WDIY's Space Music Program airs every Thursday at 11:04 pm.
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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. The Special Focus listing on WDIY's website is HERE. |
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Modulator ESP has been a Special Focus on Galactic Travels™ before: |
You can also visit the artist on these social networks:
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| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 01/02 | Ostara Drone |
| 01/09 | Timeflights |
| 01/16 | The Infinite Dance of the Darkest Stars |
| 01/23 | Invocation: From Beyond |
| 01/30 | Asymmetric Forms |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for January. |
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Grant Middleton and Colin Anderson comprise the band. On occasion, guests
Steve Jenkins, Andy Bloyce, and Paul Nagle have helped out when needed.
This UK band play retro EM, firmly rooted in the Berlin School style.
Here's a bit of fun for the technically minded. The Under the Dome Tape Archive Project pages contain digitised copies of the four-track cassette master tapes that Grant recorded in the early 1990s. If you want to try your hand at remixing these tracks, simply download WAV files 01 to 04 from each page. These constitute the individual cassette tape tracks as recorded on Grant's cassette multitracker. The Special Focus listing on WDIY's website is HERE. |
| Date | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 02/06 | The Demon Haunted World | Neu Harmony Records |
| 02/13 | Wot no Colin? | Neu Harmony Records |
| 02/20 | Over the Pond | Cochlear Vision Records |
| 02/27 | Dome Roots Collection | Cochlear Vision Records |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for February. |
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Polaris is the EM project of Jakub Kmieć of Poland. Influenced
by electronic classics of the '70s and '80s, Jakub began making his own
music in the '90s. Since then, he has absorbed many influences which he
incorporates into his creations, including ambient, downtempo, IDM, and
more.
The debut release by Polaris garnered second place in the Polish Radio Program 3 annual competition for electronic music in 2001. In 2005, Polaris made his first concert apperence at the Ambient Festival in Poland. This is documented on "Re:Transmission." Jakub then joined musicians from the Ricochet Gathering community and played improvised live sets with them in various locations in Europe; Canary Islands (2005), Italy (2006), Croatia (2009), and Germany (2010). (I seem to recall seeing him in the audience in 2004 in Jelenia Góra, Poland.) The power of very positive energy from the Ricochet Gatherings was a driving force for studio recordings and for open-air events like "WEF Molo Electro" electronic music festival in Sopot and "Pyromagic Music Wave" fireworks festival in Szczecin. The Special Focus listing on WDIY's website is HERE. |
You can also visit the artist on these social networks:
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| Date | Title | Artist | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03/05 | Moo'n'sequences | Polaris | Self Released |
| 03/12 | Re:Transmission | Polaris | Self Released |
| 03/19 | Way Out | Polaris | Ricochet Dream |
| 03/26 | Collision | Polaris and Krzysztof Horn | Ricochet Dream |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for March. |
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Vic Hennegan has been writing, recording, producing, and performing electronic
music for many years. He has performed at The Gathering Concert Series in
Philadelphia, Cyberstock of Los Angeles, Ecstatic Dance, 5 Rhythms Dance, Soul
Motion, Northern California Dance Collective and many other venues around the
world. Hennegan's instinctive hand creates techno-trance and ambient music in a
wildly fun, uplifting spiritual experience that will take your soul on a journey
to the center of ecstasy.
"A unique warmth emanates from Hennegan's music moving the listener to a state of euphoria. Through complex and insistent rhythms and vocals, Hennegan accomplishes a lush dynamic that relentlessly strives to entertain." (Matt Howarth; Sonic Curiousity) Hennegan's music is complimented by collaborations with Surface Ten's synthesist extraordinaire, Dean De Benedictis and Becca Fuchs, whose incredible vocal range spans from operatic to soulful and sexy. Hennegan's music may be heard on many radio and internet outlet. Hennegan is a practicing Buddhist. This faith aims to manifest enlightenment in the lives of its practitioners. By tapping into an individual's creative potential, one can create a thriving and peaceful community. Through his faith and his music, Hennegan invokes the timeless tradition of music's healing powers. "We are the creators of our own universe. I seek to help people understand this very fact through my music." The Special Focus listing on WDIY's website is HERE. |
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You can also visit the artist on these social networks:
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| Date | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 04/02 | Desert God | Space for Music |
| 04/09 | Field of Worlds and Mirrors | Alien Tribes Music |
| 04/16 | Nebula Waves | Alien Tribes Music |
| 04/23 | Journey to Sirius | Alien Tribes Music |
| 04/30 | Live at The Gatherings | Alien Tribes Music |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for April. |
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Perceptual
Defence and Syndromeda
are two like minded musicians who have come together to collaborate. Syndromeda
is Danny Budts of Ekeren, Belgium. Perceptual Defence is Gabriele Quirici of
Rome, Italy. They both like Berlin School music and peppering it with other
influences. Their collaborations have expanded beyond the four albums featured
this month. They also collaborate under the name Divided by
Two for exploring dark ambient music. Perceptual Defence and Syndromeda is
for exploring the spacey side of electronic music.
