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Released by:
Music From Memory
Release date:
31 January 2025

MFM073 Ocean Moon - Ways To The Deep Meadow

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MFM075 Loradeniz - SUN SHONE

MFM076 Son Of Chi (Feat. Omar Ka) - We Carry Eden

MFM077 N Kramer & Magnus Bang Olsen - Pastoral Blend

MFM078 Johnny Sais Quoi - Love On Ice

While dropping their self-titled debut LP with us in August, Anya and Izaak from Loveshadow (@loveshadowdjs) were kind enough to also record a lovely mix and answer a few questions. Interview (excerpt) down below.

www.musicfrommemory.com

MFM: Hi Izaak and Anya, nice to have you on board. Both living in Bay Area, how would you describe your daily surroundings? Is it a nice place to be as an artist?

LS: Right now we live in SF. We grew up one town away from each other near the airport, though we didn’t meet until much later. The landscape is inspiring for sure- we spend as much time as we can out in the parks and wild areas and draw a lot from that. The art and music scenes here run deep, though the cost of living and of course covid have made things tougher.
 
MFM: The songs on your debut album as Loveshadow -which will be out in August- sound incredibly fresh where they also remind to certain pop, boogie, funk and even house from the mid and late '80s. What were some of your main influences for this project? 

LS: Thanks! We have to mention the UK act Fashion after whose song we named the group, but our tastes range all over. You could say that Loveshadow is kind of a lap around the 80’s prehistory of today’s dance music, when things were still firmly rooted in pop songwriting but had a simultaneously psychedelic and funky sensibility- one that grew out of dub/disco/punk counterculture. Getting more serious about learning the records at the roots of the whole thing allowed us to see how we might contribute something new to it in a way that was more than a style exercise.

MFM: Of course also the use of specific instruments ad up to that flavor - it seems that for example the Linndrum plays an important role. Did you aim for that sound and gathered the instruments around it, or the other way around maybe?

LS: We had an overall idea in mind that definitely informed the instrumentation but we’re not purists. A lot of the sounds on the record are replications of or deviations from the iconic originals. Those famous drum sounds in particular are like symbols, they impart a particular meaning and we use them to set a mood.

MFM: What's the dynamic between the two of you like in the studio? Is there a certain steady structure or does this change all the time? Maybe you could tell a little about your writing and recording process?

LS: It changes all the time- we’ve lived and worked in so many places separately and together since we started recording. Either one of us might come up with an idea that we’ll design sounds around, demo, arrange, and then throw it all in the trash and start again. Most of the songs on the record have had a few lives.

MFM: It feels that the music from the LP could work really well live on a stage too. Are there any plans for you to go touring? 

LS: We’re going to play a gig in Detroit later this summer that will be sort of a test run! After that, we’ll see. The project started out as an interest in records and recording, but anything’s possible.

MFM: Thanks a lot for contributing! It seems you quite regularly record a mix. Have you both always been busy collecting and sharing records? 

LS: Our pleasure, thanks so much for asking us! We’re always looking for new music. Sharing mixes online has helped us organize our favorites but playing parties is the best. We were gigging around before covid and we’ll hopefully get back to it as things continue to open up. This mix is definitely on the hype side of things- new digs, old favorites, some edits, tunes pals graciously sent our way, and what we’ve been dancing around our apartment to while we were stuck inside.

MFM Mix 030: Loveshadow

From the forthcoming compilation "Gigi Masin - Talk To The Sea" 2013 © Music From Memory

Gigi Masin - Call Me (4:24)

Please meet London based DJ and producer, former Cafe Del Mar resident, and our long time close friend Phil Mison (@cantomamusic). Interview (excerpt) down below.

www.musicfrommemory.com

MFM: Hi Phil, many know you as one of the DJ's who has played all the best sunset spots across the globe. How did your summer look this year, still been scoring sunsets here and there?

PM: My summer was great. I travelled to Amsterdam, Cork, Copenhagen and Barcelona and had some nice gigs in the UK. My friend Deke has opened a bar on the seafront in Margate, you get pretty epic sunsets down there. I played a few records one evening and managed to fit in a few old cafe classics as the sun disappeared into the sea. 

MFM: Please tell us a bit about how it all started for you?

PM: I grew up in the 70’s, so there were quite a few different influences. David Bowie ‘Life On Mars’ was an early memory, and I was obsessed with Blondie. Parallel lines was the first album I bought. Later it was Northern Soul, Electro, nothing really that mellow! In 87 I met a couple of people who were really into House. I started going to groove records in soho to buy records like Adonis - No Way Back, Ten City - Devotion. Then as 88 rolled around I got into the more Balearic side of things. Later in 89 I’d pop into Reckless Records for second hand stuff and started to browse the New Age section where I got things like Kitaro  ‘Tunhuang’ and Paul Greaver ‘Joy’. Those records were the starting point really. 

