1. A method for audio signal recognition comprising: performing the following acts on one or more programmed processors: receiving an electronic audio signal, captured in a receiver from a transmission channel or a microphone; transforming the electronic audio signal into signatures based on a multi-axis filtering of the electronic audio signal, the multi-axis filtering comprising comparing a first audio signal value obtained from the electronic audio signal at a first location with values obtained from locations situated along plural axes passing through the first location to provide plural comparisons corresponding to the plural axes, wherein comparing comprises a first comparison of a magnitude value at the first location in a frequency domain with a magnitude value along a frequency axis through the first location, and a second comparison of the magnitude value at the first location with a magnitude value in a frequency domain of an adjacent time segment along a time axis through the first location, where the first and second comparisons comprise a difference or quantized difference, computing a function of the plural comparisons by a sum or weighted sum as filter output for the first location, repeating the multi-axis filtering for locations across the electronic audio signal to provide signatures for corresponding portions of the electronic audio signal; submitting the signatures to a database for matching to recognize the electronic audio signal; searching the database with the submitted signatures to find matching signatures in the database in response with respect to the electronic audio signal, the matching signatures providing content identification; and returning metadata corresponding to the content identification to the receiver.