This week’s XEN RADIO is a more eclectic mix that usual. Opening and closing the show is the microtonal punk group, Jock Tears, and they’re joined by music from Gamelan Degung, Harry Partch, Horse Lords, and others.
Xen Radio, Episode 18
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Xen Radio, Episode 16
This week is all about new releases! We listened to tracks from four new albums that had just dropped in the last several weeks: Horixens, by Sevish; Hark, Ye Music Lovers, by An Exciting Event; Quarter Tone Partitas, by Frank Rothkamm; and HABAFROPZIPULOPS, by City of the Asleep.
Xen Radio – Special Edition: Ben Johnston
On July 21, 2019, Ben Johnston passed away. He is most well known for bis pioneering work with microtonality—especially just intonation. Unlike Harry Partch, whom he studied with in the 1950s, Johnston composed music for conventional instruments. One of his greatest achievements is his cycle of 10 string quartets, which have recently all been recorded by the Kepler Quartet. In memory of Johnston, the July 23 episode of XEN RADIO was completely dedicated to his music. It featured his sixth string quartet, selections from his song cycle, The Tavern, the Suite for Microtonal Piano, and his Trio for clarinet, violin, and cello.
Xen Radio, Episode 12
Again, XEN RADIO opens and closes with the music of Veli Kujala and Ben Johnston. Their work is joined this week by Fretless Brothers, Jute Gyte, Löis Lancaster, Billy Stiltner, and Eliza Brown.
Xen Radio, Episode 11
The first episode of June featured mostly new music I learned of since I started producing XEN RADIO — Elk Minister, Veli Kujala, and Elaine Walker are recent additions to my own awareness of xenharmonic music. And they complemented the music I had known about for a while, such as Cage’s Solos for Voice and the King Gizzard tracks.
Xen Radio, Episode 10
Over the next several weeks (now until the June 25 episode) XEN RADIO will be featuring sections of two major microtonal works: Ben Johnston’s String Quartet No. 1, Nine Variations, and Veli Kujala’s Hyperchromatic Counterpoint. Kujala’s work will be opening each show, and Johnston’s will be closing each show; sometimes, you might hear one of those movements among the the middle of the show. This week was also the first track we’ve heard by Harry Partch — who we’ll be hearing more of in the weeks to come — and three tracks from Brendan Byrnes album Room Tapes.
Xen Radio, Episode 9
Episode 9 is juxtaposition of two works, Tombo por Lou, composed and recorded by John Schneider on his recent album, Just National Guitar, and Mileece’s electronic music album, Formations. The show goes back and forth between the Mileece’s tracks and the movements of Schneider’s work. There’s something strangely similar about these two works, despite there obvious differences.
Continue readingXen Radio, Special Edition: The Mercury Tree
For this special edition of XEN RADIO, I was joined in the KPISS RV by the mircotonal rock band, The Mercury Tree. They’re in the midst of a tour all over the country and I was luck enough for them to make the time to visit the studio and to curate a playlist of xenharmonic/microtonal tracks that they love.
Continue readingXen Radio, Episode 7
Xenharmonic and microtonal music is more than “classical” experimentations and deviations from 12-tone equal temperament (in fact, there’s really quite a bit to say about how loaded the term “microtonal music” truly is — but that’s a discussion for another day), so this episode is almost completely filled with tracks from the rock, jazz, and other streams of xenharmonic music.
Continue readingXen Radio, Episode 6
After a break of one week, XEN RADIO returned to the air with an eclectic mix of mostly “non-classical” tracks of microtonal music.
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