Night Clerk Radio: Haunted Music Reviews

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Dark Jazz can be droning, languid, and brooding - the music of smoky and quiet bars, of desperate people lost in themselves, of mystery and regret. And we're back listening to it again, this time examining two bands both of whom are deeply linked to the genre as they've been producing excellent dark jazz episodes for decades. We dig into two of their recent albums and share our thoughts.

Ramsès Redoute by The Dale Cooper Quartet & The Dictaphones
Patchouli Blue by Bohren & Der Club Of Gore

An Interview With Dale Cooper Quartet & The Dictaphones
Step Right Up: Dale Cooper Quartet
Elevator Music: An Interview With Bohren & Der Club Of Gore
Bohren & Der Club Of Gore: "The End Of Humanity Has Never Sounded So Hopeless And Creepy

Music by: 2Mello  
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell  
Ross on Twitter
Birk on Twitter
Night Clerk Radio on Twitter
Support Night Clerk Radio on Patreon

Reminder: Our patreon is up! https://www.patreon.com/nightclerkradio

Heimat Der Katastrophe (HDK) is a DIY label managed by an artist collective in Milan. They produce a wide range of albums from genres described as "ambient punk, minimal-synth, dungeon-drone, wartime music and post-nuclear wave." On this episode, we discuss two of their recent releases: a classic dungeon synth album and a soundtrack for an Italian sci-fi tv-movie that never existed.

HDK 72 † La gabbia umana by A. Ralla
HDK 81 † Husk the mountains by Pontifferasmus

13 Essential Italian Horror Soundtracks
Notebook Soundtrack Mix #10: The Black Belly of Giallo
How Do You Make Music For Giallo Films? Composer Curtis Heath Explains

Music by: 2Mello  
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell  
Ross on Twitter
Birk on Twitter
Night Clerk Radio on Twitter
Support Night Clerk Radio on Patreon

News: The Night Clerk Radio Patreon is now live. You can check it out and support us at:

https://www.patreon.com/nightclerkradio

You'll get bonus episodes, access to our community Discord, and much more as the Patreon continues to grow!

Each yeah, the vaporwave subreddit (r/vaporwave), compiles a list of their favorite albums of the year. For this episode, we checked out the "Best of 2020" albums and listened to as many of them as possible. We discuss our personal favorites from the list, but in reality they're all worth checking out.

Full Best of 2020 List

常夏 by desert sand feels warm at night
high society by luxury elite
O'discordia by w i n t e r q u i l t
Wii Fit 𝙃𝘿 𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 by US Golf 95

Destination Spa by DATAGIRL
GAIA by Blank Banshee
喚起 by ｇｈ０ｓｔ
Midnight Store by Donor Lens
Thank You For Holding by Various Artists
1989 by haircuts for men
ΩMEGA MALL X by Limousine
liteware by FM Skyline

Music by: 2Mello  
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell  
Ross on Twitter
Birk on Twitter
Night Clerk Radio on Twitter
Support Night Clerk Radio on Patreon

Hyperreality, a term coined by Jean Baudrillard, is the point at which the real can no longer be easily distinguished from  fiction or simulation including simulations of realities that do not exist known as simulacra. The connection to vaporwave, a genre of music which seeks to induce nostalgia for eras that never existed, is immediately apparent.

On this topic episode we briefly introduce some of the ideas behind Baudrillard's hyperreality and discuss how we think they can be applied to vaporwave and its aesthetic goals.

Reading List
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Simulacra and Simulation by Jean Baudrillard
America by Jean Baudrillard
Faith in Fakes: Travels in Hyperreality by Umberto Eco, William Weaver

Additional Resources
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Baudrillard and Vaporwave: A Remixed Nostalgia
Culture Jamming: Hacking, Slashing, and Sniping in the Empire of Signs
Rick Roderick on Baudrillard - Fatal Strategies
Episode 124 ... Simulacra and Simulation on Philosophize This!
American Psycho, Baudrillard and the Postmodern Condition
Don’t Worry, These Gangly-armed Cartoons Are Here to Protect You From Big Tech
Comment: Vaporwave and the pop-art of the virtual plaza
Comment: “Distroid” – the muscular music of hi-DEF doom

Credits 
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Music by: 2Mello  
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell  
Ross on Twitter
Birk on Twitter
Follow Night Clerk Radio on Twitter for updates

Often, technology evolves at such a relentless pace that consumers may not be able to explore something's full potential before moving on to the next upgrade. In this episode, we dive into two artists who are linked by their common goal to produce novel audiovisual art using these abandoned technologies as both inspiration and instrument. Join us as we explore two very different slices of computer history.

Albums Discussed
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C​:​\​>DEFRAG by MASTER BOOT RECORD
Cyberspace Database by Fornax Void

Related Links
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MASTER BOOT RECORD on Twitch
MASTER BOOT RECORD - Reddit AMA - 2018
“C​:​\​>DEFRAG” Review - Everything Is Noise
Fornax Void - Cyberspace Database Production Documentation
Fornax Void - Corporate Intranet Menu Music (Official Video)

Credits 
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Music by: 2Mello  
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell  
Ross on Twitter
Birk on Twitter
Follow Night Clerk Radio on Twitter for updates

Yig, this year's entry in Cryo Chamber's annual Lovecraft Collection, features over two hours of eclectic soundscapes and atmospheric music produced by a collaboration of some of the best dark ambient musicians. Join us as we dig into this masterful album and unpack some of our favorite parts. Don't forget the corn.

