CountryBoy Raf and RKiD came down to join Daisy Adams for this fortnightly freestyle episode, Raise The Bar.
Self-taught producer RKiD has been making music for the past two years, learning as he goes along on Ableton. Country Boy Raf has been on the scene over the last eight years.
From being friends outside the music world, it wasn’t long before they realised they were both into making music. You can hear their original track ‘Hard Times Freestyle’ on the show, before they ramp things up a notch with a freestyle performance full of energy.
Welcome back to On Our Radar, a music feature where the Reform team show off their hottest tracks of the week. This week we are diving into compilation and remix albums, as well as taking a look at emerging songwriters from the North.
OBSKURA
All proceeds from this hard-hitting industrial techno compilation go to benefit relief organizations helping Ukraine. Released on the 100th day that the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine, featuring fifteen tracks and an array of contributing artists.
#StandWithUkraine
ILYICH
If bubbly dance music with rubbery basslines is your thing, then this EP will fulfil all your grooving desires. Embracing Jazz, House and Soul, German artist Ilyich synthesises trippy breaks and percussion with out of this word vocals, entrancing strings and voluminous arpeggios.
BRIAN JACKSON
Did somebody say dancefloor-friendly remixes? Brain Jackson’s latest album features the original track ‘Little Orphan Boy’, and a continuation of remixes to follow. With ‘Soul Fusion’, instrumental, Down-tempo and Dub mixes, there’s one for everyone.
BARRY CAN’T SWIM
What a name. ‘Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore’ is from the 4-track EP ‘More Content’. Released on independent Electronic label Ninja Tune, Barry Can’t Swim continues to make forward-thinking, jubilant dance music, impossible not to like.
DEE RAE
Queer Indie Rock artist Dee Rae has just released their first single ‘Silver Wallet’. Twenty-year-old singer from Liverpool has been blowing up, making appearances at some of the most prestigious venues across the North. Through her emotive vocals and upbeat melodies, tales of love, dreams and nature are delegated.
Our podcasting course Manchester Futures just wrapped up. If you’re unfamiliar with MF, it’s a 6-week course that provides bespoke support to young people aged 16-25 looking for work, kindly made possible by The Prince’s Trust.
With the goal of working towards a live radio show the group immersed themselves into the digital world and got to business.
This time, employers joining us were Fuzzy Duck, Brighter Sounds and The British Red Cross. Let’s tell you a little bit about each of them.
Fuzzy Duck is a company that works across the realms of design, film, animation and other means of creativity to craft much-loved stories. The kind of stories that one doesn’t forget or the kind that gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling. They’ve worked with BBC Bitesize, CBBC’s Blue Peter, the Science Museum in London and the National Trust to name a few.
Brighter Sounds is a creative music charity which helps music creators, leaders and industry professionals through creative projects, residencies, training and events. Over the years, they have connected those working with them with established artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Bugzy Malone and Everything Everything.
And, last but not least, the British Red Cross is a humanitarian charity aiming to help those in crisis, in the UK and the rest of the world. Currently, they are offering advice, support and schemes to help those affected in Ukraine, as well as offering advice on Climate Change and what we can do as individuals to prevent further monstrosities.
Participants such as Kate, who aspires to make their own podcast post workshop on philosophy and cinematography, chose to explore the British Red Cross as they wanted to learn “insight into the humanitarian industry”. Bartender Gabriel Hackman agreed that it was “really informative”, adding that he chose Red Cross because he was “intrigued by the panel about climate change” that the charity discussed.
Others like part-time fundraiser George Edwards went with Fuzzy Duck out of a keen interest in the film production industry. During his time at University, George received training in Radio commercials and would love to make his own radio show exploring plays, due to his “love of theatre”.
Although no previous broadcasting experience is required to join the course, individuals such as Amina had dabbled in a podcasting course funded by the Prince’s Trust in the past. During Manchester Futures, she built up her confidence and said: “I would actually love to make my own podcast about personal development or confidence building”.
As with all of our workshops, we strive to create and maintain an environment of ease, where anyone can join and be their authentic selves with no judgement. It’s great to see when that pays off and people involved such as Amina leave feeling confident and ready to boss their next move.
To hear more from the group behind Manchester Futures, you can tune into the radio show they scripted and produced themselves called ‘Shut Up and Listen’. During the show, they chat about neurodiversity, potatoes and game shows.
Listen now.
If you’re interested in applying for the next workshop, please drop an email to projects@reformradio.co.uk to find out more.
Welcome back to On Our Radar, a weekly music feature where the Reform team share their hottest tracks of the week. This week we’re spotlighting talent from our very own and exploring the different realms of sonic beats.
DR MYSTERY
Her latest release is the bass-forward three-track EP ‘Basquiat’, released on Manchester’s record label Left Right & Centre. Entering the void through the thrilling title track, introduced by a ‘mysterious sample and a transcendent breakbeat coated with delayed synths, phasing in and out of the foreground to present a dreamlike space’.
EP ‘Icons’ is here to drive your ears nuts. A smorgasbord of sonic delights and atmospheric excitement, jampacked with layers upon layers of sound art. Since the release of their first EP in 2019, they’ve been blowing up in the electronic sphere. It’s the kind of music that’s born into this world to give each individual listener a feeling of exclusivity as if your ears are the only ones to have heard the immensity and intricacy of their crafts. You can catch them at a couple of festivals this summer such as Lost Village and Four Tet’s All-Dayer to see the magic for yourselves.
