Cities and Memory - remixing the world

"For most of my life, I have lived near the sea. The quiet sounds of wind, rustling reeds, and seabirds sit in memory alongside the sound of waves. Even as a boy, I imagined distant sounds, where ships, foghorns, and buoys blended with what was heard.

"In this work, I keep my presence quiet and spacious. It remains present without dominating. The original binaural recording stays intact. I have added only a few subtle elements that sit within the existing sound rather than interrupt it."

Po Delta beach soundscape reimagined by Paul Beaudoin.

Wind blows gently in the reeds on a wild driftwood beach only accessible by boat in the Po Delta, Italy, with periodic bird calls also audible, June 2025.

Recorded by Cities and Memory. 

Coyotes howl on the eve of the vernal equinox, joined by a community of dogs. A car passes along the winding road beneath our apartment window. Raindrops tap the rain gutter, weaving into the sacred sounds of the last night of winter.

Recorded in Portland, USA by Bethany Carder and Abram Morphew.

"Years ago, at Algonquin Provincial Park, we lined up along a dark campground road in total silence along with hundreds of other campers. The Naturalist howled three times, but only received silence in return. Then two Naturalists called together. The forest on both sides of the road erupted in deafening howls from many, many wolves. One of the coolest things I've ever experienced."

Coyotes and rain in Portland reimagined by Marc Bernard.

Based on a recording made atop the tallest peak in Thailand, Doi Inthanon, this piece evokes the wonder of looking out across the entire country, with the sounds of birdsong reverberating around you. The slightly clipped bass sounds, and the whole mix being sent through a tape doubler, gives a woozy sense of height and breathlessness, while the synth pads and manipulated guitars are an expression of the beauty of the natural order of things. 

Towards the top of the peak stand two adjacent chedis, one called Naphamethinidon (นภเมทินีดล), meaning 'by the strength of the land and air', and the other, Naphaphonphumisiri (นภพลภูมิสิริ), meaning 'being the strength of the air and the grace of the land', the latter of which names this track.

Doi Inthanon peak, Thailand reimagined by Cities and Memory.

Photo by Ash Edmonds on Unsplash.

A lively resident crow is the star in this walkthrough of Gare de Lyon in Paris - while we can hear the usual hall reverb, trolley bags, travellers chatting away and platform announcements, this crow is letting his presence be known to everyone, cawing loudly and persistently as if to say "hey, this station is mine too, you know!". 

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

"Four years in France, regular trips From near Lyon to Paris, via the Gare de Lyon and my familiars — the crows — the track evoked those memories."

Gare de Lyon, Paris reimagined by Dennis Moser.

Hiking at the Kew Mae Pan trail, Chiang Mai, Thailand. With the perfect view of nature things at the top of the mountain. A little bit tired but it was such a happy day.

Recorded by sound_of__memories.

Photo by Ash Edmonds on Unsplash.

"When I received the field recording by Daniel Mackenzie I thought 'what an absolute gift!' All the elements to make a remix are all contained in the original field recording. I used a Roland SP404 mk2 to sketch out the fundamentals, and to focus on what parts to sample, and mastered in Ableton. 

"Rudimentary effects were used (filters, eq, delay & reverb) but no synths whatsoever; the piece only contains samples from the original field recording. 

"I had an absolute blast doing this, and I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed working with it!" 

Lamma Island playground reimagined by Rod Dykeman

A recording taken which captures a moment of life away from the intensity that Hong Kong is associated with. Lamma Island is a short boat ride away and has a unique calm that is almost unimaginable when you've spent several weeks in the nearby city. 

The sounds of children playing are atmospheric and contrasting against passing vehicles, and occasional sounds of wildlife.

Recorded by Daniel Mackenzie.