solipsistic NATION No. 105: Et In Arcadia Ego
August 29, 2008 | 1 Comment
There was a time in my life where I’d start off each day by saying “hoka hey,” which means “it is a good day to die.”
I know that sounds morbid but for me it was actually a life affirming experience. I felt that in order for me to be able to say hoka hey each morning, that if I might actually die that day, that I needed to know that I was at peace with the world and that the affairs in my life were in order. Did I have a good relationship with my family and friends? If not, I better make sure they were. Had I accomplished the goals I had set out for myself? And were those goals important enough that it would not be a good day if they were not accomplished? And what goals would I not lose sleep over if they were left undone by my sudden death? It really put things in perspective on what was important and what was not important in my life by acknowledging my possible death each morning. And it also made me appreciate my life that much more.
I’ve felt my mortality more this year more than any other year in my life. I’ve had that unpleasant feeling that there are so many things in my life that I’ve left undone and so many things that will be unattainable. I’ve felt out of balance. But then the words hoka hey came to mind and gave me succor.
“Et in Arcadia ego” is a Latin phrase that acts as another touchstone with my death. Translated it means “Even in Arcadia I exist.” It’s an ambiguous phrase that some people interpret to mean that I, the person who is now dead, enjoyed the pleasures of life. It’s an ironic statement contrasts the grim spectre of death with the blithe joys of the living. But I choose to interpret “Et in Arcadia ego” the same way I use “hoka hey.”
I selected tracks for today’s show in that spirit. It’s a celebration of the seasons and life but with the knowledge that some day we all will die.
- I Awake “Complete Garden (Eternal Forest Edit)”
- Dubosmium “Tuvadelic Odyssey (7Heavens rmx by Rafiralfiro)” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
- Aes Dana “Shouting Valley”
- bubblegone “sometimes i lay in fields at night” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
- Taylor Deupree “6 A.M.”
- Krill.Minima “Submarine Poetry”
- Annea Lockwood “floating World: Part 1″
- Janek Schaefer “Alone At Last”
- Akira Kosemura “A Park”
- Keiichi Sugimoto “Tum”
- OTI “Large Open Spaces”
- Maju “Achromatic” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
- Mathieu Ruhlmann “Rest”
- Brakhage “Early Morning Frost” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
- Unit 21 “October, 16th” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
Download episode.
1:03:22 | 58.11 MB
solipsistic NATION No. 104: Cyborg
August 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment
A few week’s back I released the 100th episode of solipsistic NATION and naturally I took stock of where the show has been. Almost right from the start I’ve been interviewing musicians and record labels or having guest DJs on the show. At first it happened once or twice a month but at some point that became the focus of the show. I’m not complaining, mind you, but it did mean that I was more of a host than a DJ, and I like being a DJ.
Another consequence is that all the new music that comes my way piles up because I can only play so much of it each month. That’s frustrating because while I like the interview aspect of the show I feel like I’m doing you a disservice by not keeping you up to date on what’s new in the electronic music scene. I’ve decided to try and strike a balance and get back to being a DJ more than I have in the last year.
This August is pretty cool because there are five Friday’s in the month, giving me even more opportunities to spin you some new tunes.
On today’s show I’ve got some…hell, I don’t what to call it. Is it Bitpop? Electro? House? Disco? All of the above? Whatever the case, it’s a genre I don’t listen to or play a lot of. But I don’t know why not because it’s a lot of fun and makes me want to dance. And I’m one of those guy’s who doesn’t dance.
Anyway, I’m glad I’m making an effort to actively be more of a DJ on the show because there’s a lot of genres of electronic music I haven’t even got around to yet. So enjoy this week’s show!
Photo Credit: Roberto Rizzato
- Boys Noize “1 & Down (Siriusmo Vs. Boys Noize Mix)”
- Headman “Running Into Time (LeLe Remix)”
- Rouge Element “Dead Drummers”
- Feadz “Edwrecker”
- Justice “New Jack”
- DJ DLG “XESS”
- LeRon, Yves Eaux & Luke Star “Whatever This May Be (Jalebee Cartel Remix)”
- Busy P “Rainbow Man”
- Stargroove “Rise Up”
- Toy Boy “Belle & Sebastian” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
- 2MB vs Dr Bit “8 bit Music” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
- edIT “If You Crump Stand Up”
- Dark Machines “Organus”
Download episode.
