Episode 33 is here and joining me this month is DJ and @My-Own-Jupiter boss @NicolasLutz.

After getting his start in his native Uruguay and making stops in Berlin and London along the way, Nicolas has garnered a cult following thanks to his keen ear, his flawless mixing, and his unparalleled ability to unearth the kind of singular records that make his marathon DJ sets so special. It seemed to only make sense, then, that for this episode, Nicolas and I discuss his specialty: the ins and outs of his approach to DJing, his early formative experiences as an artist, and the musical philosophy that continues to inform his practice.

++ 

Music:
"Tschüss" - Draculas Lutz + Omar (2018)
"Instrumento" - Draculas Lutz + Omar (2018)

++

Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/_airpodcast
Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/airpodcast

AIR 033 / Nicolas Lutz

Episode 35 is an ambient music special with one of the genre’s contemporary luminaries and a personal favourite of mine, John Elliott, also known as Imaginary Softwoods.

Although he’d be loathe to describe his work as ambient, John’s music as Imaginary Softwoods is celebrated for its deep, lush tones, beautiful synthwork, pensive melodies, and thoughtful samples. Perhaps best known for his band Emeralds, which disbanded in 2012, John has been making music as Imaginary Softwoods since 2008, releasing several incredible works on tape and on vinyl over the years, while simultaneously managing the @EditionsMego offshoot label @SpectrumSpools. In this conversation, John and I discuss the ins and outs of making, playing, and releasing ambient music, and what the genre has to offer in 2021.

++


Music:
"Another First/Sea Machine" - Imaginary Softwoods (2020)
"Overlook" - Tetsu Inoue (2007)
"The Imminent Collapse Department" - Imaginary Softwoods (2020)
"Court of Failure" - Imaginary Softwoods (2008)
"Entrance Through Selenite Pillars" - Imaginary Softwoods (2016)
"Vaporware 04" - Donato Dozzy Plays Bee Mask (2013)
"Sapphire Point" - Imaginary Softwoods (2019)

AIR 035 / Imaginary Softwoods

Episode 36 meets one of my faves, German DJ and producer, @tinicouldbeworse.

Although she never intended to make it her profession, tINI has always loved music. At home in Munich, she learned to mix early on and quickly fell in love with electronic music, balancing her work and her passion until she was ready to take the leap into pursuing DJing full time. 

Since then, she’s become an artist in her own right, putting out several releases and even starting her own now-infamous event series, @tiniandthegang. Despite over 20 years in the game, her approach to DJing remains deeply passionate. In this episode, we discuss her musical roots, her dedication to her craft, and the discipline required to stay afloat in this industry.

++ 

Music:

"The Authentic Blach" - tINI (2019)
"Monkeys Cave" - tINI (2011)
Clip from tINI & Bill Patrick live at Sunwaves (2016)
"What If, Then What?" - tINI ft. Amiture (2021)
"That's Right" - tINI (2009)
"Someone Loves You" - tINI (2011)

AIR 036 / tINI

We’re back for 2022 with episode 41 of AIR, an interview podcast series with a different theme each episode. Joining me today is Spanish producer and DJ @jass-29. 

Silvia’s music first caught attention in 2017 when she put out her debut album Weightless, which was well-loved for its heavy use of drone, its avant-garde sound and its industrial mood, terms that JASSS’s intense DJ sets also came to be celebrated for. Now a seasoned artist in her prime, her sophomore record A World of Service, out now on @ostgutton-official, continues to explore those primal tones, not only in its sound but also in its visual elements and a custom made scent that accompanies each vinyl. As such, Silvia and I sat down to talk about music as a sensory experience — how we experience music through each of our five senses,  how factors like drug use, social context, and emotionality enhance our artistic world, and the role of memory in our love of music.

++

Music:
"Vapor Dentro" - JASSS (2021)
"Camelo" - JASSS (2021)
"Luis" - JASSS (2021)
"Instantaneous Transmission Of Information" - JASSS (2017)

AIR 041 / JASSS

Joining me this month for episode 43 is Christina Sealey: producer, live performer, and one half of Canadian industrial techno duo @Orphx.

