Tag: electronic

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SOUNDWAVE : 52 : ROBIN RIMBAUD

Today’s guest deejay is Robin Rimbaud, AKA Scanner.

I discovered Robin last century on a compilation album. At the time, Robin was snatching phone conversations from the ether and incorporating them into his music. It was at once intimate and troubling because the very act of listening to Robin’s music made you complicit in his eavesdropping.

Those tracks, however, are just one area he explores in his music. If you delved into his work, you’d find that it is not incongruous to find him straddling minimalism, classical music, soundtracks and more.

When I showcased Robin’s music and featured one of his performances on solipsistic NATION I was as giddy as a fanboy. I had been listening to his releases since the ‘90s, and I was thrilled to have him on my show. It was only natural that I invited him to be a guest deejay on SOUNDWAVE, and I’m just excited about today’s show as when he was my guest on solipsistic NATION many years ago.

Robin has some words about his mix, which you can read below.

In pandemic news, California, like the rest of the U.S., has stepped up vaccinations. I know people who have been highly diligent regarding COVID-19 safety protocol and were still waylaid by the virus. I’m currently staying in Sacramento, and anecdotally, I can tell you that a lot of people here have stopped giving a fuck. I don’t want to catch the virus when we’re this close to the finish line, so I hope to be vaccinated within the next week or two.

Hopefully, this summer, I will be able to hug some of you who listen to SOUNDWAVE. Who knows, maybe I’ll throw a SOUNDWAVE festival. Wouldn’t that be a hoot?

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Peter van Cooten, host of Ambientblog.net and DreamScenes on Concertzender.

See you then!

 

Robin Rimbaud, AKA Scanner
Robin Rimbaud, AKA Scanner

I always find it challenging to know how to begin to choose music from literally hundreds of thousands of pieces of music that I own. Music lives with me from the moment I wake up early in the morning until I go to bed at night (at a very reasonable time). So, I thought it might be of interest to simply make a collage of a few of the many pieces of music that have accompanied me in the last seven days. These are playing as I work on emails, administration, accounts, and so on through my day. A brief picture of a moment in a day for my ears.

  1. Ø “Otava”
  2. Roméo Poirier “Thalassocratie”
  3. Stephen Vitiello “Light Readings”
  4. Nurse with Wound “Echo Poeme Sequence N° 2”
  5. Blank Gloss “Of a Vessel”
  6. Brian Eno “Top Boy”
  7. Disjecta “Are You an Echo”
  8. Benjamin Britten “Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op. 10 – Chant”
  9. John Cage “Dream”
  10. strië “Hallilaul”
  11. Mark Pritchard “Beautiful People (feat. Thom Yorke)”
  12. Bersarin Quartett “Oktober”

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SOUNDWAVE : 51 : RHUCLE

SOUNDWAVE : 51 : RHUCLE

Today’s guest deejay is Rhucle.

Rhucle is yet another amazing talent I discovered on Bandcamp.

Typically I’ll do a deep dive on Spotify to discover musicians who explore ambient, classical, experimental, and instrumental music. The last few months, I’ve been searching for new music on Bandcamp. The original reason was that I know Bandcamp is one of the platforms where musicians and labels can get a more significant percentage of money from sales of songs and albums (nearly all the tracks on today’s show can be purchased on Bandcamp, by the way). While I stream my share of music through Spotify, I still purchase music to support the artists, so I decided that as long as I’m buying music on Bandcamp, I should see what they have to offer.

It’s been a rewarding experience because I’ve spent many hours listening to fantastic music. Bandcamp seems to attract musicians and labels who offer a higher caliber of releases. I don’t know why that is so, but in general, it appears to be true.

As I delved into Bandcamp, I came across Rhucle and his lovely music.

Rhucle’s albums will forever feel like a Sunday winter afternoon walking my dog in Sacramento because that’s how I first experienced his music.

There’s a bike path not far from where I’m living. One Sunday, I took my dog, Blossom, for a walk down the path so we could play ball. I listened to Rhucle’s albums on my phone, and his music became the soundtrack for our stroll. We went through fields, saw ducks and egrets in the stream and turtles sunning themselves. At some point, I stopped being aware of Rhucle’s music, it was simply part of the environment.

