MuhMur Radio Broadcast #285 : 28 September 2025.

 

The 'Various Artists' releases, filed under 'Compilations' at the local record shop. The compilation has always been a favourite of mine. In my youth (the 1960s) there was always music in the house. We did not have a record player but the radio was on all the time. The BBC Light Programme that was later to become BBC Radio 1, Radio Luxembourg (Fab 208) and Radio Caroline. A continual compilation of music. The chart topping pop programme 'Top Of The Pops' was essential family viewing on a Thursday night. The Top 40 chart rundown on a Sunday evening with Alan Freeman meant it was bath time .. anyway, I am just trying to figure out why I like the compilation albums / singles so much. I do know people who don't like them at all, too varied  and not enough time to get in to what's being played etc. I know people who don't like 'Live' albums either, I wasn't there, so what's the point of listening to it? You know these people .. fools. 

Christmas 1969 and we moved house. A house-warming present from the grandparents was a radiogram. I can't remember if it was stereo or mono .. but it was big, chunky and loud. It came with a few of my grandparents old records too .. I remember being given the Gene Vincent single "Pistol Packin' Mamma" and some Thunderbirds (The Puppets) 7" singles. This meant pocket-money was now spent at Woolworths and/or Boots The Chemist record counter. I used to go for the 'Top Of The Pops' compilation albums. A selection of recent chart toppers performed by session musicians, not the real artists, but session musicians and the BBC  Pop Orchestra. I imagine it was something to do with copyright but my ten year old ears couldn't tell the difference and indeed, did not care. Besides the covers of all 'Top Of The Pops' albums came with a glamour model proactively posing on the front sleeve. Win Win.

                            Please let it be known that I had this album in my collection (1973).

                           

Another selling factor for the 'Top Of The Pops' albums was that they were cheap. Cheaper than your average album. I don't remember much about compilation albums in the mid 1970s. I know that Charisma Records and Virgin Records released label samplers, but I think they were full price and who wants to listen to Henry Cow, Van Der Graff Generator, Capability Brown, Genesis and Hatfield And The North tracks when there's a whole lotta Black Sabbath and Deep Purple to listen to for the same price .. I remember in the 1980s my friend Tim having the compilation album "The Age Of Atlantic", he bought it cheap just so he could use it as a rolling mat. Never played it. Then there were the compilation albums you could get by collecting vouchers in Record Mirror and Sounds magazines. They can't have been very good as I never collected the vouchers. 

1977 / 1978 and I was brought back into the world of the compilation. The various artists albums ... and singles. The rise of the independent, the surge of the New Wave, and discovering John Peel's radio show on Radio 1. I taped each programme and then edited the broadcast to the tracks I like best and stuck them on a separate cassette, it was like compiling my own compilation album. The John Peel Sessions were on a separate C90 naturally. I still have a couple of those C90 cassettes with John Peel Sessions and play them often, there is a great JPS compilation double CD called "Movement : BBC Radio 1 Peel Sessions 1977-1979" released by BBC/EMI in 2011. Recommended. I bought the "Streets" and "Business Unusual" compilations when they came out. Mainly a collection of singles released by independent albums from 1977 - 1978. There was a "Business Unusual" tour in 1978, it came to Lincoln. UK Subs, The Outsiders and Skunks played AJ's. One of my favourite gigs of '78. There were also Rough Trade Records tours, some visited Lincoln, Robert Rental & The Normal, Essential Logic & Stiff Little Fingers being the most memorable. Spizz Energi, Kleenex and The Raincoats was a good one too. 

What then followed was a slew, a plethora of compilation albums, cassettes and singles highlighting various independent label releases, various live venues, cities, towns and regions. 

Here's a few examples ... 

"Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival" released in 1978 by Albion / Warner Brothers Records was recorded live at the North London venue. It features bands such as XTC, The Stranglers, Suburban Studs, Burlesque, The Saints and Steel Pulse amongst others. "Can You Hear Me? Music From The Deaf Club" was released in 1980 on the Optional Music label. All bands recorded live at The Deaf Club in San Francisco, USA. It features bands such as Dead Kennedys, Tuxedo Moon, Offs and Mutants amongst others. 

"Hicks from The Sticks" is an essential compilation album to have. It featured bands from the North of England. Bands such as Airkraft, Section 25, Radio 5, Clock DVA, Modern Eon, Ada Wilson & The Keeping Dark and Music For Pleasure amongst others. Released in April 1980 on the Rockburgh Records label this album introduced me to so many new bands. An album I did not know existed "Heat From The Street" subtitled "The Sequel To Hicks From The Sticks" was released by Charisma Records in 1981. I found this album in Croc Records, Toulouse a couple of years ago. 

'We had a great deal of fun working on 'Hicks from The Sticks' compilation LP which we released through Rockburgh Records last year. The album may have well had its flaws but it was generally well received and seemed to be followed by similar records, most of which were lumped together under the generic heading of Hicks-Like LPs. We had ideas about a follow up compilation even before Hicks was released and we have spent the past few months putting it together. We have widened the catchment area for the bands, deliberately including several from the London area (Paul Brown)'. 

Needless to say, the LP is not anywhere near in quality of sound or interest, but I had to buy it! It features Airkraft, Eyeless In Gaza, Cuban Heels and a queue of wannabes who were never heard of again. 

The compilation album, and 7"EP that was dedicated to a town, city, region (and sometimes country)  always interested me. Lincoln had its' own compilation. "East" features bands from Lincoln and its' surrounds and all the tracks were recorded at The Playground Studios in Wragby, a small town about 8 miles east of Lincoln. If memory serves, the guy that ran the studio also worked part-time at Sanctuary Records (in Lincoln). He was locally known as 'Tramp'. I went to Playground Studios in 1979 to assist Collide on their "Demo Tape". Admittedly "East" has bands from Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, but it was a representation of the Lincoln based label Company Records and Dead Good Records. It was released in 1980 and featured bands such as The Cigarettes, Whizz Kids, Fatal Charm, Half Life and B Movie amongst others (Unfortunately no Collide). There is a band called Vick Sinex & The Nasal Sprays. I have a feeling this was an 'in-house studio band. 

The album has probably one of the worst sleeve artwork I have in my collection, done by Martin Patton of Dead Good Records / X.S. Energy. "Aylesbury Goes Flaccid" is another 'local area' compilation made up of artists from the Buckinghamshire town. I like this LP mainly as it features bands that only appear on this record ... they didn't make a single or cassette, just one track on this album. It does feature Aylesbury giants Vice Creems as well as Wild Willy Barrett and reggae artist The Man Ezeke but what of The Speedos, Clumsy, The Haircuts and Anal Surgeons? I picked this beauty up from Discovery Music 2 in Barnstaple, Devon for a tenner about 20 years ago. If you see it .. buy it! 

A few more local area / towns & cities compilation that are recommended ... "A Manchester Collection" on Object Music. Released in 1979 and featuring Grow-Up, Vibrant Thigh, Mediators and I.Q. Zero amongst others. Compiled to promote the Manchester Musicians Collective. "Bouquet Of Steel" on Aardvark, compiled by Sheffield label boss and promoter Marcus Featherby features bands from in and around Sheffield. Artery, Disease, Comsat Angels, De Tian, Negatives, I'm So Hollow and Shy Tots (Doncaster's finest) are all on there, it comes with a fanzine like booklet too. Great album. "Where The Hell is ... Leicester?" is pretty similar to the 'Aylesbury Goes Flaccid' album as it features a few bands that only appear on this compilation. Bands like The Danceable Solution, Tribal Games, Modern Living and Last Resort, it also has great tracks by Deep Freeze Mice and The Amber Squad. The Amber Squad also released a single on Lincoln label Dead Good Records but didn't make it to "East". "Street To Street - A Liverpool Album" from 1979 is basically that .. with tracks from The ID (a pre-Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark project), Big In Japan, Echo & The Bunnymen, Jaqui & Jeanette and Modern Eon. There is a "Street To Street" Volume 2 album, but I've yet to see a copy.

