The Listening Club - 3rd August 2025

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing good. Another week of sunshine and showers here in Amsterdam, unfortunately a bit too much of the latter, which has dampened the squibs of most outdoor events this week - the annual Pride parade got away without much of a soaking yesterday, but Dekmantel festival seems to have been a soggy weekend of poncho dancing - if it subsides today, we may pop down, but I'd much rather be leaving the raincoat at home, tbh - like hype cat, I'm quite solar powered (you might have noticed, heh). Still, all good for the garden and the greenery eh? etc etc, sigh.

Last Sunday saw us in a contemplative mood with a #RecoveryRedemptionRebirthVortex, which saw a fine, wide range of interpretations indeed. Many thanks to everyone who chipped in tunes, and to @saucer for the fine blend'n'mix. Looking back we find that very same @saucer holding the frisbaton, so over to them for today's intro...

"When I catch the frisbee it's my cue (to spend time) to catch up on what's new. Permission to delay a life responsibility in favor of discovery. Explore that part of the dynamic range.

Between frisbees I'm always thinking... maybe this time I can ward off the deadline stress of casting what represents me to y'all as "saucer musical taste" for the coming half year or so (how vain). You know, wouldn't it be nice to just choose an album ahead of time so it's ready to go. 

Has never happened in 11 years of listening clubbing, ha ha.

But I can say I really like what popped into view four days ago, this time.

Kind of C86/Sarah, kind of 2025 tech dystopia, gets better with repeated listening, and whose very existence brings me visceral joy.

I hope it's fun for you too!"

Right then, download's here, stream's below:

Hope to see you at 20:00 BST (GMT+1) later today.

The Listening Club - 27th July 2025

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing okay. Tapping this out early as the sun is poking its head out after a mostly humid and overcast week, so a trip out to a market followed by a picnic in a park beckons. So let's on y va, shall we?

Last Sunday saw @eryngium in the chair, delivering a seriously global sound with Juanita Euka's "Mabanzo" from 2022. Many thanks to Eryn for the pick, and for sailing the frisb over to @saucer, who has an extra week to ponder because he's got something else to take care of first...

...indeed, it's end of the month, which as u kno means #vortex time, and this time, for whatever reasons you may surmise, a #RecoveryRedemptionRebirthVortex has been called for, with the aforementioned @saucer at the helm, gathering and blending your submissions.

The resultant download is here, and the stream's below:

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1) later today.

The Listening Club - 20th July 2025

Salutations folks,

Hope you're all doing good - It's been another week of sunshine and showers here in Amsterdam, which is no problem for the most part, as long as it's not stopping us getting out and enjoying little local festivals, alfresco tapas gatherings, oddball psych rock gigs, mates' DJ sets and of course neighbourhood visits to find out which bush Hype Cat is sleeping under today, which is all well and good. For once, I really can't complain... 

Reminder that it's end-of-the-month-time next week, so as is customary, we're looking for #vortex themes again, bring your ideas tonight and pitch 'em, please and thank you!

Last Sunday saw @soundclamp in the chair, delivering The Coctails eponymous, yet final album from 1996, which definitely hit the sport with quite a few of the assembled. Many thanks to Dan for the pick, and for sailing the frisb across to @eryngium, who's here with the intro to today's pick...

"I heard a song from this artist on the soundtrack of a television show and promptly went off in search of the rest of the album. You’ll hear a mix of influences, languages, and beats reflecting the different countries this artist has called home. This is the artist’s first solo album, but they have previously been a vocalist for various bands, including some that are geographically local to a few of you. And if you are at all like me, you may want to clear some floor space in case you hear something that makes you want to get up and dance."

Right then, download's here and the stream's below...

Hope to see you 20:00 BST (GMT+1) later today.

The Listening Club - 13th July 2025

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing pretty good. Been a week of sunshine and showers here, not too much of one or the other, which is really how we like it, right? Also it's been good to have the weekend ending with a surprise free (and excellent) open-air saxophone quartet concert just round the corner - and thankfully inbetween rain showers, too - sometimes Amsterdam's little attempts to drop bits of culture around the neighbourhoods works out just fine, it really does.

Last Sunday chez #LC saw @ThatNewSound in the chair delivering Ditz's latest album "Never Exhale", which hit the spot for many of the assembled. Thanks extended for the pick, and for sailing the frisb across to @Soundclamp, who's got this to say by way of introduction to today's pick...

"Say you look like you could use a break, pal. This week’s pick is from a lesser-known yet equally deserving Chicago-based band. This is actually their last album from *checks notes* 1996 where their transition into post-rock music was nearly complete. What you get is something that sometimes sounds melancholy, sometimes bouncy, but always beautiful. Really, it’s the perfect balm for these hot summer days. If we had yacht rock or roséwave in the 90s it would be fair to call them that, too.

