DYATRON INDUSTRIES

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San Francisco’s Dyatron Industries transcends the realms of an indie label and DJ duo. Through a deeply commited love of music and vinyl and an extensive personal collection spanning Italo Disco, Electro, Synthpop, Hip Hop and Dark Wave Rave, an otherworldly universe exists and within it you will find the Man from Dyatron (Luciano Duran) and DJ Mechanica (Vee Reyes). Two robots transplanted to Earth from the Dyatronian galaxy with a mission to sustain, preserve and honor all Italo and Electro music through live vinyl dj sets within the deep caverns of SF underground clubs and bars, a monthly show on Sutro FM and original releases/ limited reissues with wonderfully hand-drawn comics illustrated by Lu that draw us even deeper into their world. We are so thrilled to have them this month.

For this current installment, we dive deep into the galactic abyss leading us into a retro futuristic sci-fi rave. The first stop is a cosmic break dance circle with the Man from Dyatron kicking off the first hour mixing through deep 80s electro bass peppered with freestyle anthems and old school hip hop verses. The second stop, DJ Mechanica teleports us to a 90s blissful breakbeat rave Milky Way, interlaced with moments of melodic euphoria that closes with the enchantment of sunrise at the end of a party.

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?
L: Im from the dyatronian forgotten nether region, i was reanimated by accident by the Suleraks & transferred to earth where I live now in San Francisco
V: I’m originally from the Dyatronian galaxy. I was a mechanoid created by The Man From Dyatron but I was also transferred to earth in San Francisco along with the The Man From Dyatron by the Suleraks (powerful beings from the Dyatronian galaxy).

CST: Introvert or extrovert?
L: Absolutely introvert, those that know me might be surprised i am usually in hibernation mode!
V:I think I’m a mixture of the two, I like the balance!  I see myself as an introvert but I certainly enjoy socializing!


CST: Whats your sign?
L: Libra
V: Sagittarius all the way!


CST: what is your favorite record/music shop?
L: Local little record stores are the best, I realize they are rare but if you have one, support it! Even online there are small indie dependable vinyl stores
V: I do love brick & border indie stores best. I know they are a rarity nowadays compared to prior times, but yea they still are the ones with magic!


CST: what is your morning ritual?
L: I sleep in my space sarcophagous, every morning i first do a ritual dance when i rise, then i make me a nice cup of joe
V: I'm quite mellow, I’ll go about my routine & you won’t even know I’m there! I’ll grab a fruit snack and a cup of tea instead of coffee though.


CST: What is your dream lineup for a party and what would you name this party?
L: Sensor Hunter 3, the lineup would be totally secret each performer assigned a number, wearing comfy masks, no interaction between djs & people, each dj would get interrogated by our robot before the operation as to why they want to play each record, participants would then be scored as to "transformative quotient of set" from 1 to 10, the top 5 would get to spin. sounds very Squid game now that i think of it, yikes!
V: Hmm, I would call it Sensor Hunter. All in attendance must dress in some form of gothic, new romantic, or sci-fi influenced, or wild rave attire, there would be projections of old rare stuff from our Dyatron Industries video collections on every wall, of course it would be in an elegant abandoned gothic style church building or castle, the music would consist of a variety of styles- such as rare dark synth wave, italo, synthpop, electro, rave, etc. the djs would be secret!


CST: What parties/underground/diy spaces did you go to when you first started partying/discovering music?
L: I think in my mind even as a lil kid i fancied my self a type of selector or dj even before i knew what that was, i would make mix tapes for myself and others all the time just being so into it lol, its been something thats been with me all my life, growing organically with me, i naturally like to find stuff in off-the-beaten track radio shows, lil pubs, lil record shops. Im actually always surprised how Im still doin this stuff.
V: We would check out local underground goth clubs, early rave parties, keep in mind back then "rave" was a very radical thing. The parties played and exposed people to all kinds of stuff you could not hear or get elsewhere-I’m talking rock, hip-hop, electro, European records, music from other cities that never got airplay etc. even the lifestyles. The earlier college or underground radio shows also had some of this essence back then.


CST: What was the first record/music you ever bought?
L: As a lil kid I bought a Kraftwerk record lol cause it looked cool to me, i had not heard it just read the titles & looked at them and i was sold. I must have been about 7 or 8. I was into the pop stuff of course but when the early italo & electro started poppin up here & there I was blown away & became a fan immediately even though i could not afford much of it lol
V: It was Kraftwerk’s The Telephone Call 1987 release with the German version. I was 12 years old when I bought it at the neighborhood/downtown record shop.


CST: Where was the first party/underground show you ever went to?
L: Hmm, in Mexico, Italo & synth pop were huge in the early 80s, I think many folks were exposed to this then there cause it was everywhere for a window there! That def influenced me a lot, also I gotta say late night cable tv (night flight show) & indie radio stations both in Mexico & the states exposed me to lots of stuff late at night !
V: The Twilight Zone in Alameda and those early bay area raves in 90’s. As teens we would love hitting those up, we would see the coolest fashions, hear new ideas, dope music, it was so influential!


CST: What are you reading right now?
L: Humanoid Encounters 1AD-1899 By Rosales
James Warren Empire of Monsters by Will Schelly
V: The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan, bought it at my last visit to the Goodwill.


CST: What are your other interests besides djing/collecting music?
L: i love drawing & painting, Im into parapsychology, but not necessarily into conspiracy theories as i see them as dangerous mostly
V: I love making arts & crafts projects like homemade accessories. I make little cats and dogs pins and also tiaras with pipe cleaners. It’s really fun and therapeutic.  


CST: Biggest vice?
L: I need a decent cup of coffee everyday, I think without it, I would probably turn into a super villain like dr doom or somethin
V: The vinyl addiction, it can be. It’s very hard to stop looking and buying records. This is same for The Man From Dyatron (Mechanica’s husband). We are running out of places to put them at home. It’s scary to think when we will have to move to obtain more space for all these records we continue acquiring, what a daunting task! 


CST: Happiest moment?
L: When the Dyatronian forces hit the enemy SIMNETIX clone machine and obliterated it to bits! that act spared this quadrant of our timeline for a few years at least from the vile mind control experiments !
V: When the Man from Dyatron married Mechanica and together they traveled the galaxies looking for the most amazing rare records to spin on earth.

CST: Favorite part of the day?
L: Late night, when large parts of the population sleeping, there seems to be less chaotic energies. I know we need sunlight, but there is def something special about say 10pm to 1am
V: I like the late afternoons between 5:30pm-6:30pm when Luciano (TMFD) and I walk to the nearby doggie park and say Hi to our doggie pals Frank the wiener dog, Baby the chihuahua, Lenny three legged recued mutt, Mello the husky, Coco the bulldog, Remi the little Italian hound, and many more. Dogs are so funny and lovable. 


CST: Do you collect anything else aside from records/music?
L: i collect some fashion stuff, I specially like stuff that has science fiction elements; oh yea and some old comics.
V: I like to collect flower fiber optic music lamps from the 80’s, and rare vintage animations from Europe, Asia, and Middle East, I love very old things. 


CST: where is your favorite place to dance/listen/watch music?
L: I always feel the place i reside is more like a command headquarters lol, like a laboratory, so being at home being able to go in and out of genres etc is for me ideal, i think when i play records i go into an imaginerary place so i dont need to be in a "real" place lol, fantasy is good enough for me lol.
I thnk the " social aspect" of djing for me is an added bonus to the thing, although i realize that for many djs its ' the main thing", but yea im into it as an introverted thing, hence why i often relate more to those more intimate, private type of events, like big stadium raves are kinda weird, for me , a small group in a small space is ideal, thats a very antiquated idea these days! everyone wants larger and larger events, but yea i like the idea of smaller, more tailored, more exclusive, more curated things, thats not elitist it is just more focused thats all, otherwise its just too generalized , thats my feelin most of the time on that, not everything has to be for everyone all the time, its ok to be different, to be ourselves. Also in small level stuff, you can get more raw, loose, make mistakes, etc, i actually like it that way
V: I can dance, listen, & watch music anywhere anytime really!  Friends’ events or Dyatron Industries events are the best- you know how much love and care gets put into those, but of course sometimes even just hitting up some random event can get you grooving!

CST: is there a concept or theme for this mix and if so, can you tell us about it a little bit more about it?
L: Being involved with Cone Shape Top got me thinking how how special this is, we explored about CST, i think its fascinating how people such as ourselves seek each other out, that is the essense of this mix, i sorta walked around just pullin some records from the shelves that immediately gave me that "yea this is going in the mix" immediate vibe.
V: We feel an affinity to Cone Shape Top who’ve expressed their appreciation for rave culture & that was my inspiration, so I wanted to dig up some old school 90’s rave anthems-never gets old even if we do!

Dyatron IndustriesSoundcloud

Dyantron Industries Mixcloud

Dyatron Industries website

m50

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m50 is an enigma. Releasing music as Area for years, starting and running Kimochi in 2010, contributing to the Gramaphone Records blog, DJing worldwide, yet still remaining extremely low-profile, the attention always on the art and never on the person. This same ethos runs through Kimochi. No advertising, likely discovered via word-of-mouth (the way we did), small run releases that aren’t about moving units, always remaining true to a vision of immersive textural sounds presented in a unique and meaningful way.

The Maybe More Oblong mixtape encapsulates this same spirit, deep melodic techno swims with hallucinatory house and euphoric trance-breaks, each turn a surprise, pushing us down into the murk only to pull us back up into a glowing light. 

