It's a great pleasure to welcome Japanese electronic music stronghold Kaoru Inoue (@kaoru324), also known as Chari Chari and founder of the Seeds And Ground label, to the mix series. Interview (excerpt) down below.

www.musicfrommemory.com

MFM: Welcome on board of the series Kaoru. You're from Japan and are living in Tokyo. Do you find Tokyo, and Japan as whole, a positive place to be at as an artist?

KI: Tokyo is a fascinating city, full of crazy stimuli and exciting noise, but I don’t need it anymore as the years go by, especially after the pandemic. So now I feel like an outsider loving Tokyo and living a quiet life in its suburbs. I think it’s a positive place for artists in the sense that it’s still rich in nature and food, and the population is decreasing, despite having experienced the high economic growth and the high information society, but what we learned again after the pandemic is that government protection policies are fragile. 

MFM: Your musical output as a producer is quite large and rather versatile, from acoustic guitar sessions to more new age like soundscapes to broken beat and deep house. Where does this versatility come from? 

KI: I think it's because I've been deeply committed to music since my teens. From YMO to post-punk, ethnic, rare groove to deep house, I was already looking for and listening to music like a researcher from a young age. So I started DJing naturally as a way to mix and share my records, and my outputs could be a fusion of them. However, so to speak, I’ve been most influenced by the contextuality of House music, and when looking at everything from a bird’s eye view, I can say that my main interest is, in a word, in “Minimalism”.

MFM: Your music -regardless which moniker you use- sounds extremely organic, very earthly but also mystical and sacred. As if it was recorded far deep in nature amongst some indigenous tribe's ritual. Where does this signature sound come from, what are its origins?

KI: My early tunes were strongly influenced by the atmosphere of Bali & Java in Indonesia, where I used to visit in my twenties, and I think it still remains somewhere in me. I also have a cultural anthropological interest in folk or tribal music from all over the world, and I even am influenced by ecological ideas. (In recent years, I’ve been more into traditional & contemporary music from my own country than ever before.) I think that’s why it is.

MFM: Hence your own label's name Seeds And Ground too probably? 

KI: Indeed, and it’s a metaphor for sex and creation.

MFM: How about the instruments? There's guitar, lots and lots of percussion, marimba, field recordings, plenty chords too... Are you a trained musician and do you record all these parts yourself (with the real instruments)? 

KI: I had learnt to play piano as a child and taught myself to play guitar from the age of 13. However, after encountering DJ culture in my early twenties, I quit a band and didn’t play an instrument for a while. So I know a little more about harmony, chords and so on than the average DJ. I’ve also started to play the guitar again a little bit in a few projects since I started producing electronic music, but only in a very specific way. I’ve also recorded with many different musicians so far.

MFM: So, what can you tell about the mix you've made? Did you record it with a certain vibe or theme or purpose in mind?

KI: It’s a rethinking of “New Age”ish or “Obscure”ish music, past and present. Some Japanese music from the 80s and 90s has also been included with respect to Eiji & Norio who compiled “Heisei No Oto”. And two of my recent tracks as Chari Chari are also included.

MFM: By the way, by the look of your shirt you're a Jodorowsky fan? :)

KI: I look up to Jodorowsky as my mentor, especially after reading his autobiography. I got this shirt as a return from the Endless Poetry crowdfunding campaign.

MFM Mix 034: Kaoru Inoue

ambient, slow groove DJ mix for SLOWMOTION.

TEST DJ mix for SLOWMOTION

Continuing the series is Mancunian producer, dj and music teacher Tom Burford who just released his LP 'Elevations' with us as Contours (@contoursmusic). Interview (excerpt) down below.

www.musicfrommemory.com

MFM: Hey Tom. You just returned from a big hike, how was it?

TC: Hey! Yeah, we were able to get out on some beautiful hikes around the Anaga national park in the north of Tenerife. It’s a stunning landscape and a nice change from the overbearing grey we get in Manchester for half the year. 

MFM: Does nature play an important role in your life and music?

JC: Definitely in life, and then I guess that just seeps into my music. I grew up in a pretty rural part of Cumbria. It was very beautiful landscape but with very little to do from an entertainment perspective, so getting out in the landscape or jamming with friends always felt like the two most freeing things to do. 

MFM: About jamming with friends... Your new album Elevations includes a lot of collaborations with other musicians, of which you did the recordings yourself. Can you highlight one special moment from those recording sessions?

