Hanging Out With Audiophiles

Superbooth 2024 here I come Im in a rush but I promised a show so here it is :) This is the second celebration of a wonderful maker in the eurorack world. Meet Instruo.  The company was founded by Jason Lim who is the guest on this episode and we discuss how a company like this can exist in the wild electric world. The kind of knowledge it takes. The team that has emerged. The nature of the design.  We answer the all important question  "do you feel the music of the mushroom?" yes!!! check out the modules here! https://www.instruomodular.com

Im joined by Matthew Allum (ALM/Busy Circuits) as we discuss the origins of one of the best loved and most popular eurorack modules of all time Pam’s New Workout (and subsequent PRO form) How does a person go from having a thought of an afternoon to running one of the worlds most beloved modular synth companies? All shall be revealed! For those sensitive to talk of whittling, I must warn you there is mention of carpentry but it’s short lived and most of the chips we linger on are of the silicon and not wooden variety. This is part of a 2 episode pre super booth special and I’ll be popping a few bit up on the patreon using an ALM based system to rinse it a little

were you the co-developer of ableton live? ah no but Mr Henke very much was. Think about that for a minute. It’s easy to forget as he’ll never bring it up without being prompted. He’s not big on the dwelling and far more interested in his current obsessions. Special interests (SPINS) as they are called are the things driving the REAL artists of which Robert is most certainly one. I had one “job” interviewing him at this time. We were supposed to talk about the re-release of a classic monolake (Robert’s musical moniker) LP “Hong Kong” on Field Records. There was a hint of that here. It loomed in the fog over the hills as we, the ramblers, became fascinated by objects more close at hand. His tremendous work with the commodore PET platform as a primitive yet potent synth and drum machine for example. His encounters with the art world (which he is not fond of) his dislike of the infernal machine reverb ! ha. (also not fond it seems) His connection to the tonal land of the PPG wave and the Synclavier (yes, he’s fo

With 20 albums under his own name and his instrumental group Cosmo, the man knows how to make a record. He is a wildly accomplished and successful songwriter. For example in 2003 Harris he received the Grammy Award for Song Of The Year for Norah Jones’ breakout hit “Don’t Know Why,” from her debut album, Come Away With Me, which has sold almost 30 million copies worldwide. Versions of his songs have been sung by artists as diverse as Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Cat Power, Feist, The Black Keys, M. Ward, Brad Mehldau, Bright Eyes, Smokey Robinson, George Benson, Pat Metheny, Kandace Springs, and Solomon Burke. I mean WHAT a list that is! Songwriting collaborations have included Maya Hawke, John Zorn, Madeleine Peyroux, Melody Gardot, Papooz, and Lana Del Rey. If you didnt think you knew Jesse, I bet you’ve heard his writing out there in the known universe of sound and by gosh he’s a real potent force. Even after all this success, he is very mild mannered and thoughtful in this nice rambling interview. He’s

I met Jim thanks to the wonderful master of mastering Heba Kadry who's based in New York (whi btw that just finished mastering my new LP!)  She used him to assist in the making of her room and that set me on a journey to get my place into shape too. Him and his team at Sondhus did an excellent job and I've been loving my light and airy attic so much! I've talked about my space a little on the show and I've shared a few pics and videos from the spot so there's evidence of it out there.  I look forward to being in here every day.  Jim's story is really interesting and it's an angle that's not been covered thus far on the pod.  He has knowledge and passion on all manner of issues relating to studio spaces, from the flow to the sound and the minimal aesthetic that is a through line in his work.  He's made rooms for Martin Gore, Laurie Anderson, Heba Kadry, Philip Weinrobe, the Juliard School in New York to name but  a few. Wild ! In this show I demonstrate the sound of my rooms and why using a binaural head for i

I have Patreon :) https://www.patreon.com/HOWA You can join now for as little as $1.50 a month.  All sounds from this episode will go to those on the upper tier and I want to thank everyone for their support! It really helps me keep the show going. _____ Medasin aka Grant Nelson is a feeler. I was initially drawn to his sample packs like a moth to the fire. The fire it turns out has many a hue and the music goes deep. It was excellent to speak to the man himself and uncover his philosophical side. We battle for who’s more of a hippy. It was close but as all hippies know there is no winner in this game. so just jump in the rambling river with us

If you want to directly help support me in the pod work please consider joining my Patreon https://www.patreon.com/HOWA All sounds from this episode will go to those on the upper tier ! There’s over 4GB of audio from the experiments I did with the Oxi one using a custom tape machine, wild analog gear and generally odd stuff to yield those good samples. ok, let's get on with the show! Kid Koala is not like the others. I mean who else gets the idea to do a scratch routine with moon river? Who thinks (and pulls off) a show where everyone has their own turntable in the audience to interact with a performance? He's the creator of wonderful graphic novels Nufonia Must Fall and Space Cadet He’s opened for Radiohead He’s worked on movies like The Great Gatsby, Baby Driver and Scott Pilgrim vs the world Creativity to the max. Joy to the max. It really is a treat to have him on the show. I’ve always been a big fan and Eric really couldnt be any more humble and wonderful ! ___ in the show the MUSIC is back ! Yes for thi