ITSNATEVENDAHK
Manchester’s itsnatevendahk have just released a remix album of their 2021 album ‘Wedontdothatanymore’. Mastered by one of Reform’s very own, dithering, it’s safe to say the production is top-notch. Kicking off with the calming ‘Preelood’, the album sweeps into the mysteries of micro-genres such as Ambient Breakbeat with ‘Must Find Out Who He Is’.
K-65
K-65 traverses through the darker side of Electro and Breaks with bass-wobbling EP ‘The Sequence’, released on the Parisian label Les Yeux Orange. K makes use of a wonderfully haunting display of laughter, echoing relentlessly throughout the cause of track A ‘The Sequence’. Squelching samples and hard-hitting drums make up the rest of the rave-centric composition, leaving us thinking, what’s next for track B ‘Negative’…
It’s been a hot minute since SBTRKT has come out with any new music. Released on Ruff and Ready, the mask-man makes a comeback with catchy Jungle tune ‘miss the days’. Held together with his trademark synth chords and silky vocals, his new sound blesses us with a tune fit for the summer festivities.
It’s summertime and our city has been blossoming, full of vibrancy, life and laughter. Here are a few ways to spend your weekends in the sunshine this August.
INTERNATIONAL BOOM BAP
Come party in Ancoats with our resident Pablo Blanquitoand Same Chose at the Hip Hop Chip Shop. International Boom Bap is a global Hip Hop night with beats and rhythms from across the globe. With an 8 PM kick-off, there’s plenty of time to grab some delicious munch, have a boogie and support your local artists. Plus, it’s free entry!
RELAX AND BAKE FM TAKEOVER
Expect to hear some silky sounds on August the 13th because Relax And Bake FM will be taking over Whiteworth Lock. As a collective of DJs and creatives, dedicated to highlighting emerging talent and providing a vibe, you don’t want to miss this one.
MIC CHECK LIVE PRESENTS
Mic Check Live is back, this time at Low Four Studio in Deansgate Mews, a classy venue which will be hosting its first Rap show. With 6 high-level rappers, this event is already close to being sold out. Grab your £10 ticket now!
BUILDING:BRIDGES W/ VINDYA & SCAPA
With Pride weekend and Bank Holiday locking eyes and joining hips, we thought you might fancy a do. On Friday 26 August, one month on from their Sports Day spesh with those rascals over at Semi-Peppered, Soup will play theatre to Building:Bridges’ first night time jaunt.
They’ve got prolific bop dealers and producers, Scapa and Vindya on the dials, with a buffet of rump shakers on the menu ’til close. Turn up and chow down with your friends, family or love interest(s) to raise money for Rainbow Migration and WAST Manchester – two brilliant charities we’re buzzing to support.
Soundcamp is a 12-week programme that gives up-and-coming artists the opportunity to develop their performance and music business skills, delivered in partnership with Youth Music. The Soundcamp Spotlight series is a feature that aims to shine the light on Soundcamp artists and share their stories with our audience.
Next up it’s Alex Pascalidis…
Please could you introduce yourself?
My name is Alex Pascalidis, soon to be under the alias bathhat. I am a folk artist, a poet and on the odd occasion, I put some noises together whilst DJing.
When did your musical journey start?
My serious musical journey started a little later on. I went to uni to do music production but started making music the summer before. I am still a bit shocked that I got in at all. I could always sing and loved doing that but I always thought music was gatekept, as in, because I didn’t have any formal training I wasn’t able to do it. I had the same thing growing up with dance, I didn’t learn formally but from films and again, any possibility I thought I had about doing something with it faded quite quickly when I thought there were traditional barriers in front of me.
I make quite specifically folk music now. I have a loose definition of what folk music is, but for me, it is guitar and singing. Adrianne Lenker is a big inspiration of mine, along with Grouper so that may give an idea of what I’m talking about. I’m interested in the delicate and beautiful along with the abstract. I am still trying to figure out how to make a sonic identity but for now, I am just trying to sing well, consistently and write good songs.
You were part of Soundcamp 2018. Do you have any highlights or experiences you would like to share?
The main highlight of the Soundcamp experience apart from meeting some amazing talent and being mentored by some extraordinary artists (and when I say extraordinary I mean legends in the music industry), was gaining creative confidence in my artistry, and I really mean artistry. What has me exploring a lot of different mediums to this day is the ignition that the project gave me.
Has your career progressed or changed since participating in Soundcamp?
I think that the establishment of a poetic voice since Soundcamp has welcomed a splitting of energy. Both poetry and music are equally important in my life now. I never knew I would be this into writing, reading and exploring the subconscious through the written word. I think from a music perspective I was once so interested in having a high volume of projects being released and not really caring what came of them. Now I care a lot more about what comes of them and whether or not the project is the best thing I can do at that moment. I think that taking your time and trusting in whatever it is you think you can do is for the best.
How and when did your facilitation journey start with Reform? How did the opportunity to manage Soundcamp 2022 come about?
Facilitation came after Soundcamp. At the time I was getting more and more into educating myself and realising the power or excitement that came from that. I was feeling quite cheated by the education system, convincing me that learning is boring. I wanted to go about sharing something with other people, teaching and passing on some of my knowledge, that seemed cool.
I think there was some funding from Soundcamp that basically paid us to run a single 2 hour session and for that first one I taught creativity. Since then I made it clear that I wanted to facilitate with the directors and then did another one-off creativity session and built up from there. I have now been working between Reform Radio and Sonder Radio for the past year, facilitating and creating various creative skills workshops.