Christina and music partner Richard Oddie founded Orphx back in the 90s, early on using what few instruments they’d collected: a reel-to-reel tape machine, some microphones, and an effects pedal to craft the kind of visceral sound they’ve since become celebrated and loved for. Slowly, they added in more instruments: analog gear, software, but also primitive pieces like sheets of metal, drills, kitchen utensils, razors… Anything they could manipulate to their creative liking. Their intense and often raw style of music is a kind of meeting point between rhythm and noise, with works like Pitch Black Mirror, Division, and Fragmentation leading the charge. 

In this conversation, Christina and I discuss her love of primitive instruments, the creativity of limitations, and how to make music with what you’ve got.

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AIR 043 / Christina Sealey

Born and raised in Chicago, with roots in the footwork dance scene and many years of DJing under his belt, RP Boo is best known as a pioneer of footwork — a lightning fast genre of music that borrows from hip hop and ghetto house. Although RP came up in the 1980s and 90s, he flew under the radar outside of the footwork scene until the mid 2000s when his debut album Legacy released on Planet Mu, bringing his important and iconic work to the wider music industry, a long overdue step into the spotlight. In this conversation, RP and I discuss his roots as a musician, the art of sampling as a nod to his peers, and the legacy he’s spent three decades building.

++ 

Music: 
"Bangin on King Dr." - RP Boo (2015)
"Baby Come On" - RP Boo (2015)
"Try 2 Break" - RP Boo (2015)
"11 47 99" - RP Boo 
"Ivory Surface" - RP Boo (2021)

AIR 044 / RP Boo

This month is a special one, and our first ever tandem interview — joining me for a Freerotation special are the festival’s founders @Steevio and @Suzybee. 

Influenced by the free festival movement around the UK in the 1990s, Steevio and Suzy created Freerotation, an annual gathering of music and arts which now takes place in Baskerville Hall, Wales, and has, since its inception in the mid 2000s, become one of the scene’s best loved festivals. Kept relatively small and amongst friends and friends of friends, Freerotation is known for its thoughtful curation of both DJs, live acts, and VJs, and its intimate, familial setting. 

In this conversation, Steevio, Suzy and I get into the festival’s early days and its direction and curation today, plus their own personal histories in art and music, and their distinctive creative philosophies.

++

MUSIC:

Steevio - "Candescent" (2022)
Steevio - "Y Llifogydd" (2022)
Steevio - "Passive Resistance" (2022)

Purchase part one of Steevio's Dod yn ôl at fy nghoed here: https://steevio.bandcamp.com/album/dod-yn-l-at-fy-nghoed-part-1

AIR 046 / Steevio & Suzybee

Perhaps best-loved for his dynamic take on techno in both his productions and his DJ sets — having been involved and around music for nearly 30 years, @DVS1 is an expert in his field, a true veteran of the scene whose roots extend beyond DJing into grassroots raves and event promotion in his native Minneapolis. 

These days, he continues to push his own limits, getting involved in and starting up projects that fuel his love of music, but also his love of the community he was raised in and helped build. His most recent venture, Aslice, is a software-based platform which proposes a fairer music ecoysystem for DJs and promoters is in its early days, but its concept is bringing up questions for both me and Zak. 

For episode 47, we're exploring the value of art, the definition of success, his own personal perceptions of his worth as an artist.

AIR 047 / DVS1

This month’s guest is German-born Turkish artist @SedefAdasi, a DJ and burgeoning producer based in the city of Augsburg, Germany. Sedef is  perhaps best known for @HAMAMNights, her self-made event series which sees her booking not only local favourites but big name artists at City Club, one of her hometown’s handful of electronic music clubs. Despite a jam-packed tour schedule and a new residency at Panorama Bar, Sedef isn’t interested in moving to a music capital, preferring to work with friends to create all-inclusive events and workshops that foster the growth of her community. 