Recommended drink is your favorite fruity cocktail with or without the alcohol and a large umbrella."

Right then, download's here, stream's below:

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1) later today.

The Listening Club - 6th July 2025

Greetings folks,

Yes indeedy, @kleptones here, back again from my travels, and in typical "need a holiday to get over the holiday" mode. It was worth it though, of course. Major thanks to @corin_ja, @saucer, @holette & @akx for keeping the boat afloat whilst I was away, really grateful to you all. Sadly the weekend here has been full of overcast soggy weather, which is fine for the greenery, but not so fine for Amsterdam Roots Festival, which is happening today and always seems to get the unluckiest weather forecast, year after year. Hoping it clears up before the end of the day so we can pop down for a bit, therefore tapping this out early just in case...

Last Sunday, as I was communing with many other folks of a certain age (including one Stewart Lee, celeb-spotters), watching the very legendary Roy Harper at Glastonbury, back here in #LC land twas the annual solstice-driven #LiveVortex, which looked like a mighty wide ranging selection as always. Many thanks to everyone for chipping in tunes, and to @akx for the mix. Back in regular programming mode, we find @ThatNewSound holding the frisb with this to say by way of introduction to tonight's pick...

"The pattern so far has been old, new, old and so this one was meant to be a brand new one but Ive been feeling out of the groove recently and havent heard many really fresh releases that tickled me. Scanning my slowly growing collection of pre-saved maybes wasnt inspiring me too much either, there's some good stuff there but none of it felt right this time. For a brief moment I thought maybe something chilled and sunset ready would be good, but the weather looks like it might be a bit crap here this weekend.

Instead what Ive ended up doing is just picking something I like... again. This record is pretty noisy so you're owed a fair warning. It was released in 2025 but right back at the beginning and so I've given it a fair few spins since then and even seen the artist live which I will encourage you to do after the revel. There's a song on it about the commodification of queer culture and they've been pretty outspoken about the many forms of bigotry. It being Pride weekend this felt like it could be a winner and so it was chosen.

Non drinkers grab yourself something colourful but those attending drinking club should absolutely get themselves in a few cans of 'Existence As A Radical Act' from Queer Brewing... I'll probably be nursing a hangover they caused on saturday - hopefully this LC pick will bring me back to life."

Right then, download's here, stream's below:

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1) tonight!

The Listening Club - 29th June 2025

Greetings, people of Listening Club!

'Tis I, @corin_ja, in the caretaker's hut once more, tightening the dripping taps of musical ingenuity whilst the gaffer - @kleptones - is, I believe, sunning himself in the Vale of Avalon.

Been quite the musical week for me, from Wildwood disco in rural Cambridgeshire last weekend, to the still-turning-it-up-to-11 thrills of Iron Maiden at the London Stadium last night. From the sublime to the ridiculous, maybe?

Anyway, big shout out to @Holette and @saucer for minding the shop last weekend, and also for @Holette's choice of Macro by Brijean to entertain the masses, which it certainly did. Thanks very much indeed on all counts.

The frisbaton was expertly guided over in the direction of @ThatNewSound who has one more week to ponder their selection on account of the fact it is, as tradition and the concurrence of the Glastonbury Festival of Performing Arts dictates, the regular end-of-June #LiveVortex

Expertly smushed by @akx let's crack open some warm ciders, slather ourselves in a mixture of suncream and mud, and listen to this with a stranger's armpit mere inches from our faces. Boys and girls and everyone in-between please welcome to the stage the one and only world-famous LIVE VORTEX 2025!!

Download is here, and the stream is below:

Show time is 8pm BST (GMT +1) 

The Listening Club - 22nd June 2025

Hello Listening Clubbers

It's Holette sitting in this week to send you a warm welcome “croeso cynnes” from the mountains of North Wales. Big thanks to @spiny for their cool debut pick last week of Up A Tree by Looper. We chatted about Scottish accents, made jokes about the Velvet Underground and spotted samples, so, a great use of time on a Sunday IMHO.

Big thanks to my co-host @saucer for handling tonight’s technicals as we hand over to, well, me, for this week’s selection.

“As some of our number ponder which combination of spangly tops, Aztec ponchos and 24 hour party/hiking shoes to pack for their Somerset camping trip, I thought I’d pick a suitably summery confection.

“I heard a shimmering pop psyche track by this band last year and was inspired to explore more. I found an album that starts in one mood and progresses into something more unexpected. This duo features a leading percussionist and multi instrumentalist so listen out for some nuanced rhythms and textures underneath the floaty vocals.

“As always, interested to hear the variety of reactions from you’s lot.”

Drinking club: Mine’s an Aperol Spritz. Iechyd da/cheers!

Right then, download’s here, stream’s below:

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1) tonight.

P.S. Next week it’s the last Sunday of the month, so today let’s talk vortex themes.