By the Zonagirante.com team @spinning zone
Cover art by Zonagirante Studio
We are all migrants
In such a complex world, fraught with political, social, and economic risks, we are all potential migrants. In fact, many of us have already taken the step of leaving our birthplace and, for various reasons, reside in foreign lands, carrying with us our origins, our pasts, and our cultures. In doing so, we confront—sometimes successfully, sometimes painfully—the characteristics of the lands that welcome us. Hating migrants is an act of stupidity and ignorance, typical of those who are unfamiliar with the history of humanity, and probably with their own.
Heraclitus, Bruce Lee, and the flow of change
To speak of contemporary music is to speak of a sonic art nourished by the world's folklores, a combination of nostalgia and modernity, of old instruments and new technology, of ancient stories and reflections of our daily lives. It is to constantly recall Heraclitus, who warned centuries ago that "one cannot step into the same river twice." Neither the water nor the person is the same at two different moments. Nor is the music.
Or, to put it another way, “be like water,” as the wise Bruce Lee taught not so long ago.
So what's the point of all this talk?
The song of birds and human routes
The record label Shika Shika has launched A Guide to the Birdsong of Migration, the fourth volume of his acclaimed series A Guide to the Birdsong. This album, like its predecessors, blends the songs of migratory birds with the voices of artists who have also traveled great distances in search of new homes. Released on all digital platforms, the compilation brings together nine migrant artists from eight countries, including Mas Aya & Lido Pimienta (Canada/Colombia), Valesuchi (Chile), Biomigrant (USA), Diana Gameros (Mexico), Lagartijeando (Argentina) y Terror/Cactus (Argentina). Each track combines field recordings, organic electronics, smooth beats, and atmospheric textures, creating an experience that is both musical and educational. It is as much a sonic journey as an ecological manifesto.
More than an album: a statement
The project, led by Robin Perkins, alias The Owl, It celebrates the connection between nature, music, and movement, reminding us that both birds and humans migrate driven by necessity and hope. Since 2015, the series has raised over $100,000 for bird conservation, surpassed three million streams, and sold over two thousand vinyl records worldwide.
In Perkins' words:
“Music, like the birds on this album, knows no borders. A Guide to the Birdsong of Migration It weaves together stories of travel, hardship, achievement, nostalgia, and belonging; of leaving home, missing it, and creating a new one. Music can convey all of this in ways that words cannot.”.
A Guide to the Birdsong of Migration It's not just a musical compilation: it's a reminder that borders are a recent invention and that, in both nature and art, movement is inevitable. Listening to this album is understanding that migrating isn't fleeing, but reinventing oneself.
