Category: Listen

Today on solipsistic NATION we’re going to listen to live in-studio performance recorded by Michael Maricle!

Michael has been recording and performing his music for a while now but I only just discovered him when a promotional copy of his recently released The Heart Found You album was sent my way for review. Michael’s music was instantly familiar and seems to come from the same tradition that The Orb and Tripswitch others do. I don’t quite know what that tradition is but I know it has it’s roots in Pink Floyd and beyond.

Michael’s music may be rooted in that tradition but it’s also distinctly his own. In fact, during today’s chat I asked Michael how his music lends itself to dub and new age music. I mentioned it because if you drew a Venn diagram Michael’s music would touch upon those genres and more. While those elements are there or suggest those styles they’re entirely Michael’s and therefore unique.

If you like Michael’s live set, and I know you will, then I know you’ll also will want to know about Headphone Commute‘s compilation album, …And Darkness Came, which drops tomorrow. It’s 10 bucks for over 75 tracks!

…And Darkness Came features the world’s top talent in ambient, modern classical and experimental music. Like I said, there are over 75 tracks on this album and features everyone from Ben Lukas Boysen to Ezekiel Honig. You’ll really get your money’s worth buying this album but the best part is not only do you get to listen to beautiful music, you also help support Doctors Without Borders and The Humane Society to help all those affected by Hurricane Sandy.

HC wants to do good in the world while turning people on to good music.

On next week’s show I’ll be playing select tracks from HC’s compilation album, so stay tuned for that.

See you then!

1. Michael Maricle “Earthbound Misfit”
2. Michael Maricle “Around the Corner”
3. Interview with Michael Maricle
4. Michael Maricle “Live, 2012”

Today’s show we’ll been listening to noise and sound. Some of it, like Boyd Rice‘s Sick Tour, is blistering and could reduce a cinder block to dust in mere seconds. Some of it, like Kingbastard‘s “Danlan Speaks” could lull you to a deep, luxurious sleep. Some sounds like the sound of a 56K modem are fast disappearing.

Boyd’s experimentation with sound opened my head up to what music could be. In fact, you can hear his influence in the introduction to each episode of solipsistic NATION. Those harsh frequencies trace their lineage back to Boyd and they kind of serve as a fuck you to the listener. It says: Hey, this is a different kind of show. If it’s not for you, shove off. We don’t need you. Go listen to something safe.

I discovered Boyd right about the time I discovered Survival Research Laboratories and their robot gladiator arenas and V. Vale‘s Re/Search magazines and the Murder Can Be Fun calendars and a whole bunch of other twisted shit that informed who I would become as a young man.

Getting back to noise that fades into oblivion…

The Museum of Endangered Sounds is an online archive of the archaic noises of technology and is here to save the day. The hard static of 56k modems, the sounds of VCRs, and operators of payphones are just some of the sounds that you’ll find at the Museum.

The Museum of Endagered Endangered lists Brendan Chilcutt as the curator of the museum but when I asked him to join us on today’s show I discovered that Brendan is actually a cutout for Phil Hadad, who is just one of the people behind Brendan and the Museum.

Join us again next week for a special live set from Michael Maricle.

See you then!

Photo Credit: ©S2OK

1. NON/Boyd Rice “Warm Leatherette”
2. NON/Boyd Rice “Sick Tour”
3. Interview with Boyd Rice
4. Laibach “Get Back”
5. Ambassador21 “Power Rage Riot Death (Legion Mix)”
6. David Morneau “Exiles (David Morneau Doomsday Mix)”
7. Dalglish “3.2008”
8. Kingbastard “Danlan Speaks”
9. Korallreven “Pago Pago”
10. Khalija “Khalija Part VII (Flood’s Dream)”
11. Interview with Phil Hadad, co-curator of the Museum of Endangered Sounds
12. Toshinori Kondo “Clear Water”
13. Pale Sketcher “Plans That Fade (Faded Dub)”

Once a month on solipsistic NATION I showcase a label that’s putting out such amazing releases that I feel it’s my duty as host of this show to turn you on to that label. On today’s show we’re going to listen to select tracks from Dope Records and talk to the label’s founder, Fariz Suleiman.

