Downtempo Podcast 06 (.mp3)
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Twelve eclectic downtempo tracks, with a few guitars here and there and more vocals than in my previous podcasts.

Featured artists are: Briareus, Williamson, Yongen, Plunkett, Christophe Goze, Justin Bianco, Mister Fusty, Burning Babylon, Hoxman, _ghost, Budha Building, and Slot Car Racers.

Many thanks to all the artists who contacted me and shared their tracks—it's great to meet you. Please use the links to visit their web sites and learn more about them.

And also a huge THANK YOU once again to Magnatune, the Podshow Podsafe Music Network, and ccMixter for giving access to podcasters for this great music.

Artists: if you think your downtempo tracks will fit in one of my future podcasts, contact me.

Downtempo Podcast 07
AAC (enhanced, iTunes) version

This podcast kicks off with a great track from some artists known as "Evolve," who released an album called "Happy Hour in the Gene Pool." Check them out at iTunes or CDBaby and please support them by buying their music. Thank you, Evolve, for letting me put one of your tracks in this podcast!

Following Evolve comes nine more tracks from electronica artists who share their music online -- at sites like mono211.com, archive.org (the Internet Archive), and Jamendo.com -- using a Creative Commons license ("some rights reserved"). This means that it's OK to play their tracks online in their entirety as long as I'm not using it for commercial reasons. Please visit Creative Commons and learn about this organization if you care about the future of internet radio and podcasts and independent music in general....they're doing very important work in this area.

The tracks range from melodic, chilled grooves to soulful, remixed vocals, to a modern electronic-bossa feeling. Artists are as follows: Evolve, Aphilas, Sofia Rueda, Oveloe, JCRZ, Vate, Briareus, genox, and Disciples of Ageema.

And remember, I do answer your emails and I listen to your submissions, so contact me!

Downtempo Podcast 08

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As always, I'm exploring the web, looking for great downtempo, trip hop, and electro-jazzy tracks for these podcasts. And thanks to Andreas of XtraChill (another great podcast!), I've gotten to know two new artists — Electrix in Germany, and Zico in Poland —whom I've included in this episode.

This podcast starts out slow and chilled, gets a bit funky at times, and then picks up a few bpm near the end. I've returned back to some of my favorite artists again, too: Vate, genox, JCRZ, and the Warheads.

And two more artists from San Francisco are featured here: Karmacoda, a track that's available on archive.org..... and micropixie, a super-cool world citizen (Bombay, London, Paris, and SF) who has an album, "Alice in Stevie Wonderland," available through the iTunes store and on CDBaby.com. Please support her by buying her tracks or her album online!

And finally, I can't help but to listen in on what the remixers are doing at ccMixter....this episode of Expand Your Musical Horizons features a remixer who used DJ Vadim samples (with his permission, of course), and who goes alternately by the name of "Code" and "Mixro."

As always, thanks to the Podshow Podsafe Music Network, ccMixter, Creative Commons, and the artists who give me permission to promote their tracks.

Enjoy the ride!

Please check out my friends at the XtraChill podcast!

Downtempo Podcast 09 - the Eastern Europe/Russian Federation episode

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This episode focuses on the incredible talent of a few artists who live in Russia, Slovakia, Lithuania, and Poland...with a heavy emphasis on the ambient side of downtempo, and finishing with a hint of IDM. Featuring lush synths, sophisticated beats and orchestration, and some deliciously quiet moments, the featured artists on this podcast are: Cargo Cult (Slovakia), Koan (Russian Federation), Wade (Poland), Kadang (Russian Federation), Phundamental (Lithuania), Zico (Poland), Domased (Slovakia), Olo (Poland), and Modul (Russian Federation).

I'd like to thank Magnatune.com, Sun Station (netlabel), Jamendo.com, Phonocake (netlabel), Creative Commons, libre.org, and most importantly, the artists themselves for making this music available on the internet!

If you're a musician in the eastern parts of Europe and you'd like to be included in a future podcast, contact me....

