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Galactic Travels Monthly Special Focus Log - 2012


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The Special Focus for January was
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cyberCHUMP is the electro-organic duo of Jim Skeel and Mark G.E. They explore aural soundscapes of rhythm and moment. Subterrainian atmospherics give way to driving space melodies, at once a mix of science beats, ambient texture, and cinematic themes.

The duo's music evokes place, time, and mood, utilizing the studio as an instrument to enhance traditional organic instruments. Jim tends to focus on electric guitar and keyboards. Mark tends to work with bass and keyboards.

They count Brian Eno, Harold Budd, and Robert Fripp among their influences. Their interests include cinema, exploration, and moving forward.
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Featured CD at Midnight by Week
All albums are on Internal Combustion Records.
Date Title
01/05 Scientists in the Trees
01/12 Secrets To Tell You
01/19 Sankhara
01/26 Our Wizards of Earth

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The Special Focus for February was
Paul Nagle
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After touring the USA in a choir in his youth, Paul began to compose and perform electronic, experimental music in late 1970s. A leading figure in the UK electronic music scene, he released his early albums on cassette (remember those?) and performed at the legendary first UK Electronica festival in 1983. He has, over the years, released many new age / chillout and electronic albums, often in collaboration with other musicians.

With an emphasis on live spontaneity, Paul has performed at Jodrell Bank Planetarium (UK), the Alpha Centauri Festival (Holland), Different Skies (Arizona, USA), the Harmonia Festival (Spain) and at the Ricochet Gathering events in Italy, Croatia, Romania and more. With collaborations that include the bands Binar (with Andy Pickford), Joint Intelligence Committee (with Phil Smillie), Ideation (with Pete Ruczynski) and Headshock (with Tim Rafferty), he has gained a vast amount of experience in both composition, production and performance.

Sound On Sound magazine regularly reaps the benefit of this long experience: Paul is a highly respected reviewer of musical instruments, effects and software. Paul has also notched up programming credits for Roland, Access, DSI and Waldorf and has provided technical input to Steinberg, Access, Waldorf and most recently UK company Sequentix, in the development of the P3 and Cirklon sequencers.

Turning to music and writing full-time, he has recently embraced the world of Apple, running Logic, Ableton Live, Wavelab and softsynths such as Omnisphere, Reaktor, Alchemy, Predator and Kontakt. Of course, the hardware side of the studio is still close to hand, integrated beautifully with the Mac thanks to the Sequentix Cirklon sequencer.

Paul has been a Special Focus on Galactic Travels before:
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Featured CD at Midnight by Week
Date Title Label
02/02 CyberDiver NeuHarmony
02/09 Red Book NeuHarmony
02/16 Blue Book NeuHarmony
02/23 Twilight BogusFocus

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The Special Focus for March was
Mark Jenkins
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A leading figure in the UK's electronic music scene for over 20 years, Mark Jenkins has performed as a member of WHITE NOISE and with singer ARTHUR BROWN and members of Can, Gong, Van Der Graaf Generator, and Tangerine Dream. He is the author of the acclaimed book and CD "ANALOG SYNTHESIZERS" and is the first musician in the world to release a CD created entirely on the Apple iPad.

Mark has created music for concert performances, advertising, TV and CD releases and has performed at the London Planetarium, London Royal Greenwich Observatory Planetarium, London South Bank, Carnegie Science Center Pittsburgh, National Theatre Brazil, and in France, Holland and China.

Mark will making his second appearance at the Soundscapes Concert Series this month. He will play live on Galactic Travels on the 22nd and will be playing other concerts in the area.

Mark has been a Special Focus on Galactic Travels before:
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Featured CD at Midnight by Week
Date Title Label
03/01 Mexico Rising AMP Records
03/08 Moog Meditations AMP Records
03/15 This Island Earth Ricochet Dream
03/22 Ghosts of Mars Ricochet Dream
03/29 The iPad Album AMP Records

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The Special Focus for April was

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Wave World is a Dutch multimedia project attracting attention for its fascinating music and enchanting shows. During live performances, their impressive music is blended with computer-generated graphics of a virtual world, projected on a huge screen.