Merriment abound ! It's that time again when sonic stockings are stuffed. This time with a fireside ramble twixt myself and the legend that is Dj Shadow as we celebrate his new LP "Action Adventure" Welcome.  I hope this finds you in good health and merry mood as the season sheds it's joy upon you. If joy is in short supply and the period feels claustrophobic and the family is doing your head in then I trust yule be able to duck out for a spell and use this as an escape pod. Who am I rambling with on the sonic sleigh? Dj Shadow really needs no Endroducing but in case you’re not hip to his MPC60 masterpiece from 1996 you MUST inhale that now. What a record. I recall having both of my Christmas stockings blown off by this LP and it’s humbling to be sat on a zoom with the chap now.  Such is the mystery of the digital time ghosts.  Twas a mighty pleasure to chew the cud with such a master of the chops. I hope this offers you some sonic solace this holiday  ______ I wish to alert you to a new way to give to this s

Quiz time. Who's recent LP did Thom Yorke executive produce? Answer: Clark. Pretty obvious from the title of the show but think about that for a minute. Thom Yorke. Bloody hell. I mean in terms of endorsements, there's few higher and there's good reason for TM to be Clarking, the C man is pumping out the goods and has been for yonks. Ack eye. We met an age ago me the C and shared a path in certain ways as label mates on warp records. I used to play shows with him and we both flocked from Brighton to Berlin and he back to Brighton in search of the muse. His work for dance, film, TV and video games is just one side of his polygon talent and we roll the dice here for a good while catching up as old pals whilst it's caught on tape. It's one of those chats that's a little more personal than some others as we haven't spoken in ages and just mostly linger on ideas like mushroom hunters. Catching sonic fungi here and there for appreciation before consuming and staggering/rambling on. Lovely to reconnect and good news

He's worked with Donny Hathaway. That's it. That's all the intro he really ought to need. I mean can you IMAGINE being in the room with Donny singing? Too much. Ah but Jimmy has worked on music from Aretha, Otis Redding, The Rolling Stones not to mention his extensive collaboration with Timbaland. Yeah, Jimmy is heavy. What's more he's a very friendly and engaging chap that has a pioneering spirit and he is not overly nostalgic in that way that can hold a person back. No wonder he's been so busy and in demand for all these years. A true master. Jimmy's in the HOWA house (literally.. this was a rare face to face. So fun) The show is kindly sponsored again by the excellent Soundtoys.  I delve into the world of the panman to do things other than just your average spinning. Micro nitty!

Great to chat with Brian and Josh from the band ! we talk minidisk, the joys of analog, hurdy gurdy and fish. I mean if that doesnt tickle yer fancy I dont know what to say :) Various links feel like they cropped up in the show --Valentin Clastrier - Master of the Gurdy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRsJw7UW98g --TAGO MAGO by can - go and listen (you can find it with your preferred music environment ) --If you need good tinned fish in the USA go here ! https://rainbowtomatoesgarden.com --MODBAP - OSIRIS badass oscillator  https://www.modbap.com --JORANALOGUE DELAY 1 https://joranalogue.com/products/delay-1 ___________________________ kind sponsorship comes from the excellent SOUNDTOYS https://www.soundtoys.com

My guest on the show is James Ford who is really one of the most badass producers in the business.  Im talking about the kind of low key English badassness and not the Tarantino variety if you know what I mean. James is involved in so many things and yet he does it without needing a big spotlight on himself. Humble badass. That’s the one.  He’s been active for many years. I mean we used to see each other in that classic ships in the night stylee when I was touring with Cristian Vogel back in the late nineties. We are talking about a man with Multiple decades of energy dedication and knowledge a go go! He’s got the quadfecta mad skills as composer, multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter which is probably one of the reasons he’s been able to be so nimble and effective working with a huge range of incredible artists from Arctic Monkeys to Depeche Mode via Foals, Gorillaz and Kylie Minogue.   You may know him as one half of Simian Mobile Disco, alongside longtime creative partner Jas Shaw or perhaps as a

