Tag: tribal

SOUNDWAVE : 137 : BULUT NESIM

Today’s guest deejay is DJ Bulut.

I met Bulut well over a decade ago while producing Solipsistic Nation, my electronic music podcast. I was a fan of his New Turkish Beat podcast, and we started an acquaintanceship on Twitter.

I’ve been reflecting on that time for the last few days. It was during Solipsistic Nation that I enjoyed Twitter the most. The network was becoming large enough that I could strike up great conversations and meet interesting people but still small enough that things didn’t get lost in the noise. I still love Twitter, but I admit that the number of genuine interactions I’ve had in the last few years has dwindled.

As I write this, Twitter seems like it might crash and burn. Something will emerge out of the wreckage, but it might not be anything we recognize as Twitter. But maybe that’s okay. Perhaps Twitter has served its purpose. I’m glad I met people like Bulut while it was still vibrant.

Bulut has some words about his mix below.

Join us next weekend when out guest deejay will be Glyn Bush.

See you then.

My idea while recording this podcast was that the listener would pay some attention to the music at the beginning of the podcast. Then they would gradually let the sound disappear into the background after the second half. I call this mix “Relax” because I selected some tracks that I believe are relaxing from the beginning. The podcast gets dreamier toward the second half. The second half is super easy to ignore. I recommend starting with a volume that you consider medium or even louder. The podcast intentionally gets very quiet toward the end, so you may barely hear it. I thought this podcast could provide an hour-long atmosphere where you can ignore the sound towards the end by focusing on reading, studying, or falling asleep.

“Funky Zena” by Mickey Hart

Mickey Heart is the legendary drummer of Grateful Dead. There is definitely magic on this entire album. This is a surprisingly relaxing percussion album that is also good for dancing. I play the hand drums myself and I enjoy the meditational aspect of repetitive beats. There is magic in this track for sure. 

“Big Man Cry” by Banco de Gaia

An English electronic musician named TobyMarks. This is one of my favorite tracks by Banco de Gaia.This sound sends your soul to a faraway place.

“Selig Sind, Die Da HierWeinen” by Popol Vuh

Popol Vuh was aGerman musical collective founded by Florian Fricke and FrankFiedler. Some say that Popol Vuh is a Krautrock band. I enjoy their relaxing psychedelic tracks and the good news is that they have a lot of good ones. This is what I call "comfortably numb ":) 

“Letting Go of This Radiant Hive” by Vir Unis

Vir Unis is an American New Age Musician. The New Age music radiates positive energy. This track is exactly what we needed in this spot.

“Ancient Anatolia” by DJ.Bulut

The only instrument on this track is my electric guitar. I processed the sound to give this a slow and ambient vibe. There is repetition in this which should help us lose track of time very quickly. I believe that my track sounds relaxing at low volumes. It is a long track. In fact, it turned the volume down on the podcast recording so that the listeners can enjoy it quietly. Too quiet for you at this point? Feel free to turn it up 🙂

  1. Mickey Hart “Funky Zena”
  2. Banco de Gaia “Big Man Cry”
  3. Popol Vuh “Selig Sind, Die Da HierWeinen”
  4. Vir Unis “Letting Go of This Radiant Hive”
  5. DJ.Bulut “Ancient Anatolia”

SOUNDWAVE : 125 : SUNWARPER

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 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.

See you then.

  1. Kh3rtis & Willebrant “Calm Complete”
  2. Frequency Control Centre “Ventral Tegmental”
  3. Sunwarper “Farther”
  4. jesu “We All Faulter”
  5. Maureen’s Friend “R.P.O.W.”
  6. Cloudkicker “We Were All Scared”
  7. Cities of Earth “Sundog”
  8. christ. “Pylonesque”
  9. Eonlake “Retcon”
  10. Boards of Canada “Constants Are Changing”

Subscribe to SOUNDWAVE on iTunes, Overcast, Castro and Pocketcasts.

Logo by Rik Oostenbroek

SOUNDWAVE : 120 : RIZ MASLEN

Today’s guest deejay is Riz Maslen.

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 Maslen
Riz Maslen. Photo by Rebecca Brooker Photography.

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.

See you then.

