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solipsistic NATION No. 20: King Dub Champion Sound System

Today’s show, all dub.

Back when I was a DJ at WMFO I sometimes used to fill in on some shows under the guise of King Dub. I’d speak with a slight Jamaican patois and pitch shift my voice and add some echo so I would sound like some interdimensional sound selector from the deepest realms of dub.

Dub, for those of you who don’t know, began as instrumentals of songs that appeared on the flipside of 45 rpms. In time, producers like Lee “Scratch” Perry and King Tubby began processing the instruments and vocals with effects such as echo and reverb, often with the instruments and vocals dropping in and out of the mix. But almost always with a massive low bass.

Dub later made it’s presence felt in electronic music and influenced techno, jungle, dubstep, drum and bass, house music, trip hop, ambient music, and hip hop.

  1. Dubmatix “War, Peace & Dub”
  2. Spiral Soundsystem vs Jerry Mane “Sizzled Dub”
  3. Nalepa “Pomme Granite Dub”
  4. Bluetech “AD”
  5. RaNDom “Crystal Dub”
  6. Subtronix “Bushwhacked”
  7. Ladyman “Infomercia”
  8. DJ Olive “Sub Bass Commandante”
  9. Once11 “My Real Face”
  10. Disrupt “Jah Red Gold And Green”
  11. Power Steppers “Gates of Dub”
  12. Volfoniq “Heroina Dub”
  13. Roots Ista Posse “Hooked Mi Up Dub”
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solipsistic NATION No. 19: Special Guest, DJ Wayz

solipsistic NATION is a weekly podcast that features the best of all genres of electronic music. Sometimes I jump from genre to genre on a show and other times I’ll focus on a specific genre like house. solipsistic NATION also features interviews, documentaries and, from time to time, guest DJs.

Today’s guest DJ is Wayz. Wayz has been featured on Drum and Bass Arena’s podcast which caught the attention of Breakbeat Kaos‘s DJ Fresh, in turn leading to the subsequent signing of ‘Beyond’ to the high profile Dogs on Acid label. His tracks have also been featured on; Knowledge Magazine, 1xtra, and now has play support from some of the scene’s top DJ’s.

I interviewed Wayz on the small WORLD podcast back in October. After the interview I asked Wayz if he’d be willing to share his latest drum and bass mix on solipsistic NATION. If you dig today’s episode then you’ll definitely want to subscribe to Wayz’s podcast!

  1. WAYZ “Pain”
  2. Sub Focus “Swamp Thing”
  3. Henchman “Breakdown”
  4. Mutated Forms “Star Dust”
  5. Tactix “Black Sky”
  6. High Rankin “Alice”
  7. Mumblz & Dave Akuma “Testing Reality”
  8. TC & Distored Minds “Jump”
  9. Logistics “Girl from Mars”
  10. Baron “Drive In Drive By”
  11. Brookes Brothers “Mistakes”
  12. WAYZ “Pink Birds”
  13. Culture Shock “The Bypass”
  14. Paul B “Nobody Likes A Monster”
  15. High Rankin “Lost in a World of Ghosts”
  16. Cooh “Armeny (Tactix Remix)”
  17. Panda “Cats”
  18. Sub Focus “Flamenco”
  19. Logistics “The Divide”
  20. Agent Alvin “The Untouchables”
  21. Specialist Sound “With Avengence”
  22. Sub Focus “Airplane”
  23. Audio “No Soul”
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solipsistic NATION No. 18: Master of Dead Contortions

Hello to all of you in Berlin who tuned in for today’s show.

In the early eighties there was a punk band called MDC and they frequently changed their name to a different acronym with every new record released. Some of the names included Millions of Dead Cops, More Dead Cops, Millions of Dead Children, Multi Death Corporations, Millions of Damn Christians and Missile Destroyed Civilization. The woman I was dating at the time and her friend would come up with their own acronyms for MDC and one them that struck me was Master of Dead Contortions. If there was ever a more appropriate name for today’s mix then Master of Dead Contortions is it.

I’ve noticed that a lot of electronic music podcasts are usually 30 minutes in length while my shows usually clock in an hour. Even without the interviews that sometimes occur on Solipsistic Nation I feel that I need an hour to really take you on a journey.

