07/12/2021 0:30-2:30am - Chittaranjan Colony, Kolkata, India, by Sukanta Majumdar
07/12/2021 2:30-4:30am - Chittaranjan Colony, Kolkata, India, by Sukanta Majumdar
7 December 2021
Mace Ojala joined group by link from Group
u
20:01
unosonic
dear list/eners, welcome to this radio.earth session /w live sounds from Chittaranjan Colony, Kolkata, India. Sukanta Majumdar is the maintainer of the open microphone and I'm happy that he has joined this group recently!
20:01
There are several options to listen into Kolkata night:
the original stream from https://locusonus.org/soundmap
/w optional audio comments on https://radio.aporee.org or via our new YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCACKfnwVf7yOqsMYerXl6Jg please give it a try!
SM
20:01
Sukanta Majumdar
Hello everyone
u
20:01
unosonic
btw, Sukanta's stream is on air 24h hours a day on locusons, so please check also during daytime.
20:02
hello Sukanta, nice to have you here!
20:02
It's after midnight, right?
SM
20:02
Sukanta Majumdar
thank you
20:03
yes its 12:32 am now
SA
20:03
Sam Auinger
Hello Sukanta.. thank you for doing this..
u
20:04
unosonic
have to say that Ive been listening for weeks into your neighbourhood at night, sometimes until morning... but it's the first time to hear aircrafts
SM
20:05
Sukanta Majumdar
sometimes there are airplanes, but yes not much
20:05
this area is not under the flight path i guess
20:06
airport is 26 km north east from this place
20:07
this is a cycle rickshaw horn!
u
20:08
unosonic
dogs in the distance, sometimes they are close, seem to stroll around in packs...
SM
20:09
Sukanta Majumdar
yes there are lots of street dogs. there are sometimes fierce dog fights at night!
20:10
winter is just setting in. temp is dropping slightly. so it's really quiet. normally it's much more busy even at this hour
u
20:11
unosonic
what's the temperature about?
20:11
0°C here... (Berlin)
MO
20:12
Mace Ojala
Hi everyone, I'm new here 👋. Nice to listen with you, thank you for the open invitation
SM
20:12
Sukanta Majumdar
haha...i guess it's around 20 degree c here
20:13
and people feel cold. normally it's mostly around 35 degree c and very very humid
u
20:13
unosonic
Welcome Mace! Sukanta, may I quote from one of your emails, which I found remarkable: "Winter is very short in Kolkata, and it's a relief for some time, from unbearable humidity and heat. Most of year the soundscape at night is completely masked under the roar of air conditioners."
SM
20:14
Sukanta Majumdar
in may june it goes to 40 degree c
JG
20:14
John Grzinich
Sounds like Estonian summer. Here it is -25C at the moment. Very still outside
20:15
It helps to imagine a warmer climate
u
20:16
unosonic
So we have the opportunity to listen into a very quiet Kolkata winter night... in Summer times it probably wouldn't work that way.
MO
20:17
Mace Ojala
I'm not sure if there is a rhythm, or if that's my heart
20:19
@unosonic thank you. I came via ZKM channel, and hope to participate in this kind of listening things
SM
20:19
Sukanta Majumdar
no, the subtle sounds are not properly heard. it's its way more busy. you hear lots of people talking. because at night there is breeze at heat is not that much. so people go out, stroll around till late
20:19
In reply to this message
yes there is some music playing somewhere
20:20
coming fro far. this type of sounds are missing in summer because of ac and fan noise
MO
20:21
Mace Ojala
The ubiquitous horns are honking here and there. Scooters? 🛵 Certainly a contemporary sonic element
SM
20:22
Sukanta Majumdar
yes motorbikes mostly, sometimes cars
GS
20:23
Grant Smith
the softness of this soundworld always - where does that come from? if it's the warm air that conveys the sounds? or somewhere down the signal chain..
