solipsistic NATION No. 179: The Orb, Live

Once a month on solipsistic NATION I feature a live performance from an electronic musician and boy do I have a treat for you today because today’s is a live set from The Orb recorded at the A.B. in Brussels September 25th of 2009! As an added bonus, we’re also going to talk to The Orb’s co-founder, Alex Paterson.

The Orb was founded by Alex Paterson and The KLF‘s Jimmy Cauty in 1988. The Orb began as ambient and dub DJs in London and developed a cult following among clubbers “coming down” from drug-induced highs.

The Orb has released nine studio albums to date as well as several remix albums and live albums and while there are many rotating members of The Orb Alex Paterson has always remained at The Orb’s core.

I’m a huuuge fan of The Orb! One of my favorite memories of The Orb was listening with my soundman Harry to The Orb’s Live 93 double album while out of our minds at WMFO. At one point we were both leaning out the window staring at the sky howling as snow pelted our faces while The Orb’s “Towers of Dub” throbbed over the speakers.

As I said, I’m a huge fan of The Orb and I love all their albums so I’m thrilled to play their live set from Brussels and have Alex Paterson join us from his home in the UK!

You can download the recording The Orb’s live performance at the A.B. in Brussels without my interview with Alex Paterson here.

Join us again next week when we’ll talk with Kristian Peters of the Sending Orbs record label.

Photo Credit: ©temple1201

  1. The Orb “A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain That Rules from the Centre of the Ultraworld” (Live In A.B. Brussels-September 25, 2009)
  2. Interview with Alex Paterson of The Orb
  3. The Orb “Towers of Dub” (Live In A.B. Brussels-September 25, 2009)
  4. The Orb “Sleeping Tiger/Mother Nature/Outlands/DDD” (Live In A.B. Brussels-September 25, 2009)
  5. Interview with Alex Paterson of The Orb
  6. The Orb “Chuck Peaks/Little Fluffy Clouds” (Live In A.B. Brussels-September 25, 2009)
  7. Interview with Alex Paterson of The Orb
  8. The Orb “Rock” (Live In A.B. Brussels-September 25, 2009)

solipsistic NATION No. 178: Sensei

A few weeks back I got an email from Steve Nalepa. Steve’s been on solipsistic NATION in the past and Steve has always been on top of what’s new and fresh in the electronic music scene. So when Steve mentioned several students from his Music Technology class that he teaches at Chapman University who were performing with him I knew I had to have them on the show.

As I said, Steve has been on solipsistic NATION several times. Steve’s live set that he performed for the Dub Beautiful Collective was featured on the show back in January of 2008. Steve also performed with Matt B of Bass Science and one of their live sets from Tokyo was featured on the show in September of 2008. More recently Steve appeared on the show to talk about his Flatlands:Remixes album.

Henry Allen and Preston Walker are Virtual Boy and met at Chapman University and joined forced in Steve’s Music Technology class. Virtual Boy’s How Long Does It Take To Get To Space? has been released on 1320 Records after they were hired to remix Nalepa’s Sunflowers single.

David Streit is FuzZ. David is also one third of theGREENLAB, a film production company working with experimental musicians in and around Los Angeles. theGREENLAB are currently hard at work on a documentary about the Low End Theory club in Los Angeles.

Andrew Swanson is St Andrew. For the past 10 months, Andrew has worked alongside famed UK electronic musician Adam Freeland, helping create the Freeland Live set for Glastonbury 2009 and beyond.

Join us next week for a special live set from The Orb and an interview with The Orb’s Alex Paterson!

Photo Credit: ©Phillip thornton

  1. Nalepa “Sunflowers”
  2. Nalepa “Sunflowers (St Andrew Remix)”
  3. Interview with Steve Nalepa, Instructor of Music Technology at Chapman University
  4. Virtual Boy “1982”
  5. Virtual Boy “Anything Goes”
  6. Interview with Henry Allen and Preston Walker of Virtual Boy
  7. Virtual Boy “Lost Treasure”
  8. FuzZ “Marshmellow Bazooka”
  9. FuzZ “Schemin 1”
  10. Interview with David Streit of FuzZ
  11. FuzZ “Mr Rogers”
  12. Adam Freeland “Mindkiller (St Andrew Remix)”
  13. St Andrew “Kaido Songo”
  14. Interview with Andrew Swanson of St Andrew
  15. St Andrew “Snap”

solipsistic NATION No. 177: Ingo Vogelmann

It’s been a cold, windy, rainy week here in Southern California. I’m not complaining because we typically have weather of 72 degrees and clear skies for most of the year so one month of rain is a pretty decent trade off for living in a place that is otherwise a paradise.