In this episode, Sedef and I discuss the story of HAMAM Nights, small city living, and its impact on her creativity as a DJ and producer. 


++ 

Music:
"Gel Gidelim" - Sedef Adasi (2021)
"Turbo Ride" - Sedef Adasi (2021)
"An Anonymous Force" - Sedef Adasi (2021)

AIR 048 / Sedef Adasi

Joining me this month for episode 49 is Canadian producer and live performer Mathew Jonson. Initially from the west coast of Canada and now based in Berlin, Mathew’s upbringing in electronic music started in the nineties with the jazz-meets-techno live band Cobblestone Jazz. Collaboration and improvisation continue to play key parts in Mathew’s music career, extending to inform his creative process, his solo work, and his techniques as a live performer.

With this in mind, he created the Freedom Engine Academy, a music school offering intensive courses around electronic music production, music theory, and creativity taught by a roster of talented musicians and Mathew himself. In this episode, we’re discussing collaborative learning, and how the group experience can make music better. 

++ 

Music:
"Magic Through Music" - Mathew Jonson (2020)
"Chance" - Cobblestone Jazz (2010)
"Rays from the Cosmos" - Units & Measurements (2016)
"Lunar Lander" - Cobblestone Jazz (2011)
"Typerope" - Mathew Jonson (2020)

AIR 049 / Mathew Jonson

Hello everyone and welcome back! This is the 50th episode of the series if you can believe it, and joining me this month is none other than Francesca Faccilongo, also known as @PaquitaGordon.

When I created the series in 2017, it was just a small idea I came up with and pitched to some friends before starting out with literally zero idea what I was doing, aside from that I wanted to tell stories in a different way. Although I’m not a music maker myself, I’ve always been passionate about music and creativity, and it’s been such an incredible experience to meet so many like-minded artists, to hear their stories of triumph and failure, to dig into their creativity and artistry… And of course to share that all with you. 

To celebrate, my very talented friend and designer Grant Gibson has created two different AIR Podcast 50th episode t-shirts, which will be sold through Everpress, here https://everpress.com/air-50th-episode-t-shirt and here https://everpress.com/air-50th-episode-bubble-t

Thanks again so much for your support, I’ve got some really amazing episodes coming up for 2023 and am looking forward to what's next.

I also recently started a Substack newsletter for AIR, where I’ll be sharing updates about the series, and also my thoughts and musings on music and my various guests. The first newsletter is out today, you can read my thoughts on making the 50th episode and interviewing Paquita here: https://airpodcast.substack.com/p/50

You can also follow us on Instagram at @_airpodcast or support us on Patreon at patreon.com/airpodcast. 

Onto today’s episode, which features Italian DJ Paquita Gordon, a resident of festivals like Terraforma and Waking Life, and a true musical devotee. A DJ for over a decade now, she’s spent time in London, Mallorca, and Sicily, bringing with her a deep love of music, creativity, and nature. Her mixes are meticulous and thoughtful, with each record well-researched and purposefully chosen. Her DJ sets are storytelling in its truest form, and playing out, for Paquita, is the best part of her job. Her site-specific performance project Il Vulcano invites artists to join in her in different Mediterranean regions for a jam session that is recorded, but never shared. Her goal as an artist is always to form links, whether that’s through sound, through art, through nature, or beyond, she is always seeking connectivity rather than publicity. She finds joy in the making of things, rather than solely in the end result. In this conversation, we explore her creativity, and the musical and artistic connections that make up a life spent loving music.

++

Music: 
Paquita Gordon - STE54
Paquita Gordon - Various recordings from Il Vulcano

AIR 050 / Paquita Gordon

we are here with the last AIR of 2022, and what a year it’s been! Thanks so much for all your support this year, we’ve managed to a hit a couple of lovely milestones, including of course our 50th episode last month with Paquita Gordon. Don’t forget you’ve still got a few days left to purchase your 50th episode commemorative t-shirt, available on Everpress here: https://everpress.com/profile/air-podcast

On to this week’s episode, which welcomes French producer and DJ @Terence-Fixmer. A fixture in the EBM meets techno scene since its creation, Terence has established himself over the past two decades as a creator of deep, hypnotic, dark electronica. His live sets thrive off the feeling of jumping into the unknown and the unpredictability of performance; thrills that also fuel not only his personal life but his music as well. In this conversation, we discuss Terence's constant quest for new ways to explore, create, and live.

