On November 6th, I showed up on the banks of the Ganga river just before sunrise. Dashashwamedh Ghat was already busy with pilgrims bathing and groups of tourists boarding small motor boats. 

I jumped in a rowboat and captured a bit of the sounds of Varanasi waking up,

Photo Credit: Paulus van Horne

Varanasi Sunrise On The Ganga River

December 23rd, 2017: 'The home of rural Thai culture' is written all around the walls of Tawan Daeng, a large one-room club underneath a highway in Bangkok's Suan Luang neighborhood. Tawan Daeng ('red sun' in the regional Isaan language) provides a  home for the thai folk music native to the northeastern portion of Thailand, seperated from the rest of the country by two mountain ranges. The music, known as Mor Lam is played with a full band, and a singer using traditional Thai instruments such as the Khene (a large mouth organ) but can also be played with Rock band lineup. 

At Tawan Daeng, a cadre of about 20 singers switch off for each song, ramping up through the night in intensity and kitsch with a Vegas-like flair, Thai-style. While many of the songs featured bass, guitar, and drum kit with , I have chosen this one of the songs with more traditional instrumentation. The Khaen can be heard quite clearly.  

To learn more about Tawan Daeng or Mor Lam music, here is a good resource: http://www.afana.org/tawan.htm

Photo Credit: Paulus van Horne

Mor Lam Music @ Tawan Daeng

An audio letter from New Delhi for my friend Rachel.

Inspired by the podcast Dear by Davis Land and Brie Ripley

Photo: New Delhi at Night (not during the recording)

Dear Rachel

A sound recording from Northern Thailand for my friend Blue.

My audio letters are inspired by the podcast Dear by Davis Land and Brie Ripley

Photo: Pang Mapha Mountains in Northern Thailand

Dear Blue

A sound recording from Bangkok for my friend Sarah.

My inspiration for these audio letters comes from the podcast Dear by Brie Ripley and Davis Land.

Photo: Fire Safety Demonstration in Bangkok

Download the file here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/vfzn23s43rhllzx/22.12.17%20Bangkok%20Asok%20-%20Fire%20Extinguisher%20Demonstration%20-%20Gas%20Flame%20-%20Light%20-%20Extinguish%20-%20Turn%20Off%202.WAV?dl=0

Dear Sarah

A few noise fragments from megacities around Europe and South East Asia for my friend Davis. (Congrats on the new job, Davis!)

Inspired by the podcast Dear by Davis Land and Brie Ripley

Photo: Ko Chiang seen from Ko Mak in Thailand

Dear Davis

An audio letter from Yogyakarta for my friend Blue.

Inspired by the podcast Dear by Davis Land and Brie Ripley

Photo: Cat chilling at DIY space Ruang Gulma on the outskirts of Jogja

Dear Blue 2

The Yakult Swallows rally in the 8th inning to take the lead (going on to win the game). 
 
The recording was made in Tokyo's Jingu Stadium, home of the Swallows.

Photo: Jingu Stadium

Jingu Stadium

PIEDAD VIADUCTO, CDMX, MEXICO
Every morning, two men  drive into the neighborhood with a  truck. They unload the canisters of gas, and walk along every street yelling, 
"El Gas! El Gas!"

This clip starts with the original recording, and then repeats the original along with electronic processing.

Photo: "Gas truck, Mexico City" 
Paulus van Horne

El Gas

The everyday sounds of Mexico City converge on one microphone, all at once.

Photo: Garbage Truck in Mexico City

Sounds of Mexico City

Megacities, sonic landscapes, and noise.  12 months of fragments, interviews, letters, and such. 

Official Project Blurb: https://watson.foundation/fellowships/tj/fellows/a0CF000000RUEvbMAH

Noise and the Megacity

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