There is the opportunity here to be romantic about how the opportunity to manage Soundcamp 2022 came about but it would be a hard spin. I think the real story is I didn’t have a project coming up and was figuring out a way to talk to the directors about maybe filling in on one or two of the days at Soundcamp Bootcamp. As I was going to send the message, I received one asking if I wanted to do just that and then I was offered the role. I didn’t really know what project managing would entail but I said yes very quickly and I’m glad I did.
How does it feel to have come full circle and now be the one guiding people who were once in your shoes?
There are two edges to it. I think on the one hand I love it, it is inspiring to see so much talent in the room and be at the beginning of a lot of seriously good musician’s careers. On the other hand, I think it puts into perspective a little how I have come full circle but I am still relatively in the same place with my music. There is always the imposter syndrome writhing away in the back of my mind. But, if I can add anything on top of my experience to what the facilitators are saying, I will, and everything I say I believe, it is just whether I myself have my own proof of it working for me.
What advice would you give somebody thinking of applying for Soundcamp next year?
Give it a shot and see what happens. If you get chosen that’s cool, if you don’t that’s also cool. You don’t need it to become the thing you are supposed to be, it can help take yourself seriously and it can help with learning specific things about the industry but there are many famous musicians who didn’t go through Soundcamp who are successful. The boot camp is such a hotbed of creativity and talent, that even if you attend that and make some connections you will be winning. The amount of music I have heard of being made as a result of the boot camp is actually ridiculous, so many conversations come up about the collaboration that’s happened since with lots of different people. It’s beautiful. That, for me, is the reason you go to Soundcamp.
The process helped me so much and I know that it helps all those that get through it. The first bit of creative confidence I got with my music was Werkha listening to my music on the first day of attending and taking an interest in what I had done. That was the spark. Go to the boot camp and just allow yourself to create. What happens after that is out of your control but as long as you are creating you will be good.
Anything upcoming that you would like to shout out?
I have a music project coming out soon! Hopefully, it will be done and out within the next few months. It is a folk project. No name yet but it will be the debut project from my new alias bathhat. The project is just me and some guitar and it is the first project that I feel I will like in 3 years so that’s a positive.
Welcome back to On Our Radar, a music feature where the Reform team show off their hottest tracks of the week. This week we are exploring the realms of Experimental music, with tune’s to get you in the summer mood.
YUNÈ PINKU
Rising star Yuné Pinku has just released her first EP. If you are not familiar with Yuné, you want to listen to the first track ‘DC Rot’ to gauge what she’s all about. Born and raised in London, Yuné is making undeniably catchy tunes to dominate your summer activities. Described as the “music for pre-drinking while applying eyeliner”, it’s fair to say her sound has got a mood provoking energy about it. A glimpse of her London upbringing cuts through each track, with London-centric genres like UKG and UK Rave having an audible influence. Through entrancing vocals, strong percussion, fun synthesiser melodies and bouncy UKG rhythms, Yuné proves herself as one artist to look out for this year.
P-RALLEL
West Londons p-rallel has a new track with Hak Baker and it’s giving off carnival vibes. Starting off as a DJ at parties, p-rallel has firmly secured himself a residency on NTS Radio and is part of the Elevation/Meditation collective alongside artists such as Lord Aphex, touring with established artists such as slowthai. Drawing his inspiration from a range of genres such as Amapiano, Jungle, Rap, R&B, Reggae, Dub, Jazz, Garage and House, you best believe he’s as eclectic as they come.
ROSS FROM FRIENDS
Ross From Friends never disappoints. His latest remix of ‘3210’ by London Rapper Jeshi is built on springy chords that have been making a comeback ever since Bicep released ‘Glue’. As with most of Ross’ tunes, you know it will sound 10X better live. Made for the headline set of a Festival, when dusk is nearing and the music is flowing through your body, surrounded by your nearest and dearest. If you’re booked to see Ross this summer, you’re in for the boogie of your life.
How do we even begin to explain ‘50/50’. I think you best listen to it for yourselves and make your own respective decisions. It’s believed that the duo who make up Jockstrap met at an old music conservatory in London after both studying at Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Now the pair are signed to Warp, an experimental Electronic label. Their profound musical backgrounds make an appearance with this new track, showing off their impeccable production skills and avant-garde composing.
KIWI
Released on Polar Records, a label that showcases music featuring artwork from the LGBTQIA+ community, ‘Hedonistic Tendencies Pt. 2’ follows on from Pt. 1 released back in April. Kiwi’s rise has been short but tremendous, with songs such as ‘Short Tail’ being nominated for DJ Mags best track of the year (huge!). ‘More Raves’ taps into Acid House and Synth-Pop, lurring you in through monotonous instrumental melodies.
We’re super thrilled to announce that we’ve received four years of core funding from The National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund. Massive thank you to them and all National Lottery players for making this happen.
These funds will be vital in supporting our work over the next four years as we build back from Covid and work to support the young people most affected by the pandemic. It will allow us to improve and strengthen our approach of using radio and the arts to bring young people together to collaborate, learn and develop new skills.
It will also fund some special discussion-based radio programmes, such as our recent Refugee Week Roundtable, which focus on key social topics pertinent to young people, giving them the skills to look deeper, reflect on and share their own lived experience, and hear from others.
The funding will also allow us to work on building our Podcasting With Purpose offer, which will alleviate our reliance on grant funding and increase our financial sustainability through earned income.
Thank you again to The National Lottery and its players for this vital support and if you’re interested in getting involved in our programmes or our podcasting offer then do get in touch here.
Welcome back to On Our Radar, a music feature where the Reform team show off their hottest tracks of the week. This week we’re starting you guys off with some smooth Jazz, followed by some UK Bass and Breaks.
