Remember Chinese Whispers, Stille Post or Rikkinäinen Puhelin? That children’s game, known all over the world, that illustrates the difficulties of transmitting information, but which also reveals the creativity of discontinuous conversation? It feels like the Patterns of Perception and @awalkingcontradiction collectives have been in such a conversation for the past years across a multitude of label nights, private hangouts, and shared festival experiences.

Based in Basel, Switzerland but unhinged from national contexts, A Walking Contradiction is a label for music and research. Curated by @varuna4053, @lemont-eana and Dead Electronic Space Limited (@ltd_dead), the collective share a penchant for beats - broken and straight - yet can't help but churn out music for the quiet hours. A deeply reflective group, you’ll find snippets of their conversations on social, political, economic, and environmental issues hidden in sounds or in plain sight on the sleeves of their records.

Compiled entirely from new and unreleased material, their Patterns of Perception 102 is but the latest product of interlocutions and whispers between Basel, Berlin, Helsinki and the world in general, paying tribute to the significance of community where the legitimacy of commons is increasingly impugned. 
Levitating within a field of sophisticated textures and percussion, this set burns slowly, but with a luminescent intensity. Angular experimental ambience builds into winding, complex rhythms. Inspired minds elevate delicate melancholia into a true sense of hope.

Links:
@awalkingcontradiction 
https://awalkingcontradiction.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/awc_awalkingcontradiction

https://soundcloud.com/varuna4053
https://www.instagram.com/varuna_awc
https://soundcloud.com/giomar
https://soundcloud.com/monteforte-1
https://soundcloud.com/ltd_dead
https://soundcloud.com/mario-7
https://soundcloud.com/lemont-eana

Patterns of Perception 102 - A Walking Contradiction

@Paragon_ys aka Paragon Dj set @ SubRadio Bcn / 09.03.24 / 20.00.-21.00

Recorded at RUSC

Live Transmission On Fridays from 7.30 to 9.45 PM

Check out the full audiovisual set here: https://youtube.com/live/IvYZhIeWYK0?feature=share

Artwork: Alberto Samper Bouza (IG: @ samplerama_ )

Supported by Suburbia Bcn, Absenta del Raval & RUSC

Paragon @ SubRadio Bcn / 09.03.24

deep summer journey @ espacio perpendicular

Alberto Iniesta - Aqui no hay playa @ Espacio Perpendicular

As summer gradually comes to a close, we are thrilled to introduce a new guest in our mix series: French artist Thaïs and Paris-based curator of the emotional waves event series. Thaïs shares with us a meditative and colorful mix, brimming with resourceful melodies, percussions, and deep ambiances. Sit back, close your eyes and listen.

@thaispnbng

Conscious Listening Mix Series - 28 - Thaïs

For our November mix, we are delighted to welcome Eafhm. Founder of the Secuencias Temporales label and hailing from Mexico, Eafhm takes us on a journey from deep ambiences, subtle melodies to dub-infused beats. Unfolding like a tranquil tide, this mix is a moment of stillness in motion. 

@eafhmlive

Artwork by Sophie Vaillant

Conscious Listening Mix Series - 30 - Eafhm

As we turn the page to 2025, we find ourselves reflecting on the powerful moments that defined the Monument Festival last year. One such memory was the opening ceremony led by the incredible Sarah Wreath. A sonic experience that set the tone for connection, introspection, and renewal.

The intention behind Sarah’s live set was clear: to create a meditative space where festivalgoers could connect deeply—with one another, the natural surroundings of Veggli, and, most importantly, with themselves. It was more than music; it was an invitation to embark on a transformative journey, bridging ancient and modern worlds through sound.

Her performance blended electronic synthesis with acoustic elements, weaving together indigenous, ethereal, and psychedelic sounds. The result was a hypnotic tapestry of tribal ambient rhythms, designed to ground us in the moment while opening our hearts to new possibilities.

Central to the experience was the use of pure tones tuned to 432 Hz and 216 Hz, frequencies known for their cosmic harmony and healing properties:

432 Hz, often called “natural tuning,” resonated with the rhythm of the universe, fostering relaxation and emotional balance.

216 Hz, a harmonic counterpart, enhanced the meditative quality of the performance, drawing listeners deeper into themselves.

A standout element of the ceremony was Sarah’s use of a Chao Gong, amplified with a contact microphone and enriched with FX processing. Its deep bass frequencies (110 Hz) created a grounding effect, while layers of Tibetan singing bowls and other meditative instruments brought a celestial dimension to the soundscapes. Together, these elements formed a sonic portal—a sacred opening to the festival and the year ahead.

As we welcome 2025, we hold this memory as a symbol of renewal and intention. Sarah’s performance wasn’t just the beginning of the festival, it was a new beginning for all of us, a reminder of the power of music to heal, connect, and inspire.

Here’s to carrying that spirit of harmony and connection forward into the new year. May 2025 bring even more moments that resonate with the heart and soul.
With love,

The Monument Team

Follow :

https://soundcloud.com/sarahwreath
https://www.instagram.com/sarahhwreath/

Monument Festival 2024 Opening Ceremony : Sarah Wreath (live)

A huge thank you to the crew of Symbiosis for their generosity in creating such a unique event, bringing harmony between dancers and artists!

Muchas gracias a los organizadores de Symbiosis por su generosidad al crear un evento tan único lleno de armonía entre bailarines y artistas!

doozer @ Simbiosis 2024

falsehope

eigenfunc11

Matrix Breeze” is a dub-poetic audio journey by Taba X — unfolding from mist to fire, memory to revelation. Fusing elements of reggae, spoken word, experimental hip-hop, and cinematic rock, the track echoes a world caught between spirit and system.

At its heart is the voice of resistance — baritone and burdened — layered with ancestral whispers and sacred warnings. Female harmonies swirl like wind and dust, while the beat flows from Massive Attack-style minimalism to Gilmour-inspired catharsis.

Every verse opens a portal. Every hook cuts deeper.

The final words remain:
“Do not speak against the Sun.”


#dubpoetry #spokenword #experimentalhiphop #matrixbreeze #tabax #spiritualrap #consciousmusic #massiveattackvibes #femalelayers #gilmoreguitar #postdub #rootsfusion #moriorinvictus #udiodrop #truthmusic

Matrix Breeze

In the very last days of the year 2020, we are bringing a mix by Garçon. A co-founder of Amenthia Recordings and a Basel Elysia club’s resident, who is notoriously known for his extended performances on the most sought-after techno festivals such as Parallel or Organik (to be found on @garcon profile), in which he shows not only his wide record collection, but most of all an elaborate web of synapses between them. 

Although this home-recorded DJ set is ‘only’ one hour long and doesn’t allow to go as deep as in the previously mentioned mixes, somehow it reflects and summarizes this year’s hard period of many of us being locked-down in one place and mentally imprisoned. 

Stay updated till the end of the year, you will hear from us with our traditional annual chart of 2020 picks. Be safe until then.

@garcon
@amenthia-recordings