Virtual mixtape radio for the sonically adventurous. 20 artists. Drops about three times a week. No schedule, just a passion for independent music.
Welcome to Trev’s Virtual Cassette Library, Episode 186, your virtual mixtape radio for the sonically adventurous. As per usual we’ll dive into 20 artists. All the shows have three word subtitles for places that have some meaning for me personally. These are also used as names for the background music in show intros and outros. This episodes’ subtitle is Worker Buffoon Exact which is the entrance to Stockholms legendary jazz club Fasching. If you’d like to be featured on the slowest growing show on the internet then send files or codes to trevlad@gmail.com This episode has a couple of exclusive tracks at the time of recording from Salamanda and Haiku Salut together with Meg Morley. Some of the labels that need an honourable mention are whitelabrecs, Mystery Circles, Mahorka, Cyclical Dreams and Lo Recordings to name a few. Styles featured include electronica, ambient, minimal, space music and more. Places worth mentioning are Bütgenbach, Belgium, Saint Petersburg, Russia, Seoul, South Korea, and Ostrava, Czech Republic. Please do send in your stories for the Chord Confessions series about a piece of music that has been pivotal in your life. You can record it yourself or I can tell it for you while promoting you and playing the most important music on the planet. A win, win, win concept. I’ve also started Trev Tales a new idea of mixing story telling with DJ sets where I do a story based on the tracks in the set. A shout out to my one new follower this week ‘TXH’. Great stuff…
We start with a preview track from an upcoming album by Tacoma Park – Untied Motorik kraut vibes with steel guitar. A pretty great opener I think… So headphones on, let time dissolve and let the frequencies claim you. Tacoma Park – ‘Untied’ from the album Baltimore which will be released on April 24th via the Centripetal Force label.
Next up a NYP release (for now) via Triplicate Records by Bütgenbach, Belgium based duo RIKAAR – Chill Serum X Wonky synths in space. RIKAAR – ‘Chill Serum X’ from the album Malin 1.
Now the shortest piece of the episode ‘London Nights’ by Luder. Retro synth beat manifesto. Luder – London Nights from the compilation album This is not the end: Music For Iklectik. where all proceeds went to helping Isa and Eduard who ran the sadly lost venue in London.
Next going long for almost 7 minutes but keeping it retro is Wizardmaster – Those With Legs. Wizardmaster – Those With Legs from the album ‘A Dwelling of the Mind Protruding Through the Head’ The tracks of which are described as being solid without a void.
Now with some deep kalimba and chimes the legendary Richard Norris – The Corn Is Coming. Richard Norris – The Corn Is Coming. A NYP single on the Republic of Music label and one of the few tracks by Richard that isn’t 20 minutes long.
Next drones and looping arppegio time with me as Trevlad – Applied Crawled Wires. Trevlad – ‘Applied Crawled Wires’, which, if you pop the name into What3words will give you the geolocation of a spot in a forest where I made the visuals for the piece. It’s from the album TVCL 9.
Now Dmitry Kiselev with some chilled Idm as DEE-KEY – Intermission. DEE-KEY – ‘Intermission’ from the album Wild Flowers out on Saint Petersburg label Local Gods who are pumping out some fantastic electronic releases.
Next it’s jazz time with Raquel Bell aka Galecstasy & Mike Watt Trio – Neon Mermaid. Galecstasy & Mike Watt Trio – Neon Mermaid from the album Wattzotica. Available from one of my all time favourite labels the fearless, Mystery Circles.
Now a recent piece by MiDi BiTCH – Premabhai Hall [Ahmedabad]. MiDi BiTCH – Premabhai Hall [Ahmedabad] from the conceptual album Habitat inspired by iconic Brutalist architecture around the world. Available on the incredible Cyclical Dreams label.
Next some deep space ambient S.V.R.A – Melt Things Into a Blur. S.V.R.A – Melt Things Into a Blur from the massive 50 track NYP compilation ‘Commemorative Compilation’ which is the 100th release of Mexico City based label, Secuencias Temporales
Now the first, or second exclusive of the episode, depending on how you look at it. And the final track of this virtual A side. sliding guitar notes and drones with Seoul-based left of centre ambient duo Salamanda – Basil’s dream. Salamanda – Basil’s dream from the album ‘Music To Watch Seeds Grow By 008: Salamanda (Basil)’ Check out the whole series of Music To Watch Seeds Grow By on Bandcamp. A great cassette label concept.
