5: Korea War Memorial

The Korean War Memorial is a massive building that sits on the edge of Yongsan Garrison. Children play on the big tanks. The massiveness has a sound. Listen:

4: Arrival in Korea

It's been a full two days now in Korea. It's cold. The food is spicy as all hell. And I'm very happy about that. I think this is a culture I agree with very well. It's nice to be traveling somewhere and the people basically leave you alone. And when you want contact with people, you find they are exceedingly friendly and hospitable.

The sound here is full of jingles and jangles. You can't really escape the cutesy hello kittyness of the culture even if you void out the visuals. This first stab is an attempt to code the culture, finding both rhythm and sinew in the sonic tissue, while the jangles and blabber skims over the surface.

Note: slurping is considered culturally acceptable and, moreover, a sign that the dish is so tasty you eat it in a rush. Listen:

3: Tijuana border crossing

This is revisiting some sound I recorded from the beginning of the trip. Hey, don't give me any grief for posting things out of order. Khronos, after all, is a god of serpentine form with three heads. You can't possibly expect him to be in sync either.

Three sounds: Cables supporting the arch at the entry of the Avenue of the Revolution, Tijuana. A highway outside Naval Station San Diego. The turnstyle at the US Mexico San Ysidro border crossing.




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2: Waikele Ammo Bunker

I spent the morning at these old Navy ammo bunkers. Listen:




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Everything you need...

Gear, originally uploaded by nicksowers.

...for a year around the world.

From left to right: German shoulder bag, Alice frame, pens, minidisc, minidisc player, camera, Tide travel detergent, various medicines, contact microphone, stereo microphone, battery charger, usb cable, bug spray/sun block, bandaids, leatherman, compas, ear buds, collapsible frisbee, cellphone, flashlight, cuba guidebook (yes it works everywhere), Spanish phrasebook (si se puede), thinkpad tablet x61, extra straps.

1: Panama

This is the first Soundscrapers podcast.  As I travel around the world to visit military bases and post-military spaces, I will be collecting audio in 10-20 minute sonic cross-sections.

If you download podcasts on itunes and the like, use the subscribe link to the right. Headphones recommended. Please enjoy.

a mini guide

0:00 Houston Airport

0:30 A sound installation

1:12 Flight 875

1:35 Panama City Airport

2:35 Marketplace

3:34 Bird-natures

4:55 No habla taxi

5:12 Fort Amador, abandoned base

8:16 Deluge

9:07 Steve the pacifist

11:47 Good night

12:50 Valkyrie in the street

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