Shad shared a mix on Soundwave a few years back. Today he shares a mix no less remarkable. His mix explores immersion and isolation.
I’m writing this in the evening from my kitchen table. My patio door is open, and there’s a perfect cool breeze. Shad’s mix is playing in the background, and it feels like an ode to spring. I hope my neighbors are enjoying Shad’s mix as music as I do.
Shad marsh
Shad lives in the mountains of western North Carolina. His radio show 2000 Years of Radio can be heard Sunday mornings on 103.3fm in Asheville, NC, and on the web. You’d be doing yourself a favor if you tuned in.
Shad also shares a poem from William Carlos Williams , which you can find below. How nice is that? I may ask future guest deejays on Soundwave to share poems as well.
Speaking of guest deejays, next week features a mix from Jacob Newman.
I found Melissa while doing a deep dive in Bandcamp for new music to listen to. I spent the day skipping from musician to musician. I’d play a minute or two of a few of their songs. If it didn’t move or interest me, I’d move on to the next artist. I skipped across a lot of songs, and then I came across Melissa. Her music was compelling. I spent the rest of the day listening to her albums.
So of course I invited Melissa to guest deejay on Soundwave.
Melissa Pons
Funny thing. Earlier this week my friend and I were talking about ambient music. He’s a musician and he has strong opinions about his craft. He thinks ambient is nothing but a lot of loops, for example. I told him “My friend, I know.” Yes, that kind of ambient music exists, but that’s not the kind of music that the guest deejays on this show play. I told him how Melissa’s mix makes me smile. Melissa’s mix took me on a journey, and I’d take delight when I found myself in reverie.
I hope you’ll have the same experience when you listen to Melissa’s mix.
Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Shad Marsh.
I met Darren when I asked Soundwave guest deejay Gert De Meester (listen to his mix here), who he thought would share a mix on the show. Gert highly recommended Darren. After listening to a couple of Darren’s albums, I couldn’t agree with Gert more, and I reached out to Darren, who delivered today’s fantastic show.
I’m fond of today’s show because I listened to it while working from home earlier this week. It was a rare rainy San Diego, and while the rain pelted my rood and windows and the wind shook the palm trees, Darren’s mix played in the background, making it a magical day.
Darren McClure
Before I get out of Dodge, Gert is releasing his new Distant Fires Burning album, Inperspectycon Vol.2 Wednesday, April 6. I’ve been listening to the preview tracks, and Inperspectycon Vol.2 is quite the musical journey. I encourage you to give his preview tracks yourself and maybe pre-order his album.
Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Melissa Pons.
In the beforetimes, a friend posted a link to Heilung’s new album, Futha, on Facebook. I listened to a few songs and scoffed that Heilung was a Nordic version of Enya. But Heilung’s costumes captured my imagination, and I went back and listened to their album in its entirety and became a fan. So much so that I went to perform when they were in Los Angeles.
Heilung we’re excellent! I was transported to an age undreamt of for the next hour or so. Heilung looked like Nordic shamans and cheiftans. Aside from the band, there were a dozen warriors and shield maidens. Antlers adorned microphone stands. Some of the audience dressed almost as provocatively as I saw on stage.
Spotify started to serve up music much like Heilung on my Discover Weekly playlist within a few weeks. It dawned on me that what Heilung called amplified history was a genre.
Munknörr
And that’s how I came across Munknörr.
Munknörr means “the ship of the mind,” and this music on today’s show will transport you to other worlds and times. If you’re new to Munknörr, today’s show is an excellent place to start. Damián’s mix explores their many singles and albums.
Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Darren McClure.
I met Joakim through Sofia Nystrand, AKA Vargkvint. After showcasing her lovely mix during the summer (you can listen to her mix here) I asked Sofia who she thought would want to share a mix on Soundwave. I’ve found this a great way to be introduced to new music. Sofia went above and beyond and put me in touch with Jakob Lindhagen, Bonander, and Joakim.
We’ll hear from Jakob and Bonander in the next few months, but today we begin with Sofia’s recommendations with Joakim’s mix.