The label compilation was always a good way to delve in to new sounds. Cherry Red Records put out "Pillows And Prayers" in 1982 suggesting not to pay more than 99p for the album. A year earlier they had released the (less commercial) compilation "Perspectives & Distortion" which was full price. (about £3.99 in those days). 

"The Crap Stops Here" is a great sample of the output of Manchester's Rabid Records. Rabid Records was started in 1976 by the recently departed Tosh Ryan and John Crumpton. The album is a compilation of early singles on the Rabid label and features Slaughter & The Dogs, John Cooper-Clarke, Gyro, Jilted John and The Nosebleeds amongst others. A great sampler for the time. In the mid 1980s I appeared on the compilation album "Songs For The New International" on Recloose Organisation. An album to promote the upcoming 'New International' label featuring Bourbonese Qualk, Muslimgauze, Het Zweet and I.B.F. amongst others. As part of I.B.F. we recorded our track at Recloose Org studios which were then based in New Cross (London). We did record a couple of other tracks whilst down there but we never got to release them, I.B.F. folded in early 1986. 

1982, two years after forming, 4AD Records released the compilation "Natures Mortes - Still Lives" for the Japanese market. Now a highly collectable and essential album. It features Rema-Rema, Sort Sol, Bauhaus, Mass, The The ... all the early 4AD artists, again, a great marker of the time. The 7"EP is an ideal format for the label sampler. There are plenty but a couple of favourites of mine are "1980 : The First Fifteen Minutes" (1979) and "The Soft Volcano Erupts" (1986). 7" Flexi-Disc on Broken Flag Records which originally appeared in the fanzine 'Distant Violins' and features Controlled Bleeding, Nails Ov Christ and Uncommunity amongst others. 

As this is the 13th Anniversary Broadcast (#285) I thought I would share my love of the compilation / various artists releases and dedicate the programme to sounds that are from this genre. Is it a genre? I couldn't think of a better description. 

Also as a rule when I arrive in the studio and dump my pile of records, tapes, CDs on the desk, Chris says "what's the theme Steve" ... so this time I thought I'd have one ... 

The programme is archived on Mixcloud in to 2 digestible parts for easier aural pleasure.

Part I : 

https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-broadcast-28-september-2025/

Part II : 

https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-broadcast-28-september-2025-part-two/

Part Two begins with Minny Pops.

 

Playlist.

01: Current 93 : "I'm The One" (Dom) 1985.

      (From the LP "Ohrenschrauben").

02: Za Siódma Górạ : "Odejście Golema" (90% Wasser) 2005.

      (From the CD "Archive I").

03: Cranioclast : "N 43 Breezy Le Ramier" (Kaon) 1997.

      (From the double CD "Régénération - Dégénérescence").

04: Dieter Müh : "Wood Land" (Wholeness Recordings) 2010.

      (From the CDR "Squeezing Being Issue #2").

05: AmPh : "Werken Der Hand" (Release The Bats Records) 2021.

      (From The LP "Sverige").

06: Dusa : "Märkliga Timmar : Nattslut" (Segerhuva) 2008.

      (From The LP "Höga Nord").

07: Cabaret Voltaire : "Raising The Count" (New Musical Express/Rough Tapes) 1981.

      (From the cassette "NME/Rough Trade C81").

08: Johnathan Coleclough & Tim Hill : "Beech" (The Ajna Offensive) 2002.

      (From the 4xCD+Book "Infernal Proteus").

09: Militia : "A Kite Of Glass In A Blood Red Sky" (DPRK) 2008.

      (From the CD "Juche").

10: Richard Jobson : "The Armoury Show" (Les Disques Du Crépuscule) 1980.

      (From the cassette "From Brussels With Love").

11: Kallabris : "No, My Dear, It's Only The Heating" (EE Tapes) 2003.

      (From the CDR "The Walls Are Whispering").

12: No Festival Of Light : "Divide Et Impera Pt. II" (The Releasing Eskimo) 1998.

      (From the 2x7" "Disco-Mortem").

13: Terre Blanche : "Still Brilliant" (New Strength) 1988.

      (From the LP "The Decay Of The Angel (New Strength Recordings International Compilation").

14: Genocide Organ : "Viva La Guerre" (MSBR Records) 2004.

      (From the CD+Magazine "Noise #8").

15: Inade : "Kraak JP.V (A Stitch From Nowhere)" (Stateart) 1997.

      (From the double LP "Natural Order").

16: Homicide Society : "Death Machinery 1" (Stateart) 1997.

      (From the double LP "Natural Order").

17: First Law : "Holy War" (Stateart) 1997.

      (From the double LP "Natural Order").

18: Aaron Dilloway : Untitled" (Hanson Records/Chondritic Sound/RRRecords) 2009.

      (From the 6xLP "Michigan").

19: Himukalt : "Don't Go" (Helen Scarsdale Agency) 2019.

      (From the 10xcassette box "On Corrosion").

20: Minny Pops : "She Said Go Go Go" (Les Temps Modernes) 1985.

      (From the LP "Heures Sans Soleil").

21: Thursdays : "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of A Bay" (Fast Product) 1979.

      (From the 12"EP "Earcom 2").

22: Kutzkelina : "Es Fährt Ein Zug Nach Nirgendwo" (Edizioni Passarotto) 2013.

      (From the 2xcassette "36 Aus 430 Von 30").

23: MNEM : "Genocide Mobile" (Negative Foundation) 1999.

      (From the CDR "Halogen Ball").

24: Frieder Putzmann & Genesis P-Orridge : "Tales Of Death" (90% Wasser) 2001.

      (From the CD "90% Wasser").

25: Tho-So-Aa : "Missing Link" (Neo-Form) 2006.

      (From the CD "Salon Décadence").

26: Dieter Müh : "Let Him To Sleep" (Licht Und Stahl) 2010.

      (From the CD "Stählerne Lichter").

27: Edward Sol : "Thoughts Of Endless" (Sentimental Productions) 2023.

      (From the CD "Tomorrow Is A Big Distance").

28: Ochu : "Förnuftsflimmer" (Styggelse) 2018.

      (From the cassette "Stadsbranden 3").

29: Frans de Waard : "Punch" (Helicopter) 2010.

      (From the CD+Book "Drilling A Hole Through The Sky").

30: Alice Rabbit / Airworld : "De Stijl Est Là" (NPH) 2017.

      (From the cassette "De Stijlphone").

31: Maninkari : "Enstase 1&2" (Drone Records) 2014.

      (From the LP "Drone-Mind // Mind-Drone Volume 3").

32: Marikan Volkov : "Battle Ritual" (Drone Records) 2017.

      (From the LP "Drone-Mind // Mind-Drone Volume 6").

33: Die Form : "Are You Before" (Strut) 2013.

      (From the double CD "Mutazione (Italian Electronic & New Wave Underground 1980-1988").

34: Roma Amor : "Der Treue Hussar" (Old Europa Café) 2008.

      (From the 7xCD Box "The Old Europa Café Box Set").

35: Nurse With Wound : "The Strange Play Of The Mouth" (Vinyl On Demand) 2013.

      (From the 5xLP "Rising From The Red Sand Volumes I-V").

36: I.B.F. : "Ka" (Nihilistic Recordings) 1986.

