The Listening Club - 14th December 2025

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing good, hopefully better than me, stuck with a very painful computer audio problem that is going to take some slow, methodical figuring out and fixing with firmly crossed fingers - less said the better right now, so let's move on briskly, shall we?

#ListeningClub PSA - Holiday season approaches, which means time for our annual #FestiveVortex, for which we will soon be asking you to chip in one of your favourite new tunes of 2025 (or two, if they're short). After a quick glance at the calender and a chat between the #VortexMasters, it's been agreed that the calendar for the next few weeks will look like this:

2025-12-21    Last regular #LC of 2025

2025-12-28    CLOSED

2026-01-04    #FestiveVortex

So you've got plenty of time to get your picks sorted!

Last Sunday saw @AccordionBruce deliver one of the most unique picks in the many years of #LC, with his selection of The Sursiks' "Lydia Grace", which generated some rather spirited discussion, to say the least. Many thanks to Bruce for the pick and for sailing the frisb across to @wbwolf, who's here with today's intro...

"This album is a throwback, looking forward. A new scene was developing, based on plundering the past to make something new. Soon, it would catch the ears of the international tastemakers. This was the third album after relaunching with a new label and a new singer. The album contains the band's first hit in their native land, and their biggest selling album. But this is the last album with the band as a trio.

The co-producer of this album was in the process of recording his first solo album after the band he was in split in two. This is also his first producer credit outside of his own work. 

This album was the favorite for the mailing list devoted to the band and related artists, though personally, I first heard many of the songs on later international compilations. I am always amused about one reviewer who complained about the album's title, stating it had nothing to do with [redacted]."

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

Hope to see you 20:00 GMT later today.

The Listening Club - 7th December 2025

Greetings folks,

Hope you're doing good. December already, blimey, he says as he sweeps a ton of leaves off the front stoop whilst hype cat supervises efficiently. Kinda happy to be doing that really as I've been struck with a mysterious ailment most of the week, which has now (I hope) cleared up, thank the gods. It's that time of year for sure.

Last Sunday saw us delve into the murky world of bass in all it's forms with a #LowEndVortex, and a fine selection it was too, sidestepping some of the genres that many expected, but going very large on others. Thanks to everyone for chipping in a tune or two, and extra large thanks to @saucer for blending the frequencies effectively.

Back to reg prog, we see @AccordionBruce holding the frisb with this to say by way of introduction to today's pick...

"I was going to play something else. Then thought of this and started grinning. So here we go:

Today’s album is the Sgt. Pepper’s of a genre not usually associated with the avant garde.

The producer recently released a note-for-note a cappella version of Captain Beefheart’s masterpiece Trout Mask Replica, so this is sort of a preview of that work.

Their other most famous recording is one where they took answering machine recordings and composed melodies based on the pitches of people’s speech. Spoiler: the title of that album, I Didn’t Know I Was Singing.

This one similarly takes the subject’s recorded voice and builds full band arrangements around their spontaneous compositions. The result is varied and unforgettable.

Genuinely catchy stuff here. I can’t wait to hear what you think.

Drinking recommendations?

Fruit Juice? Cereal and milk? Pure sunlight and dreams of youth?"

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

See you 20:00 GMT later today.

The Listening Club - 30th November 2025

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing okay. Another blah weather week in Amsterdam, the grey almost unchanging, the sog coming and going. It is what it is. Fortunately there's plenty of activities to keep us going inside, making good sounds and tastes, planning for future fun, and being grateful for that, for sure. Hype cat approves, of course, as he buries himself ever deeper, and warmer, into his beanbag.

Last Sunday saw @akx taking us for a trip to unusual places with his pick of "Groove of ESSR: Funk, Soul, Disco, Jazz and Easy Listening from Estonia from 1971-1984", which saw the assembled grooving accordingly. Thanks to Aarni for the pick and for sailing the friab over to @AccordionBruce, who has an extra week to ponder because...

Yep, end-of-month means #vortex, and this time, influnced by the sad passing of The Stone Roses' Mani, the assembled decided it was time to highlight the bass in all things, so a #LowEndVortex it is! Thanks to everyone who chipped in a tune, @Saucer has been busy connecting and blending, and you can download the result here, or stream it below:

See you 20:00 GMT for playback!

The Listening Club - 23rd November 2025

Greetings folks,

Hope you're doing okay. A bit of a same-old-same-old week here in Amsterdam, as the temps plummet and the wet stuff continues to fall from the sky, inside it's one big blanket pile with humans here and there and hype cat somewhere near the top. Just as well there's always something good to listen to, eh? 

