Netil Radio Weekly
#023
Words
Hello and welcome back,
Imagine you look into the mirror and instead of reflection, the mirror punches you directly in the face. You’re slightly confused, at first it might put a shy smile on your face as it feels kind of funny. But another hit is coming quickly. The smile melts in confusion. Slam! And again. Anytime you try to catch your breath, another strike is coming. This is how the two hour long experience of watching Don’t Look Up! feels, and sadly we can apply the same feeling and expression to reality of the year 2021.
It’s that time of the year we’re wrapping/summing up, reflecting, wishing and hoping. But let’s be honest, the year 2021 - which is about to finally go, was a shitshow and we’re lucky to have any hopes and wishes left. In the current state of society, the year coming up is not going to be any better. Unless we find the way out of our comfort zone.
Pandemic didn't create hate, anger, selfishness, more chaos - it only exposed everything that was already here, wrapped in a shiny package of marketing mantras and privilege. Most shocking to me is that the event industry, usually a beacon of resistance, progress and vision, failed. When it comes to events, there is nothing more important than the safety of people, and going out is anything but safe these days.
After the second lockdown was over, when the summer of love was supposed to happen, when expectations, hopes and dreams were high.. We experienced quite the opposite. Abuse of women, drink spiking, or aggressive security more interested in what you do on the toilet than actual safety issues. Lack of creativity brought us the Table Service Techno phenomenon, and exposed no will to accept the reality of pandemic and necessary changes, which could’ve made things better than they were before pandemic. Feels like we still expect someone to come with a magic wand and sort it for us, so we can go back to selling tickets and booze, widening up the gap between privileged and the rest, pretending we are underground because we donate to charity as a business model, while underpaying, or cancelling local artists if they didn’t sell enough tickets.
Seems like we forgot that the key reason for art in public space is to be strong and oppose the system when it’s failing, reflect the reality, to unite and demand support from authorities in times we can’t do our job, use our creativity or upgrade the logistics and meaning of how we work in the new era setting. So far it seems like we keep running Ableton 11 on the first Apple computer and wondering why the snare sounds s**t.
Another year of pandemic is over, science found a solution, and gave us guidelines on how to work it out. We are ignoring it, creating imaginary problems while trying to fly to the future on a donkey. It’s time to take off our blinkers and see a wider picture and the endless possibilities surrounding us.
Stay safe during NYE / NYD celebrations, think twice before you go somewhere, where you go and who you spend the last dance with. Less is often more and overcrowded mega parties are sooooo 2019 anyway
For a better Future, with Love
Miro
Coming Up
✧ Today we will have a little break, streaming our most favourite shows of the year ✧ last day of the year will be a little unusual. Miro invited few djs for a 24h long marathon from his cosy home. Tune in tomorrow 11am ✧
Listen Back
No matter how hard it was to keep the station open and running, we managed to execute over 2.5k shows in 2021. We would love to thank all our presenters and djs following our always evolving rules, learning how to work safely and respect each other in hard times 💙
Listen back entire 2021 archive and beyond
New Music
E2-E8 boss Luca is an intense music collector. It wasn’t easy to choose only three favourite releases of 2021. We are happy he managed as his tips are always an inspiration…
✧ Tomaga - Intimate Immensity - Considered by many as one of the albums of the year, this is the last ever piece of work from a duo that I hold close to my heart. As far as local artists go, Tomaga were among the brightest stars. Their legacy lives on in Valentina's other works, but this album leaves us wanting for something that will never be. RIP Tom ✧
✧ Being - Broxburn Funk - Archival tracks from an elusive Scottish genius who released a series of records on Andrew Weatherall's Special Emissions label in the early 90s. This is quite literally timeless, and smells like an age that should come back. Put it on and get lost in the moment ✧
✧ Aboutface - ºs - Aboutface always puts meaning and purpose in his works. This one is inspired by patterns in urban nature: language; behaviour; seasons, and alongside poetry, explores the cyclical psychological peaks and troughs experienced during the pandemic. We're lucky to have him as a regular on Netil Radio. And I'm lucky to have him as a friend ✧ 💜 from Luca
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Tips from Shimmy:
“It wasn’t easy choosing, amongst this crazy year, music has defs had a hand in helping me through. Below are a few tracks I think your MP£ collection could benefit from. We suggest you buy from band camp preferably this Friday - not only are the tracks awesome and stuff you may well thank me for, the talent is homegrown! And - purchasing from band camp helps the talent to make even more great beats… what are you waiting for - go forth and show your love and support - Happy New Year!!”
✧ Vacatixn feat. Jade Morgnana - Day Dreaming ✧
✧ Amaria BB feat Skillibeng - Fundz ✧
On A Brighter Note
Two modern day emperors of Russia and Belarus joined forces on the ice ring for a decisive 18:7 win in an ice hockey game last Wednesday, and we are wondering what will happen to the other team if the difference is less than 10 goals.
That’s all for today, stay safe and Happy New Year!
NR Team
London’s community voice, broadcast live from a converted shipping container atop of Netil Market - project facilitated and supported by Eat Work Art