TRACKLIST:

Jordan GCZ - Burning Chrome

Lazzich - Kitten Vika Ugly

Accelera - Another Drug We're On (Futura Mix)

Priori - Winged (Donato Dozzy remix)

Jakob Seidensticker & Boronas - Too Late

Module One - Inside The Chamber

Aleks - Pool Daze (HVL's Malfunction mix)

Lazzich - St

Dreamlogicc - Locketty

Jonas Friedlich - Praise Your Name

Morphology - Flatlands

Primal Code - AI Calculator

Accelera - We Are Star Stuff Harvesting Star Light

Primal Code - Autpilot

Caldera - Debris

Farron - Kalis At Love

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?

m50
: I'm from Canada and I mostly live in the USA now

CST: Introvert or extrovert?

m50: Probably not

CST: What’s your sign?

m50: Slow Children

CST: What is your morning ritual?

m50: I like to drink some tea and check in with my cat

CST: What was the first record/music you ever bought?

m50: On CD: Technotronic - Pump Up The Jam - The Album, On vinyl: Esthero - Breath from Another

CST: What are you reading right now?

m50: An Introduction to Ivan Ilyin, the Philosopher, Behind the Authoritarianism of Putin’s Russia & Western Far Right Movements, and The Foundations of Aleksandr Dugin’s Geopolitics: Montage Fascism & Eurasianism as Blowback

CST: What are your other interests besides djing/collecting music?

m50: Nature

CST: Biggest vice?

m50: Music

CST: Favorite part of the day?

m50: The golden hour

CST: do you collect anything else aside from records/music?

m50: Rocks

m50 soundcloud

Kimochi bandcamp

SOENEIDO

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Soeneido is a music producer and DJ residing in Oakland CA. His production explores the realms of Jungle / Drum n Bass styles both new and old deriving much of his inspiration from the early UK hardcore and jungle styles of the 92-96 era. He has self released much of his own original music available at soeneido.bandcamp.com. His latest conceptual jungle EP titled “Deadly Venom Weapon” released on NoBias is currently available at Coneshapetop and at nobias.bandcamp.com. Soeneido plans to release more music in the coming year with various labels including Nobias and also on his own startup label Lo-Tek.

For this installment, Soen guides us on a nostalgic trip, expertly cutting and scratching through early jungle and UK hardcore. Initiating with classic 90 bpm beat and then gliding straight into warm liquid styles flowered with jazzy vocals, 90s R&B anthems and hip-hop inflected jump-up. Each interval swiftly enters and exits, switching zones with new tessellations of dizzying rhythms, bass reverberation, lightning fast amen breaks and rave piano euphoria. For all true junglists, enjoy!

Tracklist:
1. Ambrosia - Inside Your Arms
2. Dope Skillz - 6 Million (remix)
3. Dem 2 Ruff - Nice Tune
4. DJ Force & Evolution - High on Life
5. Rhythm for Reasons - Grand National 93 (Feat. 4th Dimension)
6. DJ Exodus & High Pressure - Rude Boy Dem
7. Lifting ‘ Spirits - Cup-A-Cha
8. Stakka & K. Tee - Ya Don’t Stop
9. Back 2 Basics - Back to Life
10. The Dream Team - Over You
11. Interrogator - Break War
12. Rhythm for Reasons - Music in Search of Light (DJ SS Remix)
13. The Brothers Grimm - Jungle Trance
14. DJ Biggs - Sunrise
15. Dream Bass Feat The JB - Smoking’ Cans (B2B Remix)
16. Joint Venture - Take Away
17. Lifting’ Spirits - Going On
18. Artificial Intelligence - Reach Out

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?

S: I grew up in Orange County, I’ve lived in Oakland and San Francisco on and off in the past but I’ve been back in Oakland for about 8 years now .

CST: Introvert or extrovert?

S: Introvert

CST: What is your favorite record/music shop?

S: Coneshape duh

CST: What is your morning ritual?

S: Making Coffee, cleaning, working on tracks until I have to go to work, usually makes me late to work…

CST: What is your dream lineup for a party and what would you name this party?

S: Any Jungle show in the UK just teleported here, with some producers/DJs that don’t normally play here like  Tim Reaper, Dwarde, Sherelle, Sully.. 

CST: What parties/underground/diy spaces did you go to when you first started partying/discovering music?

S: I came into the rave scene at the tail end of the Nineties. I was first introduced into it by my older sister.  We would go to a lot of underground parties together, a lot of massives up in LA and San Bernadino, and some renegade shows in San Diego. My mom had no idea.

The first big party I went to was an Audiotistic in 1999 at Orange Show.  I was 14 at the time.  I don’t remember the line up much aside from maybe Invisible Scratch Picklz and Jurrasic 5 in the hip-hop room, and I think Dj Dan and Donald Glaude in the Main room.  I remember seeing MC GQ alongside  DJ Sniper and Mystical Influence in the Jungle/Drum n Bass room at a Party called How Sweet it Is in 2000, and that really got me interested in Drum n Bass.  The sound was so unique - something primal and gritty mixed with something science fiction.  There were also a lot of LA and OC break dance crews who would squad up and battle in the drum n bass room, and I would always look forward to checking them out. There also always live MC's in the jungle room, something was missing in other rooms. 

The atmosphere was just out of this world for a 14 year old on ecstacy. Green lasers shooting around the warehouse, a wall of subwoofers surrounding the stage like a fortress, subwoofers you could literally crawl into, the crowd of thousands going nuts, 90 percent of them on drugs, no smartphones, only nokia cell bricks, people fucking in the corner, dancing non-stop until 7 in the morning. Really great memories.

CST: What was the first record/music you ever bought?

S: The first drum n bass piece of music I bought at that time was a Moonshine mix CD by Dieselboy called A Soldiers Story.  It came out around 1999 I think.  I recently went and copped many of those records that were in his mix like “Photon” by DJ Friction, “Beckoning” by Konflict, and “Atlantic State” by Technical Itch and Dieselboy… love those tracks -  brings back great memories.

Around the age of 15-16 I got my first turntable (started with just one and then eventually two) and started buying records at places like Higher Source in Huntington Beach. I would buy everything from house, drum n bass, techno, hip-hop, battle records, and some trance even. 

I started producing music on Cubase and Reason around the age 17, making all kinds of dance music and trip-hop, collaborating on tunes with a small group of friends who were also into dance music and raves. At around age 21 I gave up djing and sold everything for a regrettable price to a friend of mine.  I went on to get involved with meditation and Buddhism for a period of time in my twenties.  Later around the age 28 I started exploring music production again and this time invested in analog gear.  Eventually I got back into DJing vinyl again - that was about 2-3 years ago.    I Got some of my old battle records back from that same friend I sold them to and just picked up from where I left off.  Now I’m 37.  I feel old sometimes.  Those early rave memories keep me inspired to make dance music and keep me inspired in general.  Those were some of the most amazing times of my life.  Nothing seems to come close

CST: Is there a concept or theme for this mix and if so, can you tell us about it a little bit more about it?

S: For this mix I put together a bunch of jungle and hardcore records from the early 90’s. This was a sound that came and went before I got involved in the rave scene, and by that time a lot of jungle producers were moving to make drum n bass.  But I’ve become more and more attracted to that earlier sound and how its played a huge part in the formation of drum n bass and contemporary jungle music of today. 

Photo by Rich Lomibao

Soeneido bandcamp

Soeneido soundcloud

LOVESHADOW

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San Francisco’s Loveshadow is a dance collective / music project between Anya and Izaak, two bay natives whose underground paths have dotted across the Bay Area, Philadelphia, Chicago and Detroit, eventually landing in Oakland where their origin story finds them crossing paths working together at the former local Perch cafe. A shared love of a track by Aurra heard through the radio at the cafe becomes the catalyst that would eventually lead to their musical world building drawing from emotive sophisto-pop fused with balearic jazz and funk; through Anya’s vocal and songwriting set against the backdrop of Izaak’s productions. This has transpired through countless DJ sets that span across Fault Radio, Seance Center, NTS, Beyond / Below, among others, a release through Portage Garage Sounds with friend Ryan Spencer entitled S Transporter and their new Music For Memory self titled release.

As the year culminates, we are guided by Loveshadow delivering two hours of pure cosmic subterranean energy. Mining otherworldly realms imbued with esoteric atmospheres, they extract on the more offbeat offerings of jazz, post punk, dub, dark wave synth pop, and all the delightful intersectional sonic layers that can be found in between. A listening party that mystifies and opens portals into an unknown tomorrow.

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?

I & A: We both grew up in the bay area and we currently live in SF!

CST: Introvert or extrovert?

A: A mix of both but depends on the day- probably more extroverted.

I: I lean toward being introverted i think.

CST: What is your sign?

A: Scorpio

I: Sagittarius

CST: What is your favorite record/music shop?

I & A: Hercules in Berkeley is always a good place to stop in. and CST of course :) but to be truthful we're more present in the online dig at the moment.

CST: What is your morning ritual?

A: Aside from the obvious get-out-the-door stuff, we usually care for our plants first thing in the day.

I: I wish i had more mornings to make music but i even when i don’t have time to get deep i like to spend 15 minutes with the last project file i’ve been working on to get a fresh perspective.

CST: What is your dream lineup for a party and what would you name this party?

A & I: Hmm, how about üllar sir playing in a hedge maze? we can call it “Topiary”.

CST: What parties/underground/diy spaces did you go to when you first started partying/discovering music?

I: In high school we’d go to the east bay for shows at Gilman, and then Lobot gallery in its early iterations. When I moved to Philly at 19 I started going to a million different galleries, warehouses, and basements to hear music- it was a permissive time in that city for throwing anything-goes events. One particular spot in north Philly called PIFAS left a mark. They put on lectures and classes as well as music events and art shows. The group of people who hung around there were all way interesting / knowledgeable / eccentric and really generous with their time and energy.

A: In high school we would attend punk shows in the basement of the local library. I also went to Gilman and Lobot in my early show days. Too many houses/ galleries to even list here all up and down the west coast. 

CST: What was the first record/music you ever bought?

A: Mine was a Best of the Pixies cd that i purchased at the dearly departed virgin megastore in sf

I: The Fugees - The Score. I wore it out.

CST: What are you reading right now?

I: Quickly: the Tim Lawrence biography of Arthur Russell and slowly: Stolen Life by Fred Moten.

A:Beyond the Periphery Of The Skin by Silvia Federici.

CST: What are your other interests besides djing/collecting music?

A: Singing/songwriting, hiking, cooking, gardening, writing, reading, traveling…when we can travel again.

I: Walking around with a camera, riding bikes, reading. now that we have a garden, gardening.

CST: Favorite part of the day?

A: It’s a tie between the calm of a crisp winter morning and the slow creep of golden hour that comes around 4:30 pm nowadays.

I: I literally never thought i’d be a morning person but here i am…

CST: Do you collect anything else aside from records/music?

A & I: Honestly? random shit from the thrift store. We’re the worst.

CST: Where is your favorite place to dance/listen/watch music?

A & I: We have to give a shout out to our friends in Detroit, Michigan. Music is the lifeblood of that town and it shows in the vitality and scope of the sounds that come from there.

CST: Is there a concept or theme for this mix and if so, can you tell us about it a little bit more about it?

