The song stems from Alice’s BBC Radio 4 documentary Shifting Soundscapes, in which she revisited three locations audio naturalist Martyn Stewart recorded in approximately 50 years ago, to see how they have changed. One such recording was captured in Bromwich Wood, a small patch of woodland south of Birmingham, where Martyn first fell in love with nature and sound.

Martyn had documented the woods’ rich soundscape in spring 1976. Nearly fifty years later, Alice returned to the same spot to re-record its sound. While some birdsong remained, the landscape had shifted: suburban sprawl, aircraft overhead, and the low hum of roads replaced the vibrant, immersive audio tapestry Martyn once knew.

The resulting song, All We Are, explores this sense of “solastalgia”—the grief of witnessing environmental change in a place you still inhabit, or in Alice’s case, experiencing it secondhand. It’s a reflection on what’s been lost, and a reminder of what still remains.

The song is part of the Sounds Right initiative, which gives nature official artist status on streaming platforms. 50% of the track’s master royalties go directly to frontline conservation efforts worldwide.

Credits:
Song & lyrics – Alice Boyd
Produced & mixed – Liam Evans
Piano – Tom Griffiths
Field recordings – Martyn Stewart (The Listening Planet) & Alice Boyd
Mastered – Katie Tavini
Artwork photography – Caitlin Isobel Warren