SOUNDWAVE : 67 : felt body

Today’s guest deejay is Hunter Reyne; AKA felt body.

Hunter is yet another talented musician I discovered through Bandcamp. What appealed to me was Hunter’s deft use of field recording in his music. He creates a very lived-in world and evokes imaginary memories of a time and place I’ve never experienced. It’s lovely. And of course, I invited Hunter to join us on Soundwave.

What’s delightful about Hunter’s mix is while some of the songs reflect his sensibilities, some are entirely unexpected. I’m specifically thinking of his inclusion on Tôsha Suihô’s “時雨のあと(Shigure no Ato)” and an example. It’s those surprises that are one of the reasons I get excited about when I listen to our guest deejay’s mixes, and I hope you’ll feel the same.

Hunter has some words about his mix, which you’ll find below.

Before we get to that, I want to mention that guest deejay and Krautrock legend, Roedelius, has put together an excellent program for the music festival and symposium, More Ohr Less, that will have ended as of the release of today’s show. The event took place in his hometown in Baden, near Vienna. Some of the participants were Anna von Hausswolff, Carl-Michael von Hausswolff , Chandra Shukla, and many more. More Ohr Less will have been live-streamed, and if I know Roedelius, he’ll make the stream available to those who missed it.

The other thing I wanted to mention is that a few weeks ago, I said I would wrap up Soundwave in early 2022. At the time, I felt the pandemic was winding down, and Soundwave will have served its purpose. I hadn’t realized that I was myopic. Yes, things are improving in the U.S., but here are parts of the world that are in a terrible state. I hope I’m not implying that Soundwave is some transcendent force for good. I mean that this little show provides solace or distraction for a brief period during the pandemic, then I will keep releasing shows.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Orphax.

See you then!

 

Hunter Reyne, AKA felt body
Hunter Reyne, AKA felt body

I wanted to capture some of the ideas and inspirations that I’ve been taking from throughout Covid, as well as that latent sense of both anxiety and, in the end, a peacefulness – however, it’s achieved.

Quarantine has had an odd effect on my lifestyle. I find I unable to make broad movements anymore (like taking a trip or even commuting to work). Still, my smaller movements, like simple walks along the river near my house, have become themselves opened-up and, in their way, as expansive as a weekend spent in a different country. I have become so attentive and enamored with the space around me. I have gone crazy, and I speak to it, and it speaks back to me. We are lovers.

In making this mix, I was drawing from Guy Debord’s psychogeographyand also broader atmospheric theories put forward by theorists like Julianne Rebentisch and Tonino Griffero. Walking and movement, and momentum are essential to the worlds within these nine pieces, yet I find each of them incredibly still, meltingly so. This is the paradox at the heart of a psychogeographic outlook. As I move, I become more singular with the landscape around me, more fluent in its languages and behaviors, and poetries. I hope in listening you will find some stillness in movement, too.

  1. Toshiya Tsunoda “The Day After A Typhoon, Miyagawa”
  2. perila & ulla “blue drum”
  3. Maria Teresa Luciani “Giardini Pubblici”
  4. Gesellschaft Zur Emanzipation Des Samples “TaxiTrailer”
  5. Zdeněk Liška “A Small Stone in Space”
  6. Tôsha Suihô “時雨のあと(Shigure no Ato)”
  7. Tzvi Avni “Vocalise”
  8. Hiroshi Yoshimura “Horizon I’ve Ever Seen Before”
  9. Haco “Faito!”

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SOUNDWAVE : 66 : COREY PARLAMENTO

SOUNDWAVE : 66 : COREY PARLAMENTO

Today’s guest deejay is Corey Parlamento.

Corey was on Soundwave last summer, and his mix was unique because it was an extension of his show on AshevilleFM, where he played instrumental soundtracks. Sadly, Corey no longer produces that show. Fortunately for us, Corey kept to that format for today’s mix.

When I invite guest deejays on Soundwave, I’ll ask them to write up a description of their mix: the reason they chose songs, if there was a theme or story they wanted to convert through their mix, etc. The mixes speak for themselves, but I think it adds another level of appreciation for understanding their intentions.