Reminder that it's end-of-month next Sunday, so we're looking for a #vortex theme as always - bring your ideas to the hashtag later on today and we'll see what's what.

Last Sunday saw @Holette in the chair, dosing everyone up with Anna von Hauswollff's "Iconoclasts", which garnered a pretty solid thumbs-up from the assembled, I'd say, Thanks to Sarah for the pick, and for flipping the frisb across to @akx, who's here with today's intro...

"I came across the penultimate track here by accident on Spotify this summer, and it's been on heavy rotation since (both in my head and aloud). The rest is a quick 17-track collage off the three compilations in the series (it'll make sense, trust me), so as to keep the selection around an hour instead of more than two. Be prepared for some folk-funk, a wild cover or three (maybe four?) (including a track salvaged off an advertisement film for the Summer Olympics in [location redacted]), and a whole bunch of groove.

#drinkingclub, and a clue: Pour 4cl chilled Vana Tallinn liqueur into a flute and top it with" the sparkling wine (for historical accuracy, Sovetskoye Shampanskoye, but prosecco would work)."

Right then, download's here (right-click, save as) and stream's below:

See you 20:00 GMT later today.

The Listening Club - 16th November 2025

Hey folks,

Hope you're doing okay. @kleptones here, back from the crazy world of Le Guess Who? with many a new tale to tell and earworm to share - very pleased that the wintery weather held off for the duration of the festival, but it's hit with full force on our returm, as temperatures and leaves drop and the mighty sog returns. Hype cat is decidedly unimpressed by the changing of the seasons as always, but the addition of another blanket to his growing slumber pile is keeping him sleepily cheerful. For now, anyways. 

Last Sunday, thanks to @JimMcCauley and a last minute @EmmaPrice for holding the show together in our absence, and to @Vinomadic for his double whammy pick of Cream's "Fresh Cream" and "Disraeli Gears", which rocked and spaced out the assembled in equal measures. Thanks extended for the pick and for sailing the frisb across the seas to @Holette, who's right here with today's intro...

"I came across this artist when my partner read a recent rave review and said "this sounds like the sort of weird shit you'd like". I gave it a try and damn it turns out he was right.

Apparently this album represents a more pop direction for the artist. I'd say it's pretty far out pop but maybe in the sense of say, St Vincent, rather than Ms Swift.

There's melodies that kind of explode and dissipate, trancey builds and massive drums all going on in an ecstatic tsunami. Floating over it all are wondrous, witchy vocals.

Listen out for two guests vocalists, one of whom is unmistakable, the other was new to me - although their 1M Instagram followers would suggest I'm late to the party on that one. Above all listen out for the stunning range of instruments which add so much texture.

It runs a little over the usual hour, but the variety of moods kept me fully immersed so I hope you'll indulge me.

#DrinkingClub: a poky Margarita could be the thing"

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

See you 20:00 GMT later today.

The Listening Club – 9th November 2025

Hey-hey!

It's me, @JimMcCauley, sitting in for @kleptones who's away somewhere, and who asked the other day if I could step in, and with me apparently not being called for a rehearsal today I said, yeah, why not? Well, wouldn't you just know it, my director made a mistake and I do have a rehearsal later, so here I am typing this out before lunch. Hope you're all doing good, I'm busy learning lines while scoping out a potential next play to direct after my recent triumph with an incredible slice of Stoppard.

Last week, then, it was the ever-splendid @Nessiest at the decks, giving everyone's brains a thorough sonic rinse with "In E" by Water Damage and completely surprising the entire room when it threw in a second chord after the one-hour mark. Top work, so thanks to V for the pick and for a well-aimed frisb pass to @vinomadic, who will address you after the following ellipsis...

"Well...how about a double-play?? Didn't realize I had the first record album by the act with the sophomore release waiting in the Listening Club wings for a couple of years...

Said second album, released November 1967, wouldn't be much of a mystery after the second track, a massive hit, plays, so... this way, you get the lesser known original 'mission statement' from the band, where they hew fairly close to the blues-rock trends of the day. Then, the second album expands into psychedelic territory & elsewhere-- quite a varied set of tracks, if I say so myself! 

It all adds up to an hour & ten or so minutes of British musical history-- near half of the band's total recorded output, by the way. Enjoy!

(PS-- For full disclosure's sake: In a rush, I converted & uploaded a variation on the US release of that first album.)"

That's you told. Download it here or stream it below!

I'll be elsewhere at 8PM GMT, so have fun and don't make a mess.