Naturally, I invited Rhucle to guest deejay on SOUNDWAVE. It’s beautiful and taps into the same magic I got listening to Rhucle’s album that Sunday spent walking my dog. I hope you’ll have a delightfully similar experience when you listen to it.

Rhucle had a few words about his mix below.

Before I wrap things up, I wanted to share my last weekend with you.

My wife and I met some friends in Napa Valley to celebrate her birthday. We ate some great food and drank some spectacular wine. Everyone was having such a great time. It was undoubtedly due to the wine and the beauty of Napa Valley. I can’t help but think that there was a certain buoyancy because we all know we’re turning the corner on this pandemic.

The last year has been long and hard. Some of us were ill. Some of us lost family and friends to the virus. But we’re close to the end. While we can’t yet congregate and be with our loved ones, that day is near.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Robin Rimbaud AKA Scanner.

See you then!

 

Rhucle
Rhucle

These tracks get close to my feelings recently. When I am tired of my work and any bad news, these sounds help me with my stress. I think that ambient music is more important for people than ever. This mix applies to a contemporary person.

  1. Loris S. Sarid “Orizzontale verticale”
  2. Inner Travels “Sirao”
  3. Chie Otomi “Cardamom”
  4. Gallery Six “Her Gentle Smile”
  5. Kyle Bobby Dunn “Grab (And It’s Lost Legacies)”
  6. Harold Budd “Campanile”
  7. Bålsam “You’ll Be Safe Here (Long Version)”
  8. Rhucle “Gardenia”

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SOUNDWAVE : 50 : EMIL ZAPFFE

SOUNDWAVE : 50 : EMIL ZAPFFE

Today’s guest deejay is João Guimarães, AKA Emil Zapffe.

If you’ve been listening to SOUNDWAVE for the last few weeks, then it will come as no surprise that I discovered João on Bandcamp.

When SOUNDWAVE comes up in conversation with those unfamiliar with ambient music, I sometimes have to explain that not all ambient music is swathes of pretty sounds. Ambient can be haunting and discordant. Or, in João’s case, it’s grand in scope. If you want to experience it yourself, go to João’s Bandcamp page and play any of his songs with the volume cranked to 11. His music will shake your windows and vibrate dishes off your table. You’ve been warned.

But if you’re expecting that kind of experience on today’s show, then you’ll be just as surprised as I was. João’s mix covers quite the gamut. Yes, there is that big sound, but it’s also delicate, mournful, and lovely. It’s precisely the kind of mix I’d share with people I have to explain the depth and complexity ambient music offers.

Oh, and I also appreciate that João and I appreciate Peter Wessel Zapffe’s nihilist essay, “The Last Messiah” (listen to an excerpt from the essay on my October 2020 mix). I usually embrace Nietzche’s existential exuberance, but it’s easy to waffle and settle into existential dread, something Zapffe (Peter Wessel, not Emil) explores in his essay. As long as I don’t fall into Emil Cioran’s existential disgust, I guess I’m doing okay.

João has some words regarding his mix below.

Before I wrap this up, I feel the need to mention that it was this time last year that California went under lockdown. Like most people, I’ve gotten along with my life. I work from home, I rarely go out, and when I do, I wear a mask even when I don’t need to. Vaccinations for the entire U.S. are just around the corner. But a year ago, we were all white-knuckling it, and every day was filled with angst. I’m relieved that we’re about to turn the corner.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Rhucle.

See you then!

 

João Guimarães, AKA Emil Zapffe
João Guimarães, AKA Emil Zapffe

For this mixtape, I tried to make a selection of compositions that touched me this past year and permitted me to escape reality for a while. Our world outside changed, but our inner world changed too, with lots of questions about the nature of existence, the fabric of society, our strengths, and our deepest fears. Through these sounds, I could cope with reality and dream outside its claw, making my mind and spirit expand beyond self-imposed barriers. I hope the listeners can expand their senses and spirits, and for a while, inhabit their inner world, free of any form of limitation or weakness. In times of fear, all we have is our imagination.

