So why do we travel? We travel to see things we have never encountered, to get out there. Sometimes it’s scary when you don’t know what to expect and perhaps that’s where the excitement lies. For me, it’s never really about seeing tourist attractions; it’s about taking a holiday from my everyday routines back home; it’s about being invisible in a sea of people or just watching people walk past. It’s going in search of something and finding something else. It’s roaming around with no destination in mind. It’s taking a holiday from myself. It’s breathing someone else’s air for a change.

Even if that means struggling with 13hr plane rides, unfamiliar languages, 24hr clocks, the waiting and its attendant agony, the not-unknowing, the looking-for-toilets, the fatigue, the sometimes inevitable change in plans, the excitement at that spot in your stomach that hurts so bad, I’m still gonna go. This time, I’m heading to Provence-Budapest-Békéscsaba-Paris so there wouldn’t be any soundscapes for at least 3 weeks. Wish me luck. Maybe sometimes one needs to leave home to find out that everything he needs is already back there.

Strange happenings are underfoot. The leaves rustle and by the time you figure out where the sound is coming from, you turn your head to see a shadow slipping away.

That shadow, in metaphorical and perhaps a little tenuous terms, is my work week in essence. Everyone of us has weeks like that, don’t we? We start the week off fine and by the time we get to Wednesday, we think it’s Tuesday and Thursday as Wednesday and the worst of them all: Thursday as Friday. It’s been a crazy couple of weeks for me and it doesn’t seem to be letting up. I had an epiphany the other day (by epiphany, I mean it’s probably in some drink-induced form) that instead of putting out shitty episodes of soundscapes week after week, I should just come up with a lite version that would buy me some time.

I don’t know why I’m coming up with a whole new monster instead of maybe working harder at the usual soundscapes but here it is: a diet soundscape soundbite where I try to describe snatches of moments I wouldn’t normally notice.

*Regular soundscape episode should return next week…

Travelling in a train looking out the window and watching all the big ass power structures resolutely holding up the colossal blue sky. The sun would be coming up at this point and as I fumble around for my sunglasses, Badly Drawn Boy’s The Shining would start to play. And the butterflies in my stomach would begin to settle down as I fidget a little and think: a smoke would be perfect right about now.

Robert C., La Tour Eiffel, 2007.

Yes, I’ll be gone for a bit so there won’t be any soundscapes for about 3 weeks or so. Apologies to the 4 people who regularly read this!

Matt Biddulph. Buses Taken Out Of Service Across London, 2005.

My sincere apologies to the 4 people who read this site regularly. I’m totally drained this week and don’t have time to do a proper soundscapes episode. If you’ve been around for a while, you’d realise that there’s an episode every week, rain or shine, or if I’m not in the country (I’ve done one each week for the whole of last year, save for that 3 weeks I was away). Trust me, that puritan streak is killing me inside but there’s no point in doing a shitty episode just for the anal-retentive me.

If you’re here already, why not take a look at the archives as well? Ideas and comments are always welcome.

Sorry once again! I’ll try and do a nice one next week but if the week is going to be anything like this one…. no promises!

Photo: sixeyes

Something in the air must have put him in a good mood. The air is crisp but not chilly. He woke up early even though it is his day off today. He was actually planning to laze around but it’s just too beautiful outside. Whistling a tune, he put the kettle on. He knew his routine well enough to know that he has enough time for a quick shower while the water boils. Later, while sipping a cup of tea, he wondered what to do with his day. It’s still early — not even 10— he could do with a spot of breakfast, he thought. He went about his everyday routine, got dressed and headed out.

It’s a weekday so he’s just missed the madness of the morning crowd. The world sure seems to be rousing itself into a good mood. Everyone’s smiling and it’s a beautiful day out, full of hope and promise. Even his ipod is cooperative, playing all the right songs. He couldn’t help humming along. While waiting for the lights to change, he starts to belt out the chorus, such is the infectiousness of the song he’s listening to. He suddenly felt someone’s eyes on him and saw a girl smiling at him from a tour bus. She’s Asian as far as he can tell, with big sunglasses covering most of her face. The bus jolts when the lights change and as it rounds the corner, the girl flashes him a thumbs up and waves goodbye.

