Here we go !  No big deal, it's only Spike Stent. One of the greatest mix engineers EVER. He's put his hands and ears on countless MASSIVE (literally! lol) records. He's got Grammy's galore. Name dropping casually he's worked with Madonna, Depeche Mode, Beyonce, Bjork, Ed Sheeran, Massive Attack, Frank Ocean... I mean too many to bloody mention tbh. Needless to say he's the REAL deal. All of that and a superb chap who makes me chuckle. We get into the micro and macro. Fractal chats y'all!  I get into using the polyend and dreadbox Medusa with the AMS 1580S for some sonic delights and music today is courtesy of MÒZÂMBÎQÚE  Hen-joy!     

HOWA - EP31 - SPIKE STENT

My name is Jamie Lidell and I'm gonna delve into the heady magic of creating music in a modern studio, probe the depths of production, get tech crazy with mixing tricks, studio skills and equipment. I'll be joined by fellow musicians, engineers and all-round audiophiles who kindly share their tips, stories and ingenious insight from the bizarre world of music production. I shall answer questions and seek knowledge from other music makers on a quest to discover how to make things sound RIGHT. I will also share some studio trickery on each episode as I explore some of my favourite innovations in music tech and my creations... outpourings from the weirdo brain! Welcome to a place for musicians, producers and listeners alike as we "cheers" our love of everything audio.

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Superbooth 2024 here I come Im in a rush but I promised a show so here it is :) This is the second celebration of a wonderful maker in the eurorack world. Meet Instruo.  The company was founded by Jason Lim who is the guest on this episode and we discuss how a company like this can exist in the wild electric world. The kind of knowledge it takes. The team that has emerged. The nature of the design.  We answer the all important question  "do you feel the music of the mushroom?" yes!!! check out the modules here! https://www.instruomodular.com

HOWA EP 124 - JASON LIM of INSTRUO

Im joined by Matthew Allum (ALM/Busy Circuits) as we discuss the origins of one of the best loved and most popular eurorack modules of all time Pam’s New Workout (and subsequent PRO form) How does a person go from having a thought of an afternoon to running one of the worlds most beloved modular synth companies? All shall be revealed! For those sensitive to talk of whittling, I must warn you there is mention of carpentry but it’s short lived and most of the chips we linger on are of the silicon and not wooden variety. This is part of a 2 episode pre super booth special and I’ll be popping a few bit up on the patreon using an ALM based system to rinse it a little 

HOWA EP 123 - MATTHEW OF ALM BUSY CIRCUITS

were you the co-developer of ableton live? ah no but Mr Henke very much was. Think about that for a minute. It’s easy to forget as he’ll never bring it up without being prompted. He’s not big on the dwelling and far more interested in his current obsessions. Special interests (SPINS) as they are called are the things driving the REAL artists of which Robert is most certainly one. I had one “job” interviewing him at this time. We were supposed to talk about the re-release of a classic monolake (Robert’s musical moniker) LP “Hong Kong” on Field Records. There was a hint of that here. It loomed in the fog over the hills as we, the ramblers, became fascinated by objects more close at hand. His tremendous work with the commodore PET platform as a primitive yet potent synth and drum machine for example. His encounters with the art world (which he is not fond of) his dislike of the infernal machine reverb ! ha. (also not fond it seems) His connection to the tonal land of the PPG wave and the Synclavier (yes, he’s fond) ah yes I loved reconnecting with him after all these years. He was always a brilliantly bright mind and continues to probe his passions to deliver wildly unique sound and light shows that stand apart from his peers. oh and dont forget he’s the co-developer of ableton live!

HOWA EP 122 - ROBERT HENKE

With 20 albums under his own name and his instrumental group Cosmo, the man knows how to make a record. He is a wildly accomplished and successful songwriter. For example in 2003 Harris he received the Grammy Award for Song Of The Year for Norah Jones’ breakout hit “Don’t Know Why,” from her debut album, Come Away With Me, which has sold almost 30 million copies worldwide. Versions of his songs have been sung by artists as diverse as Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Cat Power, Feist, The Black Keys, M. Ward, Brad Mehldau, Bright Eyes, Smokey Robinson, George Benson, Pat Metheny, Kandace Springs, and Solomon Burke. I mean WHAT a list that is! Songwriting collaborations have included Maya Hawke, John Zorn, Madeleine Peyroux, Melody Gardot, Papooz, and Lana Del Rey. If you didnt think you knew Jesse, I bet you’ve heard his writing out there in the known universe of sound and by gosh he’s a real potent force. Even after all this success, he is very mild mannered and thoughtful in this nice rambling interview. He’s generous with his knowledge and a very easy guy to get along with. I must say I hang my pod head slightly when reflecting on how old this interview is. Like a fine wine, I hope it’s benefited from a little time in the digital cellar. Drink in the wisdoms y’all !

HOWA EP 121 - JESSE HARRIS

I met Jim thanks to the wonderful master of mastering Heba Kadry who's based in New York (whi btw that just finished mastering my new LP!)  She used him to assist in the making of her room and that set me on a journey to get my place into shape too. Him and his team at Sondhus did an excellent job and I've been loving my light and airy attic so much! I've talked about my space a little on the show and I've shared a few pics and videos from the spot so there's evidence of it out there.  I look forward to being in here every day.  Jim's story is really interesting and it's an angle that's not been covered thus far on the pod.  He has knowledge and passion on all manner of issues relating to studio spaces, from the flow to the sound and the minimal aesthetic that is a through line in his work.  He's made rooms for Martin Gore, Laurie Anderson, Heba Kadry, Philip Weinrobe, the Juliard School in New York to name but  a few. Wild ! In this show I demonstrate the sound of my rooms and why using a binaural head for interviews and voice over is a terrible idea :) ha

HOWA - EP31 - SPIKE STENT

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