Sasha is the closest thing Soundwave has to an in-house deejay. I was introduced to her through Dronny Darko (listen to his mix for Soundwave here). Sasha’s first mix was elemental and cosmic. Her second mix was cozy and intimate. Sasha, as Robocat, shared anthemic bangers to celebrate Pride on her third mix for Soundwave.
Sasha Puzan, AKA protoU
Sasha returns with a mix that is, for the most part, a compilation of select tracks from Tehnofonika Records. It’s been my soundtrack as San Diego transitions from summer to fall. It’s dark, rhythmic, atmospheric, and sexy.
Sasha’s new album, Untitledcloud, will be released next month on her birthday, November 10th, through ECOUL SND. If you enjoy Sasha’s music and mixes, consider purchasing her album as a gift to her and yourself. More importantly, she asks that you support Ukraine.
Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Peter van Cooten.
Today’s guest deejay is Michael Jakucs, AKA Sunwarper.
After hearing Michael’s music in both Brian Sangmeister and Forest Robots’s mixes for Soundwave, I invited Michael to share a mix. Based on Michael’s music, I knew we were in good hands. But I did not anticipate the surprising directions he took his mix and yet felt utterly familiar.
Let me explain.
The focus of Soundwave is ambient, classical, experimental, and instrumental music, with an emphasis on the ambient. And that’s fine. I’m all about that ambient life. But for me, it’s always a delight when a guest shares a mix that leans into the show’s classical, experimental, and instrumental aspects. Christian Sager’s doom metal/math rock/hip hop mix comes to mind. As does Charles Hazlewood’s mimimalist/modern classical/free jazz mix.
What makes today’s show special, for me, is that it’s very much steeped in shoegaze and dream pop. So while I only know several of the artists in Michael’s mix, I already feel well acquainted with the music I’m unfamiliar with. It’s very déjà vu. I keep asking myself, “Isn’t this a 4AD release?”
Michael Jakucs, AKA Sunwarper
Michael just released a track composed for the season finale of the webcomic The Eagle and the Snake called “Forever Becoming.” He also has a full-length album, Radiant Visage, that will be released on October 14 and available for pre-order on September 9.
Join us next week when our guest deejay will be n5MD founder Mike Cadoo.
Alisú included Riz Maslen in her mix for Soundwave last fall, which led to me spending hours re-visiting the music Riz recorded as Neotropic, as well as her work with 4hero and The Future Sound of London. I invited Riz to share a mix with us, and it’s something else.
Riz mix begins with a piece by Freddie Philips, a British composer known for his work on television music, particularly the theme for Camberwick Green. It’s what I imagine a mix from Wes Anderson might sound like, and I would have been completely satisfied if Riz stayed within that genre. But Riz pivots to Egyptian jazz-inspired psychedelic rock, shifts to trip-hop, and never looks back. And yet, Riz’s mix never feels incongruous. Each track seamlessly blends into the next.
You’re in for quite the journey.
Each mix shared on Soundwave is special. When I say that, I’m not equivocating; they are unique. But some resonate with me more than others, and Riz’s mix is one of those mixes. As the pandemic continues to disrupt our lives, I’ve found Riz’s mix to sometimes act as a balm and other times a needed distraction.
I envy you. I wish I could hear Riz’s mix again for the first time.
Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Robocat.
Sofia Nystrand introduced me to several fantastic musicians after sharing her Vargkvint mix on Soundwave (you can listen to it here). Jakob was one of those musicians, and after I listened to some of his releases, I invited him to guest deejay.
Jakob is an award-winning film composer based in Stockholm, Sweden. His most recent soundtrack is Ziba, a movie about an Afghan woman living in Sweden, struggling with the realisation that she has developed romantic feelings for another woman, and the consequences that will have for her marriage and family. Jakob’s soundtrack for Ziba will be released Thursday, May 12. You can listen to a single from the soundtrack here. It’s a beautiful, moving piece.
Speaking of soundtracks, I listened to Jakob’s mix while playing the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game on Roll20. It lent atmosphere to the game and heightened the experience.
Jakob has some words about his mix below.
Before I leave you, Soundwave guest deejay Alex Haas has released his new album, STRING OF PIECES. His album has become part of my mourning routine as I start my workday. Listen to Alex’s mix for Soundwave here.
I’ve always found the duo constellation very interesting, as it’s so intimate. Whereas the solo work is the reflection of one vision, and a band can be everything from a fair democracy to a dictatorship, the duo is such a fascinating reflection of two combined minds, often resulting in a synergy effect. The mix contains some of the most inspiring duos I know (of), as well as a couple of examples where I myself have felt elevated by my collaborator.
Christoph is a composer and musician living and working in Berlin, focusing on chamber music and music for film. Besides releasing music on various imprints, Christoph runs his own record label Monochrome Editions. He also releases electroacoustic music as Field Rotation.
That’s all verbiage I copied and pasted from Discogs. I could use words like minimal, haunted, and mournful to describe it but you really, you need to experience Christoph’s music for yourself.
