"Expand Your Musical Horizons" podcast

podcast blog moved to new location

2010-02-11T09:15:00.000-08:00

If you're wondering where the rest of the blog entries are, my podcast blog has moved here.

"Expand Your Musical Horizons" is still releasing new episodes. The ones you see here are several years old. Please visit the new site!

Downtempo podcast 14

2009-05-29T21:19:00.000-07:00

Originally released in September 2007

AAC (iTunes) version (right-click to download)
MP3 version

Episode 14 of "Expand Your Musical Horizons" kicks off with an artist in Taiwan who goes by the name of MoShang. He's released an album called "Asian Variations (Various Artists Remixed by MoShang)," which, as the name implies, features MoShang remixes of a number of talented electronica artists.

Next, we move onto a nujazz/downtempo track from an ensemble known as Polifonia Visual. They're based in Tokyo, but released through a netlabel in Mexico called Konfort.

A couple of remixers from ccMixter are featured in this episode: cdk from Canada, and DJ Blue from the USA.

We've got more tracks from newly released albums, too: "Surrounder (club mix)" from the Grains of Sound release "Rays of Life, Volume 1 (downtempo)," which you can buy from their website; "Sunset Room" from the album "Nine Lucid Dreams" from Two Loons for Tea; and "Stegerwald" from Ambrish, which is one of the featured tracks on a new compilation from Chillom Records in India called "Azaad - E."

But that's not all. We've also got a track from Liquid Frame in Italy called "Ride Away (ambient mix)" and a great track from The Incognito Traveller (thanks for the recommendation, Bextravagant!) called "Chaleur," which is also released on the Konfort netlabel in Mexico.

Playlist:

Track 1: MoShang/Tafubar "The Wicked Thoughts of You (MoShang Asian Space Mix)," from the album "Asian Variations- Various Artists Remixed by MoShang"

Track 2: Polifonia Visual, "Jupiter Funky," from their album D//01 on the Konfort netlabel

Track 3: CDK (remixer), "Sunday Night Fog," available through ccMixter.org

Track 4: Grains of Sound, "Surrounder (club mix)," from their album "Rays of Life (volume 1, downtempo)," available for sale through their website

Track 5: Two Loons for Tea, "Sunset Room," from their third album, "Nine Lucid Dreams," available for sale through iTunes

Track 6: Liquid Frame, "Ride Away (ambient Mix)," from their album "Constance," available through Jamendo.com

Track 7: The Incognito Traveller, "Chaleur," from their "Incognito Traveller EP" on the Konfort netlabel

Track 8: DJ BLUE, "Hear Me (feat. 21 Pele and Tacet)," from ccMixter.org

Track 9: Ambrish, "Stegerwald," from the compilation "Azaad - E," available for sale through Chillom Records

Special Interview with Pierre Baillot of The Maïdo Project

2009-05-29T21:14:00.000-07:00

Special Interview with Pierre Baillot of The Maïdo Project
recorded in Paris, August 2007 — mp3

iTunes [AAC] version [right-click to download]

Pierre talks about his background as a jazz musician and creator of The Maïdo Project, the influence of ethnic music on the Paris scene, and the difficulties of getting recognition in a city known for its overwhelming arts scene. Includes five great tracks from the Maïdo Project.

You can learn more about the Maido Project at their MySpace website—check it out!

The Maido Project currently has two albums: "Electric Blue" and "Safran." You can buy their music at iTunes or at fnac. Please give them your support and buy their tracks.

Merci beaucoup à Pierre pour l'interview.

Playlist:

Track 1: Galatasaray (remix)

Track 2: Hey Pete

Track 3: I Know Now

Track 4: Jungle Beat

Track 5: Peace

Buy at fnac or iTunes

Downtempo podcast 13

2009-05-29T21:03:00.000-07:00

Originally broadcast in August 2007

AAC (iTunes) version
MP3 version

This podcast starts you out with some floating synths and an ambient beat, featuring Soundshifter from Germany. It takes you on a journey that's melodic, electronic, and relaxing, getting more ambient as it progresses. It ends with a sample of a live, improvisational tabla-infused performance of Fromuz, from Uzbekistan.

