Starlight Thursdays Episode 269 featuring Nes recorded live at Forest Groove. This was my first time attending the campout. I’ve known one of the organizers for some time. He came to our forest creatures campout year after year and drew a lot of inspiration from it. He and a group of friends decided to do something similar just north of Spokane Washington. I got to connect with a bunch of old friends from the Montana scene and met some new ones. The community was incredibly friendly. Catching Nes play his live electronic sets are always special. He generates sounds with a program he wrote and composes sets on the fly. It’s a unique style and performance worth checking out.

-BK Love-

Some words from our featured artist Nes.

“For this performance Ryan (part organizer of Forest Groove) asked me to play some driving techno - just to see what I could come up with using Beat DJ. It was a super fun set. It was my 4th and last set at Forest Groove 3. I started the set off with a song I co-created with my friends Alejandro and Kirby from Mars College called Electro Croaker which was a fusion of italo disco and industrial. After that the rest of the set was completely improvised. Techno to me is really about repetition and subtle evolution that induces trance states. It’s like a machine/engine running. This set was improvised using Beat DJ - you can download Beat DJ at soniare.net/beatdj”

-Nes Croft-

Starlight Thursdays Episode 268 welcome Dj Philly Fresh to the show!

We did a little interview to get a look behind the scenes.

Why did you get into DJing?

I got into DJing because I am passionate about electronic music.  For me, electronic music was natural progression from loving jazz.  Electronic synthesis is the most breadthful and versatile instrument and represents the current sonic frontier.

Where do you reside these days?

Bozeman Montana

Where are you from originally?

Florida

What inspires you to DJ?

The music itself is the inspiration for DJing.  I am passionate about this music and am proud to showcase selections that are life-giving to me.

What inspires you about electronic music culture?

Electronic music culture is just a subset of music in general.  Music has the power to describe, elevate, and shape the human experience.  Electronic music is one of the most broad and capable mediums within music in general.  The inclusivity of electronic music culture is a reflection of the breadth of electronic music.  

What genres are in your mix?

This mix is an amalgamation of sub-genres that I believe merit more attention.  It includes soundscape, ambient, lofi, electronic jazz, boombap, downtempo bass and more.

Can you tell us a little about your mix “LifeSounds”?

This mix is similar to a mix I performed at Hulaween in 2024.  The inspiration for the original mix was The Oasis in Spirit Lake.  This space was used for workshops, yoga, and relaxing refuge within the festival grounds.  My goal was to play music that would allow festival goes to relax while still actively experiencing something interesting.  Too often people want to be able to relax and do nothing but end up pushing themselves to party at festivals due to internal and external pressure.  That being said, I don't see why relaxation and artistic stimulation need to be mutually exclusive.  

For more Dj Philly Fresh check out his sound cloud

https://on.soundcloud.com/` 

“It is an honor to be able to showcase the works of the following incredible producers:”

-Dj Philly Fresh-

LifeSounds full track list

dʒɛmɪnaɪ - leaves

Yosi Horikawa - Bubbles

Tennyson - Kaonashi

Stasys - Serenade 

Yosi Horikawa - Wandering

MINDEX - Komorebi

Blookah (feat. Andrea Cormier) - Where Are You Now

Galimatias - Ocean Floor Kisses

Ovoid - Mingo Mango (VIP)

Zonra & Cnopes - Butter Cutter

Kyodiana, fwocl, Popbot, Stasys - The Traveler’s Mind

Yosi Horikawa - Rainbow

Sam Gellaitry - ferns.wav

Tennyson - Like What?

Parkbreezy - Vestige

Tenru - The Way She Moves

KOAN Sound - Solace of the Red Giant

dʒɛmɪnaɪ - Pale Blue

The Backseat DJ once was the Thursday night purveyor of KBGA's dance party programming. In this set, recorded 2-13-2020 he starts out playing a bunch of hip hop, jumping back and forth to drum n bass, before going full drum n bass for the second half. Hope you enjoy this throwback!

Starlight Thursdays Episode 266 welcome MEG to the show!

