Synthetic Dreams Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Graham Crabb from Pop Will Eat Itself joins me on the podcast this week.

Graham discusses the early days of PWEI, playing iconic music show Top Of The Pops and his memories of touring with legendary hip-hop act, Run-DMC and Nine Inch Nails.

The group, who formed back in 1986, still features much of the original line up.

PWEI were way ahead of the curve, when they first burst into the scene, fusing punk rock guitars with hip-hop samples and electronic beats.

Some great stories In this one!

http://www.popwilleatitself.net/pwei/

Truly thrilled and honoured to be joined by Kathy Sledge from legendary group, Sister Sledge on the Synthetic Dreams podcast this week.

Formed in the early 70’s, the group, which featured Kathy Sledge and her sisters Debbie, Joni and Kim, achieved massive, world-wide success during the height of Disco in 1979.

Their breakthrough album "We Are Family' peaked at number three on the American Billboard charts and included the hit singles ‘We Are Family’ and ‘He’s The Greatest Dancer’, both of which Kathy sang lead vocals on

Kathy’s excellent new single Promise Me is out now, available on all streaming platforms.   

This Sunday, 15th September, Kathy headlines the Uptown Festival at Bute Park Cardiff.

For more information & Tickets : www.uptownfestival.co.uk Line up also includes Maxi Priest, Aswad, Desmond Dekkers Ace’s, Captain Accident & The Disasters.

https://www.kathysledge.com

Kathy Sledge - 'Promise Me' - live at BBC Radio 2 in the park

Sister Sledge -'We Are Family' official video

Sister Sledge - 'He's The Greatest Dancer'

Synthetic Dreams is presented and produced by Scott Zverblis Synthetic Dreams on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Synthetic Dreams title music by Chris Ibbott

Today’s episode features an in-depth and fascinating interview with Armenian-American vocalist, songwriter and composer, KÁRYYN

KÁRYYN talks to me about the making of her latest three- track, EP Calm KAOSS! Which was co-produced by James Ford, one of the UK's biggest record producers, previous guest on Synthetic Dreams and one-half of Simian Mobile Disco.

KÁRYYN also speaks about her time at Mills College in Oakland, where she was exposed to experimental music through teacher-composers like Pauline Oliveros and Maggi Payne. 

We also discuss sexism in the music industry and the challenges she has faced as a female musician. She discusses these experiences in a frank and open way, but with a good deal of humour.  

Calm KAOSS! Which also features two fantastic remixes, is out now on the always excellent Mute records, a label we both love 

Today's episode features the second part of an in-depth and fascinating conversation with electronic pioneer, Morton Subotnick.

This week's exceptional episode of Synthetic Dreams features the legendary American electronic musician. Morton Subotnick.

In 1967 he released the seminal album ‘Silver Apples of the Moon’ - a record that showcases the sound of the Buchla 100 invented by the late and very great, Don Buchla.

This groundbreaking and hugely influential record was the first electronic composition composed exclusively for the album format

This year sees the release of 'Subotnick - Portrait of an Electronic Music Pioneer' a brand new documentary about his career , which has already received some fantastic reviews.

The film, which has yet to have a UK release date, is currently screening in the US.

This interview is part one of two interviews with this great man, who at 91 years of age, is showing no signs of stopping. 

Todays fascinating episode of Synthetic Dreams features Ivor Novello winning musician, producer and co-creator of popular electronic act, Goldfrapp.

In 2005, Will formed The Will Gregory Moog Ensemble  - a group of talented musicians, who all perform with analogue synthesisers. 

We discuss the formation of the Moog Ensemble and  recording of their excellent debut album, ‘Heat Ray’ which is out on June 14th via Mute Records.

Will also talks about his vast collection of analogue synths, his earliest musical passions and love of Wendy Carlos and her album, ‘Switched-On-Bach’. A hugely influential electronic album, which was truly groundbreaking at the time of its release back in 1968. 

