Working On The New Website

Once again, it's been awhile since I posted anything to this blog or Transmitting to Earth. There's a myriad of reasons for this: Lack of inspiration, difficulty of posting, shortage of time...I could go on and on, but what's the point of doing so? I'm back now, and that's all that matters, right? And hopefully you'll be hearing from me more often; I've just begun using a desktop blogging client called ecto, which should make the process of posting to my blog(s) less painful.

So here's the latest from that region of the downtempo universe you know as VoyagerRadio (and Tempo of the Down). I've begun working on a new website for the Tempo of the Down podcast, and you'll be hearing new sessions soon. I'm currently working on Session 06, following the ultra-popular/mucho-downloaded Session 05 (Pirates), which you can download in MP3 format by clicking here. You can view the playlist for Session 05 here. Once Session 06 of the podcast is available, I'll be making an announcement in my forthcoming newsletter for Tempo of the Down. Please consider subscribing to the newsletter so that I know you're excited about the podcast and ready for me to put it out there; subscribe by simply emailing your preferred email address to VoyagerRadio@Gmail.com.

The Tempo of the Down website will be located at tempoofthedown.com but it's not yet available, and until it is, you won't find much of interest there. I'll let you know when it's ready by making an announcement here and/or on the Transmitting to Earth blog; of course, newsletter subscribers will probably receive notice first -- and will also have the opportunity to receive special VoyagerRadio/Tempo of the Down swag! (Members of VoyagerRadio's discussion group already know all about this.)

iriver T30 + Virgin Digital = Number 1

I spotted a discounted iriver T30 at an electronics store the other day, and I just had to buy it, knowing that the portable digital audio player would allow me to transfer my Virgin Digital music subscription downloads to the device to take with me anywhere. Since yesterday, I've been going nuts with the device, transferring songs and full albums using my Red Pass subscription. Right now on my headphones: Goldfrapp: Number 1 [EP].

Bitter:Sweet Performance

Just a few minutes ago, I listened to a sexy downtempo band perform here at Virgin Digital, Bitter:Sweet. I say "sexy" because the band was really putting the seduction on with their new single, "The Mating Game", lead singer Shana Halligan mesmerizing her audience with sultry moves, as her partner (and former Supreme Being of Leisure) Kiran Shahani got his own groove on with his own instrument.

Bitter:Sweet's debut album The Mating Game will be released April 4, 2006 on Quango.

Thanks For Sending Music; Now Send Some Images, Too (Please)!

I've been finding some great downtempo in my mailbox and email inbox lately, due in no small part to the submissions of artists like Filewile and DJ Olive and Luminous, and recording labels such as Modus Vivendi Music and Switchstance Recordings and redCola and Kriztal. Thank you to everyone for sending your music; a new session of my Tempo of the Down podcast will soon be delivered, showcasing the best downtempo music in the universe. You make it a whole lot easier for me to find that music by sending it my way!

By the way, I keep forgetting to make time to change those album covers images you've seen at the top of this page for the longest time; send me your album covers and perhaps I'll remember to change those images once in awhile! (You can send your album images via email, via the form you'll find on this page (currently located at the bottom of the right column), or via old-style mail to the address you'll find on VoyagerRadio's Contact page.)

Currently On My Headphones: DJ Olive

Yesterday I received a CD in the mail by artist Gregor Asch, also known as DJ Olive. I believe the CD is titled The Agriculture, though I could be wrong; certainly it's a continuous mix of either works by DJ Olive or works by other downtempo artists.

I obviously don't know much about DJ Olive yet, but I've been enjoying the rip I made of his CD this morning (and currently have playing to my ears through my portable audio player's headphones). I was also pleased to find that Virgin Digital has an earlier release by DJ Olive, Bodega, which I've now downloaded and am enjoying -- I've even passed a recommendation to one of the fellows who selects the music that is featured in the digital music service's software player...

Session 05 Playlist (With Links)

Here is a reposting of the Tempo of the Down: Session 05 (Pirates) playlist, to include links to the recordings artists' websites (or the websites for the recording label they are associated with):

1. Timbo - Zero Hour - Slow Progress [myspace.com/timbo2]
2. Chill Factor 5 - Truth - Premiere [electronfarm.net]
3. Solus - Ummes - Lights In The Valley [upstairsrecordings.com]
4. Solus - Session 5 - Lights In The Valley [upstairsrecordings.com]
5. Mossyrock - Whiskey is the Devil - The Zero to One Sessions [nicesmooth.com]
6. Mossyrock - Lips That Hurt [nicesmooth.com]
7. Canartic - One Drop - Headphone Test [dankdisk.com]
8. Kinder Atom - Cabride - Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm [nicesmooth.com]
9. Kinder Atom - Willie Pierce - Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm [nicesmooth.com]
10. Molasses - Curiosity - Madness [E.P.] [ubiquityrecords.com]
11. Aphex Twin - Fingerbib - The Richard D. James Album [warprecords.com]
12. Quant - Get Off My Line - Getting Out [laxrecordings.com]
13. Under the Radar - Red Eye Back - Radio Flyer [richardsouther.com]

Session audio includes Professor Lawrence Lessig and Jeff Tweedy's discussion of modern copyright practices, moderated by Steven Johnson.

Session 05 is currently available for download, or as an automatic download using your choice of podcatcher (such as iTunes, Juice, or Doppler) with the following podcast feed:

http://www.voyagerradio.com/podcast.xml

Current Podcast: Session 05

Tempo of the Down: Session 05 (Pirates) is currently available for download using your web browser, or as an automagic download using your podcast receiver with the following podcast feed:

http://www.voyagerradio.com/podcast.xml

The Session 05 playlist is as follows:

1. Timbo - Zero Hour - Slow Progress [myspace.com/timbo2]
2. Chill Factor 5 - Truth - Premiere [electronfarm.net]
3. Solus - Ummes - Lights In The Valley [upstairsrecordings.com]
4. Solus - Session 5 - Lights In The Valley [upstairsrecordings.com]
5. Mossyrock - Whiskey is the Devil - The Zero to One Sessions [nicesmooth.com]
6. Mossyrock - Lips That Hurt [nicesmooth.com]
7. Canartic - One Drop - Headphone Test [dankdisk.com]
8. Kinder Atom - Cabride - Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm [nicesmooth.com]
9. Kinder Atom - Willie Pierce - Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm [nicesmooth.com]
10. Molasses - Curiosity - Madness [E.P.] [ ubiquityrecords.com]
11. Aphex Twin - Fingerbib - The Richard D. James Album [warprecords.com]
12. Quant - Get Off My Line - Getting Out [laxrecordings.com]
13. Under the Radar - Red Eye Back - Radio Flyer [richardsouther.com]

Session audio includes Professor Lawrence Lessig and Jeff Tweedy's discussion of modern copyright practices.