Secret Communications
Ilius · Švenčionis / Cashmere Radio
Twenty-nine broadcasts from Cashmere Radio, originally hosted by Ilius and Švenčionis and continued by Ilius and guests. Experimental electronics, post-punk, industrial and ambient, 2018–2022.
Secret Communications began as Secret Thirteen’s monthly show on Berlin’s Cashmere Radio, hosted by Paulius Ilius and Švenčionis. It travelled between experimental electronics, industrial, post-punk, synth and ambient, connecting Lithuanian underground discoveries with records from across the world.
The programme continued with Ilius and guests. This collection brings together all 29 broadcasts listed in the official archive, from November 2018 to January 2022, including the David Lynch and Harold Budd specials. Open an episode to listen; the first seven also contain Secret Thirteen’s original texts and tracklists.
012018
001 / Ilius and Švenčionis
November 2018 · 1h 29m
In the first episode of our show we present some Lithuanian synth/noise sounds and other material ranging from blissful ambience to rave deconstructions.
In the first instalment of Secret Communications broadcast from Vilnius we travel from clear-viewed ambience to harsher synth and noise. Along the way you can hear forthcoming tracks from rave deconstructors Lyra Valenza and glitchy noisemakers Tiese. We also included some tracks from the vaults of the Lithuanian underground, presenting a small, but colorful local community. Lots of textured soundscapes, intense rhythmics and dreamy ambience for your autumnal listen.
Tracklist / 19 tracks
- Beast – Staren [Thrill Jockey, 2018]
- Ensemble Economique – Music Is Life (feat. Alexander Molero) [Denovali, 2018]
- Šalta Kava – Krantas [Secondhand Daylight Records, 2008]
- Thugwidow – Europa [BLCR Laboratories, 2018]
- Dissecting Table – Rokudo [Dark Vinyl Records, 1995]
- Tiese – Untitled [Secret Thirteen, forthcoming]
- Patricia Kokett – Luxor [Knekelhuis, 2018]
- Lyra Valenza – January Airdrop [Opal Tapes / Petrola 80, forthcoming]
- Yaws – Reflekt [Alien Jams, forthcoming]
- Djurkliniken – Cry [Negabeat Records, 1989]
- Punky Jones – Moondrunk [Clan Destine Records, 2018]
- Fake Skies – Ritual Healing [Subsidence, 2018]
- Slovenska Televiza – Bailes Valstīs [Leipzig Inn Records, 2016]
- Advanced Art – You’re a Pretender [self-released, 1987]
- Dick Tracy’s Wrist Radio – Nightcaller [Vinyl-on-demand, 2014]
- Semănat – Langas [self-released, 2017]
- Black Deer – She Is Coming [L.I.E.S., 2016]
- Phalangius – Snowman Theorem [Strange Life Records, 2007]
- The Legendary Pink Dots – Fare Thee Well [Noise Noise Noise Records USA, 2018]
002 / Ilius and Švenčionis
December 2018 · 1h 30m
The second episode brings more eclectic delights from sonic waters – contemplative folk to Lithuanian hauntological lo-fi synth.
On our second show we continue to treat you to eclectic delights from various countries and eras. From the Lithuanian hauntological lo-fi synth of Obšrr to the freaky sexed-up electro of Add N To (X) or industrialised dream pop from underrated ‘80s darlings A Primary Industry – there is a lot of stuff for your winter evening. Also we’ve got some forthcoming stuff from folk experimentalist Sarah Louise and haunted cinematic ambient wizard Black To Comm.
Tracklist / 21 tracks
- Gudrun Gut – Glieder (Monika Enterprise, 2018)
- Obšrr – Kitam Kambary (self released, 2014)
- Luciano Lamanna – Sottrazione (Boring Machines, 2018)
- Shadowlust – Galician Dream Sequence (L.I.E.S., 2013)
- Black To Comm – Lethe (Thrill Jockey, forthcoming)
- Sarah Louise – Chitin Flight (Thrill Jockey, forthcoming)
- Drowning Pool – Ruts (Nate Starkman & Son, 1987)
- !Action Pact! – Up On The Heath (Fallout Records, 1984)
- Trashlight – Wilted (Squall Recordings, 2018)
- Add N To (X) – Steve’s Going To Teach Himself Who’s Boss (Mute, 1999)
- Keller – Rock-A-Willy (FV Založba, 1986)
- Algebra Suicide – Gist (RRRecords, 1987)
- Bad Sector & Tommaso Lisa – Mutua Mutazione (Old Europa Cafe, 2005)
- Sigillum S – Deep Void Plantations (Transmutation LTD, 2018)
- Scandinavian Star – Santosh (Posh Isolation, 2018)
- Meta Meat – Ramoage (Ant-Zen, audiotrauma, 2016)
- Warrego Valles – Botox (Kamizdat, 2018)
- M.O.A.T.A.-Omen* & The Rorschach Garden – Vor Dem Eisessen (Cat Killer, 1992)
- A Primary Industry – Silesia (Sweatbox, 1986)
- Romeo Void – I Mean It (CBS, 1981)
- Anubi – Tylus Tamsos Alsavimas (Art Productions, 1995)
022019
003 / Ilius and Švenčionis
January 2019 · 1h 30m
The third Secret Communications show features leftfield fusions of no wave and punk to sublime ‘90s shoegaze from Eastern Europe.
This show focuses on more guitar-based sounds, ranging from the grittiness and intensity of no wave and leftfield punk from the early ’80s to the sublime soundscapes of ‘90s Eastern European shoegaze or the more experimental fringes of folk. All picked by the Secret Thirteen crew and presented by Ilius and Švenčionis, the tracks vary from the playful funk-infused Alfonia Tims And His Flying Tigers to the Russian avant-synth of Asian Woman on the Telephone or the ecstatic brilliance of The Ecstasy Of Saint Theresa, an underrated shoegaze band from Czech Republic.
The set, while mostly focused on the eccentric marginal music of the ‘80s, aims to encompass tracks where guitar players have experimented with noise in different contexts – in dark and aggressive music, as well as lighthearted tracks of pure fun. As always, we try to include a few examples from Eastern European scenes, which are quite rich in these genres, as the musical heritage of the ‘80s was very much alive in the cultural thaw felt throughout the region at the time. However, the core of the selection is centered in the US, and particularly NYC – the home of so many of the era’s musical innovations and colorful characters.
Tracklist / 23 tracks
- Urang Otan – Waking In The Jungle [Zoar Records, 1981]
- Former Airline – Low Print [SHDR Edit] [Secondhand Daylight Records, 2008]
- KP Transmissions – Anatomy [Autogenesis, 2019]
- Todd Clark – Death Hovers [T.M.I. Products, 1984]
- Judy Nylon & Crucial – Information Rain [On-U Sound, 1982]
- Novocaine Mausoleum – Night – V Mayakovsky 1912 [self released, 2006]
- Modern Eon – The Grass Still Grows [Dindisc, 1981]
- Lubricated Goat – All Too Sane [Black Eye Records, 1988]
- Asian Woman on the Telephone – Cricket, Go Away [self-released, 2018]
- Alfonia Tims And His Flying Tigers – Poppa Got Bagged [ROIR, 1982]
- SH. – Single Coil [Zona Records, 1994]
- The Ecstasy Of Saint Theresa – To Alison [Reflex Records, 1992]
- Windy and Carl – Undercurrent [Kranky, 1998]
- Loveliescrushing – Darkglassdolleyes [Lullaby, 1992]
- Corpses As Bedmates – A Thought Through Shadows [Dead Man’s Curve, 1986]
- Von LMO – Smudge Head [self-released, 1999]
- Interference – She Said Destroy [The Social Registry. 2010]
- Food Pyramid – Orange Alert [Moon Glyph, 2012]
- Minimal Man – Far Away [Fundamental, 1986]
- Charity Saints – The Strength [Emergentism, 2016]
- Circle X – Heartbreaker [self-released, 1979]
- The Contortions – Contort Yourself [Ze Records, 1979]
- Neutral – Blott [Omlott, 2017]
004 / Ilius and Švenčionis
February 2019 · 1h 30m
The fourth show on Cashmere Radio explores diverse danceable vibes from mid ’80s till now ranging from velveteen lushness to grittier synths and Lithuanian ’90s grooves.
For the fourth session of our monthly show, we decided to go more uptempo and include more danceable vibes for the winter season. Again the mood range is broad from borderline beach vibes and velveteen synth pads of 100% Silk label artists to tropical melancholy of Hunter Complex or Scandinavian Star, grittier synths of TWINS, Anne Clark and Innergaze. Neurotic rhythms are changed by Balearic blissfulness or intelligent grooves, Roland 303 patterns stand next to awkward Berliner minimal techno vibes and revival of sounds coming from late ’90s and early 2000’s.
