wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

For this New Sounds, listen to indie artists straddle the divide between world music, ambient and electronica as they incorporate or approximate traditional instruments, traditional sounds, and take the results well out of indie rock-land.  We'll hear from the Tradi-Mods Vs Rockers record, the latest in the Congotronics series, where carefully chosen artists have recorded homages to the original source material - landing someplace between reinventions and cover versions, and often go as far as being worthy of the dancefloor.

For this New Sounds, we’ll hear composed works for duos and small ensembles that veer toward the ambient.  We’ll hear from the amplified, processed and looped duo itsnotyouitsme, who are violinist Caleb Burhans and guitarist Grey McMurray, and a piece called “The Ghosts Among Us.”  There’s also trio music (keyboards, accordion, sometimes vibes, and a clarinet) by keyboardist and composer Phillip Schroeder whose music might be best described as ambient. 

It's the most wonderful time of the month - the showcasing of new release s! On this New Sounds program, listen to the pick of the piles. There'll probably be new music from Rachel Elliot of Clogs, from pianists Brad Mehldau & Kevin Hays, along with something from the band Apparat.  Plus, hear the latest from violinist/singer-songwriter/whistler Andrew Bird, the duo itsnotyouitsme, and the lutenist Jozef van Wissem. 

For this edition of New Sounds, hear new music for strings.  There’s music from Russian composer Anton Batagov, Estonian composer Arvo Part, and Icelandic composer Johann Johannsson, and Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Andrew Bird.   The deluxe edition of Bird’s latest effort, “Noble Beast” is packaged with a companion album of adventurous instrumentals called “Useless Creatures,” which was just released last year on its own.  

For this New Sounds, listen to indie artists straddle the divide between world music, ambient and electronica as they incorporate or approximate traditional instruments, traditional sounds, and take the results well out of indie rock-land.  We'll hear from the Tradi-Mods Vs Rockers record, the latest in the Congotronics series, where carefully chosen artists have recorded homages to the original source material - landing someplace between reinventions and cover versions, and often go as far as being worthy of the dancefloor. 

Studio 360 spends some time on its own. Kurt Andersen and his guest, the novelist Jonathan Lethem, discuss the pleasures and hazards of being alone. They’ll talk about the solitary work of writing a novel, and about musicians who ditch their bands to go solo. And we hear from playwright ...