Music from Memory

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

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

Taken from 'Dead Sound - Into The Void' (MFM069)
Buy Vinyl: https://www.musicfrommemory.com/
Buy Digital: https://music-from-memory.bandcamp.com/
© 2024 Music From Memory

Into The Void

Illusion

A2. Dead Sound - Illusion

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

Taken from 'H.A.N.K. - The Big Melt' (SC021)
Buy Vinyl: https://www.musicfrommemory.com/
Buy Digital: https://music-from-memory.bandcamp.com/
© 2024 Second Circle

The Big Melt

Cruise

A1. H.A.N.K. - Cruise

The man behind the various Emotional labels jumps in the NTS cockpit for a chance to show off his expansive taste.  
Find the full tracklist and related episodes on NTS: https://www.nts.live/shows/emotional/episodes/emotional-7th-september-2025

All Trades w/ Chuggy 070925

a 'trip hop' mix from 5 years ago

Princess P Monthly Show [03.09.25]

Welcoming one of our personal favourite's from the big apple! A positive conductor of all things deep and dreamy, NYC's @yibingg is a longtime resident on The Lot Radio with an impeccable ear for contemplative sonics, ever thoughtfully sliced and diced with a big signature smile :)

Time to hit recline and let Yibing tranquilify your mind.

Q. What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed in?

A. I’ve always been drawn to uplifting sounds, but I also love deep, percussive music and melancholic minor key melodies, which I think there’s a lot of in this mix. Hopefully a nice journey to drift into and daydream with :)

I really wanted this mix to be a sort of homage to the sound of MDC and the AU music community (as I hear it), which I connect with deeply. I find it so playful, psychedelic and beautiful. It definitely took me a while to untangle this, especially knowing it was for one of the most goated series out there… One that’s inspired me time and time again.

Personally, my favorite place to test mixes is on my bike. Maybe not the safest spot to zone out, but it’s become part of my post recording ritual. 

Q. Are there any songs in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much?

A. Atone's "Lost & Found"! I became obsessed with Tonal Ocean's Atone Special after it aired on NTS last year. Atone is, of course, an Australian project from the mind of Andrew Fitzgerald. I've listened to that mix countless times. "Atonement" is really just such a perfect record to me.  

I played "Lost & Found" last year at a festival that Doc Tom and CZ Wang curated called In The Open. It's still one of my favorite sets I've ever played and a memory I will cherish forever... I felt people really locking in during it and I was surrounded by some of my closest friends too… Music & friendship - truly nothing better than it.

Q. Tell us about the evolution of Tranquilamente Radio on The Lot Radio, you play such a wide variety of beautiful music on the show, do you approach each show with a theme of sorts or just let things flow naturally?

A. It's wild to think that I've been involved with radio in one shape or another for over a decade at this point... Through so many changes, radio in its different iterations has remained the only constant.

When I started the show on The Lot Radio almost five years ago, it was deep during the pandemic and I wanted to foster a space for more laidback, at-home listening music. The inspiration for the title of the show was the Pacific Ocean - thinking about oceans as connectors of all these beautiful ~music waves~ around the world.

I have done some themed shows over the years - I do an indie rock special every year, as a nod to my roots and to what I was playing back at KCSB, a college radio station in California where everything started. I also did a Canto-pop special a while back with some music I grew up listening to. More recently, I did a Music From Memory special that I really enjoyed, using the opportunity to really dive deep into everything that's come out from that label. I definitely want to keep doing more of that.

I find it exciting that even though the show is pretty eclectic, it’s developed a sound of its own. I definitely have a predilection for weirdo, left-field music and I love that the show can be a platform where me and my guests are encouraged to explore different sounds beyond the club. I think doing the show has also taught me and motivated me over the years to bring that sound into my sets too.

MDC.314 Yibing

Breakfast, in Flo motion - served by Flo Dill, every Monday to Wednesday. 
 
Find the full tracklist and related episodes on NTS: https://www.nts.live/shows/the-breakfast-show-flo/episodes/the-breakfast-show-flo-29th-september-2025

The NTS Breakfast Show w/ Flo 290925

𝙷𝚎𝚢 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎!

𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛é𝚊𝚕’𝚜 𝙰𝚀𝚄𝙰𝙼𝙰𝚁𝙸𝙽𝙰 ( @aquamarinamtl ) 𝚓𝚞𝚖𝚙𝚜 𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚝𝚊 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚂𝙳𝙼𝙸𝚇 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚢-𝚂𝚒𝚡..... 𝚊 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚢𝚠𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚜𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚢 𝚙𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚙𝚜𝚜𝚜𝚜𝚜

𝙰 𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚍 𝚏𝚒𝚡𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛é𝚊𝚕’𝚜 𝚍𝚒𝚐𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚢 𝚌𝚒𝚛𝚌𝚞𝚒𝚝, 𝙳𝚘𝚖'𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚢𝚕 𝚐𝚊𝚖𝚎, 𝚛𝚞𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚟𝚒𝚋𝚎 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎. 𝚆𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝙲𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚃𝚘𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝙳𝚎𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚘𝚘.

𝙵𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝙳𝚘𝚖 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙱𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚌 𝚖𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗. 𝚆𝚎’𝚛𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚗𝚜𝚎𝚝 𝚌𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚑é𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛. 𝙸𝚝'𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚢𝚝 𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚎𝚛𝚎.....𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎’𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕 𝚍𝚎𝚙𝚝𝚑 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚖𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝙰𝚚𝚞𝚊’𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚍, 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎, 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎, 𝚛𝚞𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝟷𝟶𝟶𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝟺𝚡𝟺 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚢𝚊'𝚕𝚕

𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚓𝚞𝚖𝚙, 𝚌𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚔, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚘𝚋𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚊𝚍𝚍𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚕𝚘𝚠.

#𝙋𝙐𝙍𝙀 𝙋𝙊𝙒𝙀𝙍 𝙅𝘼𝘾𝙆𝙎

​---------

𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝑨𝑸𝑼𝑨𝑴𝑨𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑨 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝑻𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒊 𝒃𝒐𝒊 𝑪𝒂𝒍-𝑪 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑶𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓.

Extra thanks to Rokotoro on Mastering.

AQUAMARINA (Montreal, Canada) MIX036

Bill Spencer shares weekend recordings from his living room studio in Detroit, Michigan, from where he brings a range of soulful jazz rock, and ambient sounds, spanning to electronica and psychedelic dub.
 
Find the full tracklist and related episodes on NTS: https://www.nts.live/shows/bill-spencer/episodes/bill-spencer-12th-october-2025

A Month of Sundays w/ Bill Spencer 121025

Middy T brings the live rig down to Skylab HQ for an hour of dubbin' to celebrate High Notes 2nd bday!

Midnight Tenderness Live Dub Set @ Skylab HQ

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

Old friends and hapless mavericks Ivan Smagghe and Nathan Gregory Wilkins present a fortnightly window into their ramshackle musical world. A show with absolutely no rules (as they'd only break them). We love the unmixable, old & new. We are oddballs and we love you. 
Find the full tracklist and related episodes on NTS: https://www.nts.live/shows/channeling/episodes/channeling-21st-october-2025

Channeling w/ Ivan Smagghe & Nathan Gregory Wilkins 211025

▸💿 Stream/Buy : https://cygnusmusic.link/0wwbjlb

exhaustedmane - VAPO VAPO(Super Slowed) (Official Audio)

PLEASE DON'T SEND DEMOS

www.musicfrommemory.com

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

Sublabel: @secondcircle

MFM Mix 055: Petit Bear

Music From Memory

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