Wave World's extraordinary music style can best be described as modern space music with dance influences. The enthralling shows carry the audience away to an alien world, that might exist in another time and another dimension

Wave World will play a concert at the Soundscapes Concert Series on April 22. The band will play live on Galactic Travels on the 19th and will be playing other concerts in the area.

Wave World has been a Special Focus on Galactic Travels before:
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Featured CD at Midnight by Week
Date Title
04/05 Sphere
04/12 Another Strange Day On Gonxa
04/19 The Winds of Laax
04/26 Tableaux

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The Special Focus for May was
Broekhuis, Keller, and Schonwalder

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Broekhuis, Keller, and Schönwälder consists of Dutch drummer/percussionist and sound technician Bas Broekhuis, German keyboard player and sequencing specialist Detlef Keller, and German sound designer Mario Schönwälder.

Since September 1994, these three can be found on stage on a regular basis having performed in France, the UK, Poland, the Netherlands, Italy, and Germany. They have a discography that includes ten albums.

These three friends always have a lot of fun with their musical adventures. Broekhuis and Keller have a technical background, developing, altering, and repairing instruments and other electronic devices. They do the bulk of the programming in the band. Schönwälder is the organizational mind, taking care of album releases, concert planning, and the oh so beloved bookkeeping.

BK&S will play a concert at the Soundscapes Concert Series on May 11. The band will play live on Galactic Travels on May 10 and will be playing other concerts in the area.
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Featured CD at Midnight by Week
Date Title
05/03 Orange
05/10 Live @ Dorfkirche Repelen
05/17 Live @ Dorfkirche Repelen 2 - disk 1
05/24 Live @ Dorfkirche Repelen 2 - disk 2
05/31 Red

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The Special Focus for June was
mindSpiral

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MindSpiral consists of an ever changing set of world class electronic musicians. Each year, Mike Metlay invites some talented musicians to spend a week composing and preparing for a concert at the Fiske Planetarium.

Mike Metlay led Team Metlay (the first "hypergroup") in the 1990s. He created Different Skies in the 21st century. This is an experimental music festival that brings together an international set of electronic musicians every year at Arcosanti, Arizona. MindSpiral is yet another of Mike's musical organizations. With a changing cast of characters, results are different from year to year, yet always exciting and interesting.
Featured CD at Midnight by Week
Date Title
06/07 the 1 is silent
06/14 it's come 2 this
06/21 Triangulum
06/28 Curiosa Positronica

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The Special Focus for July was
RADIO MASSACRE INTERNATIONAL
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Radio Massacre International is Steve Dinsdale (Keyboards, Electronics, Drums) Duncan Goddard (Keyboards, Electronics, Bass) and Gary Houghton (Guitar, Keyboards). Since 1993 they have been building a catalogue of epic electronic improvisations, distilled into permanent records by the wonders of digital editing.

After accumulating a library of 30 such pieces they finally released the double CD Frozen North in late 1995, and appeared live for the first time at the Emma festival in Sheffield. The band was also featured on the BBC's World Service, thus finding a truly international radio audience for the first time. RMI had a website long before it was obligatory, and this has enabled the forging of relationships with listeners, promoters and radio stations across the world.

Veterans of TV, radio, and concert performances all over the UK, Europe, and the US,

Click on the name or photo above to go to the artist's web site.

RMI have been a Special Focus on Galactic Travels before:
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Featured CD at Midnight by Week
Date Title
07/05 Lost in Transit 1 - The Gatherings 2004
07/12 Lost in Transit 2 - National Space Centre 2005
07/19 Lost in Transit 3 - National Space Centre 2006
07/26 Lost in Transit 4 - Damo

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The Special Focus for August was
::::] THE TANGENT PROJECT [::::
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The Tangent Project consists of Jeff Coulter (electronics) and Harrison McKay (guitar). They have been a part of the Philadelphia Spacemusic scene for more than 25 years. Jeff played in the cosmic music duo Tangent with Chris Schwartz. Jeff composed ethereal dance music was a solo Ambient musician.

