Spannered Radio Podcast

Surgeon remains one of electronic music's most consistently thrilling performers. Hugely influential in techno circles since the mid nineties, his productions and DJ mixes point to constant evolution in his sound and a steady absorption of new influences. Last year's Breaking the Frame, his first album in over ten years, struck a curveball at all those anticipating a pummelling set of textured techno tracks, instead distilling some of his listening habits of recent years — the likes of Alice Coltrane, Eliane Radigue and La Monte Young — into a very personal document, one that searched for, as he put it, 'the deep spiritual essence that lay behind the surface structures of their individual music'. This set was recorded in October 2011 in London, when Surgeon performed as the mystery guest at a showcase night for the Blackest Ever Black label. Given Blackest Ever’s brooding trajectory, the event’s line-up struck a suitably shadowy tone, featuring label mainstays Raime, William Bennett'

We've been trying to squeeze a mix from Lawrence (aka agent2) of London's Rebel Intelligence collective for some time now. Le Orme (meaning footprints) rocks out the kind of lush electronic tackle you'd expect from this exceptional connoisseur of early Chicago house, Detroit techno and deep dancefloor electro. If you've ever caught one of Lawrence's flawlessly programmed DJ sets, you'll be all over this. The fledgling Rebel Intelligence label has a couple of great electro 12"s out by Matt Whitehead. Snap them up if you haven't already.   Tracklisting: Submersible Machines - Blue Hole Steve Summers - Dreaming in Color DJ Sprinkles (Kink & Neville Watson Remix) - Masturjakor Perseus Traxx - Remake 508 Murphy Jax Featuring Mike Dunn - It’s the Music Steve Summers - Lucid Fingers Kink & Neville Watson - The Long Wait Elec Pt.1 - Sky 13 Risque Rythum Team - 122 House Kink & Neville Watson - City 2 City Virgo Four - In a Vision Snuff Cre

Ralph Cumbers describes his latest release as "an open love letter to underground dance music culture". Out earlier this month on Magic and Dreams, Inner Space Break Free harks back to ye olde days of hardcore and rave, with influences not so much worn on its sleeve as emblazoned across the back of a friggin' great fluoro jacket. The album is available on cassette only ("I’m releasing it on tape because I adore them, and all my music is made on a cassette 4-track, so it feels kind of right"), and is dedicated to "the tunes, DJs, soundsystems, noisy neighbours and pirate stations that have inspired me and repeatedly turned my head inside out over the last two decades", says Cumbers. Rave on, we say.   'Inner Space Influences' mixes up many of the classic dance tracks that influenced Inner Space. If you've not checked out Mr Clef's other mixes on Spannered, we recommend you seek out his excellent dub mixes here and here, and last year's tremendous African mix here. You

Originally recorded onto cassette. Go here for Spannered's interview with Mike Dred.

Meticulously assembled then recorded down onto cassette, London producer Matt Whitehead reworks and splices together his two 30-minute sets from this year's Bloc Weekend (one performance being at Brackout, the tribute to the much-missed Ben Bracket that kickstarted the festval).   Along with material released collaboratively as Cyantific and Signal Type, Matt has two essential electro 12"s out under his own name for London's Rebel Intelligence collective.   Like his set from 2010's Bloc Weekend, this is the real deal.   Play it loud.    Tracklisting: Hollywood And The Heat - I Need You / (1988) Westside Records - 00:17 "Fast Eddie" Smith - Jack The House / (1987) Underground - 01:24 Reese - Just Want Another Chance / (1988) Incognito Records - 00:39 Julian Jonah - Jealousy And Lies / (1988) Cooltempo - 02:11 Nami Shimada - Sunshower (Original Version) / (1991) Colombia - 03:36 Fallout - Morning After (Sunrise Mix) / (1987) Fourth Floor Records -

Put together by Bomb Diggy's mix monkey for a lousy two crates of bananas, some pineapple juice, and a bottle of Dominican rum, this roaring selection of dancefloor scorchers originally aired last month on Holland's DJBroadcast site.   The Bomb Diggy crew are purveyors of the most tropical party nights in Holland, with resident DJs Mataklap, Makks, Ru-D and Tommy Tequila plus guests spinning global bass music spanning kuduro, booty, soca, dancehall, ragga, cumbia and baile funk — with plenty of jungle bounce thrown in. Head over to their site for info on upcoming Bomb Diggy gigs and radio shows, and to check out their splendid Bombcast mix series.   Tracklisting: Bomb Diggy Intro Mexican Dubwiser ft. Candice Cannabis - Cumbia of the Great DJ Dus - Por Vida Aniceto Molina - El Campanero (Krunk Kumbias Remix) Sabo - Soundboy Cumbia Super Guachin - Cumbiandero Alvaro -Make it Funky (Dj Punish Remix) (Max le Daron RaveCumbiaTon Refix) Zonora Point - Huachita Rica

