Sure Thing Podcast

It's such a privilege to welcome one of my favorite producers to the series, Amsterdam's Human Space Machine, whose brilliant productions are a constant source of inspiration and a presence in so many of my favorite dancefloor memories. The De Lichting affiliate shares an hour of pure magnetism, surging beyond the clouds and rendering a steady build of atmospheric pressure. A stunning cartography of storm and thunder. Thanks Mike! @humanspacemachine Artwork by Sofia Lambrou.

MIST007 - Various Artists - Well of Sand Release Date: October 23, 2023 (12" & Digital) Buy: surethingrec.bandcamp.com/album/well-of-sand A1 Command D – Half Blue (Violet Mix) A2 DYL – PJ2 A3 Beats Unlimited – Burn Your Theremin B1 Foreign Material – The Living Planet B2 Tammo Hesselink - Petse B3 Third Space – Push (Part 2) Sure Thing presents Well of Sand, its second compilation. Six tracks from label friends and favorites, each new to the roster and offering bold, untempered explorations of tempo and weight, a concise yet expansive collection recalling the deliberate cadence of rippling sand and the sheen of shimmering oases. Mastered by Neel at Enisslab Artwork by Sofia Hjortberg Additional design by Nathaniel Young

So excited to welcome BLNDR to the series, a long-awaited delight after observing the French producer develop his magnetic and kaleidoscopic sound over the years. BLNDR's mix is glimmering and atmospheric, reflective of the patient and meticulous nature inhabiting his work as both BLNDR and his more-recent Traevor alias. Voiced in a heartfelt tone and assembled with a poet's touch, this set is a soft yet spry landing to an intense season, breathing a new air, fluttering to a new rhythm, earnest to the very end. I enjoyed this one immensely and I hope you will too. Thanks Tom! @blndr Artwork by Sofia Lambrou.

Honored to welcome UK-based Caldera to the series, a talented and multi-dimensional producer affiliated with several of our favorite labels along with his Well Street-associated Loop LF alias. Caldera's mix is volcanic, true to form, simmering and vaporous in its first half before igniting in thunderous bloom in the second. From headiness and haze to full-blown percussive workouts, an unparalleled sense of rhythm lies at its core, seismic in its swell. Thank you Caldera! @caldera-caldera Artwork by Angelina Nikolayeva.

Our latest mix is a remarkable live set from The Hague-based producer Harald Uunk, who guides us through an exploration of the psyche from which we emerge anew. Harald calls upon self-made instruments, field recordings, and experimentation with hardware and software to reach the furthest limits of his sonic vision, and what we discover there is breathtaking. An immediate and compelling sense of urgency finds itself fractured, recomposed, and through the fragments we glimpse the primordial. I've been eager to hear more of Harald's work for quite some time, so the opportunity to share this set for the series feels truly special. Enjoy the journey, and thank you Harald! @haralduunk Artwork by Angelina Nikolayeva.

MIST006 - Various Artists - My Own Mirror To Stay Release Date: March 6, 2023 (12" & Digital) Buy: https://surethingrec.bandcamp.com/album/my-own-mirror-to-stay A1 Lukas Urban - A Glass of Empty Rooms A2 Soreab - The Boy And The Beast A3 Sanguine - Fake Leaves B1 McGregor - Clean Lines B2 ENA - Arkadia Blue B3 Will Alfred - Pattern Static With its first label compilation, "My Own Mirror To Stay," Sure Thing invites six new voices into the fold. Each provides an acutely personal reflection of the dance floor suspended in a singular crystalline moment, from wide-eyed to weightless, together seeking new horizons inward and out. Mastered by Neel at Enisslab Artwork by Nicola Tirabasso Additional design by Nathaniel Young

With purest delight, I'm so excited to welcome Pjenné of Passing Notes Radio & Companion (@companionmelb) for the latest episode in our series. Penny's curatorial expertise and long-standing dedication to the Naarm/Melbourne scene have established her as a pillar of the city's sonic landscape, and both her love of musical discovery and unmistakable influence are felt deeply from afar. Pjenné's mix is a enchanting trip through fields of wonder, equal parts honey and gossamer, moving and blissfully sublime. Tender hues paint the air while fervent warmth fills the aching heart. There are few selectors out there with a repertoire as consistently profound as Penny's, and yet one feels we've barely scratched the surface of what's to come. Thank you Penny! @pjenne Ikebana by Katherine Frazer www.katherinefrazer.com

Clear as spring water, the memory of Shoal's beautiful live set echoing through the Norwegian mountains, finally sharing the stage together at Monument (@monument-podcast) after meeting in Amsterdam several years ago. Those familiar with our dear friends at Harmony Rec (@harmony-rec) will be undoubtedly familiar with Kenny's impeccable body of work, and for the rest an eye-opening treat awaits. Here, Kenny gathers highlights from his recent live sets and newly recorded material, arranged and refined into a perfect contemplation of the crisp arboreal air, a vivid composition of body and sound entwined tightly beneath the earth. Thanks Kenny! @shoall Artwork by Angelina Nikolayeva.

