[Read in full on NHAM]

Numskulls, Harlequins & Amusing Misleaders – NHAM Mixtape 10

Released on April Fools’ Day I had to give this one a fitting title. But the tomfoolery stops there. There are no pranks below. Only more great tunes found in The Fediverse.

Last month a brilliant little album of collaborations between artists who connected via Radio Free Fedi was released, including one track featuring yours truly. It was such a top album that I’ve included five of the collaborations within this mix.

The radio show version of this mixtape (where you have to put up with me talking a bit too) can be found on Audio Interface (@audiointerface) from the first Monday of the month.

[If viewing from the Fediverse you need to click here to listen to the mixtape on NHAM]

1. Dancing and Kissing by Bitplanes
CC BY-SA
@bazkie

Kicking off with a most uplifting of tracks for all the dancers, kissers and cuddlers out there.

2. You are not alone by C.Circo and sknob
CC-BY-NC-SA
@CCirco, @sknob

Am I only dreaming? This song is a dream in every sense. I feel like I’ve drifted off under a tree on a lovely sunny day and am dozing in and out of a lovely light dream.

3. origami universe by pulu
CC BY-NC-SA
@ahihi

Originally released on the first disc of last autumn’s 3-disc Not What I Call Bonkwave compilation, origami universe is a triumph in glitching, breaking and euphoric chanting. pulu is Miranda, a ‘computer sound worker’ from Finland.

4. collapse by control.org
CC BY-SA 4.0
@controlfreak

I get real Underworld vibes from this beast of a tune taken from the 2002 album ‘radiate’. Control yourselves!

5. Night Dad by Galaxy Brain
All Rights Reserved. Used with permission
@galaxybrain

London electronic music producer Galaxy Brain named this song after a Korg M1 patch. It comes from a four track EP of the same name which she describes as a love letter to late 80s and early 90s deep house.

6. The Space Between the Sea and the Sky (Default Media Transmitter remix) by Key13
CC BY-NC-SA
@keefmarshall

In mystic tradition ‘thin places’ are energy fields where it is said that the veil between our world and the eternal world is thin. The space on the horizon where the sky meets land or sea is often cited as one of these places. This track captures that essence magnificently.

7. Nothing Comes Around by Edith Frost
All Rights Reserved. Used with permission
@edithfrost

A gorgeous folk pop song from a brand new album by the singer-somgwriter from Austin, Texas.

8. Shame by Matt Young & Edvards
All Rights Reserved. Used with permission
@mattyoung, @EDVARDS

In this relatable tale of regretting youthful misdemeanour, Matt and Edvards combine superbly for a dose of melodic, retro pop-rock.

9. Leave the Light On by Futzle featuring Aelyth from sideSister
All Rights Reserved. Used with permission
@futzle, @elsemusic, @jimbob

Ethereal vocals, captivating chord changes and a swinging beat that you can’t help but nod, tap and groove to.

10. ZOE by Center of the Universe
All Rights Reserved. Used with permission
@counivers

RTFM! Great line. From the album COU which contains eight 3-letter-acronym titled songs, ZOE – presumably about the electric car – heaps the fun in to the funky. The deep vocal and content matter makes this a perfect sequel to Hot Chip’s Playboy (driving in a Peugeot with the top down) for the renewables generation! Although I’m not sure whether Norwegian DJ and artist Center of the Universe sees it that way, citing the album as a collection of obsolete technologies which once had promises of a brighter future.

11. DOINITRITE by Babu Menos
All Rights Reserved. Used with permission
@babumenos

Wow! Nods to Byrne, Gabriel and Bowie in this epic juxtaposition of a funky, happy-sounding groove that depicts an angry, greedy, needy, ruthless and narcissistic world leader who considers himself infallible.

12. That One Day by Default Media Transmitter/Xylander
(Words written by Deborah Pickett, read by Eivind)
CC-BY
@defaultmediatransmitter, @xylander, @eivind

Closing out with the four way collaboration that closed out the Comfy Collaborations album. A mammoth soundscape about the end of everything can really go in no other place. Enjoy it while you can.

