The siren sounds everyday, randomly. Sometimes twice or three times. The birds are anxious.

Recorded in Patton, Pennsylvania, USA by Xanthra DuFrane.

Recorded early in the morning in a green area on the outskirts of Chișinău, this piece listens to the softer edge of the city.

Birds fill the space, with only a distant sense of the urban world behind them. It shows another side of the capital: quieter, greener, more open. The recording feels like a pause from the streets, where nature comes forward and the city almost disappears into the background.

Recorded in Chisinau, Moldova by Rafael Diogo.

The original recording conjures a restful yet lively ambience that brings to life what early morning in this part of Chisinau must feel like.

As the recordist Rafa notes, there is 'a distant sense of the urban world behind them' in the original recording, which in this composition is brought to the forefront not to clash with the birdsong, but to complement it.

The response is flavoured with multiple layers of vintage 70s and 80s-inspired synthesiser sounds to build a soundtrack to early morning. The different layers and cadences of synth parts represent the different roles played by diverse bird species in creating this early morning soundscape, as well as harmonising the elements of nature and the city, instead of placing them in opposition.

Chisinau morning bird chorus reimagined by Cities and Memory.