This project began immediately after I completed Volume 2 of Quiet Streets. At the start of 2023, I had just acquired the Schoeps 3D Surround set, an eight-channel ORTF configuration praised by many professionals for its spatial accuracy. It effectively captures four ORTF pairs: one conventional horizontal quad and an additional elevated quad that provides vertical differentiation. In practice, this rig delivers a level of immersion that is very hard to match.
Quiet Streets 2 was entirely stereo, while Quiet Streets 1 combined stereo and quad. Naturally, I felt the absence of true multichannel depth in the second volume. Although my original plan for the Schoeps system was to focus on nature ambiences, I quickly realised it made sense to capture urban environments during my travels as well.
In 2023, after purchasing the rig, I travelled to Germany to pick it up in person. I simply did not trust any shipping method for such a delicate and valuable setup. It proved to be a good decision, not only did I secure the equipment safely, but it gave me a rare chance to record in Europe and spend time with family, something I rarely manage to do.
It was February, still deep winter. Coming from the tropics, I was struck by how profoundly cold weather transforms the acoustic landscape. Snow behaves both as a dampening material and a reflective surface, making sound crisper and less cluttered. Higher frequencies travel farther. The entire environment resonates differently. It reminded me how much I sometimes miss winter and its unique sonic qualities.
I explored streets in Germany, France, and the UK. The cold hit me harder than expected; after several years in semi-tropical climates, my body had forgotten how to cope with freezing temperatures, despite the fact that I once lived in places where it reached minus forty. I eventually fell seriously ill. Still, I continued the journey, and by the time I reached Naples, in terrible shape, I forced myself to rest for two days before heading back out to record. The city’s narrow lanes and ancient stone structures create exceptional sonic conditions. Elevated pedestrian paths and stone everywhere give its soundscape a distinctive character
After returning to Malaysia, I continued recording across Asia: Bangkok, Hong Kong, and New Delhi. I often woke up extremely early to capture the quietest moment of each city, a rare window of urban stillness. I also hunted for locations that offered natural pockets of calm. Since Volume 1, this has been the core intention of the project: to capture genuine urban repose and create strong, neutral soundbeds for films. When I worked on a movie in 2015, I realised how challenging it was to find ambiences that truly matched a scene, especially quiet ones that glue dialogue together, essentially outdoor room tones. The libraries available at the time offered very few suitable options, so I committed to building my own.
In 2024, I had to travel to Canada for administrative reasons. Long-haul flights are something I strongly dislike. But I used the opportunity to expand the project further. By passing through Japan and the USA, I was able to gather ambiences from completely different cultural environments, each offering unique perspectives and textures.
Looking back, I am proud of how all these recordings come together as a coherent whole. Quiet Streets Volume 3 offers a wide spectrum of ambiences, spanning continents yet united by a common intention: capturing authentic moments of quiet in our busy world. And for the first time, the series is presented entirely in an ultra-immersive multichannel format, elevating the experience far beyond the earlier volumes.
The project was shaped by a deep awareness of environmental impact. Every recording session was thoughtfully integrated into existing travels, minimizing unnecessary trips while allowing for a slow, intentional approach to sound gathering. More on this approach can be found in this blog post.
You can learn more about the library Quiet Streets 3(d) and get all the specifications and file list on the library page on Articulated Sounds.
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