So here’s the question: would you prefer 30 minute installments of solipsistic NATION or do you think the show should continue to run for an hour? You can post your answer at solipsisticnation.com or email me at solipsisticnation@gmail.com.

Photo Credit: Sarah Glidden

  1. solipsistic NATION “Bad Acid”
  2. Riothead vs. Andrako “Under the Skin (Viral Remix by Bleedr)”
  3. compUterus “Exhaust Head”
  4. Mind Disruption “Sick Minds”
  5. Punch Drunk “Robotopia”
  6. Neikka Rpm “Sacrifice (Sever The Delusion)”
  7. Cristian Paduraru “Pentateuch”
  8. Reverend Rye “The Boom Boom Room”
  9. BioUtopia “A New Origin of Species”
  10. Mel “Waiting”
  11. Insideamind “Twinkle Twinkle”
  12. Junkyard Connection & Montana “Conestoga Bounce”
  13. Raven Chacon “Overheard Song”
  14. Electric Skychurch “Full Moon Generator”
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solipsistic NATION No. 17: Saturnalia

Happy holidays, citizens!

However you celebrate the holidays, I hope you have a good one.

I’m calling this episode of solipsistic NATION Saturnalia for no particular reason. It just sounds cool is all.

From Wikipedia…

The Saturnalia was a large and important public festival in Rome. It involved the conventional sacrifices, a couch (lectisternium) set out in front of the temple of Saturn and the untying of the ropes that bound the statue of Saturn during the rest of the year. Besides the public rites there were a series of holidays and customs celebrated privately. The celebrations included a school holiday, the making and giving of small presents (saturnalia et sigillaricia) and a special market (sigillaria). Gambling was allowed for all, even slaves; however, although it was officially condoned only during this period, one should not assume that it was rare or much remarked upon during the rest of the year. It was a time to eat, drink, and be merry. The toga was not worn, but rather the synthesis, i.e. colorful, informal “dinner clothes”; and the pileus (freedman’s hat) was worn by everyone. Slaves were exempt from punishment, and treated their masters with disrespect. The slaves celebrated a banquet: before, with, or served by the masters. A Saturnalicius princeps was elected master of ceremonies for the proceedings. Saturnalia became one of the most popular Roman festivals which led to more tomfoolery, marked chiefly by having masters and slaves ostensibly switch places. The banquet, for example, would often be prepared by the slaves, and they would prepare their masters’ dinner as well. It was license within careful boundaries; it reversed the social order without subverting it.

Photo Credit: Ray-of-Sun

  1. Dean Martin “Jingle Bells (Dan The Automator Remix)”
  2. Sismo “Pueblo”
  3. Dolce Stil Nuovo “Hawaiin Song”
  4. D.J. Waht “Shopping Cart Ride Reprise”
  5. Skink “The Ages of Carbon Dating MkIII”
  6. Kaká Werá Jecupé “Ibi-Cy”
  7. Neikka Rpm “Kill All Machines (Ft. Kenji Siratori)”
  8. Mel “Sheltered Life”
  9. Tanya Pea “Handcut Ice Cubes (Thieves Mix)”
  10. Cars & Trains “Broken Streetlamp Serenade”
  11. Infantjoy “Without”
  12. Ultre “Scissors and Intervals”
  13. BEe “Our Blood”
  14. Michael Bross “Oscuro”
  15. Beckett & Taylor “Where There You Been Gone Find It”
  16. Spandex “What’s Wrong With You”
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solipsistic NATION No. 16: Acid Jazz and Nu-Jazz

Today’s show focuses on acid jazz and nu-jazz. Acid jazz combines elements of soul music, funk, disco and modal harmonies while nu-jazz lend jazz textures and sometimes jazz instrumentation, funk, electronic dance music, and free improvisation.

As a former punk I originally hated electronic music like acid jazz. I was into hardcore and the only music that mattered to me was the kind that was raw, abrassive and in your face. If it wan’t punk, hip hop or indutrial I couldn’t be bothered with it. Acid jazz was just to dainty of a thing for me to care about.

But that was soon to change.

