189 - Sonic Solace For The Summer

 

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.  Kieron by Alphabets Heaven [WotNot] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2018)

2.  Laces by Alphabets Heaven [WotNot] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2018)

3.  Yellowish by Warik [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2025)

4.  LIFE IS A RHYTHM (feat. Cazeaux O.S.L.O) (Radio Mix 1) by Alexander Flood [Atjazz Record Co.] (CC-BY) (2024)

5.  DontLetGo by AMARAFLEUR [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2019)

6.  Energy by Cleveland Watkiss [Function Records UK] (CC-BY-SA) (2022)

7.  Peat by Rephazer [Kahvi Collective] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2024)

8.  Rhapsody In Blue (1924 Recording) Part 1 by George Gershwin and the Paul Whiteman Orchestra [Internet Archive]  (Public Domain Mark 1.0)

More often than not, just thinking about social media engagement makes me exhausted, but I've found reasons to hang out on Mastodon more than other platforms.  It mainly has to do with an active and growing indie music community, including music makers, music lovers, and tech developers that are often a combination of the former two categories.  It's just nice to witness them all speak to each other, brainstorm in real time, and make things happen.  No social media platform is perfect, but what I'm learning on Mastodon gives me incentive to make return visits and engage with the community while I'm there.  It also makes sense to share what I'm learning there with the BSOTS listening audience, particularly if the information is related directly to music appreciation, sonic curation, and/or media preservation.  

There's an embrace of open source tools on Mastodon as well as Creative Commons licensed works, and I have stumbled upon a number of great CC music releases since I've been there.  Respect due to Ryno The Bearded for putting me on to Warik, an artist that reminds me of the beauty of well-crafted pop music.  The jangly guitars, catchy lyrics, and soulful bump of "Yellowish" have made it worthy of many rewinds on my player.  On the electronic side of things, there's Alphabets Heaven and their album Your Lifestyle, a gorgeous and sun-kissed psychedelic beat tape that straddles the fence between hip-hop and house.  Many of the songs on that release are brief, so I included two within this episode.  And I can't get over the crunchy programming of Rephazer's "Peat," full of foreboding bass tones and a lighter melody that floats right above the surface.

Half of the joy of searching through CC music websites is the discovery and surprise that happens along the way, but since you can't be everywhere at once, it's always helpful to tap into the tastes and preferences of other CC music fans.  I learned about AMARAFLEUR through watching one of her videos on the Friends Of CC Music YouTube channel.  Hailing from Johannesburg, South Africa, her left-of-center R&B displays a certain vulnerability that you can't turn away from.  "DontLetGo" benefits from Aule Whan's futuristic hip-hop styled production.  This is a head nod essential right here.  I also have been coming across some incredible drum and bass tunes lately, but I never thought I'd find a CC licensed joint featuring Cleveland Watkiss, arguably one of the most charismatic vocalists that the UK has given to the world.  "Energy" is a well orchestrated jazz stepper and a no-brainer to include within this episode.  

Live jazz for the dance floor is delivered in top form courtesy of Australia's Alexander Flood.  "Life Is A Rhythm" is a peak hour tune made with the house heads in mind.  The episode concludes with a rendition of "Rhapsody In Blue" that entered the public domain earlier this year.  It's rare that you get to hear a sound recording in the public domain from 90 years ago that represents the composer's original artistic intention, but this version of the composition actually features George Gershwin on piano.  It's amazing that this classic work is available for all of us to access and interact with now.  This is why I continue to crate dig within the CC music virtual bins:  you'd be amazed at the familiar names or few that you'll find.  Trust and believe that your curiosity for CC music discovery will always be rewarded.  With all of that said, here's hoping that you will enjoy the show and I thank you so much for listening.

Theme music edited by macedonia (originally produced by cy tru).  ID drop courtesy of Kahlee.  

Other key info:

Macedonia on Mastodon
Macedonia on Mixcloud
Radio BSOTS show no. 187 - Testing The Waters
Radio BSOTS show no. 188 - Netlabel Day Radio Takeover (2024)
Banjee Boombox presents All Things Audio
Netlabel Day
They Reminisce Over You
2 Clowns In A Closet
Remembering Radio Free Fedi
Radio Free Fedi Fest '25

Background music by SoulProdMusic from Pixabay.