Thanks to Joseph Aleo for this invitation, it’s an honor.

  1. Giulio Aldinucci “Phoenix”
  2. Emil Zapffe “Fragmented Anchors”
  3. SVLBRD “The Void”
  4. Mono Tape “Origin”
  5. Mount Shrine & Alphaxone “The Realms of Madmen”
  6. David Cordero “Tras la tormenta (feat. Carles Guajardo)”

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SOUNDWAVE : 49 : LESS BELLS

SOUNDWAVE : 49 : LESS BELLS

Today’s guest deejay is Julie Carpenter, AKA Less Bells.

Several months ago, I did a deep dive on musicians on Bandcamp who explored ambient, classical, experimental, and instrumental music. Julie explores all those genres, so naturally, I invited her to join us on SOUNDWAVE. I expected to be surprised, but I didn’t expect how surprised by her mix. Dirty Projectors? Buddy Sainte-Marie? Big Star? What the hell?!? I’m not complaining. In fact, I’m delighted!

Speaking of delights, I urge you to go on your music streaming platform of choice and listen to Julie’s music. I’ve been listening to her albums constantly since first discovering her music, and I have a feeling you’ll do the same. Better yet, if you like what you hear, and you will, why not spend a few dollars on some of her songs or her albums. You can thank me later.

Julie will talk about her mix below.

I need to wrap this up because my wife will visit me for the next week and I need to tidy up around the house. The pandemic and work have kept us apart for months at a time. While I’m used to a solitary life, I don’t like being apart from her this long. But I have relapsed into my former bachelor ways and need to get things shipshape before she’s back in town.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Emil Zapffe, AKA João Guimarães.

See you then!

 

Julie Carpenter, AKA Less Bells
Julie Carpenter, AKA Less Bells

Putting together a coherent playlist makes me feel like I’m having a party and leaving some of my favorite guests standing outside in the cold. I start with way too many ideas and then eliminate the various contestants. This is how I write music, too. It isn’t until I’m done that I can see what I was trying to do. This list revealed itself as a collection of my favorite sound palettes.

I love music that makes me ask, “how on earth did they do that?” The whole Bitte Orca album from Dirty Projectors is a cabinet of wonders, but this is the crowning gem for me. They hung this beautiful melody on reversed swelling strings, and it’s sculptural.

The Clint Heidorn piece that follows has its own kind of dimensionality but pursues it through timbres. The way the sax, strings, guitar, and upright bass move together creates one gorgeous multi-faceted instrument.

Windy & Carl have such a deep body of work, it was hard to choose, but I love the little chimes that litter the winter landscape of “Snow Covers Everything.” Guitar and vocal sounds are their trademark, but it’s the attention to little sonic details that sets them apart.

“Sleep Walk” is a song I’ve loved my whole life because it’s one of those perfect melodies that embodies yearning and satisfaction in the same moment. Also, it’s got the best reverb.

Christina Vantzou’s piece that follows is from a completely different planet, but the dialogue between the elements she’s chosen is so subtle and warm. It’s a piece you can wrap up in.

The Books take us in yet another direction, a frantic scramble of chopped acoustic bits that comes together in an emotionally resonant way.

Buffy Sainte-Marie is a hero of mine in many ways, but I especially love Illuminations for her experimentation with processing. “Poppies” shows off her acrobatic voice in such a chilling atmosphere.

I debated putting “Kanga Roo” on this list as it’s such a well-known song, but it’s got so many elements that draw me in. It’s the ultimate beautiful mess: distortion clashing with strings, dissonance, and melody, timing fluid to the point of falling apart.

I closed out the playlist with “Queen of Crickets” from the most recent Less Bells album Mourning Jewelry because I feel like its one of our most successful experiments with texture. I loved bringing together the sound of a 120-year-old banjo with synthesizers and strings. In the end, it’s all just vibrations and how they move the listener.