      (From the double cassette "Wolfsangel").

37: They Must Be Russians : "Glory Of God" (Office Box Records) 1983.

      (From the 7"EP "Four From The Floor").

38: O Yuki Conjugate : "Sedation" (Cherry Red Records) 2016.

      (From the 4xCD "Close To The Noise Floor (Formative UK Electronica 1975-1984").

39: D.A.F. : "Ich Und Die Wirklichkeit" (Fast Product) 1979.

      (From the 2x7"EP "Earcom 3").

40: Art Vs Filth : "The Ostracised Man" (Not On Label) 1989.

      (From the unreleased CDR "Carnifex").

41: Starfuckers : "Dear Prudence" (Bananafish Magazine/Tedium House Publications) 1996.

      (From the CD "Vidas Ilustres").

A couple of notes on the broadcast ... one or maybe two tracks might have been played at the wrong speed. The track by Die Form is by the Italian project that became Tasaday, not the French project operated by Phillippe Fichot.

Art Vs Filth was a short lived project from 1985. It was created for a live performance at Lincoln Music Festival. Members on this studio recording are Dave Uden and myself. The track was to appear on a Carnifex Recordings compilation, a project that was never realised. Tim Bayes kindly remastered the cassette and transferred it to CDR for me. 

Thanks as ever to Chris and Tamsin for being there .. and also to Alice Kemp who popped in to say hello. Always welcome. 

MuhMur Radio Broadcast #284 : 31 August 2025.

 

MuhMur Radio Broadcast #284 kicks off with an 'on this day' release. "Centuries" is from the 1982 Ludus album 'Danger Came Smiling'. This was their third and final album released on the New Hormones label. Ludus were formed by Linder Sterling in Moss-Side, Manchester in 1978. They had many members including Phil Tomanov (later of the Blue Orchids) and 'Dids' (ex Bedlamite and future Pere Ubu drummer). Ludus broke up in 1984. In 2002 LTM re-issued the album with Ludus's second album 'Pickpocket' on CD. https://www.ltmrecordings.com for further details. Another great Manchester group from the same period were Crispy Ambulance. "Sexus" was released in 1984 on Factory Benelux and was the final (studio) release of the first 'period' Crispy Ambulance. Soon afterwards they changed their name to Ram Ram Kino and appeared on the Temple Records label. In 1999 they reformed with a gig at The Band On The Wall in Manchester (with support from Biting Tongues featuring Jah Wobble), I was there ... t'was a great night but I have struggled to get my ears around their reformed sound ... "Sexus" is followed by "Sexus" by Organ Of Corti, the latest project from Joachim Nordwall, Dan Johanson and Mattias Gustafsson. "Sexus" is from their latest album 'Insania' on the US based Philatélie label. It's the second Organ Of Corti LP related this year. https://philatelie.bandcamp.com/music. 

"Sexus" is followed by "Arc Nexus Moon" (getting the theme here?) by 400 Lonely Things. This piece is from the split cassette with Fossil Aerosol Mining Project 'Nigths And Prefecy'. 400 Lonely Things is the solo project of Craig Varian. https://400lonelythings.bandcamp.com for more information, and go to the Helen Scarsdale Agency website https://www.helenscarsdale.com/published/famp-400lt-nigths.htm to find out more about this release. Searching through the MuhMur Radio HQ for anything 'Plexus', I could only find the first Mark Stewart & Maffia album 'Learning To Cope With Cowardice', the copy I have is on the Dutch Plexus label, and that did not seem to go with the flow if you know what I mean? (as the mighty Depressions once asked).

During the summer break I received some sounds from Lesley & Stew at the Perth (Australia) based label Burnt Seed Records. A new label to me, although they do seem to have been actively releasing since the early 2000's. Oderous Bait are a duo from Boorloo (Perth). "Yardtime evolves organically, revealing depth and spatial nuance. The sonic palette is rich and unconventional, offering snarling tomes from the KORG MS-20, rhythmic pulses, and warm analogue washes from the Roland Juno 106 to form the beautifully evolving sonic sculpture. Distortion pedals twist and fracture the audio terrain, while looping techniques multiply and morph motifs into hypnotic cycles. Improvised acoustic percussion adds a raw, human touch to the electronic swirl".

Errorserror is sound artist Jasmine Priest. "Porphyrim is a beautifully crafted longform exploration of abstracted rhythm. A work that invites listeners into a shifting soundscape where awareness flickers as guitar textures emerge and recede beneath hand driven metallic edged strokes to create a sonic experience that is both haunting and intimate. This track is made of a broken guitar played with a five cent coin, a detuned Casio keyboard and a very old dirty harmonica. All these sounds were captured on tape in a dilapidated house that had more holes punched in the wall than it had windows letting in light. "Porphyrim" is a last surviving artefact, something that shouldn't exist. A sentimental memory that we all have yet refuse to visit".

Lesley of Burnt Seed Records also hosts a radio broadcast available to stream on : https://rtrfm.com.au/shows/difficultlistening/

Discover more about Burnt Seed Records at https://linktr.ee/burntseedrecords.

Staying in Perth, Australia, I dug out Schuster's "The Brutal Arc" lathe-cut 7" on Adeptsound. Schuster (aka Tim Bayes) and I created I.B.F. in the early 1980s (alongside Sean Rorke), and was an early member and later collaborator of Dieter Müh. The single is a limited edition of 50 and is avaialble in the UK through Cold Spring Records. https://coldspring.co.uk.                                                

Grodock is the solo project of David Leutkart. David also operates the Grubenwehr Freiburg label. The two pieces here are from the CD 'Gesammelte Hintergründe', a collection of electro-acoustic recordings recorded between 2013 and 2023. Grodock/David can be contacted through his Bandcamp page at : https://grubenwehrfreiburg.bandcamp.com/merch. 'Gesammelte Hintergründe' is released by Krater Recordings. https://krater.audiophob.de.

Frans de Waard's Kringloop Kassettes project releases in batches. All recorded on to recycled cassettes (a la Hyster Tapes, Vacancy Records and RRRecycled) the latest batch includes Hyware, Jeans Beast, Nÿland, Bertin and Coagulant. 

Coagulant is the project of Fabio Kubic. Coagulant began in the 1990s and in 2000 self released the CDR 'Free Noise And Loop Liberations'. Since then Coagulant has released on labels such as L. White Records, Antenna Non Grata, Veinte 33 Records and Rizosfera. I was going to play the latest Coagulant album 'Spatial Emission Places', it's a 74 minute piece and unfortunately couldn't be fitted in to this broadcast, but it's a magnificent piece and I will play it! https://coagulant.bandcamp.com. All releases on Kringloop Kassettes can be found here : https://kringloopkassettes.bandcamp.com. I'm looking forward to the next batch. 

Sticking with releases that are on labels that begin with the letter "K", the latest Creep Of Paris album is on the Krim Kram label. Krim Kram is based in Cork, Ireland and over the past three years has been putting out essential sounds from Smegma, Rick Potts, Arv & Miljö, Kapotte Muziek, Usurper and now 'Virgin Brood' by Creep Of Paris. C.O.P. (no stranger to MuhMur Radio) is Thomas LaRoche, who I first met many years ago when we were both drummers for Vagina Dentata Organ. Thomas also operates the label Research Laboratories who last year released a cassette of Aum Shinrikyo speeches, sermons and chants and the CDR 'Wine And Cheese' by Rubber Demon. I think Rubber Demon is another one of Thomas' aliases (alongside Poultry Breeders Union, Eudocimus Ruber and Generic White Male) alongside  Maureen from Teignmouth Electron. (I could be wrong though ... I usually am). 