Additional music by Coma-Media from Pixabay

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

188 - Netlabel Day Radio Takeover (2024)

 

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**

On July 14, 2024, I participated in a 51-hour marathon live stream on Netlabel Day Radio.  It was my first time hosting a live radio show since my final broadcast for Bondfire Radio back in late December of 2023, so this was a big deal to me.  Both Sides Of The Surface took over the stream for two hours representing for Creative Commons licensed music from various netlabels such as blocSonic, Mahorka, Silent Flow, Upitup, and Southern City's Lab.  The majority of the selections were found on Bandcamp and the Free Music Archive along with a pair of cuts from Jamendo.  Many of these artists have been played on the podcast before, but at least half of this playlist contains songs that are brand new to the show.  (There are a total of 31 tracks featured and I spent the entire month of March sharing these cuts on my Mastodon page, posting one track per day and occasionally playing catch up on any days that I missed.)



I do have to point out that "Noumenon" by Lovespirals was under a CC license at the time of the live stream, but was changed to "All rights reserved" shortly thereafter, so technically it's the only song on the playlist that's not a Creative Commons tune.  I can't be too upset about that, though:  it's Lovespirals, a duo whose music I've been championing for almost as long as this podcast has existed.  Everything else bears a CC license and ranges from hip-hop to soul to spoken word to electronic to experimental sound collages.  There are also a few live cuts as well, including moments from Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab performing at WFMU's Monty Hall and legendary hip-hop duo EPMD running through their hits as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties Festival.  Other notable artists in the mix include the late, great Nikki Giovanni, Devin Morrison, Rah Digga, and Negativland, plus guest appearances from Oddisee and Del The Funky Homosapien.



There's a lot of variety here and I hope that there's something presented in the mix that you will enjoy.  Thank you so much for listening and a huge thank you to my man Omar Willey of Netlabel Day for letting a brother come through and share some tunes on his radio stream.

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

1.  Meridian Sound (Part Three) (Live at WFMU) by Lushlife [Free Music Archive] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2012)

2.  Zo0o0o0p​!​!​! feat. Oddisee by Kidkanevil [Bandcamp] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2010)

3.  Rose Joint by Shad + Datsunn [Bandcamp] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2024)

4.  The Price by Scuare x sow [Bandcamp] (CC BY 3.0) (2022)

5.  Dark Step by 85 [Bandcamp] (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) (2012)

6.  Angela Davis (Produced by J-Pilot) by Rah Digga [Free Music Archive] (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) (2018)

7.  Noumenon by Lovespirals [Bandcamp] (2024)

8.  Stars by BeatLove [Silent Flow] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2011)

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

10. No Map Territories by Cosmic Analog Ensemble [Upitup] (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) (2013)

11. No by Devin Morrison [Bandcamp] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2019)

12. Propaganda by CM & Tha Silent Partner [blocSonic] (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) (2014)

13. TimesUp feat. Tab by Anitek [Jamendo] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2023)

14. keep_it_real by lojii [Bandcamp] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2021)

15. NO COMPASS by Yung Miss [Bandcamp] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2021)

16. ONE OF THOSE DAYS by Yung Miss [Bandcamp] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2021)

17. Please Listen To My Demo (Live at ATP 2008) by EPMD [Free Music Archive] (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

18. Richter Scale (Live at ATP 2008) by EPMD [Free Music Archive] (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

19. Don't Call Me [Alternate Version] by Ankhle Conscious [Bandcamp] (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) (2024)

20. 30:5 / moonshine ft. chadah-hadassah by Yashiyah [Bandcamp] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2022)

21. In the Spirit of Martin by Nikki Giovanni [Free Music Archive] (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) (2009)

22. Ridiculous Love by Niki J Crawford [Jamendo] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2016)

23. Check Your Math by DJ Spooky [Free Music Archive] (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) (2013)

24. Proto Culture 2.0 (feat. Del The Funky Homosapien) by Mega Ran [Bandcamp] (CC BY 3.0) (2020)

25. Sailing by Cheese [blocSonic] (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) (2018)

26. Turn The Channel, It's Another Commercial by The Bran Flakes [Free Music Archive] (CC BY-NC 3.0) (2010)

27. Richard Nixon Died Today by Negativland [Free Music Archive] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2008)

28. Eternal Recurrence by Moki McFly [Mahorka] (CC BY-NC 3.0) (2020)

29. Staring at Heaven's Gate by CLOUDWARMER [Bandcamp] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2023)

30. Undying Love For Humanity (Live at Monty Hall) by Laetitia Sadier Source Ensemble [Free Music Archive] (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) (2017)

31. Sleeping In The Yard by Artem Bemba [Southern City's Lab] (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) (2017)
 

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

186 - Download While You Can

 

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.  Outer Dark by Wizard Of Loneliness [Business Casual] (CC-BY-SA) (2024)

2.  Unfolding by A. Billi Free & Uncle_EL [Eye Mija Productions] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2020)

3.  Evil by Coldreavers [Trippin' The Rift] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2011)

4.  Invade Your Soul by Lavoura [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2011)

5.  spring by king britt presents scuba [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2008)

Most of my waking moments are spent thinking about music appreciation, sonic curation, and media preservation:  not only as separate concepts, but also regarding how they intersect.  I recently came to the realization that it's awfully strange that I don't talk about these things more often on the show.  And then some strange occurrences in the world of music, podcasting, and online archiving took place over the past month.  Suddenly, I had the perfect excuse to express some observations and concerns about it all while sharing some Creative Commons selections with the listeners.