NAT BIRCHELL
Hidden Jazz tressure and saxophonist Nat Birchell just got together with pianist Adam Fairhall, bassist Michael Bardon, Paul Hession on the drums and percussionist Lascelle Gordon for his latest EP ‘Spiritual Progressions’. Naming themselves ‘Unity’, the five-piece ensemble when put together has an apparent unified effect, with each musician’s unique sound simultaneously coming together. It sounds like the group had quite a lot of fun putting this together, with Nat himself commenting that “making music with this band is pure joy”.
JB DUNCKEL
Do you remember the iconic French duo that went by the name of Air? We’re talking ‘La femme d’argent’ and ‘Sexy Boy’. One-half of the Air boys is back with his third solo album ‘Carbon’, and it’s dreamy Ambient Pop if ever we have heard it. Wonderfully sublime, mysterious and emotive, JB explores the sounds of our universe through sprinklings of Electronic modulations that have a distinct transcendentalness. All tracks are composed, performed and produced by none other than Jean-Benoît Dunckel, otherwise known as JB Dunckel.
MURDER HE WROTE
This two-track Electric display of club-heavy whoppers is here to soundtrack your summer. Manchester’s Murder he Wrote has been slaying the game and his latest EP ‘FB020’ is here to prove it. Rich in influence from UKG, Dub, Hip Hop and Drum & Bass, ‘Future’ sets the tone with its fluctuating synth chords and regimented percussion. Fusing his musical influences into a genre of his own, MHW shows off his broad range in the second track ‘Say’. The bass-heavy narrative leads the way, with choppy vocal samples and alarm-like synths infiltrating to make the ultimate party tune.
FOREST DRIVE WEST
First Drive West just released his four-track EP on the German label Ilian Tape, and it’s hot as chips. Beginning with the track ‘Creeper’, eight minutes of pure relentless Break-Beat, progressing into the dark and Ambient world of ‘Sustain’, before speeding things up on ‘Greed’ which enters the Drum & Bass spectrum. The EP ends on ‘Breaks’, bringing you back down to dizzying Break-Beat through percussion galore and ominous echoing chords. We recommend listening to the tracks in order to hear their full potential.
SAGE DE LESTROGÉN
Under the new alias of Sage De Lestrogén, LA’s DJ Introspect joins the Breaks N Pieces family with the new EP ‘Femme Fatal’. After a sneak peek of songs ‘Tongue Technician’ and ‘Femme Fatal’, the full six tracks are now available to stream, all thanks to Cheeky Music Group. Pulling his inspiration from UK Dub, Jungle, Dubstep and 2-Step, Sage conjures up bass-brimming, leg-wobbling, energetic compositions fit for the D floor.
In 2020 Dunamis released his first solo track and now he celebrates his seventh single with his new song ‘Grateful’. After recognition on BBC Music Introducing Manchester in 2021, he makes his debut on the Reform airwaves, joining Daisy Adams.
Twenty-two-year-old Mancuncion Colombian rapper Dunamis is blowing up, one single at a time. Keeping his followers on their toes with the hope of an EP, the young musician shares exclusive tracks on the show that have not yet been released.
You might wonder where the name Dunamis comes from. In an interview with Pie Radio, the rapper mentions growing up in a Christian household, seeing the word ‘dunamis’ in the Bible and wanting to know more about it.
His artist moniker derives from an ancient Greek philosophical concept which is the notion of power, potential or actuality and is central to Aristotelian beliefs. Catch his freestyle down below to see the power for yourself.
In the UK, 1 in 6 people report having mental health symptoms such as anxiety every week. In recent findings by the Mental Health Foundation charity, it was discovered that at least 74% of the population have admitted to having felt extreme levels of stress over the past year. Although it is not uncommon to struggle with these symptoms, knowing how to deal with them can be challenging.
Every month our well-being manager Dan Owens-Cooper has been offering his advice on a number of topics that the average person will encounter at some point in their life, including trying something new and pushing yourself to the limit.
There are always small steps that you can take to overcome feelings that prompt you to think ‘I can’t do this’. Before you call it quits on your new job because you are feeling stressed, or the thought of attending a new gym class is making you feel too anxious, take a look at Dan’s advice on some of the ways you could go about overcoming these feelings in that horrible moment when you are feeling helpless.
TRYING SOMETHING NEW
The very thought of trying something new can prompt feelings of nervousness and social anxiety. Whether that be applying for a new job, joining a sports team or taking up driving lessons, it’s very easy to avoid doing things we want to and giving in to fear. But, here are a few simple steps you could take to ease yourself into this newfound hobby or career instead of brushing it under the carpet for the next five years.
Number one. Ask your friends or family if anyone’s interested in starting this new thing with you. It can be easier to go into situations knowing you have the support of a friend or family member by your side. Plus, they might love it too!
Number two. Try not to avoid things and challenge yourself to overcome your fear. Sometimes the mere thought of doing something can make you want to curl up and not leave your room. Take going to the gym for example. Getting yourself there can be a nightmare and a half, but you always feel 10/10 afterwards and the whole experience is very rewarding.
Starting something new with another person can be really beneficial. We had a chat with the Content & Marketing team at Reform to find out if they had ever struggled with trying something new before. One team member who works in videography and photography speaks on their experience of wanting to start DJing in Japan.