At the time I was a DJ at WMFO and each weekend I would have live bands perform on my show. As you might imagine, they were all punk, industrial or hip hop acts. My engineer was a guy named Harry and prior and after a band’s set he would blast the speakers of his studio with all sorts electronic music I had never heard before. And it grooved!

I think the big turning point for me was one night after my radio show I headed over to a nightclub I worked at. The DJ was spinning acid jazz and house. It was very sexy watching people dance to the music, always slighty off beat but always riding the rhythm. Kind of like a jazz solo. For the first time I really started digging the music. The tab of acid I had just taken might have helped.

Photo Credit: ^riza^

  1. Dolce Stil Nuovo “12 Times”
  2. Craig De Maio “Intro To Reality”
  3. Tstewart “A World Generated Every Answer Ever For All to Know”
  4. So Percussion “Work Slow Life”
  5. Spacehoppa “Alone”
  6. Soular Sound “Things We Do”
  7. The Messenger “Colorized”
  8. The Other Guy “Rockin Chairs”
  9. Fonkmasters “Once I Get Up”
  10. Heliotrope “Flute Flight”
  11. Nikita Warren “I Need You (MLK’s Dream Version)”
  12. Nettle “Mehmet Irdel (ft. Aziz Arradi)”
  13. DJ Olive “Coonymus”
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solipsistic NATION No. 15: Fake Science

Each week on solipsistic NATION I play the best of all genres of electronic music. On today’s show we talk to James Polanco of Fake Science, the digital online music store. We’ll also hear select tracks from artists who are featured Fake Science.

Fake Science is an internet based distributor of downloadable music. Fake Science provides a unique service catering to fans of indie labels and artists frustrated by a world ruled by large corporate download services, where the true independents are afforded little chance to stand out from the crowd.

Fake Science is dedicated to making independent music available digitally and affordably. Fake Science wants to enable musicians to sell their music and to make more by offering direct payment and an opportunity to reach a larger audience without being limited by the number of CDs they could afford to print.

What if people buying music were treated with respect rather than suspicion? Charged a reasonable amount of money for the music they were getting? What if they were allowed to share their favorite music with their friends without being considered a criminal?

As listeners, Fake Science is sick of being considered as consumers of art, rather than patrons. Fake Science decided to do something about it.

If you enjoy today’s edition of solipsitic NATION then you’ll sure to dig the Fake Science Lab Report podcast.

  1. Fake Science Interview
  2. Nano “Mosaic II”
  3. Qpe “Devil May Care”
  4. Eddie Mis “Acrobat Bilder”
  5. Hol Baumann “Radio Bombay”
  6. Cell Culture “Revelation”
  7. Dr. Toast “Introspective Transmission”
  8. Alchemy “Alchemy”
  9. Carbon Based Lifeforms “MOS 6581 (Album Version)”
  10. Adham Shaikh “Shiraz (Evolution Mix)”
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solipsistic NATION No. 14: DEFcember

DEFcember

People sometimes ask me what’s the story behind the name solipsistic NATION. I first came across the phrase “Solipsistic Nation” in Greg Egan‘s book, Permutation City. In the book, there are two characters who inhabit a digital universe, and because they can create and recreate their world and identities, they were truly solipsistic beings who led existential lives.

You can really lose yourself in the rhythms and sounds of electronic music. It’s often a faceless genre, so to some degree you can interpret the music as you like. Electronic music can both be a communal form of music and a form of individual expression. Hence, the name Solipsistic Nation. Plus, it just sounds so damn cool!

  1. DJ Uff Da & DJ Jay C 3 “Hit Record”
  2. Jedi Mind Tricks “Heavy Metal Kings w/ Ill Bill (Terror Remix)”
  3. Audio War “Analyze”
  4. Iscintilla “Havestar”
  5. Jonny 20 “Vampyre”
  6. Solid Decay “Legalize”
  7. Floattank “Star Gate”
  8. Vaia “Plagas”
  9. Infantjoy “Composure With Isan”
  10. Cooler “Plepp Stumbles Away”
  11. Spiral System “Different Light”
  12. Qpe “Wheel”
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solipsistic NATION No. 13: The New Bin

The New Bin

When I was a deejay at WMFO it was always a joy to check the new bin. The new bin was where we stocked all the recent CD and vinyl releases. Each week I’d go through the new bin to pick the stand-out tracks that I wanted to play on my show. The new bin made every week seem like a combination of my birthday and Christmas.

