191 - But First...Music: Netlabel Day 2025

 

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.

**SCROLL DOWN FOR THE FULL TRACK LIST**

Monday, July 14, 2025 marked my second time around hosting a takeover of the Netlabel Day Radio stream.  For two hours, I got to share a bunch of Creative Commons licensed tracks live from my living room.  I'm always thankful for opportunities like this and I gotta give a shoutout to my big brother and Netlabel Day facilitator Omar Willey for entrusting me with another 120 minutes to go live on the NLD Radio stream.  Honestly, I'm grateful to share music with any and all that are willing to take the time to listen.  I'm always amazed at what I'm able to find within the CC music virtual bins.

Among the featured netlabels are active imprints like blocSonic, Business Casual, Jumpsuit, Flowerpot, Dusted Wax Kingdom, and Monster Jinx.  Thanks to the Internet Archive, I was also able to include works from netlabels that ended their run over 5, 10, or even 15 years ago like Melodica and Subwise.  And whenever I can represent for labels that are indie staples like Stones Throw or Atjazz Record Co., I consider that a bonus.  Other cuts were discovered on Bandcamp, Free Music Archive, and Jamendo.  A little digging goes a long way, resulting in a freeform mix of hip-hop, soul, jazz, rock, and various forms of electronic music.

Some brief corrections:  "Not Myself" by Lovespirals was listed as Creative Commons (some rights reserved) at the time of the broadcast, but now is under full copyright (all rights reserved).  And I announced that "Drifting Dawn" by Abigail Press was released on Trippin' The Rift, which is incorrect.  It was actually released on Melodica, a netlabel from years past that I stumbled upon on the Internet Archive.  And about halfway through the episode, I mentioned Willam Maggos and his podcast Culture War Radio.  Unfortunately, his show is no longer producing new episodes, but I shared part of his CC music manifesto from the podcast website during the livestream as it was a sentiment that I wholeheartedly agree with.  His last post on the Democracy Of Reach website continues that line of thought and is well worth reading.

As this episode unfolds, keep your ears on the alert for verses from Chuck D of Public Enemy and Kool Keith of Ultramagnetic MCs and Dr. Octagon fame.  There's a live cut by APB recorded at the WFMU studios and even a Latin jazz joint that dates back to 1968.  A little something for many, and hopefully served up in a way that makes sonic sense.  If you need an extended session for your next road trip or just some tunes to get you through your work day, I certainly hope that this episode provides what you're looking for.

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

1.  Manual Retro by Night Owl Committee [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2013)

2.  Snakes by Rephazer [Kahvi Collective] (CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0) (2024) 

3.  Thrive, Despite by A. Billi Free & The Lasso [Mello Music Group] (CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0) (2022) 

4.  Not Myself by Lovespirals [Bandcamp] (2024)

5.  One Of These Days by Alinah Sipps [Subwise] (CC-BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2009) 

6.  Answers by mary sue [bie Records] (CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0) (2023)

7.  Three More Hours (Featuring Ketsa) by Donnie Ozone [blocSonic] (CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0) (2024) 

8.  Alright Anyway Ft. Taelor Gray by Shon Tha Phenom [Jamendo]  (CC-BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2022) 

9.  Don't Call Me by Gwen Rose [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0) (2025)

10. Scenic Route by Jerry Paper [Stones Throw] (CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0) (2024) 

11. Mamaye by Sampology [Jus Like Music] (CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0) (2010)

12. Xamar by Dexter Story [Soundway] (CC-BY-ND 4.0) (2015)

13. How Not to Die (Featuring Chuck D) by Headsnack [blocSonic] (CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0) (2023) 

14. Electric Mind ft. Kool Keith by The Polish Ambassador [Jumpsuit] (CC-BY-NC 4.0) (2022)  

15. Greenery by DarkSunn [Monster Jinx] (CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0) (2024)

16. Untitled by Ras G [dublab] (CC-BY 4.0) (2021)  

17. The Mind Is Not Inside The Head by The Oddvisers [Discordian] (2024)

18. Remains Of The Day by Wizard Of Loneliness [Business Casual] (CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0) (2024)  

19. I Am Not What I Buy by Mr. Princess [Flowerpot] (CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0) (2024)

20. Swarm Of Bees by Dug [Flowerpot] (CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0) (2024)

21. Budding ornithologists are weary of tired analogies by milo [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0) (2011)

