The Listening Club - 23rd January 2022

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing okay and keeping safe. No change here in Amsterdam, lockdown loosening slightly as more sectors of the business community protest, despite the numbers going up so fast that they can't process all the positive tests in time for the daily reports (yes really), so we know it's not good, but not by how much. Ah well, par for the course, I guess...

Last Sunday, within the fine #LC bubble, we had @saucer getting live and real with his pick of 75 Dollar Bill's "Social Music at Troost vol​.​3: (Other) People's Music", which did a fine job of recreating gig atmos. Many thanks to Mr. S for the pick, and for sailing the frisb over to @Andrew_Oleksiuk, who's right here with the intro to their debut selection...

"Despite the international influences, or perhaps because of them, this album is a uniquely North American offering. Hailing from the southern United States, this band has been playing the festival circuits of late. You can dance to their funky beats but there is also an ethereal quality to their style that leads to a complicated and contemplative feel. This album from 2018 was nary their sophomore offering, yet their sound had already crystallized via a uniquely crafted tune smithery.

Nearly completely instrumental, this album does find a pop aesthetic that bubbles and folds back onto itself like slow-cooked pork. It’s deep winter here, so I’ll refrain from talking too much about delicious smoked meats and veggies, which is more of a summer backyard thing for me. There are sporadic vocals, working more as percussive elements against the backdrop of guitar sounds that are all at once sparse and lush. Enigmatic? For sure. But don’t let their haircuts fool you.

It’s the dead of winter here (did I mention that already?). Pair this music with something and someone you love. In my case, it’s Le Jus, a New England-style India Pale Ale, fresh from Chicago’s Alarmist Brewery."

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

See you 8pm GMT.

The Listening Club - 16th January 2022

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing okay and keeping as safe as you can manage, although that doesn't seem to be helping as much as it did last year from the sounds of things. Here in Amsterdam the weather's grey and the outlook's more of the same, meanwhile lockdown-wise, the shops have been allowed to open again a bit, but everything else is still closed, so yeah, more of the same in that respect too. Fed up of being fed up with it, to be honest...

Last Sunday we were in the capable hands of @wojsvenwoj, who pulled out a soulful selection in the shape of Jazmine Sullivan's "Heaux Tales", which got the assembled grooving, so it seemed. Thanks extended for the pick, and for sailing the frisb across to @saucer, who's here with tonight's intro...

"Picking an album for listening club is so much harder than putting together a DJ set, because with a set you have more chances to connect with your listener and more leverage to convey what you meant. I do love the challenge of an LC pick.

This time round I started off with a synesthetic visualization of a feeling... and never found what I was looking for. But somehow and super surprisingly to me, this album was closest. 

The band’s core members are from the SF and NYC areas, and the music very much reflects the two divergent aesthetics. I adore them individually and it’s rare to find them present together in such harmony.

It’s kind of raw, it’s very live, it’s all covers. Somehow it evokes my current television obsession, Station Eleven, better even than the quite awesome series soundtrack itself.

Have a listen. The drink you have in your hand is the best one."

Okaydoke. Download's here, stream's below:

See you 8pm GMT.

The Listening Club - 9th January 2022

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing okay and keeping safe. Well, yeah, that's the new year started with a bang, eh? Of course I'm talking about last Sunday's #festivevortex and not the engulfing Omicron waves, really I'm not... #sigh.

Anyroad, that was indeed a mighty fine #festivevortex indeed, if I do say so myself, thanks again to everyone who chipped in some tunes, and hope y'all enjoyed the results! Back to regularly scheduled programming, we find @wojsvenwoj standing by the sidelines, blowing into his gloves, trying to keep warm...

"Another year down the drain and, now that it's over and all the year-ending best-of lists are out, it's time to take stock of everything I missed or forgot about or just didn't have time for. So, in the spirit of discovery, let's do this together today!

This record is the highest-placed album on a heavy-weight music blog's 2021 list that I wasn't familiar with. I do remember hearing about the artist a little bit and they sounded interesting but never got around to listening to this record. So, aside from a few brief previews to make sure the mp3 rendered okay, it'll be my first spin of it too! Maybe it's really great? Maybe it's over-rated? Maybe it's over-hyped? Only one way to find out!

Some may remember I did a pick this way before. The results were mixed but why let past performance dissuade one from future efforts?

One warning: there are explicit warnings on nearly all tracks so playback accordingly if that factors into your audio calculus."

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

See you 8pm GMT!

The Listening Club - 2nd January 2022

Greetings and Happy '22 to you all.

Hope you managed to have a decent holiday season, whatever you got up to. Pleased to say that, despite covid restrictions coming down around us fast, we managed to achieve our intended plans (unlike last year), successfully and safely. Hooray for small victories, but we still have a long way to go... fingers remain firmly crossed for now.

Week before last we had @holette in the chair, getting everyone bopping at the office party with her pick of Daniel Avery's FabricLive66 Mix from 2012, which definitely hit the spot on the techno-boogie-ometer. Thanks to Sarah for the pick and for sailing the frisb over to @wojsvenwoj, who has another week to ponder because...

Yes, it's that #festivevortex time again. Been doing this for nine years now, and it always seems to get weirder and wilder every time, and this one is no exception, although definitely a little mellower overall, maybe...? Sign of the times, I guess, if so. Anyhoo, here's 28 fine representations and interpretations of 2021, thanks to all who chipped in!

Download's here, stream's below!

See you 8pm GMT. Bring a favourite bottle!

