Category: Listen

I moved to San Diego from Boston in 2000 and after seven years in California I still feel like I’m living in a dream. The palm trees still delight me and the wide open skies still take my breath away.

While I was living in New England people told me time and time again that because of my laid back attitude that I should move to California. Originally I had planned to San Francisco but my plans changed when I met Danielle. We had begun dating and a few months before things became serious between us she had made plans to move back to her home in San Diego.

After driving with her cross country and visiting her city for a week she said I should move to San Diego. I was in love and what’s life without a few grand romantic gestures? So I moved to the west coast.

It’s a cliché: I moved for the girl and stayed for the weather.

On today’s solipsistic NATION I’m going to share the dream of California with you. All the bands who appear on this week’s show are from the left coast. If you close your eyes you can imagine the palm trees gently swaying against a big, blue sky while the music plays.

Photo credit: Scott Waterman

1. Ooah “Hacksaw”
2. DJ Frane “The Impossible Dream”
3. Mono “Life in Mono”
4. Heroin Skinny “Shape of Pain”
5. The Moscow Coup Attempt “Do You Fear Sleep?”
6. Halou “Honeythief”
7. Moosefrog “En la Oscuridad (Ft. Anji Bee)”
8. Lovespirals “Trouble”
9. Doublehead Music “Work It Out”
10. samix “ghostshrimp”
11. Frog Pronounced Ball “Frogman”
12. Maccar “Even if the Sonogram Reveals Weeds, I Am Still Giving Birth”
13. KHURSOR “Authentic Power (Spatial Remix)”
14. Robert Rich “Liquid Air”
15. Promo: The Chillcast with Anji Bee

Each week on solipsistic NATION I play for you the best of all genres of electronic music. This week we’ll groove to the throbbing sounds of Grime and Dubstep and their love child, GrimeStep. We’ll also talk with Leo Olofsson of Grimestep International and Freeza Chin, Zeba and Plain English of The UK Connection.

GrimeStep International is a platform and network for postmodern dance music but right now, first and formost a compliation CD. GrimeStep International represents a pioneer front for the spread of grime and dubstep around the world, using every kind of guerilla tactic and propaganda to further the scene. It is conceived as an international brigade of free agents and crews, made up of producers, consultants, djs, mcs, promoters, journalists, editors, designers, film makers and other artists of all shapes and sizes.

The UK Connection is a crew in the Toronto music scene, it consists of 2 DJs (Freeza Chin & Zeba) and 2 MCs (Plain English aka MC P & Alki RiDDiMZ) three of the four members are born and raised in the UK but now live in Canada and are fully focused on bringing Grime, Garage and Dubstep music to everyone in Canada,’cause we all know how hard it is to follow here. Be on the look out for promo cds being flooded in the streets very soon, and also keep an eye out for the monthly raves presented by The UK Connection.

Photo credit: China DoII

1. Statuz “Invasion”
2. DJ Flex “Watch Ya Boy!”
3. Interview with Leo Olofsson of Grimestep International
4. TecH-MatiX “Blood Clad Rocka”
5. Phokus “Dem All Shots (Ft. Tinchy Stryder, Dirty Danger)”
6. U$O “Ikâ (DJ JSL Ohoi! Remix)”
7. Amewu “Der Universelle”
8. Interview with The UK Connection
9. The UK Connection “Freeza Chin, Plain English & Alki Riddimz”
10. The UK Connection “Zeba Dubstep Mix”

When I was a lad my roommate, Jane, had a friend named Diego who had a radio show called Moods for Moderns. I never met Diego and I never heard his show but I imagined what the show might sound like: sophisticated, but whimsical; ironic, but earnest; gritty, but chic; a mix of both hip hop and lounge music. Kind of like today’s show.

The music featured on this week’s episode of solipsistic NATION is suitable for your space age bachelor pad or your next cocktail party. When people at your next soiré hear the music you’re playing from this week’s show they will instantly identify you as a person of class and elegance but who also plays life for the mad pinball game it is. Pour yourself a snifter of fine cognac and raise a toast to your fellow citizens of solipsistic NATION!

Photo Credit: sgoralnick

1. Think Tank “What Time It Is”
2. Zygote “Assault”
3. Bitman & Roban “Después del Almuerzo – Parte 3”
4. Pinker Tones “Love Tape”
5. [dunkelbunt] “The Chocolate Butterfly (Ft. Raf Mc & Fanfare Ciocarlia)”
6. Nortec Collective “Almada”
7. Plankton Man “No Hay Volver”
8. Zeph & Azeem “Play The Drum”
9. A Plus “The One (Ft. Bless Man)”
10. J-Boogie’s Dubtronic Science “Que Pasa (Deuce Eclipse)”
11. D.J. Waht “Be Free To Speak”
12. Stereotyp “Satisfied”
13. DJ Frane “The Impossible Dream”
14. Bn Loco “Tan Loco Como T&#250”
15. DJ Wally “The 29th Day”

This week’s show is kind of a milestone for me because I have now done more episodes of solipsistic NATION as a podcast than I did when it was a radio show.

