1999

At the time, Brixton station was a kind of micro-melting pot featuring a set of characters who collectively caused commotion on a daily basis. Some of them were known by names derived from the sounds they contributed to the local soundscape: the Biggie-Biggie man or the Incense man for example. These two were supported by an assortment of preachers from various Baptist and Pentecostal churches, market criers, ticket touts, Underground staff and others. Since the attempt at gentrifying the centre of Brixton things have become a lot less interesting. Leaving the station now, one is not greeted by the lively hustle and bustle, but by the sounds of cars and buses going past.

Graz Hauptplatz Graz, Austria

The main square in Graz on a summer evening: A busker plays local hits on his harmonica, another one plays jazzy saxophone somewhere in the background, people eat sausages and chat about their holidays, trams pass.

Ljubljana Railway Station Ljubljana, Slovenia

Somehow everything seemed to fit together on this summer day: the late afternoon sun, the song of the swallows, the melodic train announcements creating harmonies with the sound of the train engine, people's voices drifting past like the leaves being blown around by the wind.

2001

Filipino Boys Barcelona, Spain

A group of maybe 20 Filipino teenagers, working in catering in Spain, sitting on the square in front of the CCCB in Barcelona on a mild October evening, getting drunk while singing sentimental songs.

Anarchy in the UK London, UK

The breakdown of law and order: May Day 2001, Tottenham Court Road in central London. Watched by police helicopters circling above, but with few police in the street, anti-capitalist rioters are roaming around almost freely, smashing the windows of banks and shops while cheering each other on, occassionally running from a handful of police officers.

2003

Rhythms of Resistance London, UK

On 20th March 2003, the day after the invasion of Iraq, demonstrations were held around the world in opposition to the war. In London, people gathered in Parliament Square in the afternoon, shouting slogans at the Houses of Parliament that Guy Fawkes tried to blow up centuries earlier. Later in the day, drum band Rhythms of Resistance joined the protest with their infectious rhythms, making sure the noise of public anger will penetrate the shielded corridors of power.

2004

50 Moganshan Lu Shanghai, China

Before the hype, 50 Moganshan Lu was a collection of ramshackle warehouses that contained a handful of Shanghai's up-and-coming independent galleries. It was all very low-key, and the arts scene seemed to blend in effortlessly with the local population. This recording was made one late Saturday afternoon and I was taken by the serenity of the whole scenery: children playing, people singing while passing on their bicycles, birds chirping. A year later the place had been rebranded as M50, listed in tourist guides and building works were under way in every corner. These days, every square inch of usable space is occupied by galleries selling the latest in Chinese contemporary art, with art bookshops and art cafes providing the finishing touch. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Brilliant City.

Funfair Ride Shanghai, China

This funfair ride at a sleepy entertainment park in a public garden sounds like a rather sad affair, and actually it wasn't much fun riding on it either, apart from the odd moans and croaks it emitted. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Brilliant City.

2005

Chongqing TV Chongqing, China

Chongqing TV are producing an ident for their station. On the side of a motorway beside the Jialing river, overlooking the breathtaking panorama of Jiefangbei and Chaotianmen on the other riverbank, a group of fresh-faced teenagers are lip-syncing to the angelic voices of Chongqing TV's theme tune. If you were to walk on a few hundred metres, you would see a wasteland of demolished buildings with people dotted around picking bricks from the rubble. The are will be flooded by the raised water levels caused by the Three Gorges Dam. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Chongqing Construction Workers' Percussion Ensemble Chongqing, China

A group of construction workers attacking paving stones with pickaxes and chisels in Jiefangbei. The fact that their pickaxes are all tuned to different notes makes the process sound more like a musical performance than a building site. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

McAdvertising Chongqing, China

A McDonald's restaurant in Jiefangbei advertising with speakers mounted on the outside of the building. The only problem is, the CD player is broken and creates a remix of the adverts that is reminiscent of Yasunao Tone's approach to CD playback. The recording consists of two takes, one recorded close to a building site and one directly beneath the speakers. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Tourist Boat Tout Chongqing, China

A guy and his megaphone selling tourist boat rides at Chaotianmen. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Railyard Workshop Chongqing, China