MFM: DJing in clubs to make people dance never really attracted you?

PM: I’d say pretty much most of my DJing has been in clubs. I started at the Milk Bar in Soho in 1992 after giving Darren Emerson a tape. Even though I was doing the warm up and playing mellow stuff at the beginning, you had to build it up to a full dance floor by the end. In 1996 and 2000 I was the tour DJ for Lefttfield, playing in front of 1000 odd people. ‘Just get it going before we come on!’ Alongside Ross Allen and Rob Da Bank, I was resident at Bar Rhumba for our Next Level night in 1997. It lasted a year and we opened with Harvey and closed with Andrew Weatherall. I Have to mention Moonboots and Jason Boardman’s night Aficionado too. I always enjoyed playing to a dancefloor there, they’ve kept the Balearic flag flying since 1998. 

MFM: At what point did you got into making music on your own? 

PM: I’d worked on a project for Kenneth Bager in 1994. Then later on he started his Music For Dreams Label, and asked me if I would be interested in making an album.  So the first Cantoma album was started in Copenhagen in 1999, and finished in London in 2003. 

MFM: How do you come up with a new song, is there a certain Phil Mison way to it? Do you write the parts for the musicians?

PM: It usually starts with an idea that pops into my head. Sometimes a memory or travelling will get a melody going, and I’ll sometimes hum it into my phone and use that as a starting point. Ive worked with Engineer/Producer Robin Twelftree on all the Cantoma albums. I’ll go into Robin’s studio and usually start with some basic keyboards, then I’ll play a bassline in. I’ll take the demos away and think about what would work on the tracks. For some musicians the music is written down. Ive worked with Robin Lee from Faze Action on a few Cantoma tunes, and he usually transcribes my basic melodies onto sheet music. Other times I’ll play the melodies on a keyboard or hum the tunes for the musicians to follow along to. On some tracks I’ll write the lyrics too and get a singer to record on a track. There’s a lot of going back and forth until I’m happy with the final cut. The music rarely ends up sounding like the first version.

MFM: Making a mix must have been a piece of cake for you :) What is this mix like?

PM: I went back through my 92-94 selection and picked a selection of the lesser played records. Memories of magic times at the Milk Bar and warm summer evenings at the Cafe del mar.

MFM Mix 044: Phil Mison

We welcome Tornado Wallace (@tornadowallace), long time friend of the label and whose record 'Falling Sun' we released through Second Circle back in 2016.  Interview (excerpt) down below.

www.musicfrommemory.com

MFM: Hey Lewie, how have you been lately?

TW: I dipped out to East Asia and Australia for the infamous Berlin winter and now I’m back ready for the euro warmth. Though it’s in no hurry to arrive here just yet.

MFM: There's a new record coming on Basic Spirit, the label you run with Jamie Tiller, and it all looks rather secretive... Can you tell us more about it Lew E? :) 

TW: I made these tracks when I was holed up sick for a week. Not being able to go to the studio I relied strictly on samples and software, which was fun to change the workflow up a little bit. I wanted to make some very club ready tracks, without any intention for a release. They (rather obviously) sample two well known tracks, but there’s a lot of new ideas too. I use a different name as it felt like a different style and approach to how I usually go about things. I think there will be more Lew E things on the horizon though :D.

MFM: Previous releases on Basic Spirit also had this '90s touch to it. What is it that you like about (music from) that era?

TW: I grew up in the 90s so a lot of the music coming out then really hits the nostalgic feels. But also, really interesting things were happening with technology, and it became a lot more affordable to put together a record. So there were a lot of - for lack of a better term - laymen releasing electronic music. Some of which had very new and out-there approaches to processes like sampling, mixing and arranging. But trends and technology all moved along so quickly that some of these sounds and ideas never had a chance to get fully fleshed out. Which is why it’s nice to pick up where some left off. People are currently very responsive to this late 90s/early 2000s sound, which is great for me because that’s a time when I really fell in love with electronic music. As a DJ, I’m playing these really personal tracks that I discovered as a teenager, and for the first time since I began playing parties/clubs 18 years ago, people seem to really understand them. It’s a very cool feeling.

MFM: You've also started a new more pop oriented project called a.s.o. together with vocalist Alia Seror O’Neill. Has it always been a dream or goal of yours to start a more band kind of project? Does it require a different writing/recording approach compared to when making dance music for the clubs?