I’m proud what I’ve accomplished on the show so far. Not only am I playing the best of all genres of electronic music, I’m play the best of all genres of podsafe electronic music. While there are venues of podsafe music like Ioda Promonet and the Podsafe Music Network I also built relationships with music labels and artists, for which I am very grateful.

Another thing I am very proud of is that I also got to do a lot things I never got to do with solipsistic NATION when it was a radio program. I’ve experimented with the format of the show with the Exquisite Corpse mix. I also got to interview artists such as Rena Jones and music labels such as Woodson Lateral Records. I even had my dad on the show!

What has been the most rewarding experience of doing solipsistic NATION is you. It’s a rather trite thing to say but it’s true. solipsistic NATION doesn’t fit into any easy catagories because I jump from genre to genre so much, which is not to everyone’s liking. I think it takes a special kind of person with discerning tastes and a hunger for new experiences to enjoy the show. I’m also thankful to those of you who have been listening to solipsistic NATION since it’s inception as a radio show.

Enough from me. You’re here for music. For your listening pleasure, today’s edition of solipsistic NATION is a mix of drum and bass I kow you’re going to love!

Photo credit: B. Baltimore Brown

1. Brandon Miles “Shadow Spirit”
2. Backverse “Disturbed Current”
3. Bizar & Rasmey “So Long”
4. Royal Sapien “Wheres The Bar (Royal Sapien’s Drunken and Orderly Mix)”
5. Dark Machines “Firewater (Electric Soulside)”
6. Rational Movement “Broken Skies”
7. Blue Sonix “Luv Me (Ft. Michael Moulton)”
8. Hold Tight “Lounge”
9. Drumsound & Bassline Smith “In The Silence (Ft. Tali)”
10. Skynet “Missing Soul (Ft. Leiana)”

Have you ever gone into a record store not certain what you were looking for but you picked out something because you were intrigued or maybe just chose something on a whim? That’s how I found out about dub.

One day while aimlessly roaming the aisles of a record store in Boston I saw cassette by ROIR called 21st Century Dub. I didn’t know what dub was but I really dug the stuff ROIR put out by Glenn Branca and Einstürzende Neubauten. ROIR hadn’t disappointed me yet so purchased a copy of 21st Century Dub.

I fell completely in love with dub. I was enchanted with how a form of music that was at once so miminal could have so much depth. Dub was sexy, mysterious, sensual and, at times, had a sense of humor. And dub was adaptive. Dub may have been a mutant offshoot of reggae but it quickly worked it’s way into punk, hip hop and other forms of electronic music. Which brings us to today’s show.

The artists on this edition of solipsistic NATION capture a lot of the complexity of dub that I love so much. So light up a spliff or grab a pint of lager or whatever you have to do to get out of your head and kick back and relax and enjoy today’s journey into the realms of dub.

This week solipsistic NATION continues to promote art and design culture with another t-shirt give away contest, courtesy of Gsus. Email me at solipsisticnation@gmail.com and you could be a lucky winner of a Gsus t-shirt of your choice.

1. Vista “Astral Dub”
2. Gus Till “Something Dub”
3. Bluetech “Prayers for Rain (Dub Mix)”
4. Ashtech “R.E.M”
5. Shen “Cold Bones”
6. Illyah & Ltd. Candy “Fight the Formation”
7. Pablo’s Eye “The Switchback”
8. Version Xcursion “Rock Da Dub Pt. 1”
9. Tony J. Fader “A Horkisher Nign”
10. Dubmatix “Fist Full Of Dub”
11. Ras Amerlock “Ras Amerlock”

Every week I play a theme or explore a genre of electronic music. Hell, sometimes I even do both!

Last week, for example, I played an hour of noise that would either make your ears bleed or put you in a trance. The week before that I did a mix of Reggaeton. This week I really don’t have or a theme or a genre I want to play. Instead, I’m going to play some great tunes for you that have been sent my way the last few weeks. The stuff is so good that I would have felt constipated if I didn’t put this show out.

This week solipsistic NATION continues to promote art and design culture with another t-shirt give away contest, courtesy of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. Email me at solipsisticnation@gmail.com and you could be a lucky winner of one Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction t-shirt of your choice.

1. Mirah “La Familia”
2. Tender Forever “The Feelings Of Love”
3. Blow “Babay (Eat a Critter, Feel Its Wrath)”
4. Aja West And Friends “The Getaway”
5. Ollo “The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum)”
6. Dntel “The Distance (Ft. Arthur & Yu)”
7. Carlos Niño & Miguel Atwood-Ferguson “Extended Hands of Giving”
8. Zeph & Azeem “That Type Of Music”
9. Ben Mono “Jesus Was A B-Boy”
10. Jean-Paul Bondy “Something Is Not Right (Robag Wruhme’s Fukkeldibobb Remake)”
11. Eliot Lipp “Fever”
12. The Mavs “No Balls”
13. Bonde Do Role “James Bonde”
14. Girl Talk “Cleveland Shake”
15. Yea Big/Kid Static “Heavy Catamaran”
16. Bassnectar “Kick It Complex (Bassnectar Remix)”

Today’s show I’ll be playing for you noise that can reduce a cinderblock to a pile of of rubble and noise so gentle and pretty it could put you to sleep.

