Thursday, December 28, 2023

Bonus Episode: The Power Of The Drop (Queue Points Podcast)

 

All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to radiobsots@gmail.com.  Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the Speakpipe page!

Visit the BSOTS Linktree for all the podcast and social media platforms.

As lovers of Black music history, Jay Ray and DJ Sir Daniel have made some incredible strides over the past two years with their podcast, Queue Points.  The show has quickly become a mainstay in the Camp Lo-Fi podcast queue.  As a BSOTS feed bonus, I am pleased to share this special episode of Queue Points with you, one where I joined the dynamic duo as a guest in their exploration of trip hop and drum and bass.  Enjoy the show! 

Episode Description

Queue Points - The Power of the Drop: Trip Hop and Drum & Bass Shook The World

There was a rumble coming out of the UK in the early-1990s. With the heavy influence of hip-hop came new styles that changed the way many experienced the music they loved. From the early days of Jungle that birthed Drum and Bass to to Trip Hops genre bending sounds, the crew continues our musical journey to the UK with, guest, Jason Randall Smith of Radio BSOTS.

Follow Queue Points
Facebook: https://facebook.com/queuepointspod
Instagram: https://instagram.com/queuepointspod
Twitter: https://twitter.com/queuepointspod
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@queuepointspod

Follow DJ Sir Daniel On Social Media
Facebook:  https://facebook.com/djsirdaniel
Instagram : https://instagram.com/djsirdaniel
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/djsirdaniel
Mixcloud:  https://mixcloud.com/thesirdaniel

Follow Jay Ray On Social Media
Facebook:  https://facebook.com/jayrayisthename
Instagram : https://instagram.com/jayrayisthename
Twitter  https://twitter.com/jayrayisthename

Other key info:
Queue Points episode no. 112 - The Transatlantic Connection

BSOTS theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia).  Background music by SoulProdMusic from Pixabay.

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

BSOTS 182 - Life At Camp Lo-Fi: The First Nine Years

 

All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to radiobsots@gmail.com.  Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the Speakpipe page!

Visit the BSOTS Linktree for all the podcast and social media platforms.

This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license):

1.  Everybody Stopped Calling Me by Friends Or Whatever [blocSonic] (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) (2010)

2.  In Matacumbo by Cosmic Analog Ensemble [Upitup] (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) (2013)

3.  Mango Tree by Chandeliers [Free Music Archive] (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) (2008)

4.  The Shoreline by Big La Vs. Todd [Bandcamp] (2023)

5.  Datenight by Jonny Sonic [Bandcamp] (2010)

6.  Dance To The Drummer's Beat by Dharma [Netlabel Archive] (CC BY-ND-NC 1.0) (1999)

7.  Misunderstood by Lovespirals [Bandcamp] (2023)

8.  Bag Of Nothingness by Comfort Fit [Free Music Archive] (CC BY-NC 3.0) (2009)

9.  The Force May Be With You by Idmonster [Internet Archive] (CC NY-ND-NC 1.0) (2001)



I haven't worked out just how many generations 18 years covers in the world of podcasting, but it's enough to know that it was a vastly different world in 2005.  A world without as many social media bells and whistles, one where few contemplated how artificial intelligence tools could improve their podcasting workflow or how to create episode teasers in the form of audiograms or Instagram reels.  A lot has changed, but some things remain the same.  For me, nothing matters more than the music that I share on the show.  I never wanted to do anything else in podcasting other than champion independent artists and connect the dots between various musical genres through this medium.  

There's a whole lot of music that has been played on this show over 18 years, and it would be foolish to suggest to you that nine songs could cover even a fraction of that time.  However, some of these songs and artists are reminiscent of specific moments within BSOTS history.  The selections from Lovespirals and Big La Vs. Todd represent my connection to the Music Podcasting Consortium, a like-minded collective of avid music supporters and creators that represents my first online community within the podosphere.  Whether Todd Kelley (a.k.a. The Big La) is curating a music mix or in the lab crafting beats of his own, the head nod factor is always priority number one with him.  "The Shoreline" is a calming instrumental piece and one of my personal favorites from his Kneel Before Todd album.  The music of Lovespirals appeared within the first ten episodes of Radio BSOTS and is one of the first podsafe artists ever played on this show.  Their new single "Misunderstood" is a continuation of the ethereal attributes that make their work so special (and besides that, atmospheric drum and bass is the way to my heart).