The Listening Club - 2nd November 2025

Hey everybody,

Hope you're all doing good. Another soggy Sunday here in Amsterdam, which is not pleasing Hype Cat much, although he is getting ever more demanding with his towel-off requests each time he returns from his, ah, toilettes pluvieuses. So it goes. Inside the house, cakes are being baked for the upcoming festive season, which is permeating the place with a rather lovely fruit 'n' spice tang, enough almost to blot out the loud bouts of swearing as I (eventually) successfully replace the battery in one of my Sony earbuds. A normal day, then.

Last Sunday saw @EmmaPrice in the chair, spookily soothing the assembled with "Ghost Notes" by Mattias/Auborn, which charmed everyone quite successfully. Thanks to Em for the pick, and for sailing the frisb back over to @nessiest, who has this to say by way of introduction to tonight's pick...

"Oh my dear clubbers. Last week I said what I hear is what you get. This is by far my most played album over the last year. 

Brace yourselves, this isn’t a marmite album. It’s an anchovies and sweated onions on a bed of fish paste album. (Which I love also by the way.)

I listen to this on planes, trains, trams, in the office, at home cooking. Best listened to loud."

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

See you 20:00 GMT tonight!

The Listening Club - 26th October 2025

Greetings folks, 

Hope you're all doing good. A seriously wet and windy week here in Amsterdam, which has certainly caused this year's ADE (Huge dance music industry event, if you didn't know) to go with quite a soggy squelch, as thousands of unprepared folks from afar scurry from cover to cover, frantically buying raincoats, hats and brollies as they go. A fair chunk of the ADE schedule is not really to my taste, but they do cover a wide range of stuff, and the variable weather means that enterprising locals can pick up cheap last minute tickets if they're lucky, which allowed us to get blown across town by Storm Benjamin to see Asko|Schönberg perform Steve Reich's "Music For 18 Musicians" on Thursday, and mighty fine it was too, yay.

(PSA - Reminder I'm away on Sunday 9th November, still looking for a helping hand to run #LC, let me know if you can help, pls thx.)

=

Last Sunday saw us paying tribute the best way we know how to our fallen comrade @FaberFedor with a splendidly emotional #GroupHugForFaberVortex. Huge thanks to everyone who chipped in a tune or two, and everyone who congregated to listen and share reminiscences of a fine chap. 

I've been asked by Faber's executors to share his obiutuary, which you can find here, and also let everyone know that there will be an online memorial on Sunday 16th November at 12noon ET (which I think is 5pm GMT, 6pm CET). The memorial will be held on Zoom, details here.

Back in the land of regularly-scheduled programming, we find @EmmaPrice holding the frisb, with this to say by way of introduction to her pick...

"Greetings my Listening Club Friends. 

It's been a while since I've been around regularly for Listening Club. I spent the summer in the fields on the festival circuit raising money for Oxfam enjoying the sun on my face with the shared joy of communal music and meeting folks from all walks of life.

Last week's #grouphugforFaber experience hit me pretty hard and I'm not embarrassed to say I wept like a baby thinking of our friend and the memories and connections we've all made via music. If any of you are ever visiting London please let me know and it'd be a pleasure to meet and raise a glass to this fantastic group of people. Thank you for all the moments we've shared and those that are yet to come.

Onto my pick for this week. First things first, I know nothing about the artist behind this album and while I'm writing this intro I'm listening to it for the second time. I bought this album, on vinyl no less, for one reason. The cover.  As I'm listening to it again I'm really glad this has randomly made it into my music collection. I'll explain the story of how I acquired this vinyl during the playback to avoid spoilering up front.

Drinking club: Is it too early for a mulled wine?"

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

See you 20:00 GMT - Yes, the clocks have changed over here!

The Listening Club - 19th October 2025

Greetings folks,

Hope you're doing okay. Another mild week here in Amsterdam, as autumn continues to take hold and the piles of leaves begin to mount up, I'm kinda hoping for a little rain soon to wash the streets down. That said, hoping the temperature stays mild for a little longer, as it's coming close to Le Guess Who? time of year, which of course also means I'm in need of someone to run things here whilst we're away, so if you can help out on Sunday 9th November, please let me know, thanks!

Last Sunday saw @iamwahl in the chair, sending the assembled into a gentle reverie with his pick of Lloyd Cole & The Commotions 1987 album "Mainstream". Thanks extended to him for the pick, and also for sailing the frisb across to @EmmaPrice who has an extra week to ponder...

...as we find ourselves in an unexpected mode, paying tribute to @FaberFedor, a fine friend and long time #LC comrade, who has departed the earth way too soon after many fights with cancer. In the time honoured words of The Warriors DJ, "I guess the only thing we can do is play you a song", So here's a #GroupHugForFaberVortex, sad that he wasn't able to stick around to hear it. Thanks to everyone for chipping in tunes and @kleptones for the mix assembly. Adios, Senor Fedor, your sharp wit and gentle wisdom will be much missed.