++ 

Music:
"Expedition" - Terence Fixmer (2018)
"Corne de Brûme" - Terence Fixmer (2022)
"Desertic" - Terence Fixmer (2022)
"Electro Static" - Terence Fixmer (2001)

AIR 051 / Terence Fixmer

AIR episode 53 is here, featuring a true craftsman in every sense of the word. @Neel is a techno mainstay, not only as a DJ, and a solo producer, but also as a live performer, best known for his expertly designed ambient journeys. This skillset is especially celebrated in his work with Donato Dozzy as Voices from the Lake. 

But even if you’re not familiar with his work, you’ve almost certainly listened to a record he had a hand in. A mastering engineer for over a decade, his studio Enisslab has over 400 credits on Discogs, including landmark albums by Deepchord, Pauline Oliveros, Abdulla Rashim, DJ Nobu, Atom TM, Mike Parker, Caterina Barbieri, and of course, his own work. In this conversation, Neel and I get deep on mastering and the evolution of his technical craft, his ears, and his artistry, as well as how each of his creative fields inform one another. 

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/airpodcast
and sign up for the AIR newsletter: https://airpodcast.substack.com/


+++

Music: 
"Naeba" - Neel (2022)
"Post Landing" - Neel (2014)
"Osmio" - Neel (2018)
"Circe + S.T." (VFTL Rework) - Voices from the Lake (2013)

AIR 053 / Neel

Episode 54 of AIR is here, and welcomes DJs, producers, and founders of the @Slow-Life collective, @laurine_sl and @cecilio-sl, to celebrate their label’s 10 years of existence. Comprised of a core crew featuring Laurine, Cecilio, S Moreira, and Indi Zone, Slow Life are defined by their thoughtful, easygoing approach to everything from music and parties to life itself. They have quickly carved out a niche for themselves through their artist showcases and record label; while Laurine and Cecilio have likewise worked tirelessly to explore careers as DJs and artists in their own right. 

Recently back from a South American tour that took them to a dozen cities across a handful of countries, they’re back in Berlin and looking forward to bringing that inspiration to Hoppetosse, where Slow Life will celebrate its 10 year anniversary on Saturday 26 March. In this conversation, we look back at Slow Life’s 10 years, the collaboration at the heart of their collective, and the philosophies about life and music that drive Laurine and Cecilio as artists.

FOLLOW AIR
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Insta:  https://www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/
Substack newsletter: https://airpodcast.substack.com/

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Music: 
"Era un Ravero" - Laurine & Cecilio (2023)
"Beyond Lightspeed" - S.Moreira (2013)
"Consciousness" - Paolo Mosca (2022)
"Nobody Knows" - Laurine (2022)
"Metropolis" - Primary Perception (2022)

AIR 054 / Laurine & Cecilio

For episode 54, I’m joined by Dutch-Italian producer and sound designer Aimee Portioli, also known as @grandriver.

After her celebrated first full length, Pineapple, which debuted on the iconic Spazio Disponible back in 2018, Grand River established herself within a world of cinematic sound, best loved for her narrative style which sees her experiment not only in electronic music, but also in acoustic instrumentation, sound installation, and beyond. Her latest record, All Above, effortlessly mutates from droney bass pieces to vaporous atmospheres — it was a particular pleasure to hear this album live at Berlin’s Silent Green, in all its engulfing, enrapturing glory. 

This kind of deep experience is one of Grand River’s specialities, as a performer of course, but also as a producer and composer, and in this conversation, we explore all the ways in which her music immerses the listener in her unique world.