  1. Dirty Projectors “Two Doves”
  2. Clint Heidorn “Pasadena”
  3. Windy & Carl “Snow Covers Everything”
  4. Santo & Johnny “Sleep Walk”
  5. Christina Vantzou “Entanglement”
  6. The Books “That Right Ain’t Shit”
  7. Buffy Sainte-Marie “Poppies”
  8. Big Star “Kanga Roo”
  9. Less Bells “Queen of Crickets”

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SOUNDWAVE : 48 : KLOOB

SOUNDWAVE : 48 : KLOOB MUSIC

Today’s guest deejay is Dani, AKA Kloob.

Dani’s mix is a special selection of some of the his deepest tracks.

Dani has been composing electronic music for 20 years, from underground electronic dance vibes to ambient atmospheric scapes. Dani has been deeply involved in ambient since 2010, and he has released under Relaxed Machinery and Winter-Light labels.

Dani is yet another musician I’ve discovered on Bandcamp. Unless Bandcamp has a predictive algorithm running behind the scene, I assume Bandcamp is pretty straightforward: what you see is what you get. Meaning, if you’re into, say, ambient music, then Bandcamp serves up a bunch of stuff in that category. As far as I know, they’re not displaying music based on your play count or rating or whatever.

That’s got me thinking. I love Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlists. After years of using it, it gets me. Spotify is just one of many platforms competing for my dollar, offering a set of services and options that they hope will entice me. But for SOUNDWAVE, I’ve found myself lately perusing ambient, classical, experimental, and instrumental music on Bandcamp based album covers, the names of the artists, and skimming through a couple of their tracks. I did it the old-fashioned way like a savage.

Dani had me hooked.

First, the name. Kloob? Really? I’m in.

His album covers are gorgeous.

And Dani’s music has got all the things I love in ambient. His mix ranges from the cosmic to the sublime to the primal. You’re in for quite a journey.

It didn’t take an algorithm. All it took was Dani delivering on the promise of an experience.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Julie Carpenter AKA Less Bells. You guessed it, she’s another musician I discovered on Bandcamp.

See you then!

 

Dani, AKA KLOOB
Dani, AKA KLOOB

  1. Kloob “Kochi Sunset”
  2. Kloob “A Special Glow”
  3. Kloob “Desprendido (Alternative Mix)”
  4. Kloob “Profound Invocation”
  5. Kloob “Endless Motion”

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SOUNDWAVE : 47 : OUT OF HELL

SOUNDWAVE : 47 : OUT OF HELL

Today’s guest deejay is Boris Tyurin, AKA Out of Hell.

Out of Hell continues my exploration of musicians who mine the ores of ambient, classical, experimental, and instrumental on Bandcamp. It’s been a successful endeavor, and previous Bandcamp artists who have been guest deejays on SOUNDWAVE are Ishmael Cormack, Tim Six of ΠΑΝΘΕΟΝ Records, and Ivan Somov, AKA Notnotice.

I’ll be honest, what made me listen to Out of Hell’s was the influence of horror writer H.P. Lovecraft on his music.

It’s interesting because Lovecraft’s books are in the public domain Lovecraft permeates popular culture. In particular, his Cthulhu mythos. You can find Lovecraft’s tentacled Elder God in the form of crochet toys, tiki mugs, and pajamas. The sublime terror of Cthulhu has been diminished into a safe, consumer item. The only people who tap into the nihilistic horror of Cthulhu are comic book writer Alan Moore, role-playing game creators, and bands such as Rudimentary Peni and Skinny Puppy.

Not everything Out of Hell records is touched by the tentacles of Cthulhu, but the influence is there. Out of Hell explores the realm of dark ambient. His music can be just as delicate and pretty as a lot of ambient music, but it’s mysterious and often tinged with dream and anxiety. His mix is more than a selection of some of his best work. It’s an experience to be had.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Dani, founder of Kloob Music.

See you then!

 

Boris Tyurin, AKA Out of Hell
Boris Tyurin, AKA Out of Hell

  1. Out of Hell “The Dark”
  2. Ouy of Hell “Symphony in Moonlight and Nightmares”
  3. Out of Hell “The Temple”
  4. Out of Hell “The Whisperer in Darkness”
  5. Out of Hell “The Voice of the Night”
  6. Out of Hell “The Ruins”
  7. Out of Hell “Introspection”

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SOUNDWAVE : 46 : IVAN SOMOV

SOUNDWAVE : 46 : IVAN SOMOV

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Today’s guest deejay is Ivan Somov, AKA Notnotice.