Download's here, stream's below (yes, back on Mixcloud, as HearThis now has a free limit of 90 mins, merr):

Hope to see you at 20:00 BST (GMT+1) for playback.

The Listening Club - 12th October 2025

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing good. Amsterdam is settling further into Autumn as expected, tho it's still pretty mild and dry, which is always welcome. 

Unfortunately, I have some bad news to break to you all regarding our good friend and long time #LC contributor @FaberFedor. Some of you will be aware that he has been fighting a serious illness for a long while, and despite much treatment, he is now receiving hospice / palliative care. 

Many of you have met Faber over the years, including at our momentous Amsterdam get together back in 2014, so will have first hand experience of what a fine chap he is, but I'm sure for everyone reading, this is deeply sad news. At this stage, it's not known how long he'll be in care, but he will hopefully be able to listen tonight, and I therefore propose that next Sunday we postpone our regular scheduled program and instead put together a #GroupHugForFaberVortex, for which we invite you to contribute tunes, as happy, sad or ridiculous as you like, that you think he would get a kick out of hearing - multiple tunes are welcome too, the more the merrier - long time #LC folks will have a good idea of his tastes, but if you need a reminder you can see his album picks going back to 2012 on the list here. 

Of course, you're welcome to contribute even if you don't really feel you know Mr. F but would like to add an appropriate tune as a gesture of kindness. Given the circumstances, the sooner you can get your picks in the better, just in case we have to expidite the delivery, so to speak, although I truly hope that's not necessary. I'll add a link for the dropbox here as soon as we have one, and also post it on Mastodon. (Update - Dropbox link)

Back in the land of regular programming, last Sunday it was m'self, @kleptones, dosing the assembled with the heady blend of Asha Bhosle & The Kronos Quartet's "You've Stolen My Heart - Sounds from R.D. Burman's Bollywood", which I was delighted to find going down very well indeed (phew). All that remained was for me to flip the frisb across to @iamwahl, who is here with today's intro...

"Ah, what excitement. Please join me as the tumbling, twisting turns of what to present to the Listening Club again finds me stumbling into a more fulsome review and dive into some neglected corners of my music acquisitions.

After hearing last week’s surprising, entertaining, and compelling selection from Kleptones I thought I knew exactly what album I would present this week. Upon listening to that album I started to think the time isn’t quite right to offer that initial choice. Still, I was intending to hold steady on the track of (or at least lean towards) the more disparate world of musical styles and influences to be found in my collection but, while wandering through a goodly number of options from locales more remote (both physically and metaphorically) than my more frequent musical travels, I was suddenly, and surprisingly, reminded of an artist that doesn’t fit that mould at all. Listening to a couple albums by that musician then made me think of yet another performer, whom I was surprised to discover had not been the subject of a previous Listening Club session. For some reason the first recording I ever heard from them has always felt like autumn to me (perhaps because it was released in a previous October?). This, then, is what was my introduction to this artist, albeit being the last studio album from this particular incarnation of their musical face (again I’m late to a party). Perhaps it will also be an introduction to them for some of the club; although I suspect more than a few will immediately recognize, if not the album, the uniquely identifiable voice. Either way I hope this brings you as much pleasure as it has me…

For #DrinkingClub, a sipping whisky, neat (or other cool weather favourite)…"

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

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

The Listening Club - 5th October 2025

Howdy folks,

Hope you're doing okay. Autumn seems to have grabbed Amsterdam by the metaphoricals most definitely - it's been a blustery wet week and a half, so sitting in with a cup of something warming and occasionally darting outside for a social activity, like scoffing an eye-watering tableful of Sichuan goodness or catching ESG's last European show ever (so I believe), which was as suitably joyful and boisterous as one would hope. More of that to follow, I predict!

Last Sunday, as was end-of-month, meant a #vortex, and this time we fired the gun on a #GamesDayVortex, which saw an impressively huge range of styles lining up for the race. Many thanks to everyone who chipped in a tune, and to @akx for the fine mixwork. Looking back to regularly-scheduled programming, we see, er, me, @kleptones, in the mirror, waving the frisb at myself, so...

"...let's get italic. Have to admit I've had this pick ready for a while, when another picker was rather late with their submission, so I decided to get a backup together just in case. Fortunately I didn't need it then, so here 'tis!

