The Listening Club - 18th October 2026

Greetings folks,

Running a little late today, for no reason in particular, but you know how it is sometimes, eh? Let's get on...

Last Sunday we had @spiny in the chair, ratcheting up the mood with "An Age Of Chance" by Au-Turn which got the positive attention of the assembled for sure. Thanks to Mr S for the pick and for flipping the frisb over to @soundclamp, who's here with today's intro...

"We’re in our fourth or fifth summer right now, can you believe it? Everything’s fucken upside down and the crazy keeps ratcheting up. Therefore… I think it’s time for some Sunday coming down music. How’s about we blend some East and West. Toss in a little folkways, sprinkle in some kosmische. Let it simmer until it’s just mellow enough. Originally a duo, this was released in 2010 and is long out of print.

Drinking club? Tuck yourself in with a hot cider and get comfy."

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

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

The Listening Club - 11th October 2026

 Howdy folks,

Hope you're doing good. Pretty soggy here in Amsterdam, as autumn takes a firm hold on the surroundings. Haven't had to turn the heating on yet though, but I think that day is not far off at all. Brr.

Speaking of the changing of the seasons and all that, advance notice that, as always, I'll be toddling off to Le Guess Who? in a few weeks, so will be looking for someone to run things here on Sunday 8th November; I will remind again, but let me know if you can help out, I'd be very grateful.

Last Sunday we had @nessiest in the chair, delivering a solid slice of Oceanic culture in the shape of Marlon Williams' "Te Whare Tīwekaweka" which went down rather well. Thanks to Ness for the pick and for flipping the frisb over to @spiny, who's here with today's intro...

"Good evening fellow listeners.

My pick for this week is from a new band formed by someone from an old band.

This is their most recent album, from last year, they have done a few more EPs since, which I tried to figure out a way to add, but it would have made it too long.

Anyway, I 'discovered' that this project existed while googling what the band members were up to these days, and found a few singles, which were fantastic, then nothing for ages. 

Bandcamp helpfully emailed me with news on this release, which I dutifully bought, and now present to you.

It's somewhat indie leaning, though bandcamp has it tagged 'folktronica',  and as the main member is the guitarist from the 'old band', they have roped in a few other vocalists to help out on a few of the tracks. 

I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do, but if not, thats OK too."

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

Hope to see you on the ol' hashtag at 20:00 BST (GMT+1)

The Listening Club - 4th October 2026

Greetings folks,

Hope you're doing good. Another pretty warm and dry week in Amsterdam, as summer keeps eking out it's last moments to pleasureable effect. Therefore there's been time for customary end-of-season activities, an outdoor meal here and there, some gardening and some neighbourly stooping. All very pleasent indeed. Inside though, one of my server hard drives is playing up, which means scanning and replacing most likely. Glad I spotted the trouble before it spread to the backup. Reminder to keep your stuff backed up folks, it's worth it! 

Last Sunday was the last of the month, and by way of tribute to my own (and probably others') failing memory, a #ForgetfulnessVortex was agreed, which produced a fine and mostly cliche-free selection of tunes. Many thanks to everyone who remembered to chip in a tune or two, and to @akx for the fine mix work. Looking back to normal programming,we see @Nessiest holding the frisb and with this to say by way of introduction to today's pick...

"Some artists have a defined artistic voice, some continuously inhabit different characters in their creative journey. This artist is one of the latter and in this album made a bold move homewards and inwards. It’s a risky move by an international artist for reasons that will become apparent. 

Apparently they have struggled with writers block - this core artistic choice was apparently the way through. I’ve had this album on my le club shortlist a while now and hesitated partly for the reasons that will become apparent. I also hesitated because it’s a newish personal favourite that I have not fully figured out yet.

Personal picks are a risk in listening club, but it’s time. I think this is quality. Hope you enjoy and appreciate the experience. Drinking club? A hoppy IPA, a buttery chardonnay, or a good mug of gumboot black tea."

Right then. Download's here, stream's below:

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1) later today, whilst we still can!

The Listening Club - 27th September 2026

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing okay. Summer seems to be hanging in there nicely in Amsterdam, with a very pleasant stretch of warm sunny weather giving us a good few reasons to keep reaching for the sunglasses, iced beverages and garden chairs. Tapping this out a little early as I have not one but two gigs lined up for attendance later today, a matinee acoustic show and an evening punk rock noisefest (been a lot of Sunday gigs lately, it seems), so sadly I won't be around to hear the vortex, looking forward to catching up when I get back!

Last Sunday saw, hey, me @kleptones, spacing the assembled folks out with a #LC First Play™ of Adam Wiltzie & Jóhann Jóhannsson's "Friendship Survival Guide", as released last Friday. Seemed to go down pretty well with most folks, which makes me very happy indeed. All that remained was to flip the frisb across the room to @nessiest, who is well aware that they have an extra week to ponder because...

...yes, of course it's end-of-month, therefore #vortex time, which I plainly forgot about last week in my focus to get the above album sorted - big thanks to @saucer for remembering and therefore triggering a #ForgetfulnessVortex. Here's hoping enough people remembered and submitted tunes, so that @akx has something to mix... we shall find out soon enough..