I’m actually happy about the rain we’ve been having because our guest DJ this week is Ingo Vogelmann and the mix he put together for today’s show complements the weather here in Southern California. Ingo’s mix is moody and reflective. Like I said, it goes perfect with rainy weather.

You might know the name Vogelmann. Ingo is a very popular DJ and producer with many followers. If you’re a frequent listener of friskyRadio then you’ve no doubt heard him spinning progressive and ambient sets. Ingo is also a resident DJ for Stylecharts.de at Rheingold, Düsseldorf (Germany), PrivateMonkey in Düsseldorf and at Club 3Klang in Essen (Germany).

Join us next week when we’ll talk with Steve Nalepa and hear music from FuzZ, St. Andrew and Virtual Boy who are students from Steve’s Music Technology class.

  1. Mika Denn “Virginia (S. Mayer Remix)”
  2. Interview with Ingo Vogelmann
  3. Ashley Wallbridge “Solidaritet”
  4. Neoplastik “Physical Reaction (Kaanturker Remix)”
  5. Saul B “Show Me How (Luke Porter Remix)”
  6. Interview with Ingo Vogelmann
  7. Nero “Spinal Coda”
  8. Vogelmann “Telescopia”
  9. Wael B “Bleeding Out”
  10. Alan Fitzpatrick “Reflections (Petar Dundov Remix)”
  11. Edu “Cold Glance”
  12. Interview with Ingo Vogelmann
  13. Graziano Ruan “Sweatming”
  14. Derek Howell “Weightless (Luke Porter Remix)”
  15. Interview with Ingo Vogelmann

solipsistic NATION No. 176: Intoxication

On today’s show we’ve got a fantastic mix from the mighty Riley Warren. Riley is a DJ and a producer and is the founder of Zero Digital.

Riley is a fellow San Diegan who I met through Twitter (you can follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/RileyWarren).

I love Twitter. I know that in a few years we’ll look back on Twitter the same way we think of, say, Yahoo’s instant messenger: just another tool that we take for granted. But today, right now, I think it’s a fantastic tool for communicating with a large swathe of people. I’ve been using Twitter to talk with listeners of solipsistic NATION about what they like about the show or invite them to participate in the interviews with my guests. I’ve also used Twitter to build relationship with musicians and record labels. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Anyway, back to Riley.

We had been talking back and forth on Twitter and when I earned that she also lives in San Diego I suggested that we get together for lunch at the Krakatoa Cafe. I had a great time talking with Riley about her career as a DJ and a producer and her record label. I invited her to put together a mix for solipsistic NATION and here it is. I know you’re gonna love it!

I think next week I’m going to bring things way down with an ambient set. What with Riley’s mix and last week’s mix from Lot49‘s Meat Katie and the live show from Somatic Responses the week before that I think it’s time to kick out the space jams.

See you then!

  1. Fergie “Ireland”
  2. Interview with Riley Warren
  3. D.Mag “Deep Down (Fog Remix)”
  4. Huntemann & Winter “In Your Car (feat. Xenia Belaiyeva)”
  5. Robin Hirte “Green”
  6. Daniel Portman “Disclosure”
  7. Kolombo “Sniff (Riley Warren Edit)”
  8. Siwell “Kenya”
  9. Luciano Lima “Graphite (K-Pax Remix)”
  10. Eelke Kleijn “Dopamine Theory”
  11. Deepgroove “Acid House Music (D.Ramirez Tribal Mix)”
  12. Joni & Bakke “Envision (Ilya Malyuev & Ormatie Remix)”
  13. Interview with Riley Warren
  14. Pan/Tone “Lost Highways (Gui Boratto Remix)”
  15. Tiger Skin “Response”
  16. Chic Miniature “Escandalo”
  17. Interview with Riley Warren

solipsistic NATION No. 175: Lot49

Once a month on solipsistic NATION I showcase a record label that is putting out amazing releases that you absolutely need to know about.