From Naarm's Zara, a seismic dawn to the new year. Halftime rhythms tremble, atmospheres kiss the wind, valleys of unbridled emotion nestle in-between. A colossal mix of sincere gravity, cleaving a path forward, brimming with new light. Thanks Zara! @zaraolsen @kinesis-recordings Artwork by Angelina Nikolayeva.

Our final mix of the year welcomes Ute.Rec co-founder Marius Bø, whom I had the distinct pleasure of meeting in the Norwegian mountains this summer. Comprised entirely of unreleased material from the collective, Marius' composition is slow-burning alchemy, pure oneiric fire, unforgettable from first spark. "Space does not exist," instructs Louise Bourgeois, "it is just a metaphor for the structure of our existence." Listening, we dissolve, recalling the somatic wisdom of those who would sculpt the physical to capture the invisible. @mariusbo @ute-rec Artwork by Kenny Kneefel.

An encounter with a wayward dragonfly formed the memory upon which London’s Amphybian (fka Harry) stitches this exploration of flight and form. Reliving the scene in its microscopic splendor, we find ourselves wandering along the living, breathing riverbed, set free amidst the realm of the naiad. Our ears attuned, we hear a divine flutter, discern the whisper of a living dream. @amphybian Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

With studied and meticulous elegance, Sa Pa summons a Dionysean tempest, a writ to harness the coming storm. It's humbling to share this and more so to listen, a fervent tour de force recorded live at Paral·lel Festival, a call to convergence under the boundless Catalonian sky. @absurdlustre @parallelfestival Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

We ease into a new season with Conna Haraway, co-founder of the immaculate INDEX:Records & Appendix.files catalogues. 

Recorded in Glasgow alongside mutual favorite Perila, Conna's contribution astounds, filling the air with skin-soft static, awash with the flush of tender rebellion. @connaharaway @indexrecords @appendixfiles Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

A serene and narrative vision from Georgia's HVL, key Bassiani resident and celebrated producer whose remarkable output is a universe unto itself. Both eloquent and understated, HVL re-frames the present in a parallax moment, a vast trembling stasis, one scene falling upon the next like settling snow. @hvl Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

An entropic and otherworldly episode from Taiwanese and London-based sound artist Jin [靜], whose contribution draws parallels between classic, exploratory electronica and modern hyper-sensory techno. Gathering like a humble storm, Jin's mix is compounding and ravenous in its accumulation of material energy, a distillation of sonic pressure, a volatile crush to the senses. @jinsynth Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

MIST005 - Polygonia - Bloom (inc. Forest Drive West Remix) Release Date: March 8, 2022 (12" & Digital) Buy: https://surethingrec.bandcamp.com/album/bloom A1. Dreaming Trees A2. Bloom B1. Coleus B2. Dreaming Trees (Forest Drive West Remix) Polygonia's deftly enchanting "Bloom" EP unravels with the melancholic blur of a waking dream. Conjuring the vivid echoes of a phantom forest, fluttering atmospheres swirl amidst shimmering voices as they compel the mind to wander. A remix from Forest Drive West deepens the spell, stretching the punctate rhythm of "Dreaming Trees" into a siren's call, a beguiling echo rippling beneath the flow of time. Written and produced by Polygonia. Remix by Forest Drive West. Mastered by Neel at Enisslab. Artwork by Sofia Hjortberg.

In collaboration with our friends at Mostra (@mostrabcn), our latest mix highlights a personal favorite from the upcoming festival's roster. New York's Vicki Siolos (@vickisiolos) is an eminently thoughtful curator whose mindfulness shines through in her deliberate, insightful track selections and the programming of her Bright Patterns show on The Lot Radio. In fact Vicki and I have been discussing this particular contribution for over two years now, and through that conversation it became clear how deeply Vicki's artistic expression ties into her lived experiences and the process of meaningful reflection. Vicki's timely contribution speaks volumes and simple truths: a gasp, an ache, a salve. Vicki will be joining Patrick Russell & Ulla from the US at the first edition of Mostra, a new small-format festival taking place April 11-17 in Barcelona. The lineup hosts more than a few friends & favorites of the label, and the festival promises an experience that is local, inclusive, and sustainable. More here: www.

A luminescent vision from London's o.utlier, whose meticulous and uncommon approach sets the stage for a new year of discovery. A sanguine moment recorded live among friends in Scotland, a scrying of shrouded futures, a promise cast beneath a clairvoyant sky. @o-utlier Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

I'm elated to welcome Hamburg's Space Drum Meditation to the series, whose gorgeous productions channel intricate, percussive techno while drawing cues from hazy, left-field psychedelia. Glowing at the edges, this thunderous and fiercely effective set from the duo occupies spirited territory and moves at steady pace, daring the sun to rise, compelling our bodies to flutter. @spacedrummeditation Artwork by Taylor Trostle.

Hyperreal sonic hallucinations and unsettled rhythmic pulsations from Vector Trancer, the talented producer and @mirrorzone affiliate who carries us across the threshold with this breathtaking hour of jagged, unbridled intensity. Stretching the observable world beyond its limits, a plasmic burn straight to the edge. More from Vector Trancer: @vectortrancer_aasudd Artwork by Taylor Trostle.