Test Pattern: FM3's "Buddha Machine"

"Sometimes a product comes along that is so poorly made, so awkwardly packaged, so undermarketed, so bereft of features and so technologically backward that the initial reaction of most customers is: 'Give me two.' It highlights our still-uneasy relationship with technology."
-Jeremy Wagstaff, The Wall Street Journal

Of all the possible explanations for The Buddha Machine's strange allure, this is probably the most cynical. After all, you wouldn't expect the Wall Street Journal to have much patience for a $20 plastic box that plays drone music. But then again, you might not expect them to mention it at all.

Since its release in 2005, The Buddha Machine has garnered a truly remarkable amount of buzz. It has received glowing reviews in Wire, Pitchfork ("8.2"), The New Yorker, and a variety of music blogs. Tens of thousands of units have been sold so far, and Buddha Machines have been used as instruments in dozens of musical projects, including works by Robert Henke and Sunn O))). The New York Times calls it a "weird, mesmerizing, beautifully useless thing," and Sasha Frere-Jones thinks of it as "a receiver of transmissions from a place you will never see."



Whatever your interpretation of this cryptic little box may be, there's no denying its musical value. The Buddha Machine's loops are tense, elliptical, and hypnotic. Each loop is as much a finished product as it is a creative tool, and users are encouraged to experiment with different combinations of loops (as I'll be doing on this week's Test Pattern). And if you're not ready to shell out $20 (plus the cost of AA batteries), all the loops are available for free download on the Buddha Machine's official website. You can also play around with a wall of twenty Buddha Machines on a website called Zendesk, or download the iPhone app ($3.99).

For my Test Pattern on FM3's Buddha Machine, I'll be using the original product itself, as well as the individual loops in WAV and mp3 format. Check it out live the on air today (Friday, May 22nd) at 6:00pm, and look here for an archived version of the show later tonight...

-Will Lynch

Octave One Test Pattern Friday March 20

This coming Friday's Test Pattern will feature the music of Octave One along with an exclusive interview with Lawrence Burden in which he talks about his live experiences; the history of his label, 430 West; his band's new album; and his favorite remix project.

Friday March 20, 6PM on WZBC 90.3 FM

Test Pattern schedule for Spring 2009

Test Pattern airs every Friday from 6 to 7pm on WZBC, 90.3FM. Each week, a different WZBC DJ hosts a one hour show featuring the music of a particular artist, band, label, or scene of his or her choice. Here is the schedule from not until early June.

Jan 23 - Stephen - Situation Two
Jan 30 - Rob - The Strawbs
Feb 6 - James - Long Fin Killie
Feb 13 - Pip - LSD Acronym Songs
Feb 20 - Matt - Subject TBD
Feb 27 - Jim - Editions Brokenresearch
Mar 6 - Andrew - Ghost Box
Mar 13 - John - SXSW Music Preview
Mar 20 - MKB - Octave One
Mar 27 - James - Subject TBD
April 3 - Carrigan - Subject TBD
April 10 - James - Subject TBD
April 17 - Nick - Pulp B-sides and Rarities
April 24 - Tom - Subject TBD
May 1 - Peter - The Blake Babies
May 8 - Carrigan - Subject TBD
May 15 - Ryan - Flowers for Reagan
May 22 - Sarah - TBD
May 29 - MKB - TBD
June 5 - Susanna - Raster-noton

Test Pattern : Situation Two Records

Tune in this Friday at 6:00 pm as WZBC's weekly Test Pattern focuses on Situation Two Records.

Situation existed as an indie-boutique to its more prominent mother label, Beggars Banquet. Spanning just over a decade (1981-1992) it featured releases by Tones on Tail, The Fall, The Associates, Loop, Darkside, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, Main, Hair and Skin Trading Company, Gene Loves Jezebel, The Bolshoi, Fields of the Nephilim, Death Cult, Go-Betweens and more.

Hosted by Ravioli.

Final WZBC Countdown at River Gods on Thursday, January 8th

After many years (we're not even sure anymore how many!) WZBC is going to stop presenting monthly countdowns at River Gods. The final countdown will be on Thursday, January 8th.

The final countdown will run from 10-11 p.m. as usual, but it will feature a WZBC "Best of 2008" rather than our favorites from just the previous month.

WZBC DJ's Raviolli and John Straub will be spinning before and after the countdown. They will be featuring WZBC favorites from years-gone-by, personal favorites from 2008, and whatever else strikes their fancies.

It would be great to see as many ZBC fans as possible to send the series off in style!

21+, no cover
125 River Street near Central Square
kitchen closes at 10, bar closes at 1

www.RiverGodsOnline.com

Flyweight Top 10 of 2008

every Thursday evening from 5:00-7:00pm spinning shoegaze, spacerock, psych, post-punk, paisley underground, C86, dreampop, early post rock and other fuzzed out bliss...


10. Crystal Stilts
Crystal Stilts (EP)
Woodsist Records
Track: "Converging in the Quiet"

09. Vivian Girls
Vivian Girls (CD)
In the Red Records
Track: "Tell The World"

08. Portishead
Three (CD)
Mercury Records
Track: "Machine Gun"

07. Wire
Object 47 (EP/CD)
Pink Flag Records
Track: "One of Us"

06. Atlas Sound
Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel (CD)
Kranky Records
Track: "Another Bedroom"

05. All The Saints
Fire On Corridor X (CD)
Killer Pimp Records
Track: "Farmacia"

04. Deerhunter
Microcastles (CD)
Kranky
Track: "Nothing Ever Happened"

03. Raveonettes
Lust Lust Lust (CD)
Vice Records
Track: "Ally Walk With Me"

02. Black Angels
Directions To See A Ghost (CD)
Light In The Attic Records
Track: "Doves"

01. December Sound
December Sound aka The Silver Album (CD)
self released
Track: "Drone Refusenik"


Other artists with 2008 releases:
Air France, School of Seven Bells, Sun Kil Moon, M83, Milling Gowns, Boat Club, Christy Romanick, Exit Calm, Pacific UV, Spiritualized, Magnetic Fields, Beach House, Sigur Ros, Wedding Present, Stereolab, Monade, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Four Tet, Studio, Warlocks, No Age, Kontake, Hammock, Duke Spirit, Clinic, Darker My Love, Daysleepers, Piano Magic, Antony and The Johnsons

For more information:
http://www.myspace.com/wzbcflyweight

Animal Collective Boston Listening Party!

WZBC was asked by Animal Collective and Domino Records to host the Boston listening party for Animal Collective's upcoming 9th studio release, Merriweather Post Pavillion, on January 6th, 2009. Anticipation has been ridiculously high since the album was announced way back in October, and we at WZBC are stoked to be working with the band to celebrate the release. Keep your eyes and ears open for free giveaways, prizes, and more secret goodies as we get closer to the date.

We'll be announcing more information in the very near future on a location and event details on air, so keep listening to WZBC 90.3fm or stream us online at www.wzbc.org.

Read Domino Records' press release here.

And for more cryptic information about the record, check out their website.