Recent shows have featured labels such as PublicSpaces Lab, Room40 and Digital Hardcore Recordings. Today on solipsistic NATION we’re going to hear music from Lot49 mixed by the label’s co-founder, Mark Pember, better known as Meat Katie.

Lot49 is a name taken from Thomas Pynchon‘s novel The Crying of Lot49. In the novel Lot49 is an underground information store, which is inspired Mark and co-founder Dylan Rhymes because they describe Lot49 as a treasure trove of quality underground music from across the dance music spectrum.

Special thanks to Melissa MacTavish for arranging today’s interview. Melissa busts her ass to help promote singles and albums by artists like those featured on today’s show. You can find her on Twitter at 713punky or email her at melissamact@gmail.com.

Speaking of Twitter, you can find me at twitter.com/solipsistic.

Join us again next week when our guest DJ will be Riley Warren!

  1. Sly Fidelity “The White Knight (Christian J Remix)”
  2. Meat Katie & Dylan Rhymes “Roll Player”
  3. D. Ramirez “Venus & Mars (Meat Katie & D. Ramirez Remix)”
  4. Interview with Meat Katie, co-founder of Lot49
  5. 30Hz “Subliminal Criminal (Magic Johnson Remix)”
  6. Blende “Peaches”
  7. Dustbowl “Set Up”
  8. Interview with Meat Katie, co-founder of Lot49
  9. Meat Katie & Kid Blue “Indian Queens”
  10. Meat Katie & Dopamine “Nectar”
  11. James Cocozza “Garf (Dopamine Remix)”
  12. Interview with Meat Katie, co-founder of Lot49
  13. Vandal “Obey”
  14. Meat Katie & Jono Fernandez “Pace (Lützenkirchin Remix)”
  15. Vandal & Blende “Health Boy”
  16. Meat Katie & D. Ramirez “Stop The Revolution (Bassbin Twins Remix)”
  17. Vandal “Idiots (Audiojack Remix)”
  18. Paranoid Jack, Meat Katie & Dylan Rhymes “It’s Like Liquid”
  19. Meat Katie “Cracks”
  20. Interview with Meat Katie, co-founder of Lot49
  21. Vandal “Captain Magic (Rudi Stakka Remix)”
  22. Dylan Rhymes “I Am Sweet (Hyperion Remix)”

solipsistic NATION No. 174: Somatic Responses, Live

We’re going to start 2010 with a bang here at solipsistic NATION! Today’s show features a live set from John and Paul Healy of Somatic Responses.

I confess I hadn’t heard anything by Somatic Responses until Nicolas Chevreux of Ad Noiseam kindly sent me a copy of their Reformation album my way (listen to my interview with Nicolas here). I instantly became a fan and played them on the show back in October. I know I’ll play even more tracks from Reformation in the near future but on today’s show we’ll talk with John and Paul Healy about their botched Detroit show and subsequently rocking a set through a television in a Doubletree hotel. If that sounds funny to you then you’ll find my interview with John and Paul hilarious! I had to constantly back away from my microphone during the interview because they had me laughing so much.

Looking back on 2009 I’m really impressed with the quality of live shows that have appeared on solipsistic NATION. Recent shows have featured King Cannibal, Eskmo and KiloWatts. In fact three of the most downloaded shows of 2009 have featured live sets from Amon Tobin, Lokua and Exillon. I’ll continue to deliver great recordings of live shows in 2010 in the next couple of months with Hecq, Mad EP, Terminal 11 and Ill.Gates!

  1. Somatic Responses “Live at Schizophrenia 4.27 (Doubletree Hotel)”
  2. Interview with John and Paul Healy of Somatic Responses

solipsistic NATION No. 173: Banco de Gaia

Today on solipsistic NATION we’re going to close out 2009 with an interview with Toby Marks of Banco De Gaia and hear tracks from his 20 year retrospective album, Memories Dreams Reflections.