MEG is a rising force in the house music scene, captivating audiences with her high-energy sets and signature blend of bass house, funky house, minimal, and deep house. Known for her seamless transitions and infectious groove, Meg curates every performance as a journey, balancing heavy basslines with soulful rhythms and immersive textures that keep crowds locked in and moving. From underground parties to club stages, she’s quickly earning a reputation as a must-see DJ with a sound that is both fresh and timeless. With undeniable passion, sharp instinct, and a bold vision for her craft, MEG is redefining what it means to move a dance floor, and she is just getting started. Audio mastering by Damon Kex

Starlight Thursdays Episode 265 featuring Party Robbins recorded live at Missoula Fashion Week block party.

Who better to kick off the event than this man! I had the privilege of putting together the lineup and thought If Party Robbins would do the honor of opening it up and setting the vibe we’d be stoked to have him. He brought some funky house, minimal and techno to the sound system and the party began to form with hula hoops and flow dancers mesmerized by the beats under the sunshine. This was also the debut of our project Disco Carrot as a stage. We recently decked out a snowcat with speakers and a DJ booth to bring to events and fashion week turned out to be a perfect maiden voyage. We’re really grateful Party Robbins christened the decks and played a fantastic set. Hope you enjoy!!!

BK Love

It was such an honor to play the inaugural Block Party set for Missoula Fashion Week!

I knew I had to put together something really special for this set, as this was a lot of firsts for our local art community. It's a lot more laid back and groovy than my typical mix, but I kept just enough juice in it to keep you moving for the whole two hours.

I hope you enjoy every one of these grooves!

-Jack- aka Party Robbins. For more Party Robbins check out https://soundcloud.com/jack-johnson-196?ref=clipboard&p=i&c=0&si=8B0D8D3CA74B4943B84032042A8CF80C&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Starlight Thursdays Episode 264
Featuring Crank Zappa – Live at Funk It Coffee & Thrift

The Night Shift dance party series has been an absolute thrill. It feels like a mini renaissance blooming on Missoula’s north side. With no alcohol in the mix, the vibe naturally offers an alternative to the typical bar scene—and for many, it’s the perfect warm-up before heading out to the clubs.

I’ve been curating DJs who can keep it funky, deep, melodic, and housey—and Crank Zappa fits the bill to a T. His set moves effortlessly between Disco and Indie Dance, weaving in soulful vocals, big instrumental moments, and even a touch of techno. He was absolutely on fire during this recording, keeping the room grooving from start to finish.

-BK Love-

Starlight Thursdays Episode 263 featuring a live recording from Star Garden 2025 of the one and only Sticky People

I haven’t really produced much house. Really only 2 or 3 tracks. But when Starlight looped me in to be involved in their New Years Eve celebration, I knew that I needed to pull off a house set. So each weekend leading up to the party, I sat down and banged out a beat or two. I started sampling vocals and strings and some synthy pads from my vinyl, my phone, and from this pile of ¼” tape that I scored with a reel to reel machine from a pawn shop earlier this year. Someone recorded a radio station way back in what must have been the 60s or 70s on these tapes. So listening to them has been a trip and thrown lots of fun sampling my way The vocal samples include, and might not be limited to: Erykah Badu, Gladys Horton, Joe Biden, Lady Pajama. The instrumental samples include: Madonna, KOYN Billings. Once the beats were assembled, I jammed keyboards with them, figuring out chord progressions that I liked. I’d record anything that I liked and then during the week leading up to the party, I listened back on the recordings to choose the beat/chords combos that I liked the best. From there, it was a matter of writing down the chords on a notepad and jamming it out live on New Years Eve! So much thanks to Starlight Reunion for having me! It was a blast!

Sticky People

For more Sticky People music check out his website

stickypeoplemusic.com

The tracklist:

Sun Brain - available for download/donation at https://stickypeople.bandcamp.com/track/sun-brain-live-at-star-garden-nye-2025 

Greenhaus

Postman

Live2TL

Biden Rave

Otherside of the Game/Turkeyface

Everything in it’s Right Place/Your Apology is but a Grain of Rice in a Bullshit Curry

Starlight Thursdays Episode 262 featuring BK Love live at The Badlander

What a night to remember! This was my first time playing The Badlander—a place I’ve danced at countless times, always dreaming of being behind the decks. Huge thanks to Pinedrops for inviting me to play the opening night of his new residency.