Downtempo Podcast 10

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Who can resist the sophisticated eastern flavor of the opening track from Koan? If you're a fan of psy-ambient music, you probably already know them from compilations like "Floating Point" [Sofa Beats records], but thanks to netlabel Sun Station and to a Creative Commons license, they're here in this podcast for your listening pleasure.

Following Koan is the amazing Confused Man, also known as Dirk Beppelring, from Germany's netlabel Sofasound. Then...another track from Kadang, who was featured in my Eastern Europe podcast, and is back again.

Many thanks to Playup Music for contacting me on behalf of the Winston Giles Orchestra...I hope all of you enjoy their track ("Theme from Burning Winchesters") as much as I do. I first heard them on the XtraChill podcast. And thanks, too, to Redzone....amazing first and Second Life digital artists who have a track included here.

Following them is even more aural pleasure: Calm Be from Germany's Sofasound netlabel, Phundamental from the very cool Phonocake netlabel (thanks, Sven!), Sumergido from the Yuki Yaki netlabel, Aligning Minds from the Aerotone netlabel, and finally, Effect Unit (also known as Marcell Marias) —thanks to the Podsafe Music Network.

As always, please give your support to independent musicians and netlabels!

Downtempo Podcast 11
The Germany Episode

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It's only logical. Germany is the center of some of the most innovative downtempo and electronic music on the planet. So it's about time Expand Your Musical Horizons did a podcast to showcase some of the best German artists and netlabels. And here to give some expert advice is Andreas Schneider of XtraChill.

It was hard to keep this podcast short, to just an hour, but you're in for a treat. Starting out is Undo Silence from Hamburg, followed by Confused Man, who releases his music on the netlabel Sofasound. Then Electrix is back with "Berlin Am Meer, " from his album "On the Rhodes." With track 4, you'll enjoy some trip-hop from another Sofasound artist, Calm Be, and then relax to a lovely world-fusion track from Ambrish, from Köln. Next is Cantaloup from Marburg, with a gentle, dreamy track from his album on Aerotone Records. Then we move from gentle to edgy with Dorntec, with a trip-hop/glitch-hop track from his album on Acedia Music, a netlabel. DJ Ax comes next, with an inventive electronic track that fuses classical with electronica.

Echofloat from Münster follows next, with a lovely chilled-out track that Andreas recommends. Then comes the ambient bliss of Spheric Lounge, an improvisational group that performs live from München. And finally we have alec troniq from Dresden, featuring a track he released with Phonocake records.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the eclectic mix...

Downtempo Podcast 12

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This episode features more great tracks from independent artists who release their music online. In addition, several remixers who share their work on ccMixter are featured here: remixers who go by the names of Spinmeister, Sawtooth, dsy, and cdk. These tracks are stunning: don't miss them!

If you've been enjoying some earlier episodes of Expand Your Musical Horizons, you'll see some familiar names: Confused Man and Mister Fusty.

Enjoy some artists who are new to this podcast: the soaring orchestral ambiance of Pipe Choir, the dreamy chillout of Madstyle, the pop-infused chill from Peacespeakers, the jazzy groove of Superbus, and the trip-hoppy beat of DS-ARt.

You'll also hear about now-familiar netlabels like Phonocake, mono211, and Sofasound, and you'll get introduced to another netlabel here: Sojus Records in Hungary.

Downtempo Podcast 13

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This podcast starts you out with some floating synths and an ambient beat, featuring Soundshifter from Germany. It takes you on a journey that's melodic, electronic, and relaxing, getting more ambient as it progresses. It ends with a sample of a live, improvisational tabla-infused performance of Fromuz, from Uzbekistan.

Featured artists, in order, include some of my favorites: Soundshifter, Superbus, JCRZ, Peacespeakers, Liquid Zen, Madstyle, Sonmi 451, and Fromuz. Enjoy the ride....

And support the artists whenever you can!

Special Interview with Pierre Baillot of The Maïdo Project
recorded in Paris, August 2007 — mp3
iTunes [AAC] version [right-click to download]

Pierre talks about his background as a jazz musician and creator of The Maïdo Project, the influence of ethnic music on the Paris scene, and the difficulties of getting recognition in a city known for its overwhelming arts scene. Includes five great tracks from the Maïdo Project.