I’ve been steeping in Joakim’s mix the last few months, as I do with all the mixes sent my way. I often listen to the mixes while doing chores and errands such as walking my dog, doing dishes, folding laundry, etc. Joakim’s mix, however, has been my constant companion during the mornings. While I’m drinking my first cup of coffee and sorting through emails, and scheduling my tasks for the day, Joakim’s six plays in the background, the sun on my face. I’m on a riding a train with the landscape passing by my window in my imagination. Sometimes I can almost feel the train gently rocking to and fro.
It’s a magical experience. Please share where Joakim’s mix takes you if you’re so inclined.
Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Munknörr.
We have Kévin Séry to thank for introducing me to Nick. After Kévin’s mix for Soundwave I asked who he thought would share a mix on show he said I should contact Nick. I did what I aways do, which is dip into Bandcamp and Spotify to listen to get a feel for the artist’s music. After an afternoon spend listening to his releases as Tyresta, I understood why Kévin thought Nick should I have guest deejay on the show.
Good call, Kévin.
Nick’s mix has been my soundtrack for the events unfolding in Ukraine. Some of the songs Nick selected in his mix seem prescient and apocalyptic. But Nick’s mix takes unexpected turns and is, thankfully, at times joyful and triumphant. At least that’s what I got out of it.
Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Joakim Alfvén.
See you then.
Nick Turner, AKA Tyresta
The music on this mix has inspired me greatly in recent years and features artists that hold identities that are typically under-valued in ambient, drone, and experimental music.
I met Damien through Kévin Séry, AKA From Overseas, who was our guest deejay back in July. Kévin spun a gorgeous mix. Afterward, I asked Kévin who he thought would want to share a mix on Soundwave, and he highly recommended Damien. After dipping into Damien’s catalog on Bandcamp, I understood why. Damien captures that dreamy, post-rock sound I love that creates ambient drone soundscapes. Wonderful stuff.
Damien’s mix for today’s show is no less extraordinary.
An interesting aspect about Soundwave is that you, dear reader, most likely listen to each show once. And that’s perfectly all right. Podcasts are a disposable medium. You listen to one podcast and then move on to the next. I do the same thing.
But I listen to each mix sent my way for Soundwave many times. They become the soundtrack to my life. Damien’s mix has provided the score to the horror unfolding in Ukraine. I’m sure that’s not how Damien wanted his mix to be distinguished, but there it is.
As I’ve said many times, I launched Soundwave to cope with the stress and isolation of the pandemic. I never anticipated that it would help me deal with a possible third World War.’
Wherever you are in the world listening to today’s show, I hope it finds you well. I hope today’s show provides solace or, at the very least, an hour’s worth of distraction. I naively hope the conflict in Ukraine winds down without too much more suffering and death. And I hope that things do not spin out of control and drag the rest of the world into this geopolitical shitstorm.
It’s an honor to be part of the Soundwave series. I love doing mixes like this and share new tunes from artist that I adore, have listened often on repeat and discovered . It’s a great way to go on a unique journey and to immerse yourself in the work of amazing artists that I collaborated with, adore and have inspired . This mix was made on Midnight of August 27, 2021. Preparing for fall season. There are more artists that I adore that didn’t fit with the mix, but for sure I’m going to add more of them in future mixes.
Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Tyresta.
Justin is a singer and songwriter best known as a founding member of the band Godflesh, which combined metal and industrial music. Justin is also know for Jesu, which some refer to as his “shoegaze” project. While those are some of Justin’s more well-known projects, he’s been involved with many projects over nearly four decades, including everything from remixes to ambient music.
Every episode of Soundwave features spectacular mixes from our amazing guest deejays. Today’s show is no less unique. But today’s show a special to me because my I have an intimate relationship with his music.
I discover Justin through Godflesh’s Streetcleaner album. I can tell you that the album fused metal and industrial music. I can tell you that while the album is bleak as hell, it is somehow psychedelic and cathartic. But you owe it to yourself to experience it. Loudly.
When I learned that Godflesh would be performing in Boston for their first US tour, I interviewed Justin and his partner, G. C. Green, for WMFO. Unfortunately, their drum machine was fried from the US’s electrical current despite the adaptor they used to protect. Justin has to go out on a Sunday morning and purchase a new drum machine. I never got the chance to interview Justin because he had to program beats into his new drum machine as quickly as possible. Instead, I smoked joints and played video games with their road crew in their tour bus. Justin eventually programmed his drum machine and delivered a pulverizing show. I believe they opened with “Love is A Dog from Hell.” A personal favorite of mine.