The Special Focus listing on WDIY's website is HERE. |
| Syndromeda has been a Special Focus on Galactic Travels™ before: |
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You can also visit the artists on these social networks:
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| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 05/07 | Fear of the Emptiness Space |
| 05/14 | Wormhole |
| 05/21 | The End of the Universe |
| 05/28 | Live at Cosmic Nights 2017 |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for May. |
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Aatma is a record label dedicated to providing some of the best
ambient, electronic and experimental music available today. Geoff Stewart
is the Founder and Steve Brand is the Art Director.
Geoff Stewart also owns the earthMANTRA (eM) net label and records under the name åpne sinn. Steve Brand has had releases on a number of independent labels and his music has been heard on many prestigeous radio shows. He began releasing music in the early '90s but it wasn't until 2003 when he began creating in the field of ambient under his own name. Brand describes this change in moniker and musical genre as part of the process of moving out of his head and more into his heart. The Special Focus listing on WDIY's website is HERE. |
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You can also visit the label on these social networks:
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| Date | Artist | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 06/04 | Peter James | Senessence |
| 06/11 | Threadbare | Home is a Memory |
| 06/18 | EE7A | Tension |
| 06/25 | Chris Russell and Dawn Tuesday | Memories of Akhenaten |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for June. |
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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. The Special Focus listing on WDIY's website is HERE. |
|
Modulator ESP has been a Special Focus on Galactic Travels™ before: |
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You can also visit the artist on these social networks:
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| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 07/02 | Litha Flow |
| 07/09 | Drones in Eindhoven II |
| 07/16 | The Dome Drone |
| 07/23 | Ostara Phase |
| 07/30 | A Maze of Possibilities |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for July. |
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Professor Bertrand Loreau teaches at Ministère de l'Education nationale having
studied Electronics at Université de Nantes.
Bertrand Loreau was born and raised in a family where classical music was very important. From the age of six, Bertrand studied classical piano. Watching TV in the late 1960s, he noticed the use of electronic sounds. While his motivation for playing the piano steadily declined, his attention shifted more and more to the new sounds that were used in jingles. During the early '70s, the use of synthesizers in recordings peaked his interest. His curiosity and interest in synthesizers turned into a real passion as he discovered Pink Floyd, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Genesis and finally Tangerine Dream. Bertrand became passionate about electronics and discovered Schulze's Moondawn album. On May 3, 1977, he went to concert by Klaus Schulze and left it convinced that the synthesizer would have a big role in his life. Bertrand stopped playing the piano. His interest in electronic instruments prompted him to relearn how to play the keyboard. When Bertrand started a teaching career in the early '80s, he acquired his first instruments. Like many new synthesizers, he developed a passion for sound creation, spending hours working on sounds and playing with effects. In 1981, he formed a group called Krill with Lionel Palierme. They improvised music inspired by Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream. Bertrand began to record cassettes and developed his personal style which left more and more room for melody. Bertrand recorded numerous cassettes between 1982 and 1990. The acquisition of a professional tape recorder in 1988 enabled him to consider producing his first record. In 1993, MUSEA, a dynamic Progressive Rock label, released Bertrand's first record, "Prière." Since then, Bertrand Loreau has recorded seven albums with the MUSEA label, five albums with Spheric Music, and self-produced a number of other works. Bertrand Loreau's music continues to favor melody, but it can also venture into electroacoustic music and Berlin School, which made him want to play synthesizer in the first place. The Special Focus listing on WDIY's website is HERE. |
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You can also visit the artist on this social network:
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| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 08/06 | Journey Through the Past |
| 08/13 | Spiral Lights |
| 08/20 | Interférences with Olivier Briand |
| 08/27 | From Past to Past |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for August. |
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Based in Evanston, Illinois, Greg Moorcroft is an ambient and atmospheric
composer and musician who uses guitars, EBow, synths, drums and percussion,
singing bowls, samples and loops, voices and more in pursuit of something
infinite. But Eyes Cast Down is more than an artistic and creative reflex.
It is an answer to the call to composition.
