One of the consequences of COVID-19 was that for four months I had a very sedentary lifestyle. I stopped exercising and began consuming several pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream each week. Not good, so I started exercising every day and eating healthier. In the space of a month and a half I dropped 20 pounds and I gelt lighter in both mind and body. A few weeks ago my friend Billy put me on a custom diet and workout plan and I feel even better and I look great, too. The point I’m trying to make is that the virus has altered all of our lives but I feel, I hope, we’re reaching some sort of equilibrium and getting on with things despite it. And if you are like me, you’re making changes in your life.
I’ve mentioned many times before that SOUNDWAVE was launched to help me cope with COVID-19. I found solace in the music and I decided to share that music with others so that they might, too.
Shortly afterwards I began inviting deejays to participate in the show. I’d ask my guests if they knew anyone personally they thought might want to share a mix on SOUNDWAVE and that’s introduced me to a lot of great people and turned me on to some fantastic music. SOUNDWAVE has evolved in ways I couldn’t have predicted and I’m grateful for that.
Today’s guest deejay is W. David Oliphant, who I was turned on to by my old friend, Steven Howard. I knew nothing about Oliphant but if Steve recommended him I knew I was in store for something special. I was not mistaken.
I received Oliphant’s mix several months ago and I listened to it in a different context. I was full of dread and anxiety due to COVID-19 and listening to Oliphant’s mix was like entering into someone’s fever dream. It felt exactly like the reality I was experiencing and I listened to his mix over and over again. Months later I’m in a different place and I was reluctant to re-enter that world Oliphant has waiting for us. But I was obligated to so I could write up today’s show notes. It was harrowing. But that’s a good thing. In general, when people think of ambient music they think of pretty, soothing sounds. That’s certainly a part of ambient music but it can also be haunting and challenging and when you’re done you know you’ve been through an experience that’s changed you. You will be a different person after listening to today’s show.
See you next week when our guest deejay will be Elliott Sharp.
See you then!
By way of the kindness of Steven Howard I was asked by Joseph Aleo for an ambient mix. To be honest this asking for a mix is a first for me. I haven’t made mixes of others music since the 80’s, not for lack of interest but too little time outside of daily life which was myopically spent creating my own sounds…
Joseph has graciously let me make a mix of my own work for this. I gathered up a journey of sounds that focused on small textures rather than heavy drones. I was hoping to make something mysterious, ‘light’ and somehow hopeful sounding given the reason for this mix is due to our current pandemic situations. It has been a pleasure using my work as building blocks and making everything unique for this mix.
- The Big Dipper “Excerpt”
- Rag Dun “You were in a distant place where voices are kept In boxes of ice, each word frozen”
- W. David Oliphant “Ametis”
- W. David Oliphant “Bewustheid”
- W. David Oliphant “Oog Lag”
- W. David Oliphant “Vakuum”
- W. David Oliphant “Wart Gat”
- W. David Oliphant “Weerlig”
- Rag Dun “Things Fall Away”
- W. David Oliphant “Weerlig”
- Rag Dun “One to Three”
- Zazen Sounds “Hold No 1”
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