My other story is about Justin’s collaboration with Kevin Martin called Techno Animal. I was in a relationship with a woman that was crumbling. One night she didn’t come home and was sleeping with another man. The only thing that got e through that long and painful night was listening to Peter Gabriel’s Passion soundtrack and Techno Animal’s Ghosts album repeatedly.
When I launched Soundwave to cope with the stress and isolation of the early days of the pandemic, Justin was the first person I reached out to be a guest deejay on the show. It was a shot in the dark. I didn’t expect a response, but Justin replied to my invitation the next day and said he’d be play to share a mix.
So here we are today with a mix of some ambient music that Justin considers essential listening.
I encourage you to listen to anything that Justin has been involved in. You might consider beginning with Justin’s latest release, EXPECT NOTHING AND THE KINGDOM WILL BE YOURS, which he records under his ambient project monicker, FINAL.
Justin has some words about his mix below.
Justin Broadrick
Faced with the inevitably impossible task of squeezing my favourite, loosely speaking ambient tracks of all time into maximum one hour, i decided to simply include what immediately comes to mind as opposed to labouring over what should or should not appear in this mix, so this is a tiny snapshot of my ambient favourites; there will be some glaring omissions among songs that have stuck with me for decades, but this is my memory in the present…..
Join us next week when out guest deejay will be Inner Islands.
I discovered Monty when the Cryo Chamber label sent out an email announcing the release of Monty’s new album, Fifth Nature. Whenever Cryo Chamber drops an album I drop whatever I’m doing and listen to it because they never fail to deliver mind blowing. Fifth Nature was no exception.
Monty Adkins, Skrika
The “liner notes” explains that Fifth Nature is the first of a series of albums set in the far distant future on a dying Earth. I appreciate concept albums that created their own mythology, but you certainly need to be aware of the backstory of Fifth Nature. The album stands on its own and you will lose yourself in its richly textures of a soundtrack for a distant apocalypse. Enjoy!
Monty’s mix draws upon the roster of artists on Cryo Chamber. Think of it as a compilation album as distilled by Monty. His mix captures the spirit of the label as well as reflecting Monty’s own tastes.
You’re going to love today’s mix. I encourage you listen to other artists from Cryo Chamber that appear in Monty’s mix such as Dronny Darko and Tineidae who have guest deejayed on Soundwave
Join us next week for our 100th episode when our guest deejay will be Justin Broadrick.
Today’s guest deejay is Francisco Dominguez, AKA Forest Robots.
The story behind Forest Robots is sweet.
It began with Francisco’s travels to the Sierra Nevada. The photos he took while there told the tale of his adventures in those beautiful mountain landscapes. It wasn’t until the birth of his daughter that those stories coalesced. Those pictures and stories could teach his daughter about the wonders of nature, the importance of spending time outdoors, and how vital it is to help conserve public lands. Those same photos and stories, his music, all of distilled into the project he calls Forest Robots, a love letter to my daughter about the wonders of nature.
I had come across Francisco’s musical journeys through Bandcamp. Still, it wasn’t until John Shanahan, host of the Hypnagogue Podcast, played Forest Robots in his mix for Soundwave, that I was compelled to seek him out and invite him to guest deejay on the show.
It’s a lovely mix. Maybe you’ll listen to it when you visit the Sierra Nevada. Or perhaps you can visit the Sierra Nevada in your imagination while listening to it while doing the dishes or walking your dog, which is how I experienced Francisco’s mix.
I initially launched Soundwave to cope with the stress and isolation of the early days of the pandemic lockdown. But here we are nearly two years later, and the pandemic is winding down. Countries across the world are opening up and getting back to normal.
I’m dubious. In January, there were 60,000 deaths due to COVID-19. That doesn’t sound like getting back to normal to me. What it sounds like is that this is the new normal. COVID will be with us forever, and we’ll learn how to deal with it and batten down until COVID is about as deadly as the flu.
I told myself when I launched Soundwave that I’d wind down the show once the pandemic had become manageable. We’re not there yet, but soon. What happens when Soundwave outlives its original purpose?
I’m looking forward to finding out.
Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Monty Adkins.