[Read in full on NHAM]

NHAM Update Opus 3

Since the last NHAM update, we’ve been busy tinkering with the site to make it hopefully even more pleasant and useful. Here are the highlights :

Major update to the WATCH section

• First of all, we added a Podcasts section to the WATCH page, which currently includes @lorenzosmusic’s interviews with @meljoann, @freebliss of Faircamp fame and Simon Vansintjan of @mirlo.
• We also added a ton of music videos, with the invaluable help of @limebar.
• The WATCH page still features a random selection from our curated list of videos, but you might have noticed that it now includes View more links. They lead to new sub-pages (like this one) where you can browse the entire collection, and even filter the videos by genre!
• Oh, and we finally got the size of the video thumbnails under control .
• (Finally, please don’t tell anyone, but rumour has it that we will help host a few videos ourselves using Hyper8, @freebliss’s other super cool static site generator.)

As a reminder, we only link to videos that are hosted on fair platforms (or self-hosted), so don’t hesitate to post your best videos on Peertube, Hyper8 or your site if you want us to consider them for inclusion.

New “Fundamental Resources” section in the Menu

The new essential, useful, necessary, valuable, foundational, Fundamental Resources section in the Menu (the hamburger thingy in the upper right corner of the screen) is a shortcut to some of the most helpful articles and, well, resources, for people trying to get a grip and a grasp of the overall state of the music ecosystem on the Fediverse (and beyond).

Hopefully, it’s a good place to send someone who is interested in digging into the question, although the ‘Inside our Ecosystem’ whiteboard by @ethicalrevolution is also a great high-level resource to grasp the big picture.

Also this month we’ve been posting more:

• NEWS, which is hopefully a practical way to catch up with the latest developments when you’ve been too busy making or listening to music to be glued to your favorite fedi feed.
• REVIEWS, including a guest review by @inpc of the Comfy Collaborations RFF tribute album curated by (and featuring) @futzle.
• And RELEASES on fair platforms, including music from @babumenos, @bazkie, @bgm, @cbertine, @CCirco, @Dace, @dereisenhofer, @EDVARDS, @FastGhost, @fstateaudio, @mattyoung, @mcmullin, @meljoann, @SamanthaJaneSmith, @simon, @sjwallin, @sknob and @tmoore.

And of course, you can still:

• Vibe to good music in the LISTEN section, and
• Find out about upcoming events in the ATTEND section

We’re frankly quite humbled by the number of people visiting the site (and the number keeps growing). Thank you! Keep on spreading the word far and wide so even more people can stay abreast of what’s happening, find their place in the community and connect with other members!

[Read in full on NHAM]

Nonchalant Hares Acknowledge March – NHAM Mixtape 9

This is the first mixtape since the inception of NHAM as an online magazine-style music platform for indie artists with a Fedi presence. Hopefully you’ll be glad to hear that the monthly mixes will be continuing in this corner of NHAM while we look to connect some of the dots in this indie ecosystem and amplify indie artists via the rest of the site.

The radio show version of this mixtape (where you have to put up with me talking a bit too) can be found on Audio Interface along with all others going forward since NHAM 8.

[If viewing from the Fediverse you need to click here to listen to the mixtape on NHAM]

1. Waste by Crocuta
All Rights Reserved. Used with permission
@crocuta

Grunge-pop duo from Leipzig, Germany who use only free and open source software in their music production. They manage to combine the clarity of pop with the murkiness of grunge to great effect.

2. Channel Up by Sound of the Void
CC0 1.0
@Firesledge

Sound of the Void are French psychedelic punk rock trio Alice, Laurent and Marie-Claude. I love their raw sound. It’s the sort of thing you might expect when out in a city like Manchester, casually dipping in and out of the many live music venues. There’s invariably a gem or two like this to be found.