SM
20:23
Sukanta Majumdar
honking is a habit here, and it actually has become quite painful, particularly in busy time
MO
20:24
Mace Ojala
I have never been to Kalkuta, but my sister has been to India (Kerala at least), and had told me about it
GS
20:24
Grant Smith
even the honks, however, it could be said, have a softened quality
MO
20:24
Mace Ojala
I'm thinking about her
20:24
I haven't seen her for a long time. I miss her
20:25
Looking at the map, Kalkuta and Kerala are so far apart (maybe 1B people living in between), that i do not dare to even think it's "the same place called India"
20:26
In reply to this message
Indeed
SA
20:26
Sam Auinger
are heavy sounds coming from traintracks or some other industries?
MO
20:27
Mace Ojala
Crickets? 🦗🦗
SM
20:28
Sukanta Majumdar
In reply to this message
not sure. maybe the position of the mic? and the reverberation because of the buildings and trees and water body just beside the house? i don't really know
MO
20:29
Mace Ojala
This is very pleasant activity to do after a work day. Thank you for making it happens and for the company
GS
20:30
Grant Smith
is it true that sounds sound harder in cold air?
SM
20:30
Sukanta Majumdar
In reply to this message
train track is about 1.5 km away from the house. there are no industrial sounds around this place
SA
20:30
Sam Auinger
is the softbuzzing sound coming from the streaming box or do we hear electricity at site?
20:31
temperature changes the speed of sound ..colder means lower
SM
20:31
Sukanta Majumdar
no it's coming from the box i think. maybe some grounding issues
SA
20:32
Sam Auinger
its not bad it gives the soundscape a little grainyness
u
20:34
unosonic
I'm surprised how quiet this night is compared to last week. Listening out is immediate, but in a paradox way...
20:35
now I'm really curious how this place sounds in hottest summer... but I've learned that it won't last, right? How long will it be on air?
SM
20:37
Sukanta Majumdar
i'll leave this house this dec. so yes, can't stream from here anymore. will stream from a new place
u
20:38
unosonic
what do you think, will you miss your sonic home?
GS
20:39
Grant Smith
aha! that will be quite shocking
20:39
like when a building is demolished.. leaving a hole
20:40
of course: a 3rd kolkata stream point will be something!
u
20:41
unosonic
guess that was no regular car...
MO
20:42
Mace Ojala
Hehe
JG
20:42
John Grzinich
nice. sounded like a truck horn
20:43
or a train horn?
SA
20:43
Sam Auinger
train horns and car horn
MO
20:43
Mace Ojala
Scales of honkers... 📏
20:43
🦢🦆
20:45
Quite insistant. I have a very visual image of this listening session (completely imagined, i have no idea)
Timo joined group by link from Group
GS
20:48
Grant Smith
sounds like an essay on air
SA
20:48
Sam Auinger
is ther now more activity..freight trains…and signal horns?
GS
20:48
Grant Smith
its compression, displacement, exchanges..
T
20:49
Timo
Just joined. I think this is a great initiative. Something the internet was originally intended for :)
u
20:49
unosonic
In reply to this message
indeed. I've been with these night sounds all October, November until now...
GS
20:49
Grant Smith
and how much is about signals and how much is about expression..
20:50
about public performances with air
SM
20:50
Sukanta Majumdar
In reply to this message
yes I'll actually. 5 years back when i moved to this place, it sounded very loud to me, because where I lived before was different from this one. But then I slowly started listening the life around this place and really loved it. also position of this building is quite unique. houses are very closely built here. but this house has got a playground onn one side, and a pond on the other side and big trees around the pond , which are not easy to get inn the city. I have heard the a huge variety of birds here, and I had no idea that they actually can live in this concrete jungle
GS
20:50
Grant Smith
it's been like a study place for some of us all this time..
SM
20:50
Sukanta Majumdar
In reply to this message
ya, train horns
GS
20:51
Grant Smith
a common room! (ella might say)
u
20:52
unosonic
In reply to this message
and an experiment on radio...
