\n<\/p>\n
These sound-studies highlights of the week originally appeared in the March 12, 2025, issue of the Disquiet.com weekly email newsletter,\u00a0This Week in Sound<\/a>. This Week in Sound is the best way I\u2019ve found to process material I come across. Your support provides resources and encouragement. Most issues are free. A weekly\u00a0annotated ambient-music mixtape\u00a0is for\u00a0paid subscribers. Thanks.<\/p>\n \u25b0\u00a0NINJA STARS:<\/strong>\u00a0Tokyo is home to a \u201csilent theft\u201d event\u00a0\u2014 called \u201c\u76d7-TOH-\u201d \u2014 \u201cchallenging participants to take home products without making a single sound.\u201d Per coverage in\u00a0Tokyo Weekender<\/a>: \u201cThe rules are simple yet nerve-wracking: enter the venue, select items you want to take home, and leave without making any sound. The venue is equipped with over 200 highly sensitive microphones that catch even the slightest noise. Make a sound, and your \u2018theft\u2019 attempt is immediately terminated. Each participant or group has just 60 seconds to complete their silent mission. \u2026 What makes \u76d7-TOH- particularly fascinating is how\u00a0it transforms the concept of \u2018stealing\u2019 into a legitimate, rule-bound challenge<\/strong>. The event\u2019s disclaimer specifically notes that it \u2018does not promote or condone criminal activities\u2019 \u2014 rather, it creates a uniquely Japanese blend of tension, skill, and reward.\u201d<\/p>\n \u25b0\u00a0POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT:<\/strong>\u00a0The noise of construction may be diminishing thanks to technological advances, per Feargus O\u2019Sullivan of Bloomberg: \u201cA wave of electrification is sweeping the construction industry<\/a><\/strong>, fueled not just by environmental concerns and tightening pollution mandates but also by demands for machinery that is less disruptive than the diesel-powered standard. The transition from fossil fuel to electricity is notably less discussed for backhoes, wheel loaders and forklifts than it is for passenger vehicles, but it is one that could make a real difference in creating cleaner, quieter cities and a healthier environment for workers and residents alike. That in turn stands to deliver other positive effects, easing public resistance to noisy construction projects and potentially paving the way for less costly development.\u201d<\/p>\n \u25b0<\/strong>\u00a0DULY NOTED:<\/strong>\u00a0The New York Times pays attention to an underknown, and under appreciated, role in the classical music industry, that of the music editor: \u201cLike a page-turner for a pianist or a sheet music librarian, music editor is the kind of job that only the\u00a0idiosyncratic structures of classical music can produce<\/a>. It requires an extremely high aptitude with all aspects of notated music, an understanding of the intricate layers of this literate, visual tradition \u2014 not just of notes on a page, but also of how\u00a0minute cosmetic changes to their appearance might fundamentally alter how those notes sound<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 and a strong working knowledge of all the strands of music-making that have sought to expand, critique and dismantle notational systems over the past century.\u201d<\/p>\n \u25b0<\/strong>\u00a0GRACE NOTES: (1) Bed Time:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cIf a teen under 16 is still using the app after 10PM, TikTok will interrupt their feed with a full-screen \u2018wind down\u2019 reminder, which will play \u2018calming music to help teens relax<\/a>\u00a0and be mindful of the time.\u2019\u201d \u25b0\u00a0(2) Beak Up:<\/strong>\u00a0There\u2019s an\u00a0illustrated guide to identifying how birds chatter<\/a>. It\u2019s by Becca Rowland and due out June 24. \u2026\u00a0(3) Music of Changes:\u00a0<\/strong>And the book may eventually need an update, as research shows\u00a0\u201cbirds can change their tunes as their populations evolve.<\/a>\u201d \u25b0\u00a0(4)<\/strong>\u00a0Screen Time:<\/strong>\u00a0Apparently pets like\u00a0Flow<\/em>, the animated movie that won the Oscar: \u201cMatiss Kaza, who produced and co-wrote the film, said in an email that he suspects that it\u2019s the\u00a0real animal sounds<\/a>\u00a0used in production that attract the attention of our domesticated friends.\u201d\u00a0(5)<\/strong>\u00a0Ear Ring:<\/strong>New AirPod Pros are likely\u00a0three months away<\/a>, reportedly promising heart rate monitoring and better noise cancellation \u2014 with cameras, perhaps, down the road in a future version.\u00a0\u25b0 (6) Welcome Home:<\/strong>\u00a0And Apple may be developing\u00a0its own doorbell<\/a>.\u00a0\u25b0\u00a0<\/strong>And the next Apple mouse may\u00a0take dictation<\/a>. \u25b0\u00a0(7)<\/strong>\u00a0Water World:<\/strong>\u201cScientists have made a groundbreaking discovery about the origins of the human outer ear, revealing that this\u00a0distinctive mammalian feature<\/a>\u00a0evolved from an unexpected source: fish gills.\u201d \u25b0\u00a0(8) Like a Prayer:<\/strong>\u00a0There\u2019s discussion ongoing as to whether laws in India forbidding street preachers and loudspeakers are\u00a0fighting noise pollution or religious activites<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u25b0<\/strong>\u00a0Credit Due:<\/strong>\u00a0Thanks, Michael Rhode, for the music editor piece and the birdsong book, and Rich Pettus for the bird song research piece and the gill piece.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" These sound-studies highlights of the week originally appeared in the March 12, 2025, issue of the Disquiet.com weekly email newsletter,\u00a0This Week in Sound. This Week in Sound is the best way I\u2019ve found to process material I come across. Your support provides resources and encouragement. Most issues are free. A weekly\u00a0annotated ambient-music mixtape\u00a0is for\u00a0paid subscribers. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12031],"tags":[14262,6653,2656,10349,1619],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-130925","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ambient-music","tag-disquiet","tag-silent","tag-sound","tag-theft","tag-week"],"yoast_head":"\n