Krim Kram can be found at https://www.krimkram.com and Thomas can be contacted via Research Laboratories at https://researchlaboratories.bandcamp.com/music. In the last broadcast on July 6th I played some O Yuki Conjugate and talked about their beginnings, I had a great conversation with Nick Cope from O Yuki Conjugate and Jonathan Tait from Metamorphosis about the early days of both groups / projects, which had me dig out my Metamorphosis records .. "Fire Gates" first appeared on the compilation cassette 'Rising From The Red Sand Volume 1/Volume 2" on Third Mind Records in 1983. Thirty years later Vinyl On Demand released the five LP box set 'Rising From The Red Sand Volimes I-V'. 

Filed under field recordings, spoken word, occult is the compilation CD "Spectra Ex Machina : A Sound Anthology Of Occult Phenomena 1920-2017 Volume I". Featuring recordings of seances, mediums and poltergeists "Annelise Michel's Exorcism Ritual By Father Arnold Renz (Klingenberg, Germany, 1976)" is also on the CD. I remember film of this exorcism being on BBC TV at the time, it would have been on some news magazine type programme ... it also influenced the track "Annalisa" by Public Image Limited. The song features on their debut album. 'Spectra Ex Machina' is on the Belgian label Sub Rosa. Go to https://subrosalabel.bandcamp.com/music for more details.

During the summer break I have been reading some great publications including Nicolas Ballet's "Shock Factory", Ester Kärkkäinen's "Sex Works" and a couple of issues of Untitled magazine, a magazine published by Chris Gibson of Buried In Slag And Debris. Issue #10 features an article by William A. Davison on early days of cassette labels in Canada. William A. Davison is part of the sound project Six Heads. "Smaller, Larger, Lighter (Incantation Of The Naugahyde Witch)" is from the LP 'Cardboard Oracle" released in 2011 on the Wintage Records & Tapes label. 

                                                                   "Cardboard Oracle".

Also in Isue #10 is an in depth interview with Jonas Torstensen. Jonas is from Odense in Denmark. Jonas also records and releases under the names Franking, Eva and Franciska. Franciska has released some great albums on Discreet Music, Joy De Vivre and Förfall labels recently. Jonas also operates the label Pladeseiskabet Pladesselvskab. Copies of Untitled (#9 features a great interview with Relay For Death and artwork from Small Cruel Party) can be found at https://buriedinslaganddebris.bigcartel.com. The Jonas Torstensen piece here is from the cassette "Arvesynd" on Edinburgh based label Molt Fluid. Available here : https://moltfluid.bandcamp.com/album/arvesynd. 

Secret Science are Max Kuiper and Jacob DeRaadt. 

Last year Fletina released the album 'Serrof' on the Unfathomless label. Sounds constructed from the time working in a swimming pool, Fletina's new album 'Environments & Mechanisms" is built from sounds of what I would describe as white goods. Washing machine, electric oven, ground floor elevator (probably not white goods, but you get my gist) and printer. Released by the Bulgarian Mahorka label. 

Copies are available from https://mahorka.bandcamp.com. Fletina at : https://fletina.bandcamp.com. The project reminded me of the time when Dieter Müh released an album where most of the sounds were culled from machinery, office machinery and factory machinery. In 1999 Dieter Müh released the album "Eponymous" on the French label Naninani Recordings, it was a planned cassette release but finally came out on CDR format. In 2017 Ukranian label Sentimental Productions remastered the recordings and put it out as a vinyl LP. "E Coli Tsar" is built from the sounds of a printer. I was going to play another track from the "Eponymous" album and then .. "A Lifetime" the latest album by Altar Of Flies landed on the MuhMur Radio HQ doormat. I bumped my own stuff! Altar Of Flies are a MuhMur Radio favourite and friend of the programme. 

"A Lifetime" is a double CD on the Satatuhatta label. https://altarofflies.bandcamp.com. 

A few weeks ago I discovered the sound of Dolores Mondo Stash on the David Warmbier's excellent radio show 'Institute Of Spectra Sonic Sounds" and just had to here more ... Dolores Mondo Stash is the project of Romanian sound artist Dan Tecucianu and has been active since 2017. The two pieces here are from his latest album "Dirt Collected Reminiscences, Like Rivers Of Molasses" on the UK Cruel Nature Records label. Like the first time I heard David Walraff and Himukalt ... I want to hear more ... The cassette is available from https://cruelnaturerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/dirt-collected-reminiscences-like-rivers-of-molasses and listen to : https://www.mixcloud.com/spectrasonicsound/. 

The broadcast ends on the classic "Christine Keeler' by The Glaxo Babies ... released on this day in 1979.

The broadcast has been archived in to two parts for easier aural digestion (part two begins with Aum Shinrikyo). 

Part One:

https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-broadcast-31-august-2025-part-one/

Part Two:

https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-broadcast-31-august-2025-part-two/

Playlist:

01: Ludus : "Centuries" (New Hormones) 1982.

02: Crispy Ambulance : "Sexus" (Factory Benelux) 1984.

03: Organ Of Corti : "Sexus" (Philatélie) 2025.

04: 400 Lonely Things : "Arc Nexus Moon" (Helen Scarsdale Agency) 2020.

05: Oderous Bait : "Yardtime" (Burnt Seed Records) 2025.

06: Errorserror : "Porphyrim" (Burnt Seed Records) 2025.

07: Schuster : "The Brutal Arc (Adeptsound) 2008.

08: Grodock : "Hab Acht" (Krater Recordings) 2024.

09: Grodock : "Das Halbe Abwesen" (Krater Recordings) 2024.

10: Coagulant : "At Forms" (Kringloop Kassettes) 2025.

11: Creep Of Paris : "Dehydrator As Economic God" (Krim Kram) 2025.

12: Aum Shinrikyo : "Unknown Title" (Research Laboratories) 2024.

13: Rubber Demon : "Wine And Cheese (Communication III)" (Research Laboratories) 2024.

14: Creep Of Paris : "In Fear Of A New Queen" (Krim Kram) 2025.

15: The Fall : "Underground Medicin" (Step-Forward Records) 1979.

16: Metamorphosis : "Fire Gates" (Vinyl On Demand) 2013.

17: Annelise Michel : "Exorcism Ritual" (Sub Rosa) 2024.

18: Public Image Limited : "Annalisa" (Virgin Records) 1978.

19: Ludus : "Redress" (New Hormones) 1982.

20: Six Heads : "Smaller, Larger, Lighter (Incantation Of The Naugahyde Witch)" (Wintage Records & Tapes) 2011.

21: Jonas Torstensen : "Anspændte Forventninger" (Molt Fluid) 2025.

22: Secret Science : "Cycle 4" (Basement Tapes) 2021.

23: Fletina : "Back Room/Printer" (Mahorka) 2025.

24: Dieter Müh : "E Coli Tsar" (Sentimental Productions) 2017.

25: Altar Of Flies : "The Last Capitalist We Hang Shall Be The One That Sold Us The Rope" (Satatuhatta) 2025.

26: Dolores Mondo Stash : "Fabrica Fantasma" (Cruel Nature Records) 2025.

27: Dolores Mondo Stash : "To The Wildlife Left Orphan By The Fire" (Cruel Nature Records) 2025.

28: Glaxo Babies : "Christine Keeler" (Heartbeat Records) 1979.

Huge thanks, as always to Chris for being there and Tamsin for the support ... beers and transport.

                                                  Tamsin & Chris grooving to the sounds.

