This month I’m pleased to welcome producer and composer Adam Wiltzie, best known for his projects @starsofthelid, and A Winged Victory for the Sullen (@awvfts).

After a chance meeting during university, Brian McBride and @adambryanbaumwiltzie formed Stars of the Lid in Austin, Texas in 1992. Their first album Music for Nitrous Oxide, a monolith of drone and extraterrestrial soundscapes, was a force of nature — and a tribute to the best kind of artistic collaboration. The duo went on to make several other successful albums, becoming of the minimalist and ambient genre, until Brian’s passing in 2023.

In this conversation, Adam and I look back on Music for Nitrous Oxide, which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, the swings of collaborating with not only Brian, but A Winged Victory’s Dustin O’Halloran, and the impact of grief and memory on creativity.

++

MUSIC

"Adamord" - Stars of the Lid (2025 remaster)

"Atomos VI" - A Winged Victory for the Sullen (2014)

"Buried At Westwood Memorial Park, In An Unmarked Grave, To The Left Of Walter Matthau" - Adam Wiltzie (2024)

FOLLOW AIR:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/

Patreon: www.patreon.com/airpodcast

Substack: https://airpodcast.substack.com/

This month’s episode, which welcomes Berlin based, LA bred producer and DJ, @SteveHuerta.

Huerta moved to Berlin over a decade ago, seeking out the same dancefloor pleasures as all who make the pilgrimage to Berlin. With a central goal of making dance music, Steve cut his teeth producing and releasing on indie tech house labels, finding joy in creation. In the years since, despite breaking through with LPs like Junipero and TV Slang, a homegrown label called Leizure, and DJ sets that take him to festivals and dancefloors around the world, his joy continues to stay rooted in expression and creativity; the simple pleasures of making and playing music.

In this episode, we look back on a career spent persevering in an overly saturated Berlin music scene, the challenges of trying to make it as an artist, and the dedication required to stay afloat as a musician in 2025.

++

MUSIC:

"Ruff Groove" - Huerta (2020)

"All Wild Things Are Shy" - Huerta (2020)

"Safe Passage to Toco" - Huerta

FOLLOW AIR:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/

Patreon: www.patreon.com/airpodcast

Substack: airpodcast.substack.com/

For this month’s episode, I’m joined by Portuguese producer and label boss João Barbosa, better known as @Brankoofficial.

Perhaps best known for his work as a founding member of kuduro meets techno group @BurakaSomSistema, and his label @Enchufada Records, which was born in 2006 as a creative platform for the band’s many outputs.

These days, Branko is focusing on his solo project, which continues to celebrate global club music and collaborations from not only all over the world, but all across the musical spectrum. For episode 75, we’re taking a look back at Enchufada’s history, from its days as a hub for the band to its diverse explorations in global club music.

Special thank you to @thehortonbrothers who worked on the sound for this month's episode!

++

MUSIC

Branko - "NAFÉ" (feat. ÉLLÀH)

Buraka Som Sistema - "Hangover" (Bababa)

Branko - "On Top" (feat. Zanillya, Capadose & The Ruffest)

++

FOLLOW AIR

Instagram: www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/

Patreon: www.patreon.com/airpodcast

Substack: airpodcast.substack.com/

Here at AIR, we kicked off festival season in with Sonar Lisboa, the little sister to the famed Barcelona festival, which took place in early April this year and featured acts like Max Cooper, Jennifer Cardini, Juliana Huxtable, and this month’s esteemed guest, @MarcelDettmann.

A techno veteran whose name is synonymous with big room sound, Marcel recently debuted a new live set, his first ever foray into live performance, the result of a pandemic spent toiling away in the studio and crafting his landmark album Fear of Programming, which formed the foundation for his live act. At Sonar Lisboa, he presented a new version of his project, which he calls My Own Shadow, a mix of his own productions, field recordings, vocal elements, and on the fly craftsmanship.

Marcel and I sat down together in Lisbon to discuss his new live set and the creativity behind it, and how his musical and personal life is shifting over years. A big thanks to the team at Sonar Lisboa for the invite to this year’s edition!

++

MUSIC:

"Linux" - Marcel Dettmann (2013)

"Water" - Marcel Dettmann ft. Ryan Elliott (2024)

"Fear of Programming" - Marcel Dettmann (2024)

++

FOLLOW AIR:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/

Patreon: www.patreon.com/airpodcast

Substack: airpodcast.substack.com/

Episode 73 welcomes London based DJ and booker @TobyNicholas, a longtime lover of dance music and a DJ in his own right, best known as one half of a duo with @HamishCole. Toby has seen every aspect of club culture, both the good and the bad. After stints in Leeds and Manchester, where he cut his teeth as a founding member of the cult party series Dog Eat Dog, he started working for London venue @picklefactorylondon when it launched as a sister site to the now defunct Oval Space in 2014. Balancing his creative life as a DJ with the challenges of booking a small, headsy nightclub in Bethnal Green has been an uphill battle for Toby, especially as the nightlife industry in London continues to fight for its life amidst rising costs and reduced spending.

In this episode, we look back at Toby’s early days as a raver and finding his place in the music industry as both as DJ and a booker, the trials and tribulations of the London nightlife scene, and his favourite memories of the club he devoted nearly a decade of his life to.

