Moving to a new city often means discovering a new soundscape. For artist Ian, relocating to Pasadena brought a fresh awareness of the subtle yet pervasive sounds of urban life, particularly the hum of Street Lights at dusk. This experience became the inspiration for his album, “Can You Hear The Streetlights Glow?”, a deep dive into the often-overlooked sonic details of city environments.
Inspired by the mercury-vapor street lights that filled the evening air in Pasadena, the album captures a range of sounds from the city’s infrastructure and hidden corners. Beyond the glow of street lights, Ian noticed the underlying hum of exhaust vents beneath sidewalks, blending with the chirping of crickets and the distant rumble of traffic. This shift from a bustling inner city to a more nuanced environment allowed individual sonic elements to emerge, prompting a focused exploration of his new surroundings.
To capture these urban soundscapes, Ian embarked on nightly walks equipped with specialized recording gear. He utilized geophones and contact microphones to capture vibrations from metal surfaces, and electromagnetic sensors to detect the subtle electrical fields emanating from sidewalk electronics. Microphones were placed in quiet streets, behind commercial areas, and within parking lots, meticulously documenting the hidden sounds often masked by daytime noise. This dedicated process of listening and recording became a way for the artist to understand and connect with his new home.
“Can You Hear The Streetlights Glow?” is a sonic exploration born from these immersive listening experiences. The album features tracks named after specific elements of the urban soundscape, such as “Mercury-vapor Lights” and “Dying Street Light”, alongside other evocative titles like “Sidewalk Grates” and “5G Antenna Power Box”. Each track offers a glimpse into the unique sound textures of Pasadena, transforming everyday urban elements into compelling auditory experiences. This collection invites listeners to tune into the often-unheard symphony of the city, revealing the beauty and complexity within the ordinary sounds around us.