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Music:

"Human" - Grand River (2023)
"Side Lengths" - Grand River (2020)
"Petrichor" - Grand River (2023)
"Korg MS-20 1978 Classic" - Grand River (2016)
"Recollection" - Grand River (2018)

AIR 055 / Grand River

This month, I’m joined by German producer and live performer Rajko Müller, also known as Isolée. A veteran in electronic music, Rajko has always done things differently. Although perhaps best known for his 90s hit beau mot plage, Rajko’s career has steadily chugged along, with albums like rest and we are monster earning him enduring critical acclaim and a laudatory name amongst his industry peers. Eschewing DJing for live performance and putting out only a few albums in total over the course of his career, Rajko’s path is perhaps untraditional, avoiding the spotlight in favour of the simple pursuit of tenacious, truthful music making. 

In this conversation, Rajko and I discuss his unique trajectory and life outside the music scene, its impact on his creativity, and, in the midst of it all, how his latest effort, Resort Island, has come to life.

@Isoleee's new album Resort Island is out now: https://resortisland.bandcamp.com/album/resort-island


Follow AIR on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/
Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/airpodcast


++

Music:

"Canada Balsam" - Isolée (2023)
"you are" - Isolée (2020)
"Beau Mot Plage" - Isolée (1998)
"Clap Gently" - Isolée (2023)

AIR 056 / Isolée

Back in May, I had the pleasure of attending London’s @Gala-Festival, which took place in May on Peckham Rye Common, and together we collaborated on this month’s episode featuring one of London’s most exciting jazz musicians and composers, @Nubya-Garcia. 

Born in London, Nubya is not only a saxophonist, but also a composer and a bandleader, having first taken up the saxophone at the age of 10. Her time spent with youth music workshops like Tomorrow’s Warriors was formative for her as a young person, thriving in a community of like-minded musical souls — a necessity in jazz music, which finds its heart in collaboration. Despite that or perhaps because of it, Nubya has nevertheless found her own voice in jazz, with albums like 2021’s Source speaking to her triumphant rhythms, her openness, and her expressive energy. In this conversation, Nubya and I get into jazz music, collaboration, and finding your voice.

Big thanks to GALA Festival for making this very special one happen! 

Follow AIR:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/airpodcast
Substack: https://airpodcast.substack.com/

Follow GALA:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisgala/

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Music:

"The Message Continues" - Nubya Garcia (2020)
"La cumbia me está llamando" - Nubya Garcia ft. La Perla (2020)
"Together Is A Beautiful Place To Be" - Nubya Garcia (Nala Sinephro Remix)(2021)
"Source" - Nubya Garcia (2018)
"When We Are" - Nubya Garcia (2018)

AIR 057 x GALA / Nubya Garcia

When DJs and producers @eris-drew and @octoocta first met, they felt an instant connection that has only grown over the years. Kindred spirits in both music and life, the pair released their first split EP entitled Devotion in 2018, sharing the same artistic values that make their music deeply moving in all senses of the word. Their DJ sets, meanwhile, light up the dancefloor — their back to backs can be as bombastic and high-energy as they are personal and emotive, speaking to a healing force that seems to drive all of their work. 

In this episode, we discuss their b2bs, their joint tour and label, @T4TLUVNRG, and their collaborative project Alchemical Sisters — the latest addition to a cosmic world in full colour.


++ 

Music: 
"Late Night Love" - Octo Octa (2023)
"My Body is Powerful" - Octo Octa (2019)
"Trans Love Vibration" - Eris Drew & Octo Octa (Eris Goes to Church)
"A Howling Wind" - Eris Drew (2021)

++

Follow AIR
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Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/airpodcast

AIR 058 / Eris Drew & Octo Octa

This month I’m joined by German producer and live performer, Tobias Freund. A true veteran in electronic music, Tobias’ first job was as an apprentice in a music and recording studio in Frankfurt where he grew up. Fueled by a deep love of technology, machines, and sound, he learned to engineer and later to create. These days, he has a concise collection of hardware which he uses to experiment in techno, downtempo, punk and beyond.