22. Faces by Basement Skylights [Dusted Wax Kingdom] (CC-BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2012)

23. Drifting Dawn by Abigail Press [Melodica] (CC-BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2012)

24. VIBRAÇÃO by Alexander Flood [Atjazz Record Co.] (CC-BY 4.0) (2024)  

25. Welcome To The Party by Har-You Percussion Group [ESP-Disk] (CC-BY-NC-ND 3.0) (1968)

26. One Day (Live at WFMU) by APB [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2011)

Other key info:
Macedonia on Mixcloud
Show #188 - Netlabel Day Radio Takeover (2024)
BSOTS Guest Mix For The Neighborhood Feast
Netlabel Week 2024 Panels
Four Sundays Ago (thoughts on Banjee Boombox ATL)

 

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

Shielded By Headphones: Thank You, Andrew

 

Track list:

Bei Bei & Shawn Lee - Make Me Stronger (Featuring Georgia Anne Muldrow)
Damon Aaron - Floating
Nitai Hershkovits - Sattelite Dish feat. Georgia Anne Muldrow
The Skull Eclipses - Take My
Jaubi - Time: The Donut Of The Heart
homeshake - Just Like My
RC & the Gritz - Good Day To You Sir
Cleo Sol - 23
SAULT - Foot on Necks
Leroy & The Drivers - The Sad Chicken
Saun & Starr - Look Closer (Can't You See The Signs?)
Radio Citizen - Everything
Vex Ruffin - I’m Still At It
Salami Rose Joe Louis - Sitting with Thoughts
Bullion - Loop The Loop
Nautic - Freedom of the Floor
Dina ögon - Tombola 94
Shawn Lee - Fade Up (Feat. The Superimposers)
Mizan K - Thru
Khruangbin - Evan Finds the Third Room
Scrimshire - Thru You feat. Georgia Anne Muldrow
fleet.dreams - EKG (Club Mix)
Panama - How We Feel
Nino Moschella - Something Like
Paper Tiger - Weight In Space feat. Shafiq Husayn (Radio Edit)
Little Simz - No More Wonderland
Reverend Sam Dixon - Anyway



The 30th of March came around and I couldn't sit by and continue to feel sorry for myself because I wasn't doing radio anymore.  That never stopped me from sharing music before.  And finding out that Andrew Jervis had been fired from his curatorial and hosting duties at Bandcamp was just the spark that I needed to finally set up shop and hit record.  This trial run is really just an excuse to say thank you to Andrew, to show love for all of the artists and music that he represented for proudly during his time at Bandcamp.  Not only that, but I figured I could also play some selections from the vast catalog of Ubiquity Records.  It's one of my favorite independent labels and also where I first came to learn of the discerning ear and impeccable taste of Mr. Jervis.

I only played a handful of Ubiquity selections during this session, but any time is a good time for the sounds of Shawn Lee, Radio Citizen, Bei Bei, and Nino Moschella.  "Floating" by Damon Aaron is a sleeper hit in the Ubiquity catalog:  dreamy, pastoral soul that's warm and heartfelt.  And that funk joint from Leroy & The Drivers is entirely too tough.  I lean heavy on the Bandcamp side of things and with good reason:  Jervis was the perfect host for Bandcamp Weekly, always putting the listeners on to new sounds and reminding us of choice selections from the past that still hold up today.  The list of artists that I discovered on that show is too long to mention, but this show is jam-packed with them.  Cuts from Cleo Sol, SAULT, Khruangbin, Little Simz, and Jaubi are just a few examples.  Then there are artists that I didn't see coming like Swedish sensation Dina ögon or the introverted R&B/pop song hybrid that is homeshake.  Andrew put me on to Salami Rose Joe Louis years prior to her signing to Brainfeeder Recordings.  And I'm always up for some leftfield gospel to add to my unconventional hymnal, so I had to close things out with Reverend Sam Dixon's "Anyway" (another Bandcamp Weekly jewel).

I can't say with certainty that I'll be back on a monthly basis to do this, but that is my heart's desire.  Then again, this life has a way of reminding me that my creative displays will be shared with the world when it's time and not a moment before then.

The first installment of Shielded By Headphones is here.  And for that, I am grateful.  Hope you enjoy it.