I noted a conversation on Mastodon a while back about the tendency for #LC denizens to mostly pick "western" "rock-derived" albums, which is to be expected, for the most part, as that's pretty much where and what we're from, but as I get older I definitely consider a larger and larger part of my listening to be outside of those areas, as my ears always remain thankfully curious, so here's something, possibly unexpected coming from me, that doesn't fall into either of the aforementioned categories.

This is a collaborative album by two legendary artists, one of whom has been radically widening the scope of their proscribed "style" over the last 50 years, whilst the other has spent their even-longer career finessing one style to absolute perfection. What happens when such disparate artists meet, readers? It's time to find out.

(PS I'd say the first tune is possibly one of the best-known, so if you know them, you'll recognise it immediately)

#drinkingclub = mango lassi."

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

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

The Listening Club - 28th September 2025

Salutations, folks.

Hope you're all doing okay. A still, warm day here in Amsterdam, which has been very welcome, making afternoon shopping and garderning chores way more pleasurable, and pleasing hype cat by allowing us to sit outside with him whilst sipping an iced drink or two on the stoop (which, of course, is the only reason we do it, for sure).

Last Sunday we had @ogili in the chair, dosing the assembled with 2 EPs by Getdown Services, "Primordial Slot Machine" and "Your Medal's In The Post". Thanks to Oli for the pick, and for sailing the frisb over to @kleptones, who has an extra week to ponder because...

..yep, end-of-month means #vortex, and this time the consensus was for a #GamesDayVortex, although what kind of games is, as always, left open to interpretation. @akx has gathered up the submitted tunes and merged them together into a fine blend, direct download here (right-click save-as), or streaming below:

See you on the hashtag at 20:00 BST (GMT+1) for playback.

The Listening Club - 21st September 2025

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing OK. Back from my travels with thanks extended to @corin_ja for holding the fort last week, very much appreciated. Returning to a very blowy and rainy Amsterdam, which is a bit of a shame, but par for the course given the time of year. So it goes...

And not just time of year, but time of month, which is nearing the end (already!) therefore we'll be needing a #vortex theme - suggestions welcome in the chat if you have them, thx!

Last Sunday, that very same @corin_ja was pulling double duty, not just hosting, but also treating the assembled to "Fire Escape In The Sky: The Godlike Genius Of Scott Walker", which, as I wasn't around, I'm hoping went down pretty good with the assembled. Thanks again to Corin for the tunes, and for sailing the frisb across South London to @ogili, who is here with tonight's intro...

"Well, it’s going a bit pearshaped in Britain I fear, so some ‘“Post-Brexit apocalypse disco” from a duo putting Minehead on the map feels appropriate.  

Imagine a pinch of artists like T-Rex, Chaz and Dave, MC Pitman, Goldie Looking Chain, LCD Sound System, The Fall, Happy Mondays, Denim, low rider era War, mixed with British bravado/ennui, and then stirred into an ill-advised couple of pints of take out lager, which has been left out of the fridge while everyone’s been playing Mario Kart in the living room. 

The irony of this pick, for me, was that there was no dithering about which artist this time.  But a HUGE amount of dithering about what to pick by them. Do I go for the first album with its opener which sounds a little like LCD Soundsystem featuring MC Pitman, or the more recent and more introspective stuff?

So I tossed a coin, and went for this."

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

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

The Listening Club - 14th September 2025

Hello, everybody.

It's @corin_ja here, sitting in once more for our usual host @kleptones, who is off on travels today. How's everyone doing?

Been a mixed week here in London, UK. Some rain and wind, some lovely early autumn blue skies and a hint of crispness in the morning air that's leading to me digging out some long-sleeved cycling tops. Minimal cultural appreciation at the moment, at least music-wise. At the cinema I've enjoyed Weapons recently and off to see the new Conjuring movie today, I think. Also took in the Leigh Bowery retrospective at Tate Modern which is worth a visit if you're in the area.

As for #ListeningClub, last week we had @akx in the chair of the selector, regaling us with a fine slice of electronic psydub in the form of Nature Never Did Betray The Heart That Loved Her by Dub Trees, which seemed to get the assembled chilling and skanking in equal measure.

After some fumbled catches the frisbaton has been recovered from the next-door-neighbour's-garden-of-missed-frisbatons by none other than yours truly. Here's what I have to say about it:

"This choice is based on a book I read recently by the singer of a big pop group that had recently got back together to put out a new record after many years hiatus. In the book, the front man described how much they had been influenced by the artist behind tonight's selection, an artist who had sunk into obscurity for a long time. The description of how much this artist meant to the singer moved me, and I sought out the record they had singled-out as being particularly influential to them. So here it is, I present it to you. Some of you will have guessed from this tortuous description who I am talking about, but I will reveal all at the end anyhow. Sorry if this is a real Marmite pick. I had to listen to this stuff a few times before it really grabbed me. Don't let that put you off though, I'm usually a late developer. #DrinkingClub probably a Scotch'n'soda or something."

