CITY STORM
A Mini-LP devoted entirely to recordings of different storms in urban environments. Each piece moves into the next, and I have also released a continuous mix of the album. Many of the recordings were taken at night, and overall there is a clear nocturnal feel. While the mood may remain constant, each track focuses on a very different aspect of the storm soundscape.

All sounds property of R.J. Stefanski.
2020.

Buy on Bandcamp

City Storm [MINI LP] Relaxing HD Sounds for Sleep Study Yoga Meditation

The very first piece of CITY STORM.
This intro gives a glimpse into the release focusing on storms captured in urban settings. Just under four minutes of sparkling audio with clear droplets of rain slowly pooling up on a midtown Detroit patio. Aimed out towards Second Ave, several cars streak down the soaked concrete, and towards the 3 minute mark you can hear the rain intensify and patter on the overhang. 

Enjoy on good headphones! 
Audio captured in 96 k / 24 bit WAV files with Tascam hand-held recorder.

City Storm

City Storm Pt. 0I (Intro): Rain Droplets & Passing Cars (Relaxing HD Rain Sounds)

"CITY STORM" 
PT. 02: CARS PASSING IN THE NIGHT
-The second part of "City Storm" slowly sheds the light rain patter from the intro to focus on the quiet after the storm. This also happens to be captured at night, allowing the listener to hear lots of the smaller sounds that get lost in the midday din. For example, in the quiet moments between cars the electric hum of the street lights overhead is audible. You can also here the opening of a parking lot gate across the street as the cars make their way down the soaked pavement. All audio was captured with handheld Tascam microphones in midtown Detroit a few years back. Enjoy on good headphones!

City Storm Pt. 02: Cars Passing in the Night (Relaxing HD Rain Sounds)

"CITY STORM"
PT. 03: ROLLING THUNDER
-For the third part of "City Storm" the main feature is the arrival of thunder, albeit very distant thunder. I have never released a soundscape devoted specifically to this particular type of rolling, grumbling thunder that is travelling from quite a distance. I wanted to include some info from this great website "Sciencing":

on Rolling vs. Clap thunder:
-"You can typically hear thunder from a storm within about 15 miles of your position, occasionally farther out. Cloud-to-ground lightning that discharges fairly close to you will produce a sharp clap or crackle of thunder as the strong sonic shockwave from the part of the bolt nearest your position reaches you first.

A drawn-out, subsiding roll of thunder follows as your ear registers shockwaves from higher and more distant parts of the bolt’s channel.

The volume fluctuations of rolling thunder can be due to the zigzag and often forked shape of a bolt, differences in air density along the mostly vertical lightning channel and soundwaves bouncing off clouds, mountainsides and other obstacles – a combination of sound dulled and distorted by distance as well as echoes.

If you’re some distance from a thunderstorm, you may only hear rolling or pealing thunder." (check out the full article at: https://sciencing.com/difference-between-rolling-clap-thunder-6906574.html)

All audio was captured with handheld Tascam microphones in midtown Detroit a few years back. Enjoy on good headphones!

City Storm Pt. 03: Rolling Thunder and Quiet Rain (Relaxing HD Field Recordings)

"CITY STORM": A mini LP devoted to storm sounds captured in urban environments.

PT. 04: "Midtown Showers with Thunderclap and Birds"
-This piece begins with the remnants of rolling thunder from the last entry in City Storm, before opening up to a bustling Midtown street in the middle of a rain storm. Cars can be heard honking and passing by as the grumbles grow into a single, loud clap of thunder that nearly clipped in the recording. Once this subsides the focus is on layers of relaxing rain and springtime birds. Even with the bird calls, this still feels mostly nocturnal, or at least the kind of city presented in David Fincher's "Se7en" where its always raining and in some hazy in-between period that isn't day or night. 

This piece was built from three separate (recently unearthed) recordings captured in Detroit over the last few years. All audio has been maintained at HD 96 / 24 bit WAV files. Enjoy on good headphones.

All sounds and artwork property of R.J. Stefanski 2020.

City Storm Pt. 04: Midtown Rain Showers with Thunderclap And Birds (HD Field Recordings)

"CITY STORM"
PT. 05: SUDDEN DOWNPOURS OF RAIN WITH ROLLING THUNDER

The storm progresses once again, with this chapter the focal point is on a few very loud and clear downpours of rain. Only at the opening and close of the soundscape are passing cars present to remind the listener the setting is still in an urban environment. Remnants of the earlier chapters are still lurking, as rolling thunder grumbles along and the outro is sampled from "Cars Passing in the Night". This cyclical construction helps the mini album maintain its consistency and nocturnal mood.

Headphones highly recommended!

All sounds and artwork property of R.J. Stefanski

City Storm Pt. 05: Sudden Downpours of Relaxing Rain with Rolling Thunder [HD Field Recordings]

Brooklyn NYC + Detroit | Message directly for inquiries about sampling recordings, bookings, collaborations, or questions | Since releasing a series of diverse mixtapes in 2011, Stefanski has slowly turned his focus to his own ambient productions, often built entirely of original field recordings. He has released a wide array of original soundscapes ranging from brief, high-def clips of thunderstorms to extended sound collages, each project sharing a hazy, psychedelic glow. Before moving to Brooklyn, Stefanski curated the chill out room for infamous Detroit after-hours rave BAK DØR. After relocating he released an LP of short field recordinged ("20 X 2"), a podcast for an experimental NYC label (Metamorph) and an album for Bivouac's "60 Minute Cities" series. His relaxing rain soundscapes are some of the most popular on soundcloud, with one clip nearing 14 million streams as of late 2020. More recently Stefanski expanded his productions with visual components, including a new website which hosts the unique travelogue "The San Diego Tapes" and photography prints for sale.

~FEEL FREE to use my field recordings/original tracks in any of your own works, I only ask you cite me as a source and please send me a link of the finished product.  MESSAGE ME for questions, I won't see questions in comments.

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