A& I: Maybe it’s the time of year but the tunes we picked out leaned towards a dense and dark feel. it might make for a good nighttime headphone listen…

Loveshadow - S/T LP on Music From Memory

S Transporter bandcamp

Loveshadow soundcloud

DJ PATRICK

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Patrick Lotilla is an Oakland-based Disc Jockey. He was a programmer for Shortwave, KALX 90.7FM’s dance music speciality show. He co-founded Brouhaha, a party series that ran from 2013 – 2018 which hosted Awesome Tapes From Africa, Beautiful Swimmers, Paul Johnson, Octo Octa, DJ Fett Burger to name a few. He is currently a resident DJ at long-running house and techno party series As You Like It. In 2021, he launched Bop 40 – a youtube channel dedicated to sharing rare records by uploading rips of music previously non-existent on the internet. For this installment, Patrick brings a smooth seamless set expressed through his passion for unearthed gems. Surprising at every turn, No. 21 bears an undercurrent of a warm downtempo pulse dressed with bossa swing beat and indie soul interwoven with rap verses and infectious vocal hooks; gliding us along with his thoughtful approach to the deeper cuts of 80s-90s rare grooves.

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?

P: I grew up in Paranaque City, Philippines; now, in Oakland, California.

CST: Whats your sign?

P: Cancer.

CST: What is your favorite record/music shop?

P: Hercules, A1, Salt Box, Betino's, Melting Point, Flash Disc Ranch and of course Cone Shape Top.

CST: What is your morning ritual?

P: Start the kettle.

CST: What parties/underground/diy spaces did you go to when you first started partying/discovering music? 

P: I lived in Los Angeles before moving to the Bay Area and I spent a good year going to underground raves there almost every weekend when I was first getting into dance music/DJ culture. I didn't really follow any specific promoter or party series and tbh mostly went to events listed on PLURlife haha

CST: What was the first record/music you ever bought?

P: My most significant first purchase was buying the single of "So Much for Love" by Moment of Truth on Salsoul and hearing the instrumental mix by Tom Moulton on the B-side... Been in a relationship with Disco ever since.

CST: What are your other interests besides djing/collecting music?

P: I like playing old video games. Hoping to get some free time so I can dig into Anno 1404 (2009). I also really want to try playing Sid Meier's SimGolf (2002) ever since I watched a playthrough of it.

CST: Favorite part of the day?

P: I am a night owl (O,O)

CST: Do you collect anything else aside from records/music?

P: Jpegs

CST: Where is your favorite place to dance/listen/watch music?

P: Outdoors, in living rooms with friends.

CST: Is there a concept or theme for this mix and if so, can you tell us a little bit more about it?

P: I had the incredible opportunity of meeting the band Hiroshima recently and they were so gracious enough to send me a copy of their latest record "2020" (Thanks Dan & June!) – I enjoyed the entire album but I especially liked the track "Side Street" so I put this mix together with that track in mind. Unsurprisingly, the result is a chill listen with, hopefully, a few delightful twists :) Thanks for listening!

Photo by Rich Lomibao

Photo by Rich Lomibao

MADRE GUÍA

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Stephanie Hewett (she/they) is an interdisciplinary artist working within the mediums of movement and sound. She experiments with different sonic frequencies to uncover ancestral vestiges in the body. Hewett DJs and produces electronic music under the moniker, Madre Guía. She holds an MFA in Dance and uses both music and movement to access creative resistance and paths towards liberation through spiritual, physical, and sonic defense.

Excited for this installment, as we close the summer with nothing short of unapologetic pure energy delivered by Oakland’s Madre Guía. Bouncing in between wobbly bass lines and rippling percussive textures is a ride through humid tropical futurist clubscapes; from hard hitting 2 step into reggaeton/dancehall rhythms, with interjections of soulful jazzy house moments reminiscent of chosen club family style backyard parties. Sub woofer recommended.

TRACKLIST

Undenied - BOMBSNAX
Miss Fatty Riddim - Max Wallin'
Nitevision (feat Pamputtae) - BAMBII
Don't Disturb The Jungle - Kaval 
_matarnos - Kelman Duran 
Raisa - Kelman Duran 
Torcida Tool - Pedro da Linha 
Para la Flaca que le gusta el Sex (Flaca Edit) - Estrada, Flaca 
Evil Reg - TSVI 
Afrique - Karen Nyame 
Obatala - Oludaré
Pedra Preta - Teto Petro
BINZ (RIC808 DANCE REWORK)
Lawdaa Mercy - Ase Manual 
Unravel In The Designated Zone - Anz 
Recital - Index
No sittin in the afty  - AMEN the Producer 
Ga$ton Rasta - CalvoMusic feat. DJ Glo 410 
Na onda da babylon - badsista 
Megatron - Marlon Branco & SLAIM3
vai luv u - DJMC 
Bantu Zen - Slikback 
Bate Mais - Teto Preto 
Anti War Dub - Mala
Jungle Machine - 6Blocc

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?

MG: I’m from the Bronx, New York (Lenape land) and currently based in East Oakland, CA (Ohlone-Chochenyo land) 

CST: What is your sign?

MG: Pisces sun, Aries moon, Gemini rising 

CST: What is your morning ritual?

MG: Coffee 

CST: What parties/underground/diy spaces did you go to when you first started partying/discovering music?

MG: Oakland renegades, Noctuary 

CST: What was the first record/music you ever bought?

MG: It was a huge haul at Rasputin in Hayward, CA so can’t name the “one” record but that haul was definitely special :) 

CST: What are you reading right now?

MG: Blackspace: On the Poetics of an Afrofuture by Anaïs Duplan 

CST: What are your other interests besides djing/collecting music?

MG: I’m also a dancer, choreographer, performer, and producer. 

CST: Happiest moment?

MG: So many!!! But top two right now are finishing my EP and my first time at Movement.  

CST: Where is your favorite place to dance/listen/watch music? 

MG: There is this very special outdoor dance studio space (with a proper sound system) a couple of hours north of SF that I’ve worked in a few times. I really enjoy being out there in nature and making/hearing music + moving my body with friends. 

CST: Is there a concept or theme for this mix and if so, can you tell us about it a little bit more about it? 

MG: I started working on this mix shortly after spending a lot of time in solitude and so it feels very uninhibited, which I always aim for, but that can sometimes get sabotaged by this pressure I put on myself to sound a certain way. It’s something I’m working on. So yeah this mix is just that, me letting go of imagined expectations and just doing me.

Photos by Rich Lomibao

Photos by Rich Lomibao

OSO FEO

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Oso Feo is an SF based DJ, producer and designer bringing his Texas roots and fusing it into their Bay stomping grounds. Alongside Banal, they have built, uplifted and celebrated their underground community over the last several years through Cultivated Frequencies, a label and party series known to most as Cult Freq. Sebastian's latest projects include organizing “Visions: A Benefit Compilation for Artsakh” with Lara Sarkissian which also includes a track contribution, a collaboration with Xyla on their track, “Cold” from her “Ways” release (Leaving Records) and a 3D chrome effect for the cover of Jasmine Infiniti’s “Bxtch Släp” release (Dark Entries). He is also the main designer for SutroFM, and has designed various flyers for club nights and renegades throughout the Bay and Texas.

For this installment, we get straight to it. Everything that has been building up from the last year is released, bringing us back to the feeling of being activated  physically, emotionally and spiritually through a sound system. No nonsense jacking house, bubbly acid, freestyle feelings, melodic jazzy swirls and a kick drum that comes down like a hammer. Vocal affirmations that get to the heart of the matter. Strictly for the dancers. 

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?

OF: I currently live in Upper Haight in San Francisco, and I love it here. There are a few pockets of the city that aren't flooded with weird techies, and the Haight is one of those places.

CST: Introvert or extrovert?

OF: I feel like I'm an introverted extrovert lol I love being in my own space, but when the time is right, I'm ready to rage and socialize with all the people I love.

CST: What is your sign?

OF: Lots of fire but some other elements to chill me out lol (Aries Sun, Scorpio Moon, Leo Rising, Aries Venus, Cancer Mars)

CST: What is your favorite record/music shop?

OF: Ahhh there's so many dope shops out there. Of course my 3 favorite record stores in the bay are RS94109, Vinyl Dreams, and very recently Cone Shape Top! Shout out to Jess and Mike B for running Vinyl Dreams so successfully. Shout to Sohrab, Skan, Josh W, Whitney, and Noah for the work y'all have put and continue to put into RS94109, my sf experience wouldn't have been what it is without y'all. And of course shout to my new favorite record CST! Y'all are doing some really cool stuff and I can't wait to do some deep dollar bin diving ova there.

CST: What parties/underground/diy spaces did you go to when you first started partying/discovering music

OF: I really wish my upbringing in electronic dance music was as cool as everyone else's. I was super into old school synthy Funk and Hardcore (metal). When I came across Edbanger, it somehow felt like a modern union of the two. So I basically would go to underage clubs and lots of mansion parties when I was 17 to be around that type of music. It wasn't until I moved to Frisco that I was able to experience and understand what real raving was. The more amazing people I met the closer I got to what I was always searching for, a space where I could be myself and enjoy music uninterrupted. I've most certainly come a long way.

CST: What are your other interests besides djing/collecting music?

OF: I'm really committed/interested in gaining as much economic access as possible so that I can use the wealth to boost up Latin and art communities as much as I can. I keep coming back to this idea of creating the generational wealth that generations before me didn't have. If I can somehow contribute to providing future abundance for the people who will come after me, then they can hopefully use their access to dismantle and challenge our oppressors. I feel like right now we are still too outgunned. Thanks to my design and hustle skills tho, I'm on my way to doing just that.

CST: Biggest vice?

OF: My biggest vice is that I work way too hard. I don't know how to say no to new and cool projects, but last month I made the decision to stop taking up extra projects so that I can actually experience life. I hope this life experience thing plays out the way I want it to.

CST: Favorite part of the day?

OF: There's something truly special about the early early morning time when all of San Francisco is either asleep or absent from the streets. This golden silent hour is usually from 4-6am.These moments are when I find true peace from all the project chaos I tend to surround myself with.

CST: Where is your favorite place to dance/listen/watch music?

OF: Underground SF is still my favorite venue to dance and hang with my best ppl. I can't wait until Underground SF opens up. I love spending time there and seeing all the homies come thru and play. As far as spaces and environments go, nothing beats dancing in a forest or a desolate decayed warehouse area. If there was a way to combine the two, I think I'd be in heaven, also known as being locked into the dancefloor until sunrise.