The Listening Club - 19th December 2021

Greetings and humbug to the lot of you.

Hope you're all doing as well as can be expected, possibly better than here in Amsterdam, where the "not quite a lockdown" has finally shed it's disguise to reveal, yep, an actual lockdown. So it's been rather a depressing, fretful week, watching social plans get vapourised, and travel plans (and their related covid-test requirements) getting shaken up with still no signs of settling. My fingers are truly worn out from crossing...

Still, here's hoping that you all successfully get to enjoy whatever it is you're planning over the holiday period with the minimum of disruption! *raises glass to everyone*

As mentioned previously, we'll be taking a break next Sunday, returning on the 2nd January to ring in the new (and hopefully improved) year with our customary #festivevortex, containing all your favourite tunes of 2021, so get them sent in to me (@kleptones) via email as soon as you get a chance, thanks!

Last Sunday it was @iamwahl in the chair, setting forth the soulful sounds of Remy Shand's "The Way I Feel", which grooved the assembled quite successfully, so it seems. Thanks to them for the pick, and for sailing the frisb over to Wales, where @holette is waiting with the last intro of 2021...

"As I seem to have found myself hosting the LC Christmas party, I've ditched the downbeat selections and chosen a pro to bring you dance floor delight.

This is an early mix is by a producer and DJ who has gone on to make an ambitious range of music from soundscapes to the more banging end of the spectrum.

I write this from Wales, where today it was announced that nightclubs are being legally shut for the foreseeable from Boxing Day. 

So join me in listening to some dance music and celebrating that precious thing that is club culture. Set your fairy lights to flash mode and enjoy the vicarious deep thrill of dancing in a dark space with others lost in music. 

Alternatively good music to speed wrap Christmas presents by.

Drinking club: Mine’s a Tuaca and a bottle of water please"

Mmm, Tuaca. Shots all round I think! Download is here, stream's below:

See you 8pm BST tonight!

The Listening Club - 12th December 2021

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing okay. In a pretty grumbly mood here, to be honest, as we're faced with a semi-lockdown-curfewish christmas, which is dampening the enthusiasm somewhat, just crossing fingers things don't get any worse, sure you're all doing the same right now...

Looking to the calendar, we'll be taking 26th December off here, returning on 2nd January with ye customary #festivevortex, comprising of y'all's favourite tunes of the last 12 months, so get thinking...

Last Sunday it was me, @kleptones, in the chair, sending out a short and sweet dose of soulful chill in the shape of The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble's "This Is A Mindfulness Drill - A re-imaginging of Richard Youngs' 'Sapphie'", which seemed to go down very well, which was nice. All that remained was to sail the frisb over to @iamwahl, who's here with tonight's intro...

"Like so much of my music listening / collecting this album came to me in a round about way. I first heard a track or two on the radio and, as the artist seemed to be a favourite of the network I regularly listen to, the music kept coming around for a time. Although I liked what I heard, it wasn’t my “usual” and I wasn’t enough enamoured to seek out the album. A decade, give or take, passed and the album popped up while perusing the bins at one of the places I frequent when looking for albums of seasons past. Somehow the time seemed right to invest in a more fulsome listening of the artist’s work. The album delivered a very satisfying, smooth, and soothing groove that has sustained over repeated visits. 

So wrap yourself up, snuggle down and get cozy; set aside anything that might harsh the vibe; then let yourself drift away….

For #DrinkingClub I’d suggest whatever you turn to when looking to drive away the chill of a winter’s day and get your hygge on…."

Okaydoke. Download's here, stream's below:

See you 8pm GMT tonight.

The Listening Club - 5th December 2021

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing okay. Cold and wet here in Amsterdam, as you'd expect, but as we're still stuck in a not-lockdown-not-curfew-honest-but-everything-fun-is-shut situation, it matters little, as there's not much to do anyway. Hoping that there will be some change to that before xmas, but it's doubtful. Already Le Guess Who back in November is seeming like a happy little mirage in my memory, sigh. So, to hibernate, mull wine and cross-fingers, eh?

Last Sunday saw the assembled looking to happier times with the construction of our first-ever-can-you-believe-it #christmasvortex, which jollied the assembled like a fat dollop of cream on a steaming pudding, for sure. Thanks to everyone who chipped in tracks, and to @JimMcCauley for wrapping the gift. Back to regular programming, we see, hey, it's me, @kleptones with the frisb, so let's get italic..

"I had plenty of possibilities to choose from this week, for a change. Tempted to submit y'all to the recently-departed Alvin Lucier's classic "I Am Sitting In A Room", but that might be a bit harsh for the uninitiated. Also was tempted to celebrate the recent Fab Four film thing with Laibach's fine cover version of the whole "Let It Be" album, but that got me thinking, so instead, here's a different kind of cover album, one from this year, yet sadly absent in the year-end best of lists so far (with one notable exception)... which is a real shame as it deserves it...

I first saw these guys...*googles*... blimey, 12 years ago at Glastonbury, where they blew the roof off the tent with a stunningly energetic mid-afternoon performance. This album, however, shows a different, far softer, more emotional side to them that is new to me, but very welcome indeed, especially after a year that promised so much, but seems to have delivered little, this could be seen as the perfect meditative balm. Hope you enjoy. (and bonus points if you recognise any of the guest voices...)

#Drinkingclub? Hmmn.... something strong, dark and long, I'd say.

Download's here, stream's below.

See you 8pm BST.