“I wanted to get into DJing for a really long time but was finding it difficult to find the motivation and confidence to get stuck into it on my own. When I was studying in Japan for a year, I promised myself that I would join at least one society. When flicking through the University’s society pamphlet, I came across the weekly DJ society event. Without hesitation, this was at the top of my list, but I grew more and more hesitant as the society’s induction day approached. The idea of heading to a club full of people I didn’t know, plus the element of having to speak in my second language started to dawn on me.
A week before the first event, I shared my frustration with my hallmates one morning during breakfast. Thankfully one of them had overheard another student feeling the same way, so I dropped him over a message and the rest is history! As we were both feeling anxious beforehand, it was really nice being able to relate and comfort one another and turn the nerves into excitement! It’s been 3 years of DJing now and I look back at that time super fondly. Overcoming numerous obstacles of anxiety together has definitely contributed to me becoming more independent as an artist now!”.
HIGH PRESSURE
Putting a high level of pressure on yourself is a common human narrative. Whether you want to get A grades across the board or impress your boss by taking lots on, the results can be feelings of stress and being overloaded with things to do.
If you are somebody who puts high pressure on yourself, when you get into this negative spiral, stop and ask yourself ‘where is my focus and is this helping?’. Checking in with yourself is incredibly important and having these conversations with yourself can really help.
One way you can tackle feelings of high pressure is to use your imagination to create a compassionate voice in your head, rather than using your focus or imagination to think about all the things you need to do and beating yourself up about the potential of things going wrong. This is not a productive use of your focus or time and by checking in with yourself, it could be resolved.
One other way to deal with feelings of high pressure is to think about what a friend in your situation might say to you and how this makes you feel. It might change your perspective on things and help you to tackle these emotions.
If you feel like you are losing focus, feeling drained of energy or losing passion for what you are doing, it’s time to call ‘burnout’. Rather than completely burning yourself out, recognise when it is starting to happen and take a break. A break should be something that replenishes you rather than depletes you, such as yoga, meditation or another form of light exercise. It could also be a creative outlet such as painting or drawing. You could also read a book or listen to a podcast.
It’s important to give yourself a break and do things you find soothing and enjoyable. Find that one thing that helps you to switch off temporarily and relax your mind before you get too burnt out.
One staff member from the Content & Marketing team shares a personal experience of feeling ‘burnout’ and what outlets they used to cope with this.
“My very first professional experience has been quite a struggle and ended up being one of my worst experiences overall. I was working in hospitality management in Switzerland at the time, in a hotel and restaurant in the mountains. I knew the field was very hard to work in and very demanding, but I realised quickly that my manager was disrespectful and did not respect my contract or my rights.
After 2 months, I experienced ‘burnout’ for the first time and I had to leave, resulting in me being expelled from my school for ‘not having the mind to work in this industry’. I had to take a break for 2 months to resource myself and regain confidence, but I ended up changing my field of studies. Outlets like sports, music and movies became my therapy, and still are today in hard periods of anxiety and stress for me”.
To hear more from Dan, tune into his monthly show on Tuesday the 19th in collaboration with #BeWell from 5 PM – 6 PM. A mental health mix of voices, experiences and creative talents from young adults in Greater Manchester.
It’s important to remember that you are never alone in whatever you are going through. If you are struggling mentally and would like to talk to someone, please visit our Emergency Contacts page. Multiple amazing organisations offer their services 24/7.
Visual artist and songwriter Sarah Angel, and music producer, DJ and vocalist Lashimba have just teamed up with producer Blakenor for their new track ‘HIGH WAY’. The music video dropped on June 16th and you can stream the music video on Youtube now.
Watch now.
After meeting properly back in 2020 during Soundcamp, the pair kept in touch and hoped to meet up and collaborate in the future. Lashimba says she “had seen Sarah Angel out and about, as the creative scene in Manchester is quite tight” and that the two connected when she was completing her degree and interviewed Sarah for her dissertation on “women in the music industry”. After this, they “continued to weave in and out of each other’s environments” and over the last couple of years, performed at an event together called Freewave, as well Soundcamp.
However, this is the first time Angel and Lashimba have collaborated together musically. On a trip to London to see the Iranian-Dutch singer Sevdaliza, Lashimba reached out to Sarah for a place to stay. The next day she opened up a project with a beat given to her by Blakenor and they got to business: “we literally recorded the vocals in the morning, filmed ourselves around the local neighbourhood and then I went to catch my train at 3 PM, it was so fun” (Lashimba). Sarah says the two of them had “been meaning to get together for ages” and that when reunited, “the fates of the universe were at work that day”.
Sarah Angel’s Soundcamp Showcase for our virtual stage at We Out Here Festival
Blakenor had shared a beat with Lashimba that he had no plans for, showing it to her on a whim. Upon hearing it, the two vocalists knew they could add some of their own flavours to the track. “Shout out to Blakenor, he is extremely talented”, Lashimba comments with lots of exclamation points to follow.
When asked what ‘HIGH WAY’ means to both of them, Sarah comments that it is “the embodiment of female power”, whilst Lashimba adds that it is “being empowered but not taking ourselves too seriously”. Through Sarah’s lyrics, she tells a story of going through difficult times: “the good times being matched with the bad times and having to step up and face the demons that bring you challenges along the way, but in the end, surviving it all”.
Lashimba speaks on how in the music industry it’s not uncommon for women to be “pit against one another rather than fully embracing each other’s talents”, but by making this track and not taking herself too seriously or overthinking, magic was made.
From the moment you press play, it’s difficult to not get hooked on ‘HIGH WAY’. With impeccable production, carefully crafted vocals and a catchy beat, this is the only song you need to be playing on repeat this month. The interlude of choppy dance-heavy synths breaks up this beat perfectly, adding an air of energy that makes you want to get up and jump.
