Music is a difficult business and I think the biggest reward for artists is the acknowledgement of ones work by the audience. Last weekend, the german Schallwelle awards 2011 were presented to the best acts and albums of 2010 in the (traditional) electronic music genre. This genre surely builds the root and base of syndae podcast, looking back to its beginning, hence, who wouldn't expect me to celebrate the award's winners? Well, here it comes with Klaus Schulze, Matzumi, MorPheuSz, and Picture Palace music. Plus the top act of the ceremonies concerts, Robert Schroeder.

This is the first of a loose series of specials featuring music by selected electronic music labels. With this series I hope to introduce you even more to the wide range of styles and activities in EM, and where to look for what kind of music. The first label we focus on tonight is also a premiere to syndae. It's homebase is Chemnitz and the label is named Raster-Noton. Their releases range from ambient to experimental electronica, and, of course, this episode only presents a small excerpt of their portfolio. Tracks on tonight's show are by Atom TM, Fennesz, Frank Bretschneider, Kangding Ray, Mark Fell, Nibo, and SND.

Watching the sky at this time of the year, clouds are quite domionant. Sometimes, they look smooth and cosy, sometimes they get dark and rough. For tonight's episode, we stick to their floating. About thirty minutes of ambient style music that has some peaceful and cosy beginning, but turning slightly angular and noisy to the end. A journey with changing weather so to say. Enjoy tonight's fleecy clouds with tracks by Appolonious & 33 Tetragammon, Cousin Silas, Dense Vision Shrine, Javi Canovas, John Daly, and Wounds.

Remember people often refering to the "good old days"? Well, depending on what you do nowadays, many things have change to better. For example, when connecting to others from all over the world and especially getting to listen to the pearls, the masterly pieces of music in our genre, created so remotely and distributed on earth. And for me, to being able to produce a tiny little show to present this music nearly effortless to you lot via Internet. So on tonight's episode, we'll celebrate this world-wide closeness a little, joined musically wise by David Helpling & Jon Jenkins, Gert Blokzijl, LastEDEN, Moognase, Synth.NL, and You!

We had some nice driving episodes lately, and I thought to give it another go. This time returning to the classic style of electronic music, giving you a hand full of sequencing maniacs. The wonderful thing about sequences in music is that they drive your mind and chill you out equally, so these are 30 minutes to have a great and joyful time. On tonight's show, you will get electronified by ARC, Create, Fanger & Kersten, Gert Emmens, and Paul Ellis.

What an exhausting week! So many projects, so much work to be done, and soon no time is left in the week's wallet. Time to get some rest and leave it all behind, at least for 30 minutes of joyful and easing sounds that still have some drive to pick one up and take you into some mind opening space. Get caught by tonight's episode presenting contemporary electronic music by Dead Beat Project, Altus & Trx, moonbooter, and G.R.O.K.

Life can be tough sometimes, great if artists like the Ambient Collective care and put out a release for charity. And with some great tracks, too, of course. Three of these you'll get on this show, by Bluejooz, Braindouche!, and Greg Plummer. But there is more to this chill out episode: new faces at syndae with Rieg from Norway and Parseque from Germany. And a wonderful quiet track completing the relaxing moments of tonight's show by René van der Wouden.

Fluent grooves in rhythm and bass, unwinding patterns that get you moving. On tonight's episode, you will get a continuous driving atmosphere, hopefully helpful to wind down from the weeks exhaustion. Marvellous dubby tracks on this show by Das Kraftfuttermischwerk, EugeneKha, MetanoiaX, Para, and Taschenrechnermusikant.