Sonic Imaginaries is a show by Katayoun with sounds spanning from soulful Persian Avaz to jazzy tunes, upbeat funk, Latin rhythms, and synth from Iran and beyond.

Sonic Imaginaries w/ Katayoun @ Kiosk Radio 28.06.2025

This mix pulls together a wide range of material from Japan’s underground between the 1980s and 1990s and focuses on lesser-known and largely forgotten corners of its music scenes across two decades. Pulled from cassettes, privately pressed LPs, demos and worn flexi-discs, the mix moves mostly through DIY avant-garde music and things that don’t really fit anywhere at all. 
 
It’s the sound‑scape of neon‑lit backstreets, late‑night imagination and hidden creativity. A celebration of Japan’s unsung pioneers who never rose to fame yet left indelible imprints in tape loops and DIY pressings. The title refers to that space just out of view, beyond what was documented or preserved, music made outside the spotlight but still full of intention and invention.
 
You’ll hear work from artists like Silent Pulse, Be-2, Normal Brain, K. Yoshimatu, Ayuo Takahashi, and Chance Operation, alongside anonymous or pseudonymous projects like The Husband, Speaking Furniture, and Flare. Some pieces are meditative and sparse, others more chaotic and intense, but all sit just outside of easy categorisation. 
 
The black-and-white cutout of the artists in the artwork captures Peters - also known as The Peaters - a duo formed in Osaka in 1985 by Peter Hayashi and Chaka Kajiyama. Their off-kilter synth pop mirrored the British wave of the era, but filtered through a warped lens all of their own.
 
There’s no attempt at chronology in this mix, more of a drift through mood and texture. Tracks fold into each other, fragments blur, and the medium itself (tape hiss, distortion, decay) becomes part of the atmosphere.

Tracklist can be found on the NTS archive.

NTS 'Doing Time' - Below The Neon: Japan's Underground 80's-90's

Pingipung Podcast 178 is here and it comes with exciting news. We’re thrilled to welcome Iko Chérie to the Pingipung family. Her debut single will be released with us this September, followed by a full album in November. More on that soon.

The London-based artist says about her mix: 

"My mixes usually start with a little spark and then become stories running on free associations, this is how this one goes:
 
Someone very dear to my heart once told me love was a choice. I found this idea both interesting and slightly mind contorting. But the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. It’s the love versus fear thing, I realise you do have to be brave to chose love because there is vulnerability attached to it. 
Love is the thread running through this mix. 
Starting with Chantage, an amazing 80s project by Vivien Goldman and Eve Blouin, opening with the moment they sing about love as a scary feeling. We leave the apprehension behind, take a deep breath and dive in! 
Next comes Brenda Ray, she is a huge influence on me. Love Is The Most is such a great title, it is indeed the big everything, which naturally leads me to The Bigger Tuttiby my precious friends Valentina Magaletti and Zongamin, who I love very much and who, like me, are fans of Mad Professor, here dubbing out Massive Attack. Teardrop was written by Elizabeth Fraser in memory of Jeff Buckley, whom I discovered because the coolest boy at school had lent me his CD of Grace, I got into The Cocteau Twins much much later when I moved to London as an adult, but I still love both to this day. One of the best things about music is that it can transcend time. There is always so much to discover! For example this Lazy Love Dub, which is new in my life! Time Capsule has done such a wonderful job compiling Japanese dub gems, their Tokyo Riddim series is brilliant. Following up is some Capybara appreciation, I was very lucky to go to Haruomi Hosono’s London concert in July and that was my favourite gig of 2025 so far. It was extremely inspiring, really great musicians being so present in the moment and jamming those fantastic songs without being ostentatious in any way, just feeling it. That made me happy. Is Happiness also a choice? Maybe more of a state, impermanent in essence as sung by Gina Birch… I had the pleasure of playing drums, singing and co arranging this song with Gina. I am proud of that one, a lot of love went into it. 
Next is a Pingipung number, Marewrew perfectly remixed by Elijah Minnelli, this 7 inch has been in my DJ bag for a while, it goes with everything, for example this Housey banger by Fcukers which I put in the tracklist because bass is one of my favourite things “Come and hit me with that bass” would be my request to the DJ most times…  Froid Dub also have a thing with bass, I am super excited about a remix they have just done of one of my songs that will soon come out on Pingipung, On The Nose is an extract from their latest album. 
As this mix comes to an end I wanted to express my love for Palestine so I chose this track by Faten Kanaan from a compilation called Letters To The Sun, full of amazing music and raising funds for The Arab Group for the Protection of Nature. The atrocities must end and the perpetrators be judged. International law has been flouted for too long in the name of greed and hatred. Private Armies resonates deeply here, what is going on is really out of order. This mix starts and ends with the voice of Vivien Goldman because she is a visionary with an essential message that is so relevant today. I was lucky to play percussion for her in London and when we sung the lyrics “Blood everywhere” I really felt it. I hope we make the right choice very soon, love could bring so much joy if we gave it a chance."

@iko-ch-rie
https://www.instagram.com/iko_cherie

For any track list requests please send us a private message.
Up next: Mme Bing

Pingipung Podcast 178: Iko Chérie - The State of Love (Summer of 2025)

🌐 Refuge Worldwide is a radio station and community space based in Berlin-Neukölln.
➡️ More info, more music: www.refugeworldwide.com

Help us stay on air by donating to our fundraiser: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-refuge-worldwide-community-radio

ammā ba'd - khaled kurbeh - 21 Aug 2025

An all-vinyl sonic panoramic journey tracing the coastlines of the Mediterranean, weaving together rhythms, melodies, and voices from the countries that share its sea. From sun-drenched folk traditions to rare grooves and timeless classics, this mix invites you to drift between cultures while staying anchored in one shared horizon.

A Sonic Mediterraneorama - Selections by WoMu Vin

Mad Professor feat. Panafricanist live at VOID 2025, Amsterdam

Tracklist Mehrpouya Special:
Aseman Migeryad Emshab
Seda Kom Mara
Maharaja Dance
Man Ke Dar To Moredeam
Booseye Moj
Twist
Katanga
Ah
African Jumbo
Soul Raga
Ghabileye Leili
Moon Amooz
Ghayeghran

Sonic Imaginaries - Mehrpouya Special (Kiosk Radio, Outsiders, 25.10.2025)

Elektro Türküler: early east songs

Recorded @ Studio Mittelstrasse, Bern - CH

Dans Edelim - Lucas Vogt - Radio Bollwerk - 08.03.2018

PunkPunkPunk

Sorry for the bad words

Produced in 2020

Anthem Of The Grave Pissers

Number 3 in our Turksish mix series, this time with Agua Rosa rocking his 60's tape delay.

Elektro Türküler: early east songs

DELUGE

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