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

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

Welcome to Camp Lo-Fi...again...

Simply claiming this spot in cyberspace for myself, an extension of home base that allows me to be more flexible with how this podcast is presented.

Hip-hop at the core.  Soul and funk as protective layers.  Electronic music for a comfy robe.  And jazz weaving its way in and out of the gaps.

If you love the aforementioned genres, then I encourage you to check out the show and tell a friend.  Social media continuity can be found via Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and Tumblr.  If you care to subscribe, Radio BSOTS is located within within the iTunes podcast directory and is available to stream via Mixcloud.  For all my smartphone massive on the check-in, this show can also be found on Stitcher Radio as well as Tune In.

Sometimes it's best to just let the music do the talking, so if you've never heard the show before, here's what you can expect...

Radio BSOTS show #146 - These Past Few Months... by Macedonia on Mixcloud