Reach on Radio Punctum — September 2024
Reach is broadcasting live on Radio Punctum at 19:00 CET every 4th Tuesday. New and forthcoming music from KMRU & Aho Ssan, Memotone, Robert Schwarz & DJ Strawberry.
After a bit of a hiatus over summer, September saw Radio Punctum reassemble at Tendance for the Autumn/Winter season. I returned to my regular slot and brought with me a bunch of new and forthcoming music. This post format is all about sharing what I played on the radio with a little more detail, so drop down for a brief tour.
Wild Card - Outside Music (excerpt) [Self Released]
I’ve had this on repeat for weeks and weeks now: if you like meandering longform releases that really reward full, immersive listening, designed to be experienced in full, then this is a must-listen. Modern dub-influenced ambient notes meet The Necks-style instrumental dabbling.
KMRU & Aho Ssan - Clear Vision [Forthcoming Subtext]
This amazing compilation album — supporting a book of fictional essays and writing — is right on the precipice of being released by Subtext. It’s an all-star album, as this collaboration between two excellent contemporary artists indicates.
Aho Ssan - They Heard Us [Forthcoming OFNOT]
Another one from Aho Ssan, for the resonance. This track is lifted from the forthcoming ‘Temporary Stored II’ release featuring new re-reinterpretations of the original album from KMRU, which is one of the most essential-listening ambient releases of the last several years.
HMOT - World Without Flame (ft. Sainkho Namtchylak) [Warm Winters ltd]
Heavy experimental sounds on this, lifted from HMOT’s freshly-dropped album on Warm Winters. It’s a gritty record that demands your full attention, and pieces like this are among the most rewarding.
Jonáš Gruska - temporal deceleration [Forms of Minutiae]
Jonáš Gruska is a very interesting field recordist and sound artist living in Bratislava, who also runs LOM, a venue space, label and microphone manufacturer. It’s been a while since I heard a new composition, and the excellent new VA on Forms of Minutiae corrects that.
Robert Schwarz - BCL [Forthcoming Superpang]
I have been really loving Schwarz’s music since I was asked to write the liner notes for this stunning release, out soon on Superpang. Full-spectrum experimental sonics that artisically and scientifically explores insect communication patterns.
Andrew Pekler - interspecies rhythm study [Forms of Minutiae]
Another one from the recent FoM compilation from the great Andrew Pekler, who turns in a nice hybrid of field recording and production, while staying true to the compilation’s brief. Can’t recommend the full album more.
FOUDRE! - Holographic Pleasures [Forthcoming NAHAL Recordings]
A cool album I was introduced to through my promo pool, this is a great release for lovers of kosmiche, kraut, psych- and anything that dips toes in those pools.
Memotone - Following [Soda Gong]
This was the early single from the mesmeric new album from Memotone, one of my favourite musicians. I’ll do a full write up of that record soon, so I’ll just nudge you to go and listen to the full thing now.
Squidgenini - Rising Serpent (Feat. Thao) [Huveshta Rituals Records]
I play a couple from this interesting album I was asked to review for Electronic Sound magazine in September. This, and the next, fill out just a partial view of an album that touches on a really broad spectrum of sounds, all of which are differing levels of spiritual or cosmic.
BedouinDrone - Intifadat Al-Aqsa [Huveshta Rituals Records]
This one not included for the title and its politics alone, but it definitely did help when selecting for the show: donate to the PCRF.
Chants & Dave Schoepk - Ritmo Puro [Forthcoming Maloca Records]
I can only apologise to Dave Schoepk for the pronunciation of his surname. Maloca are turning in some really interesting releases lately, and a big part of my growing appreciation for the label is how they don’t just hunt down big-gun club tracks. This percussive LP will tickle likers of Valentina Magaletti et al.
Katatonic Silentio - Magnetic Drive [Midnight Shift]
Bit of a blast outta the past, but I’ve got some great mileage off this EP in the few weeks I’ve had it. KS always pulls for big sound, but this EP hits the minimalist stepper mark really well.
FOUDRE! - Transmutação [Forthcoming NAHAL Recordings]
An excerpt from a longer rhythmic piece off the FOUDRE! LP, which better shows the releases’ more percussive elements.
Toma Kami - Fungi [forthcoming MB Studio]
New and forthcoming Toma Kami is typically a delight, and his forthcoming new LP, on his forthcoming new label, is doubly (triply?) so: this is the lead single, but also a highlight for me from the record.
DJ Strawberry - rain dance [Appendix:Records]
Turkish footwork maestro DJ Strawberry makes new twists in the genre’s paradigm with his latest through Appendix:Records that sees the skilled musician pushing a bunch of psychedelic 150BPM slowfast conceptual clubgear. Really recommend this release, and it’s twin release on the same label.
Mesak - Musantropia [Forthcoming Elektorni]
Two in a row from Mesak that come courtesy of the newly established Prague-Oulu connection. the whole B side is given over to two versions of this (three if you count the bonus digital track), and it really stuck with me. Vinyl-only I believe.
Mesak - Musantropia (Versio) [Forthcoming Elektorni]
As above.
Wordcolour - Weightless [Lapsus]
Possibly lovebombed Wordcolour a little harder than I’d have liked when playing this new track through Barcelona’s Lapsus. There aren’t many people tearing up the formula like Wordcolour: if you like your music fun, weird, banging, and involving microtonalities or non-standard rhythms and tempo changes, than you really have to get to know.
Body Meπa - Goodbye [Forthcoming Hausu Mountain]
Kind of had to put this track in at the end in order to satisfy just how much like a goodbye song it feels, to me at least. Lifted from the end of a great new album of experimental post-rock (??? I really don’t know) through Hausu Mountain.
That’s all for this round of Reach: next show is coming up in a couple of weeks (you have all the details at the top of this email). Now, I’m going to get my head down on some new reviews!