Based on the recordings of motor vehicles made in the 1960s by ORTF (Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française), to provide sound effects for it's radio dramas, this 3-CD box set, co-published with Radio France, is one of a kind. It faithfully captures the evolution of the automotive soundscape and brings back to life the mechanical melodies of a forgotten past. It allows us to rediscover the sounds of another century, from the horns of the famous Taxis de la Marne to the roar of the 1918 Cadillac Series 57 and a 1946 Jeep, to the clatter of the legendary 4L. The 16-page booklet is written with passion and precision by Bruno Guermonprez. The perfect tool for audiovisual productions, documentaries, or sound creations seeking to recreate the authentic atmosphere of an era. -Patrick Frémeaux

One of the most spectacular water bird sanctuaries of the world - the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary which was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1985 - can be found in between Jaipur and Agra, less than 200 km south of India's capital New Delhi. Consisting of lakes, marshes, thickets, scrub, and dry savannah, the Sanctuary provides a singular opportunity to observe a huge variety of birdlife. The number of birds to be found in winter - the season when the recordings on this CD were made - is, in fact, so large that it is almost impossible to single out any particular species. What presents itself to the visitor of the Sanctuary is a big chorus of many, many different voices, with some of them coming to the centre of the stage in especially dramatic moments. The CD "Opera of birds" is a guided soundwalk through the Sanctuary which provides you with an overview of the most prominent species of birds to be found in Bharatpur in the winter season - and may also be used for a relaxing listening experience.