Neither could have known that each has just saved the other’s life today.

So I’m late again. Flying through the house I grabbed a tshirt and struggled on a pair of jeans, hurrying through the little routine tasks required to get me out of the house. I ran half the distance to the train station, trying not to trip over myself and muttering to myself whenever I do.

It never used to be like this: I used to be calm and collected, at least more so compared to now. Somehow along the years, something must have unraveled, leaving pieces of me everywhere. I really need to gather all my shit and start again.

It’s cooler in the trains; I hadn’t realised I was perspiring on my way to the station. I settled into a seat and began to catch my breath and put on my do-not-disturb face. Everyone’s got one on in the train — the self-absorbed, slightly annoyed but otherwise completely blank face. I’m on my way to meet some friends for dinner. Usual place, nothing special. An old café that’s been there since forever. It’s just somewhere to be. The scenery outside begin to fly past, all the familiar buildings merge together in a blur; I’ve been taking this train almost daily for as long as I can remember.

It’s different today though. The buildings are still the same, as is the dark tunnel that the train has just entered. A feeling, indistinguishable between anticipation and dread begins to travel from my throat and settle at that pit of of my stomach. Something’s gonna happen. I know it.

Photo: sixeyes

The day has just begun; I can hear it through the window. Groaning, I searched for my mobile and squinted at the tiny display: “Fuck, it’s not even 7a.m! Why is it so noisy outside!?” I tossed and turned a little trying to get comfortable but the noise is just too overwhelming. I guess this is the price you pay to get a hotel room in the centre of town. I sighed and slowly sat up in bed; there’s no sleep to be had now.

I got up slowly trying not to wake the others but I figured they were probably dead to the world if the noise hadn’t woke them already. After a quick shower, I paced around the room for the water to boil. What is there to do at 7 in the morning? Breakfast is not for another 2 hours. The whistling broke my reverie and I absentmindedly made a cup of tea and climbed onto the window ledge overlooking the street, all the time balancing the cup of tea and a cigarette. It’s still early but there’s plenty of activities in the streets. Throngs of people are briskly walking in the drizzle that’s just started. From where I sit, I can see the cobbled streets from afar as trucks come in to deliver their goods, stores are opened and wares are displayed. A line is beginning to form outside the bakery takeout window right opposite my hotel. People sure look weird when you can only see the tops of brightly-coloured umbrellas from a window ledge on the third floor. As sudden as it had began, the rain stopped as the sun begins to peek out of the clouds, no doubt awoken by all the ruckus. And I knew, at the moment, that it’s going to be a great day ahead.

Really, who could have known!? Who would have even suspected that the great Radiohead could have come up with such a gem after Hail To The Thief? I remember waiting breathlessly for the shipment of the limited edition of the 2003 release (perks of working in a record store) and then taking the rest of the day off to soak in its greatness. 4 long years later and nothing’s changed. Except that instead of anxiously waiting for the physical shipment to arrive, I was tapping my fingers impatiently for the magic email with the link to the download (and yes, I paid) and hoping that the broadband connection in the office will not fuck up.

Radiohead – 15 Step (In Rainbows)

Ah, the Arcade Fire. After the crazy success of Funeral, one might well expect AF to fall flat on their faces with their sophomore effort. But not only do they seem more exuberant (It’s hard to believe that it’s even possible in the first place), they just fucking rock! It would have been really high on my list if not for, well, the remaining 4 coming up…

The Arcade Fire – Keep The Car Running (Neon Bible)

Releasing an album so early in the year means that people may well forget all about it as the end of the year draws close. Not so for Bloc Party though. As much as I like the first album, I thought the latest effort seems more focused and well, more rocking. Just try and get past “Song For Clay”!

Bloc Party – Song For Clay (Disappear Here) (A Weekend In The City)