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.

A few old men play a game of dice at the outskirts of the sprawling Osh Bazaar. They slap down small bills before rolling the dice on a wooden board and chain smoke cheap cigarettes. The smoke drifts into the pharmacy next door. They seemingly sell flooring at some point too. While bustling, the bazaar is more calm here; everyone is relaxed and kind.

Recorded by wwjd.

Woodland birds recorded during daytime in Nottinghamshire, England. Blue tits are very prominent in the recording.

Recorded by Tim Hills.

Broadcast on BBC 6music, Sunday 26 July 2026. Cerys Matthews talks to Cities and Memory creator Stuart Fowkes about disappearing and obsolete sounds, and introduces the project.

Includes musical selections by Stuart from Can, Broadcast, Stuart Dempster, William Basinski & Janek Schaefer and The For Carnation.

"I retained, without adjustment, the field-recording of chanting on a football terrace. My initial sense was of masculine celebration, the chants serving as a barometer for pride and rivalry. However, with the rhythmic fluctuations, my layered loops and snatches of dialogue shifted the celebratory mood. Repetitive, loopable refrains began to drone and persist with what I perceived as a tense 'possibility of emotional volatility', creating an unpredictable subversion."

Horsham FC football chants reimagined by Rachael Adams.

This piece was inspired by a recording of a klaxon in Patton, PA that seemed to warn of nothing on a spring morning but the arrival of migrant birds.

Patton klaxon sound reimagined by Xanthra DuFrane.