Curry Mile 2018Curry Mile is a world famous stretch of road in South Manchester that is shaped by an eclectic mix of cultures from South Asia, the Middle East and England. Its history goes back to the mid-20th century when South Asian immigrant workers, who were working in Manchester’s textile mills, set up curry houses and introduced their cuisine to North England. It has changed over time and is now home to not only curry houses, but also sweet shops, kebab houses, chip shops, Afghan restaurants, shisha bars, night clubs, supermarkets, shoppers, commuters and residents.
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‘Curry Mile 2018’ is a soundscape composition that acts as a detailed exploration of the soundscape ecology of this compact urban environment at a particular point in time. The preliminary research for this piece consisted of soundwalks over a four month period from January to April where field recordings were taken. I considered this process of recording while engaged in deep listening to be part of the act of composing. I was not aiming to explore any abstract concept for this project, instead my deep involvement with a single place facilitated learning of many issues relevant to that environment. These involved traffic congestion due to the introduction of bicycle lanes, changing cultural identity and belonging through different generations of multiple demographics, homelessness, noise pollution, and a lack of biodiversity among others. The act of producing a cultural product concerning an individual place helped facilitate learning about these issues. I hope that many of these are apparent in listening to the piece. It is a cultural artefact that acts to document the unique soundscape of ‘Curry Mile’ at this particular point in time before it inevitable shifts in new ways. I also hoped to encourage local people to engage with and consider their local soundscape after hearing the piece. Coming away from this piece I am aware of how useful soundwalks are as a tool for engaging with one's environment and local culture and society.
Since this piece was composed the net soundscape of Curry Mile has already changed. Continued sound walking through the area has made me aware of how soundscapes are altered with the changing seasons. Some nuanced elements heard in this piece can no longer be heard in real life.
Since this piece was composed the net soundscape of Curry Mile has already changed. Continued sound walking through the area has made me aware of how soundscapes are altered with the changing seasons. Some nuanced elements heard in this piece can no longer be heard in real life.