A slight technical hitch meant that this broadcast could not be live streamed, the Internet seems to be down on the Dartington Hall Estate. I am sorry for those that tuned in and realised that I wasn't starting the programme with John Cage's 4'33 ... MuhMur Radio is back on September 28th. 18:00 GMT, I have a plan to play tracks from compilation (various artists) releases ... 

MuhMur Radio Broadcast ... Back On The Air!

 

MuhMur Radio Broadcast #284 will be on the air AUGUST 31 at 18:00 GMT. Back after 8 weeks away.

"We're back, in full attack. Never give in until they crack!" (999 'Emergency'). Well it's better than "Did you miss me, whilst I was away, did you hang my picture on your wall?. And did you kiss me, every single day although you didn't see me at all?", I'll let you google those lyrics. 

So, make a note and tune your radio dial to 102.5FM if you are in the Dartington / Totnes / Berry Pomeroy area or tune in to the live stream at https://soundartradio.org.uk. MuhMur Radio is still following Crucial Vibes broadcast, so tune in early to hear some top ranking sounds. 

I will be playing sounds that have arrived here at MuhMur Radio HQ over the past couple of months, sounds from Krim Kram, Cruel Nature Records, Research Laboratories, Burnt Seeds (Perth, Australia), Sub Rosa and Kringloop Kassettes amongst some old favourites and an 'On This Day' featuring Glaxo Babies and Ludus.

It will be great to have your ears.

Steve.

* If you know where and when the above photograph was taken .... go to the top of the class ... me owd.

MuhMur Radio Broadcast #283 - July 6th 2025.

 

MuhMur Radio broadcast #283, a mix bag and dolly mixture of sounds old and new .. and the last broadcast until August 31. Over the past few weeks I have been playing a lot of Maeror Tri and the subsequent projects that came from their demise. Maeror Tri were Stefan Knappe, Martin Gitschel and Helge Siehl. They were active from 1988 to 1996. I remember first hearing Maeror Tri when I got a copy of their 1995 album "Myein" on Dan Plunkett's ND label and I was hooked. Helge Began the project 1000 Schoen (sometimes Tausendschoen and sometimes 1000schoen) in 1998. "Forest At Night (Part One)" is from the 2012 double CD reissue of the 2008 album "Amish Glamour". 'Forests At Night' was recorded in 2012 especially for this reissue. Available from : https://nitkierecords.bandcamp.com. In October 2013 I played live with 1000 Schoen at Gängerviertel in Hamburg. Stefan and Martin formed Troum in 1997. I was (again) fortunate to play live with Troum in 1998 at the OJC Kompas in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium. They were headlining an all day festival organised by Eriek & Sven of EE Tapes. Their live set coincided with the release of their first Album "Ryna" on Myotis Records. "Orphane" is from third release from the trilogy 'Tjukurrpa' subtitled 'Part Three : Rhythms And Pulsations'. Troum releases past and present can be found at : https://www.dronerecords.de. (Stefan runs the Drone label). I play Soviet France in memory of that evening Stefan and I first met on a rainy night in Belgium, we drank and chatted and then drank some more and declared our infatuation and love for all things Soviet France. 

The Soviet France piece is from the 1993 album "What Is Not True". Recorded live at The Old Vic in Nottingham's Lace Market on 30 March 1993. A gig organised by John Everall and Teresa Mills of Tactle / Sentrax Corporation. The support on the evening was Lull. The night before Soviet France played at The Leadmill in Sheffield, a track from that performance is also on the album. I think Fabricata Illuminata supported but I could be mixing that with another gig ... (It happens). Vinyl On Demand reissued this album on vinyl in 2020. 

Organ Of Corti seems to be releasing sounds that I want to listen to at the moment. Experimental industrial looping, raw sounding electronics with dronescapes. Intriguing stuff ... Organ Of Corti are Joachim Nordwall from iDEAL Recordings, Mattias Gustafsson from Altar Of Flies and Dan Johansson from White, Sewer Election, Neutral and more ... "Locus" was released on the Dutch Dead Mind Records earlier this year ... they've just released a new LP called "Insania" on the Philatélie label. Later in the year Organ Of Corti will be playing live with Kapotte Muziek and Alice Kemp in Europe. Details will follow, it sounds like an essential evening. https://deadmindrecords.limitedrun.com for more information. 

The Mark Vernon track is from the cassette "Unforced Errors" on Vice de Forme. Copies are available from : https://vicedeforme.bandcamp.com. Limited to 70 copies only. Kazuya Ishigami is no stranger to MuhMur Radio. "Frozen Memories" is his latest release on his Neus-318 label. "Frozen Memories" is a C20 cassette limited to 23 copies and available at http://www.neus318.com. 

I first came across the sound / work of Kazuya when he was releasing under the moniker of Daruin back in 1998 and have tried to keep up with his releases since, if you ever see one of his releases my advice is to grab it! Rather like Fabricacta Illuminata could have been the support to Soviet France all those years ago at Sheffield Leadmill. O Yuki Conjugate could have spawned from two post-punk groups from the Nottingham, Southwell, Newark triangle in the late 1970's. In 1980 I played live at the Newark Palace theatre, a day event called "Waking Up Newark Festival". Also on the bill were D+7 (a Young Marble Giants type affair that did a cracking version of They Must Be Russian's "Circus"), The Void (From Lincoln), Subway Razor and Passive Resistance. John Bingham of D+7 and co-creator of the fanzine Cautious Talk Seduces Young Children alongside Tim Bop organised the fest'. I was invited back (at this time I was in the duo ESP Disk-rd .. we were a three piece but The Void knicked our synth player) to record a couple of tracks for a compilation cassette that was to be included in the final edition of the Cautious Talk 'zine. We used to call the 'zine "Catsyk" for short .. It was, again, to be recorded live at the Palace Theatre in Newark. Also on the day of recording was D+7 and Passive Resistance. The cassette was never released. 1981 and John Bingham organised the "Waking Up Nottingham Festival" at the Krazy Kat Club in Nottingham's Lace Market. The Krazy Kat later became The Ad Lib Club and The Garage. I think it's a car park now! Unfortunately I couldn't play this event as the other half of ESP Disk-rd was on holiday so I got Vox Populi to join in as our replacement with D+7, The Void and a spin of from Passive Resistance called Music From The Death Factory. Memory is vague of this night as I got so drunk I missed the lift back to Lincoln in The Void's transit and spent the night outside amongst the bins of the nightclub. In 1982 I played Newark Palace Theatre again (this time as drummer for Total Strangers) and Music From The Death Factory (could have been Tiab Guls ... same folk) were on the bill .. headline was Attrition. So, fast forward a few months and I am stood outside Whispers nightclub in Nottingham waiting for the doors to open to see Clock DVA on their 'Advantage' tour (no support) and bump into members of Subway Razor, Music From The Death Factory, Passive Resistance etc, we chatted about what we were doing and I am certain they mentioned the projects Metamorphosis and O Yuki Conjugate. ( I always thought O Yuki Conjugate as a great name ... rolls of the tongue superbly). A few weeks back O Yuki Conjugate released the album "1983 Unearthed" on the resurrected Final Image label. 

"Transcontinental Levitation" and "Hour By Hour" are from this album recorded in Leeds and Babbington (Nottingham). https://www.oyukiconjugate.com. For more information. The Thomas Park track is from the compilation album "Friends For Deborah Fialkiewicz" on the Norwegian Petroglyph Music label. 

The compilation serves to express our respect and support for British electronic musician Deborah Fialkiewicz, who as a trans-gender person is experiencing severe problems after a new law has been established that defines the sex of a person may only be defined by the sex at birth. So, in general this album stands for the LGBTQIA+ community, for diversity and the freedom to live life as the individual you are. 