Featured artists, in order, include some of my favorites: Soundshifter, Superbus, JCRZ, Peacespeakers, Liquid Zen, Madstyle, Sonmi 451, and Fromuz. Enjoy the ride....

Playlist
Track 1: Soundshifter, "Motion Dub," from the "Soundshifter" EP, Sofasound netlabel (www.sofasound.de)

Track 2: Superbus, "One Version (album version)," from the Debut LP, Sojus Records netlabel

Track 3: JCRZ, "Return to Monument Valley," from "Kind of Music," jamendo.com

Track 4: Peacespeakers, "In the End," from the album "Message from Planet Earth," Sojus Records netlabel

Track 5: Liquid Zen, "Dense Properties," from "Oscilloscope," www.magnatune.com

Track 6: Madstyle, "Gendankenwelt," from "Mystic Beauty," Phonocake netlabel

Track 6: Sonmi 451, "Quiet Piece for Bram," from "the Quiet EP," mono211.com

Track 7: Fromuz, excerpt from "Dual Ad Libitum," from a live performance on their DVD, "Audio Diplomacy," 10T Records

Downtempo podcast 12

2009-03-31T22:57:00.000-07:00

Originally broadcast in July 2007
This episode features more great tracks from independent artists who release their music online. In addition, several remixers who share their work on ccMixter are featured here: remixers who go by the names of Spinmeister, Sawtooth, dsy, and cdk. These tracks are stunning: don't miss them!

If you've been enjoying some earlier episodes of Expand Your Musical Horizons, you'll see some familiar names: Confused Man and Mister Fusty.

Enjoy some artists who are new to this podcast: the soaring orchestral ambiance of Pipe Choir, the dreamy chillout of Madstyle, the pop-infused chill from Peacespeakers, the jazzy groove of Superbus, and the trip-hoppy beat of DS-ARt.

You'll also hear about now-familiar netlabels like Phonocake, mono211, and Sofasound, and you'll get introduced to another netlabel here: Sojus Records in Hungary.

Track 1: Confused Man, "Peace and Confusion," from the album "Floating," on the Sofasound netlabel.
Track 2: Madstyle, "Aurigea Dream," from the Chillusion EP, Phonocake netlabel
Track 3: Spinmeister (remixer), "Natchoongi-Karachi Radio Mix (featuring Salman Ahmad)," from ccMixter
Track 4: Peacespeakers, "It's all the same," from their album, "Message from Planet Earth," on the Sojus Records netlabel
Track 5: Sawtooth (remixer), "Tubularity /Birth," ccMixter.
Track 6: Superbus, "Mazz," from "Debut LP," on the Sojus Records netlabel
Track 7: DS-ARt, "Next Plane," from album "Tiger Blue" on the netlabel sofasound.de
Track 8: dsy (remixer), "Humato, featuring Kathrin DeBoer," ccMixter
Track 9: cdk (remixer), "Madrugada, CDK mix (featuring zone)," ccMixter
Track 10: Pendle, "Caffeine Low," mono211 (or internet archives)
Track 11: Pipe Choir, "The Whisper"
Track 12: Mister Fusty: "Perpetual Spinach," from his new album, "Sparkle Darkly," available on iTunes

AAC (iTunes, enhanced version)
MP3 version

Downtempo podcast 11 - the German episode

2009-02-11T22:18:00.000-08:00

originally broadcast: July 2007
It's only logical. Germany is the center of some of the most innovative downtempo and electronic music on the planet. So it's about time Expand Your Musical Horizons did a podcast to showcase some of the best German artists and netlabels. And here to give some expert advice is Andreas Schneider of XtraChill.

It was hard to keep this podcast short, to just an hour, but you're in for a treat. Starting out is Undo Silence from Hamburg, followed by Confused Man, who releases his music on the netlabel Sofasound. Then Electrix is back with "Berlin Am Meer, " from his album "On the Rhodes." With track 4, you'll enjoy some trip-hop from another Sofasound artist, Calm Be, and then relax to a lovely world-fusion track from Ambrish, from Köln. Next is Cantaloup from Marburg, with a gentle, dreamy track from his album on Aerotone Records. Then we move from gentle to edgy with Dorntec, with a trip-hop/glitch-hop track from his album on Acedia Music, a netlabel. DJ Ax comes next, with an inventive electronic track that fuses classical with electronica.

