Cities and Memory - remixing the world

Reimagined by Narcosislabs: "Processed in live pass through Kyma (Multigrid w/sample cloud, granular reverb, impulse drums and second reverb w/harmonizer), then mixed in Logic with source file."

Part of the Sounding Nature project - for more information, see http://www.citiesandmemory.com/sounding-nature

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

Recorded by Marcel Gnauk.

"I came around 5 PM (what was a little bit too early ) and if you want to see 20000 birds in the sky like the Lonely Planet described you should come in April or May when the babies are ready to fly!

I went a few days earlier at 5 PM evening and let me tell you it is not like what you may think from the Alfred Hitchcock movie “The Birds” that you see a wall of birds flying at once into the village and the sky is covered in birds.

They coming slowly from all direction and I could only see a few hundred. The real magic happens in the morning when all birds are sleeping and you can see and listen how slowly everything and everybody wakes up in the village together!

This is the moment when you see thousands of birds leaving and circulating in the sky. Together with the upcoming sun in the background, it was one of the best things I have ever seen and of course recorded!"

Part of the Sounding Nature project - for more information, see http://www.citiesandmemory.com/sounding-nature

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

Reimagined by Tony Bartels.

"Loved the sounds of the birds as so throaty and raspy. Originally planned to use a Cuíca, though the change of seasons brought out the colder sounds in song, getting ready for the Black Metal season."

Part of the Sounding Nature project - for more information, see http://www.citiesandmemory.com/sounding-nature

Harbour with Black-headed Gulls, recorded at Burnham Overy Staithe, Norfolk on 16th March 1991 by Richard Margoschis / British Library.

Part of the Sounding Nature project - for more information, see http://www.citiesandmemory.com/sounding-nature

Reimagined by Kevin Buckland.

"This is an attempt to describe sonically the rugged yet beautiful scenery and the character of the of the Yorkshire coastline. The original sound file contains the sounds of the many thousands of seabirds that have built their nests along the cliffs. Unfortunately, possibly due to climate change and the temperature of the sea rising, the colonies of gulls, gannets and other seabirds that used to nest on the cliffs in their hundreds of thousands have sadly massively declined over just the last few years. The sounds of the seabirds are presented here in the form of both treated and untreated recordings, they are also mixed with the sound of synthesised seabird sounds that I created using an analogue synthesiser. I have mixed in sounds from field recordings that I made in the area earlier this year; sounds of the crashing and roar as the sea crashes against the rocks at the base of the cliffs. The sea has made the coast, and will continue to shape and transform it into perpetuity."

Part of the Sounding Nature project - for more information, see http://www.citiesandmemory.com/sounding-nature

Photo by José Duarte on Unsplash

Above the pounding of waves at the foot of the cliffs, a cacophony of the seabirds colony: Guillemots, Kittiwake, Fulmars, Gannets and gulls. Light rain starts to fall. Recorded at Bempton Cliffs, North Yorkshire by Richard Margoschis / British Library.

Part of the Sounding Nature project - for more information, see http://www.citiesandmemory.com/sounding-nature

Photo by José Duarte on Unsplash

Reimagined by Rob Knight. 

"I wanted to make the original recording an integral part of the piece. I love the brutality, power and emotion of the original recording of the sea. I wanted to create that feeling of sound on the sea, where you hear snippets of sound weaving in and out of the noise of the sea and the waves. The sea can be so bleak yet beautiful and I wanted elements of the music to be discordant, hypnotic and at times soulful."

Part of the Sounding Nature project - for more information, see http://www.citiesandmemory.com/sounding-nature

Photo by Josiah Weiss on Unsplash

Rough sea with heavy surf on large sandy beach after storm, large breakers, close perspective. Recorded at Whitesand Bay, Cornwall on 28th February 1996 by Paul Duck / British Library.

Part of the Sounding Nature project - for more information, see http://www.citiesandmemory.com/sounding-nature

Photo by Josiah Weiss on Unsplash

Reimagined by Nick St. George.

"As someone who also designs sound for theatre, the somewhat eerie crow calls and the whistling wind immediately said 'Macbeth' to me! So with a little help from librivox.org, I created a Shakespearean soundscape featuring the witches from the beginning of the play. In the second part of the piece, treatment of the field recording gave me a rhythmic bed for the layering of other sounds and effects, before the witches make a final appearance..."

Part of the Sounding Nature project - for more information, see http://www.citiesandmemory.com/sounding-nature

Photo by Simon Matzinger on Unsplash

A group of five Carrion Crows in the trees, before roosting, during a blustery force 6 wind. Recorded in winter at Woodchester Park, Gloucestershire by Richard Margoschis / British Library.

Part of the Sounding Nature project - for more information, see http://www.citiesandmemory.com/sounding-nature

Photo by Simon Matzinger on Unsplash