48 | JULY 21 • 2022 

J

ewish producer, DJ and live 
performer Rebecca Goldberg, 
who specializes in electronic 
and experimental music, has recently 
released a journey of sounds through 
her home state of Michigan and the 
Greater Detroit area.
The release is part of a new proj-
ect for UK-based BBC Radiophonic 
Workshop, which launched an inter-
active audio and visual experience 
called Travel Agency Journeys during 
the COVID-19 pandemic that allows 
listeners to “travel” to destinations 
around the world. From Tehran’s 
Grand Bazaar to a gondola ride in 
Venice, the journeys are entirely 
diverse in nature. Yet for Goldberg, her 
project hones in on Michigan’s best.
The musician and recording artist, 
who is based in Royal Oak and is 
a member of the National Council 
of Jewish Women, included 13 field 
recordings of both cultural and 
personal significance in her Travel 
Agency Journey, which she curated 
herself.
Here’s how Goldberg says the proj-
ect came to life.

HOW DID YOU DISCOVER BBC 
RADIOPHONIC WORKSHOP?
RG: I am a subscriber of a UK-based 
magazine called Electronic Sound. In 
spring 2021, it printed a blurb about 
the New BBC Radiophonic Workshop 
and its Travel Agency program. I got 

very excited when I read that they 
were looking for recordists to submit 
samples of their work to be included. 
I am constantly using field recordings 
in my original productions and am 
familiar with the history of the original 
BBC Radiophonic Workshop and its 
groundbreaking work in experimental 
and electronic music.

HOW LONG DID THE PROJECT 
TAKE TO COMPLETE?
RG: After submitting my sample 
recordings to the Radiophonic 
Workshop in May 2021, they contact-
ed me back asking me to curate a trip 
to Detroit and the Great Lakes. I start-
ed formulating the various location 
ideas and taking the recordings almost 
immediately. I finished my submission 
at the end of July, so three months in 
total. 
 

WHY MICHIGAN LANDMARKS?
RG: As a lifelong resident of Michigan 
and creative ambassador of the area, 
it made sense for me to curate a trip 
based on my home region. Since the 
BBC is based in the UK, it was a great 
opportunity for them to have record-
ings from this part of the world as 
well.
 

HOW DID YOU SELECT YOUR 
LOCATIONS?
RG: I wanted to hone in on some 
areas that sound very familiar to 

ARTS&LIFE
MUSIC

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

COURTESY OF REBECCA GOLDBERG

Rebecca Goldberg’s full 
track list for her journey 
through Detroit and 
Michigan:

1. Belle Isle Beach (Detroit) 
2. Brood X Cicadas At Cherry Hill Nature 
Preserve (Superior Charter Township) 
3. Detroit Zen Center (Hamtramck) 
4. Eastern Market (Detroit) 
5. Honey Bee Market - La Colmena (Detroit) 
6. Kayak to Turnip Rock (Port Austin) 
7. Lake Michigan (Ludington) 
8. Marathon Refinery (Detroit) 
9. Old Presque Isle Lighthouse Bell 
(Presque Isle)
10. Outdoor Warning Siren System (Ferndale) 
11. Rivera Court at the Detroit Institute Of 
Arts (Detroit,)
12. Rollerskating the Dequindre Cut (Detroit) 
13. Tahquamenon Falls (Tahquamenon Falls 
State Park) 

Tahquamenon 
Falls

Rebecca 
Goldberg

DJ and producer Rebecca 
Goldberg releases new project 
for BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

The Sounds of 
Michigan