TW: I like making music that I like listening to. And with the pandemic in full swing in 2020, I was having a little break from club music, and diving deeper into other styles of music I enjoy. Both from a listening and producing perspective. I found it to be a very different approach. It’s more melody/hook driven and focuses on getting ideas down quickly as they’re forming. A lot of the time I would use a basic keyboard and guitar to record, and Alia would add vocal melodies and harmonies on the fly. Sometimes it could get difficult when we would both want to put our fleeting ideas down at the same time! On that note, collaboration is never easy for me as I like to have full creative control of whatever it is I’m working on, and sometimes the creative paths divide and compromises have to be made. Sometimes the compromised path is thick and thorny, and sometimes it is paved gold and smells of roses.

MFM: How did you go through the selecting and recording process, any specific record or mood you had planned?

TW: I came across a bunch of really nice tracks all in a relatively similar downtempo/shoegaze style, and wanted to make a mix of music like that. For moody home/car/train etc listening. I also included a forthcoming Cousin remix of an a.s.o. single which I love and wanted to share early!

MFM Mix 049: Tornado Wallace

From Oakland with love comes the 50th submission in the mix series comes by the hand of prolific producer and deejay Space Ghost (@space-ghost-1). Interview (excerpt) down below.

www.musicfrommemory.com 

MFM: Hey Sudi. How's life in California, what's been keeping you busy?

SG: Hey, not much! Just trying to enjoy the summer with friends and get in the studio when I can.

MFM: Looking at your discography it seems that you favor the LP over the EP format, having released well over a dozen albums. How come?

SG: I can’t say that I favor one over the other, just seems that as a musician you strive to write full length LPs. I enjoy LPs for home listening and it feels good to create a nice body of work that flows through a journey. Writing dance singles and eps are trickier for me. It feels harder to write 1-4 really good stand alone songs.

MFM: With such a prolific output, does writing music come easily to you? Can you tell us a bit about how you go about writing and recording, is there a certain flow or method?

SG: Hmm I wouldn’t necessarily say it comes comes easy but I’ve definitely gotten a lot better at getting ideas in my head out into my recordings. It’s still a process of getting into the studio and spending time on it. Sometimes I can spend a whole day or two just spinning my wheels and not being able to get my ideas out. But once I get that perfect dose of creativity and I’m in the right mood, then things can definitely start flowing out. When writing music I often need to start with a very specific idea based on a song I’m listening to at the time. It’s helpful for me to start out with that initial inspiration, whether some chords, style of drums, bassline or a tempo or something. Once I get a few elements working around that idea the song can start to morph and move in any direction, but I really need that specific direction to start. I find that I can often make a rudimentary idea fairly quickly this way and then if it’s inspiring me, I’ll start to try a little bit harder and flush out more of the idea.

MFM: How do you cope with not being inspired or motivated when in the studio?

SG: Honestly it can be a bummer to be in the studio and the ideas aren’t flowing. I’ll just have to step away and do something totally unrelated for a few days.

MFM: Your sound overall has a very soft and melodic touch. The mellow part may be from living close to the Pacific and nature, but where does the melodic part come from? Did you ever learn how to read and play notes?

SG: You know I’m really not sure if I can pinpoint my melodies and where they came from but ya I grew up taking music lessons of all sorts. Piano, drums, guitar, band class, all that stuff. I wasn’t the best at reading music, I learned basic stuff but eventually didn’t progress much farther. Now everything I do is by feel.

MFM: Is there some kind of masterplan for Space Ghost? Like, do you have certain goals to achieve or dreams to chase?

SG: I think my master plan would involve me getting to focus on writing music full time. Honestly I’m not really sure how to get there specifically, seems like everyone gets there on their own path so hopefully mine will end up there as well.

MFM: Tell us about the mix. How did you go about selecting and recording it? Does it have a certain theme or idea to it?

SG: I’ve been wanting to put out a nice lil ambient sort of electronic mix for awhile. Really soft deep introspective vibes. I’ve been holding on to a lot of these tunes for awhile and just listening to my playlist of ambient tunes while traveling or relaxing with friends. After coming back from my NZ/Australian tour, I was ready to play some non dance music for a sec and listen to some other stuff. This mix is just a nice break from DJing a party. I also really want to make an ambient album soon if I have the time, so there are a lot inspirations in this mix.

MFM Mix 050: Space Ghost

Taken from '10' (MFM066)
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© 2023 Music From Memory

Just Ducking Around

B2. Terekke – Just Ducking Around

From Japan here's producer, DJ and friend of the label Kunyuki Takahashi (@kuniyuki-takahashi) with a special recording of his live set during Rainbow Disco Club this year 2024. Interview (excerpt) down below.

www.musicfrommemory.com

MFM: Hey Kuni. What was growing up in Sapporo like, being quite remote from the other major cities in Japan? Via what channels/media/ways did you learn about music, art, etc? 