Over the years, podsafe music resources faded away one by one, but thankfully the Free Music Archive is still around.  Founded in 2009, I've been virtually crate digging through this website since its beginning stages in beta mode, always finding works that have both intrigued and surprised me.  A cut like "Mango Tree" by Chandeliers brings me right back to those early days of searching for music on the FMA.  This one's a total earworm, marrying lyrics and vocals that lean towards folk with an off-kilter funk groove accentuated by the bass, keys, and rhythm guitar.  "Bag Of Nothingness" is another FMA find, where producer Comfort Fit takes the funk and launches full speed into the future,  creating a hip-hop/electronic beat hybrid that stays crunchy even in milk.  

Prior to the FMA's existence, a universe of netlabels brought me in touch with an endless amount of Creative Commons licensed music.  The blocSonic netlabel would have been the first, and I try to represent for their output as often as possible.  The self-titled album by Friends Or Whatever is one of my all-time favorite blocSonic releases and the shimmering brilliance of "Everybody Stopped Calling Me" is just one of the reasons why.  No Type (no longer active) was another netlabel that I came across soon after blocSonic and I fell hard for their focus on experimental electronic music.  The introspective beauty of "The Force May Be With You" by Idmonster is reminiscent of work from labels like Project Mooncircle, the warm chords occasionally disturbed by slivers of voices, clicks, and digital static.  Upitup Records is more of a recent discovery for me, but the music of Cosmic Analog Ensemble has been played on this show well over a decade ago.  He's a multi-instrumentalist that's capable of creating soulful jazz numbers to sample-heavy hip-hop instrumentals that feel like Madlib during his most leftfield moments.  I cannot stop playing "In Matacumbo" and it would be criminal not to share that cut with you.  The same can be said for "Dance To The Drummer's Beat" by Dharma.  It's impossible to keep still when those breakbeats kick in.  Believe it or not, that cut dates back to 1999, proving that the Creative Commons crates are deep and full of amazing cuts that deserve more exposure.  (Seek and ye shall find.)  It was released on Mono211, a label that stopped releasing music 20 years ago.  Thanks to the efforts of those behind the Netlabel Archive for preserving the works of inactive imprints and ensuring that their output won't be lost forever.

And then there's Jonny Sonic, an artist that ended up becoming the unofficial voice of the BSOTS GONE (buck)WILD episodes.  His music is often punchy and insistent, never forsaking the funk in its approach.  I love the horn section on "Datenight" and how Jonny's voice just seems to cut through his big band that's right behind him.  I've been playing his music since at least 2006 and he's the first artist that I reach for whenever BSOTS needs to blow off some steam.  Should you need some music to bring you back from the brink, here's hoping that the selections within this episode can bring some semblance of peace your way.  

Other key info:
BSOTS 149 - Grooves And Gratitude
BSOTS 151 - BUCKWILD:  The Shouting Match Never Really Ended (pt. one)
BSOTS 152 - BUCKWILD:  The Shouting Match Never Really Ended (pt. two)
Queue Points Show #119 - Exploring The Soundscapes
Julien Smith
Lost In The Sauce
Bloc Discovery Sessions

BSOTS theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia).  ID drops courtesy of Fave, Kahlief Adams, Aspektz, Jonny Sonic, and Darrenkeith.

Music by SoulProdMusic from Pixabay.

This work is licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

BSOTS 181 - Creative Commons Sightings Of Kool Keith And DJ Harrison

All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to radiobsots@gmail.com.  Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the Speakpipe page!

