Sounds from around the world

I have become accustomed to pictures from around the world. Even the lush, lovely, well-taken photos from exotic places.

Here is something rarer and more emotionally immediate: well-recorded sounds from around the world. The Quiet American is a collection of raw and remixed sounds by San Francisco traveler and artist Aaron Ximm. We hear extremely processed sound all the time. Like processed food, it gets a little same-y after a while. I find it very satisfying to listen to the short tracks on the Quiet American for the sonic equivalent of fresh brightly colored vegetables and spices. From Nepal, for example, we have the sounds of the forest (mp3) and of a stream high in the Himalayas. Or maybe you fancy the sounds of a Burmese ox cart? Lovely!