Cities and Memory - remixing the world

Ambisonics recording at a freight train car in Auschwitz used to deport people to the extermination camp. 

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 at Auschwitz, Poland by Anders Vinjar.

"The location where the recording I worked with was made, carries an overwhelmingly historical weight. 

"Attempting something evocative, reminiscent, or symbolic felt pointless. Inappropiate.

"However, I know that sound can hold historical information encrypted within it.

"As in archaeological work, where stones can provide information about the past, field recordings may contain molecules or grains of sound that reveal something more about that place. 

"Using temporal and spectral processing techniques, I attempted to access this latent information in the air and compose a narrative from it.

"I then added some of my own recordings and sounds, which I considered appropriate for giving a sense of coherence."

Train car at Auschwitz reimagined by Patricio Lerma.

"I worked on just one device just sampling and looping for this project, a sort of going back to basics. Da'ira means circle, orbit, or wholeness / unity in Arabic. In terms of timbre, wanted to reimagine the powerful hypnotic and melancholic quality of the call to prayer, something fundamental. This is one of a few recordings I made for this project, the rest are here: https://dtyb.bandcamp.com/album/hubb."

Isha call to prayer in Marrakesh square reimagined by dtyb.

Isha call to prayer at 8pm on a windy, rainy evening in the famous, busy Jemaa el-Fnaa square. 

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

"No matter where in the world you are by the sea, the language of water is on the one hand the same everywhere, and on the other hand has a clear regional accent.I often work with the sound of water and waves in my music. 

"And since I hadn't been to Spain before, it was very appealing to undertake this journey acoustically, based solely on Tomasz Buga's field recording of the Plaja d´El Cabanyal in Valencia.In the musical interpretation, I simply followed the rhythm of the waves. 

"The ebb and flow of the surf is like a story that the sea has been telling since time immemorial."

Beach waves in Valencia, Spain reimagined by NOBLESON.

I arrived in Valencia one day before the conference I was attending, so I decided to record some calming sounds of the sea, waves and the general beach and chill atmosphere. 

Recorded in Valencia, Spain by Tomasz Buga.

"The idea was to create a piece that worked with the violin so I started by isolating the tonal layer in Spectral Layers. This gave me multiple layers from the original recording so I could work out a key and tempo to build the track around. I then created a slow ambient track with a minimal beat that grounds the drifting violin."

Violin at La Fenice reimagined by Karhide.

Inside the world-famous La Fenice theatre in Venice, we visit the opulent, breathtaking main auditorium, when a single violinist comes onto the stage, and begins to tune up and practice ahead of the New Year's Day (Capodanno) concert, which is broadcast on national TV in Italy traditionally every year. A rare chance to hear some intimate, small music on a very grand stage. 

Recorded on 29 December 2025 in Venice by Cities and Memory. 

Huge lock gates in Bremerhaven, Germany discharge large volumes of water, then slowly decrease in intensity until the flow ends and becomes a more gentle dripping.

Recorded by Cities and Memory. 

This recording captures the vibrant atmosphere of a bustling RER B train ride in Paris, bound for Charles de Gaulle airport. The train is filled with a diverse mix of passengers, each with their own story to tell. Some are weary travellers, returning home after a holiday in the City of Light, while others are Parisians embarking on their own adventures. 

Amidst the crowd, locals commute to work, adding to the rich tapestry of the city's daily rhythm. As the train rumbles through the tunnels, the sounds and murmurs of the passengers create a unique symphony, reflecting the dynamic energy of this iconic city.

Recorded in Paris, France by Colin Hunter.