187 - Testing The Waters

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.  Happy Birthday ccMixter by J.Lang featuring Snowflake [ccMixter] (CC-BY) (2024)

2.  Thanks For The Memories (Featuring Belle McNulty) by CM aka Creative [blocSonic] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2024)

3.  drain the sun by niteffect [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2022)

4.  Over by Suhov [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2008)

5.  Whenever You Wanna Call Me by Comfort Fit [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2005)

6.  Out for a Shrink Pink Drink by Apes On Tapes [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC) (2010)

7.  Configurate by Proviant Audio [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2009)

8.  1000 Miles by Bluntspeakers [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2010)

9.  Soul Groove! (Patience) by !Mc'Lain! [Jamendo] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2022)

10. The Holowaka Hides in the Shadow of the Sun by Fields Ohio [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-SA) (2024)

BSOTS BONUS TRACK:

11. Train Rides - In Praise of Black Men by Nikki Giovanni [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-SA 3.0) (2009)

If you're reading this, it means that you made it out of 2024.  Happy New Year and welcome to Camp Lo-Fi.  I hope and pray that you will be able to experience peaceful moments and great music throughout this year.  I pulled this episode together as 2024 was coming to a close, making this the first sonic statement for Radio BSOTS in 2025.  To kick off a new year of the podcast, this episode and the next episode will focus on my participation in the Netlabel Day Radio live stream marathon that took place in July of last year.  I initially recorded a 30-minute test run for the stream and figured that I should share that with the listeners.  

I gathered together some Creative Commons tunes from indie labels that ended up releasing later works under full copyright as time went on, but they're still imprints that I hold in high regard (namely Tokyo Dawn, Budabeats, and Error Broadcast).  All cuts played during the test run can still be found online via Jamendo, Bandcamp, and the Free Music Archive.  This set of music leans heavy on the sounds of international beat culture, particularly that first decade of the early 2000s where the lines between electronic music and hip-hop production got blurry (and for the better, in my opinion).  Featured selections from Comfort Fit, Suhov, Bluntspeakers, and Apes On Tapes are probably the best examples of this.

Outside of the test run, the show opens with a selection in honor of ccMixter turning 20 years old (featuring the voice of Madam Snowflake - check out the video below for a snapshot of her artistic journey) and closes with an addictive, head-nodding joint from Fields Ohio.  I also get to share some listener feedback this time around.  As a bonus, I couldn't let the episode end without the words and voice of the late, great Nikki Giovanni.  As always, I welcome your interaction and hope that there are some selections within this installment of the podcast that grab your attention and increase your curiosity about other gems that can be found within the world of Creative Commons licensed music. 

Theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia).  Background music by Techniken Defunkus.  ID drops from Morganics and Jonny Sonic.

Other key info:
BSOTS show #178 - Creative Commons Gems From Public Enemy And Nikki Giovanni
BSOTS show #181 - Creative Commons Sightings Of Kool Keith And DJ Harrison
BSOTS show #186 - Download While You Can
Netlabel Archive
Funkwhale
Castopod
Tha Bloc Report

Background music by SoulProdMusic from Pixabay.

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

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

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.

 

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

Radio BSOTS show # 177 - pause. (for Jason Mizell)

 

("J-A-Y are the letters of his name..")

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!

You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options:
RSS feed ||| Apple Podcasts ||| Spotify ||| Google Podcasts
Amazon Music ||| Stitcher ||| TuneIn ||| iHeartRadio

Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

 

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

1.  "Way Back When (Featuring Chuck D)" by Just Plain Ant [blocSonic] (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
2.  "30​:​5 / moonshine ft. chadah​-​hadassah" by Yashiyah [Bandcamp] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)
3.  "Larger Than Life" by Jazz One Beats [Dusted Wax Kingdom] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)
4.  "Jazzweek" by Arze Kareem [Jamendo] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)
5.  "Ignition" by Mute Speaker [Bandcamp] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)
6.  "91 NITES" by Tha Silent Partner [blocSonic] (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
7.  "Road Warriors" by The Impossebulls [blocSonic] (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
8.  "LoveSigns" by Makaih Beats [Free Music Archive]  (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

For the past two decades, "pause" merely existed as long-form commentary on the BSOTS website.  Roughly a week after Jam Master Jay's murder, the bile in my belly fueled a rant in my brain and it all came spilling out onto my computer keyboard.  More emotional than logical, it wears my sarcasm and cynicism like spike-studded armor.  I'm definitely in my "I said what I said" bag here, back when I had no problems taking an either/or approach when dividing music into rigid yet subjective categories like "commercial" vs. "alternative" and viewing hip-hop as if it were a sonic civil war with only two sides:  "conscious" vs. "gangsta."  I had one foot out the door of the culture and the music when I wrote this and it shows.