I first discovered Banco de Gaia way back in the day when I was first getting into electronic music when I heard Banco de Gaia’s El Ahram Mix of “Desert Wind” on the first Excursions In Ambience compilation album. Excursions In Ambience was one of those albums that I listened to over and over again! It featured the Psychick Warriors Ov Gaia, Tranquility Bass and The Future Sound of London as well as Banco de Gaia and had a profound impact on the music I would listen to for years to come so it’s pretty cool to have Toby on today’s show!

Toby often mixes Arabic and Middle Eastern samples against a bass heavy reggae, rock, ambient dub or trance but overall there’s a spiritual dimension to his music. At least I think so, and it’s been a wonderful ride listening to Toby grow as an artist and expand his musical palette. Memories Dreams Reflections does its best to encapsulate the history Banco de Gaia and I’ve done my best to select tracks from the album to convey that experience. No surprise, I completely failed, but it was fun to make the effort. There are quite a few live tracks on today’s show as well as covers of legendary prog rock groups such as Pink Floyd, King Crimson and Hawkwind. I hope you enjoy the ride as much as I did.

See you next year! We’ll kick off 2010 with a live set from Somatic Responses!

Photo Credit: night_beat

  1. Banco De Gaia “China”
  2. Interview with Toby Marks of Banco De Gaia
  3. Banco De Gaia “How Much Reality Can You Take?”
  4. Banco De Gaia “No Rain”
  5. Interview with Toby Marks of Banco De Gaia
  6. Banco De Gaia “Drunk As A Monk”
  7. Banco De Gaia “Spirit Of The Age”
  8. Banco De Gaia “Starless”
  9. Banco De Gaia “Echoes”
  10. Interview with Toby Marks of Banco De Gaia

solipsistic NATION No. 172: #twittermix2

I use Twitter constantly to post updates about solipsistic NATION or to keep in touch with friends and listeners of the show. Twitter has also been a great way to develop relationships with musicians which gave me the idea to put together a #twittermix. I out the word out on Twitter for musicians to send me their best track to feature solipsistic NATION. The show was such a success that I thought it was time to do it again.

Like last time, I invited artists on Twitter to send me their best track to be played on solipsistic NATION. And like last time, I was flooded with great music. Too much, in fact, to play on one show so today’s mix is just a sampling of the diversity and great music that was sent my way. In the spirit of Twitter I’ve asked each artist featured on today’s show to talk about their music in 140 characters or less.

You can follow all the artists featured on today’s show by clicking the links below (oh, and you can follow me on Twitter at @solipsistic). Also, some of their music is available for purchase and some are available as a free download!

I’d like to thank everyone on today’s show once again for sending their music my way and taking to record introductions for their tracks.

My apologies to everyone I was unable to include on today’s show. I was sent so much great music but there was no way I could get to it all in one show. No worries, I’ll release another Twitter mix in a couple of months.

Join us again next week when our special guest will be Toby Marks of Banco de Gaia! You can follow Toby on Twitter at @bancodegaia.

  1. Deadmau5 “Ghosts n Stuff (Elite Force Re-Fix) (DJ Version)” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
    Follow Elite Force on Twitter @eliteforce
  2. Bubbles “Monkey Death March”
    Follow Bubbles on Twitter @bubblesmusic
  3. lowfreq “Maps (Bookworm Remix)”
    Follow lowfreq on Twitter @lowfreq
  4. The Artbreaker “Mash Homework”
    Follow The Artbreaker on Twitter @grindthieves
  5. Prophetnoise “Let’s Get Bass”
    Follow Prophetnoise on Twitter @prophetnoise
  6. Miro Gee pres. Angelique Cinelu “Very Very Hot”
    Follow Miro Gee on Twitter @mirogechev
  7. Half-BIT “Earthquake (The G·A·P RMX)”
    Follow Kieron James on Twitter @kieronjames
  8. ps “332k_080319” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
    Follow ps on Twitter @psenough
  9. bllix “Duir”
    Follow bllix on Twitter @bllix
  10. Synoiz “Getting Safer (Single Mix)”
    Follow Synoiz on Twitter @Synoiz
  11. Labguest “Busline Bassline”
    Follow Labguest on Twitter @labguest
  12. NQ “Trainyards”
    Follow NQ on Twitter @nq_music
  13. Shiftless “Warm Elixer (feat. Travis Nobles)”
    Follow Travis Nobles on Twitter @hiddenplace

