The Listening Club - 28th June 2026

Greetings folks,

Hope you're doing okay. Pretty boiling on this side of the ball this week, must say - hope you're coping okay if you're getting a dose, too - shame that we've gone into extreme heat mode again, seems to be happening more and more regularly, for obvious, sad, reasons. And although I love the warms, as you know, I do have my limits, would much rather a steady mid-20°Cs than perma-scorch, unsurprisingly. Even Hype Cat reached his limit and has required a few cool blocks to keep him happy. So it goes though. "This is why we can't have nice things" indeed.

Fortunately the simmer is lowering next week, which is welcome as we're going to be in a field enjoying some music, whilst @JimMcCauley takes care of things here next Sunday. Many thanks extended to them in advance for the help!

Last Sunday saw @holette in the chair delivering Floating Points 2024 album "Cascade" which got the assembled bopping and beeping quite happily so it seemed. Thanks to Ms. H for the pick, and for flipping the frisb across to @vinomadic, who has an extra week to ponder because...

... yep, it's mid-summer, which means time for our traditional festival-friendly summer #livevortex, or is it live #summervortex, either way you get the picture, folks have been chipping in some of their favourite live performances and @akx has done the needful and turned it into a fine set...

...download's here, stream's below:

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1)

The Listening Club - 21st June 2026

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing okay. Yep, the warms are here, and I'm pleased, as is Hype Cat, although he's looking rather melted right now. Not much else needs to be said really... *sips iced drink* ... apart from a couple of PSAs - (1) as mentioned I'll be away first weekend in July so if you feel like helping out and filling in here, let me know, and (2) end of the month is coming up next week so it's vortex time again. Customarily at this time of year we have a #SummerVortex consisting of some of your favourite live / concert performances, but as always open to suggestion so if you have ideas, bring 'em on down to the hashtag later today.

Last Sunday we had @room2skank in the chair, getting everyone rocking out in complex time with "All Hail Bright Futures" from And So I Watch You From Afar, which did the trick, I'd say. Thanks extended for the pick, and for flipping the frisb over to Wales, where @holette is waiting with today's intro...

"It was watching this artist perform at Glastonbury this time last year (sadly I only saw it on TV) that turned me onto this album.

Me and a mate watched mesmerised as a nerdy looking bloke twiddled knobs on banks of gadgetry while an artist painted with light on a somewhat temperamental overhead projector. Maybe some of you were there?

This is electronic music which, like the artist who has an extraordinary range of other projects, resists pigeonholing.

This sophisticated producer and polymath really knows how to conjure a narrative of sound that pushes your buttons of sensation and mood.

So, let's see, how does this album make you actually feel?

I have little understanding but huge respect for the technical bobbins behind the music.  But I'm always up for knowing more about the nerdy stuff from you Listening Clubbers with production know how.

Drinking club: A Black Dragon cider on ice for me."

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

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

The Listening Club - 14th June 2026

Greetings folks,

Hope you're doing okay. Still cool, grey and wet for the most part in Amsterdam, as summer refuses to get itself into gear for a decent spell, which will no doubt please those of you who are not fans of the season. I realise it really depends where you are in the world, but right here, right now, I'd rather be thinking about making bowls of coleslaw and long iced drinks, not be wearing a jumper and thinking about putting the heating on as we head towards the summer solstice, sigh.

Hoping it does pick up, as I'll be off on a little break in a couple of weeks, meaning I'm looking for someone to run things here on Sunday 5th July - If you can help out, let me know!

Last Sunday saw @EmmaPrice in the chair, getting everyone bouncing with her pick of Los Campesinos! debut album from 2008, "Hold On Now, Youngster". Thanks to Emma for the pick and for sailing the frisb an enormous distance to @room2skank, who's right here with today's intro...

"So this was one of those bands that you heard once on a demo CD, become obsessed with one track and then for whatever reason promptly forget about.  Fast forward a rather large chunk of time and you put a few musical jigsaw pieces together and spot a cool festival line up and see them on a bill and decide to go. The rest of the festival was great, lots of heavy, frenetic and sometimes down right sludgey. Then right at the end of the night, they arrive.  Done away with the aggression and sometimes trite existentialism of their contemporaries, you are exposed to energetic, bright soaring riffs and the world just does not seem so dull anymore.

Alas, that festival has recently succumbed to the ongoing plight of rising costs, but it will always be remembered.

Sidebar for the evening: To lost festivals, which ones have people been to that are no longer around

Drinking notes: That upteenth can of ever warming cider, the fruiter and stronger the better"

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

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

The Listening Club - 7th June 2026

Salutations, folks.

Hope you're doing okay. June not really feeling like June right now here as it's been cool, showery and overcast for much of the week (and more to come). The odd patch of sun, but already pining for the lovely warms of a while ago (ymmv, natch). Despite the weather I'm feeling culturally and musically enriched after grabbing a cheap last-minute ticket to see a matinee performance of Philip Glass' "Akhnaten" yesterday, which was really rather excellent indeed, even if I did feel a little out-of-place surrounded by the smoked-salmon-sandwich-munching hoardes of older, classier Dutch opera-goers. Plus ça change for me, indeed, as always.

Last Sunday, as was end-of month, saw us undertake an oddball #vortex journey in the shape of the #DoYouKnowWhereYoureGoingToVortex, which presented a splendid multitude of options - thanks to everyone who chipped in one or two, and to @JimMcCauley for the fine assemblage. Checking my notes, we find @EmmaPrice right here with today's intro...

"Evening all. Hope you're having a good start to the summer and are successfully navigating the oh god I'm melting/monsoon season we seem to be having of late.

Way back many, many moons ago, there was a boy, he was not to put too fine a point on it a gaslighting ****. It also turns out there was another girl. She is a lot like me, a lover of music and whimsy and art in all it's forms. She's also one of my favourite people on the planet and I am forever thankful that circumstances brought us together.

Turns out this exceptional girl loves this band. So much so that she's travelled 6500km to visit me and see them play in London. Not once but twice so far. Listening back to this album today has reminded me of those awesome gigs and how a love of music and friendship can transcend thousands of miles. Just look at us today tuning in from across the continents. 

There's quite a few interesting things this band does when they tour. I'll fill you in during the playback

Drinking club - something with a lot of ice in and possibly enough fruit garnish to cover your 5 a day.

Here's an opening question for you all. What's the furthest you've travelled to see an artist and who was it?"

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

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