Online Radio Festival

Online radio was made for you. Combining the intrepid spirit of ‘60s pirate radios and contemporary on-demand media, online radio has grown to become the main outlet for highly original and diverse music, curated by talented and trusted selectors from around the world. Berlin Community Radio, Boiler Room, NTS, dublab, Red Light Radio, and Stroom are leading the way, and lucky for you, they’ll all be at Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ on 1-2 May for a crazy 30-hour broadcast with live acts, DJ sets, radio shows and panel talks. Shoutout to the creative genius behind this – Radna Rumping. Honestly, we’re flipping, particularly about the following…

Dean Blunt

Of the little you know about Dean Blunt, you must have heard of his affair with NTS. For one, they presented his ‘Stone Island’ album as he was escalating to higher fame. Often followed by elaborate interpretations or readily dismissed as dilettantism, his musical output has yet to leave us cold, and his latest release out on Rough Trade, Black Metal, is full of duplicitous intentions. Perfect time to confront him live.

Laurel Halo

Cerebral and eclectic, Laurel Halo’s music is pretty much everything you wouldn’t expect from a Midwesterner. With two critically-acclaimed albums out and a monthly radio show on Berlin Community Radio, she’s built a reputation of an oddly brilliant musician meshing melody out of techno, house, and ambient, but systematically manipulating it into an uncomfortable and bleak whole.

Suzanne Kraft

A man of many monikers, Diego Herrera may try to hide behind the name Suzanne Kraft but there’s no way of disguising his Latin descent: Balearic-suffused disco, kraut-soaked pop, and rubbery bass lines are his staples. Not to mention he’s the creative director of dublab, keeping everyone on their toes with his show Things of Life.

Charlie Bones

NTS’s morning radio star, Charlie Bones will give the wake up call in the wee hours of Saturday. It’s not by chance that the title of his breakfast show has no less than five exclamation marks, gotta keep it perky when you’re on so early. Bones is known and loved for his eclectic taste, scintillating conversation, and down-to-earth broadcasts.

Craig Leon + Ragazze Quartet

Invited by Red Light Radio, legendary punk and new wave producer Craig Leon will be on stage, accompanied by Ragazze Quartet, for a rare performance of Nommos. Recently reissued by RVNG Intl. and labeled as ‘interplanetary folk’, Nommos is one of his cosmic synth works from the ‘80s. Whatever you call it, it’s seminal stuff, and you should be there to witness it.

Micachu & Tirzah

Don’t assume Micachu to be anything else than a genius. We love her so much, we’ll even say she puts the mental in experimental. A true avant-gardist spirit, she seems to be constantly stumbling on new and unassuming ways of making music, be it with found objects, homemade instruments, or her best friends. Her latest feat is the collaboration with Tirzah, whose first EP she produced, and propelled to fame during a Boiler Room set.

Online Radio Festival takes place at Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ, Amsterdam on 1 and 2 May. For more information and tickets, visit Online Radio Festival or their event.