Kicking off Side B. The longest track of this episode @ 7:42. Ambient flute with Andrew Heath – Building Mountains. Andrew Heath – Building Mountains from the self released album ‘Quiet Noise’ and also available on the whitelabrecs stunning compilation ‘An Ambient Decade’.
Next up Staying in whitelsbrecs country. Guitar noodling with Blochemy – Calythe. Blochemy – Calythe from the must have compilation album Shades out on whitelabrecs.
Now some heart wrenching americana vocals with Humbird – Blood Moon Humbird with the single ‘Blood Moon’ available through the Nettwerk label.
Next we head back to ambient land with the French duo Sobria Ebrietas and Iliaque collectivly known as Dormance – Dormance 10 Dormance – Dormance 10 from the album ’II’ out on Bulgarian label Mahorka.
Now some spiritual jazz tones featuring Joseph Shabason. Toronto-based, Japanese-born Masahiro Takahashi – Dreamies. Masahiro Takahashi – Dreamies from the album ‘In Another’ out on telephone explosion records.
Next instrumental trio Haiku Salut together with pianist Meg Morley give us the exclusive track Meine Beste Freundin. *Haiku Salut & Meg Morley – Meine Beste Freundin from the album ‘The Lost Score’ dropping on Lo Recordings on March 27th.
Now a musical journey inspired by Jacobo Grinberg’s Sintergic Theory, where sound becomes a tool for the exploration of consciousness. Herne von Bòrmanvs – Etruscan Wave Odyssey. Herne von Bòrmanvs – Etruscan Wave Odyssey from the album ‘Synthergic’ out on LA based label Pénte.
Next the penultimate piece and another longer track at 7:15 from ambient greats Chilian artistbahía mansa & Spanish artist David Cordero – Espacios Imperfectos. bahía mansa & David Cordero and the single Espacios Imperfectos (Imperfect Spaces) available on David Cordero curated label Noray Records.
We’ve reached yet another virtual tape ending. Thank you all for listening, don’t forget to support all these wonderful artists and labels, as well as each other. Subscribe to the channel to listen to the 956 releases whenever you like. Do send in your favourite music stories for Chord Confessions and your own music for future Virtual Cassette Library shows. We finish off with the unmistakable sound of KILN – Crayola Skybox & Sandwasp. KILN with the NYP single Crayola Skybox & Sandwasp which is a two tracks in one file. which is cheating but I like it. cheerio…
Virtual mixtape radio for the sonically adventurous. 20 artists. Drops about three times a week. No schedule, just a passion for independent music.
Good evening, or morning, or whatever sliver of the clock you’ve drifted into. This is Trev’s Virtual Cassette Library, episode one hundred and seventy-two. I’m Trevor, sifting through the reels once more, turning the dial until something faintly human—or faintly inhuman—comes through.
These cassettes still carry the promise of two sides, a flip in the middle. Twenty artists tonight, drawn from various corners: some from the damp fields of field recording-touched ambient, others from the slow-burn electronics of Glasgow’s Bricolage or whitelabrecs quiet corners, a few from Portland’s soft tape worlds, and further out to the looped, patient rhythms that refuse to hurry.
No rush here. No hooks to grab you by the collar. These are pieces that breathe, that unfold like fog over water, that let time stretch until it forgets its own name.
The Wild Hunt Die Wilde Jagd – Gleiß K – Convenanza – Höganord Rekords A motorik pulse wrapped in dark-leaning kraut electronics, voices half-buried in the machinery, building without ever quite arriving. So Headphones on, let time dissolve and let the frequencies claim you.
Now one of the shortest entries on the show Ann Annie – lupine – El Prado (Deluxe) – available through Nettwerk label. Portland piano atmospheres drift in gentle layers, carrying a meditative hush, like rain on greenhouse glass.
blochemy – Eim – Islas Calm Cloud – whitelabrecs. Sorry for the mispronunciation in the last episode. Minimal tape wonk and electroacoustic patience, tones that hover and slowly modulate, a quiet study in restraint and space.
And now clap along with Nu Era – See Are Seven (Bonus Track) – The Second Circle – Neroli Records Deep, enveloping electronics with a touch of kosmische drift, layers folding inward, unhurried and expansive.
Next Saya Gray – PUDDLE ( OF ME ) – Saya – Dirty Hit Intimate, watery textures, voice and instrumentation blurring into something fragile and reflective, almost confessional in its slowness.
