Martyn Ware's seaside soundscape: a feeling of calm in a manic world

The piece includes conventionally pretty sounds of the coast: the breaking of waves, the drone of a foghorn, the clanging of a ship's bell. But it also features noises from the bucket-and-spade end of the seaside experience – children's excited chatter, a chugging train, a guide on a pirate-themed walk. The musician and producer Martyn Ware has released an 82-minute soundscape inspired by – and comprising – hundreds of clips sent in by members of the public as part of a project called Sounds of Our Shores. Ware, a founder member of the great electronic pop groups The Human League and Heaven 17, is a huge fan of the coast and seaside. "We all love the sounds of waves and sea on the shingle – that's a given, really. I'm really fond of the sound of the rain, too, though that's not to say it's always raining at the British seaside. "I like the bells from yachts in marinas banging in the wind, the distant sound of foghorns. But I'm also fond of the sounds of people just having a lovely, relaxed time with their families on the beach." Ware grew up in Sheffield and his first memories of the sea are trips to Skegness, Cleethorpes or Scarborough. "Those days were a genuine joy." The project was part of the National Trust's yearlong celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of its Neptune Coastline campaign to protect some of the UK's most precious seaside spots. Kate Martin, National Trust area ranger at Formby, Merseyside, said Ware's soundscape – called Sea Inside Us All – might provide a feeling of calm in a manic world. "It stirs so many pleasant memories and feelings and genuinely slowed my pulse and put a smile on my face. "I was transported to many different times of my life, from happy childhood seaside holidays, to foggy days working on the beach at Formby and many more besides." Cheryl Tipp, curator of wildlife and environment sounds at the British Library, said: "Martyn Ware beautifully encapsulates the importance of sound in our nation's relationship with the British coastline. From waves and wildlife to amusements and industry, these sounds represent the many aspects of the coast that we hold dear."