Lashimba’s Soundcamp Showcase for our virtual stage at We Out Here Festival
After participating in Soundcamp 2020 the two artists have made a name for themselves. Sarah Angel’s single ‘Lakeview’ is nearing one million streams on Youtube which she comments has been “a huge highlight” in her career. On Soundcamp, she says: “It was imperative to my growth and I am so glad I attended. I learnt so much creatively and within the business realms that I’ve been able to utilise going forward. I also made connections with so many brilliant creatives!”.
Similarly, Lashimba has been blowing up in Manchester this year, with bookings at Parklife’s VIP stage and a successfully curated event called PlugOne & Friends, which was “a significant moment” for her professionally and gave her “the confidence to pursue DJing more aggressively”.
The past year she has been growing as an artist and after taking part in Soundcamp, described it as a “blessing” as it really helped her “come out of [her] shell through the art of collaboration”.
This summer you can catch Sarah Angel performing at Kendal Calling, a festival in the Lake District at the end of July. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled, as their names are going to be popping up on your screens for the foreseeable future as the two songwriters embark on their journey to success as incredibly talented musicians.
Welcome back to On Our Radar, a music feature where the team at Reform select their hottest tracks of the week. This week we’re getting weird and whacky, exploring niche sub-genres that really make you feel something.
JANSKY
Microgenres are getting pretty intricate these days. So, if avant-garde biophonies are your thing, this one’s going to bang. Recording insects in Mallorca, Spanish duo Jansky have created a seven-track album with each song dedicated to a different insect. ‘Insecta Dance Music’ is a journey through the sounds of their landscape, created by sampling the sounds of insects such as crickets, cicadas and bees. Creating rhythms, tones, bass and synth pads and using these sounds to construct whole songs. Although electronic-driven, their music involves the use of poetry and a flute, combining luscious tones of classical music against atmospheric waves of contemporary.
JOAQUINE
Imagine you are in space, floating around in the atmosphere and soaking in the enormity of our galaxy. That’s what this EP sounds like. Dreambient and mystical, ‘Oh Angel’ is five tracks of pure bliss. With layers upon layers of modular sound art from the moment you press play and not a single vocal in sight. Joaquine is definitely one artist to look out for.
ASHA PUTHLI
You rarely come across an artist able to explore a multitude of genres and not only do it well, but add their spark. Indian songstress, Asha Puthli, does this effortlessly, adding her artistry to the spectrums of Jazz, Rock, Disco, Psych and even Pop, showing how eclectic Outhli is as a musician. Listen to her distinct, ethereal and enchanting vocals on a new compilation album released on UK record and film label Mr Bongo and hear the beauty for yourself.
MAARA Progressive Dance music is making a comeback and Maara is at the forefront, leading the way. Here you can get a sneak peek of what’s to come on release day, July 11th. Filled with gated vocals, seductive slurs and a feeling of haunting enchantment, ‘Forget The World’ is perfectly hypnotic and otherworldly. Screeching monkeys and monotonous drums take you on a journey, similar to that of a 1990’s Trance track where you could simply lose yourself in the music. If you have ever seen the rave scene in the Matrix Reloaded, you might recognise the same dark and tropical appeal that arose from the 1990s clubbing scene. Now, Canadian producer Maara brings this back, creating the tracks one might expect to hear vibrating across the dancefloor in the early hours of the morning.
FUTURE JAZZ ENSEMBLE
Released on Ten Lovers Music in May, the ‘Rough Times’ EP is four tracks by multi-instrumentalist Nicola Penna, otherwise known as Nasty Boy. The Italian DJ and Producer constructed Future Jazz Ensemble as a side project and his connections to the Electronic world are most certainly audible. This fresh take on Jazz is wonderfully encapsulating, with echoing brass notes, Rhodes chords and pitter-patter drums throughout.
In recognition of Refugee Week, a globally celebrated event that acknowledges the resilience, contributions and creativity of refugees, asylum seekers and all those who are on-the-move, we held a roundtable discussion delving into this year’s theme of ‘healing’. This roundtable was kindly made possible by the National Lottery Community Fund.
Hosted by Imogen McRoberts,the roundtable featured a number of people sharing their thoughts, feelings and experiences. Bringing together those who are affected by migration, showing solidarity and support to those who have had to leave their countries of origin and the places they call home.
In times of great difficulty, the creative processes have often been used as a means of healing. In this discussion, Imogen McRoberts opens the room to art, music, food and community, and how they can be used as a means of coping or coming together.
Guests Wirya Budaghi, Djahel Boubaker, Miray Sidhom, Salam Noah, Sahir Noah, as well as Chloe Power from the Border Violence Monitoring Network joined the roundtable and shared their personal experiences of migration, through spoken word, art and poetry.
Greece is one of the key points of entry to Europe and most people who are on the move have found themselves there at one point or another. It also has one of the largest humanitarian interventions in the world, with an estimated 120,000 refugees in Greece right now. However, the European management system has been known to have faults. In recent months humanitarian groups have accused the Greek government of spurring a hunger crisis for lack of food in the camps.
Sadly, the treatment that most migrants receive is deeply dehumanising and the impact this has on people who are on the move is deeply upsetting. Many refugees, trauma survivors and people at risk of being detained suffer with their mental health and are denied psychological support. In the case of detainees, they have been provided with a ‘Trauma Handout Pack’, offering solutions such as getting a haircut or playing cards. This lack of understanding human emotions, or more specifically, ignoring them, is a recurring theme and narrative for most people on the move.
