23 July 2012

gPodder Is a Life Changer


gPodder downloads and manages free audio and video content, also known as podcasts, on any subject you can imagine. When subject experts share their years of acquired knowledge in a book or an interview, you gain some of that hard-earned knowledge in only the time it takes to read, watch, or listen. That can be a real life changer!

Using gPodder, you can find, download, and then listen or watch directly on your computer or on your mobile devices. gPodder supports RSS, Atom, YouTube, Soundcloud, Vimeo, and XSPF feeds. gPodder can also import your existing subscriptions from iTunes or from an OPML file.

gPodder is available for Linux, FreeBSD, Windows, Mac OS X and mobile devices, like the Nokia N810, N900 and N9.

The Oddio Team have used gPodder for six years, and have only the best reviews. 
  • We love how it can be set to automatically download new audio books, radio shows, and lectures. Then after we have listened to them, gPodder can mark them as old or delete them. 
  • We love the episode details window that gives synopses of audio and video content.
  • We love how gPodder lets us set up custom file names, like Name of Show - Episode Number - Title - Broadcast Date. This makes browsing files on devices much more convenient.
  • We love that we can stream shows we are not sure about to preview them before downloading.
  • We love how gPodder syncs up with mobile devices, replacing old content with new content. We always have fresh content!

We just love gPodder! It is free, open source, and works in most operating systems, so give it a go and feed your brain!

Download gPodder for Various Devices and Operating Systems

Next week, the Oddbots will share some of the audiobooks and podcasts they enjoy.







20 July 2012

The Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet

Soni Ventorum Wind Quartet selected albums


The Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet was an American wind quintet who performed together in different combinations since the 1950s. Some of them even performed together in the U.S. Army. Soni Ventorum was officially founded in 1962 when Pablo Casals asked them to become the woodwind faculty of his newly founded Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico. Members of the ensemble were on faculty at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico and members of the Puerto Rico Symphony.

After leaving Puerto Rico, the members were reunited as faculty of and as the resident wind quintet of the University of Washington the next 30 years. Through their concerts, tours, and recordings, the Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet established an international reputation. See the group's official website for more of the history of this highly regarded quintet.

Soni Ventorum and Prof. Allen Goldstein of Pandora Records (1973 - c. 1983) provide on their website an audio archive of some of their performances. The recordings consist predominantly of unedited location recordings from concerts presented by members of the Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet and their guests.


license: all rights reserved

12 July 2012

Working at Working

Workin' Mix

32 tracks from many genres related to employment, unemployment, retirement

 

genres: western, country, bluegrass, mountain music, downhome, rock, pop, experimental
licenses: Creative Commons licensing; click "i" button on songs in player for individual licenses

11 July 2012

Fonogramaticos 13 and 14

Club Fonograma, the fun source for music of Central and South America, offers you two new Fonogramáticos, their periodic compilations.


Pop, rock, electro, folk, dance, soul, remixed classics such as Pedro Infante, and more treats. There is even a cover classic Blondie song "Don't Leave Me Hanging on the Telephone" on volume 13. These latest volumes are as interesting, fun, and catchy as ever.

The compilations represent artists from Mexico, Spain, Argentina, Chile, USA, Peru, Panama, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Brazil.


genres:  pop, rock, electro, folk, dance, soul, remixed classics
license: all rights reserved

10 July 2012

Mandragora Tango News

Mandrágora Tango and BIONIK - three songs from Barrio Longfellow

These unlikely companions have been collaborating for the past year as Barrio Longfellow to "put together a new album of unbridled awesomeness."

The album is a mix of Mandrágora Tango's acoustic tango with BIONIK's unique hip hop beats, creating a danceable hybrid. They are offering three lovely tracks for free download to create some buzz. Mandrágora Tango still offer lots of their tango works for your review, as well.



Download these songs as well as beautiful traditional tangos performed by Mandrágora Tango on their official website.

genres:  tango, gypsy jazz, hip hop
license: all rights reserved



07 July 2012

A Smile for Timbuctu

At Oddio Headquarters, we have a crush on the Italian group A Smile for Timbuctu. Members Cristiano Crisci, Simone Brillarelli, and Jonathan Calugi (graphic artist) are such great guys!

