The Listening Club - 28th March 2021

Greetings folks, hope you're all doing OK. 

Shit, nearly April already. Ah well. Already my pleasure centers are focussing on Le Guess Who festival in November and crossing my fingers firmly. As for the summer... we'll see. yeh?

Last Sunday, hey! it was me. @kleptones, getting everyone polyrhythmically energized with Guedra Guedra's debut album "Vexillology" and a bonus DJ set, which I think more than achieved the intention. Glad I had enough energy left to flip the frisb over to @wojsvenwoj, who will be here mit sounds next Sunday, but first...

Yeah, it's the end of the month, so it be #vortex time - this time a #NonEnglishVortex, lovingly assembled by @saucer, who, wiping sweat from his brow, has this to say...

"By etiquette we don't theme vortexes according to genre. But oh... my... god.... With "non English" as the only unifying factor... I fancy that my years radio DJing conferred some assembly skills but vortexing all y'all's picks this time was effing wild."

That's you told. Direct download is here, stream's below.

CLOCKS HAVE GONE FORWARD - See you at 8pm BST (GMT+1)

The Listening Club - 21st March 2021

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing okay. Business as usual here in Amsterdam, as the weather gets warmer, the infection numbers go back up (third wave anyone?) and we sit patiently in our bubbles awaiting the vaccine roll out... Events are being booked and scheduled here starting in July, even though (as with most other countries), no one is totally sure yet how they are going to manage "conditions of entry"... but it looks like charging people extra for a rapid test on the day of the event will be the order of things, vaccine notwithstanding. Quite surprised that the govt are letting organisers figure this out for themselves rather than laying down the law, but there you go... it's going to be an interesting summer for sure...

Next Sunday, as I am sure you're aware, is the time of the vortex, this time it's a #NonEnglishVortex, so please parcel up a couple of your global favourites, and DM the mighty @saucer for the upload link!

Last time on the regular #LC, it was the very same @saucer in the chair, keeping us in the here & now for our 9th Birthday with his pick of Dry Cleaning's first two EP's (That's "Sweet Princess" and "Boundary Road Snacks and Drinks"), which went down very well indeed. Thanks to him for the pick, and for sailing the frisb back over to me, @kleptones, so let's get italic...

"Right then. I did have something earmarked for this purpose already, but as it's a bit close stylistically to last week's selection, we'll save it for another time,,, and go for something completely different.

Regular #lockdownradio listeners will know that I'm quite the fan of freaky electronic dance music from all corners of the globe, so here's a brand new dose of that. It's rare that an album comes out that I can cheerfully stick every track straight into my DJ box, but in this case it's pretty much true. Not easy to say much else that won't give it away too much, and I want to allow y'all to amuse yourselves trying to guess the country of origin. 

I realise that "Dance Music Albums" can be a bit of a stilted listen, but (1) this one is quite short (as are all the tracks), and (2) I've trimmed the track edges slightly to make it flow a little smoother. 

Furthermore, (3) if it goes down well, and I hope it does, I'll share an afterparty link to a 45 minute live video from a couple of years ago, which flows nicely and should make all of us pine seriously for the time to come when we can all get sweaty and jump around to crazy sounds together again. (Well, I will anyway!).

Hope you enjoy. Not sure about #drinkingclub... maybe a fruity cocktail, or voddy n redbull. Something with a kick, anyways... :)"

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

See you 8pm GMT.

The Listening Club - 14th March 2021

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing okay. Astonishing myself this week, if only for the reason that it's our NINTH BIRTHDAY, and I actually remembered it this time, unprompted. Maybe this rememberance says something about the current state of event-free affairs, he says as he postpones his Birthday Party again on Facebook, le sigh... which, actually, is an important point to note. Next year, it will be #LC tenth birthday, and, notwithstanding the ability of the governments of the world to sort this shit out, it kinda coincides with the party I'm waiting to throw. So... joint party next year, yeah? *crosses well-crossed fingers*

But in the meantime, Happy Birthday collective #LC posse, you're all awesome 'n' curious folks, it's an honour to know you.

Speaking of which, last Sunday twas @holette in the chair, soothing the souls of the assembled with her pick of Jessica Pratt's "Quiet Signs". Thanks to Sarah for the pick, and for sailing the frisb over to @saucer... and here's their intro...

"One of my childhood musical meta awakenings was WGTB-FM, the student station of Georgetown University in DC. It introduced me to Krautrock, Italian rock, Canterbury rock, prog, jazz, electronic music, abstract music, and a special favorite: rock instrumentals. 

Now, this set (from a couple+ years ago, which I mention because of one song in particular) reminds me of those days but it's not any of those genres. My connection trigger is the instrument work. It goes all the places I loved about those instrumentals: Lyricism without lyrics! 

Layer penetrating poetry over the weaponized minimalist rock, et voila... it is very much my cup of tea.

I hope you enjoy, even if you've heard these songs many times."

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

See you 8pm GMT.

The Listening Club - 7th March 2021

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing OK. Running a bit late after spending time this afternoon figuring out if You Tube would allow collaboration on playlists for a future vortex - turns out it will, but won't allow you to play the ever expanding playlist in real time, which is a shame. If you know any better than me, let me know, would be great to make it work...