Creative Commons licensed tunes break up the commentary, featuring selections from netlabels like blocSonic and Dusted Wax Kingdom as well as cuts scattered across Bandcamp, Jamendo, and the Free Music Archive.  The blocSonic cuts include guest verses from Chuck D of Public Enemy and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels of Run-DMC.  The sound of dusty vinyl underneath certain parts of the commentary comes directly from a project entitled This Is The End, Beautiful Friend by File Under Toner.  The description of this project on the Free Music Archive begins with the following question:  "Are the hiss, crackles, and pops on records protected by copyrights?"  All of the featured sounds are from the locked grooves at the end of various records, which get messed with using delay, reverb and other audio techniques.  I thought that these works added just the right amount of tension at certain times, more than traditional background music would.  The locked grooves running into themselves in this circumstance just sound so stark, like it's occupying the space where Jam Master Jay's cutting and scratching used to reside.

I live with me all the time, enough to know that the longer I hold on to this episode, the more that my own doubts and anxieties will keep me from releasing it into the podosphere, so I have to let it go.  It's going to do whatever it does.  Here's hoping that you will give this one a shot and consider it time well spent.

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

Background music:
Charlie Dreaming - Soft Hypnotic
qpe - milk
Ezekiel Honig - Plastic Rumblings
Vanity (Instrumental) by BADLUCK (CC BY 4.0).

Other key info:
Macedonia on Mixcloud
BSOTS on Bondfire Radio
Queue Points Podcast: Episodes 77 and 78
Hip-Hop Can Save America:  Parents Just Don't Understand

Radio BSOTS show #174 - Tranquil Beats: Fridays In August, 2016

 

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!

You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options:
RSS feed ||| Apple Podcasts ||| Spotify ||| Google Podcasts
Amazon Music ||| Stitcher ||| TuneIn ||| iHeartRadio

Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

This episode's track list:

1.  KRTS - Light Of The Harvest
2.  Julien Dyne - Fog
3.  CASTLE - Memory Bank
4.  Night Owl Committee - Manual Retro (CC BY 3.0)
5.  Sir Froderick - Someolbull$hit ft. Josh Hey
6.  Will Sessions - Memory Lane
7.  Chief & Deheb - Elements
8.  Jesse Futerman - I Love You So
9.  DJ Harrison - One Way Downtown (CC BY 4.0)
10. Just Plain Ant - Too Thymez (CC BY 3.0)
11. Jef Gilson & Malagasy - 1973
12. Long Arm - Double Bass In Love
13. Beat Inc. - Black Tea Morning (Squeaky Lobster Re-Funk)
14. Machinedrum - Center Your Love
15. Elephant And Castle - I Will
16. DF Tram - Body Fizz

I suppose it was a foolhardy notion that I would have this done by Election Day.  Real talk: as long as this lands in the podosphere before November's over, I'll chalk that up as a win.

As the last installment of the Tranquil Beats series, I think this one is far and away the best of the five.  The blend session for this playlist of songs was recorded on Halloween and it feels really inspired.  This one will probably speak to the beat junkies and sample hunters more than the others.  From the live take on a Nas instrumental by Will Sessions to Just Plain Ant messing around with Donald Byrd to CASTLE's psychedelic head nods infused with the work of The Rotary Connection, there are a number of beautiful selections here.  Jesse Futerman's "I Love You So" represents those moments with instrumentals like these where one can't tell where the sampling ends and live instrumentation begins.  The sonic sweetness of Machinedrum's "Center Your Love" remains a high point (one of my favorite cuts from his Vapor City album), as well as the swirling emotional rush of Elephant And Castle's "I Will."  DF Tram's "Body Fizz" makes for a wonderful closer with its playful lyrical refrain and Alice In Wonderland soundbites.

If you're new to the Tranquil Beats series of episodes, I certainly hope that you will take the time to listen to them all.  I have linked to the previous shows below. 

Radio BSOTS show #162 - Tranquil Beats: Mondays In August, 2016
Radio BSOTS show #166 - Tranquil Beats: Tuesdays In August, 2016
Radio BSOTS show #170 - Tranquil Beats: Wednesdays In August, 2016
Radio BSOTS show #172 - Tranquil Beats: Thursdays in August, 2016

ID drops courtesy of EJ Flavors, India (Astronauts Of Antiquity), Darren Keith, and DJ Redlox. Theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia). Background music is "Vanity (Instrumental)" by BADLUCK (CC BY 4.0).