Listen up! That's right, here's a brand new mix from arch beatfreak and master of mischievous melody, Bogdan Raczynski.   Many of you will know Bogdan from his slew of releases on Rephlex over the past decade (if not, head straight to 1999's seminal Samurai Math Beats). Aside from writing music that makes you feel completely out of your gourd, he's also an accomplished preparer of delicious foodstuffs — something we at Spannered admire greatly in a person.   Following on from 1999's compendious Mix #1, Mix #2 unfurls a tracklisting that's nearly as meaty as Bogdan's Fat Polish Man Bigos.   At least this shouldn't fug out your bathroom as much... ;)   Tracklisting: Dimitri - The Stud Harmonic 313 - Flaash DS-10 Dominator - Kink In the Cable DJ Nehpets - Mario (16 Bit) DJ Milton - House Clap The Royal City Saxophone Quarter - Ragtime For Rent Fake Tuss - RIP Acid Benga - Baltimore Clap DJ Milton - 1999 Skream - Clap Your Hands S

El Kano of London's Adverse Camber collective was one of the first artists to record a mix for Spannered when the site launched back in 2006. Flex (his fourth mix to be hosted on Spannered — check also 2007's Medication Time and this wonderful contribution to Spannered's Oddcast series) finds him on unstoppable form, spooning out all manner of mutoid ragga beats and weird bruck-stepping bassbin shit over the course of an hour and three quarters.   Download artwork here.   Tracklisting: Filastine - Blung David Last feat Zulu - Ghettoblaster Major Lazer feat Turbulence - Anything Goes Pole - Sylenstein (Deadbeat Remix) Tego Calderón - Ni Fu Ni Fa Monkeysteak - Tigris Riddim Filastine vs Maga Bo feat Mario z - Se Liga Flying Lotus - Melt! Fulgeance - Lonely Nights Harmonic 313 - Flaash Si begg - I Thunk Therefore Timeblind - What the ...? Ghosts On Tape - Equator Jam King Cannibal feat Face-A-Face - Virgo Wasteland - Shadow Line

Those who have listened to the latest album by Ralph Cumbers will know something of his huge love for the rhythms of Africa. Earlier this year Ralph ripped and re-edited a number of his favourite vinyls from the motherland. The resulting mix — released as part of Fact Magazine's consistently excellent podcast series — is the most colourful and crazed selection of music we've heard so far this year. If you missed it (Fact's podcasts are available for three weeks only), don't fear as Ralph recently asked Spannered to give the mix a permanent home.   Mr Clef talks about the mix, his current African obsessions and the recent album in an interview over at the Fact site. Those new to his work may also want to check Spannered's interview with him back in 2006.   Tracklisting: Segun Adewale - Yo Pop Music Susan Mapfumo - Dzvoko Zani Diabete - Super Djata Fede Lawu - Cherie Coco Edikanfo - Da Da Edikanfo Nyboma - Double Double Bibi Den’s Tshibayi - The Best Amb

Back in 2007, Kid Kameleon dropped an excellent pair of mixes for Spannered and Mashit exploring, as he put it, 'the weirder end of the dubstep spectrum'.   Well, Matt's racked up another double-drop of current picks from the bass music panoramic, with the first installment landing here on Spannered and part two surfacing over at the Mashit camp. As with Aim High/Aim Low, the Kid eschews clubland's big hitters in favour of the fringe elements, packing out both new mixes with some super-deep dubstep/techno hybrids and plenty of mutant 2-step stylings.   Tracklisting: Invasion Vs Shackleton - Wizards In Dub Part 1 Martyn - Is This Insanity ft Spaceape (Ben Klock mix) Teleseen - Black Monday feat. Jah Sight Hizatron - Telescope Dope Deadboy - Brock Lee Riddim xxxy - Blue Flashing Lights Instra:mental - Forbidden Al Tourettes - Dodgem Planetary Assualt Systems - X Speaks To X (Al Tourettes & Appleblim remix) Millie & Andrea - Black Hammer Kontext - C