While I stream music like everyone else, I’m also old fashioned and still purchase songs and albums. Bandcamp is my preferred vendor because they give the music labels and artists a generous share of the money generated from Bandcamp sales.

I spend an hour at least an hour a week exploring Bandcamp and listened to great music. If I came across someone I thought would be a good fit for SOUNDWAVE, I’d invite them to be a guest deejay. It’s a no-brainer, really, and we’ve heard great mixed from folks such as Tim Six, who runs ΠΑΝΘΕΟΝ Records with his wife, Mila, and Ishmael Cormack . Next week’s show will feature Out of Hell, and in the weeks to come our guest deejays will be Less Bells, Emil Zapffe, and Rhucle.

Ivan is yet another talented musician I discovered after searching Bandcamp for ambient, classical, experimental, and instrumental music to listen to. These are difficult genres. It’s easy to record music in those genres that are awful, hard to do mediocre, hard still to record something great, and a challenge to create something great. When I find something great, as I said, I am compelled to reach out to the artist and invite them to be a guest deejay on SOUNDWAVE. And that brings us to today’s show, which I’m listening to as I write this.

Ivan’s mix is going to take you on a journey. To me, that is the point of art. It’s not enough to craft a pretty or catching sound. Evoking emotion is one thing, but if the music can transport you to somewhere else and spur your imagination, that’s magic. And Ivan’s mix is magic and will be your soundscape for today’s sonic safari. The mix is the map. Your destination will be your own for you to discover.

Quick note: Ivan begins today’s mix with a track from Symphocat, a Russian musician and label owner. Tim Six also featured Symphocat on last week’s show. I’m taking that as a sign that I need to extend an invitation to guest deejay on the show.

Ivan has some words about Notice that he’d like to share with you below.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Out of Hell.

See you then!

 

Ivan Somov, AKA Notnotice
Ivan Somov, AKA Notnotice

Notnotice – a project created to implement the ambient and not only the mood of the author. Originally was written only dark ambient, but later decided not limited by the rigid framework, but at the same time, the music has not lost the original dark and cold, Notnotice tries to embody in their tracks the idea of loneliness and alienation.

  1. Symphocat “Svifa I Himininn”
  2. Forest Management “Fill In The Blank”
  3. unknown “Way number 3”
  4. Notnotice “Stockholm Syndrome”
  5. Acronym “Rails”
  6. очень длинный кот “v parallelnih mirah”
  7. Bad Sector & Tommaso Lisa “Untitled”
  8. kmerl “Constellation”
  9. Stanislav Tolkachev “Borderland”
  10. Canadian Rifles “1812”
  11. FH HF “Seconds Remain As Abstract Strokes”
  12. gacha bakradze “Broken Keyboard”
  13. Jeremiah M. Carter & Chelsea Bridges “White Rose Royale”
  14. Appropriate Savagery “Makeup & Ketamine, During a Quiet Evening”
  15. Christian Michael Filardo “Charm Syndicate”
  16. Concrete Fantasies “stealth2 (Agadez Magi)”
  17. Varg2™ “600 Lives To Become Nothing But A Memory (ft. Soho Rezanejad)”
  18. Cio D’Or “Triplet”
  19. EyeScream “(A)(ny)(thing)(ll)”

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SOUNDWAVE : 45 : ΠΑΝΘΕΟΝ RECORDS

SOUNDWAVE : 45 : ΠΑΝΘΕΟΝ RECORDS

Today’s guest deejay is Crimean drone artist Tim Six, who along with his wife, Mila, run ΠΑΝΘΕΟΝ Records.