KT: Tokyo is most biggest scene about culture and music, but I was really looking for more out of Japan. Sapporo is more slow. I was just into music when I was teenager so everydays looking interesting music, because around 80's was crazy it' like big bung for music. My friends and i also really looking for PUNK, Industrial music, Ambient music, also of cause electric music as well at that time. It was just our like networks and channels for connect to other essence from each one. You know Teenager No need mainstream, no need TV show just believe to get some good one  from friends!

MFM: Your sound overall has a very 'organic' and 'spiritual' touch. Where does this come from? Who and what were/are your inspirations?  

KT: Both of feeling is definitely I need and my favorite things about when I touch instruments because it's nice to connect into music. So many instruments has lot's of colors so it's my inspirations come from. But to be honest i'm really bad to playing instruments....

MFM: That is debatable, haha. Where did you actually learn to play all those instruments, like the conga's and flute?

KT: I learnt about percussion and congas by listening to African music, and in the 90s I spent a lot of time with these. I used to listen to Peter Gabriel's Realworld record series so it's my teacher of  music! There are flute-like instruments in synthesizers and music workstations, but when I tried to use flute sounds by Synth, I couldn't feel spiritual, so I decided to try my hand at it. There is so much spiritual real instruments.

MFM: Your contribution is a recording of your live show at Rainbow Disco Club in Japan this year 2024. What can you tell us about the show? For those who had to miss it, maybe you can describe the setting a bit?

KT: Yes it was from My good friend Masa From Rainbow disco club.
I've been joined Rainbow disco club many times and always did a Dance set but he Told me “could you play live show like your album from Music from memory For RDC2024?”, and I was say “YES I would love to and if we can do then I want to do proper Music from memory live set.” So it was so exciting. Because these music from MFM was very special. It was morning time, there is nature and birds singing, and I was joined with my like bird whistle, feel windows, relaxing people waiting before making dance time. I re-created all sound patterns so it was so fun like should do make Tape sound like bit noise sound, more retro sound. Also I really remembered about what I used different Chords before in the 80's and 90's!

MFM: Your live shows seem to be improvisation based, very playful. As if you're jamming in the studio. Does playing live differ much to you from working in the studio?

KT: Yes I love like improvisations when doing live show. I'm always thinking about each party is totally different energy from music lovers. I love to get something good happen with music lovers, and yes it's totally different with Studio works. Prepare for live set also needs time and skills, so i always try to do at my studio for what can happen at the live show.

MFM Mix 052: Kuniyuki Takahashi

We are excited to announce that our first release of 2025 will be ‘Ways to the Deep Meadow’ , an album from Ocean Moon, the alias of producer Jon Tye.

In addition to running the long-standing label Lo Recordings, Tye has recorded under various names and been involved in numerous projects over the past three decades. Keen fans of the label may also notice that this isn't Tye's first collaboration with MFM; his work during the 1990's as part of UK ambient group MLO captured our attention years ago, leading to the release of their retrospective album ‘Oumuamua’ in 2021.

Releasing archival work alongside new material from an artist has been a fundamental aspect of Music From Memory’s identity since we began the label, and is something that continues to bring us immense joy. With Jon continuing to produce work under a wide range of names to this day, the short step to releasing this new work was organic and natural. Working under the name Ocean Moon Jon carries echoes of his work with MLO into the modern day, weaving an ambient electronic music that radiates gentle positivity.

The title ‘Ways To The Deep Meadow’ is inspired by the poem ‘Universal Solar Calendar’ written by poet, mystic, shaman, and visionary Angus Maclise. Maclise began as the percussionist in an early iteration of La Monte Young's Theatre Of Eternal Music and later played with the Velvet Underground before moving to Nepal, where he wrote and published an impressive collection of poetry and music.

Side one of the album was created at a time when Tye had been exploring ideas around artificial intelligence, delving into books such as ‘The Physics Of Immortality’ by Frank J. Tippler, ‘Novacene’ by James Lovelock, and ’12 Bytes’ by Jeanette Winterson, seeking an alternative to the prevalent, negative views of AI. He was also inspired by the Buddhist perspective of AI as an integral part of consciousness evolution, as evidenced by the creation of a Buddhist robot that preaches in the Kodaiji Temple in Kyoto.