CST: What is your dream lineup for a party and what would you name this party?

OF: Dang my dream lineup is always changing! I still have a pretty strong dream of gathering a bunch of like minded headz from the Bay including Club Lonely, the TVOD Crew, Very Much Romance, Cult Freq, Soft Rendezvous, and all the wild bobbleheadz from Oakland, Seattle and Vancouver in a super sick, somewhat psychedelic space for about 48hours. The partying would be glorious. I know I will make this happen. It's honestly a huge dream of mine and I intend to make it come true in the coming years.

CST: Is there a concept or theme for this mix and if so, can you tell us about it a little bit more about it?

OF: This mix is dedicated to all the people in my life that I cherish. All of the intense and negative energy from last year made me realize that I need to put more attention and love into the people around me. Into the folks who return that energy back to me in their actions more than their words. This mix was made in the hopes of elevating those people. I hope that this mix can also make other folks feel good too

Photo by Rich Lomibao

Photo by Rich Lomibao

Oso Feo Soundcloud

IG: @kuma.feo

Twitter: osebastian_wav

CHUCK GUNN

We are excited to welcome Chuck Gunn for our newest installment. Bay Area transplant by-way of Los Angeles, Chuck Gunn is a resident and co-founder of Joy Tactics, an underground warehouse party based out of LA. His fresh take on house music is influenced by labels like Perlon, Pressure Traxx, and Sushitech. Chuck’s sets are known for their slick drum loops, spaced out voice-overs, and extraterrestrial soundscapes.

We kick off Pride being led down a rabbit hole by Gorgonzola, the green alien plushie, following along on one of her wild nights. A soundtrack to her evening, she guides us into deep astral terrains, leading further into the abyss of galactic bouncy 4/4 rhythms. Percussive washes diminish into hard stomping soulful house braiding in declarations of identity, love, strength, and liberation. This month we’re dancing in outer space.

Tracklist:

Sanasol - Seveneleven - SUSH36                                                           
Villa H2H - Conspiracy Two - PERL113                                                    
Monkey Nenufar - Element - RED001                                                      
Yaleesa Hall x Malin - First Carol - WNK009                                              
Thor - Aliens Don’t Boogie - SUSH36                                                    
Unknown Artist - Track 1 - WHOIS?005                                                      
Lizz - Techno Trass - LIZZ4                                                           
Federico Molinari - The Tech Talks Part 2 - OLSO031                                      
A.G. - So To Speak - EYA007                                                               
Thor - Good Day - SUSH36                                                               
Artmann - Memories - Self Released                                                      
Delano Smith - Endeavors - SUSH39                                                         
Malin Genie - Lust Crazed Muck Men - VGNR08                                              
Delano Smith - The Rock (Version) - SUSH39                                                
A.G. - Look Inside - EYA007                                                               
Lizz - Bitche$ - LIZZ4                                                                     
The Wizard - Inner - UNDEFINED009

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?

CG: San Diego, CA and now I live in Oakland, CA.

CST: Introvert or extrovert?

CG: Extrovert, when I want to be.

CST: What’s your sign?

CG: Sagittarius

CST: What is your morning ritual?

CG: Hitting the snooze button and cuddling with my blonde chihuahua, Dorothy

CST: what is your dream lineup for a party and what would you name this party?

CG: Mortiz Von Oswald, Zip, and Raresh. The Factory. I greatly admire those artists and they each have a distinct sound that captures the different shades of the music I enjoy. 

CST: What was the first record/music you ever bought?

CG: Maurizio - 4.5

CST: Favorite part of the day?

CG: That weird moment for a few hours in the afternoon during the shift from day into night.

CST: Do you collect anything else aside from records/music?

CG: Vintage knit sweaters.

CST: Where is your favorite place to dance/listen/watch music?

CG: The Stud is pretty special.

CST: Is there a concept or theme for this mix and if so, can you tell us about it a little bit more about it?

CG: My boyfriend and I have a neon green alien plushie named Gorgonzola. This mix is pretty much the soundtrack to her galactic adventures.

EXPERIMENTAL HOUSEWIFE

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My name is Evelyn and I play music as Experimental Housewife. I started collecting music at a very young age and learned how to compile and mix at age 12. I was able to start DJing actively shortly thereafter, proudly during the golden age of progressive house. As I matured, I moved around the map, taking my drive to collect, select, and play music with me. I hosted a radio show for many years, opened for many bands, toured Europe and also played drums and keyboard in post-bands. After all that excitement, I settled back into DJing in a new way and started focusing on solo production. I love blending sounds to create new sounds, taking chances and letting the music speak for itself... and for me. I have a deep love for vinyl, music collecting, and making friends through sound, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop.”

This current edition we are honored to welcome Exhouse, tenderly conducting with exacting precision into a haze filled dream state that swirls in between ambient melodic chambers and cavernous declines of basement dub techno resonance with uplifting bursts of blissful fantasy 90s warehouse memories. A time lapse of a sonic glowing nocturnal flower blooming and shimmering brightly in the middle of a dance floor.

Tracklist:
On!Air!Library! - Ex’s and Ho Oh’s
Monolake - Abundance
Jerod S. Rivera - Cause Im
Labradford - Texas
The Cardigans - The New Cuckoo (Super Stereo Mix)
Sasha - Belfunk
Soul Mekanik - I’ll Call You (Thin Red Man Mix)
Shed - Well Done (030-edit)
Lapien - Searching
Fred P + SMBD - Hybrid
o.utlier - Letat  

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?

E: I’m originally from Houston, but I’ve lived most of my adult years in and out of Missoula, Montana. Sometimes I claim it as my hometown. But "hometown" is a very finite idea, so I try to not use it. Currently my wife and I are in the process of making a long term move to Sonoma County, and we’re really excited!

CST: Introvert or extrovert? 

E: Uh, I think I’m an introverted extrovert. Solo time and independence comes first and naturally, but I also love getting down with homies, going on adventures etc., and I was a really outgoing and hyperactive kid. Very extroverted. Then I grew up and started to harden, lol.

CST: What's your sign?

E: I’m a very proud Virgo Sun, Sagittarius Moon and Rising. Mercury and Mars are also in Virgo, thank god.

CST: What is your favorite record/music shop?

E: I have to say that I do really love Vinyl Dreams. Mike and Jess are friends, and there’s always something there in-store waiting to be discovered. Otherwise I would have to say Discogs is my favorite shop, and I have my favorite sellers on there that are like my favorite shops.

CST: What is your morning ritual?

E: Walk the dog, coffee, computer things. Sometimes I do some music browsing first thing and then the harder, more disciplined work later (PhD work), and other times I get strict with myself first thing and read and write before music work. Then I go on a long walk or hike with the dog to transition out of the morning and into the afternoon.

CST: What is your dream lineup for a party and what would you name this party?

E: Sasha and Digweed 10hr contemporary non-EDM vinyl set! I’d love to hear what they’d select if the big industry isn’t involved/watching.

CST: What was the first record/music you ever bought?

E: I am pretty sure it was Tears For Fears Elemental, but if it wasn’t that it would have been TFF’s Tears Roll Down: Greatest Hits 82-92. I got them around the same time back in 1993 when I was a baby.

CST: What are your other interests besides djing/collecting music?

E: I love gardening and husbandry to be honest. I am super fond of birds, ungulates (deer, elk, horse, cow and goat-type animals), whales, and all kinds of creatures. I also love food, hiking/recreating, travel. And I have to say that I do love film. And card games. Where my Rummy people at?

CST: Biggest vice?

E: Discogs research. It’s really bad… I lose sleep to it. But there's other things, too. I always crack for sparkling wine… and good gin.

CST: Do you collect anything else aside from records/music?

E: Books (nonfiction!), rocks, maps, t-shirts I don’t wear.

CST: Is there a concept or theme for this mix and if so, can you tell us about it a little bit more about it?

E: Cat mentioned digging the vibe from a set I played for Fault Radio a couple of years ago, so I wanted to mirror that a little. I also wanted to create a mix that’d be good listening for the shop. In this mix, there is, as usual per my sets, a mixture of contemporary and aged stuff in here, some new stuff I’ve been listening to and some dated stuff I’ve been returning to lately. I started off with some moody and glimmery selections, and that was a good warm up before I started to pick up the pace. All vinyl except for the first two tracks; those releases only exist on CD. There is a personal story that took shape here, too. I don’t clearly know what it is, but it’s there. Let me know if you have thoughts and interpretations on what it is :)

Photo by Mariah Claire Tiffany

Photo by Mariah Claire Tiffany

I have over 50 mixes available on my Soundcloud. If you like this mix, I'd recommend checking these out too:

Summertime Knightmares Don't Panic Berlin #10
SutroFM Show 10/12/2019

INDRA

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We are happy to welcome Indra for this new installment. A Berkeley based deep listener and vinyl collector, Indra greatly enjoys moments of collective effervescence in the right spaces. Their love for music stems from imperfect and improvisational traditions as well as collective listening recommendations within their close knit group of fellow music lovers. They try their best to seek out and support culturally minoritized spaces in which dance music can be experienced.

Traversing various percussive patterns that move in and out of 4/4, breakbeat and abstract rhythms; a cinematic ride, scenes passing outside a train window, straddling the tension from dark and pensive to uplifting and ethereal. Punctuated by moments of poetic respite through spoken word fragments is an hour long listening experience for soft reflection and a gentle embrace of lost dance floors.

Tracklist:
The Caretaker - Mournful Camaraderie
Intrusion Dubs - Vincis (Intrusion’s Possession Dub)
Francis Harris - Archive Fever
Frank & Tony (Feat. Gry) - Bring the Sun
Willrijk - Promised Land
Frank & Aakmael - Mercy of Means
Route 8 - 4th Journey
Lack - Machine Club
Frits Wentink and Erik Madigan Heck - An Infant’s Dream
Nadia Khan - Rain Again (Lawrence Remix)
Octo Octa (Avalon Emerson Remix) - Adrift (Avalon Emerson’s Furiously Awake Remix)
Escape Artist - Another World
Konduku - Belki
Graften - Heden
Dreamlogicc - Slow Goin
Pugilist - Encrypted
Matrix - Fluid Motion
Kim Jinmook - Facing to Spica

CST: Introvert or extrovert?

I: Introvert who occasionally overshares

CST: What is your morning ritual?

I: Drinking a glass of warm water and a short morning walk.

