This album is the result of Alan Morse Davies recording the sound of him going through an AM radio when the power was out during a typhoon in Hong Kong.
“Hong Kong AM1” is the first track. First, there is the sound of periodic noise being modulated to different frequencies. After that, a female voice that’s mostly obscured by static comes in briefly while the periodic noise still plays. The voice and static drop out, leaving only the periodic noise. Then, a male voice with static comes in and speaks for a bit. There is the sound of a few clicks. Then, a much clearer voice plays, with only a background din of static. After speaking for a while, he goes silent, then comes back, then goes out again.
A song plays, mostly distinct, which is “World Without Love” by The Beatles. A voice speaks briefly in the middle of the song. Then, the song is interrupted by static. The song comes back briefly, but then another song with a female singer comes in for a short time. Then, there’s only the background din for a bit. A man speaks only a little, and some slight static occurs. Next, a voice with static comes in for a little bit, and is interrupted by periodic noise and static. Two females conversing with each other come in with more static. There is the periodic noise being modulated to various frequencies again, and the sound of tapping.
“Hong Kong AM2” starts with the song “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me” by Gloria Estefan, which plays with a disc jockey coming in speaking in a language I don’t understand (Cantonese?).
“Hong Kong AM3” starts. The sound of periodic noise being modulated plays until a man speaking, mostly obscured by static, comes in. Then, there is a lot of static, with the modulation mostly happening in the background. Indiscernible music plays with the static. Next, a song plays with a little of the static. After that, “Why Shouldn’t I Fall in Love With You” by Cliff Richards plays, with a voice laughing toward the end. There is a station jingle and female voice speaking. Then, there is some static, and a voice speaks with some classical music.
“Hong Kong AM4” begins next. A song with a female singer plays with a male voice speaking over part of it, followed by several beeps, and then some classical music plays and a couple voices speak, and a female voice speaks at length over the background din of static and bits of noise that sound a bit like “knocking”. A man yawns as the woman speaks. There is the sound of string instruments and voices speaking with them. A man not on the radio says something indiscernible and coughs, then laughs. There are commercials on the radio, and the man laughs heartily, and then speaks, saying “Yes!” He says something else, then laughs again. Again, he laughs heartily. This whole time, commercials are playing on the radio. “Argh” says the man, then asks who the fuck did something, and says “Argh, stop!” The track ends.
The final track is “Hong Kong AM5”. Tonal blips and noises play and change in a very fast manner for a bit, and then a song with a woman singing plays, interrupted quite severely by the noise, which gains whirring sounds, and is soon accompanied by a bit of static and periodic noise. The whirring picks up. In the background there is the sound of a door opening. Static interrupts the song a few times a bit, the disc jockey speaks, and a new song begins with a different female singer, with static noises periodically occurring. A man speaks over the song playing briefly. When the song ends, the disc jockey speaks and a woman responds, and then the track cuts out, ending the album.
(https://tqzine.bandcamp.com/album/junk-shop-radio, £1 GBP for digital, £4 GBP for CD)