Side two consists of two long-form pieces, one composed for Janine Rook’s ‘Made In Dreams’ exhibition and the other for Vix Hill Ryder’s ‘Wild Edges’ film. For ‘Made In Dreams’, text from the exhibition catalogue was processed via the Holly Herndon Holly + app to create an environment that is simultaneously otherworldly and warm.

As with much of Jon’s work, this music seeks to nurture an optimistic outlook in the listener, something he achieves here with subtlety and a truly delicate touch. The immersive ambient music of ‘Ways To The Deep Meadow’ reaches out to the listener like gentle trails of light, offering it’s spells,invocations and enchantments to all who choose to listen.

‘Ways To The Deep Meadow’ will be released on 31st January 2025 on LP as well as digitally. Sleeve art and design by Michael Willis.

A5. Ocean Moon - Angel Falls

A4. Ocean Moon - Plains Of Paradise

A3. Ocean Moon - Day Of The Voyage

A2. Ocean Moon - Souls Fall Away

A1. Ocean Moon - Ways To The Deep Meadow

Taken from 'Loradeniz - SUN SHONE' (MFM075)
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B2. Loradeniz - Waterbear

A4. Loradeniz - Cloud Sofa

A3. Loradeniz - Brick House

A2. Loradeniz - No Moon

SUN SHONE

A1. Loradeniz - Saint Odds

Taken from 'Son Of Chi - We Carry Eden' (MFM076)
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A. Son Of Chi - We Carry Eden (Part I) (Excerpt 5)

A. Son Of Chi - We Carry Eden (Part I) (Excerpt 4)

A. Son Of Chi - We Carry Eden (Part I) (Excerpt 3)

A. Son Of Chi - We Carry Eden (Part I) (Excerpt 2)

A. Son Of Chi - We Carry Eden (Part I) (Excerpt 1)

The MFM Mix series continues with Istanbul-born, Amsterdam-based multidisciplinary artist Deniz Omeroglu (@loradeniz), who released her debut album 'SUN SHONE' with us earlier this year. Interview (excerpt) down below.

www.musicfrommemory.com

MFM: Welcome to the series Deniz. Being from Turkey originally, what did your musical upbringing look like? 

LD: There was always music playing in our house - we even had speakers in the bathroom. My dad really enjoyed listening to music; he had an open mind and a great collection of CDs and records. It brought together Western influences, world music, and local sounds. That diversity really shaped my ears and sense of sound from early on. My brother played the piano, so classical music was also part of the atmosphere. I guess I grew up listening to almost everything except electronic dance music. That came into my life later - after graduating from the conservatory and going through my own personal rebellion. 

MFM: Comparing to West-Europe, where you live now, do you feel there's difference in how music plays a role culturally? 

LD: Totally. I think we, as a culture, tend to experience and express emotions more intensely - both internally and outwardly - compared to Northern European countries. So you can often feel that emotional depth and variation in our melodies and rhythmic forms. Just the other day, I found myself wondering... what kind of music would I be making now if I had grown up listening to Chicago house at home?

MFM: You've produced the whole album yourself. Being a classically trained pianist probably helps a lot when creating and writing new music, right? How did you go about writing the songs?

LD: In the past, my creative process was often fueled by pain and drama. But now, I don’t need those emotions to create anymore. Maybe that used to be what made my music distinctive, but now everything feels a lot more free and in flow. Coming from a classical background actually caused years of writer’s block - I often had no idea what to do next. Being classically trained means you're expected to perform everything perfectly. It took a lot of unlearning to let go of that mindset and teach myself that there’s actually more comfort in imperfection. So, rather than being a pianist specifically, it’s more about having music theory to fall back on when I feel stuck - that’s what really helps. But honestly, the most important part of writing new music for me is taking care of myself. All the self work - that’s what keeps my creativity alive.

MFM: When does a song determine if it needs your voice incorporated? And how do you then decide whether its going to be in Turkish or English?

LD: When it comes to language, it’s not really a conscious choice - it just happens naturally. I dream in both Turkish and English, and even while answering these questions, I find myself thinking in both. Sometimes it’s just easier to express something in Turkish, and other times it flows better in English. As for when I decide to use my voice in a song, it really depends. Sometimes melodies come to me while I’m just humming, and other times I feel the need to actually say something. I think of my voice as a human oscillator - just another unique textural element. I use my voice to create percussive or synth-like sounds, layering it in the same way I would with instruments, to add something personal and distinctive.

MFM: Please can you tell us a bit about your mix? 

LD: I think this mix gives off a sense of melancholia but not too much, intimacy, and cerebral energy. It’s not really representative of what I’d play out at clubs, but it’s full of tracks I love listening to, my all time and latest favorites. There’s a lot of slow burners, ghostly sensuality, and a touch of leftfield sass. my intention was to record something as much for the body as for the head in the most mfm way possible. Something light, something fun and something genuine.