They were enthusiastic members of the origination of Kazoomzoom, the world's first netlabel for kids. They contributed a track to the first release, the Silly Songs compilation, and then an entire album, Our Corto Discorso. They also contributed a great deal of moral support and happy energy.

The music they created together was super bouncy electronica. Kids and grownups love to leap around to A Smile for Timbuctu songs. It is with great pleasure that we spread the news that the group is sharing three more albums on their own Bandcamp subsite:  two of their albums released on the Audio Aubergine label and their Brum LP.

You will also find more of their tracks at the Free Music Archive, including one named "Fresh Tomato" that makes us giggle.

Now on Bandcamp

On Kazoomzoom Netlabel

On Fresh yO! Netlabel and the FMA



genres: electronic, dance
licenses: see individual releases for licensing information

06 July 2012

Red Wine and Surfing

Party People in a Can is the surf rock band of Pedro Costa, an associate of Portugal's incredible Stealing Orchestra. Featuring laidback songs about the beach, red wine, skateboarding, and surfing, the new album from Party People in a Can is well-timed for a summer release.

Costa somehow managed to capture that satisying summer evening feeling of the pure pleasure of an iced drink after an active day in the sun.

Party People in a Can claim Sesimbra as hometown, the seaside vacation city famous for its beaches, restaurants, and nightlife. This album has much the same relaxing effect as a day at the beach. Pour a glass and enjoy on this hot summer day. "Like Music Hall Dancers..." is a new summer anthem.

This album is available directly from You Are Not Stealing Records and from the Free Music Archive.

license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License

This post was originally posted at the Free Music Archive.

 

05 July 2012

Vibrating Electrons

Teleharmonium, developed by Thaddeus Cahill in 1897
This post is inspired by WFMU (world's best radio station) radio show BUSY DOING NOTHING hosted by Charlie Lewis on the GIVE THE DRUMMER RADIO (stream).

Today's episode "Electronic Pioneers et Cetera" was a real beauty, and it featured or called to mind several free albums and compilations of bleeps and bloops that may bring you pleasure.

Launch the pop-up player with the full playlist or click this player to stream. Click here to download the mp3 of the show.

 

Now on to the relevant free albums and free labels providing even more free releases for you to enjoy! Please support the living artists you enjoy, so that they may continue to provide free music.

Monroeville Music Center - Generic Product,
Monroeville Music Center: les défauts de fabrication, and more
inspired by early electronic, easy listening, musique concrète masters

sample mp3s:

 


Godblesscomputers - Swanism
new release on the Fresh YO! label founded by Digi G’Alessio
sample mp3: Godblesscomputers - Natürlich

Various Artists - Cyclic Bits: The Raymond Scott Variations
remixes of works by the electronic music pioneer Raymond Scott, popularized by his songs used in Bugs Bunny cartoons
sample mp3:


People Like Us: Reworking Daphne Oram
works of the electronic music pioneer Daphne Oram remixed by the gifted mixmaster and leader of plunderphonics, People Like Us
sample mp3: 


Quintette 7 Plays the Music of Raymond Scott
handful of tracks available from this tribute performance of Raymond Scott works
sample mp3: Raymond Scott - Manhattan Minuet


Various Artists - People Doing Strange Things with Electricity Too
experimenting with electronics inspired by the exhibition People Doing Strange Things With Electricity held at Center on Contemporary Art, Seattle
sample mp3: The Apartment - Electromusetic Sound


Various Artists - Visitations: A Musical Tribute to Doctor Who
the infamous Dr. Who theme was developed by electronic pioneer Delia Derbyshire and the incidental music matched it; here a new generation pays tribute
sample mp3:  Videogame Orchestra - Doctor Who Theme

Miii - Rabbitbass EP
brand new release of dancey, glitchy, instrumentals; starts with dubstep, and by track three, you are loving some pop sweetness
sample mp3: Miii - Are Your Feelings Good?