The Moog Ensemble are playing a few live dates later in the year, including a headline slot at the Hidden Notes Festival on 21st September.

For more information about the Will Gregory Moog Ensemble and the players involved visit: https://www.willgregorymoogensemble.co.uk/ 

To pre-order the album visit: https://mutebank.co.uk/collections/will-gregory-moog-ensemble

Moog Ensemble - Young Archimedes (Official Visualiser)

Synthetic Dreams is presented and produced by Scott Zverblis Synthetic Dreams on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Synthetic Dreams title music by Chris Ibbott

Today’s episode of Synthetic Dreams features electronic musician, DJ, producer, remixer and record label owner, Josh Wink Born and raised Philadelphia, Josh has enjoyed several hits, not only under his own name, but also with different aliases, including "I'm Ready" (as Size 9) "Don't Laugh" (as Winx), with his absolutely amazing and timeless track, "Higher State of Consciousness," which still sounds incredible today. We discuss, among other things, his more material, including the E.Ps ‘Ci-Devant and ‘The Deepness’, earliest musical passions, the American rave scene in the early 90s and Ovum Recordings, a record label he started back in 1994 with his good friend, King Britt. This year, the label celebrates it 30th Anniversary. www.ovumrecordings.com www.joshwink.com. Synthetic Dreams is presented and produced by Scott Zverblis Synthetic Dreams on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Synthetic Dreams title music by Chris Ibbott

My guest this week is musician, composter, writer and filmmaker, Barry Adamson. We discuss his excellent new solo album ‘Cut To Black’ which is out this Friday, 17h May. This is Barry’s tenth solo album. Barry, who has worked with Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Visage and Finnish electronic act, Pan Sonic, also talks about his brilliant memoir ‘Up Above the City, Down Beneath the Stars’, which was published in 2021, via Omnibuspress press. It’s well worth a read! We also talk about his earliest musical passions, the post-punk scene in Manchester, back in the late 70s, meeting Howard Devoto and the formation of Magazine - one of the greatest bands the city has ever produced To purchase the album or for details about forthcoming live dates visit http://www.barryadamson.com

‘Pioneer’ is a word that often gets overused in the world of music journalism, especially when describing this week’s guest, but that’s exactly what she is, a pioneer…a true pioneer of electronic music! 

Suzanne Ciani speaks to me about the time she met Don Buchla and her memories of him, as well as discussing her early career in new New York, making advertising jingles for huge companies like coca-cola.  

She also talks about the recording of ‘Golden Apples Of The Sun’ a collaboration with Parisian composer Jonathan Fitoussi, which came out last October     

Suzanne Ciani performs in China on May 24th before retiring to the UK for a couple of dates in September. For tickets visit: https://www.sevwave.com/

Synthetic Dreams title music is by Chris Ibbott 

My guest this week is Boris Blank from hugely influential Swiss electronic act, Yello.

Boris Blank formed Yello with Carlos Peron back in 1979. Charismatic singer and lyricist, Dieter Meier, joined shortly after. Boris and Dieter became a duo after Peron left the group in 1983 to pursue a solo career, and the rest, as they say, is history.  

During our conversation, which was recorded over telephone, we discussed, among other things, Blank’s third solo record ‘Resonance’. The twelve tracks that feature on “Resonance” were originally commissioned for the FORTYSEVEN thermal spa near Zurich.  

Boris also talks about the new documentary ‘Oh Yeah’ which explores the legacy of Yello’s iconic track which found international success after being featured in the closing scenes of John Hughes classic teen comedy ‘Ferris Bueller's Day Off’, which is one of my favourite films of the 1980s

For more information about the new album, or to buy a copy, visit:

https://ianrecords.com/products/boris-blank-resonance

Boris Blank - 'Resonance'

Synthetic Dreams is presented and produced by Scott Zverblis Synthetic Dreams on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Synthetic Dreams title music by Chris Ibbott