quiet neighbourhood. This clip includes their approach and driving away, including some peeling out.

Recorded by Casey Danielson.

A recording of the main viewpoint above the iconic Old Man of Storr, one of the most famous sights on Skye. From this point, you might expect wind, or silence, or birdsong, but there are so many tourists that all we can hear is drones, selfies and conversation instead of a moment of quiet contemplation of such a majestic view. And this recording is from April, before the tourism season has really got under way, so we can expect it to be much worse in a month or so.

Recorded in April 2025 on the Isle of Skye, Scotland by Cities and Memory. 

Sunday mass bells ring out at 11,30am at St. Marienkirche in Berlin city centre. 

Recorded in September 2025 in Berlin, Germany by Cities and Memory.

This audio recording was made in Meydan Park, Trabzon, on a rainy day during the March 31, 2024 Turkish local elections rally. It captures an acoustic political environment filled with enthusiastic crowd voices, a speaker with a microphone, and political music, including interpretations of Black Sea melodies. Background sounds of people walking and traffic are also present.

Recorded in Trabzon / Meydan Parkı, Turkiye by Aycan Turaman.

""The Great Escape" reimagines a Turkish political protest soundfield as a sonic plea for global justice. Every protest is a symptom of a fractured world, a desperate run from oppression toward dignity. But true freedom shouldn't require an escape. We must build an equitable world where human rights are guaranteed, not fought for. When governments serve the people rather than crushing their voices, the need for resistance fades. This track transforms the chaotic noise of defiance into a vision of a just future, where no one is forced to march against tyranny ever again."

"This is the reason for the happy "dance" ending."

Trabzon protest reimagined by Giuseppe "Lacinskij" Schillaci.

"I've added my own field recordings from Scalpsie Bay on the Isle of Bute and Plas Bodfa on Ynys Môn and a sample from Rob MacNeacail performing Gaelic Psalms singing on Radio 4. 

"While working on the piece I was thinking about the contrast between empty wild spaces and busy tourist locations and how the landscape persists despite human interference. Also the fun of being on holiday represented by a sample of a Boppit game." 

Crowds at the Old Man of Storr reimagined by Beverley Craddock.