TC: When recording Pots, I had initially written and recorded the percussion and synth parts at home and hit up Abraham to see if he wanted to add some Trumpet parts. He is based in London and so he recorded initial takes remotely and sent them through. They sounded great, but I really wanted to transform and process his parts for the track to manipulate them into sounding more synth like at points. Doing, that without him in the space felt like there was dialogue missing. In the end I went down to London and we recorded and dubbed them out in the same space at the Rhythm Section studio (shouts to Mali on engineering duties). Being able to respond to his playing and him in turn being able to respond to the dubbing of his parts felt like it was able to capture some really special elements.  

MFM: The A side of your new LP has Elevations 1, 2 and 3. Was it intentional for these tracks to end up separately or did they used to be one larger piece?

TC: When I started writing Elevations 1, 2 and 3 it just began as a series of jams and recording sessions in my flat bouncing ideas back and forth between myself, Beka, Abel and Simmy. These sessions were always just me and one other collaborator at a time, partly down to schedules, the size of the flat, but also the chance to not have to rush the process and to really dig into how we worked together. I continued building out the same project over multiple sessions so that I could have access to all the material collated in one place. Specific sections and ideas started to come together, but I liked the idea of them forging part of a wider piece. I’d previously worked in a largely self-contained track basis but had been listening to a lot of pieces like Six Marimbas, Music for 18 musicians and Tehillim by Steve Reich that build over a long period and loved the scope this gave to get completely lost in the music. I love the hypnotic nature created when polyrhythms morph over each other for a long enough period, shifting emphasis and eventually melting away.  

MFM: What can you tell about the mix you've made?

TC: I wanted to create a mix that was able to showcase the variety of sounds that influence me, both as a DJ and Producer. I love listening to mixes and radio at home and the best club experiences I’ve had have always been when a DJ is able to surprise you and really take you on a journey. The album makes heavy use of strings through the violin and cello, but also the Guzheng, a Chinese Zither and the Clàrsach a Celtic Harp. The initial three tracks of the mix focus on these sounds before skirting into more percussive and jazz focused influences and then into some deeper acid-tinged downtempo tracks and sub heavy club sounds. Hopefully this mix takes people on a journey and is something for people to get lost in.

MFM Mix 051: Contours

Back at the Lot! 

https://www.instagram.com/roman_fluegel 

x

Roman Flügel @ The Lot Radio 08-15-2025

Malísima - Where Once Were Fields Now Is Void, Vapid and Empty

Solid Steel in association with Serato (2nd October) Mainstay of the Swedish electronic scene HNNY has released prolifically across Sweedish labels Local Talk, the Alex Boman affiliated Studio Barnhus, and his own Puss (run with Kornél Kovács). Also known for his popular ‘Music For Listening’ mix series he turns in a Solid Steel mix that follows in the same vein, a laid-back selection with music from Sufjan Stevens, Matthew Halsall, Four Tet, Linda Perhacs and Aphex Twin. 

The Solid Steel website http://solidsteel.net/ for track lists and archive shows.
You can follow Solid Steel on  facebook.com/pages/Solid-Steel/175027509192663
instagram.com/solidsteelradio
twitter.com/SolidSteelRadio

Go to Hour 2 here https://soundcloud.com/ninja-tune/solid-steel-radio-show-2102015-hour-2-decka


Hour 1 - HNNY 
1. Sufjan Stevens "Out Of Egypt, Into The Great Laugh Of Mankind, And I Shake The Dirt From My Sandals As I Run" (Asthmatic Kitty)
2. Matthew Halsall "The Sun In September" (Gondwana)
3. Harold Budd "Rub With Ashes" (Cantil Records)
4. Four Tet "0181" (Text)
5. Secos & Molhados "O Patrão Nosso De Cada Dia" (Polysom)
6. José González "What Will" (Imperial Recordings)
7. Joki Freund Sextet "Aisha" (Bellaphon Records)
8. Peter Davidson "Glide V" (Avocado)
9. Sam Prekop "A Cloud To The Back" (Thrill Jockey)
10. Aphex Twin "Aisatsana" (Warp)
11. Lý Hoài Nam "Dân Ca Bình Tri Thiȇn" (Dihavina)
12. Merit Hemmingson "Jag Vet En Dejlig Rosa/Visa Från Medelpad" (Columbia)
13. Linda Perhacs "Dolphin" (Kapp Records"
14. Emmylou Harris "Before Believing" (Reprise Records)