Alongside Thomas other artists include Phillipe Neau, M.NOMIZED, Brainquake and Sky_Architect. It's a pay what you can d/load at : https://petroglyphmusic.bandcamp.com. Last broadcast (#282) I played two new pieces from Nottingham based project Grey Frequency. I played the extended version of "Spirit Box", so this time I play the special edited version. Omei is the ambient, experimental side-project of Chris Goudreau of Sickness. "For Mother" is from the 2003 album "... A Sickened Single Cell". The CD is long out of print but copies are floating about on Discogs reasonably priced. All Omei is essential.

Last broadcast I played a few select tunes from the 'Idwal Fisher' compilation CDRs that Mark Wharton of 'Idwal Fisher' and 'Just Glittering' fame used to mail me back at the turn of the century to celebrate the publication of "IF/JG" compendium published by Korm Plastics. https://www.kormplastics.nl/just-glittering-idwal-fisher/. Mark and I also swapped compilation cassettes back in the 1990s (I think the youth call them 'Mixtapes' these days) and I found one lurking at the back of a pile of old tapes, so gave it a spin. Lots of Japanese 'free-rock', space rock and C.M. Von Hausswolff and a mystery piece I could not place .. so I play it in the hope that someone, some listener, would recognise it and write and tell me ... only Chris (engineer/producer) has a Shazam App on his 'phone and stuck it to the speaker shouting out Illusion Of Safety ... In 100 Countries ... it's from the Bad Kharma album ... 1998. Well, that took the fun out of it. 

I don't get out much these days (part one). A couple of weekends ago I went to a cinema for the first time in years to see the Genesis P-Orridge documentary "S/he Is Still Her/e". 

It was showing at the Phoenix Arts Centre in Exeter. Studio 74 is the 200 seated cinema inside the centre, I have been to the Phoenix a few times and never knew the cinema existed. It's a great documentary, I kind of lost interest in all things Psychic TV around 1987. I saw them live for the umpteenth time at the Mardi Gras in Nottingham and thought .. never again. The Throbbing Gristle reunion in 2004 brought my interest back, and I started to go and see TG live wherever I could. Then Genesis started performing with Aaron Dilloway and I got to meet the man at his performance with Aaron at Selfridges in London. A bizarre event that I will forever thank Aaron for. But, none of this period is mentioned in the film. Lots of footage and music from COUM Transmissions, Throbbing Gristle and (early) Psychic TV make it a fascinating watch. Just unfortunate only 8 people made it to the showing ... I got to bump into local legend (DJ) Dave Myers, hadn't seen him in years. I wanted to play some TG so dug out "Rabbit Snare" from the "Part Two : Endless Not" CD.

I don't get out much these days (part two). Saturday July 21 Nocturnal Emissions played live at The Underground in Plymouth. A full circle of Emissions sounds with Nigel (Ayers) playing sounds recorded at Sainsbury's carwash in Penzance, a dub set that included a version of the 'Uprising' 12" and then after a word with a member of the audience a full on noise attack .. Prepared for the VOD Festival!

The track "Ant Thumbs" is from last years reissue of the 1991 album "Cathedral". All things Emissions can be found here : https://nocturnalemissions.bandcamp.com. Again, it was good to see Chris there, and Andrew (aka Soloman Tump) going to his first gig in Plymouth. There was a last called Jenny who claimed to be Whitehouse's agent ... if anyone knows who this is (?). I have no future events planned or on the horizon.

1990s German power electronics represented by Operation Cleansweep, Psychologische Abwehrfront and Söldnergeist. It's a possible feature for upcoming broadcasts.

In 2012 I met Kev Sanders at the Rammel Festival in Nottingham. The wonderful three day bender that Dieter Müh, Sleaford Mods, The New Blockaders, John Wiese, Storm Bugs, Cheapmachines, Patrik Fitzgerald and Con-Dom played at .. amongst others and Idwal Fisher was the DJ! Kevin was up for the event (not to play) with Duncan Harrison (then still part of Plurals). Kev told me about his project, Petals and label Hairdryer Excommunication. For the next three years or so Kev would mail tapes and CDRs from his label and Petals releases on labels like Strange Rules, Sheepscar Light Industrial and Beartown Records as well as releases under his own moniker. He even, kindly, recorded a Petals/Kev Sanders MuhMur Radio Session back in 2014 (July 2014 if you want to check the MixCloud Archive). Petals seem to disappear around 2014/15 although I recently discovered he was part of the project The Sons Of David Ginola .. but I think they have also ceased to exist. Reorganising and recataloguing my collection I took time out to play some Petals tapes and they still sound as good as ever 10, 11, 12 years after release. "Preconcerted" was a C30 cassette packaged inside an old library book of geographical slides called "Extraction, Conservation And Pollution". It's not listed on the Hairdryer Excommunication bandcamp or Discogs listings. If anyone knows what Kev is up to these days please get in touch. 

                                                                          Petals.

There are two tracks from "Solaris : Music Inspired By Andrei Tarkowsky's Movie" the latest compilation on the Italian label Eighth Tower Records. 400 Lonely Things, and ending the broadcast Psychophysicist (the side project of Adi Newton). I know I have seen the film, sometime in the 1980s at an arthouse cinema in Manchester. Maybe The Aaben, maybe The Cornerhouse. I can't say it made much of an impression. 

 The last section begins with On This Day. There were a few records I could have played. A track from The B52s first album (1979) or Psychedelic Furs "Love My Way" single (1982). There's Devo's "Be Stiff" single (1978) and the first release by Leyton Buzzards, the "19 & Mad" single also from 1978 ... and on July 5th 1981 Throbbing Gristle announced that the Mission Is Terminated. But time won me out as I wanted to play a track from the new B. Movie release. On This Day in 1979 Adam & The Ants released their debut single for Do It Records. "Zerox". It was either a great marketing ploy or a mix-up at the pressing plant but a few of the records had a mispress and included "Physical" on the B-Side instead of "Whip In My Valise". I was one of those people who bought a copy of both, asking whoever (Bev, Nick, Tramp) was behind the counter at Sanctuary Records in Lincoln to play the B-Side just to check. "Physical" is a great song and also appeared on the Adam & The Ants compilation single of B-Sides "Antmusic EP" released in 1982 by Do It Records. 

May 2025 saw the release of the 'real' debut album by B. Movie. Mansfield's finest. In 1980 Lincoln label Dead Good Records released a brace of B. Movie singles "The Soldier Stood Alone" and "Nowhere Girl". Both recorded at Studio Playground in Wragby, Lincolnshire. A great studio that was also used by Fatal Charm, Wavis O'Shave, Pseudo Existors, Collide, X-S Energy and The Cigarettes to name just a few ... The story goes that B. Movie signed to Some Bizzare / Phonogram to record their debut LP. Demo tracks were put down at Wragby before moving to studios in London and using Mike Thorne (Wire) as producer. They were now managed by Stevo and he brought in Soft Cell to record during B. Movie's downtime and passed recordings of both bands to the Phonogram mandarins only for them to refuse the B. Movie tracks and release Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" as a single. The rest, as they say, is history. The story is told brilliantly in Wesley Doyle's book "Conform To Derform - The Weird And Wonderful World Of Some Bizzare". B. Movie played Lincoln often, I remember seeing them play a venue / pub called The Cornhill Vaults a couple of times (it's now a Waterstones I think) and they played a blistering set at Futurama 3 in 1981. The Bingley Hall, Stafford one ... I play "Citizen Kane" because when I first heard it through my speakers memories flooded back .. same with the track "All Fall Down". I am certain that'll be in Augusts broadcast. It was only natural to follow "Citizen Kane" with the Shock Headed Peters track "Blue Rosebuds" from the 1985 compilation album "Devastate To Liberate". A song allegedly written by The Residents. 

The programme has been archived on Mixcloud and split into 2 parts for easier aural digestion. 

Part One : 

https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-broadcast-6-july-2025-part-one/

Part Two : (Begins with Illusion Of Safety) ...

https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-broadcast-6-july-202-part-two/

Playlist:

01: 1000 Schoen : Forest At Night (Part 1) (Niktie) 2012.

02: Organ Of Corti : Calvaria (Dead Mind Records) 2025.

03: Troum : Orphane (Transgredient Records) 2003.

04: Maeror Tri : Archaic Sensations (G.R.O.S.S.) 1993.

05: Soviet France : Not Just What To Say (Charrm) 1993.

06: Mark Vernon : A Crevice In Time (Vice De Forme) 2025.

07: Organ Of Corti : Cultus (Dead Mind Records) 2025.

08: Kazuya Ishigami : FM-CM2033 (Neus-318) 2025.

09: Kazuya Ishigami : FM-SOM (Neus-318) 2025.

10: O Yuki Conjugate : Transcontinental Levitation (Final Image) 2025.

11: Thomas Park : The Pursuit Of Love And Its Inevitable Victory (Petroglyph Music) 2025.

12: Grey Frequency : Spirit Box (Edit) (Not On Label) 2025.

13: Omei : For Mother (Beauty And Pain) 2003.

14: Illusion Of Safety : In 100 Countries (Soleilmoon Recordings) 1998.

15: Throbbing Gristle : Rabbit Snare (The Grey Area) 2007.

16: Kazuya Ishigami : FM-BD1221 (Neus-318) 2025.

17: Kazuya Ishigami : FM-A20230419 (Neus-318) 2025.

18: O Yuki Conjugate : Hour By Hour (Final Image) 2025.

19: Nocturnal Emissions : Ant Thumbs (No Holiday) 2024.

20: Organ Of Corti : Acris (Dead Mind Records) 2025.

21: Operation Cleansweep : YHWH's Law (Tesco Organisation) 2001.

22: Psychologische Abwehrfront : Verhaltenssteuerung Mittels Unterschwelliger Radiobotschaften (Darkness Productions) 1998.

23: Söldnergeist : You Want Him (Self Abuse Records) 1998.

24: Organ Of Corti : Fabula (Dead Mind Records) 2025.

25: Petals : Preconcerted (Side A) (Hairdryer Excommunication) 2012.

26: 400 Lonely Things : Satorius (Eighth Tower Records) 2025.

27: Adam & The Ants : Physical (Do It Records) 1979.

28: B. Movie : Citizen Kane (Wanderlust) 2025.

29: Shock Headed Peters : Blue Rosebuds (Yangki) 1985.

30: Psychophysicists : Torus Apparatus (Eighth Towers Records) 2025.

Thank you for listening, as mentioned MuhMur Radio returns on AUGUST 31 at the same time 18:00 GMT. I shall post a reminder nearer the date with a hint of what will be in the programme (definitely Fletina and Coagulant) Thanks again to Chris Booth for being there and keeping it all sane and to Tamsin, who went out for a walk and took some pictures of rabbits by the studio ... Rabbit Snare.

.... 

MuhMur Radio Broadcast #282 : June 08 2025.

 

This is MuhMur Radio Broadcast #282.

As a rule when I turn up at the SoundArt Radio studio, Chris (SoundArt Radio mandarin and the programme's engineer) asks me "What's The Theme"? To which I always answer just me playing what's arrived at MuhMur Radio HQ and a few sounds I've been listening to over the past month from my collection. This time Chris didn't ask the question .. and there was a 'theme' ... albeit a loose one. Ah well. 

Since the last broadcast I have received 4 books. Four beautiful books and for the last 3 hours of the programme I play music associated with those publications. The books on Coil, and Sheffield electroniques of the 1970's and the second part of Dorothy Max Prior's memoirs were easy to do. Plenty of tunes to pick and choose from. The other book is "Just Glittering / Idwal Fisher". A compendium of those magazines produced by Cleckheaton's own Mark Wharton for about ten years starting off in the late 1990s. 

It is a mammoth tome published by Korm Plastics : https://www.kormplastics.nl/just-glittering-idwal-fisher/. I did used to supply thoughts and reviews for both magazines luckily a lot of them under a mixture of pseudonyms and non-de-plumes. During his time as Idwal Fisher Mark used to mail me CDRs and cassettes with what he was listening to and what he was going to write about etc .. I have marked these tunes with an * in the playlist. I wholly recommend getting a copy of this book (of course I do)! But .. for the first hour of the programme I play some new arrivals that came to the MuhMur Radio HQ and some old sounds from my collection. I do like to sit in my room and listen to stuff whilst I am reading, not lyrical stuff, more ambient / drone / experimental sounds ideal as a literary soundtrack. Helm fit that description well. It did get me thinking about Helm Mainman Luke Younger. It's a while since I have heard anything new from Helm. As far as I know Helm's 2021 album "Axis" on Dais Records was his last. Even the hardcore punk band he played bass guitar for, The Lowest Form, seem to have ceased to exist. I hope Luke is well. The broadcast begins with "Droned Distancing" a 24 minute piece that was released as part of the Amplify 2020 project. All Amplify 2020 releases are available FREE on their bandcamp page : https://amplify2020.bandcamp.com/album/droned-distancing.

Around fifteen or so years ago I really got in to the sounds coming out on the Licht Und Stahl label. N. Strahl. N, Fieberflug, Andreas Brandal, Flutwacht and Vacio Perfecto amongst others. The label was run by N. Strahl. N mainman M.W. Löhr. I think he was also recording under the name of Erdlicht. Licht Und Stahl released a cassette by ex-Dieter Müh and I.B.F. member Schuster. Schuster and I (as Dieter Müh) appeared on the Licht Und Stahl compilation CD "Stählerne Lichter" in 2010. The N. Strahl. N track here is from the double cassette release "Transmitter", a 2010 release of previous releases from 2007-2008. 

Joke Lanz in collaboration with Force Majeure and Nuit Et Brouillard has just released "Zungsang". It is an extended version of the "Zungsang" cassette release that came out in 2021 on the Vice De Forme label. This (I think) will be the last release by Force Majeure after the sad passing of label operator and friend Stéphane Merenne last year. https://nuitetbrouillard.bandcamp.com/album/zungsang. 

The anonymous / mysterious Finnish project based in Berlin posted his latest release to MuhMur Radio HQ last month. A 3" CDR Business card with very little information. It is four + minutes of pure sonic joy. I also recommend the RNPno.2 release on Kringloop Kassettes called "It's Time To Talk About Alleviation - Again". https://rnpno2.itch.io may help ... And so to the second hour of the broadcast. It is based around the book "Studio Electrophonique : The Sheffield Space Age, From The Human League To Pulp" by Jamie Taylor published by the Manchester University Press. It's the book I am reading at the moment. Beautifully written with a gripping narrative. The first few chapters are dedicated to the work of Ken Patten and the building of his Studio Electrophonique in the 1970s. Most bands in Sheffield in the 1970s / 1980s recorded with Ken, and I play a few of them here .. 