++

Music:

Glowing Glisses - "On The Bridge (Larry Heards After Dark Dub Mix)"

North Avenue - "Solutions (Instrumental)"

Ross Couch - "Groove On (Original Mix)"

++

FOLLOW AIR:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/

Patreon: www.patreon.com/airpodcast

Substack: airpodcast.substack.com/

We're back! Episode 72 welcomes English producer, composer, and vocalist Ema Jolly, better known as @emika_official. A classically trained pianist, Emika has been making music for most of her life, both in the contemporary classical realm and the electronic one. Albums like her self-titled debut and early work like DVA, Melanfonie, and Falling in Love with Sadness were testaments to her thoughtful composition and emotional resonance. After having her two children however, her connection with music has only grown in depth and creative nuance, and these days, she’s making some of her best work yet.

Her immersive sound performances at planetariums around Europe bring her music to the venue it was always meant to be in, and these experiences in sharing her sound has sparked a new passion project: a community studio for immersive sound crafted by Emika and funded via Kickstarter. In this month's episode, Emika and I discuss motherhood and its relationship to creativity, and what it means to become “we” as an musician.

++

Music:

"Ache" - Emika (2024)

"Dilo 22" - Emika (2020)

"Sleep in the Day" - Emika (2024)

Emika's immersive studio build Kickstarer: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/emikamusic/how-to-make-music-immersive

FOLLOW AIR:

nstagram: www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/

Patreon: www.patreon.com/airpodcast

Substack: airpodcast.substack.com/

This is the 71st episode of AIR, an interview podcast series with a different theme each episode. AIR is actually on hiatus from recording new episodes, and set to return in the new year 2025… However, this month and last month’s episodes are actually recordings of two interviews produced in collaboration with @DimensionsFestival. Both took place on site with a small audience, and it was really special to be participating in the festival via these intimate artist talks.

For the second instalment, I’m speaking with @Unai-Trotti and Sabri, co-founders of the iconic label and event series @Cartulisday. Instead of our usual focus on one topic, these on-site interviews act as artist profiles, exploring creativity and craft, and delving into the label’s history and milestones including their upcoming 15th anniversary which they’re celebrating at the legendary FOLD venue in London on 23 November 2024. Hope you guys enjoy this recording, and thanks again so much to Pat and Hamish at Dimensions for the invite.

++

Music:

"Horton" - Unai Trotti (2020)

"Where Has Love Gone" - Reade Truth (2018)

"Tracid" - Zap (2020)

"Twilight Expanse" - Ebeats (2023)

FOLLOW AIR

Instagram: www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/

Patreon: www.patreon.com/airpodcast

Substack: airpodcast.substack.com/

Episode 70! As you probably know, AIR is actually on hiatus from recording new episodes, and set to return in the new year 2025… However, this month and next month’s episodes are actually recordings of two interviews produced in collaboration with @DimensionsFestival. Both took place on site with a small audience, and it was an absolute treat to be able to participate in the festival in this unique way, the first time that Dimensions has hosted artist talks at their venue in Tisno.

First up, I’m chatting with a true legend of the scene, Tameko Williams also known as @DetroitinEffect. Instead of our usual focus on one topic, these on-site interviews act as artist profiles, delving into artistic history and personal milestones, exploring creativity, craft, and music. Hope you guys enjoy this recording, and thanks again so much to Pat and Hamish at Dimensions for the invite.

++

Music:

"R U Married?" - Detroit in Effect (1997)

"The One" - Detroit in Effect (1995)

"The Men You'll Never See" - Detroit in Effect (2002)

"Detroit Story" - Detroit in Effect (2023)

Episode 69 welcomes welcomes English producer and DJ Dave Clarke. An early interest in music pushed a young Dave to follow his ambitions no matter what, and as a teen he worked moved out of his parents place, worked odd jobs, and lived rough in order to pursue a life in music. He got an early residency at a club in his native Brighton, but it was his production — releases like Archive One and Red — which propelled him into the spotlight. Since then, he’s become an authority on all things techno, a stalwart of the scene, eternally delivering inimitable and exciting DJ sets.

In this episode, we discuss Dave’s breakthrough with Archive One, the ups and downs of releasing records, and the undulating path of his creativity in music, photography and beyond.

@dave-clarke-dj-sets

++

MUSIC

"Protective Custody" - Dave Clarke

"Wisdom to the Wise" - Dave Clarke (Robert Hood remix)

"The Woki" - Dave Clarke

Follow AIR

Instagram: www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/

Patreon: www.patreon.com/airpodcast

Substack: airpodcast.substack.com

Welcome back from an unexpected month off, we are here with episode 68 of AIR, an interview podcast series with a different theme each episode.

This month, I’m joined by producer, DJ, and live performer Sibel Kocer, also known as @jakojako_live. Having spent years toiling through manuals, books, and working at the famed synth shop Scheidersladen, Sibel eventually bought her first eurorack and the rest, as they say, was history: her productions are rooted in not only her love of storytelling, but her expertise as a modular specialist.

On stage, her live and DJ sets are journeys, too, sometimes ambient, other times driving techno, but always thoughtful, hypnotic, and full of texture thanks to her uniquely changing live and studio set up. Sibel recently left her job at Schneidersladen to focus on making and playing music full time, and we sat down together to discuss the career ebbs and flows of an artist on the rise.

JakoJako's new EP Segmente is available here: https://jakojako.bandcamp.com/album/segmente-ep

++

Music:

"Introspektion" - JakoJako (2024)

"Opak" - JakoJako (2023)

"Obejkt" - JakoJako (2022)

++

Follow AIR

Instagram: www.instagram.com/_airpodcast/

Patreon: www.patreon.com/airpodcast

Substack: airpodcast.substack.com