MFM Mix 053: Loradeniz

Taken from 'N Kramer & Magnus Bang Olsen - Pastoral Blend' (MFM077)
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© 2025 Music From Memory

A5. N Kramer & Magnus Bang Olsen - Orb

A4. N Kramer & Magnus Bang Olsen - Weathered

A3. N Kramer & Magnus Bang Olsen - Pastoral Blend

A2. N Kramer & Magnus Bang Olsen - Limbic Fresco

A1. N Kramer & Magnus Bang Olsen - Descend

Taken from 'Johnny Sais Quoi - Love On Ice' (MFM078)
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© 2025 Music From Memory

B4. Johnny Sais Quoi - Let's Find A Home

B3. Johnny Sais Quoi - Ref23

B2. Johnny Sais Quoi - Life Sweet

B1. Johnny Sais Quoi - Move Off

A3. Johnny Sais Quoi - Love On Ice

A2. Johnny Sais Quoi - Mistaken Man

A1. Johnny Sais Quoi - No Guilty Pleasures

New mix made by Paris-based sound artist, radio producer, composer and DJ Elen Huynh (@nowherearu). "A soundscape of shifting emotions, reflecting a reality shaped by joy, sorrow, doubt and hope."

www.musicfrommemory.com

MFM Mix 054: Elen Huynh

Recorded live in bar Lulu in Athens at the end of 2024, Mix 055 is by long time dear friend Petit Bear (@petit_bear) from Greece. 

www.musicfrommemory.com


MFM Mix 055: Petit Bear

Up next in the series is Johnny Sais Quoi (@johnny_sait_quoi) who just released his dancefloor-focused pop debut album 'Love On Ice' with us last month. Interview (excerpt) below.

www.musicfrommemory.com

MFM: So, who is Johnny Sais Quoi and where does he (and it's name) come from?

JSQ: Johnny Sais Quoi is my new French identity, I felt that France needed another Johnny after the passing of Hallyday. I live in Marseille now, but I’m from the UK.

MFM: Your debut LP 'Love On Ice' just got released a few weeks ago. Do you remember the first
steps or moment that eventually led to it becoming a full record?

JSQ: Not so much.. I write quite consistently, so they were made over a long period of time. During that period I was trying to find my ‘sound’ and trying lots of new ideas, so I suppose it was when I had enough tracks that I could make a selection that felt good to me.

MFM: The music on the LP somewhat reminds to the sound of the '80s, like New Wave, Pop and Italo but with it's own new identity. Would you agree? In what way did the '80s have an influence on you as an artist?

JSQ: Yeah I love 80s music. I love the production, emotion and romance of it, it’s always been such an inspiration for me musically and culturally. I love how the production seemed to go a bit crazy and people were really pushing the way music, even pop music, could sound. Also the advent of home recording and the seemingly endless supply of people at home who were trying to be their own variation of Wham! or Depeche Mode. These days I’m really interested in finding ways to borrow from this epoch but still sound contemporary. I find that hard sometimes, but always more rewarding.

MFM: Although the music is all yours, it's easy to imagine a full band on stage. Do you have a
background in playing in bands? And do you have any desire to bring it out on stage at one point, alone or with band?

JSQ: I started playing bass when I was 12 and then in bands from around 18. My history in bands was short and I miss it - I would love to join a band to play bass or synths or drums. Then I was part of a duo with my brother, we had a band for a while but now it’s just me. I’m beginning to work on the live show for this project which I’ll do alone to begin with, then maybe bring in some other instruments as I go, we’ll see.

MFM: Does writing new music come easy to you or...? What comes first, the instrumental part or the lyrics?

JSQ: I say that I’m working on the live show but in reality every time I try to work on it I end up making new songs. Making the music often comes very easy and is normally first. I’ve realised recently that writing lyrics is a very different process for me - the instrumental often comes very fast and I work fast, but I often forget that I need to slow down and work in a different way for the lyrics. I’m still learning how I work.

MFM: Tell us about your mix!

JSQ: I made it in Bretagne whilst I was doing some work there this summer, in the peace of the countryside. I wanted it to be a wide mix of things that I’ve listened to since I wrote Love on Ice. New inspirations and some classics, maybe a taste of what’s to come next. 

MFM Mix 056: Johnny Sais Quoi

For the 57th installment we welcome Berlin-based Courtney Bailey (@courtneyey) who just released her debut album 'In Dream' with us on Second Circle. Interview (excerpt) below.

www.musicfrommemory.com

MFM: Welcome to the series Courtney. Born in Japan, now living in Germany... Can you tell a bit about your upbringing in Japan and what kind of role music played?

