I first encountered Stefan though through Casa Del Popolo, the Main’s main den of épatering the bourgeoisie since the 90s, when they booked me for what was only the second Days of Steam night after the first at Rye Wax. The old booth was set up like you were in a chapel, dim as hell for me but enough of a remove from the audience without being too removed. They’re a longtime organizer in Montréal activist circles, the mind of @freecityradio, with a CV too long to summarize here but one that shows genuine belief and investment in the causes he champions. I’d seen them years back before we knew each other, as part of the city’s experimental undercurrents, with releases of introspective piano for Howl Arts alongside local luminaries Sam Shalabi and Peter Burton and mainstays d’la marge like Aural Canyon and Beacon Sound. Tapestries of field recordings and plunderphonics, part of a long tradition of musique actuelle in the city without intentionally trying to be so. The mix he sent over is almost entirely as of writing recent pieces, with compositions (what they all feel like more than ‘pieces’ or ‘tracks’) from Berkeley, Brooklyn, Brazil, Houston, Jaffa, Milan, Montréal - the sound of the uncertainty and rage of the now, but never restoring to despondency, moreso righteousness.

"It is my pleasure to share these tracks with you. On a basic level these tracks were shared mostly by friends in the context of exchanges and ongoing collaborations with folks in cities all over the place, around creating content for Radio AlHara in Palestine and beyond. I love that this mix jumps between vibes and styles. I also included a couple of tracks from recent releases that I worked on. I hope you enjoy the mix. – Stefan."

Notnef Greco - Scooter Riding in Bombay [2024, Sublamental]
Grimório de Abril - A Torre Poligonal do Astrólogo Caldeu [2024, Subliminal K7]
Matteo Uggeri - ...for You Bleeding Goddess [2024, 13 Records]
Totenbaum Träger - Fleur de néon VI [2023, Cuchabata]
Stefan Christoff - Guitar in Griffintown [2024, Cuchabata]
Matteo Uggeri - ...for Daughters and Sons [2024, 13 Records]
Stefan Christoff - Chalga Remixed [2024, Samizdat]
Grimório de Abril - The River Used to be a Signal  [2024, Municipal K7]
Stefan Christoff - In Burgas [2024, Samizdat]
Azraq - Baby Please Don't Go [2021, self-released]
Badawi - A Curse on All Murderers (Extended Dub) (excerpt) [2024, self-released]

Days Of Steam

Days Of Steam 013: Stefan Christoff

Michel Banabila, born 1961, is a sound artist, composer, and producer. Banabila has released music since 1983 and has produced musical scores for numerous films, documentaries, theater plays and choreography. His music varies from minimal loop-based electronica, fourth world, and neoclassical pieces, to drones,  experimental ambient,  and punk-as-fuck tape music. His work has been published by labels like Bureau B (DE), Eilean Rec (FR), Knekelhuis (NL), Pingipung (DE) and Séance Centre (CA)

Free City Radio explores the intersection of social activism and the arts.

The weekly show features interviews on contemporary political currents in Montréal, Canada and around the world, highlighting creative voices involved in struggles for transformative social change. 

This Free City Radio page also features contemporary music mixes contributed to stations around the world. 

Free City Radio's 30 minute weekly program is hosted and produced by Stefan Christoff and broadcasts on :

CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal - Wednesdays at 11am
CJLO 1690 AM in Montreal - Wednesdays 8am
CKUW 95.9 FM in Winnipeg - Tuesdays 8am
CFRC 101.9FM in Kingston - Wednesdays 11:30am
CFUV 101.9 FM in Victoria - Saturdays 7am
Met Radio 1280 AM in Toronto - Fridays at 5:30am
CKCU 93.1 FM in Ottawa - Tuesdays at 2pm
CJSF 90.1 FM in Vancouver - Thursdays at 4:30pm

@n10-as / @eastvillageradio / Days Of Steam / Dastgâmachine (drones + tones)
neonlichter.dj@gmail.com

2025
09.26 Meridian Arts Centre (Toronto)
09.14 Chillits 2025 (Laytonville)
06.21 Life On Marz (Chicago)
06.20 Interzone (Lexington)
06.13 Adelaide Hall (Toronto)
06.02 Le Mal Necessaire (Montréal)
05.29 Casa Del Popolo (Montréal)
05.14 Wavelength (Toronto)
05.10 Cafeteria (Toronto)
04.26 Alphaville (NYC)
03.08 TD Music Hall (Toronto)
03.01 Alphaville (NYC)

2024
12.31 Party World (Montréal)
12.29 BSMT254 (Toronto) 
11.14 Casa Del Popolo (Montréal)
11.13 Le Mal Necessaire (Montréal)
08.16 Layer05 (Montréal)
06.28 Osmo (Montréal)
06.27 Sans-Soleil (Montréal)
06.23 The Little Jerry (Toronto) 
06.21 Tapestry (Toronto) 
04.28 Sounds Good (Toronto) 
04.27 Standard Time (Toronto) 
02.17 Heatsync (New Haven) 
01.18 Tapestry (Toronto) 

2023
12.21 Tapestry (Toronto)
12.14 Système (Montréal)
11.28 The Lot Radio (NYC)
10.19 Tapestry (Toronto)
09.30 Casa del Popolo (Montréal)
09.24 The Little Jerry (Toronto)
09.21 Tapestry (Toronto)
09.15 Nouvel Établissement (Montréal) 
08.10 Sans Soleil (Montréal)
07.14 Revival (Toronto)
06.07 Système (Montréal)
01.19 Sans Soleil (Montréal)

2022
10.25 Système (Montréal)
09.24 Casa del Popolo (Montréal)
08.27 Nouvel Établissement (Montréal)
04.29 Bambi's (Toronto)
03.24 Houndstooth (Toronto)
03.16 The Little Jerry (Toronto) 

2021
12.11 Le Mal Necessaire (Montréal)
09.05 The Little Jerry (Toronto)

2020
03.14 Bambi’s (Toronto)

2019
12.09 Casa del Popolo (Montréal)
05.27 Giant Steps (London)
05.25 Ransom Note (London) 
05.23 Rye Wax (London)
03.01 El Rey Theater (Los Angeles)
02.28 Mezzanine (San Francisco)
02.23 Neumos (Seattle)
02.22 Doug Fir Lounge (Portland)
02.21 Imperial (Vancouver)
02.16 Bottom Lounge (Chicago)
02.15 El Club (Detroit)
02.14 Mod Club (Toronto)
02.13 Théâtre Corona (Montréal)
02.10 Elsewhere (NYC)
02.09 Union Stage (Washington DC)
02.08 Elsewhere (NYC)
02.07 Brighton Music Hall (Boston)

2018
05.12 Brilliant Corners (London)

Days Of Steam 013: Stefan Christoff

Neonlichter