I wish I could tell you how I came across Dope Records. I mean, I know I came across them through Zite on my iPad. I’ve created a section that focuses on electronic music, so even though I came across Dope Records through Zite, Zite pulled the website from any hundred or so blogs dedicated to electronic music. So who knows?

What I do know was that once I was at their web site and started listening to some of the tracks they made available online I became a fan. I expected that a label called Dope Records would feature hip hop releases but I was confounded when I heard everything from ambient to metal to dubstep to noise. I loved it! So I reached out to Fariz to join us on today’s show. I’ve included links in the playlist below to purchase nearly all the tracks heard on today’s show. Show Dope Records and the artists some love by buying a track or two that you dug, an album or two if you’re feeling particularly generous.

Quick note: today’s interview was actually recorded back in August but as I mentioned last week, I went on a sabbatical for a couple of months so it had to wait. I apologize to you and Fariz for the delay. But trust me on this, it is worth the wait.

1. Tokee “Pa (2012 Remix)”
2. Interview with Fariz Suleiman, founder of Dope Records
3. Tokee “Th (2012 Remix)”
4. [makina] “Kabul”
5. Tokee “Agony”
6. Paindonor “Shell Shock”
7. Tokee “Conquistador”
8. Meteo Xavier “Amenemhetopelzai”
9. Interview with Fariz Suleiman, founder of Dope Records
10. Paindonor “Loneliness of the Shot Down Bomber”
11. [makina] “Fly With Me”
12. Bouquiniste “Unknown Track”
13. [makina] “Eat tha’ Bass”
14. Meteo Xavier “Navi Whisperwilde”

You and I need to talk. I’ve been gone for two months and I owe you an explanation about where I’ve been.

The last week of August I took my first vacation in something like seven or eight years. It’s been the first time in ages that I’ve been able to unwind and completely relax. But something unexpected happened: I found I couldn’t get back on the saddle.

Let me explain it this way. I’ve been producing an episode of solipsistic NATION nearly every single weekend for the last five years. That’s 290 shows and sure, here and there I took a week off but otherwise I’ve been working on this show constantly.

Every day I spend a few hours sending out emails, making the rounds on Twitter and Facebook and reading electronic music blogs for ideas for future shows or just to take the pulse of the scene. And if I’m not doing that I’m either interviewing people for future shows or doing research for upcoming interviews.

And for the first time in five years I had a week where I didn’t have to hustle. And after that week I realized how big solipsistic NATION had become and how much work goes into making each episode. It was paralyzing. Each week that went by without producing an episode of solipsistic NATION made the following weekend that much more difficult to face.

It’s not that I don’t enjoy doing solipsistic NATION, because I do. In fact, I’ve got some big plans in store for the show. But I can’t go on like this. Something needs to change and I’ve got some exciting ideas I want to tell you about on a metacast I’ll put out later this month.

In the meantime, I’m back, and I’m back with a bang! On today’s show we’ll talk with Raoul Sinier and hear a recording of him performing in Toulouse in 2009.

Like so many artists I really like, Ad Noiseam‘s Nicolas Chevreux introduced me to Raoul when I showcased his label way back in 2008. I was immediately smitten with his deft weaving of staccato glitches, chopped vocals and shattered vocals. After going offline for so long I figured I’d better deliver the good when I came back. Speak Onion let me know on Twitter that he’s looking forward to today’s show and that he digs Raoul’s music.

I’m particularly sentimental about today’s show because I interviewed Raoul on my birthday. Granted, I had to wake up at 4:30 am in the morning to accommodate the time difference between me in San Diego and Raoul in Paris. Nonetheless, I was pretty alert and had a good time talking with Raoul. It was a good start to one of the best birthdays I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing.

Enjoy Raoul’s live set in Toulouse! Join us again next week when we’ll showcase Dope Records.

See you then!

1. Raoul Sinier “Listen Close”
2. Raoul Sinier “The Incredible Spitting Machine”
3. Raoul Sinier “Huge Samurai Radish (Video Edit)”
4. Raoul Sinier “Green Lights”
5. Raoul Sinier “We Fly Part 2”
6. Raoul Sinier “Listen Close”
7. Raoul Sinier “Ants Mayhem”
8. Raoul Sinier “Live (Toulouse, April 24, 2009)”