40

27 March 2022

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For mix #40 I've gone down the route of Neo-Classical / Modern Classical / Ambient influenced sounds. It's an area that I have only really started exploring in the last few years. I like to keep exploring and experimenting with the music I listen to and play, never really stopping in one spot for too long. In terms of collecting music with one eye on putting mixes together it makes creating sets more challenging because it takes a while to build up a suitable and sizable enough collection for that. It keeps things interesting for me though and I don't think that approach will change. The thing I have found myself enjoying with this style of music is that it feels emotional, like it has some weight to it. A lot of music today does tend to feel formulaic, almost mathematical and lacking any emotional connection to the person behind it, I don't feel like that with a lot of this kind of music. Similarly with a lot of the ambient music I have been listening to, it feels like there is something of the person who made it is actually emotionally invested in there. I don't know if I am explaining my thoughts all that well there, but it's all I've got just now.

This past week has been another challenge through not feeling so good. I really didn't feel like I'd manage to put this together this week but I really am trying to keep to this challenge and pushed myself to get it done. A week at a time is all I can say.

At this point in this post I deleted 8 paragraphs of writing that I spent a good hour and a half writing, deleting, writing and deleting. It was really just a big rambling post of letting off steam. I'll cut that down to the following - I am no longer on Instagram as they kicked me off for not following their terms and conditions. I have no idea which terms and conditions they are referring to as they did not tell me, they simply locked me out of the account. All I had used it for was posting my cover images for the mixes I've been posting with each mix and within each post tagging the charity I'm trying to help, Just Giving and some of the featured labels and artists. I can only assume an artist or label felt aggrieved at that and flagged me, because other than that, I have no idea what it could be.

The other part of the ramble went down a rabbit hole relating to some unkind social media interactions directed towards me and the position I find myself in mentally, physically and socially - none of which could be described in a positive way. It was upsetting for me to write, upsetting to read it back, so rather than keep it here, I deleted it. It's not what I want the blog to be, but I know it often is a bit of a venting space because it's really the only space I do have.

On to the music. As ever, please support the artists and labels by buying the music if you hear something within that you enjoy. If you do happen to enjoy this selection, or any others I post, please consider a small donation to the charity I am trying to raise funds for - Sue Ryder. Every little helps. If you aren't able to donate, perhaps you could share the Just Giving link or the mix to your social media, I could really do with some traction - the more eyes and ears there are, the better chance of hitting the goal. 

 

 


Tracklist

Hania Rani - Journey - from xAbo: Father Boniecki (Gondwana Records)

Ben Woods - An Attempt To Fly (Self Released)

Olga Wojciechowska - Infinite Distances (A Strangely Isolated Place)

William Ryan Fritch - VII: In A Senseless Ether (Lost Tribe Sound)

Mario Verandi - Hazy Sun (Time Released Sound & Time Sensitive Materials)

Blurstem - Pickerel (Anthem Falls Music)

Levi Patel - Reflection (Self Released)

Bruno Sanfilippo - Spiral (DRONARIVM)

Robot Koch - Cousteau (ft. Julien Marchal) (Modern Recordings)

Jan Wagner - Kapitel 11 (Quiet Love Records)

Sam Liu - The Falcon & The Dove (Home Normal)

Thomas Newman w/ Hollywood Studio Symphony - Brooks Was Here (Late Night Tales)

Slow Meadow - A Tiny Ripple That Becomes A Giant Wave (Self Released)

 



 

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41

20 March 2022

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It's been a bit of a stinker of a week health wise so I'm keeping this one short.

Somehow I started off looking for a track to kick off an ambient mix, I took a left turn and ended up throwing a selection together that was a million miles away from where I intended. It felt good though and it's keeping the few listeners I get on their toes, so it's going up. Most of these tracks are going to be easiest to pick up on compilations - Discogs is your friend this week.

Fingers crossed for a better week ahead.

 

 


Tracklist

Dave & Ansell Collins - Double Barrel

GG's All Stars - Rocking On The GG beat

Shark Wilson & The Basement Heaters - Make It Reggae

Roland Alphonso - Guantanamera

Alton Ellis - Soul Groover

Dandy Livingstone - Rudy, A Message To You

Dave Barker & The Upsetters - Tight Spot

Brentford All Stars - Greedy G

The Marvels - Rock Steady

The Pioneers - Papa Was A Rolling Stone

Ansell Collins - Secret Weapon

Toots & The Maytals - Funky Kingston

Derrick Morgan - Rudies In Court

The Upsetters - Freak Out Skank

Desmond Dekker & The Aces - 007 (Shanty Town)

Niney The Observer - Brimstone & Fire 

Lee Scratch Perry - Disco Devil (7" Mix)

Jah Screechie - Walk & Skank

Bad Manners - Lip Up Fatty




 


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42

12 March 2022

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Mix number 11 and week 42. This week I've put together a mix of experimental music made up entirely* from a handful of releases that have been compiled to raise funds to support the citizens of Ukraine, or from labels / artists that are donating their income in a similar way. I've leaned heavily on a couple of releases in particular, this wasn't intentional, I simply put all the tracks into a folder, plugged my Traktor controller in and mixed live without any plan or knowing exactly which release the tracks came from until I stopped. 