Shpeaking of vortexes, last Sunday we had a #coversvortex, which went off very nicely indeed, thanks to everyone that chipped in some tunes, and hip hooray to @akx for gathering and assembling - a fine job!

Now, back to regular programming, we left @holette holding the frisb, and here sh'is...

 "I was privileged to see a live performance by this artist a few years ago at Le Guess Who in Utrecht. The gig was in a huge church with a narrow nave and high stone arches above. The packed congregation watched as cool blue and fuchsia light drenched the performer. One of those gigs so mesmerising that only the odd popped bottle top briefly broke the spell.

This is delicate, dreamy and slightly eerie music with beautiful guitar work. Lyrically I find it quite mysterious. An album it’s good to listen to for a bit of stillness.  

Drinking club suggestion: a pitcher of fruity summer punch 

Dress up club suggestion: probably paisley and certainly floaty."

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

See you 8pm GMT.

The Listening Club - 28th February 2021

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing okay and keeping safe. Another bright week here in Amsterdam, it really seems like Spring has sprung early (take that, groundhog), however with bright weather comes plenty of lockdown-denying gatherings, so the infection numbers are going up again also. Sigh. Really starting to look like a race against time with the vaccine here, as it's becoming pretty obvious that a growing proportion of folks have had more than enough of being locked down, and as the weather warms, it's going to get harder and harder to keep everyone indoors, whatever the consequences. And so it goes all over the world right now, I'm sure... 

Last Sunday chez #:LC, wor @nessiest was in the chair, delivering a master of Ethiopian Jazz in the shape of Mulatu Astatke's volume in the fine Ethiopiques compilation series, "Vol. 4: Ethio Jazz 1969-1974", which smoothed everyone out just fine. Thanks to Vanessa for the pick, and for sailing the frisb over to @holette for week-after-next, but first...

Yep, it's last-Sunday-in-the-month again, which means #vortex time, this time a #coversvortex, as someone pointed out the first time we've done one of these for 8 years or so (pretty sure it was one of the first vortex themes back then also). This time it's @akx who has been doing the collecting and assembling, big thanks to him for the effort!

Direct download is here, and the stream is below

See you at 8pm GMT. Bring a bottle.

The Listening Club - 21st February 2021

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing okay and keeping safe. Amsterdam is in the throes of a weird weather turnaround, as we go from several weeks of sub-zero icing to a week of 15°C with not much in between (and officially the hottest Feb temps here ever). So a bit of unexpected promenading around the city has been in order, even if most shops and bars are still locked down (socially-distant walking-with-a-beer is definitely the Amsterdam thing-du-jour), and today a bit of early spring gardening and general pruning, sweeping and tidying outdoors, and the place is feeling all the better for it....

Also to note that next Sunday is the second #vortex of the year, this time a #coversvortex, which someone pointed out we hadn't had for 7 or 8 years (time, eh? sigh) so please get the upload location from @akx and depostit a couple of cracking cover versions as soon as you can, and we'll boogie down with them next Sunday.

Last week, we had @doctorx34 in the chair, double debuting in fine style with their pick of Battles debut album "Mirrored" which had the assembled grooving in a variety of time signatures. Thanks to Mary for the selection, and for sailing the frisb back across to these shores to @nessiest, who has this to say by way of introduction to tonight's pick...

"I’ve always wanted to listen to this with you lot some Sunday. A cornerstone of its genre by a genius. Assuming most of you know it and won’t mind revisiting, and I’m hoping it might be a discovery for some tonight. 

Get something deep, smokey and soothing to consume, get comfortable (pajamas are a good idea) and let yourself get carried away however you want."

Direct download's here, stream's below:

See you at 8pm GMT.

The Listening Club - 14th February 2021

Greetings folks. Shit, is that the time already? Amazing how fast the day goes sometimes, especially in the middle of a lockdown, with a curfew, in a house surrounded by super slippery ice. Not that any of that has fazed the Dutch, who have been skating up and down the thin iced canals happily, bless 'em.

Last Sunday, chez #LC, @emmaprice was in the chair, with a dose of The Avalanches newie, "We Will Always Love You", which seemed to go down pretty good. Thanks to Emma for the pick, and for sailing the frisb over to @doctorx34 for their debut pick, and here's their intro...

"How do take your Rock Vicar? Prog, Heavy with Metal, Nu Metal, Cock, with a bit of Roll, how about with a bit of Pop, a smidgen of Grunge, or maybe throw in some Art, what about a dollop of the mighty Krautrock, we also have some Glam or could we interest you in some Math Rock?

In the end Rock is just Rock, in whatever guise it comes in right?...or is it? Just when you think a genre cannae be pushed, pulled, tweaked or evolved beyond its perceived limits some pesky upstart humans come along and laugh in your face and go where you could not think possible. 

Rock made in Protools? NO! I hear u cry but hell yeah! Brimming with a myriad of ideas it pushes at the boundaries and beyond. And one of the things that I love about this album is that sometimes when I listen to it I don't even know if I like it - but I am glad that it exists...and ain't that something...xx "

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

See you 8pm GMT.