Check the reverb on the rimshots. Robohands – Oranj – Oranj – Bastard Jazz Recordings Wonky Rhodes and guitar-led loops that circle and evolve, warm and understated, letting small repetitions reveal hidden depths over time.
Now panic inducing mud flaps. Sophie Sleigh-Johnson – Chaldean Acts – Nuncio Ref – Crow Versus Crow Sparse, ritualistic soundscapes, field edges and processed resonances evoking ancient, unspoken acts.
Back to some pop phrasings and a bassist at work Flora Hibberd – Auto Icon – Swirl – self-released Delicate, swirling arrangements, voice and instrumentation caught in gentle eddies, intimate and quietly hypnotic.
And now a recent mate of the channel brings some pigeons CommsBreakdown – In The Heart Of Spring – Dadtronica Ambientus – self-released Spring-like modular pulses and soft drones, a sense of renewal threaded through the circuitry. Lovely stuff.
Now to end Side A with a stomping track from one of my fantastic supporting labels Bricolage Black Lupus – Fractal Particles – Paradigm 10 Year Label Sampler – Bricolage Glasgow Granular electronics from Glasgow, particles scattering and reforming in fractal patterns, precise yet organic.
Tape flip.
The cassette turns. Side B.
Starting off Side B Vancouver based Active Dark Filament – Song for Moritz – (NYP) – Lost Axioms Excerpts – self-released Dedicated drift, dark ambient threads that pull slowly across an 80s vibe stereo field.
And now for something special from David Soulscorch here as Rural District Lo-Fi Recording Project – Disenchanting. Nice Work If You Can Get It – Jolly Johnny and His Oompahing Oomlahs. Lo-fi pastoral wanderings, disenchanted yet oddly affectionate, cassette warmth intact. This album made me happy.
Next is from a label I’d love to play more of as they release some of the best sounds out there. Unfortunately I can’t afford to play as much as I’d like and I respect that they won’t send me stuff for free, but every now and then something lands on my decks for which I’m grateful. This is one of those times. Here’s Kayla Painter – Anicca – Tectonic Particles – Quiet Details Shifting, impermanent textures, tectonic plates of sound moving beneath the surface, calm on top.
And now to the label who has championed the channel for many a year and a release by James Adrian Brown – Generator – Generator – Colin Morrisons Castles in Space Generator hums and harmonic overtones, a machine dreaming its own slow song.
Speaking of great labels here’s another one worthy of your attention storyinsoil – Spin Glass – Distillation – Ingrown Glassy, spinning drones, crystalline and distilled, turning in perpetual motion. Release date is set to February 3rd, so go grab a copy.
Now there’s this wonderful Russian artist NDORFIK who I’ve had a bit of contact with over the past few weeks. He’s a great guy and good at promoting his mates here is one of them in Local Gods label curator Alexander Lvov as Man as island – Haikei – AN. This has yet to get an official release date so you are a lucky bunch. Isolated, island-bound reveries, spacious and solitary, awaiting their proper tide.
Now an oldie I think I discovered through an instagram post by dream.weasel. I recommend you checking her out. This is Andy Stott – Luxury problems – Modern Love Heavy, dubbed-out pressure, bass weight and smeared atmospheres from the Manchester shadows.
Now my favourite middle eastern groove outfit Sababa 5 – Allô – C A VA C A VA – set for release on Batov records on 20 Feb. Psychedelic-tinged grooves, loose and sun-bleached.
The penultimate track and another super supporter of the channel. Label curator Harry Towell & Guy Gelem – Esplanade – Islas Calm Cloud – Whitelabrec. Calm, esplanade-length drones, coastal in feel, minimal and modern classical in poise.
And now, as the tape nears its end, a few words before the leader tape rattles through. Thanks for staying with it. These libraries aren’t built for playlists or algorithms; they’re for the ones who still turn the dial by hand. Support the artists if any of this lodged somewhere inside you—buy the tapes, the files, the vinyl where it exists. Whisper their names when the room is quiet. It matters. This episode streams on Mixcloud for a short while, links and credits at trevor.se and in the comments below. Say something if the mood takes you. Or say nothing. Silence has its own frequency. The final piece is the shortest of the episode but is a gem by Kure – Moon Acid – Another from Paradigm 10 Year Label Sampler – on Glasgows finest Bricolage label. Acid-touched moonlit electronics, another Glasgow echo, warped and lunar. Until the next reel spins—stay resonant, stay adrift.