Radio BSOTS

Hosted by Macedonia, Radio BSOTS (Both Sides Of The Surface) is a music podcast dedicated to independent and podsafe rhythms and sounds from around the way to around the world, with a renewed focus on Creative Commons licensed works. Genres covered include hip-hop, soul, jazz, funk, and electronic music.

186 - Download While You Can 11/05/2024

186 - Download While You Can All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to [email protected]. Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the ! You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options: ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: | | This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license): 1. Outer Dark by [] () (2024) 2. Unfolding by & Uncle_EL [] () (2020) 3. Evil by Coldreavers [] () (2011) 4. Invade Your Soul by Lavoura [] () (2011) 5. spring by king britt presents scuba [] () (2008) Most of my waking moments are spent thinking about music appreciation, sonic curation, and media preservation: not only as separate concepts, but also regarding how they intersect. I recently came to the realization that it's awfully strange that I don't talk about these things more often on the show. And then some strange occurrences in the world of music, podcasting, and online archiving took place over the past month. Suddenly, I had the perfect excuse to express some observations and concerns about it all while sharing some Creative Commons selections with the listeners. Spotify removing over 500 podcast episodes from their platform because of music isn't surprising, but the fact that the podsafe episodes weren't spared is what's annoying me to no end (particularly considering that this is happening while they continually devalue music and the artists that create it via payout pittances for single and album streams). There was also a story about hundreds of thousands of online hip-hop mixtapes disappearing almost overnight without explanation. If that weren't enough, a recent cyberattack knocked the Internet Archive offline in October, but staff have been providing weekly updates via their as services are restored slowly but surely. (For those that need the Cliff Notes version of what's been going on with the Internet Archive, check out this four-minute from Fireship's YouTube channel.) Seeing as how the Internet Archive is one of my go-to sources for Creative Commons licensed music, I had to incorporate a handful of CC cuts into the show to help move things along. "Evil" by Coldreavers is a hidden gem found while digging through the Archive, a brooding piece of downtempo that features a first-hand account from a jilted lover. Released through the Trippin' The Rift netlabel about 13 years ago, it sounds like it hasn't aged a day (and I really need to find out who's responsible for the vocals on this one). Meanwhile, "Invade Your Soul" is jazz-infused electronica from São Paulo, Brazil's Lavoura. The stuttered patterns of the programmed drums have a broken beat feel and I fell hard for this cut right away. Then there's the infectious pop of "Outer Dark" by Wizard Of Loneliness. Between the bright organ sounds, the punch of the snare pads, and the hazy vocals, it's a winner right out the gate. It's just one of many ridiculously catchy tunes being released by the Business Casual label this year and a great example of why I keep coming back to that label to hear more. The combined forces of producer Uncle El and vocalist A. Billi Free are responsible for "Unfolding," one of those cuts that feels grounded and airborne at the same time. It's left-leaning hip-hop with a lyrical bend towards peeling back personal layers and allowing for growth and vulnerability. The show closes out with some ocean floor deep techno courtesy of master curator, producer and professor King Britt. "Spring" is a song that he recorded under his Scuba moniker for the Philly Time! compilation released on the Unfoundsound netlabel back in 2008. This episode represents a slight departure from the usual order of things around these parts, but I feel really good about this one. It could be the start of a new structure for future episodes. By all means, please let me know your thoughts on this one and thank you so much for listening. Theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia). ID drops from EJ Flavors and Thad Reid. Other key info: The content of this show has been released under a CC-BY-SA license. All works within this show retain their original releases. See the show notes at for more information. /episode/index/show/radiobsots/id/33766392

185 - BUCKWILD: The Changing Same 08/16/2024

185 - BUCKWILD: The Changing Same All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to [email protected]. Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the ! You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options: ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: | | This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license): 1. Kill Sound by Five Fingers Of Funk [] () (2023) 2. Covfefe's Groove by [] () (2019) 3. Squishing Sniffy, Artists Busted! by The Bran Flakes [] () (2010) 4. I AM BLACK HISTORY by [] (2024) 5. Alien Abduction by DJ Ilya Monosov and the Hedonic Islands [] () (2009) 6. Pro Black Crack Dealers by [] () (2022) 7. G.O.P. by Mikal Amin & Mista Mayday [] (2024) 8. Classy by 85 [] () (2012) 9. too much house by leumas [] () (2024) 10. Ebony Stoned by [] (2018) August of 2024 marks 19 years of Both Sides Of The Surface. Under the circumstances, it seems appropriate for the podcast to take some time to get "buckwild." The essential nature of the "buckwild" experience hasn't changed since it was first introduced to Camp Lo-Fi on the show's third anniversary back in 2008. It's a primal scream for the BSOTS feed whenever it's deemed necessary. There are occasional outbursts from me, but I tend to let the music do the talking for me on these shows, which is often a mix of cuts for the party people and the politicially minded as well. For those wondering about the title, The Changing Same is a term that's borrowed directly from the brilliant mind and pen of Amiri Baraka. He wrote an essay in the late 1960s examining the ways that Black music changed as Black people changed, how we referenced and reinterpreted the old to make it new again: "the changing same." My use of that phrase for an episode title is far more simplistic and merely as a reminder that the more things change, the more they remain the same. Personally speaking, the phrase brings to mind recent developments within the American political landscape over the last few months. This episode was recorded between mid-June and late July. Way too much happened within a stateside election year during that period. While Tha Silent Partner's "Covfefe's Groove" references a nonsensical moment during Trump's term as President, Mikal Amin and Mista Mayday fire lyrical shots at the present day "G.O.P." In the midst of half of America's hysteria over the very idea of 45 becoming 47, some humor is desperately needed and the "buckwild" experience has some light-hearted tunes on deck, from 85's slick yet silly "Classy" to Columbo's Black one-verse interrogation of "Pro Black Crack Dealers" to some sound collage silliness from The Bran Flakes. DJ Ilya Monosov takes the experimental hip-hop route with "Alien Abduction," bringing along Dudley Perkins and Georgia Anne Muldrow along for the ride. Five Fingers Of Funk deliver the live hip-hop vibes to the show on "Kill Sound" while Mega Ran delivers a memorable boom bap ode to Black pro wrestlers with "I AM BLACK HISTORY." For the bright-colored, hands-in-the-air raver contribution to this episode, look no further than "too much house" by leumas. And EllaMaeFlossie concludes the "buckwild" experience in grand style with the hard-as-nails womanifesto that is "Ebony Stoned." Humanity is taxing. Music is divine. I simply hope that this episode can bring a smile to your face and maybe even a moment of laughter, no matter how brief. Other BSOTS episodes referenced include: Theme music by Cy Tru featuring Jonny Sonic. ID drops from Anji Bee, Mega Ran, Mikal Amin, and Mr. Ivory Snow. Background music: "Small Town USA (Instrumental)" by Foul Mouth Jerk and "Plastic Rumblings" by Ezekiel Honig. The content of this show has been released under a CC-BY-SA license. All works within this show retain their original releases. See the show notes at for more information. /episode/index/show/radiobsots/id/32553827