If they don’t send me a description, I’ll usually write my impressions of their mix. But for today’s show, I decided to call Corey and hear in his own words the motivations behind his mix.

 

Corey Parlamento
Corey Parlamento

Corey’s mix is built around the kernel of Black to Comm’s “Stolen Androgens.” Corey said he listened to this track repeatedly long before he assembled today’s show. The song begins so abruptly and then loops itself around some fascinating accompaniment. He liked how voice is used in this track.

Corey has had Yasuaki Shimizu’s Music for Commercials album for quite some time and incorporated it into his radio show for segues. The faint sound of water drops is what attracted him to Shimizu’s “Seiko 2.”

Fatima Al Qadiri’s “Souleiman’s Theme” is taken from the Atlantic film score, Corey’s current favorite soundtracks of the last couple of years, and transitions nicely into Kali Malone’s “Hagakyrka Bells,” from her album, The Sacrificial Code.

Corey also selected a track from the remastered soundtrack for Lady Macbeth by Third Ear Band, followed by Mary Steele’s “Al Rosana (My Rose),” which is available through Canary Records. This label specializes in archival music. “Al Rosana (My Rose)” is recorded from the 1920s in New York City and features a sonic blend of many cultures. Corey told me this piece is eery and conveyed a sense of decaying time.

Lustmord follows Mary Steele with a piece from the First Reformed soundtrack. Up next is a track by Michael Gordon, a composer for the movie Decasia, directed by Bill Morrison, who assembles found damaged footage.

Loren Connors takes it down a notch after Gordon, who is one of Corey’s favorite guitarists.

Corey wanted to follow Connors with a longer track from Sean McCann’s “Puck” but settled on “Nightfall.” Corey describes the album that track was taken from as having a lot of space, weird vocalizations, subtle noises, drones, and crashing sounds.

Corey closes his mix with a track of his own which he recorded under the name Livingdog. The track is taken from his album, The Four Times, released by Cold Moon Records out of New York City. This is the one-year anniversary of The Four Times, and Corey says the album was inspired by Le Quattro Volte. The movie has no soundtrack, but Corey’s imagination was capture by the meditations on a goat farmer who is reincarnated into a goat, then reincarnated into a tree which then turns into smoke.

And there you have it, Corey’s mix.

Oh, and Corey wanted me to tell you that he’s got a new album coming out on July 23 called Many Aways. I will, of course, remind you when the album is released

 

Jon Hassell
Jon Hassell

Before I leave you to Corey’s wonderful and mysterious mix, I have some sad news. When I launched Soundwave, I didn’t anticipate having to say farewell to so many talented and wonderful musicians in one short year. Today it saddens me to tell you that Jon Hassell, a trumpet player pioneering electronic musician, left planet earth last week. Jon played with everyone, from Brian Eno to Peter Gabriel to Techno Animal. I first became aware of Jon on his appearance on the Myths 3 : La nouvelle sérénité compilation album, and he’s been part of the soundtrack to my life ever since. You owe it to yourself to make Jon part of the soundtrack to your own life. I encourage you to purchase his music or stream him on your favorite streaming service.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be felt body.

See you then!

  1. Black To Comm “Stolen Androgens”
  2. Yasuaki Shimizu “Seiko 2”
  3. Fatima Al Qadiri “Souleiman’s Theme”
  4. Kali Malone “Hagakyrka Bells”
  5. Third Ear Band “LADY MACBETH”
  6. Mary Steele “Al Rosana (My Rose)”
  7. Lustmord “Hanstown Kills”
  8. Michael Gordon “Decasia, Part 5”
  9. Loren Connors “No Goodbyes”
  10. Sean McCann “Nightfall”
  11. Livingdog “Body Of A Tree”

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SOUNDWAVE : 65 : YANN NOVAK

SOUNDWAVE : 65 : YANN NOVAK

Today’s guest deejay is Yann Novak, the founder of Dragon’s Eye Recordings.

I met Yann when I showcased his label on solipsistic NATION.

I discovered Yann’s label through Mike Lazarev’s music blog, Headphone Commute (if you enjoy Soundwave, you’re going to love Headphone Commute).

Yann curates a heady offer of music through Dragon’s Eye Recordings featuring notable artists such as Pinkcourtesyphone (Richard Chartier), Genrietta, and Lawrence English. Some of the label’s releases are whimsical, some challenging, and some so ephemeral that you might imagine you dreamt of hearing it. But all the releases on his label are lovingly selected and demands to be listened to just as Yann’s mix demands to be heard.

 

Yann Novak
Yann Novak
Photo Credit: Robert Crouch

A few highlights.

The hairs went up on the back of my neck when I instantly recognized Geinō Yamashirogumi’s score for the cyberpunk classic, Akira. Back in the 80s, the movie was considered as imponderable as 2001: A Space Odyssey, but Akira has influenced culture to such a degree that it seems straightforward by our current standards. Incidentally, you can purchase Kaneda’s jacket, who is the film’s protagonist.

Yann’s inclusion of Billie Eilish & ROSALÍA’s was an unexpected delight. Eilish is kind of cyberpunk herself, having sung about our anthropogenic doom and interviewed by an AI bot.

The Future Sound Of London make yet another appearance on Soundwave via Yann’s mix. So much of the electronic music that was fasionalble in the late 80s seems dated but The Future Sound of London still feel timeless.

Lloop was also a surprise. I first heard Lloop when I showcased The Agriculture label on solipsistic NATION (mumbles) 15 years ago.

I know it isn’t true but I can’t help but feel that Yann made this mix specifically for me. It’s uncanny.

Yann modestly didn’t include his own music in his mix but I wanted to mention that Friday he released his new album, Lifeblood of Light and Rapture., available through Room40 (streaming starts July 2). Yann is really proud of this album and he can’t wait for everyone to experience it! He hopes it’s just the kind of lightness… or darkness you need right now.

 

Frank Riggio’s Empreinte Musicale 3 LP
Frank Riggio’s Empreinte Musicale 3 LP

Before I wrap this up, there are two things I need to mention.

Frank Riggio just released the third and last installment of his new trilogy, Empreinte Musicale 3. It’s just as weird and wonderful as his previous two albums. Go listen to it, and then buy it, and afterwards, listen to Frank’s Soundwave mix.

Lastly, I believe I’ll wrap up Soundwave sometime in 2022. I launched Soundwave to cope with the stress and isolation of the pandemic. I told myself that once COVID-19 is no longer the threat that grinds nations to a halt that the show willhave served it’s purpose and that I’d bring it to an end. Unless the pandemic spirals out of control again or unless I change my mind, I will release all the remaining mixes our generous guest deejays have provided for us.

And on that note, please join us next week when our guest deejay will be Corey Parlamento.

See you then!

  1. Geinō Yamashirogumi “Requiem”
  2. Félicia Atkinson “Infant vampire”
  3. Tim Hecker “Arctic Lover’s Rock Pt. 2”
  4. Billie Eilish & ROSALÍA “Lo Vas A Olvidar”
  5. The Future Sound Of London “Domain”
  6. Braulio Lam “Dream Lens (Edit)”
  7. Fortresses “Spring”
  8. Labrinth “Forever (Euphoria: Special Episode 2)”
  9. Allen Ginsberg “Pacific High Studio Mantras (feat. Arthur Russell)”
  10. Byron Westbrook “Heavy Weather”
  11. Tim Hecker “The Return Of Sam Snead”
  12. Ian Wellman “Watershed”
  13. LLOOP “Track 1”
  14. Geinō Yamashirogumi “Requiem”

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SOUNDWAVE : 64 : SEAN HOCKING

SOUNDWAVE : 64 : SEAN HOCKING

Today’s guest deejay is Sean Hocking.

Sean is the host of Metal Postcard Records, an independent record label based out of Sydney. I met Sean nearly a decade ago when I interviewed him and showcased his label for solipsistic NATION. He releases great music through Metal Postcard Records, so I invited Sean to be our guest deejay last summer. It was a wonderful mix, so naturally, I asked Sean to delight us with another set.

A casual listen of Sean’s mix will leave you with the impression that it’s wonderful and whimsical. Its certainly that but a closer listen reveals depth and speaks to the human condition. It works on both levels, which is a neat trick. It’s also a bit of an Australia travelogue, so enjoy the ride!

If you want to hear more music from Sean, he also hosts Bottom of the Pops, which you can find on Spotify. It’s the Nuggets of internet radio. Sean also hosts shows on Dandelion Radio, FSK Radio out of Germany, and 8K in New Zealand.

 

Sean Hocking
Sean Hocking

Tuesday California officially opened up and eased pandemic restrictions.

I still wear a mask and socially distance in some situations but it’s nice to mingle with people and dine at restaurants. And it’s nice not wearing a mask at the gym, especially when I’m on the stair machine.

I’ll be listening to Sean’s mix on Fathers Day and hopefully hoping to go out for brunch with my family. If you’re a dad or have one, I hope you can do the same.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Yann Novak, the founder of Dragon’s Eye Recordings.

See you then!

  1. Sean Hocking “Australian Dawn Chorus”
  2. Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu “Amazing Grace”
  3. Lajamanu Community (NT) “Emu Dreaming”
  4. Warwick Thornton “The Beach (Trailer)”
  5. Tony O’Connor “Ningaloo”
  6. George Greenhough “Memories Surfing Lennox Head Early 1970’s”
  7. Gravy Murphy “Seaside Acid”
  8. Peter Sculthorpe “Songs of Sea and Sky (Second flute solo)”
  9. Sean Hocking “Mutitjula Walk”
  10. Jack Burton “Lake Monger pt. I, II III”
  11. Salary “DD Dub”
  12. Soda Eves “No One Else”
  13. The Emergency “Omega Point”
  14. Sean Hocking “Fire at night outback”

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Myself When Young

Myself When Young

Today’s mix began when I heard Yorkston, Thorne and Khan’s cover of Dick Gaughan’s “Now Westlin Winds.”

I had never heard of Gaughan, but I wanted to listen to the original song after hearing Yorkston, Thorne and Khan’s cover. I pulled up Genius to follow along with the lyrics, which the trio closes their cover of “Now Westlin Winds.”

Now westlin winds and slaught’ring guns
Bring Autumn’s pleasant weather;
The moorcock springs on whirring wings
Amang the blooming heather;
Now waving grain, wide o’er the plain
Delights the weary farmer;
And the moon shines bright, when I rove at night
To muse upon my charmer

The original song is lovely, but Yorkston finds the poetry in the lyrics, and I admit coming close to tears at times.

Over the week, I came across other songs that seemed to cluster around “Westlin Wind.” They seemed to beg to be a mix, so I present them to you for your listening pleasure.

  1. Dorothy Ashby “Myself When Young”
  2. Arooj Aftab “Baghon Main”
  3. Alice Coltrane “Krishna Krishna”
  4. Asher Gamedze “Siyabulela”
  5. Sibusile Xaba with Naftali, Fakazile Nkosi, & AshK “Umdali”
  6. Hypnotic Brass Ensemble “Soon It Will Be Fire (feat. Moses Sumney)”
  7. Yorkston/Thorne/Khan “Westlin Wind”

SOUNDWAVE : 63 : PIERRE LAPLACE

Today’s guest deejay is Pierre Laplace.

I discovered Pierre while listening to his 2019 album, You Disappeared, recorded under the monicker Beyond the Ghost. You Disappeared felt like a soundtrack to a China Miéville novel. In fact, Miéville’s definition of weird fiction perfectly describes Pierre’s music; it “evokes a sense of the numinous.” His follow-up albums, Eternal Drift and his recently released The Last Resort continue to induce feelings of mystery and awe.

Inviting Pierre to be a guest deejay on Soundwave was a no-brainer. I was surprised, however, to hear his selections for today’s show.

When I extend invitations for guest deejays to participate in the show, I allow them latitude to explore the format of ambient, classical, experimental and instrumental music. Some of the guest deejays will play tracks of their own music, and that’s perfectly fine, but what I’m hoping for is a mix of songs from other musicians they love.

 

Pierre Laplace
Pierre Laplace

I expected Pierre’s mix to feature songs that are much like his own in feeling and tone. I was delighted to find his mix explored a different sonic landscape.

To begin with, he opens his mix with a track from Deru. I knew immediately that Pierre had something unusual in store for us. I’ve been a fan of Deru for over a decade (hear my interview with Deru and his live set for solipsistic NATION), so I was eager to go whatever journey Pierre was going to take me on.

There are many twists and turns.

Pierre’s inclusion of Morphine caught me by surprise but in context completely makes sense. Brian Eno and David Byrne’s My Life in the Bush of Ghosts is one of my favorite albums, and I was thrilled to hear a track from it included in Pierre’s mix. The appearance of Ennio Morricone was also a welcome surprise. I’m also a fan of The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble and The Mount Fuji Doommjazz Corporation and have wondered when someone would play them on Soundwave. The Cinematic Orchestra makes perfect sense within Pierre’s mix, and David Bowie pops up once again on Soundwave, making him the show’s perhaps most featured artist.

Stock up on provisions because Pierre is about to take you on a dark vision quest.

Join us again next week when our guest deejay will be Sean Hocking.

See you then!

  1. Deru “Light The Pyre”
  2. Antonymes “A Fragile Acceptance”
  3. Atrium Carceri “Sheol”
  4. Morphine “Miles Davis’ Funeral”
  5. Brian Eno/David Byrne “A Secret Life”
  6. The Cinematic Orchestra “All Things”
  7. Ennio Morricone “El Castillo Encantado”
  8. Trigg & Gusset “Black Ocean”
  9. The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble “Cotard Delusion”
  10. Deaf Center “White Lake”
  11. Bohren und der Club der Gore “Maximum Black”
  12. The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation “The Admirals Game”
  13. David Bowie “Warszawa”
  14. Esbjörn Svensson Trio “Seven Days of Falling”

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SOUNDWAVE : 62 : BRIAN SANGMEISTER

Today’s guest deejay is Brian Sangmeister.

I met Brian on Twitter, but I’m not sure how. I’m sure it had something to do with our mutual love for guitars, ambient music, and horror. I recall listening to and enjoying his music but other than that, I don’t know much about Brian, which is why I’m going to interview him briefly on Instagram today. If that goes well, you can expect to watch more interviews with guest deejays on Soundwave on Instagram.

You’re going to dig Brian’s mix. It’s of the caliber you’ve come to expect from Soundwave. There are some surprises, like a track from the Pat Metheny Group, and a track from guest deejay Roedelius’s Cluster project with Brian Eno (listen to Roedelius’s Soundwave mix here). You’re in good hands.

If you want to hear more music from Brian, he has a new song that is included in a charity album available on June 21, 2021, on Bandcamp from Audionautic Records. The label will donate all proceeds to Project Hope, which sends relief to South Asia and people worldwide. Several of the artists in today’s mix will also be on the compilation.

Brian has some words below about today’s music.

Before I leave you, I have a few things I want to mention.

 

Frank Riggio's Empreinte Musicale 2 album
Frank Riggio’s Empreinte Musicale 2 album

Firstly, Frank Riggio recently released Empreinte Musicale 2, which is part of his ongoing trilogy. I’ve been listening to Frank’s music for years, and listening to his evolution as a musician has been a delight. I’m listening to Empreinte as I write today’s show notes, and I’m enjoying the sonic territory he’s trailblazing. Be sure to also listen to Frank’s mix for Soundwave here.

Secondly, Friday, my wife and I took our 11-year-old cousin to see Cruella. I had low expectations for Cruella, but the movie was surprisingly good and a whole lot of fun. Honestly, it wouldn’t have mattered if it was trash; I was just excited to go to a movie theater for the first time in over a year.

Okay, it’s time for me to head out.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Pierre Laplace.

See you then!

 

Brian Sangmeister
Brian Sangmeister

For me, music has always been about a journey. It transports you through time and space like nothing else can. Listening to music is like listening to your life story. It is full of peaks and valleys, personal moments and reflections. And above all else, emotions. I created this mix as a soundtrack to that journey. The best part is that you, the listener, will embark on your own unique voyage. A voyage that will take you through your imagination, and your soul. Each individual will experience something different. So I hope you enjoy these pieces of music, that when tied together, tell a bigger story. Your story.