You can learn more about the Maido Project at their MySpace website—check it out!

The Maido Project currently has two albums: "Electric Blue" and "Safran." You can buy their music at iTunes or at fnac. Please give them your support and buy their tracks.

Merci beaucoup à Pierre pour l'interview.

Downtempo Podcast 14

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Episode 14 of "Expand Your Musical Horizons" kicks off with an artist in Taiwan who goes by the name of MoShang. He's released an album called "Asian Variations (Various Artists Remixed by MoShang)," which, as the name implies, features MoShang remixes of a number of talented electronica artists.

Next, we move onto a nujazz/downtempo track from an ensemble known as Polifonia Visual. They're based in Tokyo, but released through a netlabel in Mexico called Konfort.

A couple of remixers from ccMixter are featured in this episode: cdk from Canada, and DJ Blue from the USA.

We've got more tracks from newly released albums, too: "Surrounder (club mix)" from the Grains of Sound release "Rays of Life, Volume 1 (downtempo)," which you can buy from their website; "Sunset Room" from the album "Nine Lucid Dreams" from Two Loons for Tea; and "Stegerwald" from Ambrish, which is one of the featured tracks on a new compilation from Chillom Records in India called "Azaad - E."

But that's not all. We've also got a track from Liquid Frame in Italy called "Ride Away (ambient mix)" and a great track from The Incognito Traveller (thanks for the recommendation, Bextravagant!) called "Chaleur," which is also released on the Konfort netlabel in Mexico.

Downtempo Podcast 15

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MP3 version (for everyone else)

Yay! More chilled-out tracks. This time we start out with a nice latin flavor -- a track from Flux & Vega, released on the Konfort netlabel. Then on to another latin-infused track -- this time from Calm Be, from the Sofasound netlabel. Then, another Sofasound artist: Andromeda Island. Don't ask me why I haven't played one of Thorsten Jungbluth's tracks before ...they're so great. Then, another one of my favorites is back: genox, with an "oldie but goodie." Following that is a Lithuanian artist named Kondencuotas Pienas, whose track, "Sidabrine Dykuma (apelsino kosmaras)" can be found on a complilation called "Red Planet Volume 2." You should check it out on the internet archive.

Then another one of my favorites: Steffan Coonan. Following that is another wonderful artist from the Konfort netlabel, Cri-Kong. And CDK is back with another sneaky, lo-fi remix called "That Sound." Following that comes Kirbi, from the Russian Federation, and we wrap things up with a longtime net artist from mono211.com: Mosaik.

Enjoy! The next episode I'll be swapping places with Andreas of XtraChill...so don't miss it!

Downtempo Podcast 16
Hosted by Andreas Schneider of "XtraChill" and "XtraChill Intensiv"

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Andreas Schneider and I switch places for this episode. Andreas hosts episode 16 of "Expand Your Musical Horizons," featuring artists he's played on "XtraChill" and that I haven't yet played. And I do the same....I host episode 13 of "XtraChill Intensiv" and feature 10 artists whose tracks were played on this podcast but were never played before on XtraChill.

Andreas starts out with a track from Subtronix, "Tron," and follows that with Musetta, from Italy, with "By My Side." Then he delights us with Anji Bee's ensemble, Lovespirals, and the track "Walk Away (Bitstream Dream Remix)." Following that is Egoscope from Germany with "Travelling."

Continuing with more artists who are new to Expand Your Musical Horizons, he introduces us to Caban, from Mexico, with "Cardenal 4," and warns us that you can only buy his albums in Mexico! So enjoy his music in this podcast. Next comes an XtraChill favorite, Frank Mackie, with "Dream Stereo," and another, Charlie North, with "Flying Home." But there's more: Mavro, with "Love Light," and StarKlounge from France, with "From Day to Day." And last, but definitely not least, is a track from Marcus Zelonka, "Destination Moon (featuring Darrin Campbell Huss)."

Thanks, Andreas!

If you're looking for me, I'm hosting an episode of XtraChill Intensiv for Andreas, which features some of the tracks you love, including The Maido Project, ASHWAN, The Svengali Project, CDK, Sumergido, Gum, Madstyle, Cargo Cult, Koan, and Peacespeakers — tracks featured in previous episodes. Download episode 13 from iTunes under "XtraChill Intensiv."