I sometimes feel that listening to noise is like looking up at clouds or watching static on the tv. You zone out and start seeing patterns and objects.

It begs the question: what is music? And at what point does sound go from being noise to music?

This week solipsistic NATION continues to promote art and design culture with another t-shirt give away contest, courtesy of The Imaginary Foundation. Email me at solipsisticnation@gmail.com and you could be a lucky winner of one Team Nacu t-shirt of your choice.

Photo Credit: yell saccani (A.S)

1. Otomo Yoshihide “Matsushita”
2. Merzbow “Hiturbo No. 4”
3. Maju “#4”
4. Otomo Yoshihide & Sachiko M. “Filament 1 – 2”
5. Fractal “Tritoch Wakes Up”
6. Skuli Sverrisson “Surviving Memory”
7. James Brody “Turnings”
8. Dielectric Minimalist All-Stars “When In Naples, Eat”
9. Peter Appleton “Untitled 10”
10. Karen Stackpole “Untitled #4”
11. S.E.T.I. – after M. Behrens “Those Who Will Be”
12. Nobukazu Takemura – after Scanner “Continuum (Remix)”
13. Nobukazu Takemura “Part 1 5’16″”
14. Mark Snyder “Danyoub”

So here’s the deal. As much as I love electronic music, I don’t love all electronic music. I’m not crazy about House and I’m not overly fond of Electroclash. Despite my preferences, the theme of solipsistic NATION is that I play the best all genres of electronic music I have to set aside my prejudices and play for you what I consider the finest songs from all the many, many forms of electronic music.

As if that wasn’t a daunting task, because solipsistic NATION is a podcast and not a radio program, I can only play podsafe music. That is to say, I can only play music that is licensed to play on a podcast so I don’t have the RIAA, BMI and ASCAP coming after me. So that means I can’t just dig into my CD collection and play whatever rocks my boat. It means I have to be a member of various promotional services that offer podsafe music, or contact indie artists I find on MySpace, or contact music labels to seek their permission to play songs from their roster of artists on solipsistic NATION.

Which brings us to today’s show.

Today’s show features reggaeton. I’m not a big fan of reggaeton but that’s not important. As the host of solipsistic NATION it is my duty to not only play you the very best of reggaeton, but the very best podsafe reggaeton. And I think you’ll find all the songs on today’s show are fantastic!

If you dig the today’s reggaeton themed show, you can show your support for the artists who appeared on today’s episode and purchase some of their songs or CDs by clicking the links below.

Next week we go into a completely different direciton: one hour of blistering noise!

Photo Credit: Julien H

1. Las Fieras “Baila”
2. DJ Kruel “Rotores”
3. Morgan Butler “Mi Vida”
4. Conexion “A Quitarnos A Ropa”
5. Chantal Chamandy “You Want Me (Reggaeton Remix by The Bilz – Radio Edit)”
6. Waldemar Bastos “Pitanga Reggaeton Mix”
7. Jason DeRoss “Muevelo”
8. 7 Signos “Perreala”
9. Papi Sanchez “Pakity”
10. Tercera Vizion “Despierta (Ft. El Faraon and Andre Iglesias – Dancehall Radio Edit)”
11. DJ Maxximuz “Punish Me”
12. Aliados “Introduccion”
13. Don Miguelo “Dame Una Nocha”
14. El Rubiote “La Mangulina”
15. Yo Yais “Chica Sensual”
16. M.C. Shaky Y Chokito “No Es Facil”
17. Cruzacaye “Gozadera”
18. Baby Q Y Chico Pon “Dejen Ese Fronte”
19. Angel Reyes “Decachalote”

Each week on solipsistic NATION I play the best of all genres of electronic music. Sometimes I mix it up but most of the time I pick with a theme or a genre and run with it.

This week’s solipsistic NATION is especially for Francis. While he loves the show and digs Nerdcore he really likes industrial music, and who am I to deny him? So crank up the volume, kick in your television and burn down your city because it’s time to get aggro!

This week solipsistic NATION continues to promote art and design culture with another t-shirt give away contest, courtesy of Team Nacu. Email me at solipsisticnation@gmail.com and you could be a lucky winner of one Team Nacu t-shirt of your choice.

Photo Credit: speed trap

1. DieselKopf “I’m So Lonley”
2. Infection Agenda “Complications Of The Mind”
3. Cixxx J “Death Fish”
4. Micronaut “Perdition”
5. DJ Malgosto “Bonde das Impostora”
6. KHURSOR “Fuzzy Dice”
7. compUterus “Manufactory”
8. Ghost in the Machine “Redemption”
9. Scanalyzer “Screamer”
10. Sister Machine Gun “Smash Your Radio!”
11. Vendetta Blitz “Stratagem”
12. Rasa 9 “See Right Through”
13. Labra “Pretty Little Core”
14. Alter Der Ruine “World War III”
15. Caffeine Kill “The Blood”
16. Think Tank “On Beyond Zebra”
17. Faze “All You Need”
18. In Slaughter Natives “Purgate My Stain”