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"I chose this sound because it is a particularly well recorded field recording with a wide frequency range providing me a lot of scope with which to play. Whilst listening to it I instantly heard clear and distinct resonant frequencies, and even in places ghost tones produced by the interaction of frequencies. I felt these resonant frequencies (the uniquely experienced result of specific physical objects interacting with each other in a very particular physical space) and ghost tones (which are not ‘really’ there but whose effects are ‘really’ felt) served as an excellent metaphor for Intangible Cultural Heritage. 

"I wanted in my piece simply to pull out and emphasise some of these resonant frequencies and ghost tones whilst maintaining much of the original recording. I did this by sampling very short pieces of the recording and looping them whilst adding reverbs, feedbacks and delays. I also replicated some of the tones using a synth, again looping them and adding reverbs, feedbacks and delays. I allowed these drones to come in to the composition very slowly over the length of the whole piece. I also had a second copy of the original recording to which I applied more reverbs, feedbacks and delays, again mixed to come in slowly over the length of the piece. 

"As the original dry recording is slowly removed from the mix the altered copy is slowly introduced. I wanted the transition to be so slow as to be barely noticeable. If one were to listen only to the end of the piece one may not be able to discern the source, although all the tones are there in the original. Finally, as the drones fade at the end of the piece, all that is left is the residue of the process, the memory of the experience of hearing the bells, which then too fades."

Bruges bells reimagined by CJ Robinson.

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This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights.

Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage