Every week Signal Committee present an Eclectic Picks playlist. All tracks are selected from the full inbox of 200 tracks that are submitted each week to Fresh On The Net. This week all the credit goes to our special guest curator, Auxetta.

WHAT DO WE LOOK FOR?

Our playlists are orientated to the alternative music fan. Lyrics are not essential, abstract ideas are embraced and the fusing of different genres is encouraged. If you used to write band names on your pencil case at school, you’ll probably like our playlists.

INTRODUCING AUXETTA

Auxetta have featured on the Eclectic Picks with tracks such as Ono and Digital Age, with Ono also facing the public vote to earn a spot in the Fresh Faves. From Leeds, Auxetta is a solo side project of Misery Prize. The vibe? If Beck was evil, this is what he’d sound like. Check it out for yourself, and then check out which tunes he’s pulled out of the hat for this week’s Eclectic Picks.

ARTISTS SELECTED THIS WEEK

1. TIGER MENDOZA & ASHERDUST – Lovesick Vandal (2023 Mix)
2. JACKIE EXTREME – CREAM
3. RRYRRY – Go To Work, Do Me Work. And Enjoy Meself For That Day
4. RUBIE – Transcendence Next To Water
5. LOFOLK – Heavy Handed (feat. Nobody)
6. JONNY BLUNDERS – Dust Mite – Sonskrif (Dustification Mix)
7. SPOONFINGERS – BrainFreeze
8. GOMRUND – Folding Boat
9. ANDRÆ – Lover (ft. Prawn Prison)
10. ALEXYS- Double Shot
11. CONSTANT LITTLE GHOST – Etude no VI – For Una Corda (commuter mix)

A FEW WORDS FROM AUXETTA

Delighted to have been asked by the mighty Signal Committee to be the curator for this week’s Eclectic Picks courtesy of F.O.T.N.

Always amazes me the amount of talent out there sending in tracks week in, week out so being handed the task of curating the Eclectic picks is a real honour. Thanks guys.

After listening to the 200 tracks submitted this week, I ended up with 30+ songs to whittle down. This, by any means is not an easy task, so I had to make a list of some of the qualities that would help me decide who was going to make the final cut.

This included:

                    : Keeps you listening                                                                                  

                    : Risktakers                                                                     

                    : Hooklines                                                                     

                    : Unexpected note, melody or chord changes                     

                    : Groove/Beat

                    : Atmosphere

                    : Emotion

After listening to the 30+ songs again, I knew the only way I could do this was for the playlist to play out like an album rather than a random mix of songs. A playlist that needs to be listened all the way through from start to finish. This approach helped me decide who was to be on the Eclectics this week.

I hope you enjoy listening to this playlist as much as I’ve enjoyed curating it.

Track 1 – Tiger Mendoza + Asher Dust – Lovesick Vandal (2023 Mix)

This had me on the first listen, synth intro, bring in the dark swell of the bass and then straight into the chorus, the hookline. I guarantee you will be singing along to this by the time the 2nd chorus comes around. Catchy, dirty, dark and edgy. Love it. Deserves to be the playlist starter.

Track 2 – Jackie Extreme – Cream

“This is a great song, it’s very very intense” starts the intro and it certainly is that. Static sounding synth bass cues up the bass drum, bring in the snare and we’re off. Effected vocals dance around the menacing bass line taking unexpected twists and turns as the song progresses. Experimental, glitchy and unapologetic.

Track 3 – RRYRRY – Go To Work, Do Me Work. And Enjoy Meself For That Day

Now stick with this one. Samples of east end working class showing disdain for the middle classes start this track. Drums seeped in reverb take us into a monster of a bass line and I mean a MONSTER of a bass line. Chiming sirens sit comfortably along with it as the spoken word samples appear in between the breaks in the music.

Track 4 – Rubie – Transcendence Next To Water

Acoustic guitar, bass and a rising/falling atmosphere in the distance gives the impression and feel of floating over a river. A laid back drum beat making good use of the toms and high hats under the ride help it along. Enter the voice, suits the track so well, melancholy melodies complimenting the music. Towards the end the song’s title is introduced over a change in beat and chords bringing us to its conclusion.

A beautiful song.

Track 5 – Lo Folk – Heavy Handed (feat. Nobody)

Although this song sounds like it’s been recorded by the person living in the flat below where it was played, I still think it sets the tone nicely. Sometimes it only takes an unexpected chord change to drag me in and the verses of this song certainly possess that, giving the song a whole darker approach to the more folky chorus. Good use of the male/female vocals taking each of the two verses in turn and harmonising effectively throughout. A well crafted folk song.

Track 6 – Jonny Blunders – Dust Mite – Sonskrif (Dustification Mix)

This track sounds like its been composed on a MPC if ever I’ve heard one. Starting with a subtle bass under a hip hop style beat. Now wait, wait until the drone bass comes in. Sounds like it’s being mechanically dragged through the ground knocking anything in its path out of the way. Atmospheric flourishes dance around as the bass drives this track to exactly where it wants to go.

Track 7 – Spoonfingers – BrainFreeze

Echoes of “brainfreeze” fill the intro filtering up and down. Bring in the segmented Xylophone over a subtle 6/8 drum loop and the scene is set. Lots of things going on production-wise with this one, voices, pitch bend wobbling strings, filters galore all meld together nicely for a bold, experimental musical triumph.

Track 8 – Gomrund – Folding Boat

I dare you to listen this one with the lights out, go on, I dare you. It’s creepy as hell. Sounds like it should be the theme to an Asian horror movie. This is all about atmosphere and it holds that so well. Dark, mysterious and unsettling.

12 inches long, 6 inches wide and 6 inches deep. It weighs 4 pounds and floats.

Perfectly executed, perfectly titled. Folding Boat.

Track 9 – Andrae  – Lover (ft. Prawn Prison)

More good use of synth bass on this one, great voice and another well crafted song. I first heard of this artist through Del Owusu’s Tales from a virtual record shop Ep6 a few years ago and was drawn in immediately then. Sparse verse with more instrumentation being introduced take us to the chorus, the hookline, a scale sung perfectly in between the lyrics. Didn’t see that one coming. Spoken word from Prawn Prison fills the middle 8 then we are treated to another round of the chorus. The song ends with the line “No one can do it better” and you know what, I think Andrae might be right.

Track 10 – Alexys – Double Shot

This may seem like a curveball after all the dark, atmospheric synth-based tracks but for me, this sits in just nicely. 1 acoustic, 1 voice. Simple, authentic and overall a song that you just can’t stop listening to. The tone of voice sits so well over the guitar. I know, a song about coffee, not something I’d normally go for but there’s much more to it than that. Deserves a place on this list and tees us up nicely for the finale.

Track 11 – Constant Little Ghost – Etude no VI – For Una Corda (commuter mix)

When I first heard this, I immediately knew i wanted it as the final track. Ambient crowd noises start the composition then in comes the piano, well, I think it’s a piano. Gorgeous sound anyway whatever instrument it is. Kind of reminded me of Avril 14th by Aphex Twin this one. Very emotional sounding piece of music. Creaks and key presses can be heard throughout increasing the pull this piece of music has on the listener.

A perfect end to the list.

A perfect end to Eclectic Picks 502.

STEP 1 – LISTEN

Listen to this weeks Eclectic Picks playlist using your weapon of choice below:

SOUNDCLOUD

SPOTIFY

After 7 days, the playlist will be updated with the next batch, and this week’s picks will be added to the 2023 playlists below.

STEP 2 – SPREAD THE WORD

Do you ever think, or hear people say, “there’s no good music any more”? Maybe they aren’t looking in the right places. Prove them wrong:

• Subscribe to the playlist
• Listen in each week
• Tell your friends
• Shout on social media

The more people listen to this playlist, the more exposure unsigned artists receive. So spread the word!

STEP 3 – MUSIC VIDEOS?

Music is great. Music videos are better. Keep the momentum going, send any music videos our way and, if we’re in a good mood, we’ll add the best ones to our music video playlist here.

ARCHIVE PLAYLISTS

The playlists above are updated weekly, then added to the playlists below:

2023 Playlist: Soundcloud | Spotify

2022 Playlist – Soundcloud | Spotify

2021 Playlist – Soundcloud | Spotify

2020 Playlist – Soundcloud | Spotify

RADIO OPPORTUNITIES

We all have ambitions to get on national radio, but in the meantime there are loads of great, independent radio stations that are always looking for new music of the alternative variety. They offer no promises, but the following hosts tell me they that, if you made this list, they’d like you to get in touch to be considered for their show:

• Joe Figueira of North Manchester FM, apply with MP3, short bio & twitter handle by e-mail to joefigueira@yahoo.co.uk)
• Del Osei-Owusu, aka Platinum Mind and fellow FOTN moderator, is happy to consider submissions for the Songbird Sessions, a 1 hour show for The Songbird HQ on Islington Radio. Just email Del with a bio and MP3 to del.owusu@gmail.com
• Neil March, Trust The Doc Radio Show (5PM BST, Exile FM). Submissions to dptmusicdigital@gmail.com.

If you are are radio presenter/DJ looking for someone to do all the hard work for you in filtering out the more alternative tunes hitting the FOTN inbox each, week, just give Signal Committee a shout!