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.

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.

184 - Jazzy Jeff Among The Copyleft

 

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.  Classic (Co-produced by Jazzy Jeff) by Shad + Skratch Bastid [Bandcamp] (CC-BY) (2013)

2.  My Dreams by Ultimate Fantastic [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2017)

3.  Hide by Ohad Slavin [Digital Diamonds] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2023)

4.  You Are Enough by Niki J Crawford [Jamendo] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2024)

5.  Ghost Of An Instant by DJ Enki [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC) (2023)

6.  Sake Bomb (feat. Jade Gritty & AURC) by Tab [Jamendo] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2023)

7.  Regal Bounce by Moki McFly [blocSonic] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2023)

Continuing with the theme of Seven To Consider for any episodes featuring all Creative Commons music just feels right.  Seven songs isn't an overwhelming number of tunes that are likely to be unfamiliar to most listeners.  Hopefully, it's just enough to leave people wanting more.  And as often as possible, I like to include selections that feature recognizable names.  The Shad & Skratch Bastid cut that kicks off the show features a co-production credit from DJ Jazzy Jeff.  Other hip-hop cuts within this episode include the uptempo electronic-enhanced "My Dreams" from Ultimate Fantastic (one could argue that it's slightly hip-house in its approach) and DJ Enki's  "Ghost Of An Instant," which could be a favorite with fans of early work from DJ Shadow and RJD2.

Ohad Slavin's "Hide" is a midtempo hypnotic cut from the Digital Diamonds netlabel that straddles the line betweeen techno and house.  "You Are Enough" by Niki J Crawford is uplifting motivational soul that the world can use right now.  Tab's "Sake Bomb" is one of the highlights of this episode:  a sultry and trippy downtempo song that calls for constant rewinds.  And then there's the drum and bass banger "Regal Bounce" by Moki McFly.  It comes from last year's blocSonic netlabel release Tabernacle Sanctuary Alligator Soufflé, which won the 2024 Creative Commons Community Music Award for Album Of The Year.  If any of these tunes pique your interest about the artists or labels featured within this episode, then my work here is done.

Theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia).  ID drops from Kahlief Adams and Herb Brooks.

Other BSOTS episodes referenced include:
Show #175:  Does Music Belong In Podcasting?
Show #178 - Creative Commons Gems From Public Enemy And Nikki Giovanni
Show #183 - Life At Camp Lo-Fi:  The Last Nine Years
FLASHBACK:  Both Sides On Bondfire

Other key info:
Bloc Discovery Sessions
Culture War Radio
Netlabel Day
Queue Points

Music by SoulProdMusic from Pixabay

This work is licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Life At Camp Lo-Fi: The Last 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.  Minor Event by Nangdo [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2010)

2.  Where The Love Is (ft. Dale Novella) by Mikal Amin [Bandcamp] (2019)

3.  Stroll by Exmiranda [Jamendo] (CC-BY-NC) (2018)

4.  Home Is Free by Soul Inscribed [Bandcamp] (2020)

5.  Guaranteed (feat. Ace Hashimoto) by Devin Morrison [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2019)

6.  It's Not Fair (Feat. Illspokinn) by Core Rhythm & Zajazza [Bandcamp] (2020)

7.  Socks by Shlohmo [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2009)

8.  INSTANT CLASSIC (Intro) / Tip Jar by CM & Tha Silent Partner [blocSonic] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2021)

9.  Alright Anyway Ft. Taelor Gray by SHON THA PHENOM [Jamendo] (CC-BY-NC) (2022)

This episode is the second of a two-part series looking back on 18 years of Radio BSOTS.  Truth be told, the second half of the BSOTS life span is largely defined by inconsistency on the podcast feed and finding a regular groove on the broadcast side of the equation due to joining Bondfire Radio in 2015.  Being a part of that radio family felt bigger than BSOTS and I wanted to be a team player.  One might say that I ghosted my own podcast, but I came back to the feed when I felt like I had something to say.  And when I couldn't find the right words, I let the music speak.

The selections included in this episode are all from artists that I've played in the past.  Nangdo and Shlohmo both provide some stellar beat business found on the Free Music Archive.  The moodiness of Shlohmo's "Socks" feels murky and disoriented while "Minor Event" by Nangdo plays around with brighter tones and vocal harmonies.  Over on Jamendo, Canadian artist Exmiranda offers up a hynotic, hip-shaking cut in "Stroll" and Shon Tha Phenom turns the power of positive thinking into the anthmemic "Alright Anyway."  Meanwhile, I used to play Devin Morrison's music on my Bondfire broadcasts years before I found out that his work is released under a Creative Commons license.  "Guaranteed" is warm and soulful and feels like the nervous energy one gets when trying to play it cool around someone that they're attracted to.

It was important for me to represent for the music of Mikal Amin, Mtume Gant, and Baba Israel on this episode.  All three of them spoke to me separately about being a part of Bondfire Radio, but long before that, they were all good friends of mine and artists that I had in mind when starting this podcast.  Their recorded output and live performances rekindled my love for hip-hop at a time when I thought that I was done with it.  CM & Tha Silent Partner represent another shining example of hip-hop that can reaffirm or reestablish one's faith in the genre.  Their blocSonics E.P. remains one of the sonic highlights of the blocSonic netlabel's back catalog.  I still can't get over the fact that a clip from one of my early podcast episodes kicks off their follow-up release, blocSonics 2!

The last nine years have been full of highs and lows for this podcast, but I'm just thankful that it's still here.  Although I take some time to tell my story, the music is still the star of the show and I hope that you find a new favorite artist or song as you listen.

Previous BSOTS episodes mentioned include:
Show #144 - Project: Mooncircle
Show #164 - Cupid Hunt's 2017:  grass ain't greener...
Show #175 - Does Music Belong In Podcasting?
Show #179 - In Conversation With Douglas Whitfield (pt. one)
Show #182 - Life At Camp Lo-Fi:  The First Nine Years

Other key info:
Macedonia on Mixcloud
Black Men Win episode with Jason Smith
Friends Of CC Music episode with Jason Smith
In The Mix With Leah B.
The Bloc Report
The Bugcast
Afros & Audio
Black Podcasters Association

Theme music produced by Cy Tru and edited by Macedonia.  ID drops courtesy of Chyll Will, DarrenKeith, and Morganics.  Background music includes "Infinity 2" by Techniken Defunkus.

Music by SoulProdMusic from Pixabay

This work is licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

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.

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