The other thing that made the new bin so much fun was trying to create a show that flowed together incongrously despite all the different genres I was attempting to mix together. Was is possible to create a show with segues with dub, country, techno, hip hop, alternative rock, etc that sounded seamless?

This week we’re going to go through all the CDs that have been sent to the solipsistic NATION studios here in beautiful San Diego.

Photo Credit: seekoh

  1. Junior Boys “In The Morning”
  2. Grand Analog “I’ll Walk Alone”
  3. My Robot Friend “Swallow (Rap by Crasta Yo)”
  4. Iswhat?! “Front”
  5. Caribou “The Snow Capes”
  6. Mouse On Mars “Fish Bord”
  7. Four Tet “My Angel Rocks Back and Forth (Four Teas on English Time – Icarus Remix)”
  8. Bola “Clockjerk (Trapezoid)”
  9. Infantjoy “Leaving Somewhere With Someone”
  10. Pole “Heim (Four Tet Remix)”
  11. Chris Herbert “cassino”
  12. Alexandra Gardner “Onice”
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solipsistic NATION No. 12: The Agriculture

The Agriculture

About six months ago I interviewed James Healy of The Agriculture Records on the small WORLD podcast. The Agriculture puts out mind blowing music by artists who are influenced by many different genres, which makes their own songs genre defying. House, garage, dance hall, dub, hip hop, minimalist electronic music, etc…it’s all grist for The Agriculture’s mill.

When I began solipsistic NATION there were a number of music labels that I knew that I wanted to feature on the show. Given solipsistic NATION‘s motto of playing the very “best of all genres of electronic music,” The Agriculture was a natural fit.

  1. The Agriculture Interview
  2. Qpe “Devil May Care”
  3. David Last “Cat-Silver”
  4. DJ Olive “Sub Bass Commandante”
  5. DJ Wally “I Know There’s Something Going On”
  6. Ladyman “Poppy God”
  7. Lloop “Bulbbs4”
  8. Lunchbox “Brown Bag”
  9. Nettle “Duende”
  10. Nnnj “Goop Scoop”
  11. Once11 “A Long Beard On A Throne”
  12. Sub Dub “Dawa Zangpo”
  13. DJ Olive “Round Fire Strut”
  14. Ladyman “Infomercia”
  15. Nnnj “What’s The Weather Like Today?”
  16. Once11 “99% Sure”
  17. Sub Dub “Vision Quest 2”
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solipsistic NATION No. 11: Offbeat

Offbeat

Let me give you a little background on solipsistic NATION if you’re new to the show.

solipsistic NATION began as a show on a pirate radio station a year or so ago. Electronic music is so diverse that I didn’t want to limit myself to one particular genre. The concept of the show was that I wanted to explore all genres of electronic music, whether it was drum and bass, trip hop, techno, ambient, etc.

I stopped doing solipsistic NATION as a radio program because I simply could dedicate the time I needed to produce what I considered a high quality show. Things have settled down since then and I’ve relaunched solipsistic NATION as a weekly podcast.

Previous episodes of solipsistic NATION have included shows on house music, chill out music, drum and bass and hip hop. There have also been documentaries on nerdcore and chiptunes, a mix by guest DJ Eve Falcon and a live performance by Deru. The show has also included interviews with Rena Jones, Grouse, and Dielectric Records.

On today’s edition of solipsistic NATION we’ll focus on electronic music that feautres synchopated and offbeat rhythms. We’ll start the show with an interview with Ben Torrence, founder of Woodson Lateral Records.

  1. Woodson Lateral Records Interview
  2. Lamplighter “Purple”
  3. Splinters “Dust Collector”
  4. Hakea “Mim”
  5. Lamplighter “Test”
  6. Choncey Langford “Helium”
  7. Obelus “Big Sky Montana”
  8. Algorithms “Lo Vagrant Sound”
  9. Karsten Pflum “Impulse II”
  10. Cooler “Sorrowful Go Round”
  11. Cars & Trains “The Official Cars & Trains Theme Song”
  12. Matthew Burtner “Spectral for 0”
  13. Juan Farcik “Closed”