Echofloat from Münster follows next, with a lovely chilled-out track that Andreas recommends. Then comes the ambient bliss of Spheric Lounge, an improvisational group that performs live from München. And finally we have alec troniq from Dresden, featuring a track he released with Phonocake records.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the eclectic mix...

intro:
Andreas Schneider, XtraChill

Track 1: Undo Silence, "Stop the Time," from the "Stop the Time" EP
Track 2: Confused Man, "Koon-po-ha, from the album "Floating," on the Sofasound netlabel.
Track 3: Electrix, "Berlin Am Meer," from the album "On the Rhodes"
Track 4: Calm Be, "Undertone," from "Impressions," Sofasound netlabel.
Track 5: Ambrish, "Deserted," thanks to the Podsafe Music Network.
Track 6: Cantaloup, "Tahiti Twins," from "Tonight it Shows," on the Aerotone netlabel.
Track 7: Dorntec, "Tampi," from the "Reverse Engineering" EP on the netlabel Acedia Music.
Track 8: DJ Ax, "Twentyfour," from the album "soulbeatz," thanks to the Podsafe Music Network.
Track 9: Echofloat, "Remphase," "Rapid Eye Movement." Also see the Uptrax site.
Track 10: Spheric Lounge, "Tyrell," thanks to the Podsafe Music Network.
Track 11: Alec Troniq , "Take a Ride," from the "Phoke 25" release on the Phonocake netlabel.

iTunes enhanced (AAC)
MP3

Downtempo podcast 10

2009-02-09T23:35:00.000-08:00

Originally broadcast July, 2007.
Who can resist the sophisticated eastern flavor of the opening track from Koan? If you're a fan of psy-ambient music, you probably already know them from compilations like "Floating Point" [Sofa Beats records], but thanks to netlabel Sun Station and to a Creative Commons license, they're here in this podcast for your listening pleasure.

Following Koan is the amazing Confused Man, also known as Dirk Beppelring, from Germany's netlabel Sofasound. Then...another track from Kadang, who was featured in my Eastern Europe podcast, and is back again.

Many thanks to Playup Music for contacting me on behalf of the Winston Giles Orchestra...I hope all of you enjoy their track ("Theme from Burning Winchesters") as much as I do. I first heard them on the XtraChill podcast. And thanks, too, to Redzone....amazing first and Second Life digital artists who have a track included here.

Following them is even more aural pleasure: Calm Be from Germany's Sofasound netlabel, Phundamental from the very cool Phonocake netlabel (thanks, Sven!), Sumergido from the Yuki Yaki netlabel, Aligning Minds from the Aerotone netlabel, and finally, Effect Unit (also known as Marcell Marias) —thanks to the Podsafe Music Network.

As always, please give your support to independent musicians and netlabels!

Track 1: Koan, "Fulfilled Wish," from the Fulfilled Wish EP from the Sun Station netlabel
Track 2: Confused Man, "Rubin," from the Sofasound Mixtape 1 compilation from Sofasound.de
Track 3: Kadang, "Mount Point," title track from the Mount Point EP, Sun Station records, Russian Federation
Track 4: Winston Giles Orchestra, "Theme From 'Burning Winchesters'"
Track 5: Redzone, "Crime of Passion," from their album "Modified"
Track 6: Calm Be, "Breathing," from their album "impressions," at Sofasound.de
Track 7: Phundamental, "Eating Kittens," from his EP, "Awakening of the Bit Dragons" from Phonocake records
Track 8: Sumergido, "Clima," from his album "Levemente," from Yuki Yaki records
Track 9: Aligning Minds, "Just a Glimpse," from the compilation "Soundtrack for your Wedding," from Aerotone Records
Track 10: Effect Unit, "Bong Slowly," many thanks to the Podsafe Music Network.

iTunes enhanced (AAC)
MP3

Downtempo podcast 9 (Eastern Europe episode)