184 - Jazzy Jeff Among The Copyleft 07/01/2024

184 - Jazzy Jeff Among The Copyleft All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to [email protected]. Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the ! You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options: ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: | | This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license): 1. Classic (Co-produced by Jazzy Jeff) by + [Bandcamp] () (2013) 2. My Dreams by [] () (2017) 3. Hide by Ohad Slavin [] () (2023) 4. You Are Enough by [] () (2024) 5. Ghost Of An Instant by i [] () (2023) 6. Sake Bomb (feat. Jade Gritty & AURC) by [] () (2023) 7. Regal Bounce by [] () (2023) Continuing with the theme of Seven To Consider for any episodes featuring all Creative Commons music just feels right. Seven songs isn't an overwhelming number of tunes that are likely to be unfamiliar to most listeners. Hopefully, it's just enough to leave people wanting more. And as often as possible, I like to include selections that feature recognizable names. The Shad & Skratch Bastid cut that kicks off the show features a co-production credit from DJ Jazzy Jeff. Other hip-hop cuts within this episode include the uptempo electronic-enhanced "My Dreams" from Ultimate Fantastic (one could argue that it's slightly hip-house in its approach) and DJ Enki's "Ghost Of An Instant," which could be a favorite with fans of early work from DJ Shadow and RJD2. Ohad Slavin's "Hide" is a midtempo hypnotic cut from the Digital Diamonds netlabel that straddles the line betweeen techno and house. "You Are Enough" by Niki J Crawford is uplifting motivational soul that the world can use right now. Tab's "Sake Bomb" is one of the highlights of this episode: a sultry and trippy downtempo song that calls for constant rewinds. And then there's the drum and bass banger "Regal Bounce" by Moki McFly. It comes from last year's blocSonic netlabel release Tabernacle Sanctuary Alligator Soufflé, which won the 2024 Creative Commons Community Music Award for Album Of The Year. If any of these tunes pique your interest about the artists or labels featured within this episode, then my work here is done. Theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia). ID drops from Kahlief Adams and Herb Brooks. Other BSOTS episodes referenced include: Other key info: The content of this show has been released under a CC-BY-SA license. All works within this show retain their original releases. See the show notes at for more information. /episode/index/show/radiobsots/id/31952272

FLASHBACK: Both Sides On Bondfire 05/05/2024

FLASHBACK: Both Sides On Bondfire All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to [email protected]. Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the ! You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options: ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: | | This episode's track list: 1. - "Homies" (2012) [] 2. - "Paradise (feat. Talib Kweli, Wrekonize & Redman)" (2015) [] 3. - "Work Hard" (2015) [] 4. - "Back To Life (feat. Eligh)" (2015) [] 5. - "JuJu Girl" (2015) [] 6. - "Grown Folk Biz (feat. Homeboy Sandman And Eagle Nebula)" (2015) [] 7. - "Nina's Charm" (2015) [] 8. Semi Hendrix - "Jesus Pressed Mute" (2015) [] 9. - "Birth" (2015) 10. - "Corplantationopoly" (2015) [] 11. - "Those Memories (Sneak Up On Me)" (2015) [] 12. - "Link Up" (2015) [] 13. - "The Hunt" (2015) [] 14. - "Malukayi (feat. Konono No. 1)" (2015) [] For over eight years, Bondfire Radio was my home away from home, a place where I built community with a number of immensely talented people. It was the place where I learned how to celebrate the successes of others and how to truly be a team player while championing music from unsigned, independent and major label artists as both a broadcaster and a music director. Being a part of #teamBondfire was everything to me and I was gutted when it was announced that the station's end was unavoidable. Our last broadcast day was on Saturday, December 30, 2023, and I truly believe that we went out on top. That entire day was absolutely magical and I'm sure that a number of us involved are still trying to process what it all meant to us as individuals and as a collective. With my Bondfire broadcast days behind me, I wanted to revisit an earlier episode from 2016. In an attempt to bring the BSOTS on Bondfire broadcast experience to the podcast feed, I thought it would be wise to share some of the indie cuts that I was playing on the station during my first year. It's a fun mix of tunes with some special guests along the way that offers an accurate overview of what my early broadcasts were like. This one's for my Bondfire family and for anyone that never got the chance to hear my broadcasts live while the station was still around. Best believe that I am #teamBondfire for life! Black Pioneers In Radio promo produced by Bondfire Radio co-founder . ID drops courtesy of Fave, Kahlee, EJ Flavors, Core Rhythm, and Jonny Sonic. Other key info: /episode/index/show/radiobsots/id/31082663