Queer feminist, activist and researcher Chloe Power, who has been involved in migrant solidarity and self-organised initiatives in Greece and Turkey for over 5 years, introduces the disturbing day-to-day occurrences that take place in countries like Greece. After fleeing from the danger in their home countries, people like Boubaker Djahel have been pushed back by the state, aggressively and with lack of humanity. If you are not aware of the term ‘pushback’, it is the act of the government forcing migrants back over a border ‘without consideration of their individual circumstances and without any possibility to apply for asylum or to put forward arguments against the measures taken’.
Boubaker Djahel on episode 6 of Journeys: Into Europe.
Boubaker Djahel is from Sig, a town in the North West of Algeria, now residing in Berlin. Seeking to migrate to Europe in 2016, Boubaker flew to Turkey on a tourist visa with intentions of crossing the Greek border and moving into Europe. Unfortunately, his experience meant being repeatedly pushed back from Greece to Turkey. Whilst in Thessaloniki, he worked with the Border Violence Monitoring Network as a translator. For the show, Boubaker performs a spoken word piece, talking about his experience of being pushed back and the impact this has had on him. Now, he is based in Germany, works for the Border Violence Monitoring Network and is enjoying the culture of Berlin.
Diversity Arts Culture: Long live art from working class. Photography by Veronica Albrandt, word by Wirya Budaghi.
Another guest, such as Wirya Budaghi is currently based in Berlin, too. Wirya is a Kurdish-Iranian performance artist and activist living in exile after an Iranian revolutionary guard listed his name as a dangerous person to national security. In 2010 Wirya’s artistic work was raising awareness about the treatment of political prisoners in Eastern Kurdistan, including organising demonstrations in solidarity with prisoners and protests against the punishments of the capitol. Wirya’s art deals with the power of politics specifically in relation to Kurdistan, but also in the context of migration. During the show he performs a poem named ‘Keep Smiling’ and ‘Three Dimensions of Bodies’, spoken over a Kurdish backing track, using imagery of water and extensive reference to the human body and his ‘illegal body’.
The symbolism of water is one of great beauty and fragility. In the final line of his poem, Wirya poses the question: “Can the refugee love the ocean, still?”. It is believed that at least 20,000 people have died in sea crossings since 2014 and last year alone, more than 3,000 migrants died or went missing this way.
Just Another Refugee by Sahir Noah and Salam Noah
But, it’s not just the pathways of migration that are unsafe. The argument as to whether refugee camps are in fact a safe haven or humanitarian catastrophe is one of great examination. Yazidi refugees Salam Noah and Sahir Noah fled their town of Baadre in the Kurdistan region of Iraq in 2016 after the ongoing kidnapping and genocide of Yazidi men, women and children orchestrated by the Islamic State. In search of safety, their family arrived at the Ritsona humanitarian camp near Athens, where they would stay for a year.
Just Another Refugee – painting by Sahir Noah.
Salam found himself painting whilst they were at the camp, depicting his experience through paint strokes and colours. Similarly, his brother Sahir responded through the creative medium of poetry, writing powerful words in response to his brother’s paintings. Working collaboratively, they are now exhibited across the USA and Europe, with their own book published. Salam’s painting ‘The Hope Behind the Shadow of Pain’, and Sahir’s response poem titled the same, alludes to how the feeling of hope was important to them and as Imogen puts it, “to maintain hope, is to maintain resilience”.
The Hope Behind The Shadow Of Pain – painting by Sahir Noah.
For people like Salam and Sahir Noah, art is a very powerful healing tool. In the same way art can be a means of processing, storytelling can too as stories “shape our understanding of events in history, keeping them alive in our collective memories” – Imogen.
The Bread We Break, Contact Theatre. By Miray Sidhom
Last, but not least, another guest speaker wasMiray Sidhomwhomigrated to the UK from Egypt when she was nine years old. Now, she writes solo plays which allude to her home country and the differences she has faced being in the UK. Throughout her performance of the piece titled ‘Baladi’ from her solo play ‘The Bread We Break’, Miray tells a story, speaking of the food from her country and the bread specifically, alluding to the relationship between food and culture. Throughout history food has been used as a “political vessel and a form of institutionalised racism, embodiment of class and outcome of an economic system that prioritises profit over any other human value”, as commented by Imogen. In Egypt, around 70% of the population rely heavily on bread for subsistence. It is a product heavily subsidised by the government. During the time of the Arab Spring prices peaked due to climate change and their usual traders, China, were in drought. With people unable to afford the new prices of bread, came food insecurity and conflict.
To hear more from each of the guest speakers about their personal experiences of migration, how they have used creative outlets to help with the healing process and hear their performances, you can now listen back to the discussion down below. Part 2 will be broadcast on Friday 15th July at 1PM.
If you would like more information or you would like to see how you can help or support people on the move, please visit our resource list here.
Welcome back to On Our Radar, a music feature where the team at Reform select their hottest tracks of the week. This week we’re checking out screeching organs, atmospheric melodies and four-to-the-floor beats.
THE NATURAL YOGHURT BAND
“Wigged-out library music from the enigmatic Natural Yogurt Band fuses thick funk with woozy psychedelia” – Bandcamp 2022.
DAWUNA
An atmospheric and progressive take on R&B and Soul by Brooklyn artist Dawuna. Dark and lingering notes make up the album, against Lo-Fi melodies and vocals, setting them aside from other musicians in these genre categories.