CST: What parties/underground/diy spaces did you go to when you first started partying/discovering music?

I: Ships in the Night in Oakland - so many beautiful people and performances

CST: What are you reading right now?

I: I'm re-reading The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin. I also recently read a couple of short stories by Murakami (about a monkey who steals names) and they left a really strong impression on me.

CST: Where was the first party/underground show you ever went to?

I: My friend took me to a Rare Form show in Oakland Chinatown

CST: Where is your favorite place to dance/listen/watch music?

I: Before all this, I had a lot of fun going to some Noctuary shows (a v. sweet + important party that used to happen in San Francisco). I also enjoy listening to music on a train, sitting by the window. The movement often lends itself very well to what i'm hearing.

CST: What is your favorite record/music shop?

I: I was blown away by the collection at A-1 records in New York (the one time I was able to go there).

CST: What was the first record/music you ever bought?

I: I think my first record may have actually been 'You' by Frank and Tony

(the one with the DJ Sprinkles collaboration on Scissor and Thread).

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?

I: The longest time I have lived anywhere is in Berkeley, California (where I am right now). However, I'm originally from India, from an industrial town called Jamshedpur where both sides of my parents' families lived. I feel really fortunate to have been able to come to America - the rest of my family is in India; but I do miss India a lot! We speak Bengali at home, a somewhat borderless language.

CST: is there a concept or theme for this mix and if so, can you tell us about it a little bit more about it?

I: I'm not fully certain. Perhaps this is well suited for a slow sunrise at a small forest gathering of friends (although i don't think i would try to play vinyl outdoors). Things have been rather heavy lately, and I want to fully appreciate those feelings rather than pushing them under the rug as we slowly come out of it, if that makes sense. A year or so ago, I read this from an artist's interview and I think about it quite a bit:
"I used to get taken away to the middle of nowhere, by the sea, I love it out there, because when it’s dark, it’s totally dark, ..... We used to have to walk back and hold hands and use a lighter. See the light, see where you were and then you’d walk on, and the image of where you just were would still be on your retina. You couldn’t see anything, but you’d see stars." I think it's important to value what we learn from this communal sense of loss over the last year or so. Perhaps we can also learn to better value our own imperfections/humanity through this journey (something that I struggle with)... among other things...

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NERVE

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Nerve is a Hong Kong based multidisciplinary artist whose practice mines the boundaries between contemporary music, sound art, multimedia theatre and underground subcultures. With a background in classical composition and 90s rave culture, he explores the extreme sound experience by mixing electroacoustic, beat, bass, fx and samples into a new form of free improvisation performance.

Fight or flight are the options during a global pandemic. Music can be relief, a space to forget, or it can be a mirror, a space to confront. Nerve gives us permission to dive in headlong. Told through the vernacular of bass and noise, this mix embodies 2020 in sound and sentiment. The opposite of escape. A pummeling reflection of the present and a foretelling of an unforeseen chaotic future. In this dystopian world, tracks dissolve into swift and relentless cuts, and just when it begins to feel overwhelming, you’re hit even harder with industrial cacophony and distant basement dance floor reverberations. The release is nothing short of cathartic; sometimes pain feels good too.

Tracklist:
Çois Agver - AABBUUSSOO
AGF - abundANTIA EP {soundcloud cut}
AN System - Moss Charger
lujiachi - Diamond Palace
Kelvin T - 13Eight
Thoom - It's Going to Be Ablaze
Fatshaudi - 憎しみからは何も生まれない
TRNGS - REPRESENTATION OF PHYSICAL
emamouse -  Birdbathing
玉名ラーメン - awai
マヱカドコウヂ - ビッキー・ホリディの唄 (Vicky Holiday no Uta)
MARTYYNA - Midnight Guards
Klein - Arese
FRKTL - دَفْق (Crash Blossoms)
Dasychira - xDream (Charity 等一会 Vocal Edit)
Rosaceae - Empty House
Evitceles - Exhausted Lust
julek ploski - ja tata
22 БОСС КОКОС - SHED THOSE TEARS
Himera - It's U ft. Petal Supply (Pearl Version)

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?

N: Born and living in Hong Kong.

CST: Introvert or extrovert?

N: 90% introvert

CST: Whats your sign?

N: Pisces

CST: What is your favorite record shop?

N: OOR in Zurich. They have the most interesting way to categorize music genres in the world. 

CST: What is your morning ritual?

N: Recalling dreams

CST: What is your dream lineup for a party and what would you name this party?

N: Autechre, Kode9, Pain Jerk and Pan Daijing. The party name is Kill the Rave

CST: What parties/underground spaces did you go to when you first started partying?

N: In the old days I mainly played at places like XXX, Bassment, Sammy Kitchen, and many random DIY parties at Kwun Tong outdoor areas or private units at factories.

CST: What was the first record you ever bought?

N: Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space [cassette version] 

CST: Where was the first party you ever went to?

N: It was an illegal rave organized by the Pleasure Force in Toronto 1992. I got a card with a phone number from a record shop and received an address via hotline on the day. It was a meeting point in downtown, and there are yellow school buses for transportation between the meeting point and the warehouse. 

CST: What are you reading right now?

N: Jenny Odell - How To Do Nothing : Resisting the Attention Economy

CST: What are your other interests besides djing?

N: Meditation, walking without a goal, mute the sound and add other music to the screen.

CST: Biggest vice?

N: Smartphone. I can't imagine I will use it forever.

CST: Happiest moment?

N: When I was playing my first ever note on piano. I was 10 years old at that time.

CST: Favorite part of the day?

N: 6am

CST: Do you collect anything else aside from records?

N: I try not to collect anything these days. I have some instruments and recording gears tho. 

CST: Where is your favorite place to dance?

N: Any good rave

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SELIM X

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Weaving songs together can have many purposes geared towards a spectrum of listening experiences and the environments these sounds inhabit. With each mix a narrative unique to its selector unfolds, allowing insight to what moves them and how connections are made from one song to the next. Sometimes, a story is told.

Here is a story presented by Selim X. You have stepped into an otherworldly psychedelic car ride through colorful cosmic boulevards. You turn on the car radio in this surreal voyage as you sit sunken into the backseat, slowly taking it all in. A composer/producer/theorist from the Sonoran Desert, Selim X is currently based in San Francisco. Prolific maker of music that almost falls within the spectrum of experimental house/techno but really expands way beyond. We once saw his music described as R&B science fiction. It feels like the perfect words to describe this mix as well.

Tracklist:
Fripp & Eno - The Heavenly Music Corporation
Viper - Thug Verses
Barry White - Sho You Right
Xavier Jouvelet - Oeuf En Clock
Goblin - Tenebre (Reprise)
SpaceGhostPurrp - Paranoid
Jaheim & Miss Jones - Waitin' on You
System Olympia - 6am Romance
Quaid - Mirage
Mr. Fingers - On My Way
Soichi Terada - CPM
Nhac Hoa Tau - Ly Cay Bong
Weather Report - Young and Fine
Mach-Hommy, Tha God Fahim - Mozambique Drill 
Yellowman - Dem Sight The Boss

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?

S: Born and raised in Mesa, AZ. Living in San Francisco since 2013.

CST: Introvert or extrovert?

S: Intro for sure.

CST: What is your favorite record shop?

S: Blackbandcamp.info

CST: What is your morning ritual?

S: Try to ignore my phone, do pushups, get cleaned up and dressed, weed, coffee, then a walk around the neighborhood. I can usually gauge my daily temperature from that point.

CST: What are you reading right now?

S: Right now I’m reading Assata, Autobiography of Malcolm X, Paradise Lost, various pdfs, and user manuals.

CST: What are your other interests besides music?

S: Shoshin, spirituality, basketball, ravens. to name a few.

CST: Biggest vice?

S: Vietnamese iced coffee, unquestionably.

CST: Happiest moment?

S: Hasn’t happened yet.

CST: Favorite part of the day?

S: 10pm onward. My mind goes to another gear. Only good things happen after midnight. 

CST: Is there a concept or theme for this mix and if so, can you tell us about it a little bit more about it?

S: I’m no DJ; I do it all mixtape style. I grew up on my father’s old tapes and have inherited that ancestral storytelling tradition; focused on mood & momentum over technicality. Natural flows and narratives can emerge without conscious intent too. This particular mix is an arrangement of some recent favorites, inspired by seasonal weather and open to interpretation. Thanks for listening and I hope y’all enjoy!

TILLY

·

A Bristol selector, Tilly brings new wave, new beat and danceable dark wave sounds sometimes on Noods Radio, sometimes on NTS Radio and occasionally in the club. Expect synth pop, disco not disco, wave not wave and gems of all kinds.

Finding ourselves in the midst of societal, political, and environmental friction and reimagining, the importance of therapy and care has taken on new meanings. A lot of this care has been centered in dealing with solitude and separation as quarantine restrictions continue during this global pandemic. We take each day as it comes. Tilly’s mix is a comforting and soft reflection on our current state, with each song leaning us towards moments of vulnerability, tenderness and nostalgic reverie.

Tracklist:
Loren Marzzacane Connors - Evangeline 
White Light - We Sat Together
The Lovin’ Spoonful - Didn’t Want to Have to Do It
Gayna Rose Madder - Over
Troupe Steve Biko - Blue Sun
Altamont - Watching Statues
Television Personalities - Miracles Take Longer
Gary Davenport - In America There’s Everything
Beach Boys - All I Wanna Do
The Millennium - 5.a.m.
Indifferent Dance Centre - Flight and Pursuit
The Shifters - Medieval Kicks!
Les Rodger - Time to Fly
Conny Frischauf - Auf und Nieder 
Thomas Leer - Looks That Kill
Nite Jewel - Lover 
OMD - Souvenir 

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?

T: I was born in Gloucestershire in the UK. I’m currently based in Bristol. 

CST: Introvert or extrovert?

T: Introvert. It’s not that I dislike being around people I just find it super draining. Recharging my batteries and alone time is very sacred to me. When I’m eventually ready I’ll show my face for a good party every so many months and then go back into hiding ha. Obviously, with my very close friends I could spend days with them at a time but it’s very rare I find people on the same frequency. That’s always a super special moment when you meet someone, something clicks and you just get each other. 

CST: Whats your sign?

T: Gemini sun, Gemini moon, Leo rising. 

CST: What is your favorite record shop?

T: Vinyl Vault in my hometown. 

CST: What is your morning ritual?