GS
20:52
Grant Smith
learning about acoustic and urban flows..
20:52
In reply to this message
for sure!
MO
20:53
Mace Ojala
In reply to this message
Amen to that
u
20:54
unosonic
In reply to this message
that was my question. I've heard amazing bird's chats early morning, ravens and others
GS
20:54
Grant Smith
gotta go eat - thank you Sukanta @unosonic an all v much
20:54
c u s
u
20:54
unosonic
see you soon!
SM
20:56
Sukanta Majumdar
btw without Grant this stream would not have existed. He initiated this. Thank you Grant!
u
20:57
unosonic
Grant has helped quite some streams to live. @all check http://soundtent.org/soundcamp_reveil.html
21:00
trying to imagine a future soundscape at this place.... more aircon, less cars (during the day)? more or less birds?
SM
21:03
Sukanta Majumdar
more ac for sure... even five years back there were less ac machines around the mic. If the tress survive the birds will. but the kind of cyclones the area is facing regularly in summer, i am not sure how long these big trees will live. cyclones are definitely more frequent than before
u
21:06
unosonic
AC make soundscapes sterile, as concrete does with physical space. we're loosing ground...
MO
21:07
Mace Ojala
The thumping reminds me of navigating the peripheries of Helsinki, looking (or rather: listening) for the rave
21:07
A long time ago. But the memories are animated by this listening. Great
u
21:09
unosonic
radio experience: ... a combination of space and medium becomes audible. The attentive listener enters into the geography of a radio space whose dimension and geometry are rooted in the physical, concrete reality, but which, at the moment of perception, also penetrates other regions of the consciousness. In the ancient notion of aether as a substance filling the universe, it transforms the stifling void of universal space into a continuum of closeness and proximity... these qualities become perceptible as the presence and coincidence of distant places, woven into the hissing of the radio...
MH
21:10
Michiel Huijsman
Very poetic!
u
21:11
unosonic
thx... copied it from a text I've wrote years ago, about a radio listening session... remindedme on these sounds now. btw I loved to listen to All India Radio on shortwave years ago...
MH
21:13
Michiel Huijsman
Mysterious rumbling from afar…
21:14
And barking of course
u
21:14
unosonic
maybe city cleaning services?
MH
21:15
Michiel Huijsman
It seems like a mix of honking, howling, baking, beeping and a rave of sorts
SA
21:18
Sam Auinger
some heavy machines are working
maybe all relatet to the train buisness?
u
21:18
unosonic
I wonder what we can learn from listening out into the air. That's one of the questions of radio.earth... /w focus on natures...
21:19
to me it sound more like distant music and party
SM
21:20
Sukanta Majumdar
In reply to this message
could be
SA
21:20
Sam Auinger
maybe experiencing a thinking with the ears ?
SM
21:21
Sukanta Majumdar
it is a distant music coming from some party. could be wedding
u
21:22
unosonic
Sukanta, do we have wind at the moment?
SM
21:23
Sukanta Majumdar
no its very still
SA
21:23
Sam Auinger
without the animal sounds(birds) the direct surrounding of the mike seems to be at rest
u
21:23
unosonic
yes, I wonder where the ravens are...
MH
21:24
Michiel Huijsman
Ah a train!
21:24
Or not, a truck
21:24
Was that a monkey?
u
21:25
unosonic
an alien spaceship
MO
21:25
Mace Ojala
Greta combo of an airplane and some animal
21:25
*great
21:27
As if a conversation; a negotiation of place and belonging
SM
21:29
Sukanta Majumdar
this is a whistle from the night guard
MH
21:30
Michiel Huijsman
In reply to this message
Wow
MO
21:30
Mace Ojala
What's that?