2009-02-09T23:21:00.000-08:00

Originally broadcast in June, 2007.
This episode focuses on the incredible talent of a few artists who live in Russia, Slovakia, Lithuania, and Poland...with a heavy emphasis on the ambient side of downtempo, and finishing with a hint of IDM. Featuring lush synths, sophisticated beats and orchestration, and some deliciously quiet moments, the featured artists on this podcast are: Cargo Cult (Slovakia), Koan (Russian Federation), Wade (Poland), Kadang (Russian Federation), Phundamental (Lithuania), Zico (Poland), Domased (Slovakia), Olo (Poland), and Modul (Russian Federation).

I'd like to thank Magnatune.com, Sun Station (netlabel), Jamendo.com, Phonocake (netlabel), Creative Commons, libre.org, and most importantly, the artists themselves for making this music available on the internet!

Track 1: Cargo Cult, "Re-Entry," from the album "Vibrant," available @ magnatune.com
Track 2: Koan, "Forgotten Path," from the EP "Fulfilled Wish," available from the Sun Station netlabel.
Track 3: Wade, "Pozitivli Tuned Up," from the album "Midnight Soundz," available from Jamendo.com
Track 4: Kadang, "Maktub," from the EP "Mount Point," available from the netlabel Sun Station.
Track 5: Phundamental, "Hello There," from the compilation, "Petits Fours," from the netlabel Phonocake.
Track 6: Zico, "Kiss." No album yet that I know of...zico?
Track 7: Domased, "Long Journey," from the album "Slowdown," available for sale at Magnatune.com.
Track 8: olo, "On Mars by Bike," from the album "Sosnowiec-Texas," available on Jamendo.com.
Track 9: Modul, "Causa Sui," from the compilation "Petits Fours," from the netlabel Phonocake.
iTunes enhanced (AAC)
MP3

Downtempo podcast 8

2009-02-09T22:48:00.000-08:00

Originally broadcast May, 2007.
This podcast starts out slow and chilled, gets a bit funky at times, and then picks up a few bpm near the end. I've returned back to some of my favorite artists again, too: Vate, genox, JCRZ, and the Warheads.

And two more artists from San Francisco are featured here: Karmacoda, a track that's available on archive.org..... and micropixie, a super-cool world citizen (Bombay, London, Paris, and SF) who has an album, "Alice in Stevie Wonderland," available through the iTunes store and on CDBaby.com. Please support her by buying her tracks or her album online!

And finally, I can't help but to listen in on what the remixers are doing at ccMixter....this episode of Expand Your Musical Horizons features a remixer who used DJ Vadim samples (with his permission, of course), and who goes alternately by the name of "Code" and "Mixro."

As always, thanks to the Podshow Podsafe Music Network, ccMixter, Creative Commons, and the artists who give me permission to promote their tracks.

TRACK 1: Electrix, "When pluto plays ping pong." An online listeners favorite.Please check out Electrix's website for news on his upcoming album, "On the Rhodes."
TRACK 2: Zico, "Hope." Zico, time for an album.
TRACK 3: Karmacoda, "Firefly" (NOTE: Karmacoda has several albums for sale on iTunes and CDBaby. They have a new album out, "Illuminate." Please give them your support.
TRACK 4: The Warheads, "Broken Spell"
TRACK 5: Mixro/Code, "Talk to Music," with samples from DJ Vadim. Many thanks to ccMixter.org.
TRACK 6: micropixie, "Alice in Stevie Wonderland." Please support micropixie by previewing and buying or her album at iTunes or at CDBaby.com -- andhear her music on micropixie's MySpace page.
TRACK 7: JCRZ, "La Tristesse Digitale," from the album "Kind of Music," available at Jamendo.com
TRACK 8: Vate, "Aeronautica 1," from the album "Aeronautica y outras technologias," available at Jamendo.com
TRACK 9: genox, with "Trafficlights," from his newest release "Slowly Fading Colors," which you can download from his website

iTunes enhanced (AAC)
MP3

Downtempo podcast 7

2009-02-09T22:04:00.000-08:00

Originally broadcast in April, 2007.
This podcast kicks off with a great track from some artists known as "Evolve," who released an album called "Happy Hour in the Gene Pool." Check them out at iTunes or CDBaby, and please support them by buying their music. Thank you, Evolve, for letting me put one of your tracks in this podcast!

