Pulp star Jarvis Cocker's latest record... birdsong, lapping waves and crunching gravel - VIDEO

THE everyday sounds of daily life at England's National Trust sites might not be the most obvious new material for a musician behind a string of hit records.

But Sheffield's Jarvis Cocker, the former frontman of the band Pulp, has created an album comprising of natural noises including birdsong, crashing waves and wind breezing through a country garden.

Cocker has worked with the National Trust to produce a sedate soundtrack of some of its historic houses and treasures across England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

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The recording, which lasts 33-minutes, takes the listener on an audio journey around Britain from birdsong in the water garden at Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal, in Ripon, North Yorkshire, to the lapping of waves against the shores of Brownsea Island in Dorset to the sounds of gardeners at work in the formal garden at Powis Castle in Powys.

It is hoped the natural sounds will help the listener deal with the constant noise and sounds of technology that hinder relaxation in modern life.

Cocker collated 13 tracks featuring the sounds of National Trust properties for his work National Trust: The Album

Last night Cocker said: "I hope this album is a 'holiday for the ears'.

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"It's not really meant to be listened to intently, like a piece of music, but more as something to have on in the background to aid relaxation or contemplation.

"Plus, you get to visit 13 National Trust properties in the space of 30 minutes. No mean feat."

The singer added: "I hope it has the feel of one continuous journey and conjures up an image in the mind's eye of the places featured. I also hope it could inspire the listeners to then visit the sites for themselves."

The Trust was inspired by research which has revealed 78 per cent of people questioned in Yorkshire and the Humber claim constant audio interruptions makes them distracted and unable to concentrate on a daily basis.

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The average person can be distracted by technology at least 21 times per day – being interrupted by ringing mobile phones or pinging of email alerts.

In contrast 88 per cent of people in Yorkshire and Humberside say they find it easier to think when surrounded by natural sounds such as birdsong and the sea.

The work will be available to download until the end of June.

Yesterday Tony Berry, the visitor experience director of the National Trust, said: "If rock 'n' roll is the sound of the city, this is the sound of the country - it's the ultimate chill-out album.

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"Millions of people come to our places for physical and mental refreshment, and these sounds are an important part of that.

"The release of this album is the first time the sounds of the National Trust have been given their place in the spotlight, and we're hoping it will provide the perfect antidote to the daily interruptions of a busy life.

"When you're having a hectic day, this is a holiday for your head, " he added.

The album also includes:

Footsteps in the Long Gallery at Ham House, Richmond, Surrey.

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Creaking stairs on the grand staircase at Chartwell, Westerham, Kent.

A game of billiards at Upton House, Banbury, Warwickshire.

A music box playing in the nursery at Lanhydrock, Bodmin, Cornwall.

Wind in the clock tower and the sounds of clocks in the hall at Blickling Hall, Norwich, Norfolk.

Children at play at Quarry Bank Mill, Wilmslow, Cheshire.

Patterson's Spade Mill at work in Ballyclare, County Antrim.

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The National Trust cares for over 300 historic houses and gardens, over 700 miles of coastline and over 617,500 acres of land across Britain.

The album can be downloaded for free at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/soundsalbum. It will also be played at Paddington Station and other London locations today to give the public a taste of calm.