SM
21:30
Sukanta Majumdar
this man collect little money monthly from the locals and roam around with his whistle
SA
21:30
Sam Auinger
it‘s this the night guard soundsignature ? ..and the beat get‘s prominent
SM
21:31
Sukanta Majumdar
yes this typical whistle is the signature sound
u
21:32
unosonic
interesting. someone's taking care for you at night, and keeps you sleeping when his sounds makes it into your dreams
MO
21:32
Mace Ojala
Oh a human
u
21:33
unosonic
is it a rather safe place?
MO
21:33
Mace Ojala
... And if you don't pay the night guard...
SM
21:35
Sukanta Majumdar
yes it is safe. i have not heard cases about stealing or snatching or robbery in this area
21:37
but this is kind of habit of people, they like to get someone who roam around all night with his whistle. now this man carries only a stick to save himself from angry dogs! if something serious happen he won't be able to do anything. but at least he got a job, that's important
21:38
In reply to this message
it's like 50 rupees per month per house. it's literally nothing. everyone pays, i guess
u
21:39
unosonic
nice, that makes a connection.
MH
21:39
Michiel Huijsman
In reply to this message
As if he is imitating the sound of singing Gibbons!
MO
21:40
Mace Ojala
In reply to this message
Ah thanks
u
21:42
unosonic
well... that was a network drop, and radio aporee took over... ;)
MH
21:43
Michiel Huijsman
Still on on Locus Sonus
SA
21:43
Sam Auinger
do there have more buisnesses or services a signiture sound like I have experienced in mexico city..from water ro garbage ?
SM
21:44
Sukanta Majumdar
yes, quite a variety
21:44
garbage man in the morning has a sound, a whistle of different kind
21:46
then the street vendors, many of them have unique voices and some make nice sounds
21:46
like one comes to repair locks. and he makes nice sounds with bunch of keys
SA
21:47
Sam Auinger
this type of communication still works when many people are in the open or have be connected to the open
SM
21:48
Sukanta Majumdar
yes true.
21:50
and cheap technology also took some place. now many vendors come with pre recorded voice overs, and play with cheap systems...very unique sound
MH
21:50
Michiel Huijsman
@unosonic a crow!
u
21:51
unosonic
there will be more later ! ;) btw, poor Sukanta, you must be tired... thanks for hanging out with us!
SM
21:52
Sukanta Majumdar
i am enjoying this thoroughly :)
SA
21:52
Sam Auinger
yes Sukanta, thanxs for all the infos and insights
MH
21:53
Michiel Huijsman
Yes Sukanta, thank you for your stream and all your explanations!
u
21:53
unosonic
In reply to this message
🙏🏼
SM
21:53
Sukanta Majumdar
thank you for organising this
u
21:54
unosonic
there are quite some mobile microphone units around, so we will hear more in future. John and Michiel are next...
SM
21:54
Sukanta Majumdar
thank you all for listening so carefully. I appreciate
21:55
looking forward
MO
21:55
Mace Ojala
Thank you! ~👂
u
21:56
unosonic
I've shipped 2 mics to south america, they are now in Montevideo, hope to hear from them soon...
21:56
Peter Cusack and I we're preparing a few more
MH
21:56
Michiel Huijsman
In reply to this message
👌
u
21:56
unosonic
btw, where is Peter...?
21:58
Sukanta what mics / computer does this stream run on?
21:59
they're coming!
MO
22:00
Mace Ojala
Lovely birds
22:00
In reply to this message
Maybe... in Monteaudio xaxaxa
22:00
(sorry)
SM
22:00
Sukanta Majumdar
I made the mics with some cheap electret condenser capsules. now they are connected to a zoom h4 and the output of zoom going to a pi
22:01
sometimes i connect the mics to a small pre amp circuit and then to pi
JY
22:02
Joseph Young
In reply to this message
👂🏽👂🏼👏🏼👏🏽
u
22:02
unosonic
I see. If you have a chance, try PUI AOM 5024 HDR ... cheap & great capsules, low noise, robust etc. If you can't get them, let me know...