I discovered ΠΑΝΘΕΟΝ Records while searching for ambient, classical, experimental and instrumental music on Bandcamp. These days there are hundreds of ways to find new music. There’s Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, etcetera, and while I use all those services, I find myself drawn to Bandcamp more and more. Partly it’s because of the social aspects of Bandcamp. I like seeing and listening to what other Bandcamp customers have purchased. Partly because I know that Bandcamp is one of the few services that offer musicians and labels a higher percentage of money format the sales they make from music purchased on Bandcamp. In fact, on the first Friday of every month, they’ve waived their revenue share to help support the many artists who have seen their livelihoods disrupted by the pandemic.

I’ve come across so much beautiful music on Bandcamp that I extended invitations to musicians and labels to guest deejay on SOUNDWAVE. Ishmael Cormack curated last week’s show, and in the future, we’ll hear mixes from Out of Hell, Less Bells, Emil Zapffe, and more. I noticed that many of the albums that struck me deeply were all releases from ΠΑΝΘΕΟΝ Records. I reached out to Tim, and he was generous enough to put together today’s mix. You’ll find it gentle, mysterious, and at times, sublime.

I encourage you to spend a few dollars on any of the songs you hear on today’s show mix to support the artists.

Tim has a few words about his label and today’s mix below.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Ivan Somov.

See you then!

Tim Six
Tim Six

ΠΑΝΘΕΟΝ Records / Pantheon is an independent D.I.Y. music label from St. Petersburg, Russia, releasing various kinds of lesser-known artist from all around the globe. Our label specializes in limited editions of cassettes and CDs in handcrafted packaging and releasing digital-only albums.

All tracks for today’s show are from albums released on ΠΑΝΘΕΟΝ Records (2014-2020).

All tracks for today’s show are from albums released on ΠΑΝΘΕΟΝ Records (2014-2020).

Find us at:

https://www.facebook.com/pantheophania

https://instagram.com/pantheophania

https://pantheophania.bandcamp.com

https://twitter.com/pantheophania

Thank you for listening!

  1. tremorkikimor “lunaria”
  2. Mitseliy & Konstantin Beresnev “Blurred Intensity III”
  3. Symphocat “Stream Harmony”
  4. Dynastor “Crystalline Caverns”
  5. Blear Moon “Rising late”
  6. July in January “About dreams and visions”
  7. Dvory “Nisargadatta”
  8. Highland Spokesman “two”

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SOUNDWAVE : 44 : ISHMAEL CORMACK

SOUNDWAVE : 44 : ISHMAEL CORMACK

Today’s guest deejay is Ishmael Cormack.

To date, nearly all the guest deejays on SOUNDWAVE are people I have relationships with or introduced to me through the guest deejays. Ishmael is different.

These days I purchase nearly all my music on Bandcamp. Yes, I said purchase. I’m old fashioned that way. Oh, I do more than my fair share of streaming, but if I find music I genuinely love, I’m happy to spend money on it. Bandcamp is my favorite platform to purchase music because the artists and labels are treated fairly, and they receive a higher percentage of money from sales than most other platforms. So I’m on Bandcamp a lot. And because of SOUNDWAVE, I tend to peruse releases from ambient, classical, experimental, and instrumental musicians.

If you enjoy music from any of those genres, you know from experience that most of it are dreck. The music tends to be bland or outright terrible. It isn’t easy to compose music in those genres that’s engaging and take you on an emotional journey. It’s refreshing to find musicians who do it well, and Ishmael is one of those artists.

I'm not a musician myself, so it’s difficult for me not to fall into clichés to describe Ishmael’s music using words like delicate, pretty, or sonorous. I’m reminded of an interview I once heard with Ben Frost where he complained of this very thing. I believe he said something to the effect that sommeliers have many metaphors to describe wines’ taste, but we lack the same when talking about music.

It’s almost a shame, then, that today’s mix from Ishmael does not feature his music. Almost, because Ishmael has lovingly selected tracks that are, sigh, delicate, pretty, and sonorous, but it’s true. It’s a wonderful mix.

If you enjoy today’s show, and I have no doubt you will, then support the artists by following my example and purchasing their music. And while you’re at it, listen to Ishmael’s releases on Bandcamp, and if you hear something like it, show him your appreciation by spending some money on his music.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Tim Six, founder of ΠΑΝΘΕΟΝ Records.