A watershed event was his discovery of Steve Roach's music. It didn't take long for ambient sound to become the focus of Greg's compositional fury. The Special Focus listing on WDIY's website is HERE. |
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You can also visit the artist on this social network:
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| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 09/03 | The Separate Ones |
| 09/10 | Memory Palace w/ Chris Russell |
| 09/17 | Souls Adrift, in Disrepair |
| 09/24 | The White Island |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for September. |
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The electro-music.com site was created by Howard Moscovitz to form an on-line
artistic environment reminiscent of the Impressionism art scene in turn of the
century Paris. This on-line community was intended for electronic and electro-acoustic
musicians and is the kind of place where Howard desired to hang out. From this
sprang a festival curated by Howard with Greg Waltzer
that ended up spawning a number of other festivals; NEEMfest, Asheville
electro-music now Mountain Skies, Midwest electro-music, and others.
Many of these festivals have been accompanied by a sampler of music by festival participants and members from the electro-music.com community. Each week this month, a sampler from a different year of the original electro-music festivals will be featured. The Special Focus listing on WDIY's website is HERE. |
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You can also visit the festival on this social network:
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| Date | Year |
|---|---|
| 10/01 | 2005 |
| 10/08 | 2006 |
| 10/15 | 2007 |
| 10/22 | 2008 disc 1 |
| 10/29 | 2008 disc 2 |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for October. |
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Involved in the British electronic music scene since the late 1970s, Ian Boddy
continues to explore new sonic territories. In 2016, he released a most
experimental album called "Tone Science" which was comprised of five long, slowly
evolving, self playing compositions realized entirely on his vast arsenal of
modular synthesizers. Boddy's love of the analogue sound has been revealed
through his solo work and many sound and sample libraries. These instruments
all but disappeared in the 1990s but have seen an unprecedented growth in interest
recently with a proliferation of both module manufacturers and performers using
these highly flexible and personal systems. Inspired by his "Tone Science"
release, Boddy has set up the Tone Science sub-label to feature artists and
performers working in the field of modular synthesis.
Boddy has curated both the artists and tracks on these albums to flow in a musical way and not just be a collection of equipment heavy demos. Though fascinating and always cool to view, it is important not to get lost in the gear for the sake of G.A.S. The Tone Science sub-label from DiN records continues to explore the world of modular synth music. This month, the first four releases are explored. The Special Focus listing on WDIY's website is HERE. |
| Date | Album |
|---|---|
| 11/05 | Tone Science Module No. 1 Structure and Forces |
| 11/12 | Tone Science Module No. 2 Elements and Particles |
| 11/19 | Tone Science Module No. 3 Cosines and Tangents |
| 11/26 | Tone Science Module No. 4 Form and Function |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for November. |
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Dean is known primarily as a composer of electronic music, but
his skills and his mindset extend beyond one mere genre or medium.
Also known to the electronic music community as Surface 10,
he has amassed credits and a small international fan
base as a musician, artist and music producer.
Dean is primarily established as an electronic ambient musician, but his body of work ties an essential common thread between outwardly opposing music genres. Beginning his exploration of music in the 80s, Dean developed a thorough body of musical experience, running the gamut of participation with unofficial jazz fusion bands, progressive rock bands, sound design work, and even producing/performing source music for network television over 12 years of his career. Later, Dean began incorporating and developing additional interests that complimented his music, such as film work, illustration, literature and even conceptual art. Specializing in music the majority of his life, Dean made it his priority to utilize a broad spectrum of styles and cultural influences to enrich the quality of his expression and help promote enlightened thinking through the breaking of stylistic conventions. His body of work aims to locate an essential thread between outwardly opposing music genres, as well as draw from each a natural sense of emotion, expanse and mystery. Like other artists, much of Dean's music is composed as a dedication to, and a utility for, his own life experiences. Many of Dean's pieces were created, in part, to carry with him and listen to at specific outdoor locations, such as deserts, canyons, jungles, mountain regions, coastal regions, and unpopulated areas--thus permanently marking the region with the music in his mind. Now, due to present-day technology, Dean actually brings much of his music studio - being his laptop - with him to these same areas, and creates his pieces right there on location. He dedicates his works to people, places and events, aspiring to communicate a similar functionality within the personal narratives of his audience. The Special Focus listing on WDIY's website is HERE. |
You can also visit the label on these social networks:
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| Date | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 12/03 | Borrowed Time 2000 | Space for Music |
| 12/10 | In Vitro Tide | DiN |
| 12/17 | Surface Tensions | DiN |
| 12/24 | Salvaging the Past | Spotted Peccary Music |
| 12/31 | Salvaging the Present | Spotted Peccary Music |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for December. |
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is on these social networks:
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| Last year <--Adjacent Years of Special Focus Logs--> Next year |