Tobias and I met at his studio in Berlin to discuss all things machine, technology, and the joy of exploring a craft he’s spent a lifetime perfecting. 

++ 

Follow AIR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/
Patron: https://www.patreon.com/airpodcast

++ 

Music:
"CR 24" - Tobias (2017)
"the key" - Tobias (2011)
"1972" - Tobias (2020)
"Beatbox" - The Mutual Torture (2022)

AIR 059 / Tobias

Welcome back to another episode of AIR, an interview podcast series with a different theme each episode! This month's guest is Austrian DJ, producer, and @kwench-records label boss, @cassy-official

A veteran of electronic music, Cassy’s career as a DJ started in the 1990s, bringing her from her native Austria around the world, first settling in Berlin for a residency at Panorama bar in its earliest days. Since then, she’s gone through countless big changes as an artist: growing her voice as a DJ, experimenting with production and singing, starting a label, becoming a parent, mentoring, touring, teaching, and everything in between. 

In this conversation, we explore the evolutions, transitions, and changes in the life of an artist, and how each phase has helped bring Cassy to where she is today.


++

Music:

"The Get On Down" - Cassy (2023)
"Feel" - Cassy (2017)
"Where Are We Now" - Cassy (2023)
"Strange Relationship" - Cassy (2017)

FOLLOW AIR:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/airpodcast

AIR 060 / Cassy

@John-Carroll-Kirby has steadily made a name for himself as a session musician, collaborating with and contributing to artists like Solange, Frank Ocean, and Blood Orange. 

That collaborative nature has seeped into his excellent catalogue of solo records, which revolve around his piano compositions, but also draw from the jam session mentality and the controlled chaos of jazz as he invites other musicians and artists into his colorful world. Never one to take himself too seriously, John thrives off the energy of play and breaking the rules of composition. 

For episode 61, we explore all the different ways that music can be fun, playful, and even uncomfortable, and how to find the magic in letting go. 


++

Music:
"Oropendola" - John Carroll Kirby (2023)
"Blueberry Beads" - John Carroll Kirby (2020)
"Dawn of New Day" - John Carroll Kirby ft. Laraaji (2022)
"Sensing Not Seeing" - John Carroll Kirby (2021)


FOLLOW AIR 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/airpodcast
Substack: https://airpodcast.substack.com/

AIR 061 / John Carroll Kirby

This is also the last episode of 2023, and I’m so grateful for what’s been an incredible year of episodes. I’m happy to say that AIR has grown since last year, but on top of that, I feel more and more like I’m making something of value. Thank you all for your ongoing support, can’t wait to show you what I’ve got in store for next year.

This month’s episode welcomes Russian producer, composer, live performer, and sound artist @Dasha-Rush. Dasha has become known for pushing the boundaries of music and art, exploring the visual realm through AV projects, performance, and art installations, including use of spatial sound, generative imagery, light, and even dance performance. The constant seeker, Dasha’s fascination about everything from science to black holes to the human brain have opened up her productions beyond the realm of every day techno. In this conversation we explore her every intricate curiosity and how they intertwine with her music, her art, and her life.


++ 

Music:
"Summer Photons" - Dasha Rush (2023)
"Light and Dust" - Dasha Rush (2023)
"Dance With Edgar Poe" - Dasha Rush (2015)
"Outer Space" - Dasha Rush (2015)


Follow AIR:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/airpodcast

AIR 062 / Dasha Rush

Best known for albums like Radio Amor, Ravedeath 1972, Harmony in Ultraviolet, and his most recent project, No Highs, @TimHecker has always been interested in going beyond the superficialities of ambient — preferring to craft music that challenges, confuses, enthralls, and excites. 

His creative process reflects this, often including bleeding channels, feedbacking pieces, pitch shifting, noise, and distortion. His live shows, meanwhile, can be flooded with darkness or cloaked in fog. 

In this conversation, Tim and I discuss his musical philosophy and love of creative and artistic dissonance, and the inherent challenges in making music that isn’t always easy. 