Working together, they experiment with sounds and textures reminiscent of the classic Tangerine Dream albums Zeit and Phaedra. Their approach incorporates their own unique musical sensibilities and outlook. Jeff's sequencer work, synth pads, and melodies layer in multiple speeds. Harrison's processed guitar work employs atmospheric textures and fluid melodies. Their music is in constant flux, exploring dark and light textures and moods.

Click on the name or photo above to go to the artist's web site.
You can also visit the band on these social networks:
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Featured CD at Midnight by Week
Date Title
08/02 Return
08/09 Live on Star's End 02.24.08
08/16 Live - The Gatherings 05.17.08
08/23 Live on Star's End 12.06.09
08/30 Surface

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The Special Focus for September was
MANIKIN RECORDS
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Manikin Records is based in Berlin, Germany. Headed by Mario Schonwalder, this label is home to some of the best known names in electronic music. These artists have played concerts across Europe and in North America and receive airplay on all of the "major" electronic music radio shows.

The albums featured this month celebrate twenty years of Manikin Records. There are two double CD sets and each celebrates a decade of music.

See and hear the Special Focus Announcement.

Mankin Records have been a Special Focus on Galactic Travels before:
Click on the name or photo above to go to the label's web site.
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Featured CD at Midnight by Week
Date Title
09/06 First Decade 1992-2002 disk 1
09/13 First Decade 1992-2002 disk 2
09/20 Second Decade 2002-2012 disk 1
09/27 Second Decade 2002-2012 disk 2

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The Special Focus for October is
MODULATOR ESP
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Modulator Experimental Synthesis Project (Modulator ESP) is Jez Creek from Nottingham in the UK. He performs improvised music that explores the boundaries of dark ambient, drone, Berlin School sequencing, and noise using modular synthesis, real-time sampling, sound manipulation, and live looping.

Modulator ESP has been described variously as "vintage synth overload to propel you into the outer reaches of the cosmos" and "one man will descend to (this) earth in a hail of analogue synth tones; called upon from the singular consciousness of John Carpenter and Vangelis - like a 2046 dystopian dream with the optimism of Jean Michael Jarre, and his penguins."

When Modulator ESP discovered that there was more to EM than TD, Jarre, Pickford and Shreeve by finding bands like Arc, RMI, Redshift, Airsculpture, and Arcane, bands that were doing a more retro-styled improvisational take on EM, it came as a revelation to him. One of the reasons he'd left the band he was in was because he wanted to do something a bit more freeform. He knew he still wanted to play live but without playing along to pre-programmed, structured backing tracks.

Things started to snowball when he discovered certain synthesizers, both hardware and software, step sequencing, and delay processors.

Modulator ESP loves playing synths because he loves the electronic, synthetic, other worldly nature of the sounds. This makes Ambient, Berlin School EM the best style for his interests. He plans to stretch the boundaries by incorporating some of his progressive influences.

See and hear the Special Focus Announcement.

Modulator ESP has been a Special Focus on Galactic Travels before:
Click on the name or photo above to go to the artist's web site.
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Featured CD at Midnight by Week
Date Title
10/04 The Unknowing
10/11 Into the Matrix
10/18 Aurora
10/25 Beyond the Sunset

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The Special Focus for November was
PALANCAR
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Palancar, a.k.a. Darrell Burgan, is an electronic ambient musician from Texas who has recorded under his own name as well as under the name Palancar.

Darrell has collaborated with Cluster Balm, Copal River, Labrathisattva, Flute of the Fallen Tiger, and Lucette Bourdin. He has played live quite a bit under the Palancar project as well as part of the mindSpiral and Different Skies projects.

Darrell is the founder and owner of the Creative Commons based ambient net label Earth Mantra and of Spirit Canyon Audio, a vendor of exotic music soundware. Darrell founded StillStream, the premier internet ambient radio station that is now a part of electro-music.com.

Most of Darrel's music is available as free downloads under Creative Commons.

See and hear the Special Focus Announcement.