Solid Steel Radio Show 2/10/2015 Hour 1 - HNNY

Broadcast live on WNYU 89.1FM in New York City on October 11th, 2016. 
https://soundcloud.com/andrew-weatherall
http://www.beatsinspace.net/playlists/855
http://www.facebook.com/bisradio
http://beatsinspace.bandcamp.com

www.beatsinspace.net

Beats In Space

BIS Radio Show #855 with Andrew Weatherall

201208_Koss Impro live_Ambient

Thanks to all the listeners over the past 20 years and 1000 shows!! 
Tonights show was all about playing some of the BIS favorites from 1999 to
2019. special thanks to everyone that called into the BIS Hotline (646-481-8189) and left a message: Pablo Castoldi, Achim/Prosumer, Jennifer Cardini, Saheer & Asya, Jex, Will & Nichole Geddes, Alex From Russia, Alex From Florida, Andrew from Madison/Wisconsin, Greg Oreck, Derek De, Justin Van Der Volgen, John Sweeney, Snuffo, Jacek Jan, Chen Mosco, Zoe Nightingale, Jimmy B in SF, DJ Jack, Nick in Sydney, G'day from other Aus person, Andre in SF, Paul from Philly, Augustus in Bristol, Julie in Germany, Kyle in Hawaii, Albert in DC, Billy, Ruby, Mexico City listener, guy who heard the show at NYU from his professor, whoever left that message at the start of the show... Shadi for the photos! Eug, Shuhei, Max Pask, Yibing Guo for stopping by....  See you next Tuesday.

https://beatsinspace.net/playlists/1000/
http://www.patreon.com/beatsinspace

1. The Juan Maclean - Human Disaster - DFA Records
2. Quiet Village - Pillow Talk - Whatever We Want Records
3. Cassius - 20 Years (Do You See Me Now) - Virgin
4. DJ Nature - Destiny Reprise - Golf Channel Recordings
5. Metro Area - Piña - Environ
6. KZA - Le Troublant Acid (Original Mix) - Endless Flight
7. Dølle Jølle - Balearic Incarnation - Permanent Vacation
8. Bryan Ferry - Midnight Train (Idjut Boys House Mix) - BMG
9. E.D. - Counterfeit Paradise (Mark E Doomsday Transition) - MERC
10. Padded Cell - Unknown Zone - DC Recordings
11. Mim Suleiman - Maso Maso - BubbleTease Communications
12. Mickey Moonlight - Interplanetary Music (Dub) - Multi Culti
13. The Laughing Light Of Plenty - The Rose - Whatever We Want Records
14. Man Tear - Outside Amore - DFA Records
15. Invisible Conga People - Cable Dazed - Italians Do It Better
16. Sascha Funke - Purple Hill - Endless Flight
17. Shit Robot feat Saheer Umar - I Got A Feeling (Original Mix) - DFA Records
18. Parple - Sacred - Hivern Discs
19. Simple Symmetry - Voodoo Your Ex - Disco Halal
20. K.I.M. - Kim Kong - Tigersushi
21. Tornado Wallace - Zorn Gottes - Animals Dancing
22. Gatto Fritto - The Curse - International Feel Recordings
23. Sidwho? - Violet Run (Jamie Paton Edit) - Utopian State
24. Hercules & Love Affair - You Belong (Sweeney Edit)
25. Kelley Polar - Ashamed of Myself - Environ Records
26. King So So - Disco in the Sky - Hippie Dance
27. Ess O Ess - Cantillate (Suzanne Kraft Remix) - Not An Animal Records
28. Lauer - HR Boss - Live at Robert Johnson
29. Sfire - Sfire 3 (John Talabot's Tribalist Remix) - CockTail D'Amore
30. Mike Simonetti - Release Your Body to the Best - 2MR
31. Jex Opolis - Studio E - Good Timin'
32. Levon Vincent - Woman is an Angel - Novel Sound
33. Omar S - Heard'Chew - FXHE Records
34. Theo Parrish - Synthetic Flemm - Sound Signature
35. Moodymann - I'll Provide - KDJ
36. Steffi - Yours feat. Virginia - Ostgut Ton
37. J.T.C. - Beats in Space - Shaddock Records ‎
38. Abe Duque - What Happened? - Abe Duque Records
39. Matias Aguayo - Walter Neff - Kompakt
40. Lipelis - Children Song - Animals Dancing
41. The Lift Boys - Anarchy Way (Original Mix) - Smalltown Supersound
42. Mu - Let's Get Sick - Output
43. Barnt - Ariola Cologne Megamix - Comeme
44. Permanent Vacartion - Zuckerhut (TBD Remix) - Permanent Vacation 
45. Sharif Laffrey - Always - Discos Capablanca
46. Anthony Naples - OTT - ANS
47. Justin Van Der Volgen - Sketch 2 - My Rules
48. Prosumer & Murat Tepeli - Makes Me Wanna Dance - Ostgut Ton
49. Superpitcher vs The Congosound - Say I'm Your Number One (Superpitcher Remix) - Kompakt Pop
50. Roman Flügel - Sliced Africa - Dial Records
51. Axel Boman - Nokturn (Grand Finale) - Pampa Records
52. Efdemin - Parallaxis (Traumprinz Over 2 The End Remix) - Dial Records
53. The Creams - Let's (Justin Van Der Volgen Dub) - My Rules
54. Sfire feat Marcella - Sfire 1 Tape Edit - Sfire
55. Pachanga Boys - Fiesta Forever Street Marimbas - Hippie Dance