Following Evolve comes nine more tracks from electronica artists who share their music online at sites like mono211.com, archive.org (the Internet Archive), and Jamendo.com -- using a Creative Commons license ("some rights reserved"). This means that it's OK to play their tracks online in their entirety as long as I'm not using it for commercial reasons.

Please visit Creative Commons and learn about this organization if you care about the future of internet radio and podcasts and independent music in general....they're doing very important work in this area.

The tracks range from melodic, chilled grooves to soulful, remixed vocals, to a modern electronic-bossa feeling.

track 1: Evolve, "Bushwacked," from the album "Happy Hour in the Gene Pool," available from the iTunes store and CDBABY.com
track 2: aphilas, "Lifelong Fiction," from the "Instrumentally Ill" EP
track 3: Sofia Rueda, "Traveling," from "Traveling" —see archives.org or audio:808 netlabel
track 4: Oveloe, "Transistor Love," from the EP "Maddi"
track 5: Briareus remix (featuring bobbi), "Pick a Scene," remix of the original / ccMixter
track 6: JCRZ, "Cool Blue," from the album "Kind of Music"
track 7: Vate, "Por debajo del agua," from the CD "Volk"
track 8: Briareus, "Mythos," from the album "Archetypal Desert"
track 9: genox, "lovely japanese and du spam," from "selected works 01 -02"
track 10: Disciples of Ageema Blues, "All Times by Music"

iTunes enhanced (AAC)
MP3

Downtempo podcast 6

2009-02-09T21:42:00.000-08:00

Originally broadcast March, 2007.

Twelve eclectic downtempo tracks, with a few guitars here and there and more vocals than in my previous podcasts.

Featured artists are: Briareus, Williamson, Yongen, Plunkett, Christophe Goze, Justin Bianco, Mister Fusty, Burning Babylon, Hoxman, _ghost, Budha Building, and Slot Car Racers.

Many thanks to all the artists who contacted me and shared their tracks—it's great to meet you. Please use the links to visit their web sites and learn more about them. And also a huge THANK YOU once again to Magnatune, the Podshow Podsafe Music Network, and ccMixter for giving access to podcasters for this great music.

Track 1: Briareus, "Descent of man," from the album "Still the Yeti"
Track 2: Williamson, "Rubber," from the album "A Few things to Hear Before We All Blow Up" -- Magnatune.com
Track 3: Yongen, "Rise," from the album "Yello Haus"
Track 4: Plunkett, "Just Rise," from the album "14 Days" -- Magnatune.com
Track 5: Christophe Goze, "Red, Green, and Blues" from the album "Turning Inside" (buy from iTunes)
Track 6: Justin Bianco, "Thick Skin," from the album "Finality"
Track 7: Mister Fusty, "Temple Bruer" from the album "Honest Blundering" (buy from iTunes Music Store)
Track 8: Burning Babylon, "Echoes of Dub," from the album "Knives to the Treble"
Track 9: Hoxman, "I Come from Nowhere" from the album "Synthesis of Five"
Track 10: _ghost, "Surreal in Vienna" from ccMixter. See his page on MySpace.
TRACK 11: Budha Building, "Fundament," from the album "Numerous Examples and Tutorials"
TRACK 12: Slot Car Racers, "Continental Drifting," from the album "I'll Be Home by Six!" (buy from iTunes)

iTunes enhanced (AAC)
MP3

Downtempo podcast 5

2009-02-09T21:27:00.000-08:00

Originally broadcast in October, 2006. Eleven downtempo and trip-hop tracks. Sit back and chill out....features some great, trip-hoppy vocals from Bitstream Dream, Broken Sleep, Kristin Mainhart, and the mellow dramas, and some heavy grooves from The Svengali Project, gROUSe, and more.

