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Before you judge me just know I identify as an archivist and I would never share any of these raw files, they’re purely for my ears only. According to my sources, (the voices in my head) one day I’m going to make a film or write a book or record an album. The voices haven’t told me which one. But I figure these recordings will serve as inspiration for all of the above and I’m convinced I’ll need them one day to write realistic dialogue or sample in some coded way that only I will understand. It’s never anything too salacious either, there’s just a certain magic to how candidly people speak when they don’t know they’re being recorded. Whether it’s a young couple breaking up on the subway platform, a life changing DJ set I’ll never hear again, or another painfully awkward phone call from my Dad after he’s had too many beers. I feel compelled to archive it all. My lawyer suggested I not speak on it any further but for what it’s worth New York is a one-party consent state which means most of these are totally legal and permissible in a court of law.
Related Recs
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For yourself and/or loved ones! Forever ago my grandpa recorded himself introducing and telling stories in between a marimba set in our native language (mayan dialect). Though I was never taught the language, my dad always goes back to it and though i don’t understand it, it’s just warm to hear him talking and laughing again.
I’ve recently started doing something similar and it’s felt so therapeutic and fun to do! It’s like a diary and great at capturing me at this point in time. The first one i made was for a girl (put it on a cd and everything for her bc idk physical media is so cool and permanent but also easily broken/trashed in case she ever wants to get rid of it) but since then theyve all just been for me. Still need to edit together the last two recordings but I highly recommend recording yourself for you!
Mar 28, 2024
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maybe you had an idea, maybe you didn't. maybe it'll spark a new one, maybe it won't. maybe you'll want to delete it, maybe you'll want to keep it forever. but it's worth checking exactly what you were saying or singing or listening to someone else say in that "22-02-18 - city centre" file. just in case.
Jan 23, 2024
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I do field recordings on my phone voice memo app. It’s the easiest way as your phone is always on you anyway. I started doing it to create soundscapes to potentially put behind poems but now I do it in the same way you might take a photo: because the moment was so beautiful you wanted to capture it. My favourite field recording was the Dawn chorus in the very early morning the day of a funeral. I discovered that she died while listening to the Dawn chorus, so it felt extra special.
Jan 1, 2025
Top Recs from @bianca
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I think we’re all familiar with that nagging aching back pain from hunching over a laptop in the dark for hours on end. Other than massages which can get pricey and having a bathtub big enough to soak in, which is considered a privilege in this city, this is the next best method of keeping chronic back pain under control. I like to roll all the way down to my lower back and hold my legs straight up. Foam rolling and/or just lying on the floor instead of in bed or on the couch is my most preferred way of scrolling, whether it’s for doom or pleasure. There’s also levels of hardness you can move up once the smooth foam no longer hurts good enough. I think I’m ready for an upgrade.
Dec 6, 2022
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I’m not going to lie, I used to be the type to cringe at adults whose beds were covered in stuffed animals and still do believe there should be a cut off but I just recently began growing my family of plushies and it’s really upgraded my lounging time, of which there is a lot of. Sometimes I’m not sure what my overall aesthetic is or how I want my home to look but I think it’s somewhere between Korean minimalism and straight up age regressed paradise. I’m unashamed of the joy it brings me to walk into a store, suddenly come across a plushie I feel drawn to and bring it home with a newfound name/personality. My first one was a four foot teddy bear handed down to me by a follower after I posted how much I wanted a giant teddy bear. Shout out to them. His name is Genji, named after Murasaki Shikibu’s “The Tale of Genji”: a classic work of Japanese literature written in the early 11th century centered on the life and loves of a handsome son born to an Emperor. Then, I have a Harbour seal who’s name I forgot so I renamed him Melvin, a grey bunny named Roger and a pink squishmallow named Martha May Vicky Christina Barcelona. I don’t know why they’re mostly male so don’t ask me. I look forward to extending this family.
Dec 6, 2022
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The argument could be made that I’ve become dependent on these but as someone who suffers from chronic congestion, it’s either this or a rhinoplasty. I love the ones with a keychain attached. I like to hang it off my index finger and spin it around so it doubles as an accessory and fidget toy. My goal is to make this the new it product for club goers and hopefully a brand endorsement from VICKS. Only baddies with congestion and a craving for ketamine can pull it off.
Dec 6, 2022