Earlier this life, I resided in Cologne, in that time one of the greatest sources in traditional electronic music. Not only did the local radio have a show dedicated to this style, one could also go into the big record shops -actually a store that had piles of vinyl discs stacked in shelves- and browse for EM. Try to find even a box of this music in current cd shops. Funnily, when I lived in Berlin, there was even less such music, despite that there had once to be a school of that kind. You can guess that I am so greatful for when music went the digital way. The world got virtually smaller and EM is available at a click. What a contrast to the early days, when I had to order a (hand printed) catalog to order the music I wanted. Well, you might have guessed tonight's motto by now, and I hope you enjoy the longish excerpts I have for you by Broekhuis, Keller & Schönwälder (E-Scape 2017), Alien Nature & Michael Brückner (The Dark Path), DASK (Electron Utopia), and Ed O'Neill (Eidolon).

When I was younger, those postcards were just everywhere like a hype: completely black with the writing "cityname by night". Well, "cityname" of course was a city's name, and you got them everywhere I went for vacation. A fun card, showing the darker side of the town. Or rather not. I don't see them often nowadays, where it is rather some half-naked guy or girl with some city phrase. So, why am I writing about this? Anyways, tonight, syndae visits the darker side of ambient. It is rather recommended, not to listen and drive at the same time. On the other hand, I find this style very interesting and mind absorbing, when you let it take you to its depth. Have a great experience with tracks by Robert Fox (Cathedral), Ashtoreth (Midnight Radio Compilation 84), Perceptual Defense (Wishstone), Eisenlager (The Joy Division), Shock of Daylight (Blood is Sweeter Than Honey), and Winterberg (Le Sacre du Noir).

When you don't know what to talk about, choose the weather as universal topic. It usually does not offend anyone in his or her view or believe, and most people can relate to having good or bad weather. For example, since this week the cold and rainy days finally makes their exit and give space to the sun. Less cloth to wear around, which also means less laundry stacking up in the hamper. Your skin finally gets to consume some vitamin D made by UVB radiation. On the downside, people start running around wearing ridiculous sunglasses and leggings and white socks in brown sandals. Ok, images. Well, the good side is one can enjoy the long evenings outside with some drink and of course beautiful music, like the one we have tonight by Bernd Kistenmacher (Disintegration), Jamuroo & Wolfgang Gsell (From Holy Mountains and Sacred Places), Deep Imagination (Carefully Kept Secrets), Erik Wøllo (Different Spaces), ARC and Peter Challoner (E-Scape 2017).

So this is the week of breaking headphones. First, my listening headphone started to crackle, it's an open Beyerdynamics DT990 which I have for about 15 years. And I thought, well, cannot blame them for slowly giving up. I always have a second one. Well, I had. As right this week my closed-back AKG, which I use for mixing and recording, simply broke on one side. Blimey! So now I am using a portable on-ear headphone for listening and recording. Wonder, what that will do to the show. But, hey, you are here for the music, and I totally have cool stuff for you on the playlist. Brand new releases as well as some that definitely are worth checking out. Fantastic tracks, too, one this new edition, which are by Pyramaxx (Move), Blinky Blinky Computerband (Fractured Sign), Wellenfeld (Ten), Baltes & Erbe (Electric Garden), aAirial (Music for Sunny Days), and Saafi Brothers (The Quality of Being One: Remixes).