OK, then. The download is here (right click, save-as) and the stream is below:

Hope to see you all later, 8pm BST (GMT +1)

The Listening Club - 7th September 2025

Hey folks,

Hope you're all doing okay. Nice end-of-summer freaky v.warm wave crossing Amsterdam this weekend, so today we've mostly been hanging out on the stoop, chatting to neighbours about local happenings, eating tapas-esq bits and bobs and drinking iced beverages. A gentle Sunday relaxation after a couple of busy cultural days enjoying the Concertgebouw's free open day (a bit of everything from Mahler to light opera to jazz to Indian classical), and a wonderfully noisy show from Austin's current finest export Water Damage ("Maximal Repetition, Minimal Deviation", they say, and they're not joking). Really, it's been a very good one, and it will continue as soon as this is tapped out so...

PSA again : Still looking for someone to volunteer to host this blog next Sunday, as I'm away visiting family. Help a person out, let me know!

Last Sunday we celebrated the end of the month as only we know how with a #TruerWordsHaveNeverBeenSpokenVortex, and by 'eck it did exactly what it said on the tin, in finest style. Thanks to everyone for chipping in tunes, and to @JimMcCauley for taking time out from their directorial debut to do the mixwork. Looking back in time we see @akx with the frisb, and here's his intro for tonight...

"Took a while to figure out what to play this time, staring at the CD shelf, then the vinyl shelf, and then both of them virtually on Discogs, before deciding on something that's kind of been on my shortlist for a while.

So: This is the 2024 remaster of a somewhat celebrated 2000 album with a name that quotes William Wordsworth from 1798. It was made by these blokes Martin, Simon and Greg (some of whom have been played on LC before, about a decade ago).

I might recommend a relaxed listening position, or maybe something idle enough to do (like building Legos? that might be fun) while you listen, if you're so inclined.

#drinkingclub: herbal tea, possibly?"

Right then, download's here (right click, save as), stream's below:

See you later today, 20:00 BST (GMT+1) I hope!

The Listening Club - 31st August 2025

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing well and good. Summer's hanging on by a thread in Amsterdam, as waves of small but potent rain showers threaten to wash out the weekend's events - We still managed a very pleasurable trip down to South East Jazz, which, it will come as no surprise, was in the far south-east of the city, and delivered many random stripes of very well performed jazz, mostly in dappled sunshine as well, phew.

Quick PSA - I will be away visiting family on Sun 14th September, so if anyone is available to manage the #LC shop for that one day, please let me know!

Last Sunday saw @woj in the chair, getting slinky with his pick of  Madeline Kenny's "Kiss From The Balcony", which swooned the assembled successfully I'd say. Thanks extended for the pick and for sailing the frisb across to @akx, who has an extra week to ponder because...

...yep, end of month means #vortex time again, and this time a #TruerWordsHaveNeverBeenSpokenVortex was agreed, and @JimMcCauley has delivered the combined submissions right here... Download est ici, et stream's below:

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

The Listening Club - 24th August 2025

Salutations, folks.

Hope you're all doing well and good. Busy weekend here in Amsterdam as predicted, as the weather stayed mostly dry and the city got a major dose of ships of all shapes and sizes. Despite the estimated 2.5 million visitors, it was a pretty relaxed affair, plenty of opportunity to stroll around and enjoy the maritime scenery, even for a land lubber such as myself. Add to that some outdoor Finnish cinema, a random polka punk band playing in a local square, and a couple of fine meals and it's been a pretty good few days, must say. And mostly free too - well, taxpayer subsidized, anyways, hemhem - but it's great when it works, eh? Now, let's get on with this before it gets any later...

Oh yeah, next Sunday is end-of-the-month, so it's ime for a #vortex - get your ideas for themes out later on, please!

Last Sunday saw @FaberFedor in the chair, hitting heavy with the soundtrack to the 1994 classic, "The Crow", which got everyone rockin' and a shufflin' like a Saturday night at The Bronze. Thanks to FF for the pick, and for sailing the frisb over to @woj who's got this to say by way of introduction to tonight's pick...

"A month or so ago, the introduction for that week's pick had me thinking it was one of two bands. The selection did turn out to be one of them (Fleetwood Mac). So, I decided then that my next pick would be one of the other band's albums as a sort of call and response kind of thing. But, now that the summer is winding down and the Autumn releases are starting to roll out, everything has changed. Quite a few really good new records have been released in August and this is one of them. And that's all I shall say about it!"

