Full Moon Mix: Synthesists

The golden age of synth produced many nameless innovators. While Jean-Michel Jarre, Vangelis and Klaus Schulze made it big, legions of synthesists didn’t reach the masses. This mix features nine rather obscure pioneers of electronic music. Let their sequencers carry you away. Close your eyes and dream up your own sci-fi movie.

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1. Roland Hollinger – Alors Se Lève Un Grand Vent Fou
Bardo Thodol, Scorpios, 1978

2. Adelbert Von Deyen – Sternzeit
Sternzeit, Sky Records, 1978

3. Clara Mondshine – Drachentrommler
Luna Africana, Innovative Communication, 1981

4. JD Emmanuel – Movement IV
Wizards, North Star Productions, 1982

5. Peter Michael Hamel – Nada
Nada, Wergo, 1977

6. Mark Shreeve – Dream Sequence
Thoughts About War, Uniton, 1981

7. Riechmann – Abendlicht
Wunderbar, Sky Records, 1978

8. Richard Pinhas – Iceland (Part 2)
Iceland, Polydor, 1979

9. Trans-Millenia Consort – Plot Zero
Plot Zero, Trans-Millenia Consort Recordings, 1983

Full Moon Mix: Nightly Things

This is a mix for night owls. Music out of a gothic novel. Folk painted black.

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1. Begushkin – Nightly Things
Nightly Things, Locust Music 2007

2. Timber Timbre – Lay Down In The Tall Grass
Timber Timbre, Full Time Hobby 2010

3. Ô Paradis – La Muerte del Pirata
Mi Viejo Trono, La Nébuleuse Pourpre 2012

4. 16 Horsepower – Straw Foot
Secret South, Glitterhouse Records 2000

5. Hexvessel – Sacred Marriage
No Holier Temple, Svart Records 2012

6. Burd Early – Blackdot
Mind And Mother, Western Vinyl 2004

7. Castanets – The Smallest Bones
Cathedral, Asthmatic Kitty Records 2004

8. 55 Cancri E – Nattsvart
Belsebubs Tårar, Music For Dreams 2015

9. Matt Elliott – The Guilty Party
Drinking Songs, Ici D’Ailleurs 2004 (vinyl reissue 2015)

Half Moon Mix: World Jazz

In the far flung corners of the jazz universe the world spirit hides. Where free improvisation mingles with contemplative exoticism music transcends wordly borders. African, oriental and indian flavours blend into a universal stream of sound. At the end of our journey we discover a cosmic truth echoing back from the rocky cliffs of the Swiss mountains.

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1. Steve Tibbetts – The Big Wind
Northern Song, ECM, 1982

2. Paul Horn + Nexus – African Funeral Song
Paul Horn + Nexus, Epic, 1975

3. Oriental Wind feat. Okay Temiz – Fidayda
Oriental Wind, Sonet, 1977

4. Getatchew Mekuria – Ambassel
Getatchew Mekuria and his Saxophone, Philips, 1972 (Reissue by L’Arôme Productions, 2011)

5. Urs Blöchlinger & Thomas Dürst – Baghwan In America
Il Faut Boire, Mr. Jazz, 1982

6. Vasant Rai – Autumn Song
Autumn Song, Vanguard, 1978

7. John Handy & Ali Akbar Khan – Karuna Supreme
Karuna Supreme, MPS, 1976

8. Rabih Abou-Khalil – Dusk
Between Dusk And Dawn, MMP, 1987

9. Paul Giger – Chuereihe (Excerpt)
Alpstein, ECM, 1991

Full Moon Mix: Millenial Dub

In the late 90s dub and electronica blended in most astonishing ways. This mix compiles some of our favourite tracks of this era that apply dub techniques to electronic music. The fact that seven out of the nine artists featured on this compilation are German, emphasizes that Germany was the epicentre of a phenomena that critics used to describe with tags like dubtronica and dubtechno. Starting in 1995, we’re slowly approaching the millenium.

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1. The Higher Intelligence Agency – Tortoise
Freefloater, Beyond Records, 1995

2. Ro70 – Alma
Ro70, Source Records, 1995

3. Tied & Tickled Trio – Tusovska Dub
Tied & Tickled Trio, Kollaps, 1997

4. Pole – Fremd
LP 1, Kiff SM, 1998

5. To Rococo Rot – A Little Asphalt Here And There
The Amateur View, City Slang, 1999

6. Kammerflimmer Kollektief – Tuch
Mäander, Payola, 1999

7. Pan American – Steel Stars
360 Business / 360 Bypass, Kranky, 1999

8. Elfish Echo – Yumi’s Theme
Strong Medicine, Source Records, 1999

9. Mapstation – Bedeckt
Sleep, Engine Sleep, Staubgold, 2000

New Moon Mix: In The Mood For Love

Valentine’s Day triggered the idea to compile some hopelessly romantic love songs. It took a few attempts to find the right balance between kitsch and deepness, and to elaborate a flow that brings ethereal and earthy sounds together. The result of our labours in the Moon Lagoon archives is an eclectic affair, ranging from outsider crooners, shoegaze trobadours and pop balladeers to reggae and soul legends.