The Cabaret Voltaire tracks are from their first 7"EP on Rough Trade Records and two pieces from "1974 - 1976" album first released on cassette in 1980 by Industrial Records and re-released by Mute Records in 2019. The Future were Ian Craig Marsh, Martin Ware and Adi Newton who did record at Ken's studio before splitting and forming The Human League and Clock DVA. Vinyl On Demand released an album of The Future (of course they did!) as part of the 'Horology 2' box set in 2015. "Dancevision" is from The Human League double 7"EP "Holiday '80". The Clock DVA track "1958" is from the 1980 Italian compilation "International Compilation" which also features Metabolist and Lucas Trouble. "Relentless" is from the cassette "White Souls In Black Suits" originally released in 1980 on Industrial Records. Italian label Contempo re-issued the album in 1980. 

Clock DVA's "You're Without Sound" and I'm So Hollow's "I Don't Know" are from the excellent 1980 compilation LP 'Hicks From The Sticks'. The three Vice Versa tracks are from the unofficial (bootleg) LP "1979-1980". I think these tracks were recorded at Studio Electrophonique with Ken Patten. 

In the late 1970's and early 1980's I lived in Lincoln and about 40 miles from Sheffield so going to Sheffield to buy records and see bands was very easy. I first saw The Comsat Angels (then just Com-Sat Angels) at Lincoln Art College, on the bill below The Piranhas and X-S Energy. The gig opened with Lincoln group Collide. One of my favourite gigs .. "I Get Excited" is the B-Side to "Red Planet". I've had this 7" for a few years now .. please excuse the snap, crackle and pop. The Naughtiest Girl Was A Monitor single was also recorded at Studio Electrophonique.

Part Two of the programme starts with Nottingham based artist Grey Frequency. Majestic" and "Spirit Box" were recorded for International Drone Day broadcast on Grey Clay Radio in May. Grey Frequency are working on a new album "which is more noise based" ... Grey Frequency (Gavin Morrow) can be contacted at : https://greyfrequency.bandcamp.com. Back to the books .. Earlier this year Simon Kane introduced me to the name of Matthew Levi Stevens, he was giving a talks at Helgi's bookshop / cafe in London about his time within the Temple Ov Psychick Youth and his time with Coil. And now Hanged Man Press have published his chapbook "Meeting John Balance At Home With Coil", co-authored by Locke Fitzroy.

To get a copy of the chapbook you can order direct from Matthew at matthewlevistevens@gmail.com . Highly recommended. "How To Destroy Angels" (Subtitled 'Ritual Music For The Accumulation Of Male Sexual Energy') was first released in 1984 on L.A.Y.L.A.H.Antirecords. The version I play here is from a 2013 unofficial (bootleg) album that also features tracks from "Stolen & Contaminated Songs".

De Tian were a short lived project featuring Paul Shaft and Martin Archer who went on to form Bass Tone Trap. 'The Bakhtiari" is from the six track 7"EP "Two Spires Split". 

In 2023 Strange Attractor Press published "69 Exhibition Road : Twelve True Life Tales From The Fag End Of Punk, Porn and Performance" part one of the memoirs of Dorothy Max Prior. Last month SAP published "Sex Is No Emergency : Adventures In A Post Punk Wonderland" part two of Dorothy's memoirs focusing this time on her work with Psychic TV and her dancing days ... she taught Ray Harryhausen how to dance (!) ... in London and New York and moving to Brighton and starting a family with James "Foz" Foster, of The Monochrome Set and The Aryan Aquarians. Like all the books I have mentioned here, it is unputdownable. A fascinating life, a fascinating person. 

Being called "Sex Is No Emergency" it also includes stories of her relationship / friendship with Monte Cazazza. http://strangeattractor.co.uk/shoppe/sex-is-no-emergency/. The final tracks are in tribute to Max and the book(s). The story behind the recording of The Aryan Aquarians album is hilarious .. 'Foz' was the guitarist, David Tibet claims it to be the worst record he ever made. (I can't really disagree). 

The broadcast has been archived on Mixcloud. Split into two for easier aural digestion.

Part One : https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-broadcast-8-june-2025-part-one/

Part Two : https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-broadcast-8-june-2025-part-two/

Playlist :

01: Helm : Droned Distancing (Amplify 2020) 2020.

02: N. Strahl. N : Äthernarkose (Flutwacht Mix) (Deserted Factory/Licht Und Stahl) 2010.

03: AntiChildLeague : Mondo Freddo (Frozen Mix) (Not On Label) 2020.

04: William Basinski : Evening Scars (2062) 2007 *

05: Joke Lanz : Dirty Looks (Force Majeure/Nuit Et Brouillard) 2025.

06: Joke Lanz : Riesen=Schöpfung (Force Majeure/Nuit Et Brouillard) 2025.

07: RNPno.2 : Untitled (Not On Label) 2025.

08: Cabaret Voltaire : The Set Up (Rough Trade Records) 1978.

09: Cabaret Voltaire : The Outer Limits (Mute Records) 2019.

10: Cabaret Voltaire : She Loved You (Mute Records) 2019.

11: The Future : Blank Clocks (Vinyl On Demand) 2015.

12: The Future : Dancevision (Virgin Records) 1980.

13: Clock DVA : 1958 (Bain Total/S.C.O.P.A/Invisible Records) 1981.

14: Clock DVA : Relentless (Contempo Records) 1990.

15: Clock DVA : You're Without Sound (Rockburgh Records) 1980.

16: Vice Versa : Genetic Warfare (Democratic Dancebeat Records) 2011.

17: Vice Versa : A Stilyagi (Democratic Dancebeat Records) 2011.

18: Vice Versa : Eyes Of Christ (Democratic Dancebeat Records) 2011.

19: I'm So Hollow : I Don't Know (Rockburgh Records) 1980.

20: The Human League : Dreams Of Leaving (Virgin Records) 1980.

21: The Comsat Angels : I Get Excited (Junta Records) 1979.

22: The Naughtiest Girl Was A Monitor : All The Naked Heroes (Aardvark) 1980.

23: Grey Frequency : Majestic (Not On Label) 2025.

24: Coil : How To Destroy Angels (Not On Label) 2013.

25: De Tian : The Bakhtiari (Oblique Sound/Limited Edition Records) 1980.

26: Grey Frequency : Spirit Box (Not On Label) 2025.

27: Muslimgauze : Untitled (Not On Label) (Year Unknown) *

28: Astrud Gilberto : Photograph (Verve Records) 1965 *

29: Cabaret Voltaire : Breathe Deep (Rough Trade Records) 1982 *

30: Monte Cazazza : Sex Is No Emergency (Sordide Sentimental) 1982.

31: Psychic TV : She Was Surprised (Sacred Bones Records) 2017.

32: The Aryan Aquarians : My Secret Gardener (L.A.Y.L.A.H. AntiRecords) 1987.

33: William S. Burroughs : Ich Bin Kopf Bis Fuss Auf Liebe Eingestellt (Island Records) 1990 *

34: Rema-Rema : Gallery/Oh Rock N' Roll (Le Coq Musique) 2020.

35: Dorothy : I Confess (Industrial Records) 1980.

36: The Monochrome Set : The Monochrome Set (I Presume) (Dindisc) 1980.

37: The Monochrome Set : The Lighter Side Of Dating (Dindisc) 1980.

38: Psychic TV : Godstar (Temple Records) 1985.

39: Of The Wand And The Moon : What Hand Harvest the Soul At Death (Heiörunar Myrkrunar) 2020.

40: The Fall : Who Makes The Nazis (Kamera Records) 1982 *

Many many thanks to Tamsin and Chris. MuhmUr Radio back on SoundArt Radio Sunday July 6. 18:00 hours GMT. https://soundartradio.org.uk stream live or tune your dial to 102.5FM if you're lucky enough to live in the South Hams of Devon ... 

                                                 whilst I spin the discs .. Tamsin crochets!