In Lagoa, we explored the abandoned Sinaga sugar factory. From a dock near the factory, we recorded the waves surrounding us.

We spent the day at Ponta Delgada, the largest municipality on São Miguel.

In the city centre, we came across a rhythmic vent connected to a laundromat.

At the docks, we listened to the waves crash, accompanied by the intermittent rhythms of cars, trucks, and airplanes.

On a quiet residential street, we recorded the sound of runoff reverberating in a sewer.

Later in the afternoon we visited the calderas at Furnas.

We started our day visiting Chá Gorreana – Europe’s oldest, and only remaining Tea plantation.  The plantation covers 32 acres of land on São Miguel Island (Azores).

We found a spot near the top of the hill looking onto the sea. Tall trees stood on either side. We recorded the sounds surrounding us, and were especially inspired by the sound of the wind blowing through the trees.

Afterward, made our way to the Tea factory. Industrial drones filled the space. We found a listening spot upstairs between two windows where the tea was drying. We recorded the constant hum of the fan and the rhythms that emerged when the wind rattled the windows.

We spent the day at Ribeira Grande, the second largest municipality on São Miguel. We wandered the streets listening to the sounds surrounding us.

It was a particularly windy day, and we were searching for sheltered places to record. Near a small electricity substation, we heard a vent sounding near a wall that shielded the wind. We listened in the corner as the wind and electrical hum sonically merged.

Near a church, we found a ventilation hum that shared a frequency (G) with the bell when it rang. We recorded the sounds of the vent and bells. We are thinking about creating an installation that combines these two sounds.

We then came across a vacant lot, where we listened to the sounds of church bells at 7pm. Perhaps it would be a nice place for an installation. We shall see.

We are at São Miguel Island for an artist residency and symposium called Invisible Places: sound, urbanism and sense of place.