Waterfront by Mirt • Ter

With small exceptions all of these recordings were made around the harbors of the busy Chao Phraya river in central Bangkok. Access to the river is difficult due to extremely dense development, the numerous small piers can only be reached through narrow passages. In the vicinity of the old town there are only a few points where you can freely observe the Chao Phraya waters. The river itself resembles a city it is crossing. Thick as a soup, its waters are being constantly churned by passing longboats, barges, cruise ships, and ferries. Movement of all these units heading in different directions seems to be absolutely chaotic. Looking at all this, you expect a collision at any moment. The bricked-up banks look like a patchwork made with metal piers constantly moved by the waves. They crackle and creak at different volumes and with different timbres. They seem to be some form of a strange, alien organism vocalizing when agitated. First, the sound is abrupt and loud, but then they begin to calm down, making their voices longer and quieter. The piers and flocks of boats move in an organic way. It is easy to imagine you are observing some kind of mechanical fauna. It is a sad, but addictive prospect.

Watch a video about the making of "Waterfront" here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-IyRfVNRH4&ab_channel=Saamleng

Tracklist

1.	Khlong San Pier	3:22

2.	Evening at Tha Tian	4:05

3.	Styrofoam in the Water	6:45

4.	Si Phraya Pier	1:49

5.	Rachawong Pier	5:57

6.	Afternoon at Maha Nak Canal	6:28

7.	Another Evening at Tha Tian	24:52

Credits

released May 6, 2025

Recorded with Sound Device Mixpre3 and Sennheiser MKH8020/MKH8030 mid/side rig.

License