solipsistic NATION No. 171: PublicSpaces Lab

Once a month on solipsistic NATION I showcase a music label that is putting out amazing releases that you need to know about. Today on solipsistic NATION we’ll listen to music from the excellent PublicSpaces Lab net label.

There are netlabels for nearly every genre of music but I suspect electronic music dominates the field of netlabels. Monotonik, after all, is one of the oldest netlabels in existence. Besides, electronic music and netlabels go together like tubes and toothpase. It’s a natural fit.

A few months back I had Fernando Fonseca on the show to cover the 2009 Net Audio Festival in Berlin. Fernando is also the co-founder of PublicSpaces Lab and I invited him to come back on solipsistic NATION to share music from PublicSpaces Lab and talk about his netlabel and the state if the industry.

If you enjoy today’s show then you’ll also enjoy my all-netlabel show that featured Axel Barcelo of Discos Konfort, Sebastian Redenz of Thinner and Simon Carless of Monotonik. You’ll also enjoy Travis Nobles‘, host of the hiddenplace music blog, netlabel mixes part 1 and 2. More recently, I had Marie Craven (AKA Pixieguts), the co-producer of the Pixicast, on the show with a mix of electronic music she loves from various netlabels.

Join us again next week for yet another Twitter mix!

  1. Torsion “Sundrops on the Ocean (Original Piano Mix)” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
  2. Interview with Fernando Fonseca of PublicSpaces Lab
  3. Torsion “Sundrops on the Ocean” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
  4. QuarterBit “Kyoto Protocol Letter Count” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
  5. Heliofante “Voyageur Heliophantique (Joint release with Gorríon de Miga)” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
  6. Torsion “Sunrise (previously unreleased track to be included on a upcoming compilation)”
  7. Esfera “Fedora (Joint release with Gorríon de Miga netlabel)” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
  8. ambienteer “Liquid” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
  9. Interview with Fernando Fonseca of PublicSpaces Lab
  10. Swaying Smoke “Tunnels II” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
  11. Sómio “San Feliz” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
  12. Julien Mier “The Nomad Carried Her Home” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
  13. Loser “Núr” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
  14. QuarterBit “Sub Existir (previously unreleased, to be included on QuarterBit’s next EP)”
  15. Interview with Fernando Fonseca of PublicSpaces Lab
  16. Torsion “T Minus 12V” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
  17. Dustmotes “Annica” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
  18. Kieron James “Cosecha Original Sound Mixed with QuarterBit – Sub existir” [FREE DOWNLOAD]

solipsistic NATION No. 170: King Cannibal, Live

I’ve been a fan of King Cannibal since his So… Embrace The Minimum EP and became an even bigger fan when his Let the Night Roar rocked my world. You can imagine my excitement when Dylan Richards (AKA King Cannibal) was kind enough to share his live set from the Glade Festival with me!

It was also a pleasure to talk with Dylan and learn how he rocks a live set from his laptop and what performing at the Glade Festival was like. I was also intrigued how Dylan is able to so deftly shift between dancehall inspired jams to super heavy, menacing dubstep or what his approach is to remixing everyone from The Prodigy to Scorn.

I’m really happy with the live sets that have been featured on solipsistic NATION. Not only has King Cannibal been on solipsistic NATION but in recent shows have included live sets from Ezekiel Honig, Eskmo and KiloWatts. Future shows will include live sets from Somatic Responses. Mad EP, Terminal 11 and Ill.Gates!

Photo Credit: Benedetta Sodini

  1. King Cannibal “Live (Overkill, Glade Festival)”
  2. Interview with King Cannibal

King Cannibal – So… Embrace The Minimum (Live)