We also included a couple of jewels of Lithuanian mid-’90s dance music scene, which produced a few brilliant releases embracing foreign influences as well as local sensibilities (check Exem and Plasma tracks). Back in the ’90s the artists here did not have the same possibilities as in Western European countries. Due to peculiar cultural circumstances this resulted in the strange fusion of techno, acid and pop.
Tracklist / 23 tracks
- Plasma – Humanoid (Koja Records, 1997)
- Dearly Departure – Fear of Losing You (100% Silk, 2018)
- Potential DifferenSe – Shinobi (Detroit Underground, 2018)
- Beta Librae – Red Herring (Allergy Season, 2018)
- Anne Clark – Our Darkness (10 Records, 1984)
- Glues – Pattex 2-4 (self-released, 2018)
- Elizabeth Joan Kelly – Bouncyland (self-released, 2018)
- Exem – Pavasario Lietūs (Koja Records, 1997)
- Divine Interface – Divide It (CGI Records, 2017)
- Nark – Sunrise Climb (2MR, 2018)
- Hunter Complex – Chase Manhattan (Death Waltz Originals, 2019)
- Dzang – Whatchu Do (Dzang Recs, 2017)
- The Cyclist – Cologne Hills (100% Silk, 2018)
- Hausfrau – Trivial Pursuits (Possession Records, 2016)
- Scandinavian Star – Candy (Posh Isolation, 2019)
- The Future Sound of London – Crawler (http://fsoldigital.com, 2015)
- Elizabeth Joan Kelly – Electropop Swimming Pool Gymnopedie (self-released, 2018)
- Cherushii – Nightsteps (100% Silk, 2015)
- TWINS – Closed Eyes (Clan Destine Records, 2018)
- Machine Woman – A Machine That is Trapped in the Frankfurt’s (MMODEMM, 2018)
- Minimal Violence – Houses (1080p, 2016)
- Innergaze – Mutual Dreaming (Cititrax, 2012)
- Interbellum – Brechtje / Tien December Negentientachtig (Vrystaete, 2019)
005 / Ilius and Švenčionis
March 2019 · 1h 31m
The first part of the show on Cashmere Radio balances between the intense physical EBM and ethereal dream pop with detours towards grime-infused techno or melancholic jungle.
Secret Communications 5 returns with a wide variety of old, new and forthcoming tracks. Starting with a breezy ambience of Asher Levitas from his new tape and melancholic drones of Valestine, we move towards wicked beats of Christoph De Babalon and FabrikC as well as architectural soundscapes of Roche Ovale + Thierry Gauthier or Kinlaw and Skyler. There are also a couple of forthcoming jewels of grime/dub infused techno by Cressida and acidic synth by Graham Dunning. Some softer moments here come with dream pop gems from underrated etherealists Siddal and Mano Juodoji Sesuo, a Lithuanian goth rock band, which released one excellent 4AD-influenced dream pop album “Byra Byra Karoliukai” back in 1992. One of the rare successful attempts to play this genre in our local underground.
Tracklist / 19 tracks
- Asher Levitas – Cocoon (Too Fucked To Dance, 2019)
- Valestine – Driving Home I (Whitewater, 2018)
- Muslimgauze – Shishla Nain Royal Bidjar (Staalplaat, 1996)
- Christoph De Babalon – Nostep (Digital Hardcore Recordings, 1997)
- Dj Spanish Fly – Uzi Tool (self-released, 1994)
- FabrikC – Leidensweg (self-released, 2004)
- Kinlaw and Skyler – Rings (Reckno, 2014)
- Roche Ovale + Thierry Gauthier – Bancs (self-released, 2015)
- Dalhous – You Don’t Know What You Want, Do You? (Blackest Ever Black, 2012)
- Cressida – What Are You Like (forthcoming, VOITAX)
- Graham Dunning – Void Worm (forthcoming, LTR Records)
- The Untouchables – Zaku (Samurai Music, 2018)
- Lyubocha – Razyaw (Opal Tapes, 2018)
- Tor Lundvall – The Melting Hour (Dais Records, 2019)
- Strawberry Pills – Verbal Suicide (self-released, 2019)
- Mano Juodoji Sesuo – Baltas Sapnas (self-released, 1992)
- Siddal – Pontus (Bedazzled, 1994)
- Golden Dark – Dave’s Got Hope (self-released, 2019)
- Cabaret Du Ciel – Falasarna Exposure (Ionisation Tapes/Hybride Sentimento, 1992/2018)
006 / Ilius and Švenčionis
March 2019 · 1h 31m
The 6th instalment of our Secret Communications bursts with colorful texture and rhythmics ranging from hazy dream pop to heavy techno or blissful ambience.