Visit the BSOTS Linktree for all the podcast and social media platforms.

This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license):

1.  Electric Mind Ft. Kool Keith by The Polish Ambassador [Bandcamp] (CC BY-NC 3.0) (2023)

2.  City Swagger by DJ Harrison [blocSonic] (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) (2012)

3.  Shades, Fades & Blaze by DJ Harrison [blocSonic] (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) (2012)

4.  I'M GOOD by Yung Miss [Bandcamp] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2019)

5.  Life Is But A Dream (featuring Kara Square) by J.Lang [ccMixter] (CC BY-NC 3.0) (2022)

6.  BESPOKE ft. Wallace by Close Counters [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC-SA 3.0) (2019)

7.  garden of destruction by niteffect [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2022)



Another Creative Commons crate dig session uncovers seven gems from under the underground.  Over on Bandcamp, The Polish Ambassador of Jumpsuit Records creates a low-slung electronic instrumental with hip-hop leanings for Kool Keith (a.k.a. Black Elvis) to glide effortlessly over.  It's like he beamed in from another galaxy or something.  In Melbourne, Australia, the Close Counters duo crafts an uptempo selection for the dance floor, hovering somewhere between house and broken beat.  And then there's niteffect from Budapest, offering a downtempo cut with acidic synth patterns and breakbeats that waft in and out of the mix.



It was over a decade ago that DJ Harrison's '94 Flow album came out on the blocSonic netlabel.  It still sounds amazing, especially when you consider a statement that repeats throughout the album:  "There are no samples on this record."  The first time I heard that, I remembered thinking to myself, "Stop lying to me."  That's how frighteningly talented and in the pocket DJ Harrison is.  He makes the type of funk and soul that people will be sampling 15 to 20 years from now.  Meanwhile, the rap and R&B hybrid cut from Yung Miss is a West and East Coast connection produced by Mr. Ivory Snow of Connecticut (Yung Miss hails from California).  This one knocks, and it screams heavy rotation for rap radio.

Seven songs.  Thirty-five minutes of your time.  Here's hoping the music will prove that this episode is time well spent.

Other key info:
BSOTS 176 - BUCKWILD: learn from it...
Queue Points episode no. 112 - The Transatlantic Connection
Queue Points episode no. 113 - The Power Of The Drop
Tha Bloc Report

BSOTS theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia).  ID drops courtesy of India from Astronauts of Antiquity, Mr. Ivory Snow, and Kahlief Adams of Spawn On Me.

Background music by SoulProdMusic from Pixabay.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Thursday, July 13, 2023

BSOTS 180 - In Conversation With Douglas Whitfield (pt. two)

 

All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to radiobsots@gmail.com.  Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the Speakpipe page!

Visit the BSOTS Linktree for all the podcast and social media platforms.

This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license):

 1.  The Comet (Featuring Shred Lexicon & The Real Munch) by Headsnack [blocSonic] (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) (2023)

2.  Infornography by Revolution Void [Free Music Archive] (CC BY-NC 3.0) (2006)

3.  Rich People by Carsie Blanton [Bandcamp] (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) (2022)

4.  Truth Serum by CM & The Silent Partner [blocSonic] (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)  (2021)

5.  Kaikou (Bittersweet) by Satori [Upitup] (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) (2023)



The Free Music Friday to beat them all is finally upon us.  Happy Netlabel Day, everybody!

Serious gratitude and respect going out to Creative Commons Community Music Awards co-founder Douglas Whitfield for getting in touch with me last month to have this conversation about CC licenses, netlabels, and so much more.  In part two of the interview, he talks about the CC Listening Parties that he co-hosts on YouTube alongside Donnie Ozone, an event that grew out of the artistic standstill caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.  In addition, he shares some ambitious plans for a CC Community Music Hall Of Fame slated to premiere in 2026.