CB: I grew up in a small chill seaside city about an hour away from Tokyo by local train. When I was young, skateboarding and surfing was always around. So when I was 17, I got into skateboarding and used to hang out with friends at a local skate shop. That shop had turntables and a mixer, and the owner often played records. l thought that was cool and started to get more into house music playing with the mixer. Then I started to go more parties in Tokyo! And I started organizing parties and started DJing. I really love DJing,  I’d even mix on a DJ app on my phone while riding the train to Tokyo for work, haha. My parents also love all kinds of music, and when I was little, they used to take me to little beach parties during the summer. Sometimes I would jump in and sing at live shows there! 

MFM: Your voice plays an essential role in your songs, mostly singing in Japanese. How did that start and what is the writing and recording process like?

CB: The music from this album came together after I first listened to Dream Dolphin. I was instantly drawn into the dark but hopeful and deep sound. After that I couldn’t stop making music!  I was also inspired by other Japanese new age artists from the ’90s, like Poison Girl Friend, Nav Katze etc. I come up with the lyrics at the same time as making the track or make the track first and then fit the words to it. All the vocals on this album were recorded with my MacBook’s built-in mic. My younger brother joined for one track, and we actually recorded the voice from the phone through computer mic.

MFM: How do you go about writing music in general and where do you get your inspiration from? 

CB: I don’t have a studio, so I work from home. I don’t really have a routine. I am always having new experiences in Berlin and also doing lots of travel. And also enjoying the party scene a little bit haha. So every day feels different! I am glad that I have moments of high productivity and inspiration during these interesting times!

MFM Mix 057: Courtney Bailey

The System - Find It In Your Eyes (4:35)

The System - Almost Grown (6:10)

Roberto Musci - Claudia, Wilhem R. And Me (02:57)

Becker / Stegmann / Zeumer - Abends (04:27)

B1 - Say You'll Say So (5.08)

B5 - 220+g (2:33)

Pete Brandt’s Method – What You Are (3:35)

Violet Eves - Listen Over The Ocean (4:19)

A2 - Kuniyuki Takahashi - Your Home (5:11)

For the August edition we've invited Donna Leake from London who handed over a high spirited 2 hour mix. Interview (excerpt) down below.

www.musicfrommemory.com

MFM: Hi Donna, welcome to the series. How's your day so far? Does your day normally involve music from the moment you wake up?

DL: Hi. Thanks so much for having me. My day so far has been real sweet. I woke up at 6:30am and all I’ve done is make coffee, listen to and dig for music, draw and paint. It’s now 13:30. Not every day is like this though! 

MFM: Before lockdown, was DJing the only thing that brought food on the table? How is that now, did you revise your approach or strategy after the whole live events scene collapsed?

DL: Yes it was the only thing bringing money in and turned out it was one of the main things keeping my soul full and my spirit high. So I’ve had to re strategise a few areas of my life recently. I haven’t come up with anything solid yet, I’ve always just gone with the wind. But I think now there is a sense of urgency to save myself getting into more debt because of this! But I did gain something massive and far more valuable than money since losing it, a new perspective as to what it was we were doing and what I was a part of. I now appreciate the beauty of people making the effort to gather and listen and share music together and the industry and all it's efforts more than ever. I always had thanks, but I guess you can really check in on something more closely when you stop and look at it from the outside.

MFM: Do you then also feel positive about the future of nightlife and culture?

DL: Yes I feel positive about it. The force of music is so strong and what it does to people is unstoppable. It may take some time and maybe it will change, but that might even be a good thing. We all got an opportunity to check in with ourselves and stop and even though this was a disaster for the economy and the effects of that will last a while, the essence of art and music have nothing to do with money and that’s where it should restart. If anything it might have a wonderful impact. Art can sometimes be richer if we’ve been through some heavy experiences. 

MFM: What in your opinion actually makes a DJ stand out?

DL: Most importantly, and this probably applies to everything, I think is to be yourself which will naturally be unique if you are able to harness your true essence. I know that sounds obvious but it’s often a journey to feel as though you know or to find yourself, but I think being true and present in every moment of that journey is how you’ll be able to tap into what’s unique about what you do. Being fully present and playing with the times whether that’s trying to express what's going on inside you or a response to what’s happening in the world. Also not to think but feel your way through. This will often be more accurate since our heads are pretty full and busy! Authenticity and truth can be applied to any taste and style. For me I like to go on a ride with twists, turns and surprises and hear a story with a variety of feelings from the lowest to the highest, but keeping it coherent and without being too much of a mess. Although a bit of mess is all right too!