SARAH ANGEL X LASHIMBA
Amazing beat on this tune coming from Dimos. Sarah Angel and Lashimba met during Soundcamp 2021 and this year they got together in London and created this masterpiece one morning, before Lashimba’s 3 PM train back to Manchester. Watch the video now.
EZRA COLLECTIVE
London’s five-piece band Ezra Collective are singlehandedly “pioneering the new wave of UK Jazz music” (Boiler Room), nodding in the face of traditional Jazz and adding their own urban twist. Fusing together the sounds of Afro-Beats and other percussive thrills the song really sounds like a ‘Victory Dance’.
GHETTO89
Pulsing dance track with a strong four-to-the-floor beat by Ukrainian DJ and Producer ghetto89. Based in Kyiv, the repetitive element of ‘Germination’ alludes to the resilience of the Ukrainian people, as touched upon by ghetto: “Living in a country in which there is a war, at first it is difficult to come to your senses and put your life in order. But any trials make us stronger, and therefore more resilient and, most importantly, wiser”. An air of calmness is palpable from when you hit play, perhaps mirroring the process of germination to some degree.
Festival season is cracking on and you bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there’ll be sun. Scroll down to find out what events our residents are hosting this July.
KRAR COLLECTIVE
The lovely Souls Liberation will be hosting an event at Crookes Social Club in Sheffield on 1st July, playing funky tunes rooted in Ethiopia. Partnered with Flying DonkeyEvents, curators of Folk, Blues, Jazz or Down-tempo Electronica in a 1920’s cinema that goes by the name The Abbeydale Picture House, you best believe this Funk extravangza is going to pop off.
TONNAU FESTIVAL
If you’re looking for something fun to do next weekend, why not take a trip to North Wales and hit up Tannua Festival. Described as a tropical garden party, the festival will be taking place on the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th of July. With five stages of artists from around the world, glamping, hot showers and a mere fifteen minutes walk to the sea, it would be rude not too! Hosted by Souls Liberation, you’re guaranteed to have a good time.
42 DEGREES FESTIVAL
42 Degrees is an intimate, grassroots multi-arts festival, with a diverse lineup of music, fringe, comedy, dance and workshops. Joining the line-up this year is our very own residents Places & Spaces and they just did a warm-up show that you can listen back to now.
DJ ANDREA TROUT
You can catch DJ Andrea Trout playing at the fabulous pizza and cocktail joint that is Romano & Firehouse on Friday 15th July, or at The Refuge, a restaurant with a modern twist on Tapas residing in the gorgeous clock tower on Oxford Street on the 29th. In conclusion, if you want to eat delicious food in a trendy dinner spot with great music, you don’t want to miss Trouts sets. Both will be starting at 5 PM and continuing into the night, taking you on an incredible sensory experience. We’re talking tastebuds tingling and happy ears.
THE MENU
Our residents Mic-Check Media are back once again with their night The Menu. After the huge success at the Hip-Hop Chip Shop, they return, but this time at Brew-Tang, 6 talented artists under one roof, with Reform Radio Dj Stef controlling the decks and Abnormal Sleepz on headlining duties.
July 16th, doors open at 6pm, with a free shot on arrival from our sponsor OG Rum club.
SHE’S IN CONTROL
This July you can catch Carol Bushell from Supernature DiscoDJing at her own curated event taking place at Freight Island. Catch DJs Gina Breeze, Paulette, Danielle Moore, Kim Lana, Queer Latifah and many more!
The event was inspired by a series of interviews that Bushell did with Kamila Rymajdo on sexism and ageism on the dance-floor and will be raising money for Brighter Sound. Part of the event will be live-streamed by StreamGM for their MainRoom series exploring clubbing in Manchester.
Are you between the ages of 16-30 and have been in the care system? Every Wednesday we run drop-in sessions for people looking to get into the creative industries of radio, podcasting, music or writing.
The weekly sessions are onlinefrom 6:30 – 8 PM and each week we will be delving into the realms of radio and broadcasting, editing and podcasting, as well as how to use different types of music software.
Broaden your writing skills each week by learning about creative writing outlets such as songwriting and scriptwriting.
If this sounds like something you would be interested in, why not join next Wednesday’s session!?
Taking place on a Thursday once a month, this session is based on opportunities for the future. The next online session will take place on Thursday 14th July– from 15:30 – 17:30.
The session includes 1-1s, both CV and cover letter support, and invites several speakers who discuss various opportunities available.
As one of our newest workshops, this 6-week programme provides bespoke support to young people 16-25 who are looking for work.
The programme kickstarts with a 2 week Podcasting Bootcamp – You will learn how to develop and script a podcast, creating relevant and interesting content, learn the ins and outs of audio production, social media and creative writing. You will also get experience of producing and presenting in a live radio show at the end of the two weeks.
The next 4 weeks to follow offer opportunities to access workshops and 1-1 support in wellbeing, CV writing, applications, interview prep, work placements and other flexible support to fit around you.
See the flyers below for contacts to get involved.
If you’re an employer and currently looking for new talent – We are looking for organisations who are seeking to recruit new talent or who frequently work with freelancers/contractors, and those that can offer placements and interviews for our young people.
Employers must commit to between 1-5 days for young people to get hands-on experience in their organisation and meet their teams.
“The ambition of the Sustainable Futures Fund is not only to support young people at a time of great need, but to enable Greater Manchester to come out of the pandemic looking confidently into the future – aligning with a clear plan for growing industries providing sustainable, good quality, ‘future-focused’ jobs in the region.” – The Prince’s Trust
Please contact projects@reformradio.co.uk if you are interested or would like more information.