 * I say entirely, but the first track is a monologue from American astronomer Carl Sagan referencing the 'Pale Blue Dot'. The photograph used on this weeks cover is NASA's "Pale Blue Dot", a photograph of Earth, taken by Voyager 1 in 1990 from a distance of around 6 Billion km away.

 

You may be aware that I've been trying to put together a mix or selection each week this year in an effort to raise a modest amount to aid the excellent work done by the Sue Ryder charity. Aside from hoping people may wish to contribute something to Sue Ryder via my Justgiving page I have always made an effort to provide appropriate links and encourage anyone who should listen to the things I post to purchase the music to support the artists and labels. This week I'm encouraging you, if you can, to purchase the music to support various organisations who are supporting the citizens of Ukraine currently. The financial support from the music on this release is going to the following - Red Cross Ukraine / DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee), UNICEF (Children of Ukraine), People In Need - SOS Ukraine, Sunflower Of Peace and local on the ground support in Dnipro via Ukrainian musician Igor Yalivec.

 

 


Tracklist

Carl Sagan - Pale Blue Dot

Simon McCorry - Ash (Binaural Space)

Embassy Of Sound - How Come When I Close My Eyes I See The World So Clearly (Binaural Space)

Jordan GCZ - Rob Mod (Music From Memory)

Alex Ho - Idle Brain (Music From Memory)

MLO - Emptiness (Music From Memory)

Alita & Papa - Peacing Pieces (Home Normal)

Dazion - Ponds & Lakes (Music From Memory)

Dirk Jacobs - At The Edge (Binaural Space)

Chris Prine & Boiling Sky - To Float (Binaural Space)

Jad Baron - Spirits (Binaural Space)

Darren Harper - Sunflower Dream (Home Normal)

Elin Piel - Where Are You Luminous Moss (Muzan Editions)

Jonny Nash & Suzanne Kraft - Strøm (Music From Memory)

Trigg & Gusset - Locked Outside (Preserved Sound)

Lexx - Prelude To Happiness (Extended) (The Sound Of Now - Music For Ukraine)

Suso Sâiz - Horizante 327 (Music From Memory)

Kayak - Astra (Flaming Pines)

DZM - Fearful Man (Binaural Space)

 



 

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43

6 March 2022

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Another week passes, another mix to post. #43 takes in some deep spacey house, with some acid and tech into the mix. It's been a while since I went down this route, so bear that in mind. With 42 mixes / selections to go I'll need to jump across various genres to keep my own interest going, never mind anyone else.
 
It's not been a great week with all that is still going on in the world. The situation in Ukraine is heartbreaking to witness, and frustrating in the sense that the despotic regime in Russia has the hold over the rest of the world by threatening the use of weapons that should not exist or be held by any nation, or under the control of any individual. It's no more, nor less, heartbreaking and frustrating than the situations that exist elsewhere - Afghanistan, Yemen, the Uighurs in China, Sudan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, Myanmar, Somalia, Ethiopia all have ongoing serious humanitarian issues. Climate, big business, oligarchs, corrupt politicians everywhere, an apathetic and distracted general population, the relentless march of the capitalist machine, the corruption in media circles, the damage to society by social media - all of these problems are interlinked one way or another. How do we get out of this? I spend too much time thinking and worrying about all of this and can never come to a conclusion as to how I can contribute something, be a part of the solution - something we all need to be. I'm back into rambling here, something I come up against often, so I'll move on before I get deeper into this rabbit hole.
 
Before I do move on though, it's been really encouraging to see others within the world of music, certainly in the world that the algorithms show me, doing what they can to raise funds for those stuck in the unfolding mess in Ukraine. The following Bandcamp links are a few of what is out there. Buy music, help people.
 
 


With all that is clearly going wrong and the hardships people are enduring I've felt like I'm swimming against the tide somewhat with this wee project I've undertaken. It has got me thinking though, this must be part of the ongoing challenge that organisations, like Sue Ryder, who rely a lot on public generosity and donations, face on a regular basis. So, despite feeling like I'm not getting much traction with this, I must push on. In "wealthy" countries we really shouldn't have a need for care provision issues to be part funded through the third sector, but the reality is we really do need it because the offering that comes via the political means is nowhere near meeting needs. Until you experience that, or find yourself in the midst of it you really have no idea of how bad the situation is in the social care sector. So I'm very grateful to the people who have donated to my wee endeavour so far and I will push onward as best I can. Let's see if I can reach my initial goal by the end of the month so I can set the target a wee bit higher.
 
On a personal level, it's not been a great week. I've been hit with a flare up of a health issue that has dogged me fairly regularly over the last 20 years. Not pleasant, quite painful, very uncomfortable. Nothing compared to what others are dealing with, but tiring and draining none the less. Fingers crossed that subsides so that I can find a bit of focus for a new mix this time next week. Expect something more chilled I think.

As always, I will post a linked up tracklist below the Soundcloud player and I encourage you to support the artists by purchasing their music. If you enjoy the mix, please consider a small donation to my Justgiving page, or if you aren't in a position to do that, perhaps you could share the music / Justgiving link on your social media. It all helps.

 

 
Tracklist

Al Calavicci - The Sun Is Setting On Us (Falk Recordings)   << couldn't find a link for this one

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