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

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

The Listening Club - 17th August 2025

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing well and good. Been a lovely hot week here, which has been very pleasing for m'self and Hype Cat to name but two, as we're getting to that point in the summer where the end is in sight, so a little more attention is paid to getting out there and making the most of it. Still plenty more to do, tho, including the arrival of a whole ton of tall floaty things next week as Amsterdam does it's SAIL thing (cap letters mandatory, apparently) for the first time in ten years. I admit I'm not the most nautical person by a long chalk, but I do like a boat or ten (thousand), and I do like a spectacle, so quite looking forward to seeing what it's all about I'd say...

Last Sunday, chez #LC, we saw @SimonLandmine getting cinematic with his pick of Barry Adamson's "As Above, So Below" from 1998, which resulted in a goodly amount of thumbs up from the assembled, I'd say. Thanks to Simon for the pick and for sailing the frisb over to @FaberFedor, who's right here with today's intro...

"I've got a dozen or so CDs, EPs, and digital tracks sitting on my desk waiting to be vetted for y'all.

You'd think being laid up on my back for a month+ would be a great time to catch up on all of this (and other things you can do while lying on a couch all day), but NOooo. These drugs don't help out at all with that kind of music (and you can listen to just so much Pink Floyd).

So I give you one of my \#LC fallback choices; an OST for a decent film iirc, apropos for its times but maybe not today. Although, if you look around and squint just right..."

Right then, download's here in m4a, or if you want an mp3, click here and get it from HearThis, or just play the stream below, it's all bacon...

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

The Listening Club - 10th August 2025

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing well and good. Summer normality (rather than nominally) kinda returns to Amsterdam, as in reasonably hot and reasonably dry, which is definitely fine by me. So let's get this done and dusted so we can return to a greenery-shaded chair, a slighty toasted hype cat and a well iced vermouth, shall we?

Last Sunday saw @Saucer in the chair, sending out a curve ball in the shape of "Sounds Made By Humans", performed by Brian Bilston & The Catenary Wires, which seemed to go down just fine, judging by the comments. Thanks to Murray for the pick, and for sailing the frisb across to @SimonLandmine, who has this to say by way of introduction to today's pick...

"After the special knock opens the unmarked steel door set in the bare brick wall beneath the flickering neon, nod to the door staff and make your way down the dingy staircase and past the shadowed bar. Pull a chair up to one of the tables in the darkened room, and wait for the music ...

Yep, I spent a while dithering before deciding on this one, but it's been on my 'short' list for quite a while, and I felt it deserved to finally make it to the Club. Some of you are very likely familiar with it, but if not, I hope that you like it. It's an artist with quite the varied career before they started working on their own projects, which have featured a range of collaborators, and they've been cited as an inspiration by some musicians you might not expect from this album.

Drinking club: something cool and smooth.

Parental advisory: does include some swearing."

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

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

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.

The Listening Club - 15th June 2025

 Hello there!

This is Corin here (nom-de-plume @corin_ja) standing in for @kleptones as he's away on his regular summer-time hollibobs. Hoping everyone is in good form? It's been a hot'n'humid week here in southeast London, UK, interrupted only by a couple of welcome thunderstorms overnight. Not enough rain for the flower pots but at least the electricity clears the air for a short while.

It was @AqiDrago's turn in the chair last week, who regaled us with her choice of the VAST album (yes, it was a double-disc but that's the name of the band) Turquoise & Crimson from 2006, which certainly kept the Club engaged and entertained, it seems, for the whole running time. Thanks indeed to Aqi Drago for the pick, and thanks also for hurling the frisbaton of selection responsibility over to @Spiny who was this to say about their debut at the helm:

"Slightly overwhelmed to be asked to do this, but here goes ...

I've been thinking about what I'd offer up to listeningclub for literally years, it needs to be good, 

but not so good that everyone knows it, but not so obscure that its just bad.

So for my first time here i've chosen an album I got many years ago as it was a 'side project' of a 

band I love, they have done at least five albums under this name, with the last release being in 2023, this however, is the very 

first one. It has some marvelous stories. I hope that it is new to at least some of you and that I haven't 

unwittingly chosen something that everyone knows :)"

Sounds intriguing. Download here and streaming link is below:

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

The Listening Club - 8th June 2025

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing okay. Mixed bag of a week here in Amsterdam, plenty of showers keeping the tourists hydrated as they zip about helplessly from place to place. Everything's looking and smelling nice and clean though, so there's that... Not so much of a concern personally as we're busy sorting and pre-packing, as I will be away for the next three Sundays, and am still looking for help running things here in my absence - if you can help, please reach out asap, thanks!

