Night Clerk Radio: Haunted Music Reviews

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Hey, do you know how many days are in April? Because Birk sure doesn’t! So, we’re putting the “night” in Night Clerk Radio with a special evening release.

In this episode, it's time for some April new music! But first, we start with some of our most out-of-touch shout-outs ever! Specialty coffee subscriptions? Criterion Commentary Tracks? Get real! Don’t worry, however, as we then get into two very different but very excellent albums. We discuss the slushy and hypnagogic ロービット from vaporwave artist Eccosystem and then dig into the endless future funk bangers on Superwave from Kouek. We hope you join us and check out these albums!

Passenger Coffee
Strange Buildings by Uketsu
Empire Of The Dark on Blu-Ray
Why was I invited to Beast Studios?
Support Roge Corp/i2k/VaporVA!
Bad Day at Black Rock on Criterion

ロービット by Eccosystem
Superwave by Kouek

A Commentary That’s Better Than Film School
Rondò Veneziano - La Serenissima

Music by: 2Mello
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell
Night Clerk Radio on Bluesky

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Okay, the accelerated release schedule continues for another month! Time to cram 'em in!

In this episode, we’re checking out a 2025 article covering “Cinematic Doom Jazz.” This curation effort from Philippe Blache for Igloo Magazine highlights and categorizes dozens of doom and dark jazz bands and ensembles from the past 20+ years. It features everything from early 2000s trip hop inspired tracks to more recent releases from Cryo Chamber. The article is linked below. Please give it a read and check out the artists featured.

Dead city centres from Perdition city by Ulver

The cinematic impulse of doom jazz ambient music, neo-noir psychological thrillers, and haunting music

Music by: 2Mello
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell
Night Clerk Radio on Bluesky

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We’re getting back on schedule with a one-time only accelerated release cadence! Also, you gotta release March new music in March. Those are just the rules. I don’t make em.

In this episode, we follow our traditional approach of having literally zero coordination leading to the selection of two very different albums. First up, we have a delightful ambient album from composer Nick Bowers that was written to accompany a painting exhibit. Then, we get into the most recent compendium from classic dungeon synth artist DIM. All that plus some questionable shout outs and more! Come join us!

Despiser on IMDb
Warlock Corpse / Труп Колдуна - You and I are in a Dark Crypt Forever
Portal Man on IMDb
Max Cooper - A Sense Of Getting Closer
Born Into A Dream on IMDb
Center Core Never More

Music for Chromaticism by Nick Bowers
Compendium V by DIM

Music by: 2Mello
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell
Night Clerk Radio on Bluesky

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While some may wax poetic about the ancient and noble art of fishing, they often overlook that it’s an activity that inspires some excellent games with incredible soundtracks. Well, in this episode, we haven’t forgotten! We’re talking about fishing games, their music, and their influence on vaporwave. We primarily focus on two plunderphonics albums from River Master, but we also talk about a handful of other albums, both old and new. So grab a six-pack and some nightcrawlers and join us!

The Angler's Dream by River Master
Memory Lake by River Master
FISHING TALES by slowerpace 音楽
Fishing by Abel Project
Yuka Umezawa (梅沢由香) & Tomoko Tsuyama (津山知子) - Fishes' Dream (魚たちの夢)

Fishing Shop Simulator on Steam
Relaxing Fishing Game Music VHS Tape
DREADMOOR on Steam
This Fishing Game’s Soundtrack DID NOT Have to Go This Hard!

Music by: 2Mello
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell
Night Clerk Radio on Bluesky

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We've emerged from our winter slumber to share some new music. First, we’re listening to the latest collaboration from City Girl & Guided Tour, Mana Lake, which takes the listener on an evocative journey through house, lofi, and vaporwave. Then we’re checking out personalFX, the debut album from 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝑜𝓃𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑒, a fantastic album that similarly tackles a range of genres and moods. We hope you join us and check out these artists!

Mana Lake by City Girl & Guided Tour
personalFX by 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝑜𝓃𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑒

Music by: 2Mello
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell
Night Clerk Radio on Bluesky

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In our last new music episode of 2025, we’re checking out some recent albums with a focus on experimental electronic music. First up, we have an evocative journey through supernatural and eerie memories inspired by horror video game OSTs. Then we’re diving into the latest from plunderphonics pioneer and veteran Oneohtrix Point Never, an album that offers a lush exploration of 90s commercial sample CDs set against a hazy backdrop of digital nostalgia.