Christoph Berg
While writing this, I can tell you that I was listening to his Tape Anthology Vol. 1 album over my AirPods. My wife is asleep next to me, and I don’t want to disturb her. I was caught up in the emotions that Christoph was stirring in me when I began to be aware of the sounds of my stomach gurgling. But then it dawned on me that it wasn’t my stomach. It was gentle rumbling sounds within Christoph’s music. I’m sure that wasn’t Christoph’s intent, but for me, it gave an intimate and organic feel to his music. The experience endeared me to Christoph in an unexpected way.
Christoph’s mix, on the other hand, seems to capture the desolate spirit of our pandemic winter of 2022.
Everyone I know seems to have COVID. I have a dry, slight cough. It could be from the booster shot I received last week, a common cold I picked up, or the virus. And so, as part of my now monthly routine, I need to schedule yet another COVID test. But this is the shape of our lives now, so I square my shoulders and get on with it.
Christoph’s mix provides the soundtrack to what feels like it will be a very long winter.
Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Kazuya Nagaya.
A year ago, while perusing Boing Boing I read a post about Hollow Earth Radio, a Low Power FM (LPFM) non-commercial DIY radio station based out of Seattle. I was intrigued about the station’s promise of “local music, found sound, paranormal encounters, crank calls, dreams, etc.! 24 hours a day!” and tuned it. The station is a delight, and I became Sean’s show, Aquanautic Frequencies, and invited him to guest deejay on Soundwave.
Aquanautic Frequencies broadcasts every Wednesday from 11 am-1 pm PST. Spinning strange and groovy and tunes from the deep. Featuring clangy krautrock and kosmische musik, brain-melting prog, afrobeat, and jazz from Saturn, pulsing psych, weird Bungley rock, Pacific Northwest favorites, outsider music from Finland and beyond, turntable experiments, avant-metal, random radio transmissions, and even the occasional jangled pop number as long as it fits the mood. His shows are broadcasted live at the station with vinyl only, programmed from his music collection, or home recorded with two turntables and mixer fed into a recording console.
In addition to the radio show, Sean is a scientist and has made music a creative outlet for about 20 years. He is the co-founder of Fringe Biology Recordings (fringebiologyrecords.com), a Seattle-based record label of outsider/self-educated recording artists specializing in experimental rock, avant-electronic music, sci-fi soundtracks, kosmische musik, and science-inspired music.
What I love about Sean’s mix is that it took Soundwave’s instrumental aspect and ran with it. And Sean’s mix obviously showcases some of his obsessions in music. I always welcome music from Secret Chiefs, Sun City Girls, Can, and Sun Ra, and I was happy to be introduced to artists like Bo Hansson, Thomas Dinger, and Diminished Men.
Sean has some words about his mix below.
Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Alex Haas.
See you then.
Sean Sleight
Many thanks for the invitation to contribute a mix. I wanted it to have a positive vibe in these weird times and thought of Winter Solstice when daylight is at its minimum. Now that it’s almost the darkest time of the year, I thought maybe it was time to reverse polarity and share some warmth for the days ahead.
daniel’s mix is important to me for several reasons.
One reason is that I meant daniel through Soundwave guest deejay Michael Donaldson (listen to Michael’s mix here) when he posted an interview with daniel on his Micro.blog. Initially, I read the interview simply because it was on Micro.blog, a cool social media network I am a member of. But what hooked me was the interview itself and daniel’s exploration of sound through this music.
The other reason today’s show is important to me is that while I love all the mixes on Soundwave, and I mean that, daniel’s mix hit me in all the right places. He included some familiar and precious tracks from the likes of Miles Davis, This Mortal Coil and Skinny Puppy. This is stuff I immersed myself in the 80s and 90s, so it felt like putting on a well-worn sweater. But daniel’s mix included a lot of stuff I had never heard of before, like Oliver Coates, Besombes & Rizet, and Angelo Badalamenti. It was a perfect blend of the familiar and unfamiliar that his mix provided just under an hour’s with of dopamine hits.
The final reason is that I listened to daniel’s mix many places (while working, walking my dog, doing the dishes, etc.), but the place that had the most significance was in my car while driving my grandkid to day school. The experience is already special because I enjoy watching all the adults delivering their most precious of cargos and seeing the love and concern on their faces. daniel’s mix heightened and already tender experience.
daniel has words of his own regarding today’s mix below.
Join us next weekend when our guest deejay will be Sean Slight.
See you then!
danielfuzztone
Like much of the ambient-drone music I produce, this mix was born from a live performance and then manipulated in the digital domain via Audacity. Nothing beats the hardware-software hybrid.
While I’ve DJed for three decades years — including two long stretches of college radio — my skills were a bit rusty, to say the least. I wanted to showcase some of my long-time favorite artists — Brian Eno, Boards of Canada, Spacemen 3, Jean-Michel Jarre — along with several newer ones (and maybe even a few you wouldn’t necessarily think of in the ambient realm).
I performed the set in real time using two MacBooks as playback decks, connected to a cheapo RadioShack DJ mixer from the ’90s.* Recorded in Audacity. Numerous field recordings and samples were also added at this stage — including a mix-long drone of processed shortwave static.