T: Sleep as long as possible, try not to look at my phone before my feet touch the floor, chug a load of water, a quick yoga flow, then a black coffee, then hot-to-cold shower to wake up the soul. 

CST: What was the first record you ever bought?

T: I’m pretty sure it was Aladdin Sane by David Bowie. 

CST: Where was the first party you ever went to?

T: Probably some awful local indie gig in Gloucester but in terms of a proper rave it wasn’t until I got to university. I experienced something very different. I owe a lot to Rainbow Warehouse back when the toilets hadn’t been renovated. Such a great space to dance and I ended up having a little residency on the terrace space which really got me into DJing. I would just play 3hour sets on equipment I didn’t really know how to use and just play around with non-dance music stuff. Good times. Eventually, I became a regular at the Hare and Hounds, which is the best venue in Birmingham and very much an extension of the city centre. A true Brummy treasure! Shouts to the Leftfoot parties (Adam and Matt) who really opened my ears up to a different way of dancing, just super lovely guys who really do an amazing job at exposing good folk to great music. 

CST: What are you reading right now?

T: Why I’m no longer talking to white people about race by by Reni Eddo-Lodge. An important and essential read. 

CST: What are your other interests besides djing?

T: I enjoy running and sewing. But my sort of unknown interest is that I’m actually pretty good at swimming. In the summer seasons I often hop on trains to swim in open-air pools. There are lots of them dotted around the South West of England as they’re often found close to the coast. I just feel really peaceful in water and find it super soothing getting into a rhythm of counting strokes, lengths, breathes etc. For me, there’s a level on anonymity to swimming when you’re in a cap and goggles and your heads in the water. I’d love to go for sunrise swims but I’m just too lazy. 

CST: Happiest moment?

T: Rescuing my dog from the dog shelter and bringing her home.

CST: Favorite part of the day?

T: Dusk.

CST: Where is your favorite place to dance?

T: Anywhere with really good tunes and with very good friends! Preferably with lots of space to have a good old knees up! But more recently, I’ve decided the White Hotel in Manchester is the best club in the country and my favourite (for now). 

CST: Is there a concept or theme for this mix and if so, can you tell us about it a little bit more about it?

T: Due to the very weird times we are living in, I think this mix is an ode to when I used to sling coffee for a living. This is really just a little mix tape of tracks that keep me afloat. I do really miss having structure to my day so this is about those quiet moments in the café when people are sinking into their drinks or turning the page of a new book and laughing with a friend etc…. all the things that make a café a true neighborhood hang out. 

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SUZE IJO

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Hailing from the vibrant city of Rotterdam, Suze Ijó is a lover of all genres & rhythms. She’s been invested in music for years — both with DJing as with working behind the scenes, having been active behind club nights at Rotterdam’s club, Bird and now working behind the counter at Clone Records. Her style goes from anything between jazz and techno, with a certain warmth and soul being the constant factor.  

The memory of celebrating summer as we used to hangs suspended in the air as we reimagine ways of listening and dancing amidst a new reality that has dawned in the last few months. This memory sits with us worldwide, as we feel the void of a crowded dance floor, sound system and most of all each other. Despite this void, it is important to continue to make space for these moments of release as a form of self care and joy. Having taken the time to allow for reflection and respite, we wanted to share this reminder as we are proud to present a new installment by Suze Ijo. Her delicately woven selections evoke a more contemplative approach to the wide spectrum of what deep house can be, creating the soundtrack for whatever feels right at this moment.

Tracklist:
Steven Julien - Hunt
Abdul - B
Larry Heard - Midnight Movement
DaRand Land - He Reveals
Callisto - Bellisimo
The Astral Walkers - Don't Fear The Sound ( Astral Stroll)
Trinidadian Deep - Love Over
Dj Aakmael - Depth
Callisto - Jungle I
Jon Sable - Shop Lifters
Modal - Lovers (Roy Davis Jr. & DJ Skull Mix)
Ron Trent - I Feel The Rhythm (Inner Experience Revision)

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now? 

SJ: I am born and raised in Rotterdam. it's the second biggest city in the Netherlands. My dad is from Curacao(a small island in the West-Indies) so that's my second home. 

CST: Whats your sign? 

SJ: I'm a Virgo

CST: What is your favorite record shop? 

SJ: I work at Clone Records in Rotterdam and so far that's my fave(not just because I work there lol), it's clean, a huge selection with new and used records and a very friendly staff. it feels like a second home.

CST: What is your dream lineup for a party and what would you name this party? 

SJ: I would love to have two rooms. One with live performances and one with deejay's playing. It would be a dream to see Larry Heard(Mr.Fingers) perform a live set together with Robert Owens followed by Hieroglyphic Being. In the other room I would love to see Lakuti & Tama Sumo play along someone from the new generation like Josey Rebelle or Ash Lauryn. There are so many people that I would love to see. But this comes very close. I would name this party : "Deja-vu"

CST: What are you reading right now? 

SJ: The Tao of the Wu by RZA

CST: What are your other interests besides djing? 

SJ: I love learning new skills and developing current skills. I love to dance, I take pictures, I cook and I meditate. 

CST: Biggest vice? 

SJ: I am bad with my phone, sometimes I forget to answers messages.

CST: Favorite part of the day? 

SJ: The early morning. before most people wake up. I love to wake up early and get things done before noon. there is a quietness and calmness I really enjoy. it makes me very productive. 

CST: Do you collect anything else aside from records? 

SJ: Since I was a little kid I collected crystals. I have a huge collection. I used to perform my own little rituals with them when I was little, now I just use them for decoration.

CST: Where is your favorite place to dance? 

SJ: Anywhere where there's good music.

CST: Is there a concept or theme for this mix and if so, can you tell us about it a little bit more about it?

SJ: Usually before I start a mix a visual/vibe comes up in my mind. For this one I envisioned a late night swim on a hot summer's day. I wanted to include minimal vocals and let the music do the talking therefore I played around with my records that have deep, warm and aquatic elements. often there is some kind of aquatic element involved in my sets and I wanted to explore that more in this mix. I hope the music brings refreshment to the minds and energizes the bodies of those who listen!

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HI-VIS & SOLD

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This winter we bring in Farplane, the fusion of Chicago-based DJs sold and Hi-Vis, playing across the spectrum of psychedelic electronic sounds to induct ecstatic trance states. They conduct the deep listening portion of Eris Drew's Motherbeat raves, and co-run their own rave Neon Falls. sold also co-runs the party Relate and works at Gramaphone Records. Hi-Vis operates the mix series Beyond / Below and Jacktone Records' sublabel Dreamtone.

We are honored to celebrate the recent union of these two souls through their collaborative mix, where we are guided through the slow steady coming of a hazy dawn. The arc of ethereal wistful melodies interwoven with pulsating morse code-esque percussion conjure up cinematic moments filled with sentiments of longing, mystery and infinite love.

Tracklist:
Sam Mallet - Marine Life (Musique Plastique/Recurring Dream)
Motoko & Myers - Whimbrel (Future Times)
Vesu’s - Solitary Anole (Going Good)
Aardvarck - Get (CROWD)
DJ Sports - Passing (Yield)
Parris - Bloom (Ancient Monarchy)
Upsammy - Zona (Nous’klaer Audio)
Beta Librae - False Positive (Future Ethics)
Loop LF - Terra (Well Street Records)
Doubler - Urban Heat Island (U-Udios)
OL - Purant Chaos Voices (Motion Ward)
D.K. - The Goddess Is Dancing (Good Morning Tapes)
CN2 (Archetype) - First Movement B2 (Bright Sounds)
Yu Su - Early (Arcane)

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?

HV: From Northbrook, Illinois; now in Chicago, in Pilsen

S: From Ohio, I live in the neighborhood of Pilsen in Chicago now

CST: Introvert or extrovert?

HV: Extroverted introvert

S: Big introvert energy. It takes a lot of effort to remove myself from my own mind

CST: What is your sign?

HV: Libra sun and moon, Cancer ascendant

S: Big Pisces energy

CST: What is your favorite record shop?

HV: Gramaphone Records

S: Gramaphone Records

CST: What was the first record you ever bought?

HV: I don’t have a distinct memory of the one, but it was definitely from Hitt Records in Columbia, Missouri, where I went to undergrad. First 12” I got with the idea of DJing was Stellar OM Source’s “Nite-Glo”

S: First record was Pictureplane’s first album, I bought it from him when he played in Cleveland. First record I ever bought on Discogs was Coco Steele and Lovebomb’s It!

CST: What are you reading right now?

HV: For school I’m reading The Body Keeps The Score, which I’d been meaning to read anyway. I’m still trying to finish The Mushroom at the End of the World by Anna Tsing (it’s me, not the book), amongst like 10 others.

S: I am trying to finish The Body Keeps The Score, a book that has been so enlightening on my own PTSD. I’ve been on a reading hiatus which is frustrating. Gotta shake it off.

CST: What are your other interests besides djing?

HV: Psychology, creative expression in all forms but especially film and video games, healing arts, archaic techniques and mystical knowledge, snacks

S: I used to make a lot of collage art, I like making goofy photoshops to make friends smile, I like to watch movies, play video games

CST: Biggest vice?

HV: Snacks

S: Twitter and Taco Bell

CST: Happiest moment?

HV & S: Marrying my love and celebrating with a rave with all our friends (which only happened three weeks ago)

CST: Favorite part of the day?

HV: Late night when I have a few hours to myself to do whatever suits my fancy

S: Falling asleep on the couch next to my love as she does whatever she does

CST: Do you collect anything else aside from records?

HV: CDs ;P also art and media (books, magazines, DVDs, video games)

S: CDs, tapes, books, toys, cute things

CST: Where is your favorite place to dance?

HV: Somewhere dark with minimal lighting where I feel safe to lose my mind. I’m thinking of the clearing in the woods under the stars at Diane’s Hunting Club, our friends’ music gathering a couple hours outside Chicago.

S: These days it’s a fantasy, but it used to be the mountains of Colorado under the stars

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NINA SOL

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Nina Sol, a nod to her Afro-Latina heritage & warm and sunshiny disposition, delivers a genre-bending soulful sound that resonates with audiences locally and across the globe. A vinyl enthusiast that traverses time and texture, Nina's insatiable curiosity for music discovering keeps her sets fresh and unexpected. Currently based in Oakland, Nina holds monthly residencies at Constellations, a party dedicated to past and present artists born under the zodiac sign of the month, and Elements throwing down underground dance music alongside soulful house DJ veteran, Patrick Wilson. She has played with artists including DJ Spinna, Solange, Rich Medina, Natasha Diggs, Pete Rock, Moodymann, Jose James, Bugz in the Attic, and many others. Sol has contributed to music sites such as Music is My Sanctuary and mainstay parties namely thePeople, Soul in the Horn, Jump N Funk, Makossa Brooklyn, Motown on Mondays, & Black Weirdo. Nina Sol brings a profound energy to dance floors while spreading messages of justice, freedom, and love.