  1. Freddie Philips “Opening Music from Camberwick Green”
  2. Peter Schickele “The Space Fleet”
  3. John Berberiam and The Missile Eastern Ensemble “The Oud and the Fuzz”
  4. Digital Bled “Jo”
  5. Daniele Principato Arne Hiorth “Cuckoo Clock”
  6. Mike Lazarev “Where You Are”
  7. Alieno de Bootes “Sending the Clouds”
  8. Pole “Weit”
  9. Anne Garner & Mike Lazarev “Dust Devil (Mike Lazarev Pent Up Rework)”
  10. D Rothon & O Cherer “Silver Haze Dusk”
  11. Mark Beazley “Four Thirty Six”
  12. Alfred Deller & Elizabeth Harwood & Choirs Of Downside And Emanuel Schools & London Symphony Orchestra & Benjamin Britten “A Midsummer Night’s Dream / Act 2 – A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act 2: ‘On The Ground, Sleep Sound’”
  13. Ryuichi Sakamoto “Dolphins”
  14. Ekki Hugsa “Amsterdam”

Subscribe to SOUNDWAVE on iTunes, Overcast, Castro and Pocketcasts.

Logo by Rik Oostenbroek

SOUNDWAVE : 33 : PALEOWOLF

Today’s SOUNDWAVE features a mix of select tracks from Paleowolf!

I’ve been sitting on a handful of mixes since I invited guest deejays on SOUNDWAVE. If they were going to be generous with their time and efforts to send me a mix then I could be patient and release my own mixes on a later date. And at long last I can finally share with you today's mix of select tracks from Paleowolf.

I got turned on to Paleowolf when Warren Ellis raved about Paleowolf’s album, Megafauna Rituals. I’ve been waiting for an album like Megafauna Rituals for decades since listening to Brian Eno’s Ambient 4: On Land album. Yes, yes, I know that album is an imaginary soundscape the captures the essence of Eno’s England but I didn't know that when I first heard it. To me On Land was more of a touchstone to our Paleolithic past.

Speaking of the Paleolithic, Paleowolf’s music is the soundtrack to a lot of Ice Age role playing games such as Würm, Paleomythic and my own homebrew game based on the Strain rule set. You might want to incorporate it into your own game if that’s your bag.

Paleowolf's new album, Primordial II
Paleowolf’s new album, Primordial II

Scorpio V is the man behind Paleowolf and I was hoping to have him on the show to be a guest deejay but the guy is busy. After looking at all his releases and side projects I don't think the poor bastard has time to eat or sleep. In fact, as I write this his latest album, Primordial II, will be released November 16. Maybe after this album I can get him to guest deejay on SOUNDWAVE.

If you dig today’s show you’ll want to check out Scorpio VI’s other projects such as Orkforge, Metatron Omega and Forest of Yore.

Ana Roxanne's new album, Because of a Flower
Ana Roxanne’s new album, Because of a Flower

Before I head out, I want to turn you on to Ana Roxanne’s new album, Because of a Flower. I’ve been a fan of Ana’s music since her 2020 album, ~~~, so much so that I featured her track, “It’s a Rainy Day On The Cosmic Shore,” on the first edition of SOUNDWAVE.

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

  1. Paleowolf “Thundertribe”
  2. Paleowolf “Hunter”
  3. Paleowolf “Hunter II”
  4. Paleowolf “Sabertooth”
  5. Paleowolf “Eos”
  6. Paleowolf “Héḱmō (Stone)”
  7. Paleowolf “Unjo”

Subscribe to SOUNDWAVE on iTunes, Overcast, Castro and Pocketcasts.

Logo by Rik Oostenbroek

solipsistic NATION No. 310: Mutamassik, Live

Today on solipsistic NATION we’ll hear a live set from Giulia Loli from Mutamassik, which was originally recorded for Fari Bradley‘s Six Pillars radio show on Resonance FM to promote Giulia’s 2012 release, Rekkez, out on Ini.itu Records. In fact, there are quite a few tracks from Rekkez on today’s live set.

We’ll also talk to Giulia about balancing artistry with industry, and her growth as an artist, musician and as a DJ.

Today’s show is eight years in the making.

When I launched solipsistic NATION podcasts were a new thing and most people didn’t know what a podcast actually was, which made it difficult when I would email labels and ask for them to send me promotional CDs for the show. And even if a label knew what a podcast was I didn’t have the audience that I do now, so why mail out music to show that only had a few hundred listeners? I can’t blame them, really.