Life At Camp Lo-Fi: The Last Nine Years 03/28/2024

Life At Camp Lo-Fi: The Last Nine Years All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to [email protected]. Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the ! You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options: ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: | | This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license): 1. Minor Event by [] () (2010) 2. Where The Love Is (ft. Dale Novella) by [] (2019) 3. Stroll by [] () (2018) 4. Home Is Free by [] (2020) 5. Guaranteed (feat. Ace Hashimoto) by [] () (2019) 6. It's Not Fair (Feat. Illspokinn) by [] (2020) 7. Socks by [] () (2009) 8. INSTANT CLASSIC (Intro) / Tip Jar by [] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2021) 9. Alright Anyway Ft. Taelor Gray by [] () (2022) This episode is the second of a two-part series looking back on 18 years of Radio BSOTS. Truth be told, the second half of the BSOTS life span is largely defined by inconsistency on the podcast feed and finding a regular groove on the broadcast side of the equation due to joining in 2015. Being a part of that radio family felt bigger than BSOTS and I wanted to be a team player. One might say that I ghosted my own podcast, but I came back to the feed when I felt like I had something to say. And when I couldn't find the right words, I let the music speak. The selections included in this episode are all from artists that I've played in the past. Nangdo and Shlohmo both provide some stellar beat business found on the Free Music Archive. The moodiness of Shlohmo's "Socks" feels murky and disoriented while "Minor Event" by Nangdo plays around with brighter tones and vocal harmonies. Over on Jamendo, Canadian artist Exmiranda offers up a hynotic, hip-shaking cut in "Stroll" and Shon Tha Phenom turns the power of positive thinking into the anthmemic "Alright Anyway." Meanwhile, I used to play Devin Morrison's music on my Bondfire broadcasts years before I found out that his work is released under a Creative Commons license. "Guaranteed" is warm and soulful and feels like the nervous energy one gets when trying to play it cool around someone that they're attracted to. It was important for me to represent for the music of Mikal Amin, Mtume Gant, and Baba Israel on this episode. All three of them spoke to me separately about being a part of Bondfire Radio, but long before that, they were all good friends of mine and artists that I had in mind when starting this podcast. Their recorded output and live performances rekindled my love for hip-hop at a time when I thought that I was done with it. CM & Tha Silent Partner represent another shining example of hip-hop that can reaffirm or reestablish one's faith in the genre. Their blocSonics E.P. remains one of the sonic highlights of the blocSonic netlabel's back catalog. I stil can't get over the fact that a clip from one of my early podcast episodes kicks off their follow-up release, blocSonics 2! The last nine years have been full of highs and lows for this podcast, but I'm just thankful that it's still here. Although I take some time to tell my story, the music is still the star of the show and I hope that you find a new favorite artist or song as you listen. Theme music produced by Cy Tru and edited by Macedonia. ID drops courtesy of Chyll Will, DarrenKeith, and Morganics. Background music includes "Infinity 2" by Techniken Defunkus. Previous BSOTS episodes mentioned include: Other key info: The content of this show has been released under a CC-BY-SA license. All works within this show retain their original releases. See the show notes at for more information. /episode/index/show/radiobsots/id/30524423