Last Sunday we had @AccordionBruce in the chair for his debut selection, for which, after some consideration, he decided to live up to his name with his pick of Accordion Tribe's 1998 eponymous debut album, which definitely opened the assembled's ears in positive ways, for sure. Thanks to Bruce for the pick, and for sailing the frisb over to @AqiDrago, who's right here with tonight's intro...

"There are going to be some bigger changes happening in my life in the near future. For better or for worse, this chapter is coming to an end and another chapter is about to begin. It does come with uncertainty, discomfort and a dash of sadness. What better then to turn to comfort music from the past that I sought solace from in turbulent times. 

This is an artist whose albums I listened to up and down. One of the few I have listened to all of their music and loved it. I think their last single was out in 2018, I do hope they will create more music. 

Their music never gained popular international traction. Their material is all original and made by one person only. When they were 13, they were profiled as a promising guitarist in Guitar Player Magazine. I believe they are worth discovering and I’m happy to share their music with you all. 

As a drinking club suggestion choose something nostalgic."

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

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

The Listening Club - 1st June 2025

Greetings, pinch and a punch and all that.

Hope you're doing okay. Good weather abounds here in Amsterdam, which is grand, as Summer finally beckons us, which means knuckling down and finishing the to-do list of spring cleaning that has yet to be done, in order to get on with making a right summer mess, of course. It is the way. Speaking of which, advance notice that I will be away for not one, not two, but three consecutive Sundays in June - 15th, 22nd and 29th, so if you feel like giving us an administative hand for one or more of those Sundays, please let me know, I'd appreciate it.

Last Sunday, as is end of month, a #DayTripToVortexOnSea was agreed, and with @saucer at the wheel, a mighty fine time was had by all. Thanks to everyone for chipping in tunes, and the aforementioned gent for the fine audio routemap. Moving back to regularly-scheduled programming, we find @AccordionBruce holding the frisb with this to say by way of introduction to his debut pick...

"My first time picking, so hard to choose. 

Then accordionist started dying this past few weeks, so that led me to put non-squeezebox choices on the shelf. 

Bravely I offer perhaps my favourite from more than 5,000 accordion albums I own. This one helped kickstart the squeezebox obsession that got me into an almost 20 year radio “career”, a book, and otherwise spending an inordinate amount of time listening to other people playing this instrument. Still remains solidly not only one of my favorites, but one I recommend to people when I want to open their ears to the instrument a bit.

It's among the top “I didn’t know accordions could sound like that” records I know of. All acoustic, with no wild electronics on this one (those I have to save for other accordion records). It seems like a brave pick, it’s kind of long, we’re entering the CD era so they had 75 minutes to fill up, and did. There's lots of short pieces going from one flavour to another, so if one piece is annoying don’t worry it won’t last long. Feel free to put it on and do dishes or something. Turn it up and wait for somebody to walk by and say, “What are you listening to?” Great record for playing loud with the top down for the neighbourhood to hear.

There’s more than one accordionist/composer, so the texture gets rich and varied. If you look at the waveform you can see it's very healthy, and demonstrates the dynamic range of the instrument, with its ability to play quite loudly and very quietly.

Games to play: 

a. How many accordions are there (varies on different pieces)? 

b. Try to guess how many different composers there are in the group.

c. Where are the players from? What kind of instruments are they playing? (There’s I think one non-accordion in there.)

It’s a live recording taken from a series of shows. You can hear the performers having a good time, making a few mistakes, goofing a bit, and the audiences' response. Wish I could have been there.

There’s a film documentary about this tour that’s worth seeing. Just a joy."

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

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1)

The Listening Club - 25th May 2025

Howdy folks,

Hope you're doing okay. Seems like the weather gods heard my comments about dryness last week, as it's been a very soggy weekend indeed - not complaining though, the neighbourhood needed a good rinse, and now everything looks and smells a whole lot better. So you can turn off the tap now, okay? Hello?

Last Sunday, whilst I was awol watching the Mekons rip it up at the Paradiso, we had @wbwolf in the chair, delivering Cree Summer's 1999 album "Street Faërie" which had the assembled guessing and pontificating in equal measures, so it seems. Thanks to Wilford for the pick, and for sailing the frisb across to @AccordionBruce, who has an extra week to ponder, because...

Yes, end-of-month means #vortex time, and this time the assembled agreed that we require a bit of a magical mystery tour, and have decided on a #DayTripToVortexOnSea. So pack your trunks, knot your hankies and let's get going... @Saucer is at the wheel, armed with a fine selection for the journey.

Download's here, stream's below:

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