Workers throwing bits of metal about in a railyard in Yangjiaping, train horns and swallows creating a musical backdrop. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

North Bank Removals Chongqing, China

Workers loading rubble from demolished buildings onto a ship on the north bank of Jialing river, recorded from a distance and accompanied by the horns of passing ships. The area will be flooded by the raised water levels caused by the Three Gorges Dam. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Étude Aux Chemins de Fer Chongqing, China

I see this recording of a train reversing in a trainyard in Yangjiaping as a tribute to Pierre Schaeffer's first piece of musique concrète, Étude Aux Chemins de Fer. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Monorail Chongqing, China

Apart from warnings about intrapping, the announcements on Chongqing's monorail also offer advice about the traditional virtues of the Chinese people. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Buddha Machines Guangzhou, China

The loop players looking a little like handheld radio receivers but which are preloaded with a set of loops of Buddhist chants can be found in temples all over Asia. Here an assortment of these playing simultaneously create a rather eerie atmosphere in Guangxiao temple. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Old Ferry Guangzhou, China

A ride (abridged) on a ramshackle ferry across the southern arm of the Zhujiang river. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Zhu Ni Sheng Ri Kuai Le Guangzhou, China

Outside a KFC restaurant their advertisement is wishing every passerby a happy birthday on a continuous loop. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Shipyard Workers Guangzhou, China

It's 1 pm. At a Shipyard along the southern arm of the Zhujiang river sirens call the start of a new shift. Seemingly out of nowhere hordes of workers descend onto the place and dissapear behind its gates. All of them are dressed in identical clothes, most are on bicycles, some come on foot or on motorbike. After about 20 minutes the spectacle ends, the gates close and quietness ensues outside while work begins behind the walls encircling the yard. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Swimming Pool Guangzhou, China

Evening in Lianxing: Children of various ages playing in a swimming pool among a complex of high-rise residential buildings, accompanied by cicadas and air-conditioning units. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Weaving Factory Guangzhou, China

The polyrhythmic musings of a weaving machine in full swing, churning out metre after metre of prime fabric. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Park 19 Lift Guangzhou, China

The lift at Park 19 Art Space, in a warehouse in Taining. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Night in Brilliant City Shanghai, China

Brilliant City (Zhong Yuan Liang Wan Cheng) is a complex of residential high-rises in northern Shanghai. At night people walk to the local shops in their pyjamas while listening to the sounds of cicadas and children's voices reverberating between the skyscrapers. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Yi Er San Si Wu Liu Qi Ba Shanghai, China

At the experimental primary school in Brilliant City (Zhong Yuan Liang Wan Cheng), children start their day on the sports ground performing synchronised gymnastics to the sound of patriotic music and their teacher as an MC. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Broken Glass Shanghai, China

A pair of workers loading glass shards onto a lorry with their shovels at night in central Shanghai. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Typhoon Shanghai, China

A typhoon blowing through the windows of a flat on the 34th floor in Shanghai. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Clothes Workshop Qingyuan, China

A garment factory in Qingyuan. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Greenwich Foot Tunnel London, UK

Opened in 1902, Greenwich Foot Tunnel runs under the river Thames, connecting the Isle of Dogs with the borough of Greenwich. Its rounded diameter and tiled walls give it peculiar acoustics, which are being explored here by children imitating police sirens. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Ball Games London, UK

A group of children from the local Bangladeshi community playing ball games in a side lane off Commercial Street on a Sunday afternoon. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

The Original Magnetic Bracelets London, UK

Market criers touting their wares at Sunday's Petticoat Lane market in East London. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

South Bank Skate Park London, UK

A cavernous space with walls covered in graffiti, the skate park at the South Bank Centre is somewhat reminscent of the sites of prehistoric rituals. In this place, youngsters daily worship the cult of the four wheels attached to a wooden board. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Please Place the Item in the Bagging Area London, UK

Now omnipresent at supermarkets across the UK, at the time automated checkouts were a novelty. I am still fascinated by the cacophony of disembodied female voices giving friendly but firm instructions on how to shop with the help of a machine. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

Flyover London, UK

Under a flyover in East London, the passing cars create interesting rhythms while driving over a joint in the structure. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Undercurrent.