  1. Willebrant “Dell”
  2. Sunwarper “Sunkissed”
  3. Pat Metheny Group “Into the Dream”
  4. Lửa “Con cáo”
  5. King Weapon “Tare”
  6. Etxera “How So”
  7. Cluster & Eno “Schöne Hände”
  8. Kh3rtis “Columbia”
  9. Endeleas “Moonrise”
  10. The Billows Burn Bright “18 Hours”
  11. Hadean “New Lows (Redux)”
  12. Brian Sangmeister “Unfold”
  13. Carbon Based Lifeforms “Everwave”
  14. Cpektir “You Won’t Escape Your Past”

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SOUNDWAVE : 61 : NANEUM

SOUNDWAVE : 61 : NANEUM

Today’s guest deejay is Jon Solo, AKA Naneum.

Carmen Rizzo introduced me to Naneum when he was a guest deejay on Soundwave. Carmen’s mix was gorgeous and I invited each musician he featured on his mix to guest deejay on Soundwave as well.

Jon’s mix is equally gorgeous. Whenever I listen to it I’m transported from sunny San Diego to a snow morning in the woods of Massachusetts when I was a boy. I can’t explain why but there is something about the delicacy of the music Jon selected that evokes that experience. That’s the beauty of the mixes on Soundwave, they take you on a journey. I’m curious to know where Jon’s mix takes you.

 

Naneum: solo piano
Naneum: solo piano

If you want to hear more music from Jon, you can begin with his January 2021 release, Solo Piano. You can hear more of his music here.

I’m going to keep today’s show notes brief. I just drove over eight hours to Sacramento to spend the next few weeks with my wife. I’m looking forward to catching up, having a nice meal, and getting some shuteye. I want to get up early so we can go kayaking.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Brian Sangmeister.

See you then!

 

Jon Solo, AKA Naneum
Jon Solo, AKA Naneum

  1. Goldmund “Sometimes”
  2. Islands Of Light “Goerde”
  3. Abby Gundersen “Stratus”
  4. Carmen Rizzo “Stratification (Naneum Remix)”
  5. Ólafur Arnalds “Saman”
  6. Slow Meadow “Ships Along The Harbor”
  7. Lars Jakob Rudjord “Mothersong”
  8. Joel Shearer “Sunday”
  9. Alan Ellis “Soothe”
  10. Poppy Ackroyd “Feathers”

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SOUNDWAVE : 60 : NATE HEARD

SOUNDWAVE : 60 : NATE HEARD

Today’s guest deejay is Nate Heard.

Fitz Gitler introduced me to Nate after I asked him who would be interested in doing a mix for Soundwave (listen to Fitz’s mix here). If Fitz recommends anything then I’m going to listen because that guy has excellent taste in music, so invited Nate to guest deejay on Soundwave without hesitation.

Nate did not disappoint. I’ve listened to his mix many times, usually with a cup of coffee while I’m starting my workday. Despite each listen, Nate’s mix sounds fresh even as it’s burnished with another lacquer of familiarity.

Nature said that today’s mix inspired him to dust off his Ableton and begin composing again. I look forward to whatever he decides to share.

Nate is a medical geographer who uses maps to support health programs around the world. When I asked him if there was anything I should mention on today’s show notes, he said he wanted to promote efforts such as 80,000 Hours (a London-based organization that conducts research on which careers have the most significant positive social impact and provides career advice based on that research), GiveWell (an American non-profit charity assessment and effective altruism-focused organization, focusing primarily on the cost-effectiveness of the organizations that it evaluates, rather than traditional metrics such as the percentage of the organization’s budget that is spent on overhead), and Animal Charity Evaluators (a US-based non-profit charity evaluator and effective altruism-focused organization that finds and promotes the most effective ways to help animals).

Nate was some words about his mix below.

