For the past eighteen months I’ve been balancing a fair bit of study alongside fulltime work and daily existence. It has been a wild, life-changing ride. With nine modules down and one to go, the finish line is now in sight. With a rush and a push I am now getting my head around the last three subjects of thirty – hoping to make the most of this last intensive session, without taking anything for granted until done is done.
As befits my current state of mind there’s plenty of energy in this extended mix. Recorded late at night just before my recent trip to Berkeley, California in support of said study, it features a number of high quality alternate remixes of time-tested tunes that some of you will surely recognise, along with plenty of great new stuff from Melbourne and beyond.
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MFSA122: You Always Meet Twice
There is a saying in Germany – Man sieht sich immer zweimal im Leben – that has baked into it a delightful ambiguity. Functioning simultaneously as both wistful sentiment and subtle warning, it acknowledges that goodbyes rarely mean forever. It speaks to the interconnectedness of social relationships, and of the cyclical nature of life.
Whether you’ve enjoyed someone’s company and feel they’re leaving too soon, or you feel that they’ve wronged you (and that you might welcome a future opportunity to settle the score), this expression reminds us not to assume any departure is permanent. I must admit I’m not entirely certain how our German host meant it, but as the saying itself suggests, time will tell.
This is Episode 122 of Music For Small Audiences. As befits the title and writeup, it contains a few references to prior episodes, themes and epochs, as well as a few refreshed takes on some timeless classics. There is of course a whole bunch of groovy new stuff mixed in too. Wherever you are on the cycle of hello, goodbye, and oh hey, I hope it brings you peace, resilience and joy.
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MFSA121: Incrementalism
I read somewhere recently that ‘strategy is what you say no to’. We can’t be all things to all people, and we can’t take advantage of every opportunity that comes along. Time, money, and energy are all limited resources. And so it seems reasonable to not expend any of them moving in a direction we don’t want to go.
That said, it’s also too easy to slip into the habit of ‘just this once’ – and to be seduced by the power of marginal thinking that leads us to take individually justifiable actions in the short term that are in opposition to our longer term interests. After all, no single raindrop believes it is responsible for the flood, right?
This is episode 121 of Music For Small Audiences. It was recorded in the leadup to a trip I’m really looking forward to – a weeklong study exchange in Germany, coming at a very interesting time for future European historians to consider. The mix has been put together as the soundtrack to that multinational voyage, which begins in a few days.
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MFSA120: Put It In Gear
The Australian summer holiday period is winding to a close, and Melbourne is slowly gearing back up into its normal urban pace after a very sleepy four week period. While it can be difficult to unwind after a fast-paced year, it can be just as difficult getting the mind body and spirit back up to speed again after a few weeks of lazy self-indulgence. Can’t say I’m completely there yet, but the motor is at least running.
Much as I envy those who can easily nap during the day – falling asleep quickly, and then jolting back into action on waking – I envy those who are able to dial it up and down from work to relaxion quickly when circumstances suggest. Perhaps the skill to develop is just that. Lots to work on in this regard.
This is episode 120 of Music For Small Audiences. It was recorded early in the new year, on a decidedly relaxed summer evening. There is a fair bit of high quality made-in-Melbourne progressive house in here too (including the intro track) – so much good stuff coming out of Melbourne these days. Enjoy!
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MFSA119: A Long Way From Home
I have recently returned from a fair bit of solo travel that included time with friends, family, and some study. There is something special about travelling alone that is uniquely thought provoking. I am reminded of a quote that I’m not able to determine the provenance of but that has long rattled around my head – ‘there is no loneliness quite like the loneliness of a long drive home late at night, having visited worlds that no one else will ever know.’ I’m confident the same can be said of a long overnight flight returning home, too.
This mix was recorded live in Vancouver on the first weekend of the trip at my good friend Dan’s groovy inner city pad. It carries throughout a couple of relevant thematic elements, and served as my soundtrack for the rest of the journey. With a DJ booth facing the outdoor terrace, and the terrace offering an elevated view of Gastown, Chinatown and surrounds with all of its urban grit and energy, Dan’s place was a really fun space to catch up with friends and reconnect.
Australian-Canadian DJ Matthew Belleghem brings to this podcast 35+ years of experience as a curator of engaging and eclectic electronic music.
Having spent time as a nightclub DJ, music producer, synthesizer salesperson, record shop clerk and dance music journalist, his tastes range from the underground progressive house music that Melbourne is world renowned for, through to ambient, new wave, nu disco, trip hop, trance, techno, downtempo and psychedelica. While new genre names seem to crop up each year, contemporary music journos might also use terms like 'organic house' or 'melodic techno'.
Talk free and mixed live in Melbourne, Music For Small Audiences is a guided exploration through the most colourful corners of his music collection, and is perfect for high fidelity headphone and living room listening.
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