SM
22:04
Sukanta Majumdar
ok good to know. will check. thank you, i'll let you know if i don't get them here
SA
22:06
Sam Auinger
it is again a pleasure to listen together and to exchange in the chat..this gets more and more interesting to me…thanky to everybody and good night
u
22:07
unosonic
see you Sam!
MH
22:07
Michiel Huijsman
Sam, good night and hope to meet again soon
u
22:10
unosonic
Listening out into the night affects the body somehow, changes its borders. I think from a philosophical perspective listening has always been sort of contaminated. That's a chance ...
22:11
somewhen inbetween that drumming has stopped.
22:12
Wonder if there are frogs in that artificial pond near by your house?
SM
22:13
Sukanta Majumdar
there are. are the playground is full of frogs in rainy season, you get to hear amazing chorus in the night after heavy rain
MH
22:14
Michiel Huijsman
That sounded like a very low flight
SM
22:14
Sukanta Majumdar
the pond is natural. this part of the city is not very old. it was just full of water, marsh lands
u
22:15
unosonic
really? it looks like a bassin, from what I've seen on a foto
SM
22:15
Sukanta Majumdar
for last 70-80 years city has grown
u
22:16
unosonic
In reply to this message
d you have made recordings?
SM
22:16
Sukanta Majumdar
yes, they build houses around it, filled part of it to get more land
22:17
In reply to this message
i should have
22:17
i'll check
u
22:17
unosonic
if so, pls upload to aporee maps!
SM
22:17
Sukanta Majumdar
ok sure
22:19
there are fish, snakes, frogs in that water
22:20
first crow!
MH
22:21
Michiel Huijsman
Ok now the crows are set loose
u
22:21
unosonic
In reply to this message
French philosopher Bruno Latour wrote: "It is no longer a past lost forever that makes us cry with misery, but the soil that disappears before our eyes [...] This is the most radical effect of the new climatic conditions: The climate crisis, the general extinction of species, the sterilization of landscapes are driving us crazy."
MO
22:21
Mace Ojala
What are they doing this time of the night, it's like 3 there right?
MH
22:22
Michiel Huijsman
Talking to each other?
u
22:22
unosonic
It's easier when it's quiet.
MO
22:22
Mace Ojala
In reply to this message
Wisdom
SM
22:24
Sukanta Majumdar
In reply to this message
so true! and ponds disappear in this city almost overnight because of the building promoters! there are thousands of cases like this
u
22:30
unosonic
It may sound silly, but that's a reason why I love (not only artistic) practices which incorporate walking, listening, doing almost nothing. That's also an idea behind radio.earth... let's see how that develops.
MH
22:30
Michiel Huijsman
The crows have a different conversation than those over here in Amsterdam, says Renate
SM
22:34
Sukanta Majumdar
I should go now and get some sleep. Udo, thank you doing this. This is really nice to listen together and talk about it.
u
22:34
unosonic
thanks a lot for beeing here! good night and let's talk soon!
SM
22:35
Sukanta Majumdar
yes, talk soon. good night everyone
MH
22:35
Michiel Huijsman
Good night and sleep well
MO
22:37
Mace Ojala
Thank you so much
22:38
I hope to hear more like this 🎧
MH
22:42
Michiel Huijsman
Listening through these conversing crows to distant sounds, very mysterious rumblings
u
22:43
unosonic
the ones listening on youtube, radio aporee or radio.earth website: seems we have some network dropouts. you can always check Sukanta's stream at http://locus.creacast.com:9001/kolkata_chittaranjan_colony.mp3
MH
22:46
Michiel Huijsman
Some higher pitched birds joined the conversation
u
22:48
unosonic
it becomes really nice around around midnight. at about 0:30 (5pm Kolkata) you can hear muslim player calls in the distance
MH
22:50
Michiel Huijsman
Prayer calls you mean?
u
22:51
unosonic
oh. yes, prayer calls...
MH
22:58
Michiel Huijsman
I think i will not stay awake till then, very tired. It was amazing listening tonight! Good night everybody
u
23:00
unosonic
good night!