As of Monday, I am fully vaccinated. Outwardly, you’d never know that being vaccinated has changed my life. I still wear my mask when I go out into the world. I still keep my distance from people. I don’t want to pass on the virus even though I may be immune to it, and I certainly don’t want to risk catching one of the variants. Inwardly, I feel like a weight has been lifted. I feel a little bit invincible.

Before the pandemic, I purchased tickets to see Swans perform in Los Angeles. The concert was rescheduled, rescheduled again, and finally canceled. I’m hoping that once enough people have been vaccinated that I’ll finally get to see them.

This week I’ve been putting my CDs in storage. While packing, I came across fantastic music by C – Schulz, Coil, Zoviet France, Techno Animal, Z’EV , and others that I plan to share on a future mix.

Okay, that’s it for me.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Jon Solo, AKA Naneum.

See you then!

 

Photo of Nate Heard taken by Miles Heard at Battleground National Cemetery, which was established after The Battle of Fort Stevens where President Abraham Lincoln came under direct fire from Confederate troops.
Nate Heard
Photo Credit: Miles Heard

Like many mixes that appear on Soundwave, this one captures a specific moment, even though these selections come together from a span of about 50 years. I received Joseph’s kind invitation to be a guest deejay the day after seditious white supremacists stormed the Capitol building. I was a mess. I happen to live in Washington, D.C., and have spent some time in those office buildings. Terre Thaemlitz’s “D.C. D.O.A.” (1997) came to mind and ended up anchoring this mix.

“I got a phone call. He wants us to join him.”

“In Washington.”

“Some kind of big demonstration.”

“They think they’ve finally got a shot.”

“I can’t go to Washington. I can’t even get out of bed!”

Julianna Barwick goes straight for catharsis with “Inspirit” (2020). It’s a purification. Listening to it feels like participating in a rite. Like “Inspirit,” Haruomi Hosono and Bill Laswell’s “Unfinished Screams” (1996) washes over you, but in alternating waves of drum & bass and ambient synth & insect passages. The outro forms a bridge to the musique concrète and collage pieces that compose the mix’s core.

The one electronic music class I’ve taken focused primarily on tape processing and the studio techniques Delia Derbyshire used, such as cutting and splicing magnetic tape with a razor. This excerpt of “Circle of Light” (1969) is a nod to Derbyshire’s brilliance with this medium and, like other excerpts in the mix, encourages seeking out the complete pieces.

“Espace/Escape” (1989) is one of the most tonally rich pieces of musique concrète I know and endlessly rewarding on repeated listening. Holger Czukay’s “Träum Mal Wieder” (1984), roughly “dream again,” is also built from ethereal, dreamlike sources but is held together by driving percussion and has much more structure than its name suggests.

The album “Pan De Sonic – Iso,” which includes the track “Evening Night fall – Fire, cricket, wine glass etc” (2021), will be available by the time this mix appears on Soundwave. Ai Yamamoto composed it entirely of “domestic field recordings” from the artist’s COVID lockdown in Melbourne. It promises to be an extraordinary release.

Chris Burke’s “Everything I Need” (1995) is at once jagged and tender, much like Joe Cocker’s source vocals. To my ear, Burke captures the essence of Cocker’s song with only variations on a four-second sample.

“Avril 14th” (Aphex Twin) is recognizable from the opening bar of loscil’s remix of Wagner and Murcof’s cover (2017). But unlike the original or the cover, the melody doesn’t hit until 2:03, which for me, was one of the biggest payoffs in music I’d heard in a long time. It’s patient and brilliantly arranged.

The opening track on Pauline Oliveros, Stuart Dempster & Panaiotis‘s “Deep Listening” is “Lear” (1993) which, the more I thought about it, evoked the 45th president. The greed. The king’s solicitation of flattery. King Lear does not want the responsibility of power. Only the benefits. Shakespeare’s tragedies typically end with a restoration of order after chaos. Maybe less so with Lear.

I’d wanted to end this mix on an up note but settled for something absurd. Negativland’s “Time Zones” fit the moment and make for a clear bookend to Thaemlitz. The madness of Lear and the brain worms of conservative political talk radio. Some kind of big demonstration? “It’s not even funny.” Eleven tracks. “It’s ridiculous.”