This fall, leaves are turning yet the remnants of the summer aren’t too far behind yet. Helping us with the 9-5 grind, I’m thrilled to present Nina Sol as she draws us into a dancer’s dance floor. Encapsulated by jazzy melodic layers and soulful hooks, the thumping percussion creates a relentless groove imbued with deep reflection and catharsis.

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?

NS: I was born in Washington D.C, raised in San Diego near the border. I live in Oakland, I have been in the Bay Area since 2004, it is home! As for my people, they come from Africa and Mexico.

CST: Introvert or extrovert?

NS: Extroverted introvert, i love being alone and I can also feed off of other people's energy. I can get overstimulated which is why I like being social from the safety of the DJ booth lol

CST: What is your sign?

NS: Cancer, i'm such a water baby

CST: What is your favorite record shop?

NS: I usually think about record shops as souvenir shops whenever I am traveling, especially internationally. I love experiencing a city from their new arrivals used record bin and connecting with locals. More recently, I make a point to hit up Human Head when I am in NYC.

CST: What is your morning ritual?

NS: I swish my mouth with coconut oil, meditate or do yoga/move my body with a morning playlist in the background  

CST: What is your dream lineup for a party and what would you name this party?

NS: I suck at naming parties! but I think the line up would be inspired by Larry Levan's Paradise Garage sound. It would include a live set by Larry Heard with Chaka Khan on vocals. And because it is my dream, it would have multiple rooms of live music + disco, deep house, global bass, funk, broken beat, jazz, whatever, so long it's soulful, it would work. i have also dreamed about an international funk party that would unite sounds from James Brown to Seu Jorge to Fela Kuti, yeah that would be dope.

CST: What parties/underground spaces did you go to when you first started partying?

NS: I have sweet memories of dancing all night at Pink and Mighty in SF, Brothers & Sisters in Oakland, and I would make regular pilgrimages to NYC  to see Timmy Regisford at the Shelter Party

CST: What are you reading right now?

NS: Pleasure Activism by Adrienne Marie Brown

CST: What are your other interests besides djing?

NS: i love to travel, especially to experience music, culture, delicious food, and bodies of water, be it internationally or a road trip, I love the shift in perspective. i love to read & I am starting to learn music production! My other passion is working towards new economic models that promote racial, LGBTQ & climate justice.

CST: Do you collect anything else aside from records?
NS: I am trying to become more minimal but I do have books and a Wax Poetics magazine collection, but yeah mostly I collect records.

CST: Biggest vice?

NS: Unnecessary portions of chocolate cake... sometimes for breakfast

CST: Is there a concept or theme for this mix and if so, can you tell us about it a little bit more about it?

NS: I chose a few songs i love and tried my best to connect them, it is always a random process for me. the mix is black expression, it is resistance & love. it is textured, soulful, and spiritual, always acknowledging the ancestors & their influence on the present moment. these are sounds you can contemplate, move, or heal to. 

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MARYANNE CASASANTA

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Maryanne Casasanta is a student, worker, and artist educator living in Toronto. Her research interests include process-based learning and art making, co-creation, and movement, which she explores by working alongside artists across a number of fields. Having collaborated with Maryanne previously on a BODYWORKBODYWORK “Listening Party” book and cassette project, we continue our international dialogue of sharing inspiration and listening as I invite Maryanne back to share a collection of warm embodied percussive sounds that guide us as gently as the sun’s decline through this summer solstice mix.

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?

MC: I'm from a small town in Ontario called, Brantford and am currently in Toronto, where I've lived for 20 years.

CST: Introvert or extrovert?

MC: Introvert

CST: Whats your sign?

MC: Scorpio with Virgo rising

CST: What moves you?

MC: Warm wind. The smell of lilac, especially right now in Toronto, it's peak season. Exchanging a smile with a stranger. People who make space for you in public settings. Unexpected notes or texts from a friend. Memories of falling in love. 

CST: What parties/underground spaces did you go to when you first started partying?

MC: So many!! When I first moved to Toronto and into the early 2000's I spent my weekends at: Club 56 in Kensington Market which hosted a number of dance, electro, indie type partiesVazaleen, a big monthly queer party where I remember seeing Tracy and the Plastics and Peaches. Super Heavy Reggae, a dancehall night which was at a fantastic bar called, Thymeless. Two friends started a party called, Lost Cats where they played cheesy 90's house and techno and another night of their's that I hold really fond memories of called, Lisp which was at what is now, an important queer institution in Toronto called, The Beaver. 

I would go to the occasional after party and as I got older would frequent friends' house, techno and disco parties. One I loved was called, Pacific High.

CST: What was the first album you ever bought?

MC: I think it might have been Dance Mix 92' produced by Much Music which was Canada's music television station that streamed videos and had top 10 video countdown type shows. They also had other cool programming like, R U Receiving and the Wedge featuring more obscure underground stuff that people my age grew up on. Anyway, I had this mix on cassette and listened to it in my walkman all the time. I would have been 11. It has Frankie Knuckles' Whistle Song and P.M. Dawn Set Adrift on Memory Bliss. I think I bought it at a Radio Shack. We had some vinyl like Madonna's Who's that Girl and Whitney Houston I Wanna Dance with Somebody on 7" at home but my mom would have bought those. 

CST: What are you reading right now?

MC: Two books: Sweet Days of Discipline by Fleur Jaeggy and Pond by Claire-Louise Bennett.

CST: Any new interests you're exploring at the moment?

MC: Many, many areas of education that I am learning about in grad school such as critical pedagogy, disabilities studies, queer studies, educational policy and race, Indigeneity, and colonial politics (also in education). As a side project, I am reading more about the 60's and 70's history of worker and student struggles in Italy. Probably the most politics heavy my interests have ever been. It's a learning curve for sure but one I am enjoying. 

CST: Happiest moment?

MC: Playing frisbee in the park with my dad, which was the last time I spent time with him before he passed.

CST: Where is your favorite place to dance?

MC: I don't have any one place as the city is constantly losing or shifting venues due to gentrification and a massively growing population. The last time I really lost myself while dancing was at a two day workshop on the Toronto Island that focused on a style of movement called, Open Source Forms.

CST: Is there a concept or theme for this mix and if so, can you tell us about it a little bit more about it?

MC: Not explicitly. In the past I've made mixes with a particular idea, tone or mood in mind using poetry or field recordings. This time around, I just wanted to organize some tracks I'd been listening to lately that are for the most part, relatively new recordings. I knew that I wanted to finish it by the summer solstice with the intention of guiding listeners further into summer while holding out for a hope that it be a very loving one. Actually, I'm fairly certain that to some extent that all my mixes are about sunsets.

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CB-R

Raised in Berkeley and currently living in Brooklyn, we bring in Bret Winans. Having grown up playing saxophone, Bret's roots in jazz eventually opened up doors towards his passion for music. From being an East Bay hip hop head to diving deeply into the electronic music scene, his interests range from 90s IDM and techno to Japanese ambient and the dubbier side of electronic music.

Aside from collecting records, Bret makes music as CB-R and CB Radio. His productions span from electronic compositions filled with dubby experimental techno and interjections of hazy ambient layers drawing from some kraut elements.

Other music releases can also be found on New York based label, Cut MistakeJacktone, 100% Silk's Sunset Silk compilation and S//P//A (a project with long time collaborator Jay Goitia). 

Also stay tuned for a new upcoming release on Run The Length Of Your Wildness' compilation.

So excited to have Bret on as we bask under this lazy Sunday, meditative, slow burning summer sun mix :)

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?

C: I'm from Berkeley, CA. Live in Brooklyn now.

CST: Introvert or extrovert?

C: Introvert

CST: Whats your sign?

C: Scorpio

CST: What is your favorite record shop?

C: Growing up it was Amoeba in Berkeley. These days Diskunion in Tokyo is always fun to visit, although I don't have to go too far to shop for records. The records I get sitting at my desk at Turntable Lab tend to keep my ears pretty satisfied. And there's always Discogs. Living in New York you can get pretty spoiled with all of the shops that have been here for days, along with the ones that have opened up in the past few years.

CST: What is your morning ritual?

C: My cat, Nico, usually jumps on my chest just before my alarm is about to go off. So she usually gets fed and then I do a bit of exercise, make a smoothie for me and my lady, make some lunch and take a shower. After that it is off to work. If it's the weekend, I'll make some coffee and play around with Nico.

CST: What parties/underground spaces did you go to when you first started partying?

C: When I was a teenager I'd spend a lot of nights at 924 Gilman, an all ages punk venue in Berkeley. At the same time, there would be Wicked's Full Moon parties, underground hip hop shows at places like La Pena, and plenty of house parties with DJs playing hip hop or house and pretty much anything else that worked.

CST: What was the first record you ever bought?

C: Either Dirtstyle Records' Toasted Marshmallow Feet Breaks or Digable Planets' Blowout Comb.

CST: Where was the first party you ever went to?

C: I'm pretty sure my first ever DJ and sound system experience was out on a little landfill called Point Isabell in El Cerrito near the Costco there. Either 1993 or 1994, there was a sound system set up, DJs were playing some sort of techno or house, and a fair amount of acid was going around. Unfortunately the cops came and broke it up rather early. It was a formative experience for sure, though.

CST: What are you reading right now?

C: Other Minds by Peter Godfrey-Smith, it's an interesting look at how the consciousness of cephalopods (squid, octopus, etc) evolved congruently, but completely separately from vertebrates. 

CST: What are your other interests besides djing?

C: Making music, good friends, cooking, travel, natural wine.

CST: Do you collect anything else aside from records?

C: Synthesizers and other music related gear.

CST: Where is your favorite place to dance?

C: There's no one particular place. I feel it has more to do with the friends that I am with and what kind of trouble we've already gotten into.

CST: Is there a concept or theme for this mix and if so, can you tell us about it a little bit more about it?

C: It's all about mellow Sunday morning / afternoon time. Easing into the day. This is what I like to listen to at home.

