WDIY's Space Music Program airs every Thursday at 11:04 pm.
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Andy started playing music the moment he picked up something slightly resembling
a musical instrument. It happened to be one of those blowy things with a little
keyboard down the side and Andy was three. He upgraded to a miniature Bontempi organ
with an internal fan so loud, it was like switching on a Harrier jump jet.
Fortunately, he further upgraded to his grandmother’s harmonium, a couple of
organs and finally, some years later, to a Korg MS20 and an Akai GX400D tape machine!
From these humble beginnings, Andy learned (the hard way!) how to put his thoughts into music. More gear upgrades and some bad singing along the way finally led to his first release, Replicant, in 1992. Binar is Andy's collaboration with Paul Nagle. Binar put out a fair bit of material and Andy had much fun in the process! In 2009, Andy began a prolific round of recording. You hear the results on the Vanguard albums and Adagiometry EPs. In the last quarter of 2016, he began releasing major suite-length works consisting of long interconnected pieces, each suite being around 3.5hrs long and consisting of 15 pieces. When Andy's not composing, he's either cooking dinner, playing with the cat, playing EVE Online, World of Warships, or watching endless drivel on Youtube. 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 |
|---|---|
| 01/03 | Replicant |
| 01/10 | Lughnasad |
| 01/17 | Nemesis |
| 01/24 | Xenomorph |
| 01/31 | Remasters |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for January. |
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Numina is the ambient electronic musical project of Denver-based synthesist Jesse Sola
who began recording music in his 20s using synthesizers and acoustic instruments melded
together to create deep, evolving soundscapes that range from melancholy to mysterious.
He has been recording and releasing atmospheric music since the turn of the millennium,
with over twenty albums released to date on many labels.
The Special Focus listing on WDIY's website is HERE. |
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Numina 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 | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 02/07 | CDR from Numina | none |
| 02/14 | Subterranean Landscapes | none |
| 02/21 | The Deception of Reality | Hypnos |
| 02/28 | Broken Stars Through Brilliant Clouds with Zero Ohms |
Spotted Peccary |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for February. |
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AeTopus is the electronic music project of Bryan Tewell Hughes who began taking piano lessons
at age 6 and immersed himself in visual arts and amateur filmmaking as a young man. His
passion for science fiction and fantasy films and their soundtracks would later help set the
tone for his musical pursuits.
During the 1990s, Hughes played bass guitar in blues, Reggae, funk, and punk bands in the Pacific Northwest before settling into a more experimental, studio-based identity. After releasing a solo Industrial album, he revisited his more contemplative musical roots and embarked on AeTopus. AeTopus has become recognized for its unique crossover sound, one that is too fantastic and original to be called "New Age" or "World," yet too dynamic to be considered pure Ambient or Chillout. Bryan manages to keep his compositions active and instrumentally diverse while maintaining an insightful, mood-generating environment. Special attention to thematic progression makes his albums much more than song collections. They are subtle, flowing works of sonic art, essay-like in fashion and form. Hughes credits his grandparents for introducing him to Electronic music in the 1980s and names Kitaro, Ray Lynch, Tangerine Dream, and Vangelis as some of his early influences. These vintage roots are deftly melded with current recording technology and an appreciation of organic and acoustic elements to produce a refined, fresh sound not heard until now. AeTopus has been compared to Berlin "active" space music, to the Mystique releases of the Narada label, and to old-school New Age electro-instrumental a la Jean-Michele Jarre and Popol Vuh. A former tattoo artist, Hughes holds degrees in Fine Arts and Psychology. He currently creates music and visual art in his Bellingham, Washington studio. 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 |
|---|---|
| 03/07 | Memories of the Elder |
| 03/14 | Tempula |
| 03/21 | Between Empires |
| 03/28 | Angels and Machines |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for March. |
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With roots that go back to the '80s, The Tangent Project is based in the Philadelphia area
and consists on Jeff Coulter (keys) and Dan "Harrison" McKay (guitar). Influences are drawn
from Minimalism, the Avant-Garde, Ambient, Progressive Rock, IDM, and Spacemusic which
originated in the '70s.
Over the years, the technology has changed, but lots of the original tools are still incorporated and are now greatly treasured for ther lasting and unique character. Using the best of both old and new instruments and devices, The Tangent Project continues to find new boundaries to push while paying proper homage to those who started these journeys previously. The Special Focus listing on WDIY's website is HERE. |
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The Tangent Project have been a Special Focus on Galactic Travels™ before: |
You can also visit the band on these social networks:
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| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 04/04 | Fuse |
| 04/11 | Live 2010-2011 disc 1 |
| 04/18 | Live 2010-2011 disc 2 |
| 04/25 | Surface |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for April. |
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DASK, an acronym for Danish Arithmetic Sequence Calculator,
was the first computer in Denmark. The musician DASK works with a mix of hardware,
softwares, and field recordings. DASK recommenrds headphone listening.