Bonus Episode: The Power Of The Drop (Queue Points Podcast) 12/29/2023

BSOTS 182 - Life At Camp Lo-Fi: The First Nine Years 11/16/2023

BSOTS 182 - Life At Camp Lo-Fi: The First Nine Years All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to [email protected]. Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the ! You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options: ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: | | This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license): 1. Everybody Stopped Calling Me by [] () (2010) 2. In Matacumbo by [] () (2013) 3. Mango Tree by [] () (2008) 4. The Shoreline by [] (2023) 5. Datenight by [] (2010) 6. Dance To The Drummer's Beat by [] () (1999) 7. Misunderstood by [] (2023) 8. Bag Of Nothingness by [] () (2009) 9. The Force May Be With You by [] () (2001) I haven't worked out just how many generations 18 years covers in the world of podcasting, but it's enough to know that it was a vastly different world in 2005. A world without as many social media bells and whistles, one where few contemplated how artificial intelligence tools could improve their podcasting workflow or how to create episode teasers in the form of audiograms or Instagram reels. A lot has changed, but some things remain the same. For me, nothing matters more than the music that I share on the show. I never wanted to do anything else in podcasting other than champion independent artists and connect the dots between various musical genres through this medium. There's a whole lot of music that has been played on this show over 18 years, and it would be foolish to suggest to you that nine songs could cover even a fraction of that time. However, some of these songs and artists are reminiscent of specific moments within BSOTS history. The selections from Lovespirals and Big La Vs. Todd represent my connection to the Music Podcasting Consortium, a like-minded collective of avid music supporters and creators that represents my first online community within the podosphere. Whether Todd Kelley (a.k.a. The Big La) is curating a music mix or in the lab crafting beats of his own, the head nod factor is always priority number one with him. "The Shoreline" is a calming instrumental piece and one of my personal favorites from his Kneel Before Todd album. The music of Lovespirals appeared within the first ten episodes of Radio BSOTS and is one of the first podsafe artists ever played on this show. Their new single "Misunderstood" is a continuation of the ethereal attributes that make their work so special (and besides that, atmospheric drum and bass is the way to my heart). Over the years, podsafe music resources faded away one by one, but thankfully the is still around. Founded in 2009, I've been virtually crate digging through this website since its beginning stages in beta mode, always finding works that have both intrigued and surprised me. A cut like "Mango Tree" by Chandeliers brings me right back to those early days of searching for music on the FMA. This one's a total earworm, marrying lyrics and vocals that lean towards folk with an off-kilter funk groove accentuated by the bass, keys, and rhythm guitar. "Bag Of Nothingness" is another FMA find, where producer Comfort Fit takes the funk and launches full speed into the future, creating a hip-hop/electronic beat hybrid that stays crunchy even in milk. Prior to the FMA's existence, a universe of netlabels brought me in touch with an endless amount of Creative Commons licensed music. The would have been the first, and I try to represent for their output as often as possible. The self-titled album by Friends Or Whatever is one of my all-time favorite blocSonic releases and the shimmering brilliance of "Everybody Stopped Calling Me" is just one of the reasons why. No Type (no longer active) was another netlabel that I came across soon after blocSonic and I fell hard for their focus on experimental electronic music. The introspective beauty of "The Force May Be With You" by Idmonster is reminiscent of work from labels like , the warm chords occasionally disturbed by slivers of voices, clicks, and digital static. is more of a recent discovery, but the music of Cosmic Analog Ensemble has been played on this show well over a decade ago. He's a multi-instrumentalist that's capable of creating soulful jazz numbers to sample-heavy hip-hop instrumentals that feel like Madlib during his most leftfield moments. I cannot stop playing "In Matacumbo" and it would be criminal not to share that cut with you. The same can be said for "Dance To The Drummer's Beat" by Dharma. It's impossible to keep still when those breakbeats kick in. Believe it or not, that cut dates back to 1999, proving that the Creative Commons crates are deep and full of amazing cuts that deserve more exposure. (Seek and ye shall find.) It was released on , a label that stopped releasing music 20 years ago. Thanks to the efforts of those behind the for preserving the works of inactive imprints and ensuring that their output won't be lost forever. And then there's Jonny Sonic, an artist that ended up becoming the unofficial voice of the BSOTS GONE (buck)WILD episodes. His music is often punchy and insistent, never forsaking the funk in its approach. I love the horn section on "Datenight" and how Jonny's voice just seems to cut through his big band that's right behind him. I've been playing his music since at least 2006 and he's the first artist that I reach for whenever BSOTS needs to blow off some steam. Should you need some music to bring you back from the brink, here's hoping that the selections within this episode can bring some semblance of peace your way. ID drops: Fave, Kahlief Adams, Aspektz, Jonny Sonic, Darrenkeith Other key info: The content of this show has been released under a CC-BY-SA license. All works within this show retain their original releases. See the show notes at for more information. /episode/index/show/radiobsots/id/28630013

BSOTS 181 - Creative Commons Sightings Of Kool Keith And DJ Harrison 09/06/2023

BSOTS 181 - Creative Commons Sightings Of Kool Keith And DJ Harrison All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to [email protected]. Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the ! You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options: ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: | | This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license): 1. Electric Mind Ft. Kool Keith by [] () (2023) 2. City Swagger by [] () (2012) 3. Shades, Fades & Blaze by [] () (2012) 4. I'M GOOD by [] () (2019) 5. Life Is But A Dream (featuring Kara Square) by [] () (2022) 6. BESPOKE ft. Wallace by [] () (2019) 7. garden of destruction by [] () (2022) Another Creative Commons crate dig session uncovers seven gems from under the underground. Over on Bandcamp, The Polish Ambassador of Jumpsuit Records creates a low-slung electronic instrumental with hip-hop leanings for Kool Keith (a.k.a. Black Elvis) to glide effortlessly over. It's like he beamed in from another galaxy or something. In Melbourne, Australia, the Close Counters duo crafts an uptempo selection for the dance floor, hovering somewhere between house and broken beat. And then there's niteffect from Budapest, offering a downtempo cut with acidic synth patterns and breakbeats that waft in and out of the mix. It was over a decade ago that DJ Harrison's '94 Flow album came out on the blocSonic netlabel. It still sounds amazing, especially when you consider a statement that repeats throughout the album: "There are no samples on this record." The first time I heard that, I remembered thinking to myself, "Stop lying to me." That's how frighteningly talented and in the pocket DJ Harrison is. He makes the type of funk and soul that people will be sampling 15 to 20 years from now. Meanwhile, the rap and R&B hybrid cut from Yung Miss is a West and East Coast connection produced by Mr. Ivory Snow of Connecticut (Yung Miss hails from California). This one knocks, and it screams heavy rotation for rap radio. Seven songs. Thirty-five minutes of your time. Here's hoping the music will prove that this episode is time well spent. Other key info: BSOTS theme music produced by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia). ID drops courtesy of India from , , and of Spawn On Me. The content of this show has been released under a CC-BY-SA license. All works within this show retain their original releases. See the show notes at bsots.com for more information. /episode/index/show/radiobsots/id/27940944

BSOTS 180 - In Conversation With Douglas Whitfield (pt. two) 07/14/2023

BSOTS 180 - In Conversation With Douglas Whitfield (pt. two) All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to [email protected]. Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the ! You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options: ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: | | This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license): 1. by [blocSonic] () (2023) 2. by [Free Music Archive] () (2006) 3. by [Bandcamp] () (2022) 4. by [blocSonic] () (2021) 5. by Satori [Upitup] () (2023) The Free Music Friday to beat them all is finally upon us. Happy , everybody! Serious gratitude and respect going out to co-founder Douglas Whitfield for getting in touch with me last month to have this conversation about CC licenses, netlabels, and so much more. In part two of the interview, he talks about the that he co-hosts on YouTube alongside Donnie Ozone, an event that grew out of the artistic standstill caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In addition, he shares some ambitious plans for a CC Community Music Hall Of Fame slated to premiere in 2026. Once again, there's great music to accompany the conversation, including a single from Headsnack that is releasing for this year's Netlabel Day. Other musical selections include the cabaret protest stylings of Carsie Blanton, the jazz meets electronic music musicianship of Revolution Void, the unbeatable hip-hop combination of CM & The Silent Partner, and a gorgeous after hours instrumental from Satori (taken from the new 20th Anniversary Compilation from ). Thank you so much for listening and I hope that you found this interview as informative as I did. Don't forget to head on over to the and discover some great music! blocSonic artists mentioned in this episode include: Other key info: BSOTS theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia). ID drops courtesy of Kahlief Adams of and Mr. Fitz of . The content of this show has been released under a CC-BY-SA license. All works within this show retain their original releases. See the show notes at bsots.com for more information. /episode/index/show/radiobsots/id/27462357