The Signalwave Christmas Special 2025 by The Signalwave Community
nosleep by Various Artists
Christmas on the Isles from Roge Corp
ROUTINE on Steam
CHRISTMAS VAPORWAVE 2025 | Holiday Vaporwave
RoboCop statue

Secrets in Motion IV: The Ghost Writer by Halogen Star
Tranquilizer by Oneohtrix Point Never

The Signalwave Christmas Special 2025
Oneohtrix Point Never - Tranquilizer (Full Album Visualiser)

Music by: 2Mello
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell
Night Clerk Radio on Bluesky

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Okay class, settle down and bust out your textbooks because in this episode we’re digging into Utopian Scholastic. It's the aesthetic of optimistic encyclopedias, multimedia learning, and the sleek, educational graphics that promised a brighter, hyper-informed future. We'll explore how Utopian Scholastic, with its love of Dorling Kindersley and Encarta, shapes our nostalgia for education in the 90s and its natural connection to vaporwave.

Discovery (Virtua Theme) from Virtua by trndytrndy

Scholastic Exploration 📚 (Encartwave Mix) by ArpWire
𝐔𝐓𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂 📖 1990s Nostalgic Atmospheres (Music & Ambience) ✨🛰️🌍🦒🌿 by Kester Spach

Virtua by trndytrndy
Daniel White on Bandcamp
ENCARDIA '99 by slowerpace 音楽

CARI Article on Utopian Scholastic
Utopian Scholastic - Aesthetics Wiki
Wikipedia - Dorling Kindersley
Utopian Scholastic: A Consumer Aesthetic of Intellectual Curiosity and Optimism
Utopian Scholastic & Eyewitness - The World You Once Knew
I ate at every Rainforest Cafe in the Country

Music by: 2Mello
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell
Night Clerk Radio on Bluesky

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Wow, would you look at that? It’s an episode covering some new music, and within Birk’s local light cone, it still qualifies as a November release. After spending an absurd amount of time on a couple of shout outs we get into two great albums. First up is some vaporwave/drum and base from Pizza Hotline inspired by nostalgia for early 00s video game soundtracks. Then we embrace the black friday recording date with some chillwave/mallsoft synth work from Dead Shopping Malls. Put down that 65” box of Kraft Dinner and join us!

VaporAid3 VOD on Hot Takes’ Twitch Channel
The Man from Mo'Wax
In The Line of Duty Film Series
Car Alarm (extended reprise)
Transcendental Style in Film
Video Essay: Why Movies Just Don't Feel "Real" Anymore

DREAM SELECT by Pizza Hotline
Once, We Were Infinite by Dead Shopping Malls

Music by: 2Mello
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell
Night Clerk Radio on Bluesky

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We were fortunate enough to be invited onto the “Hot Takes” vaporwave talk show. We sat down with YUNG SHIRO 白 and luxury noise for two hours of chatting about everything from Boards of Canada to horror tropes. Please check it out here: Episode 87: Night Clerk Radio.

Anyway! Wow, another genre episode! It’s been a while. What will they talk about this time? Will they talk about Bandcamp tags for an uncomfortable amount of time? Will they get hung up on overly niche hyper characterization of niche genres? The answer to all these questions is obviously “yes!”

In this episode, we’re digging into the genre of VHS pop, which is often thought of as the upbeat and optimistic cousin of late night lo-fi. We talk about our history with the VHS format, attempts to classify niche genres, the power of nostalgia for physical media, and our hope for a revival of the sub-genre. Join us!

FANTA from NEW AIR by channel select

a journey through VHS pop by Azurestar
Genre Classification from Reddit circa 2019
VHS Pop on Bandcamp

Music by: 2Mello
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell
Night Clerk Radio on Bluesky

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Another episode already?! That's right! We're working to return to our regular release schedule. In this episode, we're diving into some new October music. As usual, we've got two albums: Ross stayed on theme for spooky month with a unique take on plunderphonics and dungeon synth from Magnum Innominandum, drawing inspiration from classic cosmic horror. Birk immediately jumped on that brand new Navigateur album, which offers an eclectic blend of genres and masterful production. We hope you join us in checking out these albums and supporting these artists.

Lego Pirates: 1989-1996 by Dreamcastle™
Lost Secrets by Notorious Secret & Lost Traveler ロスト
"Tennis, Everyone?" — A Tribute to the Late, Great James O. Incandenza by Hakita
░▒▓█ ＲＡＧＧＡＷＡＶＥ █▓▒░ by "愛"
The Living Tombstone - "Everything Is Fine (Remix)"

The Gargoyles of Vyônes by Magnum Innominandum
INFINITY VOL.II by Navigateur

Direction by Navigateur

Music by: 2Mello
Artwork by: Patsy McDowell
Night Clerk Radio on Bluesky