Download's here, stream's below:

Hope to see you 20:00 BST (GMT+1) later today, don't forget!

The Listening Club - 20th September 2026

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all hanging in there. Bit of a neither / or week in Amsterdam, bit of rain, bit of sun, nothing special, enlivened by a trip out to the Concertgebouw yesterday to hear some lesser-played Steve Reich stuff (and one new commission) on occasion of his soon come 90th birthday. I guess the competition between him and Philip Glass remains solid as they're both celebrating that milestone, and both still writing pretty damn well (as the aforementioned excellent new commission showed). No problem from a listening perspective, natch, here's hoping they both hang in there for their respective centenaries!

Last Sunday we had @ogili in the chair, bamboozling the assembled with his pick of Casper Iskov's 2023 "Commercial Remake" cover version of My Bloody Valentine's "Isn't Anything" album, which definitely showed the album in a different light. Thanks to Oli for the pick and for flipping the frisb across to me, @kleptones, which means it's time to go all italic...

"... right then. As with most long-term LC-ers, I have a rolling list of possible picks; things get added, things get removed, and occasionally one gets given it's freedom for others to hear, and so it was going to be this week, until this new album (freshly released last Friday) entered into my purview, and, well, the list can wait.

So yes, a very new release, although apparently not fully new music, as one of the contributors moved on from this earth a few years ago, leaving behind plenty of raw materials to be developed, and a style of music that, year-on-year, seems to be getting more public attention and popularity, as shown by this release, which is on a so-called "big" label and looks to have a decent promotional budget, or at least it seems so from here. Is that a good thing? I'd like to think so.

So... not wanting to give too much away, and without having heard it myself yet, hem hem - knowing some of the previous work of the participants, this is most likely a "turn up the volume (looking at the waveform this thing has a wide dynamic range, so make the most of it if you can), find a comfortable place between the speakers, lean back and let it wash over you" pick. The kind of thing that gets airtime chez-K in the late evenings and early mornings (interested to see how it fits with your timezones), and that Hype Cat really, really enjoys stretching out on the sofa to, bless 'im. Hoping that it finds an equivalent niche for yourselves also.

Drinking club: for me, probably a glass of red wine, or maybe a favourite whisky. Ymmv, but something to savour would be good, I'd say".

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

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

The Listening Club - 13th September 2026

Greetings folks,

Hope all is good in your hood. Back in Amsterdam again after a circuit of travels, and seems like the city has been saving a good few rain showers for our return. Le sigh. Hype Cat is definitely happy to see us back, even if the weather is not to his liking, at least he can get some sympathy and treats. As can we, come to that... *fx - wine being poured into glass*

Last Sunday saw @IamWahl in the chair, hitting a bright pop vibe with his pick of "New Day New World" by Spoons, which got the assembled guessing frenetically and, on the main, incorrectly. Thanks to Mr. W for the pick and for sailing the frisb across to @ogili, who's here with today's intro...

"Remember when the internet wasn’t a relentless torrent of the algorithmically reclaimed cultural ‘pink slime’ of AI, infinite scrolling social media, short form video, monetised propaganda/outrage, clickbait, and the like?

One of the great things about back then, was that it was easier to stumble upon things like this, made 3 years ago, which would have struggled at best to get an ‘official’ release.

On reading the description, I didn't expect to like it, despite loving one of the parts of it.  But it clicked with me on the first listen. There is a chance that I’m ‘late to the party’ here, and a good chunk of you lot have heard it, but I’ll take that risk.  

It’s quite short, and there is a very obvious ‘afterparty’ listen, which I’ll post up with the reveal. 

Drink suggestions?  Oooh, I dunno, something like snakebite made with an American commercial beer like Budweiser?"

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

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

The Listening Club - 6th September 2026

Salutations, folks,

Hope all is going good. Greetings this time from the rolling green hills of Kent, as I'm back in the old country doing a little family visiting and all that, enjoying some good late summer weather zipping around a few small towns and pleasantly sandy coves. More of that to come today, so let's get this tapped out, eh?

Last Sunday saw the assembled bopping down main street to a fine soundtrack as befits a #CarnivalVortex, which contained a good measure of both the joy of the parade and the reflections of the aftermath. Many thanks to everyone for chipping in tunes and to @JimMcCauley for the quality mix work. 

Looking back to regular programming we find @iamwahl clutching the frisb with this to say by way of intrroduction to today's pick...

"This week's offering comes to you courtesy of a visit I made to one of the plethora of independent music stores in my vicinity earlier this year. I don't get to this shop often so came away with a hefty stack. Upon arriving home and making my way through this batch it occurred to me that many of these, each in its unique way, would be worthy of bringing to the ears of #ListeningClub; but now I must choose one… 

While perusing those vinyl bins I found a record I did not know by a band whose discography I thought I had a complete picture of. How had I missed this? I was excited to think I would be hearing something from them I was not familiar with. I was not disappointed. There is a wide sonic spectrum throughout and lots of clues here as to who influenced the band; the sound harkens to another time (if not another place). I hope you enjoy the journey…

For #DrinkingClub, something with some spunk (I'll be having a cappuccino to toast the noon hour)…"

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

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