Other key info:
Macedonia on Mixcloud
BSOTS on Bondfire Radio
The Sarah Awards | PodTales 2020
Accession Podcast Episode #23: Take Me To The Water

Radio BSOTS show #172 - Tranquil Beats: Thursdays in August, 2016

 

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

You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options:
RSS feed ||| Apple Podcasts ||| Spotify ||| Google Podcasts ||| Stitcher ||| TuneIn ||| iHeartRadio

Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

This episode's track list:

1.  Lee Rosevere - What Did I Miss (CC BY 3.0)
2.  Ziga Murko - Marjana Flip
3.  Lavender Worm - Hot Barbeque
4.  Blocktreat - Hipbones
5.  Aeon - GoodbyeLove
6.  Ohbliv - Send It On Down
7.  Eddie - 晚10点 (10pm)
8.  Floyd The Locsmif - Flowtation Device
9.  Presto - Smooth Flow
10. The Greg Foat Group - The Dancers Waltz
11. UKU - Forest 5am (Yoggyone Remix)
12. Affelaye - Whir
13. Leaks - Give
14. Jon Hopkins - Form By Firelight
15. Funki Porcini - Long Road
16. Tha Silent Partner - Dance Of The Black Geisha (CC BY 4.0)
17. The Jet Age Of Tomorrow - Orange Juice Simpson
18. Heathered Pearls - Beach Shelter
19. Lovespirals - Why Not Today?

Returning to the podcast feed after being away for months at a time (sometimes over a year) is something that I've done several times within the last few years, but this time feels somewhat different.  Perhaps it's the delicate nature of life in general as a global health pandemic and increasing social and racial unrest threaten to take us all hostage while election season ramps up in the States, but the need to be creative during this uncertain and unstable time has been lighting a fire under me.  It made sense to return with a set of instrumental tunes on the chill side of things, although one could argue that a number of these songs aren't necessarily as "tranquil" as the episode's title would lead one to believe.

I freely admit that there's some nervous energy to some of these selections, but it mirrors the unease of society right now.  The glitches and twitches that can be heard in the Yoggyone Remix of UKU's "Forest 5am" remind me of moving with caution through a world where COVID-19 constantly reminds us why it's imperative to do so.  The bleeps and squelches of Lavender Worm's "Hot Barbeque" remind me of the need to have fun and be silly, to carve out a space where moments like that can exist in the midst of so much confusion and frustration.  Then there are songs that just SLAP, like Presto's "Smooth Flow."  It's a song that I first came across over a decade ago on IODAPromonet (a podsafe music source that went extinct back in 2013) and still makes me bob my head to the point of where it may permanently separate from my neck.  Vocal samples weave their way in and out of these songs, but I let Lovespirals have the last word with their new single "Why Not Today?"

Considering how volatile the world is right now, even the noisiest moments of this mix are tranquil in comparison.  Hopefully, these selections will allow listeners to take a much-needed breather, even if only for an hour. 

ID drops courtesy of TGrundy, DarrenKeith, Kahlee, and EJ Flavors.  

Background music includes the following:

qpe - milk
BADLUCK - Vanity (instrumental) (CC BY 4.0) 

Other key info:
Macedonia on Mixcloud
BSOTS on Bondfire Radio
Macedonia's guest mix for the SOUNDWAVE mix series
Joseph Aleo on Mixcloud

Radio BSOTS show #170 - Tranquil Beats: Wednesdays In August, 2016

Feedback: I hear that it's nice to receive some every once in a while.  Please feel free to get in touch via email, Twitter, or leave a voice message on the Speakpipe page.

You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options:
RSS feed ||| Apple Podcasts ||| Spotify ||| Google Podcasts ||| Stitcher ||| TuneIn ||| iHeartRadio

Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

After Episode #169 hit the Web in June of 2018, everything went quiet for the BSOTS podcast feed, but it's not like I planned it that way.  Consistency existed in the radio broadcast form of this show, with a new episode airing on Bondfire Radio every other Friday.  Meanwhile, the podcast feed has been no stranger to pregnant pauses between episodes over the past few years.  I used to refer to it as "podghosting" - just disappearing from the scene for months at a time only to pop up in someone's podcatcher of choice unannounced like everything was normal.  A lot has happened since I first started this show in August of 2005.  Even though I was releasing two episodes a month in the early days, I never wanted to record an episode just to record one.  It was important for me to know that I had something to say, that there was a purpose behind whatever episode that I was releasing next.  As the years progressed and the length of time between episodes grew from weeks to months, that belief of not speaking until I have something to say became more entrenched in my being.  I haven't changed my opinion where the podcast is concerned, but it's more than that.