Albums Discussed
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Yig by Cryo Chamber Collaboration
Silent Hill 1 - Intro and Ending

Related Links
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Yig on YouTube Track 1
Yig on YouTube Track2
Yig | The H.P. Lovecraft Wiki
Dark Ambient of 2020 by Cryo Chamber
Our Hastur Episode with Caleb Stokes

Credits 
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Music by: 2Mello  
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell  
Ross on Twitter
Birk on Twitter
Follow Night Clerk Radio on Twitter for updates

The chilling and eclectic soundtrack of Unsolved Mysteries is comprised of hundreds of hours of original music written during the show's decades long run. The theme song alone is renowned for its ability to frighten and unsettle young viewers of the show. In recent years, a small portion of this music has been curated and released as two records. In this episode, we are joined by Caleb Stokes from The Mixed Six Podcast to discuss the music from these albums and share our personal experiences watching Unsolved Mysteries. Join us for an UPDATE!

Albums Discussed
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Unsolved Mysteries Volune One: Ghosts / Hauntings /The Unexplained
Unsolved Mysteries Volume Two: Bizarre Murders / UFOs/ The Unexplained
Unsolved Mysteries 2020 Netflix Intro

Where To Find Caleb
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Caleb on Twitter
Red Markets: A Game of Economic Horror
The Mixed Six Podcast

Related Links
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The Devil in music (an untold history of the Tritone)
Here's the Story Behind the Creepy Unsolved Mysteries Theme Song
March's Lost Legend of the Month: The Unsolved Mysteries "Update" Theme
Why is the 'Unsolved Mysteries' theme song so creepy?
An Interview with Composer Dan Alvarez

Credits 
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Music by: 2Mello  
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell  
Ross on Twitter
Birk on Twitter
Follow Night Clerk Radio on Twitter for updates

Christmas, particularly in the US, has become a yearly affair of seasonal pop music and rampant consumerism. Fortunately for us, this makes it the perfect target for vaporwave and mallsoft, where critiquing capitalism by manipulating pop music is the standard fare. This, combined with the ever-present themes of hauntology and nostalgia, means we have a lot to discuss. So, grab a mug of your favorite hot beverage and join us as we cover two albums that apply a vaporwave lens to Christmas music.

Albums Discussed
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FANTASY☆DELUXE CHRISTMAS EVE HOLIDAY SPECIAL
Christmastime at North Hills Mall by Vacation Bible School

Related Links
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What makes a song sound like Christmas? By Adam Neely
"Christmastime at North Hills Mall" -- Visual Experience Album
Christmas Creep

Credits 
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Music by: 2Mello  
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell  
Ross on Twitter
Birk on Twitter
Follow Night Clerk Radio on Twitter for updates

Intersection of multiple influential elements - Jet Set Radio introduced a generation of gamers to new styles of music and art, a legacy still felt today. It gave us an alternative to the forever war narrative of most games, a world where violence and greed is defeated by art. It’s hopeful, a model for utopian praxis. Despite its flaws, JSR had a vision. This vision affected countless artists, musicians, and game designers.

Even if you’ve never heard of this game or the Dreamcast, this soundtrack is worth listening to. It’s an eclectic album but everything fits together to create a union of funk, rock, house, techno and hip hop you can nod your head to. It stands on its own. We will probably never get another Jet Set Radio game but that’s fine. This represents the best spirit of its era and it still slaps today.

Albums Discussed
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Jet Set Radio Soundtrack
Jet Set Radio Future Soundtrack
Memories Of Tokyo​-​To: An Ode To Jet Set Radio by 2 Mello

Related Links
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So I've Finally Played... Jet Set Radio & Future (+Hover)
Jet Set Radio | LIVE
Jet Set Radio, Splatoon and Identity
List of tracks in Jet Set Radio

Credits 
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Music by: 2Mello  
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell  
Ross on Twitter 
Birk on Twitter 
Follow Night Clerk Radio on Twitter for updates

The smooth jazz soundtrack and automated aesthetic featured on The Weather Channel in the mid-90's has been finding its way into vaporwave and internet art for nearly a decade. It represents a kind of forgotten nostalgia for calmer times. In this episode we talk about how this music came to be, it's relationship to vaporwave, and its impact on our memories of The Weather Channel.

Albums Discussed
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ATMOSPHERES 第1 by Eco Virtual
Sunday Television by 猫 シ Corp.
WMCC Weather Channel by Morris County Meteorological Team

Related Links
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The Weather Channel Classics - Trammell Starks
The Weather Channel's 'Smooth Jazz' Strikes Chord with Viewers
The Weather Channel’s Soothing Music: Millennial Rebellion
RetroWeatherChannel on Twitch
A look back: Weather Channel graphics of the past

Credits 
-------- 
Music by: 2Mello  
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell  
Ross on Twitter 
Birk on Twitter 
Follow Night Clerk Radio on Twitter for updates