Spotify removing over 500 podcast episodes from their platform because of music isn't surprising, but the fact that the podsafe episodes weren't spared is what's annoying me to no end (particularly considering that this is happening while they continually devalue music and the artists that create it via payout pittances for single and album streams).  There was also a story about hundreds of thousands of online hip-hop mixtapes disappearing almost overnight without explanation.  If that weren't enough, a recent cyberattack knocked the Internet Archive offline in October, but staff have been providing weekly updates via their blog as services are restored slowly but surely.  (For those that need the Cliff Notes version of what's been going on with the Internet Archive, check out the four-minute clip below from Fireship's YouTube channel.)

Seeing as how the Internet Archive is one of my go-to sources for Creative Commons licensed music, I had to incorporate a handful of CC cuts into the show to help move things along.  "Evil" by Coldreavers is a hidden gem found while digging through the Archive, a brooding piece of downtempo that features a first-hand account from a jilted lover.  Released through the Trippin' The Rift netlabel about 13 years ago, it sounds like it hasn't aged a day (and I really need to find out who's responsible for the vocals on this one).  Meanwhile, "Invade Your Soul" is jazz-infused electronica from São Paulo, Brazil's Lavoura.  The stuttered patterns of the programmed drums have a broken beat feel and I fell hard for this cut right away.  Then there's the infectious pop of "Outer Dark" by Wizard Of Loneliness.  Between the bright organ sounds, the punch of the snare pads, and the hazy vocals, it's a winner right out the gate.  It's just one of many ridiculously catchy tunes being released by the Business Casual label this year and a great example of why I keep coming back to that label to hear more.

The combined forces of producer Uncle El and vocalist A. Billi Free are responsible for "Unfolding," one of those cuts that feels grounded and airborne at the same time.  It's left-leaning hip-hop with a lyrical bend towards peeling back personal layers and allowing for growth and vulnerability.  The show closes out with some ocean floor deep techno courtesy of master curator, producer and professor King Britt.  "Spring" is a song that he recorded under his Scuba moniker for the Philly Time! compilation released on the Unfoundsound netlabel back in 2008.  

This episode represents a slight departure from the usual order of things around these parts, but I feel really good about this one.  It could be the start of a new structure for future episodes.  By all means, please let me know your thoughts on this one and thank you so much for listening.

Theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia).  ID drops from EJ Flavors and Thad Reid.

Other key info:
BSOTS show #175 - Does Music Belong In Podcasting?
BSOTS show #182 - Life At Camp Lo-Fi:  The First Nine Years
BSOTS on Bondfire Radio broadcast archives
Libsyn's The Feed podcast episode no. 277
Hip-Hop Can Save America - Exclusive: Datpiff Hip-Hop Mixtape Archive Disappears Overnight
2024 Black Podcasting Awards Ceremony
Netwaves

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.

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.

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

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 #173 - BUCKWILD: how i spent my summer staycation...

 

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.  Big La Vs. Todd - The Broken Construct (Intro)
2.  G&D (Georgia Anne Muldrow & Declaime) - Slave Revolt Soundtrack
3.  Amerigo Gazaway - Indivisible (CC BY 3.0)
4.  Sir Tumes - Kill The Messenger
5.  Mikal Amin - COVID-16
6.  Phresoul - Trump-Pence
7.  KRTS - If This Was Your Child
8.  C-Doc - Ain't Gettin Enough / March On, Amerika / Hard To Here (CC BY 4.0)
9.  skewbs - catch me when i fall
10. Zengineers - The Veil (Time Pipelines Pt. I)
11. Rah Digga - Angela Davis (Produced by J-Pilot) (CC BY 4.0)
12. Tha Silent Partner - Thanks A Lot (CC BY 4.0)

The Summer of 2020 (which I have been referring to as The Summer That Wasn't) definitely put me through some changes.  Being reminded of just how little Black life matters while dealing with the global health pandemic took a mental and emotional toll on me that I couldn't ignore.  This episode represents my way of dealing with it while holding onto the joy that this world (and particularly this nation) tries to steal away and claim for itself.