We found a sweet synergy between our styles and kept the energy high all night long—blending Deep House, Afro grooves, Disco, and the Latin horn-and-percussion-filled tracks I’ve been obsessed with lately.

It was one of those sets that felt like a full circle moment. Much love to everyone who came out and danced with us!

BK Love

Starlight Thursdays Episode 261 featuring Mixtress Pendula.

It is springtime. Time for New beginnings: we've passed the vernal equinox. I wanted to give you about an hour, maybe a little more, of some high energy neurofunk drum and bass. This mix was a lot of fun to make. It's got some good energy. And I hope that the humor that runs underneath it is obvious. If nothing else it's a good something to get you going in your moves outdoors enjoying this new season. 

Hope to see all of you somewhere outside at a venue this summer. And in the interim I'm frequently on Twitch as well. But I hope this mix puts a little pep in your step.

Mixtress Pendula

Starlight Thursdays – Episode 260

This episode marks the 5-year anniversary of the mix series! To celebrate, we have something truly special: a guest mix from Carr Tell, inspired by the “Made in Montana” mixes I used to release on past anniversaries. This concept brings together tracks exclusively from Montana-based producers, curated and mixed into a single cohesive experience. I’m beyond thrilled to have Carr pick up where I left off with the project—it’s a powerful full-circle moment.

There’s something magical about this kind of collaboration. Artists get to hear their music performed by another artist, often in ways they hadn’t imagined. It can be eye-opening. And for our community, it’s a chance to hear what I believe is the true sound of the Montana underground—a sound that may be subtle and nuanced, but deeply worth celebrating.

For the DJ, it’s no easy task. You’re working with genres and styles you might not usually play, trying to piece them together like a jigsaw puzzle without the picture on the box. But that challenge can be transformational. Personally, this process gave me a deeper connection to every artist who contributed. I wanted to honor their work—I didn’t want to let them down.

Now, here we are: 260 mixes and 5 years in. We’ve hit over 52,000 streams, with listeners on every continent and in every state. What began as a way to stay connected during the pandemic has become something much more. We recently celebrated our 100th artist featured on the series.

With live recordings from Montana festivals, club nights, house parties, and parades—across venues statewide—this archive includes everything from debut mixes to all-vinyl sets and original live performances. I can’t express how grateful I am for the effort so many artists have put into this, and to our listeners: thank you for trusting us with your ears and making us feel heard. This has been a truly priceless experience.

— BK Love

Carr Tell:

“One thing I’ve always loved about the Thursday mixes is how they give everyone a chance to be heard. Montana producers really showed up for this one. I’m never surprised—but I’m always impressed—by the talent this state holds! While this was a challenging mix, I loved every minute of it, weaving together multiple genres and BPMs into a story only Carr could Tell.”

Track list

Seas To The Sky - The Other Side Of Dawn

Implied Lines - Ninteneaux

Star Map - Lab Grade

Talking Bout A Revolution - Tracy Chapman - Taboh Edit

It Never Entered My Mind - Miles Davis - Tessub Edit

Trippin - Ninteneaux

Check Yo - Carr Tell

Cellar Dweller - Hex and Hive

SDB - Party Robbins

Thought Shit - Quadratic Spheres

Come Play with Us - Carr Tell

First Hex - Hex and Hive

Susie Q - CCR - Party Robbins Bootleg

Unreleased - SHBASS

Good Company - The Montana Boy

Welcome To The Shit Show - Tessub

Color Of Everything - Taboh

Out Of This World - Gruv42 and Shane Dee

Make Them Make Us - Shane Dee

Fake I.D. - Rave Edit - DC CHI3F

I.T.G.I.R.L. - Rave Edit - DC CHI3F