I had a really good talk with my best friend while I was typing this and we discovered that we were experiencing the same creative crisis.  We had become isolated and separated from those that inspired us, those that helped spark our creative energy.  Between that isolation and the weekly routine of squandering energy at our respective day jobs (never getting back the same amount that we put in), it's no wonder why we found ourselves in a place of creative apathy.  And then there's the question of "who's going to actually care about this?"  I haven't said it out loud, but in a world of hundreds of thousands of podcasts, that thought has certainly kept me from releasing a new episode until now.

So this is me getting back to home base and back to basics.  This is me fighting off creative apathy and self-doubt.  This is me reminding myself that I am so much more than a customer service rep during the day.  This is me reminding myself not to neglect what I had before I had a radio show.  This is me remembering that the podcast was the place where I could get personal.  This is me slowly reintroducing myself to what it was that I loved about podcasting in the first place.  They say that you can't go home again, but I need to give this a shot, to reclaim the space that I had carved out for myself back when it was a lot harder to do so, back when I didn't have high-speed internet or a computer capable of having iTunes installed and I still made it work because I wanted to be a part of this THAT much.

I figured that I would ease myself back into the podosphere with a mix of chilled out instrumental music for chaotic times such as these.  Should you feel the need to take a breather, this one's for you.  Thank you for listening.

This episode's track list:

1.  Beautiful Eulogy - A Bridge Between
2.  Kratos Himself - Emerald City
3.  Oddisee - The Carter Barron
4.  Onra - Lying Besides You
5.  J57 - Bravery
6.  Damu The Fudgemunk - Colorful Storms (Official Mix)
7.  Jonny Faith - Slumber
8.  Willy Sunshine - Back
9.  Georgia Anne Muldrow - Pad Kontrol
10. Tall Black Guy - From Home, To Work, And Back...
11. Letherette - Blad
12. SpyMusic - The Start Of Something Big
13. Weedy of 40 Winks - For Us
14. Romare - Nina's Dream
15. Dr. Who Dat? - Braziliant Thought
16. Brian Auger - Fire In The Mind
17. Lovespirals - Breath Of Life
18. Late Era - Verde

ID drops courtesy of Kahlee, Mr. Ivory Snow, DarrenKeith, and EJ Flavors.
Background music includes the following:

Peter Bark - sega genesis
BADLUCK - Vanity (instrumental)

Other key info:

The Weeksville Project
Macedonia on Mixcloud
Radio BSOTS on Bondfire Radio
BSOTS on Bondfire archives and subscription feed

Radio BSOTS show #166 - Tranquil Beats: Tuesdays In August, 2016

Feedback is a blessing.  Please feel free to get in touch via email, Twitter, or leave a voice message on the Speakpipe page.

In August of last year, I served as the guest curator for the Tranquil Beats playlist series on Bondfire Radio.  This episode of Radio BSOTS features the cuts I chose to play on a Tuesday throughout that month.

There are far too many reasons to keep chill out tunes within your reach these days.  Hopefully, this mix is able to meet you where you're at and take you somewhere else, if need be.  Either that or keep your soul and spirit stabilized in that good place.  For anyone who missed the first mix of tunes played on Mondays in August, you can find that episode here.


Download link

You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options:
RSS | iTunes | Stitcher | Tune In | Google Play Music | iHeartRadio

Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Google+

This episode's track list:

1.  Joakim - Peter Pan Over The Bronx {Bandcamp}
2.  Om Unit - Fumes {Bandcamp}
3.  Flying Lotus - Camel {iTunes}
4.  Samiyam - dartgun {Bandcamp}
5.  J Dilla - One Eleven {Bandcamp}
6.  Molo - Glisten {Bandcamp}
7.  Quasimoto - Low Class Conspiracy {Stones Throw}
8.  Maverick - When Speakers Spoke {Bandcamp}
9.  James Pants - Light My Fire {Stones Throw}
10. Rory More - Lazlo Gets Close {iTunes}
11. Dotmatic - The Night On Fire {Bandcamp}
12. Alain Goraguer - Ten Et Tiwa {iTunes}
13. Kruder & Dorfmeister - High Noon {iTunes}
14. will.i.am - Lost Change {iTunes}
15. Lost Midas - Broken Peace Is {Bandcamp}
16. Comfort Fit - The Holy Moment {Bandcamp}
17. Danny Scrilla - Rigel 7 (VIP) {Bandcamp}
18. Scarper - Lacuna (Radio Edit) {Bandcamp}
19. Dana Boulé - 164 Steps To Awesome {Free Music Archive}

ID drop courtesy of TGrundy.  Background music is BADLUCK - Vanity (instrumental).

Items mentioned within this episode:

Radio BSOTS show #165

Other key info:

Macedonia on Mixcloud
Macedonia's Tumblr Page
Radio BSOTS on Bondfire Radio
BSOTS on Bondfire archives and subscription feed

Radio BSOTS show #162 - Tranquil Beats: Mondays In August, 2016

Not even gonna front:  I LOVE me some feedback, so feel free to get in touch via email, Twitter, or leave a voice message on the Speakpipe page.

Early on in 2016, Bondfire Radio began a playlist series called Tranquil Beats.  Focused on chilled out instrumental music, this playlist opens and closes the broadcast day Monday through Friday (9 a.m. and 12 midnight, EST).  A new guest curator is invited to select music to feature every month.  I took on the guest curator role for August of 2016.

Normally, Bondfire asks for individual songs from the guest curator that are played in whatever order they see fit.  From the website, listeners can see both the artist name and song titles as they play.  This episode features my Tranquil Beats picks that were played on Mondays in August, but they are presented in more of a mix tape style rather than a playlist one.  This is not the same order in which the songs were originally broadcast on Bondfire, either.  I just felt like the podcast audience should have something a little different.

This show is dedicated to all my USA heads who will be suffering from P.T.S.D. due to the 2016 presidential election campaign.  We all need a moment to decompress and I certainly hope that the songs within this episode can help with that effort.



Download this file

You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options:
RSS | iTunes | Stitcher | Tune In | Google Play Music

Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: Twitter | Facebook | Google+

This episode's track list:

1.  Jon Phonics - "Candy Coupe" (2014) {Bandcamp}
2.  Darondo - "I Don't Want To Leave feat. Tall Black Guy (Sure Know How To Love Me Re-Edit)" (2013) {Bandcamp}
3.  Keyboard Kid - "Life's Real World 2 Gil" (2012)
4.  BADBADNOTGOOD - "Speaking Gently" (2016) {Bandcamp}
5.  ELWD - "citystreetflower" (2016) {Bandcamp}
6.  The Stuyvesants - "Sunrise In The Stuy" (2010)
7.  Submerse - "Fumes" (2014) {Bandcamp}
8.  Dabrye - "Piano" (2006) {iTunes}
9.  Karriem Riggins - "12's in 8" (2008}
10.  Darkhouse Family - "Disco Duck" (2016) {Bandcamp}
11.  Denaun Porter - "jUsT 4 dA hAwAiI eVeNiNg" (2013) {Bandcamp}
12.  fLako - "Humming" (2011) {Bandcamp}
13.  Def Dee - "Rain" (2011)
14.  Alain Goraguer - "Le Bracelet" (2014) {iTunes}
15.  Ultramarine - "Nova Scotia" (1991) {iTunes}
16.  Sepalcure - "See Me Feel Me" (2011) {iTunes}
17.  Mount Bank - "We Could Be Real" (2016) {Bandcamp}
18.  Big La vs. Todd - "Death Wish" (2016) {Bandcamp}
19.  Nangdo - "1st 2 Know" (2010) {Free Music Archive}
20.  Tha Silent Partner - "Love really?" (2016) {Free Music Archive}

ID drop courtesy of TGrundy.  Theme music courtesy of Cy Tru.  Background music featured is "Vanity (Instrumental)" by BADLUCK.

Other key info:

The Music Podcast Consortium's Facebook Fan Page
Macedonia on Mixcloud
Macedonia's Tumblr Page
Radio BSOTS on Bondfire Radio
BSOTS on Bondfire archives and subscription feed
Anji Bee on Mixcloud
Joseph Aleo's Journey To Tranquility mix
Gaming Looks Good YouTube series