DASK is an Electronics Engineer with a background in audio systems who has always experimented with audio, sound, synthesizers, and recording but discarded his material until releasing music on Syngate Records in Germany. DASK's styles range from Berlin school, ambient, space music, electronica, and cinematic, sometimes with an experimental flair. The Special Focus listing on WDIY's website is HERE. |
You can also visit the band on these social networks:
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| Date | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 05/02 | Liquid Decimation | Self Released |
| 05/09 | Abiogenesis | Self Released |
| 05/16 | Messages | SynGate |
| 05/23 | Electron Utopia | SynGate |
| 05/30 | Sol | SynGate |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for May. |
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Robert released his first album Sunyata in 1982. Most of his subsequent
recordings came out in Europe until 1989, when Robert began a string of
critically acclaimed releases for Fathom/Hearts of Space, including
Rainforest (1989), Gaudi (1991), Propagation (1994) and Seven Veils
(1998). His two collaborations with Steve Roach, Strata (1990) and
Soma (1992), both charted for several months in Billboard. Other
respected collaborations include Stalker (1995 with B. Lustmord),
Fissures (1997 with Alio Die) and Outpost (2002 with Ian Boddy).
Robert's contributions to multi-artist compilations have been collected
on his solo albums A Troubled Resting Place (1996) and Below Zero
(1998). His group, Amoeba, explored atmospheric songcraft on their
CDs Watchful (1997) and Pivot (2000). Live albums such as Calling Down
the Sky (2004) and 3-CD Humidity (2000) document the unique improvised
flow of his performances.
Robert has performed in caves, cathedrals, planetaria, art galleries and concert halls throughout Europe and North America. His all-night Sleep Concerts, first performed in 1982, became legendary in the San Francisco area. In 1996 he revived his all-night concert format, playing Sleep Concerts for live and radio audiences across the U.S. during a three month tour. One of those concerts was WDIY's first over night broadcast. In 2001 Robert released the 7 hour DVD Somnium, a studio distillation of the Sleep Concert experience, possibly the longest continuous piece of music ever released at the time. It's worldwide radio premier was on Galactic Travels. Robert has designed sounds for television and film scores, including the films Pitch Black, Crazy Beautiful, Behind Enemy Lines and others. His musical scores grace films by Yahia Mehamdi (Thank you for your Patience, 2003) and Daniel Colvin (Atlas Dei, 2007, with 90 minutes of Robert's music in surround); and a video installation by Michael Robert has been featured on this program since the very first episode. Since then, his music has graced the 1000th broadcast as well as the worldwide radio premier of his seven hour epic, Somnium, played in its entirety. The Special Focus listing on WDIY's website is HERE. |
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Robert Rich has been a Special Focus on Galactic Travels™ before: |
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You can also visit the band on these social networks:
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| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 06/06 | Temple of the Invisible |
| 06/13 | Filaments |
| 06/20 | What We Left Behind |
| 06/27 | Vestiges |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for June. |
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Vir Unis has explored many forms of music through his releases and live
performances as both a solo artist and in collaboration with artists such
as Steve Roach, Saul Stokes, James Johnson, Ma Ja Le, and Interstitial.
Vir Unis (John Strate-Hootman) is a sound sculptor who uses synthesis and percussion to create electronic grooves and atmospheres. Based in a minimalist approach to creating music, he pushes his instruments to the furthest point and beyond, weaving misty psychedelic atmospheres into the perfect alchemy of sound. Aside from music composition and recording, Vir Unis also has credits as a graphic designer for all his own solo albums, the cover artwork for Steve Roach's Midnight Moon (Projekt), Blood Machine (Steve Roach and Vir Unis/Green House Music), and the Sonic Foundry Vir Unis ACID Loop Library. Although his discography is released on an impressive list of labels, Vir Unis also releases some of his CDs on his own In the Bubble Music label and on AtmoWorks, the label he cofounded with James Johnson. Keeping the music and ideas fresh and evolving, Vir Unis is relentless in his search for new sounds, new grooves, and new worlds to create what he terms electro-psychedelic mind-body music. |
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Vir Unis 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 | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 07/04 | The Yellow House with Chris Short |
In the Bubble Music |
| 07/11 | Symbology | AtmoWorks |
| 07/18 | A Flame That Leaves No Ashes | AtmoWorks |
| 07/25 | Book of Mutations | AtmoWorks |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for July. |
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Michael Brückner produces electronic music in a wide variety of styles, concentrating on
ambient and drone. A self-managing artist, he has created more than 120 albums since
1992, most of which can be ordered directly from him or via his Bandcamp page.