Another year, another Bloc. Another week-long hangover endured by thousands, as they attempt to piece together the muddled events of four days awake in a holiday camp-cum-ravezone patrolled by terrifyingly beady seagulls. In the early hours of Saturday morning, all the energy in Minehead Butlins seemed centred in the Jak Bloc venue, where Matt Whitehead played an hour-long live set of razor-tight electro, acid and techno. One half of drum'n'bass duo Cyantific, Matt's been getting lots of props for his solo material following the release of his Beat the Heat 12", put out last year by long-running electro collective Rebel Intelligence. He's also released a series of excellent machinefunk tracks with Sync 24 as Signal Type. For anyone who was miles from Minehead, or cowering in their chalet — or for those ready for a flashback — here's the recording.

Paul Blackford, one of the UK's foremost electro artists, established his Militant Science imprint in 2009 in a bid "to bridge the gap between electro and drum'n'bass". Operating solely in the digital realm, the label has already notched up a healthy discography, with new releases soon out from Robokid, Sound Synthesis, Oort Cloud, Vadz, Melogik and Blackford himself.   This bruising 38-minute mix by recent Militant Science signing Mossman collates new and forthcoming material from the catalogue. Enjoy!   Tracklisting: Mossman - Beeboss Philops - Elektr@n Chordata - Geis IIt Robokid - Eggy Bread Alien Sex Toy - Robotic Depression Synapse - Blast Radius Alien Sex Toy - Anytime Sound Synthesis - Secrets of Society Synth Alien - Spectral Attack Chordata - Seamus Robokid - Beef Stew and Dumplings Sound Synthesis - Easily Brainwashed Synth Alien - Casimir Effect Philops - Cell-@ Paul Blackford - Enhanced Transmat Mossman - Vast G

Anyone following the trajectory of London's open-eared Uncharted Audio label will know of Stephen Fiske's work as LJ Kruzer and his propensity for dispensing wonderfully emotive tracks loaded with intricate melodies and lush sonic textures.   Son of a Wiltshire vicar, Fiske's formative years were spent listening to his father accompanying hymn singing in church with a Yamaha keyboard — which goes far in explaining his penchant for perky re-rubs of Christmas carols.   Since first appearing on vinyl in 2002 (a split EP with The Council Flats of Kingsbury), the London-based producer has released a steady stream of tracks and remixes on Uncharted Audio, AI, Seed and a raft of netlabels. Last year saw the release of his widely lauded second album, Manhood & Electronics, an Eno-inspired masterpiece filled with gorgeous piano treatments, haunting synths and delicate percussive pulses.   Uncharted Audio's next release sees four tracks from Manhood & Electronics getting remix treatment fro

Over more than a decade, in his production and DJ work, as well as his emergent photography, West London dweller Duley has continually delighted in bringing us the oblique and unexpected.   In Let's Get This Party Slanted, a spare and haunting frame wears in turn several digital and analogue guises. Look for lights flashing out from the murky maisma, bits of Autechre, Chris Carter, Sun Electric and others leading towards catharsis in James Plotkin and Mick Harris's well-named Collapse.   Photograph by Max Duley.   Tracklisting: Lustmord - Primordial Atom (Soleilmoon) Simon Fisher Turner - Hymn For Thatcher (Mute) Brunnen - Tippoo's Tiger (Beta-lactam Ring) Chris Carter - Chakutut (Conspiracy International) Autechre - Paralel Suns (Warp) Column One - Re-Worked Transmission (Stateart) Black Sun Productions - The Skunk (Old Europa Café) Max Waters - Stars And Scribble (Blasé) Andrew Liles - Auto Manipulator - 4th Degree (A Lesson To Be Learnt) (