  Jon Hopkins pays attention. He has a ear for the smallest details and a deft touch both as a pianist and a producer.  I feel this interview is very timely as the rise of psychedelic therapy has caught the imagination of so many. Jon has made music that is so perfect for those wishing to go deeper with their experiences in that hugely rewarding domain.  His is the mindset that wants to expand and to meditate instead of flex and win the popularity contests in the game of music. Very refreshing.  We get into his beginnings in the classical world, his lack of patience with distracting factors and on to his success story and on to his musings on the current state of being a musician releasing music in this arguably confusing time.   ____________ The nitty returns ! I was fortunate enough to get an early copy of Andrew Huang’s first plugin :) It's a collaboration with Baby Audio called “Transit” It really inspired me to get my hands dirty and to explore it’s outer ways.  I stacked up about 30 or so instances to p

DESCRIPTION After a hefty and well needed break I’m back The pod returns :) I trust y'all are hanging in. I hope in fact you’re more than just hanging in. I hope you are diving in and thriving and embracing the endless realm of possibility that presents itself to you. Don’t worry, I’ll not linger on the guru talk. Just stating the obvious ! As you can see from the show title I got to finally chat with the brilliant Benn Jordan. We met at NAMM a couple of years back (I’ve had some great hangs at NAMM I must say) He’s a smart, witty man with endless curiosity and it’s really fun to explore all manner of mind realms with him. We can TALK! Oh how we can talk. This conversation was at least 3 hours long and it’s been cut down a fair bit but there’s no end of tangents and insights into The mighty Benn. I think those of you who are familiar with his excellent YouTube material will enjoy hearing an extended ramble portal into his many ways. It’s great to be back This show has 2 excellent sponsors 1st off I’m super ha

Tycho is Scott Hansen and Scott is a deeply friendly and humble chap. I didnt know too much about his background or what made him tick but I tried to get to “know” him and makes some guesses about that by tuning into his music. It’s clearly so well crafted and put together with meticulous attention to detail that this man had to be fastidious but how would that quality manifest? He manages to ride us on a carpet of textures which guide the process of musical flight, once a mood is found, it’s held with patience so the listen can dwell in a land. It’s a style that has been really honed and has found a large following for good reason! It was a real treat to get on the ramble road with him. I left the interview unedited for maximum deviation potential (you’re welcome) _____ This episode is sponsored by A tasty pixel and their excellent LOOPY PRO! As many of you are aware, I’ve spent years of my life with loopers of all kinds from the crudest guitar pedals to my own Max/MSP effort in 2000 to Tim Exile’s wonderful

Hainbach must be such a busy man! Just today I received a post on his patreon that he uploaded to Medium where he eloquently described the history and character of the electronic music company Vermona that started in the GDR and now lives on. It was a review of sorts of the DRM drum machine from 1987 but he surrounded that feature with some wonderful insights into the company’s history whilst painting a picture of former East Germany. He put all this together after having made a highly compelling video on the same subject for his now legendary youtube channel where so many of us find ourselves happily gazing in on his wild sonic adventures. I’ve learnt so much from him over the years and feel a undeniable connection with him. I certainly share his passion for beguiling tone and that marveling at human inventiveness and endeavor. A tremendous story teller and tireless adventurer, we could have discussed any number of things. There was absolutely no plan to this chat and you’re going to hear what is essentially

David Haskell is a professor of biology and environmental studies at the University of the South and a Guggenheim Fellow. His 2017 book The Songs of Trees won the John Burroughs Medal for Distinguished Natural History Writing. His 2012 book The Forest Unseen was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award, and won the 2013 Best Book Award from the National Academies, the National Outdoor Book Award, and the Reed Environmental Writing Award. His new book, Sounds Wild and Broken is out now and I was thrilled to have a chance to sit down in person with him in my studio here Nashville to discuss it briefly. Here’s a quick summary of the book from the official press release: Starting with the origins of animal song and traversing the whole arc of Earth history, Haskell illuminates and celebrates the emergence of the varied sounds of our world. In mammoth ivory flutes from Paleolithic caves, violins in modern concert halls, and electronic music in earbuds, we learn that

Merry Chrimble y’all! Here’s a sonic present for your ears to unwrap.  It’s in the form of a nice fireside ramble with the excellent Stephen James Wilkinson aka Bibio.  He’s a wonderful and thoughtful chap with a very unique touch and a searching soul.  I love his musical range, his tones, his playing. YES He’s rather good! Im assuming you all know his stuff? If not you fools!  You must immediately have a listen  As in go here NOW! https://bibio.co   It’s super ooper dooper inspiring stuff and I was mighty chuffed when he agreed to come on the pod. Our paths never crossed as label mates on warp records which is a shame. God knows why.  A couple of shy dudes making waves in different countries might have had something to do with it! Ha. Anyway we are finally in a chat and even talking about working on something together which sounds good to me.  Watch this space.   He’s a wise lad so of course he has a nagra. A stereo nagra in fact.  In fact it was this conversation that really made me want to find one of my o