MFM: Thanks a lot for your contribution. Can you take us through your process of recording mixes?

DL: I would say all of the above is the general process for any mix, or at least as much of this as possible is considered. But since recording mixes is the only way I’ve been sharing music recently and I’ve made so many, I have started to try to give each mix more of a focus. For example one I did recently was called music for chess. And this mix has a particular focus on psych. This is because I can feel summer ending is just around the corner and it’s been the most hazy, mind bending, deep, confusing but colourful and dream like summer I’ve ever had and I’ve never felt so inside and removed from my head and the world at the same time as I have this summer!

MFM Mix 019: Donna Leake

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.

MFM Mix 023: Jonah Sharp

2021's first mix in line comes all the way from sunny Australia by dear friend Lauren Hansom (@laurenhansom). Interview (excerpt) down below.

www.musicfrommemory.com

MFM: Welcome on board Lauren. How was your start of the new year? It's summer where you are now right? That must be nice :)

LH: Hiii! Thanks for having me onboard :) The New Year has been great. Spent time surfing & soaking up sunshine in Australia.

MFM: You moved back to Australia last year. What has been keeping you busy there since? 

LH: I moved from Amsterdam to Berlin at the end of 2019 and went to Oz in February 2020 for a holiday. COVID hit, so I ended up staying. An easy decision with nature, beaches, food etc. Although, I’ve pretty much been living out of a suitcase as the majority of my stuff is in Berlin. I bought a Yamaha RM1X & a Poly800 last year to do some music and learnt The Mandalorian theme tune. I’ve also been learning more about quantum mechanics & biology plus space, which actually led me to find more cosmic sounds in genres from IDM to new wave for example. Imagining space with a multitude of soundscapes is pretty neat. 

MFM: While many DJs jumped on the streaming bandwagon it looks like you kept rather quiet over the last months. Is that for a reason? Did you maybe find other ways to creatively let go, or...?

LH: Thought you wouldn’t have noticed - was secretly trying to pull off a “Homer Simpson disappearing into the hedge”. Streaming is a great way for people to stay connected given the circumstances. For me, having a live crowd is always part of my process. No crowd, no party (or a one person party - not bad for these days, actually...). Also not having any gear here made it hard, especially with lockdown and social distancing.

MFM: Things were going really well for you as a DJ, your career seemed to be in a lift. What do you now hope for when touring becomes an option again? Has 2020 changed your perspective? 

LH: Thank you for saying so. I was pretty overwhelmed by how often I was playing and am grateful for it. It’s still very much a “pinch-my-arm” thought. I really would love to continue sharing tunes & creating musical experiences in some capacity. I’ve been thinking about Music Supervision within film & TV, so have been spending time on the side looking into that.

MFM: I've heard quite a few DJs saying they lost the urgency or need to listen to dance(floor) music. How is that for you? Have you been keeping track with new music lately at all? 

LH: I’m always listening to different styles, especially non-club music as it’s sort of where I started. Although I’ve enjoyed the holiday of not having to find a billion new tracks before every weekend, I’ve still been following new releases & it’s been interesting to hear how music has been shaped by the pandemic.

MFM: How would you describe that shape shifting? 

LH: I noticed more people collaborating from afar due to social distancing, restrictions and general lockdown. I think this allowed for some experimentation in a way and often that leads to something surprising and new. Sonically and stylistically, I think 2020 was really diverse as opposed to previous years where there was definitely a “Sound of Summer” so to say. There were also a great deal of compilations for new music to support artists affected by event cancellations and club closures.

MFM: About the mix, do you actually prefer a mix request to come with some kind of theme or direction to it, or do you value the freedom more? 

LH: Both. It’s nice having a brief as it gives you boundaries & pushes your creativity. Sometimes too much freedom can make it difficult. That said, I’m always imaging stories & daydreaming, so often the imagery in my mind’s eye gives me a good starting point. Once I have an idea, I create a selection of music & work out a way to make it all flow until there is some sense of an emotional ark & musical journey.

MFM Mix 024: Lauren Hansom

Taken from 'Heisei No Oto - Japanese Left-field Pop From The CD Age (1989-1996)' (MFM053)
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© 2021 Music From Memory

Heisei No Oto - Japanese Left-field Pop From The CD Age (1989-1996)

C3. POiSON GiRL FRiEND - Nobody (4:17)

PLEASE DON'T SEND DEMOS

www.musicfrommemory.com

Amsterdam based record label releasing visionary electronic music from both past and present.

Sublabel: @secondcircle

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