“Late one August evening, my partner and I were driving through the mountains of Portugal’s Serra da Estrela. As we were passing through the village of Sabugueiro, we suddenly heard a chorus of bells. In a flash, we saw a shepherd leading a herd of goats to their shed for the night. We stopped the car and I followed them through the small, cobbled streets for a while, until they turned a final corner, leaving all the village dogs barking. 

(recorded on iPhone)”

“One of the sounds I associate most with Lisbon (where my mother was born), is the eerie polyphony of the Ponte 25 de abril. The red suspension bridge across the river Tejo hums and howls as cars and trucks drive over its metallic grating. Now and then, trains join in from the lower deck. This recording was made around midnight, right underneath the bridge on the north bank. 

(recorded in stereo AB with two omni’s from Immersive Soundscapes)”

“I want to share a recording from June 2025. It was recorded with zoom h1n – X/Y capsules, near Campo Imperatore in a place called ‘Little Tibet’ in Parco nazionale d’Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise – Italy. I recorded it during Abruzzo Trail, a bikepacking event.”

“At the very bottom of the Iberian Peninsula Spain and Portugal are separated by a natural border – the river Guadiana. Vila Real and Ayamonte sit on opposite sides of the river, two towns very much connected, with people constantly moving back and forth across the border.”

“This tape was gathered in Boise, Idaho with a contact microphone affixed to a tree root partially submerged in the Boise River.”

“Photo is view from lying in tent where I recorded when the sun came up in morning.”

“I was having a drink at the back deck of the Historic Mayflower Pub in London, right on the Thames. The tide was high and choppy. I managed to slip a couple of microphones through the floorboards to get the wonderful sound of the Thames. I love how you can hear passing boats and the pub crowd in the background.”

“On the morning of the second day whilst at Arvon Lumb Bank writers’ retreat I walked up the steep hill cow-heavy to Hepenstall Cemetery where Sylvia Plath is buried. I recorded my footsteps crossing the cemetery and the sounds that surrounded me whilst stood at her grave. I was so struck by the life, insects, birds, a lawn mower and at one point an aeroplane which on the recording sounds like something much more supernatural. On her grave there are some words that Ted Hughes chose to have engraved, they are not Sylvia’s but another writer’s. As I stood and listened, and witnessed, I was reminded of some of her own words from her poem Tulips” 

“I didn’t want any flowers, I only wanted

To lie with my hands turned up and be utterly empty.

How free it is, you have no idea how free——”

“Alcoutim sits on the shore of the River Guadiana, which acts as a natural border between Portugal and Spain. While having a drink nearby the wind picked up and the boats and Jetty started making a wonderful noise. Note how the local Church bell rings 3pm and, a couple of minutes after, the Church in Sanlucar De Guadiana (across the river in Spain) rings 4pm! Marking the time difference between the two countries.”