The result is a dark, noisy vibe with bursts of melody, strands of light, and even occasional beats. It’s mysterious and romantic, a droning, pulsing soundtrack from the past 50 years. Enjoy and #DroneOn
— danielfuzztone
POST-SCRIPT: Look for several back-to-back releases in early 2022 via Bandcamp, as well as a live performance in January.
*Due to the lo-fi-meets-hi-fi nature of the recording, you’ll occasionally hear pops and ticks from some of the aging gear. Relax. It’s all part of the ride.
Today’s guest deejay is Ilya Fursov, AKA Textere Oris.
Ilya is yet another guest deejay that comes to us by way of the Cryo Chamber music label. I’m sometimes reluctant to feature musicians from Cryo Chamber because I showcase artists from their roster a lot. But that’s because the label’s releases are so good that why would I not invite them on Soundwave?
I was introduced to Ilya after listening to Reflections at the Sea, an album he released with Vladislav Sikach, AKA SiJ. Like most albums on Cryo Chamber, I was immersed in the world they unfolded through their music. I often listen to music while working or doing chores, but I often found myself pausing what I was doing as I got lost in Reflections. Ilya’s mix for today’s show is equally mysterious and magical.
Ilya Fursov, AKA Textere Oris
Here in the States, we celebrated Thanksgiving. As I write this, I’m in Boston. This is the first time my father, uncle, brother, and sister have been under the same roof in decades. It wasn’t without family drama, but I suspect that’s part of the Thanksgiving tradition. I also got to spend time with some of my oldest and dearest friends.
I admit to being reluctant to travel to Boston. Mingling with people at the airport and flying with more people in a metal tube with people for five hours was unsettling. I certainly don’t want to catch the virus, and I wouldn’t want to pass the virus on to my family. My father and uncle are in their seventies, and I’m all too aware that my time with them shortens each year.
Like most people, I was able to put the pandemic out of my mind for a while and enjoy myself. But the Coronavirus is not done with us, and now we have to Omicron variant to contend with. Soundwave is my way of coping with the pandemic, and each time I think the show has served its purpose, there is yet another reason to continue sharing mixes with you. And here we are.
Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Dead Melodies.
I met José through Mauricio Sotelo, AKA Haiteku, who I met through Axel Arturo Barceló, who guest deejayed on Soundwave here and here. Soundwave has been around just long enough that it is beginning to form a rhizome-like network. I like that.
I also like José’s mix. I’m never quite sure where one song ends, and the next begins. The only boundary is the start and end of his mix. It exists in some liminal space that is akin to being awake and being asleep. I’m doing my best to describe José’s mix, but really, you need to let it wash over you and take you where it may.
José is a self-taught composer and recordist based in Mexico. His compositions explore the balance between electronics and environmental sounds, chaining narratives, context, and movement, all based on the felt of direct presence.
Because Soundwave was borne out of the isolation and stress of the pandemic, I feel obligated to mention it on the show. But what is there to say? The pandemic has become part of our lives, and we’ve come to expect the peaks and valleys of infections and deaths. We go about our days trying to maintain some semblance of normality while at the same time incorporating the disruption across the world as part of our new routine. We simultaneously desire to return to our lives before the pandemic while re-evaluating what’s important in our lives and where we want to go next. What will happen?
Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Alisú.
See you then!
José Sobranes
Thanks to Joseph for the invitation, Mauricio Sotelo for trusting in my project, and all my listeners and artists friends who encourage me every day to keep going. Thanks to my girlfriend Brenda for inspiring me every day to keep going ahead on this path.
Gert appeared on Soundwave last year, and I enjoyed his mix so much I invited him back. Today’s show is equally fantastic. Gert can expect another invitation from me in 2022.
Gert says today’s show features a perfect mixture of tracks that have influenced him and tracks that currently influence him. He said they’re all such beautiful tracks, and what’s best, you can find them all on Bandcamp, some of them entirely for free.
Today’s mix also includes a track form Gert’s project, Distant Fires Burning. You’re gong to love today’s mix and you’ll want to hear more music from Gert. Good news! You can find his latest album, Inperspectycon Vol.1, here.
Gert De Meester
One thing that’s interesting about the 21st century is music is so freely available, and it’s nearly endless. Consequently, I don’t think most music gets the attention due, and I’m not wagging my finger. I’m just as guilty. It’s exceedingly rare that I will listen to a song or an album repeatedly. There’s so much I want to listen to, and I’m often impatient to listen to the next song, even while I’m listening to something that very moment.
Take today’s show. It’s spectacular. But you’ll listen to it once. Some of you might even listen to it twice. And then you’re on to the next show. Or the next song. Or the next video.
As the producer of Soundwave, however, I have a very different relationship with the music you hear.
I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but I receive these mixes months before I publish them on Soundwave. I live with these mixes. I marinate in these mixes.
I’ve become very familiar with Gert’s mix. It’s a gorgeous experience. But after repeated listening, I’ve come to appreciate just how dense the songs that appear in today’s show are. I’ve become intimately acquainted with every snap, crackle, and pop. I lose myself in the swooshes, the sizzle, and grit.
Gert’s mix is made for repeated listening. I encourage you to do so.
Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Michael Southard of Triplicate Records.
