Buzz
After delving into collections of historical and extraordinary audio clips, we now present a curated list of eerie recordings. Each entry captures unsettling themes or sounds that are bound to send chills down your spine. If you believe we’ve missed any, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.
10. Cold Song
Klaus Nomi, previously featured in a list of bizarre videos, earns a spot here for a standout performance. Renowned for his eccentric stage presence, dramatic makeup, unique costumes, and a distinctive hairstyle that highlighted his receding hairline, Nomi left a lasting impression. At 39, in 1983, he became one of the earliest celebrities to succumb to AIDS. As his health declined, he transitioned from his iconic plastic tuxedo to baroque attire, focusing on opera. This video captures a live performance of Purcell’s “Cold,” showcasing the visible impact of his illness. Tragically, Nomi passed away just months after this recording.
9. Santa Claus
This 1922 recording by Thomas Edison features Harry E. Humphrey and was created to bring Christmas cheer to owners of Edison’s phonograph. Ironically, it’s quite unsettling. As a child, hearing this might have ruined Christmas for me forever—especially that laugh!
8. First Recording
Previously, we featured the “first recording,” but an even earlier one has since been discovered. This recording, made in 1860 by Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville using his phonautograph, was only recently playable thanks to modern technology. Initially thought to capture a woman singing “Au clair de la lune,” it’s now believed to be the inventor’s own voice when played at a slower speed. What makes this eerie is its historical context: recorded during the era of President James Buchanan, Emperor Napoleon III, and the publication of Dickens’ Great Expectations. It’s a haunting glimpse into a world we can only imagine.
7. Alien Speech
Do you believe in extraterrestrial life? If so, this audio from Cassini’s flyby of Saturn, capturing radio and plasma waves, will intrigue you. Listen closely to hear what some interpret as alien speech.
6. Jupiter Sounds
This isn’t a clip from a sci-fi movie—it’s a real digital representation of the radio waves emitted by Jupiter. The video explains: “The interplay of charged electromagnetic particles from the solar wind and Jupiter’s magnetosphere creates unique ‘soundscapes.’ Jupiter’s winds reach speeds of 1,000 meters per second, and its magnetic field is 4,000 times stronger than Earth’s, tilted at 11°, causing it to wobble. This wobble accelerates charged particles to tens of thousands of kilometers per second, generating the eerie sounds you hear.” If you’re fascinated, you can also explore recordings of Earth, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, and even a black hole.
5. Pistol Poem
Brion Gysin, a close associate of Beat Generation writer William Burroughs, was known for his avant-garde experiments with sound, text, and visual poetry. In 1960, he recorded his “Pistol Poem” at BBC studios in London, commissioned by the broadcaster. The session was so unsettling that the recording engineer nearly walked out, claiming he sensed an evil presence in the work. The piece, featuring spliced audio and gunshots, was groundbreaking and remains chilling to this day.
4. The Great Beast
Aleister Crowley, an English occultist, writer, mountaineer, poet, yogi, and alleged spy, was a prominent figure in occult groups like the Golden Dawn, A?A?, and Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.). He is best known for his magical works, particularly The Book of the Law, the cornerstone of Thelema. Dubbed “The wickedest man in the world” by the press, Crowley’s rare recording features him reading excerpts from his magickal writings.
3. 911 Call on 9/11
This harrowing 911 call originates from the 105th floor of World Trade Center Building 2 on September 11. The audio speaks volumes on its own, with the final moments being particularly haunting.
2. Missing Cosmonauts
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the space race captivated the world. Among the most attentive listeners were amateur radio operators, including Italian brothers Achille and Giovanni Judica-Cordiglia. Using homemade equipment, they intercepted Soviet space transmissions, recording Laika the dog’s heartbeat aboard Sputnik 2. In 1961, they captured an eerie recording of a woman, possibly a cosmonaut, during a test flight. Her final words in Russian: “Isn’t this dangerous? Talk to me! Our transmission begins now. I feel hot. I can see a flame. Am I going to crash? Yes. I feel hot, I will re-enter…” The audio abruptly ends, leaving a chilling mystery.
1. December 26th Earthquake
On December 26, 2004, the seafloor near Sumatra ruptured, and the full scale of the damage took days to assess. Researchers at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory recently studied underwater audio recordings of the magnitude 9.3 quake. This clip captures the earthquake’s sound as it occurred. Make sure to increase the volume for the full effect.