Track 1: The Svengali Project, "Halfway Inn"
Track 2: Bitstream Dream, "Lovemeleaveme""
Track 3: Broken Sleep, "Down "
Track 4: Kristin Mainhart, "Blind"
Track 5: mellow dramas, "Inside Out"
Track 6: Budha Building, "Theatrical Trailer"
Track 7: Kalahari Surfers, "The Secrecy of Science"
Track 8: General Fuzz, "Smiling Perspective"
Track 9: Briareus, "Ozro"
Track 10, gROUSe, "Lies"
Track 11, Vim Cortez, 3.
Outro: Steffan Coonan, "The Shadows"

iTunes enhanced (AAC)
MP3

Downtempo podcast 4

2009-02-09T20:58:00.000-08:00

Originally broadcast in September, 2006. Seven tracks, five of them from the Podshow Podsafe Music Network, plus two more indie tracks. Introducing the spoken-word ensemble, UpSurge! with a track from their album, "Chromatology," and a track from Germany's Pulsar Bleu.

Track 1: The Mellow Dramas, "Together" (with Kieser.Velten)

Track 2: UpSurge!, "S.K.I.N." vocal by Zigi Lowenberg

Track 3: Arthur Loves Plastic "Bright Side"

Track 4: Pulsar Bleu , "A.T.H.E.(Attributable to Human Error)"

Track 5: Kalahari Surfers, "Versatile Flying Objects"

Track 6: Dreamfresh, "Yousleepwhenyouareawake"

Track 7: Steffan Coonan, "I'm Sorry"

iTunes enhanced version (AAC)
MP3

Downtempo podcast 3

2009-02-09T20:03:00.000-08:00

Originally released early summer, 2006. (Note: For those of you who ask, there is no episode that's numbered "1" or "2"). Features 10 chilled tracks from 10 independent artists — all music on this episode provided by the Podshow Podsafe Music Network (music.podshow.com).

Featured artists include the Warheads, Briareus and DJ Eric Ill, all from the USA, UGene from the Russian Federation, Compl33t from South Africa, and the Maïdo Project and Christophe Goze, both from France, Steffan Coonan from Ireland, and After Touch and Gum, both from the UK. The podcast starts out very low-key, picks up the pace just a bit, and then relaxes you gently.

Track 1: The Warheads "Dirty Water"

Track 2: Steffan Coonan "E in Space"

Track 3: Maïdo Project "Down"

Track 4: Christophe Goze "Dream"

Track 5: Briareus "Le Semeur"

Track 6: Gum "Sun Splits the Sky"

Track 7: After Touch "Tortured Smile"

Track 8: UGene "Mystery"

Track 9: CompI33t "Calculated Emptiness"

Track 10: DJ Eric Ill "Gut Feeling (instrumental)"

iTunes enhanced version (with graphics and links)
MP3

Magnatune downtempo podcast

2009-02-09T19:35:00.000-08:00

Originally released in the spring/summer of 2006. Sample tracks from downtempo/chillout compilations that I made for magnatune.com: "Downtempo Chill 1 and 2," "After Dinner Lounge," and "Power Synths." Features 11 tracks from 11 different artists, including Artemis, Curl, Etherfysh, and Lizzi.

Track 1: Ashwan/Lisa Benedictis "Bellow" (from the CD "MixterOne")

Track 2: Dr. Kuch | "Oui Moisseur Chiubelle" from the CD "Analog Disease")

Track 3: Artemis | "Fountain of Life" (from the CD "Gravity")

Track 4: Ammonite | "Sunset" (from the CD"Reconnection")

Track 5: Trancevision | "Alpha" (from the album"Lemuria")

Track 6: Lizzi | "Gone" (from the album "Love and You and I")

Track 7: Mr. Epic | "Ruff and Tumble" (from the album "Sideways")

Track 8: Etherfysh | "Orange" (from the album "Box of Fysh")

Track 9: Curl | "Choice" (from the album "Ultimate Station")

Track 10: Stargarden | "Termoli" (from the album "Music for Modern Listening")

Track 11: Mr Gelatine | "Krysnamushrooms" (from the album "Electroluv)"

iTunes enhanced version (with graphics and links)
Or play MP3 here