BSOTS 179 - In Conversation With Douglas Whitfield 07/07/2023

BSOTS 179 - In Conversation With Douglas Whitfield All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to [email protected]. Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the ! You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options: ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: | | This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license): 1. by [blocSonic] () (2022) 2. by [blocSonic] () (2018) 3. by [Abstrakt Reflections] () (2021) 4. by [ccMixter] () (2023) 5. by [blocSonic] () (2022) Along with my lifelong obsession with sound and an undying allegiance to music, there is a genuine interest in that place where technology, copyright, and music all meet up. The life that I want to live involves three things: music appreciation, sonic curation, and media preservation. The more that I hang out in the world of Creative Commons licensed music, the more it seems like this world covers all three of those factors. This episode just fell into my lap suddenly. It was three weeks ago that Douglas Whitfield contacted me about appearing on the podcast and making the rounds to a few shows prior to . It was the perfect opportunity to learn more about Creative Commons music and the licenses that these works are released under from someone who is immersed in that world far more than I am. Doug is one of the co-founders of the and used to co-host the alongside Tom Ray of the band , interviewing other CC musicians and tech developers for several years. He also works as a contracts manager for blocGLOBAL alongside Michael Gregoire (founder and owner of the ). On top of that, he's also a co-host of the weekly on YouTube, showcasing videos from CC musicians from across the globe. Admittedly, there are times during this interview where things can get a bit technical, particularly when talking about the CC licenses themselves and how they function. However, I hope that this episode (along with the next one) can serve as a beneficial resource for those just finding out about the world of CC music and want a more intricate explanation of how it all works. Speaking of music, a handful of tunes break up the conversation here and there, including an introspective electronic tune from the , a bouncy and sample-happy groove from the community, and three from blocSonic (including a pair of tunes from 2023 CCCMA winners ). This one's a bit different from how things usually go on the BSOTS podcast feed, but I think that the change of pace is one that came at the right time. I certainly hope that you enjoy the featured musical selections and that the information shared on this episode is both interesting and helpful. Other key info: Theme music by Cy Tru and edited by Macedonia. ID drops by Fave and EJ Flavors (may they rest in power). The content of this show has been released under a CC-BY-SA license. All works within this show retain their original releases. See the show notes at bsots.com for more information. /episode/index/show/radiobsots/id/27395724

BSOTS 178 - Creative Commons Gems From Public Enemy And Nikki Giovanni 06/08/2023

BSOTS 178 - Creative Commons Gems From Public Enemy And Nikki Giovanni All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to [email protected]. Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the ! You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options: ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: | | This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license): 1. Old Futuro Blues by [] () 2. Zo0o0o0p!!! feat. Oddisee by [] () 3. All I Know (Featuring Big Remo and The Hamiltones) by [] () 4. Dance of Contradictions by [] () 5. Ridiculous Love (wetSkin Hot Summer ReMix) by [] () 6. In The Spirit Of Martin by [] () 7. Get Up Stand Up (Featuring Brother Ali) by [] () Looking back over the last ten shows for the BSOTS podcast feed, eight of them featured at least one Creative Commons licensed tune. Even after more than 15 years of podcasting, the CC music landscape still feels like largely uncharted territory for me, which is probably why I've felt the need to dig through the online crates to see what I can find. In addition, I've been listening to prior BSOTS episodes from over a decade ago, revisiting the music that I have played on the show and taking note of the songs that still sound great to me so that I can reintroduce them on future episodes. This show marks Camp Lo-Fi's long overdue return to the feed and is where my CC music appreciation agenda kicks into high gear. The seven songs featured are a mix of tunes from prior BSOTS episodes alongside selections receiving their first spins, cutting across genre and released between 2009 and 2023. The blocSonic netlabel opened my eyes and ears to the world of CC licensed music. It was through their netBloc series of compilations that I was introduced to a network of artists and online labels, most of it (if not all) available to freely download and share. The blocSonic offerings in this episode are courtesy of last year's album from Wals and a stellar cut from Public Enemy (as heard on netBloc vol. 44), featuring the always on-point lyricism of Chuck D and special guest Brother Ali. Another notable hip-hop moment is "Zo0o0o0p!!!," the brief but absolutely banging cut from Kidkanevil featuring Oddisee, a ridiculously talented emcee and producer whose music I've been championing on this show for well over a decade. Isak Gaines moves us into the unpredictable and experimental side of jazz with "Dance Of Contradictions," a song that sonically lives up to its title. A bouncy yet broken groove for the first half of the song gives way to a beatless abyss of sound effects and saxophone screeches before bringing the hammer down with a distorted bass line and a defiant horn section. Niki J Crawford's "Ridiculous Love" was an unexpected surprise that I stumbled upon over on Jamendo, a sultry soul offering made all the more seductive with the wetSkin Hot Summer ReMix. It's percussion heavy with a slight Brazilian influence and a breezy shuffle topped with acoustic guitar strums and Niki's powerhouse vocals. Yoko Absorbing's "Old Futuro Blues" is a short, sweet, and somewhat off-kilter cut that lives in repeated moments of loops, locked grooves, and live instrumentation. And there's probably no better example of the sonic treasures waiting to be discovered over at the Free Music Archive than live recordings of legendary poet Nikki Giovanni. "In The Spirit Of Martin" is her ode to not only the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but to the struggle and perseverance of the Civil Rights movement as a whole. If you're Creative Commons curious but have been unsure where to start looking, hopefully episodes like these can demystify this world of music one song at a time. Thank you so much for listening. Other key info: Theme music produced by Cy Tru and edited by Macedonia. ID drop courtesy of DarrenKeith. The content of this show has been released under a CC-BY-SA license. All works within this show retain their original releases. See the show notes at bsots.com for more information. /episode/index/show/radiobsots/id/27067629