Downtempo 17 - San Francisco episode

downloads:
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MP3 (for everyone else)

It's about time I showcase some of the great downtempo, trip-hop, and psyambient artists in my own neighborhood, San Francisco.

Many thanks to the San Francisco artists and scenemakers who contributed to this episode: the amazing talented ledenhed, the scenemakers Sound Capsule (DF Tram and DJ Xan-X of ambi-sonic fame), PolyGroovers (who are also featured in a new compilation from Epiphyte Records, "Test Press SF 2007"), The Warheads, the mysterious DJ Delivery, the supercharged grooves of Alloy Trex (who should have an album, but don't!), the generous General Fuzz, the eurochilled sounds of Fuzzpod, the understated, elegantly trip-hopping Under, Karmacoda (apologies for playing the same track as in episode 8, but it's still great, isn't it?), and the fabulous Artemis.

Downtempo 18

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This episode features a few favorites and a few artists new to Expand Your Musical Horizons. We're starting out with Electrix, from Berlin, Germany, and a track called "Spicy Sand." Electrix is in the process of releasing his album "On the Rhodes" for sale online at venues like Musicload, and hopefully soon, iTunes, so please support him! Next, we have The Kirbi, from Russia, with "Fairy Tale," a track from a net release titled "The Trembling of the Turbid." Following that is "Paralelos" from Polifonia Visual in Japan—a track from their album released on the Konfort Records netlabel.

Track 4 introduces a San Francisco combo known as Cubik and Origami, with "The Real Estate," from their self-titled album (for sale on iTunes). Following that, another track from one of my favorite remixers, CDK (from Canada) with "October (in the end mix), featuring Calendar Girl."

Then: meet Melou, a group that began in Guatemala and has members from all over the world, but who now live in Barcelona, Spain. Their highly acclaimed track, "Sweet Love," is from their album "Communication."

Melou
"Sweet Love" (mp3)
from "Communication"
(Whatabout Music, LLC)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Napster
Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album

Then comes a track called "Pendahl," from an artist named Shane Hendricks in the USA, who also goes by the name Sonic Deviant. This track is thanks to the Podsafe Music Network.

But there's more. Another great music ensemble from the San Francisco Bay Area makes their debut here: the popular Beats Antique, from Oakland, California, with their track "The Lantern." Following that is multi-talented Vate, from Mexico/Spain, with "Marimba." And finally, we introduce a German electronica artist named Matthias Springer, who released his EP, "Mechanik," on a German netlabel known as Gargan Records.

Downtempo 19

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This episode features 10 artists new to this podcast series. It starts out with a "Cafe del Mar"-type vibe, with Solar Sound Network's "800 Jahre Dresden." Then we get a little more intense with Peresvet's "Sy(Part 2)," on the Vorbic netlabel. Following that is Mr. Moods, with "Sensuality," from his release on the Dirtybird Rexx netabel. Another artist from the Vorbic netlabel, Traum:Welt, offers the deeply electronic "And So Do I."

Moving into a little world fusion, we chill out to Samovar Tea Lounge (the same name as the tea lounge in San Francisco), with "Rumah Dunia." This comes from the label Beatpick in the UK, and you can buy it there. (Note: similar to Magnatune, 50% of the sale goes directly to the artist.)

Next comes Monophobic, another Dirtybird Rexx netlabel artist, followed by Lush Logic (more goodness from Beatpick), followed by a fun track, "The Land of the Midnight Sun," from the Slowdowns (Dirtybird Rexx). Then we go into a retro swing/beat-infused track, "Sweet Man Like Me," from Nils Hoffmann, on the Broque netlabel, and we wrap up with Granlab's "Abendläuten," from a compilation called "Spaetsommerkollection," also on broque.de.

It's been a fun episode of rich electronic grooves! See you next time...

Downtempo 20

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This episode starts off with a powerful track from Junoon, from Pakistan. They're a wildly popular electro-fusion ensemble in Southeast Asia. Their track is