[Read in full on NHAM]

Next-level Happy Anniversaire, Martin – NHAM Mixtape 12

One of my dearest friends and one of the big sources of musical inspiration to me from a very young age has a special birthday on June 1st so I’m dedicating this mixtape to him.

He was a drummer and songwriter in a band my dad managed when I was a wee boy. After that he formed a new band who had brief britpop stardom with an appearance on The Big Breakfast and quite a following in Japan. Then at the turn of the century he formed a trip-hop outfit who managed to win what was dubbed during the Napster age as the first ever internet Oscars, beating Eminem to an mp3.com streaming number one single and subsequently being flown by helicopter to The Playboy Mansion to collect the Best Music Award.

Martin and I have had some great experiences together, not just in music but in football, cricket and life too, so this mixtape is dedicated to you, Martin. And hey you’re never too old to join us in the Fediverse! -The music scene in here is BUZZING and the community is a joyous thing.

As always there is also a radio show version of this mixtape with me chatting between the tracks. That can be found on Audio Interface (@audiointerface) from the first Monday of the month as well as occasionally featuring in NHAM Radio‘s Mixtape Monday slot.

Click the first track to begin playing and keep the page open to hear the mix in full.

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

1. Ctrl Alt Del by Silverman
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The opening track from the third Silverman album, ‘Speed of Life (part 2)’ released in 2002.

2. Lampadaires by Knobil
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Knobil aka Louise Knobil is a double bassist, singer and composer who blends jazz, punk, glitter and French chanson with sparkling, audacious energy. Those of you familiar with the surroundings in the Fedi music scene will surely have come across the wonderfully talented @sknob. Well Louise is his niece. Talent and creativity obviously run in the family. Great video too:

3. Information Array by Roberta Fidora
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@RobertaFidora
If you haven’t yet seen the INCREDIBLE animated video for Roberta’s latest single, ‘Here Come The Lucky Ones’ you can find it on NHAMtv. The video for ‘Information Array’ (also brilliant) is in there too. This track is one of my absolute faves.

4. Assfuck the Boss by Meljoann
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@meljoann
There’s something of an Alex Cameron vibe to Meljoann’s work. Not necessarily in the actual sound but certainly in the tone. Assfuck the Boss is no exception.

5. HDYK by Liotia
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@inpc
And so to the man I share many a morning with in the Fedi. Matthew Smyth plays records from his shed every weekday morning between 8am and 9am UK time – That’s 5pm in Pyonyang as I’m sure Matt would like me to point out! He streams The Kali Mera Show playing records from his collection and chatting via Owncast where a bunch of us just hang out with him and his cat George as we begin our day. It’s great and you should definitely pop by and join us when you can. Liotia is one of Matt’s music projects alongside Abigail Hubbard.

6. Flames by Schall und Stille
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@stephan
Susanne Balg is on vocals on this gorgeous song by Stephan Kleinert’s Schall und Stille. It was recorded on an island in the North Sea as part of a 4-track EP called ‘Biike’ about the tradition of the same name, which is the burning of large bonfires to bid farewell to winter.

7. Fear the Summers by Crocuta
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@crocuta
From bidding farewell to winter to fearing the summer by German grunge pop duo Crocuta. They nail the vibe of sweltering urban heat in this track.

8. Cruel by Alastair Leonard
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@javantigers
Beautiful. From a double A side released earlier this year by the songwriter living in Western Australia.

9. Eternal Return by socool
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@socool
This one takes me back 20 odd years to when I was listening to The Album Leaf a fair bit. As ever it’s a masterfully put-together piece of music by Emily from Vancouver aka socool.

10. Hunaja by Lehto
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@lehto
A sublime blend of funk, breaks and trance in Hunaja, which is Finnish for honey. It comes from the album, ‘Sisu’, released this year.

11. My Heart Tin by Secret Deal
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
My apologies that I cannot mix or master but this one’s written especially for your birthday, Martin – in collaboration with my band mate @stefan who masterfully composed the music. Cheers you!

12. Time is a Blade by Silverman
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The track from the end of the last millennium that topped the mp3.com streaming charts and earned Martin a music industry Best Music Award. A video performance of the song is below. I’ve posted a little collection of some of the tracks from the four bands (well three plus a name-change) Martin was in during my formative years. Those bands were the aforementioned Silverman (1998-2002 + 2016), Nilon Bombers (mid-late 1990s), The Kissingers (early 1990s) and Frame by Frame (most of the 1980s and in to the 1990s).