… (and only).
Early last summer (2024), I was asked by acclaimed Emo-Gazey pop artist Feminoise to collaborate on a project that would become Dystopian Communications. To this day, I consider that single to be one of my highest of achievements. Her asking me to collaborate was a blessing, as it opened the doors to so much that would follow; other collaborations, a wider exposure, the confidence to continue doing what I’ve been doing, AND the outline for an ambitious project left in its wake.
Dystopian Comms Dub (the B Side)
When seeking inspiration for the lyrics she would pen, Feminoise asked me for a concept. That concept, a lonely and isolated person culture jamming a pirated radio broadcast in effort to communicate with others, would eventually evolve into Mayfly Radio, Volume One.
Thanks, Mel!
I would continue chasing down that idea with ‘A Dystopian Broadcast’, a radio-waved sound collage, off my ‘Don’t Cry Upon Arrival’ EP.
A Dystopian Broadcast
But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to go all-in on the concept. What if I actually put a radio program together? Or at least something that could pass for one. What if it was ‘call-in’ based, like the programs I remember listening to as a child? What if I masked a compilation album as a radio drama and vice versa?
Maybe…
Maybe I could convince the talents that I most respect from the independent music scene to contribute songs? Without songs, there could be no pseudo radio program. I was lucky enough to have been provided original pieces by Feminoise, neuroshock, Lost Cause Industry, House of Warwick, and Histheory. I was also granted permission (hand shake licensing? GASP!) to use previously released works by Subtlety (and myself), Arwr Neb, Betrav Kolektiv, Plains Desperate Symphony, Czña, and Ghost of Rucker.
And maybe I could convince some of the best voices of the independent arts scene to record ‘call-ins’ to the station? Without people calling in to cement the central themes, there was no point to any of this. I was very lucky to have received spoken word contributions from Entropy in Motion, Plains Desperate Symphony (3x), GAB, Arcane Synthetic, Subtlety, Deb LaMotta, Lost Cause Industry, Arwr Neb, and Montgomery Van.
Mayfly Radio Volume One (and only) is the result; a one hour, forty four minute broadcast that tells as many stories as the listener is willing to hear. Or willing to bear. Whichever works for you.
Mayfly Radio is the crown jewel of this Bärkər experiment, yet ‘Bärkər’ doesn’t exist anywhere on it. That is not only fitting, but prophetic.
For anyone that might be interested, here is a PDF itinerary for the broadcast (included with purchase on Bandcamp): Mayfly Radio Itinerary