Radio BSOTS show #177 - pause. (for Jason Mizell) 12/22/2022

Radio BSOTS show #177 - pause. (for Jason Mizell) All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to [email protected]. Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the ! You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options: ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: | | this episode's track list (title / artist / source / license): 1. "Way Back When (Featuring Chuck D)" by [] () 2. "30:5 / moonshine ft. chadah-hadassah" by [] () 3. "Larger Than Life" by [] () 4. "Jazzweek" by [] () 5. "Ignition" by [] () 6. "91 NITES" by [] () 7. "Road Warriors" by [] () 8. "LoveSigns" by [] () For the past two decades, "" merely existed as long-form commentary on the BSOTS website. Roughly a week after Jam Master Jay's murder, the bile in my belly fueled a rant in my brain and it all came spilling out onto my computer keyboard. More emotional than logical, it wears my sarcasm and cynicism like spike-studded armor. I'm definitely in my "I said what I said" bag here, back when I had no problems taking an either/or approach when dividing music into rigid yet subjective categories like "commercial" vs. "alternative" and viewing hip-hop as if it were a sonic civil war with only two sides: "conscious" vs. "gangsta." I had one foot out the door of the culture and the music when I wrote this and it shows. Creative Commons licensed tunes break up the commentary, featuring selections from netlabels like and as well as cuts scattered across , , and the . The blocSonic cuts include guest verses from Chuck D of Public Enemy and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels of Run-DMC. The sound of dusty vinyl underneath certain parts of the commentary comes directly from a project entitled by . The description of this project on the Free Music Archive begins with the following question: "Are the hiss, crackles, and pops on records protected by copyrights?" All of the featured sounds are from the locked grooves at the end of various records, which get messed with using delay, reverb and other audio techniques. I thought that these works added just the right amount of tension at certain times, more than traditional background music would. The locked grooves running into themselves in this circumstance just sound so stark, like it's occupying the space where Jam Master Jay's cutting and scratching used to reside. I live with me all the time, enough to know that the longer I hold on to this episode, the more that my own doubts and anxieties will keep me from releasing it into the podosphere, so I have to let it go. It's going to do whatever it does. Here's hoping that you will give this one a shot and consider it time well spent. ID drop courtesy of Kahlief Adams. Theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia). Background music: - - - by (). Other key info: Queue Points Episodes and /episode/index/show/radiobsots/id/25381164

BSOTS 176 - BUCKWILD: learn from it... 08/31/2022

BSOTS 176 - BUCKWILD: learn from it... All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to [email protected]. Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the ! You can subscribe to Radio BSOTS via the following options: ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: | | This episode's track list: 1. - 2. - 3. - () 4. - 5. - 6. - () 7. - () 8. - () 9. - () 10. x - () 11. - () A few months ago, I came to the conclusion that I use my podcast feed like a pop-up shop, disappearing for indefinite periods of time until I have something to share with the public and then returning to the podosphere without so much as an alert or hardly an announcement. Parts of my being remain 100% unapologetic about that. For someone who's been podcasting since August of 2005 with the initial hopes that this show would reach as many listeners as possible, one would think that I wouldn't have such a disdain for online public interaction. Then again, I can't remember the last time I've attended a podcasting conference. Maybe it's a sign of getting older, maybe it's just a result of me doubling down on my hardcore introverted tendencies ever since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Late in the month of June, I got this burst of inspiration and recorded some voiceovers, which sat untouched on a SD card for almost two months before I started editing them. Seeing as how the month of August is an anniversary month for Radio BSOTS, I suppose it makes sense that the final push to get this episode out is happening now. The songs featured on this one were released between 2013 and 2021, the majority of which came out in 2020. Seeing as how America and the world is still in the midst of the aftereffects of that catastrophic year, that's probably not a coincidence, either. A number of these selections reflect the racial strife that came to a head two summers ago along with a lyrically critical eye on Trump's presidential agenda (never mind the perpetual state of the pandemic that we're still not out of, but a large section of humanity pretends isn't really a thing anymore). So this is my summer offering from Camp Lo-Fi. Eleven songs plus a 17 year-old blog entry equals 49 minutes of your time, served up in a BSOTS GONE (buck)WILD style. (Admittedly, the music does the heavy lifting.) Hopefully, you will consider it time well spent. Thank you for listening. ID drop courtesy of Kahlief Adams. Theme music by Cy Tru featuring Jonny Sonic. Background music: - () - () Other key info: /episode/index/show/radiobsots/id/24222117