But one label I did approach was generous enough to send a CD. I had read a review about Mutamassik’s album, Masri Mokkassar: Definitive Works in XLR8R, back when it was still a print magazine. Definitive Works had been released by Sound-Ink Records and they sent me Mutamassik’s LP without questions or hassle.

Like I said, podcasts were an unknown quantity back then, so it meant a lot to me that Sound-Ink took me seriously enough to send me Mutamassik’s album. And it was a great album! I played it on the show and I played it on my iPod constantly. Someday, I told myself, I’m going to have Mutamassik on the show as a guest so I could get to know the person behind all this fantastic music!

That day is today. It took months of planning and aligning our schedules but it finally happened.

Join us again next week. I’m still getting my ducks in a row but I think our guests will be Known Rebel‘s Germán Escandell and Jaime Irles.

See you then!

  1. Mutamassik “Babomb”
  2. Interview with Giulia Loli of Mutamassik
  3. Mutamassik “Live”

solipsistic NATION No. 2: End of Summer

Ah, summer comes to an end.

I’ve been living in San Diego for the last five years and to be honest, it’s always been summer to me. Natives and long time residents of San Diego can tell the differences between seasons but I’m only vaguely aware of them. As a consequence, all the months and years I’ve live in San Diego have blurred together. There’s only an endless “now.”

While today’s show is a celebration of the passing of the summer it’s more of a salute to my summers in Boston, where the days are hot, humid and lazy and the nights are sultry. I wouldn’t trade the weather in San Diego for anything but I do on occasion miss those New England days where the heat would bake into your bones.

Another thing I do miss about living in Boston are my seasonal libations. In the fall and winter my drinks were whiskey and scotch and in the spring and summer my drinks were gin & tonic and rum & coke. As I said, it always feels like it is summer in San Diego so I have to go out of my way to drink my whiskey or scotch.

That said, I raise a gin & tonic in honor of the summer of ’06!

Photo credit: sk8master

  1. Steelzawheelz “Discotron”
  2. Effecctive “Tulsa Riots Pt. 3”
  3. Vinroc “Wine Country”
  4. Sure Shot “Sleepy Strings”
  5. Shad “Last Cigarette”
  6. Madrid De Los Austrias “Buscando (Karuan vs. Circus Remix)”
  7. Mark de Clive-Lowe “State of the Mental”
  8. Wintermute “Chillstorm”
  9. Autolect & His Meltdown Movement “Open Road”
  10. Urbs “So Weit”
  11. Cj_Harder “Mothra”
  12. Cling “Slipping Away (Of The Darkness Remix)”
  13. Chimp Beams “Menina”
  14. Bombay Dub Orchestra “Mumtaz”

solipsistic NATION No. 1: Relaunch!

I had always intended to bring solipsistic NATION out of retirement but there was always some sort of technical problem that prevented me from relaunching the podcast.

Originally I was going to use Macromedia‘s SoundEdit which came bundled with Director. Unfortunately, when I mixed down a set the track would be in mono and distorted. I tried doing the show using DJ-1800 and recording the set with WireTap Pro or Audio Hijack Pro but there was a touch of distortion in the recording I could never eliminate.

Last month the connection to the hard drive in my ancient G4 tower died. I didn’t have the cash to buy a new tower so I purchased a Mac Mini. The Mac Mini was much more powerful than my G4 and as an added bonus, it came pre-installed with GarageBand. Suddenly all my problems were resolved in one fell swoop.

There are some deejays who like to do everything live without a net and on the fly. I was never one of those deejays. Oh, I’m fine at improvising live sets but my preference has always been to map out my shows in advance, meticulously plotting the segues and overall flow of a mix. Given my anal retentiveness for planning shows GarageBand is perfect with how I like to work.

I hope you enjoy today’s first show in the relaunching of solipsistic NATION!

Photo credit: dro!d

  1. Thomas Feijk “Leak”
  2. Butcherd Beats “Butcherd Beats”
  3. DP-6 “Vital Force”
  4. Wade Robson “Battlewalk”
  5. OPGave “Hiroshima”
  6. Jerry Mane “Magnificent Growlla”
  7. African Express “Overtime & In The Zone”
  8. Oculus “Lo Ki”
  9. Chloe Day “Kingpin”
  10. Autolect & His Meltdown Movement “Calm”
  11. Acoustic Ladyland “Something Beautiful”
  12. Jel “WMD”
  13. Circuit Breaker “Left Hook”