Various Artists -  Toyland
a compilation of marvelously silly toy sounds I put together for you
sample mp3:



Katapulto - Bodyhammer
one of the fun free records available from Proot Records

sample mp3:


Big City Orchestra - Things Fall Down
"interesting collage of various electronic patterns and other samples, and a general avant electronic atmosphere"
 sample mp3: Big City Orchestra - Bug Bug Bu



Big City Orchestra - Boom Crash Crash
all-stars of experimentation on this release include: ninah pixie, das, rob wortman, otis fodder (The Bran Flakes), matt woolery, melissa margolis, werner slack, cheryl e leonard, cait mcwhirr, russ kent, trademark (Evolution Control Committee), daevid allen, ava mendoza, jesse burson
sample mp3: Big City Orchestra - Chimestar

The Listing Attic - mp3s
instrumental studio pieces by Andy Charneco with occasional guests
sample mp3: The Listing Attic - World's Fair 2001 (R. Stevie Moore cover)

minusbaby - Monkey Patch
chiptune album "dedicated to all things apish and monkeyed"
sample mp3: minusbaby - Eating Needles




Salakapakka Sound System - La Musique Concrète part 2 (part 1)
musique concrète using only pre-existing sounds
sample mp3:



Many more free electronic albums from these labels:

+ 8 Bit Peoples
+ R-Bot Records
+ Maltine Records
+ Fresh Yo Label
+ Proot Records
+ the motherlode: Category: Electronic in the Netlabel Catalogue

03 July 2012

A Summer Party

 Free Albums, Mixes, and Collections for a Summer Party

1. Summer Mix: Sound of Summer

  

More Free Summer Sounds


2. Duke Hugh - Beattape Summer 2010

"Beattape Summer 2010 is a collection of 18 moments that have been cooked down into short, sweet, thick and rich distillations of summer vibe and attitude that will warm you up when the chill sets in."
hip hop instrumentals


3. Kiko Dinucci, Juçara Marçal, Thiago França - Metá Metá

Oh wow! Yeah. The flute sounds like flying kites. Guitars, saxophone.
jazz, folk, Brazilian


4. Favors - Gums

five fun synthy songs
pop, electronic
 


5. Dum Dum Girls - selections on Epitonic

Rocking ladies from Los Angeles on Sub Pop Records
like: Blondie, Broadcast, The Go-Gos
garage, indie rock, shoegazer


6. Parallel Thought - Articulation

experimental hip hop, rap



7. Anitek - Mind Express

chill out, hip hop beats, trip hop, turntablism
like: Kid Koala


8. Hisko Detria - Static Raw Power Kraut

psych rock, drone, space rock, kraut rock, hard rock
"Hisko Detria is fresh psychedelic/ krautrock band from Finland. They play an instrumentally focused style of (lengthy) hypnotic grooves."



9. Hiroshima - Room88

hip hop beats, trip hop, turntablism


10. Krowne - Quantum Living

synth, electronica, hip hop beats
Album from Black Lantern Music stripped down and ready for breakdancing


11. The Womb - Intro

pop, electro, rock
28 diverse tracks in this collection


12. Various Artists - La bel's Friends

Friends of the La Bel Label
freak folk, electronic, electroacoustic


13. Goodbye Kumiko - My Wild Arms

power pop, indie rock, singer-songwriter
Pop foursome from Los Angeles I file between bouncy Muppet soundtracks and Apollo Sunshine


14. The Simple Carnival - Aliens EP

pop, singer-songwriter
Is that Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys?! A fun one on Happy Puppy Records that "sparkles with a late-seventies AM pop radio feel: sunshine pop-influenced harmonies, soaring melodies, tack piano, handclaps, and vintage keyboards"


15. Andrew Bird - selections on Epitonic

You know this fella, right? Folk-Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Avant-Pop, 20th Century Composers, Experimental, Orchestral, Pop, Singer-Songwriter, Jazz, Lounge, Rock


16. Beach House - selections on Epitonic

Doesn't "Myth" sound like the Cocteau Twins?
"Based out of Baltimore, this dreamy, dynamic duo has shown promising success since their first release in 2006. Since then, Beach House has stayed true to their roots with their signature atmospheric sounds."



17. Various Artists - Beach Mix

Free Music Archive mix from Jason who writes, "The weather's so nice, I'm surely not the only one thinking about the beach. Enjoy a beach-themed mix featuring Ducktails, Beach House, Learning Music, The Simple Carnival, Malvery Skimmer, Future Islands, Martha and the Muffins, Thick Business, Glove Compartment, Gary Wilson, Dublin Duck Dispensary, Fallen Leaves, Pomegranates, Nineteen Eight Eight, Sun Araw, and Noveller!" Happy Summer!