THIS WEEK WE MARK OUR 1100TH PROGRAM and 33rd year of national broadcasting with another of our centennial specials. This time we're going to depart from our normal wordless all-instrumental format and bring you a special collection of epic and contemplative electro-Ambient songs from the ethereal world of "Dream Pop."
I know, this violates one of the prime directives of Ambient music programming, because song lyrics in a language you understand engage your cognitive mind and force your brain to listen differently from the diffuse, spatially aware way you listen to Ambient music.
It's a shame, because some of the world's most talented and successful artists, producers and engineers put their hearts and souls and Ambient sensibilities into these often awesome recordings. Even typical verse/chorus songs can deliver stirring sound images and passionate performances, while other artists create songs that march through vast virtual spaces, build monumental chorales inherited from the classical repertoire, or create the intimate contemplative spaces we love in non-vocal forms of Ambient music.
Sure, sometimes the subject matter is mundane, but there's an emotional reason that popular songs rule the charts and move millions. If you ignore what pop song artists are doing with Ambient sounds, you're going to miss some transcendent music. So on this centennial show, why not see what some of our pop song creators have been up to?
On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a journey in the halls of Dream Pop, on a program called SPACE SONGS. Music is by PORTER ROBINSON, BJORK, MS MR, BIRDY, BLISS, RADIOHEAD, KODA/STRAY THEORIES, CONJURE ONE, CREEP + LOU RHODES, BECK, BARCELONA, MELODY GARDOT, and TRACEY CHATTAWAY.
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Hey it's your show!
Best wishes,
Ed Murray
Posted by: P Edward Murray | 17 January 2016 at 10:17 AM
Congrats on 40 years HOS ! I've been w/ you on & Off since 1986. ( Following you around on the local NPR channels were I've lived, and for a couple years there on the old XM Radio.) though I prefer the old analog radio transmission. Yes- after all these years- we are still listening. One of my many favorites was program 893, Touching the Sky, broadcast on 10.21.12 - which contained some vocals which sounded like the female singer/s from the re-imagined Battlestar. Do you happen to have any more ? THX.
Posted by: Will Wright III | 12 March 2016 at 05:52 PM