2006

Preacher Eindhoven, Netherlands

He is the sort of loveable eccentric every city should have more of. A preacher of his very own denomination, white hair and beard floating in the wind, roaming the centre of town on his buggy that is decorated with spiritual slogans while offering blessings and advice to anyone happy to listen. This recording is a blessing in a made-up language, delivered personally to me.

Filming in the Rain London, UK

A film crew on Toynbee Street in East London is surprised by a thunder- and hailstorm descending from out of nowhere on a mild September night.

2007

Rural Night Life Straden, Austria

A peaceful late summer night in the village of Straden: crickets chirping, leaves blowing in the wind, bells tinkling and the churchbell rings, while my dad is snoring contently in the background.

2008

Blind Busker Bangkok, Thailand

A blind woman sitting by a busy road with a microphone and a tambourine. She was mostly ignored by the few passersby, but I found the whole scene and her song incredibly poetic. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Surface.

Public Announcement Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi's streets are lined with megaphones broadcasting announcements by the government to its people at the same time every day. This one, warning of the dangers of illegal fireworks, has been recorded at an outdoor cafe. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Surface.

Internet Cafe Hanoi, Vietnam

Youngsters playing games at a late-night internet cafe in Hanoi's old town. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Surface.

Streetcriers Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi's streetcriers are nocturnal creatures who traverse the streets of the old town on their bicycles following seemingly random patterns, each one of them having a unique song advertising the wares they sell. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Surface.

Workers + Tourists Hanoi, Vietnam

While a pair of workers carry sand into a building site, a group of drunk tourists are trying to find their way back to their hotel after the 11:30 pm bar curfew in Hanoi's old town. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Surface.

Tropical Storm Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The daily tropical storm, here with some particularly fierce thunderbolts, recorded at Central Market. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Surface.

Sugar Cane Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Accompanied by relentless Taiwanese eurodance, the recorded voice stoically continues to repeat its promotion of sugar cane juice at this stall close to the defunct Ciaotou Sugar Refinery. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Surface.

Gong Yuan Lu Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Gong Yuan Lu is a street lined with small shops dripping in motor oil, where parts of engines and other industrial equipment get recycled and resold. As part of the rebranding of Kaohsiung, all of these shops will be closed by June 2008 and razed to make way for a new park. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Surface.

Island Leisure Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Evening on Chichin island: an elder gentleman is enjoying a bit of karaoke, while a couple of teenagers play a basketball arcade game, which seems to be particularly popular in Taiwan. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Surface.

Childhood Photos Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Mum and auntie are posing for photos with their children on Chichin island. It takes a few attempts to get the perfect shot. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Surface.

Balloons Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Balloons being filled with air, to be used in one of the shoot-em up stalls at RueiFeng night market. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Surface.

Numa Numa Kaohsiung, Taiwan

The song Dragistea Din Tei (also known as the Numa Numa song) by Moldovan pop group O-Zone was a hit in Europe in 2003-04 and then took East Asia by storm in 2006. At RueiFeng night market, a couple of arcade machines play a 4-bit version of the song simultaneously but hopelessly out of sync with each other, and the whole thing descends into a dissonant soup of ghastly beeps at odds with each other. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Surface.

Arcade Game Kaohsiung, Taiwan

One of the many arcade games at RueiFeng night market. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Surface.

Pop Song Shoot-Em Up Kaohsiung, Taiwan

An arcade game at RueiFeng night market with glorious 4-bit sound. It's a kind of pinball machine, where one appears to be shooting down pop songs, as everytime you score a hit, the currently playing melody is interrupted by a bomb sound effect. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Surface.

Pest Control Kaohsiung, Taiwan

5 am at Han-Hsien International Hotel and the pest control man is spraying the lobby with chemicals designed to kill the numerous mosquitoes that tend to congregate in there. Quite a different sound to the player piano that usually plagues the soundscape in the evening. Recorded for the D-Fuse project Surface.

Homeless Assistance New York, USA

A representative of Homeless Assistance offers help to homeless people on a New York subway train.