A great deal of the worlds population is either on lockdown or living under stress. This are not great times. 2020 has been a real wreck so far. We leave the hose once a day for exercise, are living off what we have in the pantry and generally doing anything we can to entertain ourselves. I keep thinking about how nice it would have been to enjoy this bank holiday weekend in the camper van, but nah, that's all dreaming now. We are still happy though and very happy for peoples efforts against 'Rona'. During these new enforced period of staying at home I came across an amazing website though that I find transports me to wherever in the world I'd like to visit, by RADIO. Radio Garden is a non-profit Dutch radio and digital research project developed from 2013 to 2016, by the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision. I never even knew that I needed this website in my life!
Visit-> Radio.garden 📻
First of all I hit the Middle East for some Arabic vibes. Certainly not something we hear often and instantly made me feel like I was somewhere else, somewhere sunny, somewhere completely different! Alif Alif FM in Jeddah is a banger, lots of local stuff and the occasional western track. Nearby you'll also find some faithful spoken word too...
Then on to India. A country absolutely devoted to Music! Dancing to a bit of Bollywood in the living room and remembering the few months I spent there. An awe inspiring and magical country (most of the time!).
After having a lifelong obsession with the Svalbard Archipelago (have you read His Dark Materials too?) I went to the high Arctic Circle. I'd read about a radio station there, and it's true!! On Arctic Outpost AM 1270 the music is a little outdated, but perhaps that is the point. It's a remote place. It's a bit like someone left some records on repeat from the 40's. Wicked!! Perhaps i'll seek it out should I ever accomplish the dream of visiting the most northerly university in the world, UNIS.
Well we all need a bit of escapism at the moment and I found that this is just the ticket to somewhere else in the world, just for a little while. Try it! See what music and culture you can find. Go back to the country you traveled in and miss so much. It will do wonders for your memories. Also listen and realise that the whole world is in this situation, you'll hear people talking about C19 worldwide. Its a big thing we must get over fast and help to stop the spread.
If you read this and enjoyed it, tell me, what is your local radio station?? 📻