beatsinspace.net

BIS Playlist

BIS Radio Show #1000 with Tim Sweeney

John Talabot B2B Axel Boman as Talaboman from Red Bull Dungen Digital at Way Out West festival stream 2020-08-14

Talaboman x Dungen Digital live at Way Out West

The last mix of 2020 comes from Jonah Sharp (@reflecto), electronic mainstay and part of 'Virtual Dreams' as Space Time Continuum. Interview (excerpt) down below.

www.musicfrommemory.com

MFM: Welcome to the series Jonah. Originally from Edinburgh, San Francisco resident since 1992, do you still live in San Francisco?

JS: Actually I recently just moved back to SF after spending most of 2020 in the UK. I had planned to be in Europe for an extended break from the US but Covid saw an end to that and my plans had to change. I miss British and European culture. I have family and friends there so I intend to be back over as soon as I can!

MFM: According to your discography the majority of your output started to shape up right after you moved abroad, in '91. How would you explain this creative outburst? 

JS: Before I arrived in San Francisco i was still figuring out how to produce the music that I wanted to make so when I got here I started to collect gear in earnest - it was a little moment in time when most people thought analog synths and drums sounded shit so I managed to find a TR-909 for $150, a Roland SH101 at the flea market and so on. So yes, suddenly having some decent gear and fun gigs to play was very inspiring! I did feel a kind of creative freedom being so far from South London and the pressures of living there as an artist. SF in the 90’s was very affordable for artists and it gave us the freedom to really focus on the music.
 
MFM: You started your own label Reflective in '93 and had quite a busy release schedule, especially during '95/'96, before it suddenly seemed to stop right after. What happened? 

JS: I started Reflective in '93, the year my first son was born. Flurescence EP was my first solo release and it got noticed around the world so that enabled me to keep putting releases out. With the momentum of the Terence McKenna collab album, things were going pretty well. But what we found was that even though there are lots of amazing labels in the US, it was actually pretty hard to sell them domestically so most of our stock was exported to Europe and Japan. We ended up pressing in the UK and running the label from SF and that presented problems so I had to put the release schedule on hold. At that time I had also signed a deal with Astralwerks so had contractual obligations to deliver albums and tour. It was a very busy time and by 1997 when our second son was born we decided to take a hiatus from the label. Not to say the label is gone forever though!
 
MFM: Flurescence, now found its way to the Virtual Dreams compilation, almost 30 years later. How does it feel that your older music is being re-released and rediscovered by newer generations?

JS: I am very happy and honored to be part of the Virtual Dreams compilation. Yes, there seems to be a bit of attention for this time period of electronic music at the moment, and the chill out thing in general. With so many online resources, everything is discoverable by anyone so all those tiny labels like Reflective that were putting out small runs of 1000 records (that was a small run then) are maybe enjoying some retroactive attention now. 
 
MFM: Does this new interest change your motivation and/or inspiration in the studio maybe?

JS: I follow my own interests and direction when it comes to making music but reaching new audiences has to gratify the artist whose work was made for sharing. My development as an electronic musician has come through thirty years of studio experimentation, initially with hardware and then incorporating digital software. When I made Fluorescence in 1993 there was no computer in my studio, but by the early 2000s San Francisco was the epicenter of computer innovation, people like my friend Josh Clayton were writing amazing software and so I went off on a long exploratory trip to integrate digital technology both in my studio and in my live rig. My aim right now in the studio is the same as always: make sounds and keep the good ones.

201208_Koss Impro live_Ambient

Kuniyuki Takahashi

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