Nick Gill - The Shipping Forecast - Rockall (2020)

"... Rockall - southwest backing southeast five or six, rough or very rough, occasional rain, good, occasionally poor ..."

Among a certain group of listeners, the 00:48 broadcast of the BBC's Shipping Forecast is a strange nightly ritual. It consists of a series of weather reports and forecasts for the 31 areas of shipping waters around the British Isles.

" ... Forties - variable three or four, smooth or slight, fair, good ..."

Intended, of course, for those on shipping vessels, it’s found a place in the hearts of millions of landlocked listeners, to whom it indicates the end of the day. Its lists of place names and jargon, incomprehensible to the layman, have lulled millions of listeners to sleep over the years.

"... Forth - variable three or four, becoming west five at times, smooth or slight, fair, good ..."

Rockall is the first in a projected series of ambient recordings, intended to reproduce the dreamlike state of the Shipping Forecast, for those of us far from its intended audience.

"... Bailey - southwesterly five to seven, occasionally gale eight, decreasing four at times later, high at first in north, otherwise rough or very rough, showers, good ..."