1:02:09 | 56.98 MB
solipsistic NATION No. 103: Subwoofer
August 15, 2008 | Leave a Comment
On this week’s solipsistic NATION I’ve got some mind blowing drum and bass that’ll be good to your ear hole.
A few things you should know about today’s show:
First, I love drum and bass and I love drum and bass that’s really hard, the kind that bludgeons you senseless with it’s unrelenting beats and that’s what I wanted to play for you today. But try as I might, I kept selecting tracks that were more atmospheric and jazzier so I figured, why fight it.
Secondly, most of the music you’ll hear on today’s show comes from the Zardonic Recordings and Plain Audio netlabels, which means that if you like what you hear, you can download nearly all the tracks on today’s edition of solipsistic NATION.
Zardonic Recordings is a netlabel that releases top notch quality drum ‘n’ bass dancefloor smashers.
Plain Audio was founded in 2001 and featured vinyl-releases and quickly evolved to one of Germany’s most break-dominant drum ‘n’ bass labels. Plain Audio has since expanded it’s horizons to techno, experimental music and other styles of electronic music.
- Hek187 “Blue Haze” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
- Kubiks & Lomax “Systematic”
- Soul Delay “Float” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
- Hek187 “Twizter” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
- Alpha Omega “Shades Of The Past” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
- Panda “Baghdad”
- Soulie “Walking Home” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
- Fushara “Irrational Act” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
- Ijo “Frequa Gembh” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
- Cartridge “No Data” [FREE DOWNLOAD]
Download episode.
1:05:33 | 60.10 MB
solipsistic NATION No. 102: Somnia
August 8, 2008 | 2 Comments
Back in February I had Evan Bartholomew, otherwise known as Evan Marc and Bluetech, on the show to talk about his label, Native State Records.
Native State is a label the features artists who specialize in mixed genres such as dub, ambient and glitch. I’ve played many artists from Native State on the show in the past such as Nalepa, Rena Jones as well as Bluetech.
At the time Evan had just launched a new label called Somnia. The first album released on Somnia was Caverns of Time by Evan and I was immediately struck by it’s emotional depth. I was impressed. If Caverns of Time represented the direction that Evan wanted to explore through Somnia, then I was along for the ride. Since then, Somnia has released music from Emanuele Errante, juxta phona & offthesky and an album by both Evan Marc and Steve Hillage. Each album is different from the last and each album is astonishingly great. Or maybe not so astonishing if you know anything about Evan.
I’ve invited Evan to join us again on today’s show to talk about his new venture and to play select tracks from artists on Somnia. Kick back and kiss the sky.
- Evan Marc + Steve Hillage “Hypnagogue”
- Interview with Evan Bartholomew of Somnia
- juxta phona & offthesky “escape kit…”
- Interview with Evan Bartholomew of Somnia
- juxta phona & offthesky “low spark of high squealed toys”
- Emanuele Errante “Humi”
- Interview with Evan Bartholomew of Somnia
- Emanuele Errante “Fecunda”
- Evan Bartholomew “We Set Out Into The Caverns Of Time”
- Interview with Evan Bartholomew of Somnia
- Evan Bartholomew “Cracks In The Fabric Of The Known”
Download episode.
1:03:45 | 58.43 MB
solipsistic NATION No. 101: Aes Dana, Live
August 1, 2008 | Leave a Comment
We kick off each month with a live performance from an electronic artist and today’s solipsistic NATION features Aes Dana’s set recorded at the Gaian Mind Summer Festival in Pennsylvania in June.
The Gaian Mind is a psytrance collective has been producing Goa-styled events in nightclubs and at outdoor locations throughout North America since 1996.
Aes Dana is an ambient trance project who’s two members are Vince Villuis and Sunbeam who also run Ultimae Records.
Ultimae puts out some of the most breathtaking music you’ll find and Vince and Sunny are wonderful people. Every time I talk to them they put a smile on my face.
Sunny has been on the show twice so far. Once back in October when she played select tracks by artists on Ultimae and once in December when she acted as translator for my interview with Hol Baumann. If you enjoy this week’s show then you’ll definitely want to download those shows as well.
I’m pleased to have both Sunny and Vince on this week’s solipsistic NATION.
Photo Credit: Eileen Togher
- Aes Dana “Live at the Gaian Mind Summer Festival (Four Quarters, PA 2008)”
- Interview with Vincent Villuis and Sunny of Aes Dana
- Aes Dana “O Adonaï, Live at at Les Dominicains de Guebwiller (France, 2008)”
Download episode.
1:00:00 | 55.03 MB