The #6 edition of Secret Communications is bursting with a diversity of moods, textures and rhythms. We travel from cinematic shoegaze ambience of Avrocar or hazy dream pop of Fawns of Love to raw rhythms of Tommy Four Seven or dark sequences of Monoton. The spectrum of sounds is as wide as always, subtly overlapping and interacting. Also there is an excellent forthcoming piece by Dalhous member Alex Ander project Brick Reds, Black Mauves inside plus some fresh genre-defying jewels.
Tracklist / 21 tracks
- Alberich – No Reference To The Absence Of Allegory (Hospital Productions, 2019)
- Avrocar – Dialogue (Make Mine Music / Guidance Records, 2008)
- Tommy Four Seven – Dead Ocean (47, 2019)
- S. English – Bilocation Drift (L.I.E.S., 2017)
- Opal Beau – Independent Struggle (Strugglin’ Mix) (Altered States Tapes, 2018)
- Curved Blade – Blank-Faced Oblivion (Tour De Garde, 2017)
- Forests – Yes (Lonely God, 2018)
- Kode9 & The Spaceape – Nine (Hyperdub, 2006)
- Internazionale – 24h (Posh Isolation / Janushoved, 2019)
- Brick Reds, Black Mauves – Cabochon (Lapsus Records, forthcoming)
- Alförjs – Pharophah (Sucata Tapes, 2019)
- Fawns of Love – December (Test Pattern Records, 2018)
- Monoton – Tonfolge (Soundsequence) (Monoton, 1982)
- Tommy Four Seven – Feed (47, 2019)
- RAP – No Mixer (Jolly Discs, 2019)
- Never – Everybody Knows (Jolly Discs, 2018)
- Identity Theft – Ad Hominem (Cognito Percepti, 2012)
- Shawn O’Sullivan – What When How (W.T. Records, 2012)
- MAYa & Tolga Baklacioglu – Home (Vent, 2019)
- Cube – Nuance & Mystery (anathema archive, 2018)
- Borusiade – Haunted By Flashlights (Cómeme, 2016)
007 / Ilius and Švenčionis
April 2019 · 1h 30m
7th Secret Communications episode emanates joyful and psychedelic moods and embarks on a sonic travel ranging from Scottish Gaelic Psalms to Lee Perry classics.
The 7th instalment is the brighter one with sounds ranging from ecstatic ambience to heavier EBM/techno fusions. We embark on a sonic journey across Scottish islands with blissful brilliance of Scottish Gaelic Psalms. Also, we wander across some imaginary spheres with Asher Levitas and Samuel Ricketts’ ethereal, unearthly ambient or alien fusion of King Imagine. Some new wave delicacies come from Leave The Planet or Molchat Doma. Tadas brings in some noisier moments with Fuc Lerrari lo-fi bursts or angry ambient by Conflux Coldwell and Tomonari Nozaki as well as some trippier moments by Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and The Third Eye Foundation.
Tracklist / 17 tracks
- King Imagine – Femininho (SKP Records, 2018)
- Anthony Naples – Tango (Good Morning Tapes, 2018)
- Wojciech Rusin – Transmutation (Akashic Records, 2019)
- Fuc Lerrari – Manton Stick (Fougère Musique, 2018)
- Stephen Mallinder – Pow Wow (Fetish Records, 1982)
- Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry – Who You Gonna Run To (Real Authentic Sound, Abraham, 1988)
- Dominatrix – The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight (Streetwise, 1984)
- Molchat Doma – Na Dne (Detriti Records, 2018)
- Keller Crackers – Anem (Kashual Plastik, 2019)
- Grebenstein & Seefried – Raging Tender (Downwards, 2019)
- Leave The Planet – Sirius B (Wiener Records, 2016)
- The Third Eye Foundation – Wake The Dead (Ici D’Ailleurs, 2018)
- Professor Genius – Merciful And Blessed (L.I.E.S., 2012)
- Gossiwor – Oceana Pt.1 (5 Gate Temple, 2018)
- Asher Levitas and Samuel Ricketts – Each Flower (Too Fucked To Dance, 2019)
- Unknown Artist – Psalm 16: 8-9; Kilmarnock: Calum Martin (Tong) (Arc Light Editions, 2018)
- Conflux Coldwell & Tomonari Nozaki – Acathexis (Forwind, 2019)
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Sources and image credits
- Featured photograph by Justinas Mikulskis.
- Episode recordings, titles and broadcast archive: Cashmere Radio.