See you then!

Ishmael Cormack
Ishmael Cormack

  1. Andrew Chalk “The Flood”
  2. Taylor Deupree & Marcus Fischer “On Branches”
  3. Richard Ginns “Faded From The Winter”
  4. Tom Scott “Ribbon Glass”
  5. Jens Pauly “Licht”
  6. Cyril Secq “Huitiéme Branche”
  7. Morimoto Naoki “Nod”
  8. Suda Norihito “The Weather Of The Day Was To Calm Almost As If Nothing Had Happened”
  9. Melissa Pons “Screeching Dawn”
  10. Jodi Cave “For Sine And Breath Tones”
  11. Federico Durand “IIu Wouter”
  12. Van Veldhoven “First Lullaby”

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SOUNDWAVE : 43 : STEVE SWARTZ

SOUNDWAVE : 43 : STEVE SWARTZ

Today’s guest deejay is Steve Swartz.

Some months ago, Jason Engling was a guest deejay on SOUNDWAVE (you can hear his mix here). After Jason’s show I asked who he thought might be interested in contributing to SOUNDWAVE, and he recommended Steve.

I’ve been a fan of Jason’s music since discovering him through my electronic music show, solipsistic NATION. If Jason recommended Steve, then as far as I was concerned, it was a done deal. I’m not disappointed with Steve’s mix, and neither will you. It’s a thing of beauty. It’s also a perfect way to wind down four years of a corrupt and inept presidency and an attempted coup. Whew!

Steve has some words about his mix below.

I want to note that Steve included a lovely track from Brian Eno. That’s not anything remarkable, given that Eno practically invented the ambient genre. What is impressive is that Eno pitch-shifted his voice, creating a vocoder-like effect. I usually hate that sort of thing, but Eno being Eno, the song gave me goosebumps. And when I looked over Steve’s playlist and saw that the track was by Eno, I thought to m myself, “That makes sense.”I thank Steve for introducing me to an Eno track I had not heard before.

Remote Listening: Rag Dun vs Life Garden
W. David Oliphant’s Remote Listening: Rag Dun vs Life Garden album

Before we get to Steve, I want to share with you the latest release from W. David Oliphant, who guest deejayed on SOUNDWAVE in September. The album is called Remote Listening: Rag Dun vs Life Garden. Oliphant describes remote listening as “the practice of seeking impressions about a distant or unseen target, purportedly ‘sensing’ with the mind.” Like everything else I’ve heard from Oliphant, his music is stepping into someone’s fever dream.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Ishmael Cormack.

See you then!

Steve Swartz
Steve Swartz

I don’t know anyone who escaped the intense gravity of 2020. In addition to a pandemic, this year also saw the unexpected passing of my father. A loss I’m still trying to process. I’ve spent a great deal of time contemplating death, disease, and division over the last several months. Music has always been my primary outlet of expression. As a result, I made a lot of music in 2020. (Four releases!) But as I land on the other side of them, I find myself increasingly feeling lost and out of place. I am often daydreaming about being somewhere else and unreachable. This sense has carried over into my music listening habits as well. I’ve desired quieter sounds that feel less tethered to a place or time. Fewer words. More feeling. To, perhaps, communicate something words cannot yet find. And that is what I have found in these songs over the last several months. To me, each of these pieces feels like rivers that drift or breeze stirring trees in a geography I would prefer to dwell. So I sit in these songs and let them fill my house throughout the days and evenings until, hopefully, I embody the spirit of their imagined origins.

  1. John Carroll Kirby “Canyon (Waiting Alive In A Canyon)”
  2. Brian Eno “And Then So Clear”
  3. 3617 “Orphans of The Sky”
  4. Dedekind Cut “Tahoe”
  5. Warmth “The Creek”
  6. Toshifumi Hinata “Misldsummer Night”
  7. Johnny Nash & Suzanne Kraft “Time, Being”
  8. The Blue Nile “From A Late Night Train”
  9. Gigi Masin “The Word Love (Original Mix)”
  10. Windy & Carl “Forest Trails”
  11. Arve Henriksen “Sorrow and Its Opposite”

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