Once again, there's great music to accompany the conversation, including a single from Headsnack that blocSonic has released for this year's Netlabel Day.  Other musical selections include the cabaret protest stylings of Carsie Blanton, the jazz meets electronic music musicianship of Revolution Void, the unbeatable hip-hop combination of CM & The Silent Partner, and a gorgeous after hours instrumental from Satori (taken from the new 20th Anniversary Compilation from Upitup Records).

Thank you so much for listening and I hope that you found this interview as informative as I did.  Don't forget to head on over to the Netlabel Day site and discover more great music!

blocSonic artists mentioned in this episode include:

Ant The Symbol
Louis Lingg & The Bombs
MVMX
Pot-C
Viktor Van River

Other key info:
BSOTS 179 - In Conversation With Douglas Whitfield (pt. one)
CCCMA Listening Party Season 1, Episode 1
Bandcamp Daily:  Exploring Japanese Netlabel Deep Cuts
clongclongmoo
Ryno The Bearded
Lorenzo's Music

BSOTS theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia).  ID drops courtesy of Kahlief Adams of Spawn On Me and Mr. Fitz of Techniken Defunkus.

Background music by SoulProdMusic from Pixabay.

 

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Thursday, July 6, 2023

BSOTS 179 - In Conversation With Douglas Whitfield (pt. one)

 

All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to radiobsots@gmail.com.  Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the Speakpipe page!

Visit the BSOTS Linktree for all the podcast and social media platforms.

This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license):

 1.  Beached (Featuring Martin Bogren, Johannes Hehrmann & Jero Castella) by Spiedkiks [blocSonic] (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) (2022)

2.  Senseless Song by Natasha Beller [blocSonic] (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) (2018)

3.  Ideas Of Singularity by ƘÏÐ ƉΔŦΛ [Abstrakt Reflections] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2021)

4.  On The Edge (featuring Javolenus, SackJo22, Ezra Skull, Kara Square, & The Concept of Energy) by Wiseman [ccMixter] (CC BY-NC 4.0) (2023)

5.  Potzilla Inda Middle (Featuring Pot-C) by Spiedkiks [blocSonic]  (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) (2022)

Alongside my lifelong obsession with sound and an undying allegiance to music, there is a genuine interest in that place where technology, copyright, and music all meet up.  The life that I want to live involves three things:  music appreciation, sonic curation, and media preservation.  The more that I hang out in the world of Creative Commons licensed music, the more it seems like this world covers all three of those factors.  

This episode just fell into my lap suddenly.  It was three weeks ago that Douglas Whitfield contacted me about appearing on the podcast and making the rounds to a few shows prior to Netlabel Day.  It was the perfect opportunity to learn more about Creative Commons music and the licenses that these works are released under from someone who is immersed in that world far more than I am.  Doug is one of the co-founders of the CC Community Music Awards and used to co-host the Music Manumit Podcast alongside Tom Ray of the band Lorenzo's Music, interviewing other CC musicians and tech developers for several years.  He also works as a contracts manager for blocGLOBAL alongside Michael Gregoire (founder and owner of the blocSonic netlabel).  On top of that, he's also a co-host of the weekly CCCMA Listening Party on YouTube, showcasing videos from CC musicians from across the globe.

Admittedly, there are times during this interview where things can get a bit technical, particularly when talking about the CC licenses themselves and how they function.  However, I hope that this episode (along with the next one) can serve as a beneficial resource for those just finding out about the world of CC music and want a more intricate explanation of how it all works.  Speaking of music, a handful of tunes break up the conversation here and there, including an introspective electronic tune from the Abstrakt Reflections netlabel, a bouncy and sample-happy groove from the CCMixter community, and three from blocSonic (including a pair of tunes from 2023 CCCMA winners Spiedkiks).  This one's a bit different from how things usually go on the BSOTS podcast feed, but I think that the change of pace is one that came at the right time.  I certainly hope that you enjoy the featured musical selections and that the information shared on this episode is both interesting and helpful.

