Exploring new places and travelling, whether it be across the world or just across your city, has been halted with the rise of COVID-19 and the enforcement of self-isolation. But, the artists behind Sound of X have just the solution during these trying times.

Initiated by the Goethe-Institut, a worldwide cultural institution, Sound of X is an international digital project that offers a unique tour of cities all around the world. Using sounds, urban noises and acoustics, artists are able to produce soundscapes that take listeners through an auditory journey through a city.

In the project’s first phase, prior to the pandemic, artists explore and present the musicality of cities across Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia, including Manila, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh and more. 

In the context of our urban environment, sounds can emerge from the ambient noise which, although invisible, hold many things together: the musicality of everyday life and the often ignored soundtrack of a city that reveals or reflects its characteristic social fabric” says Han-Song Hiltmann, Director of the Goethe-Institut Singapore, via a press statement.

Sound of X  features a number of Asian artists such as Singapore’s NADA and Brandon Tay, the Philippines’ Escuri and Malaysia’s Another Universe.

“We want to show the parts of Kuala Lumpur that are often taken for granted and sidelined when it comes to promoting the city,” said Another Universe on their project.

“Urban scape, especially in this modern age, can be seen to play an important role in infusing rhythms physically and musically within our everyday lives,” said Escuri.

Check out their pieces here:

Find out more about Sound of X on Goethe-Institut’s official website.