Sonic Landscapes

In response to the turmoil across the Middle East–from the persistent violence of the Arab-Israeli conflict, to the pervasive drone strikes, to the recent attack on the American embassy in Libya–Sonic Landscapes presents a one-hour mix of traditional music from across the Muslim world, a token of sonic diplomacy to those who value respectful interaction based on understanding, goodwill, and international brotherhood–those who in the words of President Barack Obama in his speech to the UN General Assembly this morning are “willing to embrace a better future.”

Episode XLV: Music of Islam

(Right click on link above to download / Click on link to listen streaming)

The Playlist:

1. Ezan / Call to Prayer – Hafiz Huseyin Erek (Quran Recitation; Istanbul, Turkey)

2. Barhum Ya Barhum – Selim Seliman Ensemble (Religious; South Sinai Bedouins)

3. Ulad Mambara – Ahmet Bakbou (Gnawa Music; Morocco)

4. Eshbehayn – Abdelilah Azlas & Abdelkarim Doukhou (Al-Andalus traditional; Tetouan, Morocco)

5. Ish Ionak Ini – Mohammed Saleh Abd Al-Saheb Lelo (Arabian Peninsula traditional; Doha, Qatar)

6. Samra Ya Samra – Mamdouh El Gbaly (Classical; Cairo, Egypt)

7. Taba ‘An Liqa – Imam Ibrahim, Yahya Arouma (Traditional; Yemen)

8. Tasnif-E Esfahan – Agha-Ye Sadjadifard, Agha-Ye Sahihi & Agha-Ye Djamshidi (Traditional; Karaj, Iran)

9. Sem-I Ruhana Cismimi Pervane Dusurdum – Galata Mevlevi Music & Sema Ensemble (Mystic music; Turkey)

10. The Sema Ritual: Peshrev (Prelude; Makam Suzidilara) – Sultan Selim III (Mawlawiyah Music of the Whirling Dervishes; Turkey)

Sonic Landscapes Ep. XLIV: Divina Commedia Sonica

(Right click on link above to download / Click on link to listen streaming)

This week, Sonic Landscapes appropriates the structure and content of Dante Alighieri’s incredible work of epic poetry, the Divina Commedia, to construct a 3-part, 100 minute mix unlike anything we’ve done before. Here, the DJ plays the part of Virgil, guiding listeners through the various horrors of the multi-tiered Inferno, then into the spiritual stagnation of Purgatorio and, finally, to the celestial harmony of Paradisio.

Each part of the Divina Commedia takes approximately 33 minutes, corresponding to the 33 cantos that form each structural component of the poem. Let’s begin!

The Playlist:

L’Inferno:

1. Mea Culpa – Brian Eno & David Byrne

2. The Raven – Aural Sects

3. Still Born – Scratcha DVA

4. Goto 10 – Amon Tobin

5. Blood Rave – Artist Unknown

6. Sea Quake – Drexciya

Purgatorio

7. J Breas – Moby

8. Vacuum Garden – Squarepusher

9. Studio Suicide, 1980 – Tim Hecker

10. Execution – Andy Scott

11. Weathered Stone – Aphex Twin

12. Vampire Dub – Deadbeat

Paridisio

13. Movement III: Linear Tableau With Intersecting Surprise – Sufjan Stevens

14. One Too Many Mornings – The Chemical Brothers

15. Satellite Anthem Icarus – Boards of Canada

16. Little Fluffy Clouds – The Orb

17. Gó›an Daginn – Sigur Rós

18. Radioland – Kraftwerk

Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita…

Sonic Landscapes Episode XLIII: Haarschnitt (Guest Mix / Conversation)

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This week Sonic Landscapes is excited to present an hour-long mix by Haarschnitt, the musical moniker of Chris Levesque, a producer, friend, fellow Cornell student, and general aficionado of international electronic music. Of this mix, Haarschnitt writes:

“This mix crosses both generations and urban soundscapes. Some artists featured are veterans of Detroit techno who still bring their 909s and 303s to Berlin every summer–others, like myself, are American university students on the East Coast, studying in New York, Boston, and Philly. But there’s also a hint of Paris (which you’ll hear in the French Fries track) and South London UK Funky (via Genius). What it culminates to is a blend of four-on-the-floor and irregular rhythms, juxtaposed by places I’ve visited, clubs I’ve seen, and some of the heavier tracks I’ve heard so far this year. Spending my summer in Berlin (and auxiliary time in Paris, New York, and Chicago) certainly changed the way I thought about music–these places taught me that limiting electronic dance music to the club just can’t happen anymore–now, skateboarders listen to house music and frat boys rock out to Avicii et. al like it’s no big deal. This mix brings some of that new ideology in while cutting the bullshit out–a lot of it is a back-to-basics homage to the 1990s era of techno music, and on the other side you can hear some completely new ideas and sounds coming out of some entirely unexpected places. A new kind of rapport is happening between the new and the old of electronic dance music–and it’s really, really exciting.”

The episode features a brief conversation with the producer presented before the hour-long mix.