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1. Lewis – Love Showered Me
L’Amour, R.A.W. Records 1983 (reissue by Light In The Attic, 2014)

2. Julee Cruise – Mysteries Of Love
Floating Into The Night, Warner Bros. Records 1989

3. Diane Richards – How Deep Is The Ocean
In The Name Of Love, DLF, release date unknown

4. O.V. Wright – I Don’t Know Why
The Bottom Line, Hi Records, 1978

5. Marcia Griffiths – The First Time I Saw Your Face
Sweet Bitter Love, Trojan Records, 1974

6. Al Green – Unchained Melody
Livin’ For You, Hi Records, 1973

7. Lee Hazlewood – Your Sweet Love
The Very Special World Of Lee Hazlewood, MGM Records, 1966

8. Jo Stafford – In The Mood For Love
As You Desire Me, Columbia, 1954

9. Nina Simone – Wild Is The Wind
Nina Simone At Town Hall, Colpix Records, 1959

10. Ted Lucas – Baby Where You Are
Ted Lucas, OM, 1975 (reissue by Sebastian Speaks / Yoga Records, 2010)

11. Cross Country – In The Midnight Hour
Cross Country, ATCO Records, 1973

12. The Sandpipers – Louie, Louie
Spanish Album, A&M Records, 1969

13. Kurt Vile – Baby’s Arms
Smoke Ring For My Halo, Matador Records, 2011

14. Opal – Happy Nightmare Baby
Happy Nightmare Baby, SST Records, 1987

15. The National – It Never Happened
Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers, Brassland, 2003

16. Spacemen 3 – I Love You
Recurring, Fire Records, 1990

Full Moon Mix: Made To Measure

Made To Measure is one of the most comprehensive series of experimental music out there, and it’s certainly one of the most intriguing. Between 1984 and 1995 the Belgian label Crammed Discs released 36 volumes featuring a variety of artists, from avantgarde icons like Fred Frith and John Lurie to lesser known composers like Hector Zazou and Yasuaki Shimizu.

After a hiatus of over 10 years the series was revived in 2006 and is presently counting 42 volumes. What do all these albums have in common? According to Crammed Discs Made To Measure is “a collection of aural garments that have or could have been commissioned as soundtracks”. Indeed, most of the albums have a distinct soundtrack feel, though some weren’t written for the screen, but rather for ballet or performances.

The Made To Measure series mainly consists of instrumental music, ranging from ambient and tribal to neo-classical and jazz. A central figure contributing to this stylistic diversity is the Belgian electronic artist Benjamin Lew. Besides his wonderful solo album Nebka he also recorded three collaboration albums for the Made To Measure series, one with Samy Birnbach, leader of the Israeli group Minimal Compact, and two with Sam Brown, saxophonist of Tuxedomoon.

Benjamin Lew’s criminally underrated output serves as the guiding thread on our round trip through the Made To Measure universe. On our way we encounter the pioneering turntablism piece Scratch Holiday by Aksak Maboul, we hear an excerpt of the tribal ballet piece Pretty Ugly by Peter Scherer and Arto Lindsay, we listen to the Philip Glass like minimalism of Daniel Schell & Karo, and delve into the Desert Equations of Sussan Deihim and Richard Horowitz, before we end our journey in dissonance with John Lurie.

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1. Benjamin Lew – Comme Tout Embue, Tout Danse
Nebka – Made To Measure Vol. 17, 1988

2. Aksak Maboul – Scratch Holiday
Made To Measure Vol. 1, 1984

3. Benjamin Lew & Steven Brown – Bamako Ou Ailleurs
Douzième Journée: Le Verbe, La Parure, L’Amour – Made To Measure Vol.15, 1988

4. Samy Birnbach & Benjamin Lew – The Wheel
When God Was Famous – Made To Measure Vol. 19, 1989

5. Peter Scherer & Arto Lindsay – Pretty Ugly (Excerpt)
Pretty Ugly – Made To Measure Vol. 23, 1990

6. Daniel Schell & Karo – Un Celte
If Windows They Have – Made To Measure Vol. 13, 1986

7. Benjamin Lew & Steven Brown – Profondeurs Des Eaux Des Laques
A Propos D’Un Paysage – Made To Measure Vol. 16, 1985

8. Sussan Deihim & Richard Horowitz – Desert Equations
Desert Equations: Azax Attra – Made To Measure Vol. 8, 1986

9. John Lurie – Sixties Avant-Garde
Music From The Original Scores: Stranger Than Paradise And The Resurrection Of Albert Ayler, Made To Measure Vol. 7, 1985

Full Moon Mix: Walk With Jesus

This mix preaches the gospel in many different ways: apart from afroamerican choirs we hear the Agnus Dei of the folkloristic Argentinian mass Missa Criola, an excerpt of a psychedelic rock mass by The Electric Prunes, a fragment of the Rock Requiem by Lalo Schifrin, a xian songwriter called John Ylvisaker and the DIY gospel genius Otis G. Johnson who’s using a beat machine to accompany his praises of the lord.

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1. The Pilgrim Travelers – Poor Pilgrim Of Sorrow
Look Up (Andex, 1957)

2. Los Fronterizos & Cantoría De La Basílica Del Socorro – Agnus Dei
Missa Criola (Philips, 1965)

3. Lalo Schifrin – Gradual
Rock Requiem (Verve, 1971)

4. The Electric Prunes – Holy Are You
Release Of An Oath (Reprise, 1968)

5. Otis G. Johnson – Walk With Jesus
Everything – God Is Love 78 (Holy Spirit, 1978; reissue by Numero Group, 2013)

6. John Ylvisaker – Joseph
A Love Song (Avant Garde Records, 1968)

7. Cyndee Peters – Wayfaring Stranger
Black Is The Color (Opus 3 Records, 1977)

8. Eddie Bonnemere & Robert E. Bornemann – Agnus Dei
Missa Laetare (Fortress Records, 1969)

9. Louis Armstrong – Motherless Child
Louis And The Good Bock (Decca, 1958)