This one feels like a return to form.  Since it's clear that the RIAA have become the music podcast feds in 2020, my renewed interest in Creative Commons-licensed music couldn't have come at a better time.  Along with a few CC cuts in hand, I'm also going to bat for the work of good friends of mine.  There's an energy in this episode that reminds me of the excitement that I had about podcasting back when I first started.  Considering how upside down everything in the world feels to me right now, there's something reassuring about that.

ID drops courtesy of Anji Bee and Kahlief Adams.  Background music includes the following:

MUTE - Eeekin Days (CC BY 4.0)
Rest You Sleeping Giant - Withering (CC BY 4.0)
BADLUCK - Vanity (instrumental) (CC BY 4.0)

Other key info:
Macedonia on Mixcloud
BSOTS on Bondfire Radio
Radio BSOTS show #150 - A Blackout Friday Blends Session
Radio BSOTS show #169 - two weeks off from humanity...
Heat Rocks EP142: Jason Randall Smith on The Art of Noise’s “In Visible Silence” (1986)
Heat Rocks Third Year Anniversary Special

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:
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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 #169 - two weeks off from humanity...

Without feedback, I'm still not convinced that I'm just talking to myself in podcast form.  Please feel free to get in touch via email at radiobsots@gmail.com, Twitter, or leave a voice message on the Speakpipe page.

"Every day breathing in the United States is an away game for the Black man."
-Rich Medina, DJ/Producer/Poet, Beat Society Podcast, Episode No. 8

The title of this episode first came to mind back in July of 2016, shortly after the police killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.  Since then, it was put on the back burner and I knew I wanted to use it eventually.  After hearing that Brother Sterling's killers weren't being charged and then the police shooting of Stephon Clark in Sacramento, CA, as well as far too many incidences of 911 calls on my people for simply existing, it just made sense to put together a show during this moment in time...where Starbucks locations nationwide have to close for a day so that their employees can learn how to simply treat all people like human freaking beings.

I recorded the music mixes for the show back on April 4th, the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  The first part deals heavily with police brutality.  By extension, it also goes into what happens when Black people internalize the hatred that this nation has for us.  Sometimes that hatred is thrust upon each other in both subtle and overt ways.  The second part of the mix was inspired by the movie Black Panther, thinking about Africa, and wanting to make my own Wakandan soundtrack.

Keep in mind that I recorded the opening voice over about a month before the NFL ruling on protests protests while the National Anthem is being played.  Seems like the longer I waited to release this episode, the more relevant it became.  Seeing as how I prefer to not have to make episodes like these at all, I really wish that weren't the case.

Should there be someone in your life working through the confusion, rage, sadness, and (let's just call it what it is) PTSD that comes with being Black in America, please share this episode with them.



Download link

You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options:
RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | 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.  Courtney Pine - A Word To The Wise {Bandcamp}
2.  MUTE - Brothers (Version 4) {Free Music Archive}
3.  KRTS - Serve And Protect feat. Mad Flows {Bandcamp}
4.  Mos Emvy - Hands Held High {FREE DOWNLOAD}
5.  Noname - Casket Pretty {Bandcamp}
6.  jitwam. - youkilledmyson [feat. loretta smith] {Bandcamp}
7.  C-Doc - Drugs By Roman Candlelight {Free Music Archive}
8.  Propaganda - Darkie (feat. Micah Bournes & Jackie Hill Perry) {iTunes}
9.  Brother Ali - Dear Black Son {Bandcamp}
10. Jamila Woods - Blk Girl Soldier {Bandcamp}
11. ClassicBeatz - For Sandra {Bandcamp}
12. Dr. Who Dat? - Deep Blaque {Bandcamp}
13. Clap! Clap! - Kabwe Beats (Paranam Mix) {Bandcamp}
14. Rocket Juice & The Moon - Dam(n) {iTunes}
15. Claude Delcloo/Arthur Jones - Africanasia, Pt. 1 (Excerpt) {iTunes}
16. Orono - Live At Nyawara {Free Music Archive}
17. DJ Khalab - Zaire (Will LV Remix) {Bandcamp}
18. Dexter Story - Xamar {Bandcamp}
19. Kaidi Tatham - We All Breathe The Same Air {Bandcamp}
20. Rambler 1976 - Angela Davis {Free Music Archive}


ID drops courtesy of Kahlief Adams and Kahlee.  Background music includes "Vanity (instrumental)" by BADLUCK.

Other key info:

Macedonia on Mixcloud
Radio BSOTS on Bondfire Radio
BSOTS on Bondfire archives and subscription feed