Since 2012, a number of his albums have been released by independent labels such as SynGate, Klangwirkstoff, Aural Films, BI-ZA Records, and Winter-Light. He has also performed in a number of European electronic music festivals. Michael is also involved in collaborations with other artists like Detlev Everling, Alien Nature, Mathias Brüssel, Cousin Silas, Mathias Grassow, Rebekkah Hilgraves, Harald Bertram, and Lutz Thuns. His collaborations include several long term projects: B4 SUNRISE, La Mansarde Hérmetique, Betzler and Brückner, and Bridge To Imla. |
You can also visit the artist on these social networks:
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| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 08/01 | Two Letters from Crimea disc 1 |
| 08/08 | Two Letters from Crimea disc 2 |
| 08/15 | Muzikhala disc 1 |
| 08/22 | Muzikhala disc 2 |
| 08/29 | Muzikhala disc 3 |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for August. |
| Rudy Adrian first started making electronic music in the recording studios at Canterbury University while he was studying Forestry Science. Eventually, abandoning Forestry Science, he tutored electronic music at the University of Otago while completing a degree in Botany. This was followed by several years as a freelance musician and sound effects creator for television programs, advertisments and short films. Eventually this culminated in full-time sound design work for a television production facility and occasional freelance composition. Rudy has gone on to create albums in his unique style of atmospheric music for private release as well as for international record labels. The common thread to his music is the exploration of sonic landscapes, where melody and rhythm play a secondary role to the tones and textures created by synthesizers, wood flutes and the human voice. Always experimental and original, they are also peaceful and listenable - similar to listening to a film soundtrack without pictures. Some comparisons to the atmospheric works of Brian Eno and the soft arpeggios of Tangerine Dream and Jean-Michel Jarre of the seventies are at times apt, but the music nevertheless remains uniquely that of Rudy Adrian. |
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Rudy Adrian 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 | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 09/05 | The Healing Lake | White Cloud Music |
| 09/12 | Distant Stars | Lotuspike |
| 09/19 | Atmospheres | Spotted Peccary |
| 09/26 | Coastlines | Spotted Peccary |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for September. |
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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. Click on the name or photo above to go to the artist's web site. |
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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 |
|---|---|
| 10/03 | Electro Positronic Systems |
| 10/10 | The Mind Caged |
| 10/17 | Signals from the Earth |
| 10/24 | Entrancing Elemental Energies |
| 10/31 | Cymatic Structures |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for October. |
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The gradual development of vidnaObmana from an industrial sound sculptor in 1984
to an artist equally at home in the world of electronica and contemporary composition
has been a full dimensional story that came to a close in 2005. (Or did it?) Over the
course of more than 25 years, Dirk Serries influenced the gradual growth of
ambient music from nothing but a fleeting idea by Brian Eno to an established and
challenging genre, record the classic The River Of Appearance, write a soundtrack for
the giant aquarium of the Antwerp Zoo, and work with the likes of Steve Roach, Steven
Wilson, and a symphonic orchestra. Most of all, he would demonstrate that stylistic
limitations are purely rooted in a lack of imagination. Into The Heart Of The Eternal
captures vidnaObmana in the mid-years of his creative arc when recording for Projekt.
The digital-only release gives the listener a journey into the mind of this composer,
demonstrating how his sonic world remains a unique voice in the electronic music scene.
At this point in time, digital reissues of previously deleted albums, live recordings, unreleased music and rare compilation tracks, carefully selected from the vaults of vidnaObmana and made possible by Projekt Records are being released exclusively on iTunes, including the albums being featured this month on Galactic Travels™ as well as Landscape In Obscurity. Based in Belgium, artist Dirk Serries continues his musical journey. For more information on his current endeavors, please visit dirkserries.com. Click on the name or photo above to go to the artist's web site. |
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vidnaObmana 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 |
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| 11/07 | The Surreal Sanctuary |
| 11/14 | The Contemporary Nocturne |
| 11/21 | Soundtrack for the Aquarium disc 1 |
| 11/28 | Soundtrack for the Aquarium disc 2 |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for November. |
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Mario Schönwälder and Thomas Fanger combine their passion for Berlin
School music and the classic sound of analog synthesizers to create
the Analog Overdose series of albums previously featured on this program.
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. Mario Schönwälder started autodidactic experiments in 1984 on a Korg MS20 synthesizer and a Korg SQ10 sequencer. He founded Manikin Records in 1992 which has released well over 100 titles by artists such as Ashra, Klaus Schulze, Rolf Trostel, Edgar Froese, and many more. With Bas Broekhuis and Detlef Keller, he is part of the BK&S trio. Thomas Fanger and Mario Schönwälder started their musical liaison in 1999, playing lots of live gigs in and around Berlin. They created the Analog Overdose saga which continues in weeks three and four of this month. Click on the name or photo above to go to the artist's web site. |
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Fanger & Schönwälder have been a Special Focus on Galactic Travels™ before: |
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You can also visit the artist on this social network:
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| Date | Title | Label |
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| 12/05 | Stromschlag | Manikin |
| 12/12 | Earshot | Manikin |
| 12/19 | Analog Overdose in the Applebaum Nebula |
Ricochet Dream |
| 12/26 | Analog Overdose 5 | Manikin |
| Here is the Top 20 Monthly Report for December. |
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is on these social networks:
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