Find Haarschnitt online:

Soundcloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/haarschnitt

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/haarschnittmusic

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/haarschnitt

The Playlist:

(Introduction: “Almost Made U” by Haarschnitt)

1. Gas Up – Shed [50Weapons, 2012]

2. Backswipe – Tony Quattro (Lean Low Remix) [Bad Taste Records, 2012]

3. One House – Lokiboi (Tanka Remix) [Self-released, 2012]

4. Captcha – Ghostek [#Unknown, 2012]

5. Charlotte (Canblaster Remix) – French Fries [YounGunZ, 2011]

6. Grenzallee – Haarschnitt (*) [Self-released, 2012]

7. Waiting – Genius [Kronik, 1998]

8. Hindsight – George Fitzgerald [Aus Music, 2012]

9. Below (Boddika Acid Refix) – Skudge [Self-released, 2012]

10. Energizer – Blake Baxter [Tresor, 1996]

11. Big Gulp (Doctor Jeep Remix) – Wheez-ie [Freshmore, 2012]

12. Locked – Zimbra Sound [Yarn Audio, 2012]

13. Show Me – Kowton [Naked Lunch, 2011]

14. Instant – Joey Beltram [Tresor, 1996]

15. Terrell – Medlar (Bicep’s Brooklyn Shuffle) [Wolf Music, 2011]

Sonic Landscapes Episode XLII : The Ithaca File (Extended Mix)

(Right click link to download / Click on link to listen–be patient, as the file is large)

The Ithaca File is an approximately 5.5 hour, 79 song continuous mix of a wide variety of music based around the central pillars which unite the multitudinous musical realms of this radio show: music with dimensional character, music that conjures distinct imagery or texture, shifts the listener’s perception of time, or captivates us to reconsider reality. Some of these songs have appeared prior to this mix on various episodes, and therefore, having entered the pantheon of excellent music, deserve a serious second listen / consideration.

This will be the first of a series of four extended mixes released throughout the year that will eventually constitute our definitive sonic manifesto of 2012-2013. The Ithaca File is warm and coherent, a sampler of many different genres from trip-hop to afro-beat to new-wave. I would suggest downloading the episode onto your computer, as the streaming function is quite slow with this large file.

The Playlist:

1. All in Forms – Bonobo

2. African Pirates (TroubleMan Remix) – Nightmares on Wax

3. Plumskinzz – M.F. Doom

4. Subroc’s Mission – KMD

5. First Down – Fatboy Slim

6. Egyptology – Goldfish

7. Roygbiv – Boards of Canada

8. She Said (Jay Dee Remix) – The Pharcyde

9. Wildfire – SBTRKT

10. Spill the Wine – Eric Burdon

11. Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia) – Us3

12. When the Past Was Present – John Talabot

13. Canto de Osshana – Jurassic 5

14. Save Me – Nina Simone

15. Que Sera – Wax Tailor

16. Ali Baba Riddim Dub – John Holt, King Tubby, & Augustus Pablo

17. Cha Cha – Balkan Beat Box

18. Water No Get No Enemy – Fela Kuti

19. Tropicalia – Beck

20. Never the Same – Supreme Beings of Leisure

21. Empire Ants (feat. Little Dragon) – Gorillaz

22. L’amour d’un garçon – Françoise Hardy

23. Bingo (Diplo’s Mix) – M.I.A.

24. Chromakey Dreamcoat – Boards of Canada

25. Middle East Dub – Legendary Skatalites in Dub

26. So Will Be Now…feat. Pional – John Talabot

27. Massage Situation – Flying Lotus

28. Take a Walk on the Wild Side – Lou Reed

29. Five Man Army – Massive Attack

30. Crosseyed and Painless – Talking Heads

31. Praise You – Fatboy Slim

32. Ponta De Lanca Africana (Umbabarauma) – Jorge Ben

33. Aganju (Latin Project Mix) – Bebel Gilberto

34. Old Marcus Garvey – Burning Spear

35. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free – Nina Simone

36. Washington Bullets – The Clash

37. Fisherman – The Congos

38. Hymn Of The Big Wheel – Massive Attack

39. Oodles of O’s – De La Soul

40. Got to Give It Up, Pt. I – Marvin Gaye

41. Hollywood Freaks – Beck

42. High Fidelity – Daft Punk

43. Chan Chan – Buena Vista Social Club

44. Gypsy Part of Town – Gogol Bordello

45. Honor Your Father and Mother – Desmond Dekker

46. Boogie Man! – KMD

47. Burning Down the House – Talking Heads

48. E=MC2 – Big Audio Dynamite

49. Senegal Fast-Food – Amadou & Mariam

50. Eyesdown (Floating Points Remix) [feat. Andreya Triana] – Bonobo

51. Portal – Kode9 & The Space Ape

52. Loner – Burial

53. Happy Cycling – Boards of Canada

54. Hot Fun in the Summertime – Sly & The Family Stone

55. Parking Lot Blues – ESG

56. Safe from Harm – Massive Attack

57. Rusty Nails – Moderat

58. The Ghost – Burning Spear

59. Strange Overtones – David Byrne & Brian Eno

60. Do the Astral Plane – Flying Lotus

61. Blind – Hercules and Love Affair

62. A Roller Skating Jam Named “Saturdays” – De La Soul

63. This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) [Live] – Talking Heads

64. People – Gorillaz

65. Dance to the Music – Sly & the Family Stone

66. Boy Who Cried Wolf – KMD

67. School Spirit – Kanye West

68. Bongo Bong – Manu Chao

69. Mais Que Nada – Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66

70. La Paix – Amadou & Mariam

71. Brimful of Asha (Fatboy Slim Remix) – Cornershop

72. Get Busy Living (feat. Emily Bruce) – Goldfish

73. Nah Mean – Nas & Damian Marley

74. Rudie Can’t Fail – The Clash

75. Giant – Vampire Weekend

76. Oh! You Pretty Things – David Bowie

77. I’m Gonna Leave You – Nina Simone

78. Back in Baby’s Arms – Patsy Cline

79. Family Affair – Sly & the Family Stone

Behold!