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YUSHH

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Yushh is a Bristol based DJ and producer with a penchant for crafting diverse and forward-thinking mixes that combine ambient, techno and electro, full of atmosphere and breaks that flow and blend with an enjoyable unpredictability. Her constant thirst for the weird and wonderful has given her an ability to move through genre, tempo and mood with style and ease. From the deep bass, drive and rhythm of UK techno to the clinical precision and atmosphere of futuristic electro, leftfied and the surreal, her sets have an energy that is difficult to define and impossible to ignore.

Having moved to Bristol in 2017, she has quickly established herself as one to watch with residencies on local radio stations Noods Radio and 10Twenty Radio and Bristol club night Eminent, as well as appearing on an increasing number of line-ups within Bristol and Cardiff’s highly competitive music scenes.

Not content with just DJing, she has taken the decision to leave work and commit full time to a music production degree in Bristol’s famous musical educational establishment BIMM (British & Irish Modern Music Institute). Her music, which she keeps close to herself and only shares with friends or in live performances, is an amalgamation of what you can expect to hear in her sets and so not easy to express or describe without making reference to some of her key influencers such as Skee Mask, Aphex Twin or Boards of Canada.

Turning over new leaves, this season is brought to us with Yushh's dubby, atmospheric, bass heavy journey through the more deeper and darker reflections of Spring. We bring you to the other side of the sun as we are proud to present one of Bristol's very own in this month's June Gloom mix. 

CST: Where are you from and where do you live now?

Y: I grew up in London but I’ve moved around quite a bit over the last ten years. Now I live in Bristol. I love the city and I have a lot of good friends and good people around me here so I don’t see myself moving for a while…

CST: Introvert or extrovert?

Y: I’d say I’m a little bit of both really. I can be quite introverted at times and sometimes a little socially awkward which can be frustrating in a music scene like Bristol’s that has a large community of promoters, DJs and other artists, but when I’m with the right people (or when I’ve had a few drinks!) I can really open up and start having fun. I suppose I’m lucky I have so many good friends around me in that respect, they definitely bring out the best in me!

CST: What’s your sign?

Y: Trill hands for life.

CST: Which is your favorite record shop?

Y: There are a lot of great record shops in London (I always visit Phonica and Sounds of the Universe in Soho when I’m about) but I have to give it to my local spot, Idle Hands, in Bristol. I’m so lucky that it’s a five minute walk from home and the selection on offer is great. They have an amazing selection of underground electronic music as well as lots of roots, reggae and dub and they support local artists, like Shanti Celeste and Kowton who have worked there, and labels with in-store shows.

It’s a really nice place to go and chat to likeminded people. Chris Farrell, the owner, and all the guys that work there have great knowledge and they’re always willing to supply a hot tip! They’ve also got a label under the same name which has released some really forward-thinking material over the last ten years, again featuring loads of local artists. Check it out!

CST: What parties/underground spaces did you go to when you first started partying?

Y: When I was 17 I went inter-railing with my College mates and we went to Dour Festival which was amazing. I got to experience so much new music with artists like DJ Shadow, Luke Vibert, Agoria on the line up, and although I didn’t fully appreciate the line up at the time, it’s had a lasting impact on me. After that, I went to a lot of parties in Birmingham when I was at university, a memorable one being Seedy Sonics, run by student DJs and, although a student night, was focused on underground music.

Since moving to Bristol I’ve experienced a lot more underground venues and generally prefer the more intimate nights now. Dirtytalk was one of the first parties I went to in Bristol. They’d hired a sex club in a towerblock towards the edge of the city with Jamie Tiller and Raphael Top-Secret playing all night long. I didn’t know anyone in Bristol at this point so went on my own, danced, met some great people, had a great night and decided Bristol was where I wanted to be.

CST: What is your morning ritual?

Y: I’m usually up pretty early, jump in the shower, a quick coffee, then take my dog for a walk. He’s still pretty young so if I want to get anything done in the day it’s best to wear him out early!

CST: What are your other interests besides djing?

Y: So I mentioned Bear, my dog, I love hanging out with him but my main other focus is music production. I did a little bit when I was a teenager but took it up again a couple of years ago and took the decision to stop working and to study music production full time at BIMM (British & Irish Modern Music Institute). Music has always been my number one passion and it’s great to be fully focused on something you love and be around people that feel the same as you, even if the music they like is totally different from your own tastes. I’ve made a lot of tracks, most of them are half finished ideas and arrangements, but I’m slowly starting to put some online. Watch this space!

CST: Biggest vice?

Y: FOMO

CST: Favorite part of the day?

Y: Sunrise (when I’m awake for it)

CST: Where is your favorite place to dance?

Y: There was a party in a basement in Old Market, Bristol, run by the Studio 89 crew. They put on such good parties and the venue was such a sweaty little rave cave! We got to hear everything down there – new wave, Italo, House, Techno, Electro, Gabber – almost always all in the course of the same night or even one DJ set. It was great!  Unfortunately, the venue can’t be used anymore because of developments in the surrounding buildings which is an issue promoters are having more and more in Bristol and the UK. It’s really sad, but we had some serious fun down there while we could! 

MARIA CHAVEZ

Born in Lima, Peru and based in NYC, Maria Chávez is best known as an abstract turntablist, sound artist and DJ.

Accidents, coincidence and failures are themes that unite her sound sculptures, sound installations and other works with her improvised solo turntable performance practice.

Maria was a research fellow with the Sound Practice Research Department of Goldsmith’s University of London from 2015 - 2017, artist in residence with the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus/Aalborg, Denmark and an Arts Fellow with the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation.

Her sound sculptures and installations have been exhibited with the JUDD Foundation (Marfa, Texas), the Getty Museum (Los Angeles) as part of PST LA LA, along with a commissioned composition for Every Time A Ear di Soun for Documenta 14. 

In March of 2018, Maria will complete a ten-day artist residency at University of Richmond, featuring current students engaged in working with sound as an art form. This artist residency will be in conjunction with the Harnett Museum of Art at the University of Richmond and the city-wide Sound Arts Festival running from March to August 2018. The University will present a performance and conversation as well as an arts exhibition in the Harnett Museum of Art, featuring a new body of work by Maria entitled, Topography of Sound: Peaks & Valleys.

As a DJ, Maria has shared her expansive music collection of techno and house music alongside iconic electronic musicians and DJ’s like; Simian Mobile DiscoDemdike StarePowell and Regis. She has DJ'd all over the world, most recently in Moscow (Dewars Powerhouse), Lisbon (Galerie ZDB), Basel (Kaskadenkondensator Gallery) and Istanbul (Pendor Corner). 

Her DJ mixes can be heard via her Soundcloud page and will have an upcoming DJ residency that begins this month called Reunions.  Excited for this 7th installment of CST RADIO, as we stay warm with Maria's 'Voutsa Winter 2018" mix.

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CST: Where are you from and where do you live now? 

MC: I was born in Lima, Peru, grew up in Austin, then Houston and have been living in NYC for 12 years.

CST: Introvert or extrovert? 

MC: Depends on the day

CST: Whats your sign? 

MC: Gemini w/ a Capricorn Moon

CST: What is your favorite record shop? 

MC: Depends on the city! 2 Bridges Music Arts under the Manhattan Bridge in NYC, Aaron Dilloway’s shop- Hanson Records in Oberlin, Casey Block’s collection- EAT Records in Brooklyn, Plattfon Records in Basel, Switzerland,   T-Trane Records in Perugia, Italy…that’s off the top of my head.

CST: What is your morning ritual? 

MC: Sleep

CST: What is your dream lineup for a party and what would you name this party? 

MC: That’s too hard of a question…there’s so much...

CST: What parties/underground spaces did you go to when you first started partying?

MC: Back in Houston, in the warehouse district, I would go to the Orbit Room, all the big raves at the I-Ball, I had my first DJ residency in downtown Houston at Dean’s. In NYC, I performed at Bowery Poetry Club with Thurston Moore in 2001. That was my NYC debut. Then I played Tonic a couple years later, just before it closed. Played the old Free 103.9/ Wave farm space by the Williamsburg Bridge. Roulette on Greene St. in Soho, the old Eyebeam space in Chelsea. 

CST: What was the first record you ever bought?

MC: Jackson 5 Christmas album when I was 5, first cassette was Janet Jackson Control, first punk album Velvet Underground White Light/ White Heat, first dance record I ever bought is a remix of Luther Vandross w/ Change- the Glow of Love when I was 16..I still have it somewhere in my studio.

CST: Where was the first party you ever went to? 

MC: In Houston, if it was a rave, then it was this one party when I was 16 at the Orbit Room. They gave me a DJ Mix cassette that I danced to in my room for another 4 years. I lost the cassette ages ago. I really regret it.

CST: What are you reading right now? 

MC: I’m writing more at the moment. Sometimes I’ll read a page or 2 of The Royal Commentaries of the Incas by Garcilaso De La Vega, a real life account of the Incan Empire during it’s most powerful time. It's from the perspective of this Spanish noble who’s mother was an Incan Princess and father was a Spanish general. It begins with the story of how Peru got it’s name. It’s fascinating and terribly heartbreaking. Especially if you're Peruvian.

CST: What are your other interests besides djing? 

MC: Focusing on my sound installation practice, my performance work as a turntablist, writing another book, lots of writing, making these new paintings for my upcoming solo exhibition at the Harnett Museum of Art that opens March 28th. Other interests outside of my creative work would have to be 'chasing summer'...

CST: Biggest vice?

MC: Wild sleeping patterns due to travel and late night gigs

CST: Happiest moment?

MC: So many, I’m very lucky. 

CST: Favorite part of the day?

MC: 2am - 6am

CST: Do you collect anything else aside from records?

MC: Vintage clothes

CST: Where is your favorite place to dance?

MC: Any place with good tunes.

CST: Is there a concept or theme for this mix and if so, can you tell us about it a little bit more about it?

MC: I’ve been providing playlists and DJ mixes for this contemporary pattern design company, Voutsa, here in NYC for a few years now. George and I have been friends for ages and every season he gives me keywords and themes to think about, but always gives me freedom to be me for each mix. I really love that. Themes of this mix were developed for the opening of his new showroom in Soho. Key words included "Sylvestor, Haprischord/ Baroque & acid-tripping-California-dessert (think The Doors)". Was super fun to make, like always! Very NYC winter!

Photos by Olimpia Dior.

Photos by Olimpia Dior.