New York-based multidisciplinary artist Daniel Perlin, aka DJ N-RON, first appeared on Spannered back in 2008 with his excellent Collaborator Mixtape.   The M-C-M1 Mixtape, like its predecessor, comes loaded with Daniel's own productions and mash-ups. This time around a sizzling Latin flavour prevails, with cumbia, reggaeton and baile funk jams bumping up against dark electronica, skewed pop and even the classic cover of Money (That's What I Want) by the Flying Lizards.    DJ N-RON photo courtesy of DJ Empirical.   Tracklisting: Joseph Beuys - Ja Ja Ja Nee Nee Nee/Larry Miller-Accord (Selections From The 2nd and 4th Movement) N-RON - Darksteps/Grimelock - Justice N-RON - Rap da Felicidade (Cidinho e Doca) Stepmix Flying Lizards - Money (That's What I Want) (N-RON intermix) Cota GV - Biling/Vandergraff - NDE/Jon Hopkins - Vessel Celso Pina - Cumbia Sobre El Rio Interludio/Sonido Desconocido - VW Cumbia Regadda - Instrumental/William Burroughs - Cut Up 19 El

DJ, producer and sound-recordist — and curator of the Sambacana Brazilian music archive here on Spannered — Maga Bo seems to be on a lifelong intercontinental cultural exchange programme.   Outras Terras features collaborations with artists from a dizzying array of locations, including Jahdan Blakkamoore (Brooklyn), BNegão (Rio de Janeiro), Ghislain Poirier (Montreal), Filastine (Barcelona), Pacheko (Caracas), Fletcher (Cape Town), Dr. Das (London), Matona (Zanzibar), Abena Koomson (NYC), Teba (Cape Town), Xuman (Dakar) and Speed Freaks (Rio de Janeiro).   Cultural building blocks in the mix range from ragga, hip hop, dub and breakcore through to kuduro, cumbia, crunk, coco and samba. Trip over to Bo's blog for detailed descriptions of all the tracks and some cool cover art.   Tracklisting Coco Raízes de Arcoverde - Ê Boi (Maga Bo Remix) (Unreleased) Sonar Calibrado (Maga Bo and Filastine) - E Daí feat. Speed Freaks (12" Shockout) F

This live set was recorded in London for Spannered in September 2009. You can read more about Armando's music and the history of Alpha 606 here. Recent releases include the widely acclaimed Electrónica Afro-Cubano EP for Interdimensional Transmissions and inclusion on the 2009 Touchin' Bass compilation Geometry. ^ The debut Alpha 606 album is out on Interdimensional Transmissions early next year.

Dublin resident Ed Devane makes, as he puts it, 'bass-heavy weird dancefloor music, to ambient noise, to more "musical" music with a zither'. He's released on Touchin' Bass, Mantrap Recordings, Spacebar Sentiments, Kontakte, and Belfast's recently resurrected Takeover Records, and is shortly to appear on Dublin's !Kaboogie Records.   Mixed up by !Kaboogie resident Redmonk, this selection of new and forthcoming material is part of a showcase pulled together by the Dublin-based crew to mark the launch of their second label release. You can grab artwork to accompany the mix here.   Tracklisting: Dubcore Maximus (!Kaboogie) Underflux (Mantrap Records) Predicament (Stasis Records) Saca (Takeover) Frozen Backpackers (Fothcoming Mantrap Records) Doomtime, Baby feat. Scurvy Lass (Fothcoming Mantrap Records) Brain Your Melt? feat. Scurvy Lass (Fothcoming Mantrap Records) Playtime (Forthcoming !Kaboogie)

ForceFed is Dublin-based DJ/production duo, A-Force and Bluefood. Earlier this year they joined forces as a live dub/electronica act, playing their first gig in a sweaty cavern in Italy. Both have released music separately on AlphabetSet and !Kaboogie.   Gotham Tropical is part of a showcase for Spannered of audio from Dublin's !Kaboogie camp. You can grab artwork to accompany the set here.   No tracklisting.

Emptyset was born in 2005 when James 'Ginz' Ginzburg (30Hz, Joker collaborator, and co-founder of Tectonic Recordings) met art curator and DJ Paul Purgas (the man behind last year's excellent We Can Elude Control release) through Bristol's music scene.   The duo embarked on a production project to explore their musical commonalities, such as low frequencies, sound design and rhythm. The results — a nervous-sounding strain of minimal techno, fortified by bone-rattling subbass — first surfaced in 2007 with a pair of sought-after EPs for Future Days. A third EP appeared on Julian Smith's Caravan Recordings in 2008, paving the way for the label to release Emptyset's eponymously titled debut album last month.   Clocking in at just over 37 minutes, the album is a buzzing opus of lumbering rhythms, creeping distortion, bleeps, hums and warm bass tones. 'We wanted to create situations where the music came alive from its own side by finding the points within signal chains where distortion begins