Other key info:
Tha Bloc Report Episode 30: The Doug Whitfield Episode
Ryno The Bearded
Headphonica netlabel
Queue Points Podcast

BSOTS theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia).  ID drops courtesy of Fave and EJ Flavors (may they rest in power).

Background music by SoulProdMusic from Pixabay.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.


Wednesday, June 7, 2023

BSOTS 178 - Creative Commons Gems From Public Enemy And Nikki Giovanni

 

All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to radiobsots@gmail.com.  Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the Speakpipe page!

Visit the BSOTS Linktree for all the podcast and social media platforms.

This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license):

1.  Old Futuro Blues by Yoko Absorbing [Free Music Archive] (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

2.  Zo0o0o0p​!​!​! feat. Oddisee by Kidkanevil [Bandcamp] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

3.  All I Know (Featuring Big Remo and The Hamiltones) by Wals [blocSonic] (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

4.  Dance of Contradictions by Isak Gaines [Bandcamp] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

5.  Ridiculous Love (wetSkin Hot Summer ReMix) by Niki J Crawford [Jamendo] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

6.  In The Spirit Of Martin by Nikki Giovanni [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-SA 3.0)

7.  Get Up Stand Up (Featuring Brother Ali) by Public Enemy [blocSonic] (CC-BY-NC 3.0)

Looking back over the last ten shows for the BSOTS podcast feed, eight of them featured at least one Creative Commons licensed tune.  Even after more than 15 years of podcasting, the CC music landscape still feels like largely uncharted territory for me, which is probably why I've felt the need to dig through the online crates to see what I can find.  In addition, I've been listening to prior BSOTS episodes from over a decade ago, revisiting the music that I have played on the show and taking note of the songs that still sound great to me so that I can reintroduce them on future episodes.  This show marks Camp Lo-Fi's long overdue return to the feed and is where my CC music appreciation agenda kicks into high gear.  The seven songs featured are a mix of tunes from prior BSOTS episodes alongside selections receiving their first spins, cutting across genre and released between 2009 and 2023.

The blocSonic netlabel opened my eyes and ears to the world of CC licensed music.  It was through their netBloc series of compilations that I was introduced to a network of artists and online labels, most of it (if not all) available to freely download and share.  The blocSonic offerings in this episode are courtesy of last year's album from Wals and a stellar cut from Public Enemy (as heard on netBloc vol. 44), featuring the always on-point lyricism of Chuck D and special guest Brother Ali.  Another notable hip-hop moment is "Zo0o0o0p​!​!​!," the brief but absolutely banging cut from Kidkanevil featuring Oddisee, a ridiculously talented emcee and producer whose music I've been championing on this show for well over a decade.  Isak Gaines moves us into the unpredictable and experimental side of jazz with "Dance Of Contradictions," a song that sonically lives up to its title.  A bouncy yet broken groove for the first half of the song gives way to a beatless abyss of sound effects and saxophone screeches before bringing the hammer down with a distorted bass line and a defiant horn section.

Niki J Crawford's "Ridiculous Love" was an unexpected surprise that I stumbled upon over on Jamendo, a sultry soul offering made all the more seductive with the wetSkin Hot Summer ReMix.  It's percussion heavy with a slight Brazilian influence and a breezy shuffle topped with acoustic guitar strums and Niki's powerhouse vocals.  Yoko Absorbing's "Old Futuro Blues" is a short, sweet, and somewhat off-kilter cut that lives in repeated moments of loops, locked grooves, and live instrumentation.  And there's probably no better example of the sonic treasures waiting to be discovered over at the Free Music Archive than live recordings of legendary poet Nikki Giovanni.  "In The Spirit Of Martin" is her ode to not only the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but to the struggle and perseverance of the Civil Rights movement as a whole.

If you're Creative Commons curious but have been unsure where to start looking, hopefully episodes like these can demystify this world of music one song at a time.  Thank you so much for listening.

ID drop courtesy of DarrenKeith. Theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia).

Background music by SoulProdMusic from Pixabay.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.