Radio BSOTS show #175 - Does Music Belong In Podcasting? 05/16/2021

BSOTS 174 - Tranquil Beats: Fridays In August, 2016 11/30/2020

BSOTS 174 - Tranquil Beats: Fridays In August, 2016 All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to . Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the ! I suppose it was a foolhardy notion that I would have this done by Election Day. Real talk: as long as this lands in the podosphere before November's over, I'll chalk that up as a win. As the last installment of the Tranquil Beats series, I think this one is far and away the best of the five. The blend session for this playlist of songs was recorded on Halloween and it feels really inspired. This one will probably speak to the beat junkies and sample hunters more than the others. From the live take on a Nas instrumental by Will Sessions to Just Plain Ant messing around with Donald Byrd to CASTLE's psychedelic head nods infused with the work of The Rotary Connection, there are a number of beautiful moments here. Jesse Futerman's "I Love You So" represents those moments with instrumentals like these where one can't tell where the sampling ends and live instrumentation begins. The sonic sweetness of Machinedrum's "Center Your Love" remains a high point (one of my favorite cuts from his Vapor City album), as well as the swirling emotional rush of Elephant And Castle's "I Will." DF Tram's "Body Fizz" makes for a wonderful closer with its playful lyrical refrain and Alice In Wonderland soundbites. If you're new to the Tranquil Beats series of episodes, I certainly hope that you will take the time to listen to them all. I have linked to the previous shows below. This episode's tracklist: 1. KRTS - Light Of The Harvest 2. Julien Dyne - Fog 3. CASTLE - Memory Bank 4. Night Owl Committee - Manual Retro (CC BY 3.0) 5. Sir Froderick - Someolbull$hit ft. Josh Hey 6. Will Sessions - Memory Lane 7. Chief & Deheb - Elements 8. Jesse Futerman - I Love You So 9. DJ Harrison - One Way Downtown (CC BY 4.0) 10. Just Plain Ant - Too Thymez (CC BY 3.0) 11. Jef Gilson & Malagasy - 1973 12. Long Arm - Double Bass In Love 13. Beat Inc. - Black Tea Morning (Squeaky Lobster Re-Funk) 14. Machinedrum - Center Your Love 15. Elephant And Castle - I Will 16. DF Tram - Body Fizz Other key info: /episode/index/show/radiobsots/id/16995470

BSOTS 173 - BUCKWILD: how i spent my summer staycation... 10/26/2020

BSOTS 172 - Tranquil Beats: Thursdays In August, 2016 09/06/2020

BSOTS 171 - BUCKWILD: The Faith-Based Practice of Podcasting 02/03/2020

BSOTS 170 - Tranquil Beats: Wednesdays In August, 2016 10/29/2019

Radio BSOTS show #169 - two weeks off from humanity... 06/05/2018

BSOTS 168 - BUCKWILD: No Place For The Quiet 01/25/2018

BSOTS 167 - Another Dive Into The Free Music Archive 11/23/2017

Radio BSOTS show #166 - Tranquil Beats: Tuesdays In August, 2016 08/07/2017

Radio BSOTS show #165 - BUCKWILD: Recovery Mode 05/06/2017

Radio BSOTS show #164 - Cupid's Hunt 2017: grass ain't greener... 02/20/2017

Radio BSOTS show #164 - Cupid's Hunt 2017: grass ain't greener... This podcast episode is a twofold celebration. First off, this show marks the beginning of the 2017 podcast year for . Not only that, but this show is also being released as part of the 10th Anniversary . Since 2008, music lovers, DJs, and podcasters have been gathering together and releasing music mixes in honor of Valentine's Day. The celebration at is a month-long thing, seeing as how this project has hit the 10 year mark. My Cupid's Hunt offering for this year began by asking a simple question: what would it sound like to try to tell the plot of the movie Blue Valentine through music? In no way am I suggesting that I have accomplished this, but the idea of pulling that off was a driving force behind this episode. Pink Floyd's "Don't Leave Me Now" from The Wall soundtrack also served as a major influence for this mix. Both of those pieces of information go a long way to suggest that this is not the typical Valentine's Day mix, but I've been moving further away from the traditional collection of love songs since 2013. I didn't know it then, but I had started to create a trilogy. It only dawned on me that I was making a trilogy once I started to map out the song sequence of this mix. The offerings from past Cupid's Hunt mixes in and seem to share a common thread with this one. Four years ago, I became far more interested in the gray areas of love, all the emotions that can often be confused for it or offered up as a substitute when there's no love to give. This mix is no different. I wanted to explore what goes on behind the social media veneer of smiling faces and vacation shots. There's hurt behind the lives that we create online for the public to see and as far as I'm concerned, the real emotions underneath make for a far more interesting story to tell within the mix. I certainly hope that you enjoy this mix and will find the time to listen to the previous parts of the trilogy, if you haven't already. This episode's track list: 1. Rev. Johnny L. Jones - I Don't Need A Doctor (Sermon Excerpt) 2. Prefuse 73 - Girlfriend Boyfriend 3. Duke Hugh - Butterflies 4. Mo Kolours - How I (Rhythm Love Affair) 5. Serengeti - Guess What Mom 6. ELWD - whenitfeltreal//sometimesclear 7. NxWorries - Best One 8. Tha Silent Partner - Mandingo Ocean 9. Odyssey Group - Midnight And You 10. Cohoba - Holla At Me 11. Submerse - Thinking About You 12. Core Rhythm and Zajazza - Lady (feat. Tah Phrum Duh Bush and Grand-Phee) 13. J Dilla - The Creep (The O) 14. Nangdo - Cry 15. Harleighblu - Mmm feat. Dr. Zygote 16. Prince Paul feat. MC Paul Barman - The Night My Girlfriend Left Me 17. Foreknown - Cathartes Aura (Vulture) 18. Blaktroniks - Blow You feat. Exes4Eyes 19. Kid Creole And The Coconuts - Somebody's Got To Lose 20. Myka Nyne - Me And My Girl 21. Werkha - Falling Through The Wall (Tom Blip Remix) 22. Comfort Fit - Guess There's Nothing More To Say 23. Marquice Turner - Sometimes Things Don't Go As Planned 24. Gizmo - Red Balloon 25. Phonte & Eric Roberson - Hold Tight /episode/index/show/radiobsots/id/5102276