3. I Wasn’t Even Supposed To Be Here Today by lostlemming
All Rights Reserved. Used with permission
@tflynn

Sticking with analogue, taking it smooth and mellow via lostlemming, an instrumental post rock band from Illinois, USA. This gorgeous track comes from their 2022 album, 61 Cygni.

4. Just Beyond Your Fear by TEACOZY
All Rights Reserved. Used with permission
@Teacozy

Aussie in Amsterdam, TEACOZY has self-described as a ‘stumbling buffoon compelled to love and make things’, and I love that they’ve made this beautiful thing. It’s neurotic folk that stays with you long after you’ve listened. Small pangs, tickled heartstrings, it resonates.

5. Umami by Brickwall Unlimited Inc.
All Rights Reserved. Permission received
@dereisenhofer

AKA Benjamin Eisenhofer AKA Bandstahl AKA flann AKA Horus. The moniker changes but the quality stays the same. Umami is one of four separate Brickwall Unlimited Inc. releases made since Christmas. I found it hard choosing which one to feature but it was the sensational Umami that left me salivating most.

6. State of Us by Endless Blue
All Rights Reserved. Used with permission
@endlessblue

Released on Future Cabaret Records, State of Us is an old number unearthed during lockdown 2021. The duo originally formed in Minneapolis in 2003, fusing trip hop and downtempo with blues and jazz roots. Their music tackles themes of relationships, identity, loss, and mental health. In short the State of Us.

7. Bye by Meljoann
All Rights Reserved. Used with permission
@meljoann

This was dropped last year as the first single from their brand new LP which is out on March 14th. I’ve had a sneak preview of the album and can confirm that the multi-talented king, queen and Prince of hyperjack is back with another absolute beast for us to feast on. The song and album stick two fingers up to billionaire-owned Big Social and capital, proudly proclaiming we can do it without you.

Indeed, Meljoann has set a date when she is going to say Bye, Bye, Bye to everything Meta, and she’s encouraging all of us to join her and do the same thing at the same time.

8. Digital Dope by Grey Matter
All Rights Reserved. Used with permission
@greymatter

Speaking of Big Social’s insatiable appetite to consume us while we consume it, here’s a brainy, bangin’ hip-hop offering exploring our modern day addiction to technology and social media.

I found California-based, Chicago MC Grey Matter while listening to Basspistol Radio and was delighted to find they too have begun to dabble in the clearer Fedi waters.

9. Not Enough (feat. Danny Hailé) by Sam Nabi
All Rights Reserved. Used with permission
@samnabi

More hip-hop, this time from a Canadian activist and web developer with a keen eye for good tech. Via Tri-Cities Sam Nabi collects venues, neighbourhoods, studios, artists and stories that have shaped the hip-hop scene of three cities local to him, enabling fans and artists to draw connections between the art they love, and the places that inspired the art.

10. Souls Beat Slow by Berdandy
All Rights Reserved. Used with permission
@berdandy

Andy Berdan is a professional video game developer whose skills are evidently transferrable to neat beats too. It’s that irrepressible garage beat coaxing me in on Souls Beat Slow – it just gets me right there. If anything it makes my soul beat faster, but that’s ok. Let’s just dance.

11. Had Enough by Shin Bone, ENOENT
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
@enoent

”Too odd for normal social media. Too normie for the Fediverse.” That’s how ENOENT describes themself on Mastodon, but the music is evidently not: ENOENT was inundated by DMs praising this track when it was a staple on Radio Free Fedi, which doesn’t surprise me one bit.

12. 2AM Long Gone by Sitka
All Rights Reserved. Used with permission
@oleksiy

2AM Long Gone, Sitka’s first ever release, was part of a Musicians Defend Ukraine fundraiser compilation album which you can support here. It was produced on his modular synth rack, on which he recently performed a live set followed by a Q&A demonstrating how it all works, which is very cool. The set was streamed by Basspistol and they’ve hosted a recording on their Peertube channel.