Shortwave Transmissions launches today
Today is UNESCO World Radio Day, and to celebrate we’re proud to announce the launch of our latest global project, Shortwave Transmissions!
We’ve teamed up with our friends at the Shortwave Radio Archive to present more than 120 incredible recordings covering eight decades of the history of radio – all remixed and reimagined by artists all over the world.
Shortwave radio is one of the most fascinating sonic worlds – capturing vital moments in world history as well as the thrill of pirate radio, clandestine radio stations, secretive number stations and military and spy radio. All of humanity is truly out there to be listened to at the turn of a dial.
The project can be explored in full at https://citiesandmemory.com/shortwave and features:
- Recordings from the mysterious spy radio and “numbers stations” around the world
- Coverage of world-changing events such as 9/11, the invasion of Kuwait, Kennedy’s assassination, Tiananmen Square protests, the death of Fidel Castro and many more
- Rare international recordings from North Korea, Saudi Arabia, St. Helena, the Falkland Islands and Antarctica
- Recordings covering eight decades from 1934 through to the present day
- Space travel documented including the Sputnik, Apollo and Challenger missions
- Recordings of famous voices such as Winston Churchill and King George V
- Station IDs, interval signals and final broadcasts from radio stations
The sounds can be filtered by time period, geographic region or category, allowing you to explore the archive in depth.
To go along with the project, this fantastic accompanying album release collects some of the highlights from the project in one hour-long tour of shortwave, as heard through the collective imagination of artists:
It’s available as free download or pay-what-you-like release on Bandcamp.
Hope you enjoy the project – and happy World Radio Day!