BSOTS 163 - BBE Label Profile (December 3, 2016) 12/15/2016

Radio BSOTS show #162 - Tranquil Beats: Mondays In August, 2016 11/08/2016

Radio BSOTS show #162 - Tranquil Beats: Mondays In August, 2016 Early on in 2016, Bondfire Radio began a playlist series called Tranquil Beats. Focused on chilled out instrumental music, this playlist opens and closes the broadcast day Monday through Friday (9 a.m. and 12 midnight, EST). A new guest curator is invited to select music to feature every month. I took on the guest curator role for August of 2016. Normally, Bondfire asks for individual songs from the guest curator that are played in whatever order they see fit. From the website, listeners can see both the artist name and song titles as they play. This episode features my Tranquil Beats picks that were played on Mondays in August, but they are presented in more of a mix tape style rather than a playlist one. This is not the same order in which the songs were originally broadcast on Bondfire, either. I just felt like the podcast audience should have something a little different. This show is dedicated to all my USA heads who will be suffering from P.T.S.D. due to the 2016 presidential election campaign. We all need a moment to decompress and I certainly hope that the songs within this episode can help with that effort. This episode's track listing: 1. Jon Phonics - "Candy Coupe" (2014) 2. Darondo - "I Don't Want To Leave feat. Tall Black Guy (Sure Know How To Love Me Re-Edit)" (2013) 3. Keyboard Kid - "Life's Real World 2 Gil" (2012) 4. BADBADNOTGOOD - "Speaking Gently" (2016) 5. ELWD - "citystreetflower" (2016) 6. The Stuyvesants - "Sunrise In The Stuy" (2010) 7. Submerse - "Fumes" (2014) 8. Dabrye - "Piano" (2006) 9. Karriem Riggins - "12's in 8" (2008) 10. Darkhouse Family - "Disco Duck" (2016) 11. Denaun Porter - "jUsT 4 dA hAwAiI eVeNiNg" (2013) 12. fLako - "Humming" (2011) 13. Def Dee - "Rain" (2011) 14. Alain Goraguer - "Le Bracelet" (2014) 15. Ultramarine - "Nova Scotia" (1991) 16. Sepalcure - "See Me Feel Me" (2004) 17. Mount Bank - "We Could Be Real" (2016) 18. Big La vs. Todd - "Death Wish" (2016) 19. Nangdo - "1st 2 Know" (2010) 20. Tha Silent Partner - "Love really?" (2016) More information available at . /episode/index/show/radiobsots/id/4815412

BSOTS 161 - Both Sides on Bondfire (pt. 2) 09/11/2016

BSOTS 161 - Both Sides on Bondfire (pt. 2) Feedback? I love it. Voice mail messages can be left at . Email can be sent to . As a person who never wants the summer to end, I can't say that September is one of my favorite months. It's the usual routine: back to work, back to school, back to life, back to reality. And for me, it's back to BSOTS on the podcast end of things. The broadcast side of my life has been thriving thanks to Bondfire Radio and there's no reason why I can't dive into those archives to create shows for the podcast feed. Not everyone gets to hear the live broadcasts, so I should make more of a concerted effort to bring some of that back to home base. Continuing with the playlist approach from the previous episode, all of the songs in this show (except for "Mothership Riddim") were pulled from 2015 broadcasts along with a few talkover moments. The selections within this show include everything from hip-hop and drum and bass to gospel house and even some Afrobeat from Eastern Europe. While it's not brand new music, I do believe that quite a few of these joints have a timeless quality to them and will still sound good a decade from now. Beyond that, at least one song in this episode will be new to someone out there. Perhaps your next favorite artist is hiding out within this playlist. Here's hoping that you enjoy the show and will share it with someone else who loves music. :-] This episode's track list: 1. Blakesmith - "Live & Create" (2015) 2. Steve Spacek - "Dollar" (2005) 3. A Tribe Called Quest - "Lyrics To Go (Jesse Fischer Remix)" (2015) 4. Roots Manuva - "Facety 2:11" (2015) 5. Heresy - "Da Call Out" (2015) 6. Mikal Amin (Hired Gun) - "Get Away" (2015) 7. Saun & Starr - "Look Closer (Can't You See The Signs?)" (2015) 8. Dokkerman & the Turkeying Fellaz - "Illegal Move" (2015) 9. The Whole Truth - "Memories Of Love" (2015) 10. J-Felix - "Keep On (We Ain't Here For Long)" (2015) 11. Essa - "LeLeLe ft. Kashmere of Strange U (produced by Flako)" (2015) 12. Bastien Keb - "Down River" (2015) 13. Alicia Myers - "Right Here Right Now (Hallelujah Anyway)" (2015) 14. J Dilla - "Walkinonit" (2006) 15. Exist - "Lookin' At Blue" (2011) 16. Submerse - "whyarntyou" (2015) 17. Om Unit & Fracture - "Chatting Breeze" (2015) 18. Om Unit - "Mothership Riddim (feat. Mark Force)" (2016) 19. The Polyversal Souls - "Goin' In (feat. Afrika Baby Bam)" (2015) 20. Ahmed Sirour - "The Mourning After" (2014) /episode/index/show/radiobsots/id/4658104

Radio BSOTS show #160 - Both Sides On Bondfire (pt. 1) 05/11/2016

Radio BSOTS show #159 - fifteen/sixteen 02/01/2016

Radio BSOTS

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