Cities and Memory - remixing the world

"I love the cacophony of the church bells in this field recording, but I wanted to better hear the pattern of—and space between—the individual notes, so I slowed down the audio and processed it through my modular synthesizer to turn it into something akin to a celestial choir. I think it has a mantra-like quality that makes a decent backdrop for meditation or reflection." 

Berlin mass bells reimagined by Casey Broadwater.

"A meditative and groovy track made by two old friends who've had the rare pleasure of spending a few days together to focus on music, and nothing else. The constant chilly rain in early spring in Austin inspired the somewhat somber mood, as the sounds of dirt bikes conjure up feelings of wanderlust and transience."

Dirt bikes in Washington DC reimagined by Mr. Roy and The *Cough Coughs*.

The recording begins after rainfall, while water is still moving through the canopy.

Drips arrive from multiple heights, creating irregular but continuous patterns. Each impact carries a different texture depending on the surface, leaf, soil, understory.
Bird calls are present but partially absorbed by the density of the environment. 

Nothing travels cleanly. Everything is filtered, diffused. Movement develops above the microphones: red tailed monkeys crossing through the canopy.

Their passage is not constant; it comes in fragments, branch tension, leaves shifting, brief vocal signals between individuals.

Depth is difficult to judge. The forest compresses distance, and sound reflects unpredictably. This is a layered environment. No single element dominates. The recording holds simultaneous activity at different scales, water, insects, birds, primates, all occupying the same space without hierarchy.

Recorded in Bwindi impenetrable forest, Uganda by Rafael Diogo.

𓂃 ོ☼𓂃 另一个破碎的梦（关于鸟）𓂃 ོ𓂃
or "Another Broken Dream (About Birds)" in English

"The original recording already possessed a magical and evocative quality. Drawn to its atmosphere, I began transforming the material through various forms of audio processing, allowing it to unfold into new sonic environments and fictional landscapes. As the piece evolved, it started to evoke the dark and mysterious imagery that often appears in my dreams about birds.

"In this work, I was particularly interested in exploring the friction between the organic and the artificial. Layers of noise and synthetic textures are placed alongside the field recording, creating a contrast between the living environment captured in the soundscape and the constructed sonic world that emerges from it.

"The piece functions as an imagined platform for the sonic universe of Uganda’s Bwindi jungle, a reconfigured space where memory, imagination, and recorded reality converge."

Bwindi forest soundscape reimagined by Sara Ramírez Márquez.

It's January, and it's raining in Marrakesh for the first time in many months - that doesn't dampen the enthusiasm of the evening musicians, gathered together in circles to sit under umbrellas, sing, clap and play music into the small hours. It was only 8.00pm when this recording was made, but it already felt like an all-night party. 

Recorded in Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2026 by Cities and Memory. 

"Alwan Echoes takes its name from the Arabic word Alwan, meaning “all the colours.”

"In this piece I used marranzanu (the Sicilian jaw harp, also known as scaccia pensieri) and flute, creating a bridge between Southern Italy and Morocco: from echoes of Sicilian tarantella rhythms to a melody inspired by Moroccan musical traditions. The field recording from the square of Marrakech, with its percussion, voices, and human presence, became a living soundscape inside the composition, transforming the piece into a dialogue between ritual, travel, and collective memory."

Jemaa el-Fnaa music in Marrakesh reimagined by Cristina Italiani.

Live jazz from one of Paris' top night spots, Le Duc des Lombards - the excellent quartet The Hookup (Geraldine Laurent, Noé Huchard, François and Louis Moutin) play a piece with just the rhythm section, before the whole group joins for a mellow track. 

Recorded in Paris, France in February 2026 by Cities and Memory. 

"The piece begins with my daughter singing the title followed by isolated segments from the original field recording deconstructed and treated via tape and modular FX."

Live jazz at Le Duc des Lombards, Paris reimagined by Scott Lawrence Whitman.

In Turkish culture, a "hurdacı" refers to a person who collects and sells scrap materials, particularly metals. These individuals typically roam neighborhoods in search of discarded items that can be recycled or resold. They often call out their services as they go door-to-door, announcing their presence with phrases like "Hurdacı!" to alert residents that they're available to collect unwanted metal items. The role of hurdacılar has been an integral part of Turkish waste management and recycling practices, helping to reduce waste by reusing and recycling materials.

Recorded in Istanbul by Colin Hunter.

"To create this sound piece, I first used the provided recording, which I processed with reverb. I then added other field recordings that I was fortunate enough to make during a trip to Turkey a few years ago, also heavily transformed and processed. Finally, I incorporated a loop played on the bağlama, a traditional Turkish string instrument.

"Together, these elements form an oneiric soundscape that reminded me of the story of Hezârfen Ahmed Çelebi, who is said to have crossed the Bosphorus in 1632 using a glider of his own design."

Hurdaci in Istanbul reimagined by Laville.