Palancar has been a Special Focus on Galactic Travels before:
Click on the name or photo above to go to the artist's web site.
You can also visit the artist on this social network:
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Featured CD at Midnight by Week
Date Title Label
11/01 Vast MP3.COM
11/08 Ambient Train Wreck Series Volume One Blue Water
11/15 Ambient Train Wreck Series Volume Two Blue Water
11/22 Ambient Train Wreck Series Volume Three Blue Water
11/29 Serenetatis Earth Mantra

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The Special Focus for December is
FANGER & SCHÖNWÄLDER
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Mario Schonwalder runs Manikin Records and is a member of BK&S (Broekhuis, Keller, and Schonwalder). Thomas Fanger runs Starflux Records and is a member of Mind-Flux and Fanger & Kersten. Together, Thomas and Mario combine their passion for Berlin School music and the classic sound of analog synthesizers to create the Analog Overdose series of albums. That makes December Analog Overdose month.

Thomas Fanger is fascinated and inspired by the minimalistic music of Terry Riley and the usual suspects from Germany like Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze, and Can. He started making electronic music in 1978. In the 1990s, Thomas returned to his hypnotic and minimalistic electronic roots. With his longtime mate Michael Kersten, he recorded several cds under the name of MIND-FLUX and FANGER & KERSTEN. With Jan Siebert (aka Jan Driver), he released several techno, trance and house records as AMORPH, E.H.G., FANGER & SIEBERT, SOUNDKOENIGE, BUGFIX, and SYNOPTIC MUSIC PLANT. Thomas is currently focusing on his work as a solo artist and his collaboration with Mario Schönwälder.

Become a friend of Thomas on Myspace.

Mario Schönwälder started autodidactic experiments in 1984 on a Korg MS20 synthesizer and a Korg SQ10 sequencer. One of his first musical productions, "The Ghost of the plateau from Nazca," was composed on borrowed instruments and recieved some airplay on a local radio station. More compositions saw the day in the period between 1984 and 1987, sometimes with the aid of a guitarist or a second keyboard player from the band "The Nightworkers." In 1988, "Le Mur" and "Force Down" were released on vinyl on Bernd Kistenmacher's Musique Intemporelle label. The next two releases from Mario on that label were "The Eye of the Chameleon" (1989) and "Hypnotic Beats" (1991). Mario founded his own label Manikin Records in 1992 which has released more than 100 titles by artists such as Ashra, Klaus Schulze, Rolf Trostel, Edgar Froese and many more. Also in 1992, Mario got acquainted with Bas Broekhuis and two years later with Detlef Keller. This ultimately led to the formation of the Broekhuis, Keller, & Schönwälder trio.

Become a friend of Mario on Myspace.

Thomas Fanger and Mario Schönwälder started their musical liaison in 1999, playing lots of live gigs in and around Berlin. Famous guitarist Lutz Ulbrich of Ashra joined them for one of their studio sessions. The result of this session can be heard on Analog Overdose (2001). The limited first edition of this CD came in a round tin can. Due to the success of this release and the duo's legendary intense and euphoric live concerts, they decided to continue the Analog Overdose saga. In 2003, they released Analog Overdose 2 and 3. The latter featured Klaus Hoffmann-Hoock on guitar. Analog Overdose 4 (CD + DVD) features live material from their highly acclaimed concert at Hampshire Jam 5 in the UK. In 2007, they were invited by Vic Rek to join the legendary Ricochet Gathering in Montana. During their stay in the US, Fanger and Schönwälder recorded several new tracks which can be heard on the special private release "Stromschlag." "Elektrik Cowboys" (Ricochet Dream) features the F+S track "Montana Groove" which was recorded live at the Gathering. Besides the regular releases there are also some side and special releases, such as the "Analog Overdose Ricochet Dream Edition," Analog Overdose 0.9, and Analog Overdose 4+.
Click on the name or photo above to go to the artist's web site.
Featured CD at Midnight by Week
All releases are on Manikin Records.
Date Title
12/06 Analog Overdose 3
12/13 Analog Overdose 4
12/20 Analog Overdose 4+
12/20 Analog Overdose

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