++

Music:

"Monotony" - Tim Hecker (2023)
"In The Fog" - Tim Hecker (2011)
"Chimeras" - Tim Hecker (2006)


Follow AIR
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Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/airpodcast
Substack: https://airpodcast.substack.com/

AIR 063 / Tim Hecker

This month, my guest is a true icon in the UK dance music scene, and that is Manchester’s own DJ Paulette. 

A club kid from her earliest days, Paulette cut her teeth at Manchester’s number one club, before earning her first residency at Flesh, the beloved queer party at the infamous nightclub Hacienda. She helped forge the electronic music scene in the UK as one of country’s first and best-loved black female DJs, celebrated for her expert selection and her inimitable charisma behind the decks. She continues to carry the torch for the next generation of young artists — a journey explored at length in her new memoir. 

In this conversation, Paulette and I discuss her book Welcome to the Club, her vital and pioneering role in music, and what it means to be trailblazer. 

++ 

Music:
"Sheroes" - Massey & DJ Paulette (2018)
"And I’m Telling You" - Donna Giles (Stonebridge Poppers Full Delight Remix) (1994)
"Violins & Things" - Massey & DJ Paulette (2018)


++

Follow AIR
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Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/airpodcast

AIR 064 / DJ Paulette

This month’s episode welcomes Reykjavik based Australian producer, composer, and sound artist @BenFrost. Early albums like Theory of Machines, By The Throat, and Solaris established Ben Frost as a frontrunner in conceptual, boundary-pushing, and sometimes aggressive electronic music — echoed in his earth shaking live performances, which themselves are celebrations of spine tingling bass frequencies and volume. 

Not for the faint of heart, his music is inspired by punk rock guitar, minimalism, and in the case of his most recent album, heavy metal, often eschewing storytelling altogether in favour of a visceral, physical musical experience. And yet, his work in film and TV scoring, dance, and even opera suggests he’s still interested in narrative artwork. 


In this conversation, Ben and I explore the different facets of storytelling, or lack thereof, as a musician, his new album Scope Neglect, and his approach to composition across these decidedly different fields.


++

Music:

"Unreal in the Eyes of the Dead" - Ben Frost (2024)
"Chimera" - Ben Frost (2024)
"Ich Dachte, Ich Haette Mehr Zeit" - Ben Frost, from the Netflix series Dark (2019)
"The Burning World" - Ben Frost (2022)

++

Follow AIR

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/airpodcast
Substack: https://airpodcast.substack.com/

AIR 065 / Ben Frost

The 13th episode of AIR welcomes Italian DJ and producer, @Donato-Dozzy.

Donato has been DJing in the 1980s, discovering techno and acid, before crafting his own take on dark, hypnotic electronic music. Although he is currently based out of Rome, Donato’s creativity depends on natural surroundings — whether that’s his beach house in San Felice or playing in the mountains at @mindgameslaby Festival in Japan. Donato and I sat down together to talk about nature and sound, a conversation that first started two years ago at @Terraforma Festival, and picked up this summer in Rome.



++

Music: "Cleo" - Donato Dozzy (@Eerie-Records, 2018)
Audio treatment: Airlock Audio

AIR 013 / Donato Dozzy

Welcome back! We've been on a bit of a break the past couple months as the AIR Podcast BOOK (!!) was published, so big thanks to everyone who showed up to the launch party and all the pals near and far who bought a copy. A heads up that if you missed out, a digital download of the book will be available soon...

For the 16th episode, I travelled to Cologne to chat with German DJ and producer @cio-d-or about sound and silence. She has been a fixture in the techno scene since 2001 when she started a residency at Munich's Ultraschall — since then she has become renowned for her hypnotic sound and her journey-like DJ sets.

+++

Music: "Fata Morgana" - Cio d'Or (2007)
Audio treatment by Airlock Audio (Montreal)

AIR 016 / Cio D'Or

Episode 19 of AIR welcomes an artist who needs little introduction. Jeff Mills got his start in Detroit in the 1980s, he is considered a luminary in electronic music, recognized for his contributions not only in techno, but in classical music and cinematic composition. In this conversation, @axis-jeff-mills discusses his love of moving images, and his quest for moving forward. 