  1. Terre Thaemlitz “D.C. D.O.A.”
  2. Julianna Barwick “Inspirit”
  3. 細野晴臣 & Bill Laswell “Unfinished Screams”
  4. Delia Derbyshire & Elsa Stansfield “Circle of Light – Part Two, excerpt”
  5. Francis Dhomont “Espace/Escape, excerpt”
  6. Holger Czukay “Traum Mal Wieder”
  7. Ai Yamamoto “Evening Night fall – Fire, cricket, wine glass etc”
  8. Chris Burke “Everything I Need”
  9. Vanessa Wagner x Murcof “Avril 14th – Loscil remix”
  10. Pauline Oliveros, Stuart Dempster, and Panaiotis “Lear, excerpt”
  11. Negativland “Times Zones, excerpt”

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Logo by Rik Oostenbroek

SOUNDWAVE : 59 : HAITEKU

SOUNDWAVE : 59 : HAITEKU

Today’s guest deejay is Mauricio Sotelo, AKA Haiteku.

I met Mauricio through Axel Arturo Barceló, our guest deejay, last October (listen to Axel’s mix here). After Axel’s mix went out, I asked him who he knew that would be interested in guest deejaying on Soundwave, and he recommended Mauricio. And here we are.

Mauricio is an excellent deejay, and his mix is fantastic. His mix included music from several projects that he’s part of.

Mauricio is an audiovisual artist from the suburbs of Mexico City suburbs. Haiteku is his Techno project since 2010. He publishes works on labels like Blaq Records (Mexico-Berlin), Nova Fund Recordings (Mexico), and the now defunct PCCL.

Mauricio is also part of the WOS Colectivo, a label for for national and international producers of electronic music, sound experimentation, plastic, and visual arts. The WOS Colectivo promotes producers who are not a part of the mainstream and support their local scene. In addition to the WOS Colectivo, Mauricio is also a member of Abolipop Records, a label that producers, and we’re open to new platforms and formats. Suplex publishes EPs, unreleased tracks, live sessions, oddities, and reissues.

Mauricio has some words about his mix below.

Before we hear from Mauricio, I wanted to share how my feelings about Soundwave have changed.

When I launched Soundwave, it was my way of coping with the stress and isolation of the pandemic. My wife’s job took her away from San Diego, and my kids were with their bio dad. It was just my dog and me. I was sad, lonely, and wondered if every time I left the house, I would contract COVID-19 and die. Grim times.

A year later, living with the pandemic has become a routine. As of Monday, I will be fully vaccinated and live in the world without fear of getting ill or dying. I work remotely so I visit my wife and kids regularly, and in a few months, we’ll all be under the same roof again. During that time, Soundwave changed from a source of succor to a font of delight. The music is wonderful, and the relationships I’ve formed through the show are dear to me.

 

Gert De Meester's Die Geschwächten Kinder Von Empain EPGert De Meester’s Die Geschwächten Kinder Von Empain EP

Speaking of delight, guest deejay Gert De Meester of Distant Fires Burning has released a pay-what-you-want single on Bandcamp called Die Geschwächten Kinder Von Empain. Gert will donate the profits from his single to Dokters van de Wereld (Doctors of the World). Want to hear more music from Gert? Listen to his mix for Soundwave here.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Nate Heard.

See you then!

 

Mauricio Sotelo, AKA Haiteku
Mauricio Sotelo, AKA Haiteku

Altiplano is a short mixtape about contemporary Mexican electronic artists.

The “Altiplano” (the plateau region) is the zone of the center of Mexico, shaped for various states. From this zone, are the electronic artists that participate on this mixtape, all of them, independent producers.

The music of this material came from the independent label WOS Colectivo and Abolipop Records, on different releases and years.

  1. PCCL “Base Bells (Huixtralizer opposite blur structure remix)”
  2. Kiiote “Que desangraron los magueyes”
  3. Totore “Milagro”
  4. Broadband Star “Cereal Boreal”
  5. Antena “Alberca”
  6. The Hovering Cube “Windwalker”
  7. Undead Machine “Inchewe”
  8. José Soberanes “Disperso”

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Logo by Rik Oostenbroek