hearts of space | news

921 'EXOTRONICA' : Week of Aug. 27th...

Brian Eno once said that "the problem with computers is that there is not enough Africa in them."

It's a problem that electronic dance music artists tried to solve back in the 1990s, when the exotic sounds and kinetic polyrhythms of what we now call world music were added to the mix by hyper-creative DJs and studio producers. From beaches in India to dance floors around the world, the style has morphed into a thousand colors and variations, and things have never been quite the same since.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, we ride the good-time vibe of summer with a program of beat-y, border-crossing ambient/trance music called EXOTRONICA. Music is by SHPONGLE, ALVIN KRAMER, DREAM JUNGLE, LUMIN, and GUNNARD DUBOZE.

[ view playlist ]     [ view Flickr image gallery ]     [ play 30 second MP3 promo ]

Our new 'heads-up' display goes live

We've been working on this update for some time and we rolled it out today. It was inspired by advanced computer interfaces in sci-fi movies like Minority Report, but also by the deep perspective and spatial imagery of the music we work with. In a word: spacey.

For casual users of the site, you'll notice a cleaner look and a "see-through" effect, with very minor changes to the actual operation of the service. But under the hood we've rebuilt the structural system of the site.

Our previous design used an old web technology called frames. While there were advantages to using frames years ago, they have been eclipsed by newer methods, and the new design takes advantage of a newer technology called iFrames. We also found a way to 'tint' the pages with layers of semi-transparent colors you can see right though.

One of the presenters at a conference I attended a few months ago said "Online the UI (user interface) is the brand." I don't think this is 100% true, but he's definitely onto something with this statement. Online the UI is critical — it's the place where you touch and interact with the site, the service and to a degree, the company.

There's one more feature we are working on and will add next month: deep linking.

Most websites support this naturally, because every page has its own URL or web address. But when you build a site with frames (or the newer iFrames) these URLs are hidden within the enclosing elements of the site. Our brilliant programmer Steven Brosseau has figured out a way to have the best of both worlds — a site with iFrames and individual URLs. What it means is that you will be able to bookmark or send a link to anything you can navigate to on HOS.com.

We'll be tweaking the new design in the coming days based on your feedback, so let us know if anything isn't working on your screen.

:: SH

PGM 736R 'HYDROLOGY' : Week of Aug. 20th...

Here's a show about water. Salt or fresh, almost 3/4 of our planet is covered by it, and it makes up to 65 percent of our bodies. It's our most important nutrient — we simply can't live without it. No wonder it's a common theme for ambient music.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, spacemusic that celebrates water, on a program called HYDROLOGY. From the primordial ocean, the source of all life — we'll navigate rivers and streams, lakes and marshes — tracing the water cycle. Music is by VANGELIS, LISA WALKER, JEFF GREINKE, ROBERT RICH, TIM GERWING, RUSTY CRUTCHER, DAVID PARSONS and KIT WATKINS.

[ view playlist ]     [ view Flickr image gallery ]     [ play 30 second MP3 promo ]

PGM 920 'BHAJAN' : Week of Aug. 13th...

In the gentle world of Indian music, a bhajan is a Hindu devotional song. The word is derived from the Sanskrit bhakti meaning worship. A bhajan can be sung by a single person or a group. It can be vernacular language with rudimentary music, simple folk tunes, or sophisticated poetry and music based on classical ragas. The common expression of bhakti is spiritual feeling, lyricism and love for the Divine, which could apply to any religion.

In India, the history of bhajan has a political dimension: from the 14th to the 17th centuries, saintly musicians like KABIR created bhajans and tried to reform Hinduism as an all-inclusive faith for the common people, during a period when India was ruled by the Mughal Empire and Islam. The bhakti movement offered a path to the divine through direct experience. Today the tradition lives on in India...and around the world.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, an hour of Indian devotional music by western musicians, on a program called BHAJAN. Music is by TY BURHOE, RASA, DEVA PREMAL, SHANTALA, BEN LEINBACH, SHAFQAT ALI KHAN and ANNAPURNA, and STEVE GORN.

[ view playlist ]     [ view Flickr image gallery ]     [ play 30 second MP3 promo ]

PGM 770 'THERMALS' : Week of August 6th...

Flying and floating: two weightless activities we associate with the airy skies and watery delights of summer. Of course, spacemusic allows you to fly and float all year 'round, but somehow it's even more enjoyable in the warm weather months.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, we ride the air currents and float on blissful waves, on a program of ambient electronics for summer called THERMALS. Music is by MARCONI UNION, ASHERA, GULAN, STU JENKS, and A PRODUCE.

[ view playlist ]     [ view Flickr image gallery ]     [ play 30 second MP3 promo ]