* Please excuse the mic handling/background noise in the audio for this episode, working on fixing it for next time!



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Music: Jeff Mills - "The Hunter" (2019) from the album Sight, Sound & Space, available via https://www.axisrecords.com/product/ssas_cd/
Audio treatment by Airlock Audio

AIR 019 / Jeff Mills

Recorded in Lahti, Finland, episode 22 welcomes Finnish producer and musician Aleksi Perala for a talk about Colundi, a microtonal tuning system introduced to him several years ago, and in which the different frequencies relate to different psychologies and beliefs. 

Although Colundi is still for the most part a mystery even to its staunchest believers, its frequences are said to encourage healing, relaxation, and peacefulness. Aleksi's own work with Colundi has resulted in more than 17 full length releases, and he shows no signs of slowing down...

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@aleksiperala
Music: Aleksi Perälä - "UK74R1513080" (2017)
Audio treatment by Airlock Audio & Mastering

AIR 022 / Aleksi Perälä

We're back with episode 24! Recorded in early April 2020, this episode welcomes DJ and producer Luke Slater. 

@Luke-Slater has been DJing since the late 1980s, and by the 90s, his many aliases had become household names thanks to important releases on labels like Peacefrog, and Nova Mute. By 2009, Luke had joined Ostgut Ton, continuing to tour relentlessly and produce music with seemingly boundless energy — a quality with which he continues to approach his work today. His stamina is endless, and in order to keep up with the continuing love and demand for his music, it has to be. In this episode, our discussion focuses on longevity as a DJ, his mix for Ostgut's 15th anniversary, and the drive that keeps him going.

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Music: Luke Slater - "O-Ton Reassembled 3" (From his Berghain Fünfzehn mix for Ostgut Ton) 
More info here: https://www.berghain.berlin/en/shop/releases/berghain-fuenfzehn-luke-slater/

Audio treatment by Airlock Mastering & Audio

AIR 024 / Luke Slater

Joining me for our 26th instalment is DJ, label boss, and promoter, @Veragoesdeep.

Having got her start DJing in the 1990s, Vera moved to Berlin where she has become a fixture at Hoppetosse and CDV, clubs which are also home to @MelliflowRecords — the event series and label she founded in 2016 with fellow DJ Alexandra. Vera is a master of the expressive, journey like DJ set, and in this conversation, we discuss how emotional connection between the DJ and the event, the crowd, and the music can feed the soul.

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Music: Vera - "Take Me" (Assemble Music 2013)
Audio treatment by Airlock Audio, Montreal

AIR 026 / Vera

Joining me for AIR's 30th episode is Canadian singer, songwriter, and producer @JessyLanza.

A classically trained musician, Jessy has been making music most of her life, while her critically acclaimed first album, Pull My Hair Back, released in 2013 on Hyperdub. Since then, she has been creating a steady collection of work, a mixture of pop electronica and R&B that, like 2020's All The Time, often delves into her personal journey. In this conversation, we look back on Jessy’s songwriting influences, her creative process, and her unique approach to storytelling. 

AIR is proudly produced in partnership with Bear Radio. Check out https://www.bearradio.org/ for more stories like this one.

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Music:
"Anyone Around" - Jessy Lanza (2020)
"Ice Creamy" - Jessy Lanza (2020)
"Kathy Lee" - Jessy Lanza (2013)
"Never Enough" - Jessy Lanza (2016)
"5785021" - Jessy Lanza (2013)

AIR 030 / Jessy Lanza

AIR is an interview podcast series with a different theme each episode. 

Created in 2017, AIR aims to be something different in the wide world of music journalism. Tired of the usual promotional fluff, host Emma Robertson invites artists, DJs, and musicians to get deep on one topic that inspires them — everything from nature, to film, to spirituality — in the hope that it inspires you, too.

AIR

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