Now and Xen

Now and Xen

The podcast about contemporary microtonal and xenharmonic music, launched by Sevish and led by Stephen Weigel.

  1. May 31

    098 - Neptune (the band)

    "Join us for Experi-MAY-ntal music MAY!" We interview Dan and Jason of the 32-year old instrument-building band "Neptune" (minus Mark) about their new album releasing June 5, "Play Some Music," in which they fully commit to microtonality. These legends have been exploring found sound, electronics, and scrap metal for years to refine their distinctly jam-based, noise-inspired aesthetics. Among others, the xenharmonic instruments featured on this album include ~10-TET guitar, bass keyboard, feedback organ (in Glass Masque / Oarsmen), oscillators with potentiometers, untuned drum heads, amplified saw blades, bicycle crank arm xylophone, and electrical fan. This episode highlights a free approach to pitch by letting accidents and natural events shape one's tuning, while also making a purposeful effort to stray from 12-TET. It makes me think of Ivor Darreg. Music: Intro: rprii [from "Play Some Music"] - Neptune [28:43]: Glass Masque [from "Play Some Music"] - Neptune [36:41]: Mirror Side opening vamp [from "Play Some Music"] - Neptune [53:33]: Yesterday's Face [from "Play Some Music"] - Neptune [01:00:07]: #42 [from "Play Some Music"] - Neptune [01:01:35]: Glass Masque [from "Play Some Music"] - Neptune [01:03:09]: Furies [from "Play Some Music"] - Neptune [01:05:46]: Take Me to the Mardi Gras - Bob James [01:05:51]: Furies [from "Play Some Music"] - Neptune [01:12:16]: Yesterday's Face [from "Play Some Music"] - Neptune [01:14:12]: My wife's hair dryer [from emoji album] - Stephen Weigel [01:15:08]: Concerto for Horns - Stephen Montague    Outro: The Oarsmen [from "Play Some Music"] - Neptune Neptune, the band: https://www.neptune-band.com/ https://neptune-band.bandcamp.com/ Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/nowandxen Follow http://nowandxen.libsyn.com https://twitter.com/now_xen https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/ Subscribe RSS: http://nowandxen.libsyn.com/rss iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/n… Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mhnGsH… Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/nowxen Twitter: https://twitter.com/now_xen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnmYNMpemAIq8DnK5HJ9gsA

    1h 22m
  2. Apr 30

    096 - XENTAR (microtonal guitar app)

    "April WEATHER… ahem… I mean… April XEN-ther, rain and sunshine all together!" Here we have XENTAR, right after we had XENPILLED! Xentar is a free online tool where you can interact with microtonal guitar tablature, connecting a host of features many had long since given up on. You can create your own guitar songs and share them (with playback), explore scales and EDO's (even harmonizing within that scale!), loop patterns on other instruments, and even collaborate with other musicians! Music: Living Ghosts (24edo) - Liz Graham [xentar rendering] Suite for guitar in 15-note equal tuning - Easley Blackwood [xentar rendering] Sarniezz (24edo) - Angine de Poitrine [xentar rendering] Lydiocaine (22edo) - Xentar Demos [xentar rendering] Find Xentar here at: Xentar.net Some of Ben's other projects https://themercurytree.bandcamp.com/album/self-similar https://ventifacts.bandcamp.com/album/chronic-town https://proletarians.bandcamp.com/album/an-erstwisle-alphabestiary-book-two Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/nowandxen Follow http://nowandxen.libsyn.com https://twitter.com/now_xen https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/ Subscribe RSS: http://nowandxen.libsyn.com/rss iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/n… Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mhnGsH… Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/nowxen Twitter: https://twitter.com/now_xen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnmYNMpemAIq8DnK5HJ9gsA

    1h 1m
  3. Apr 30

    095 - XENPILLED (Gordon Wery)

    "April WEATHER… ahem… I mean… April XEN-ther, rain and sunshine all together!" Here we have XENPILLED, and next, XENTAR! Gordon Wery, who runs the YouTube channel "xenpilled," joins us to talk about cool microtonal scales using sharp 5ths and dual fifths, tuning choices and benefits of focused approaches, streaming and simulcasting, synthesizers, and practicality. We get a demo of the Linnstrument, and Gordon performs one of his new songs in 22edo for us! Also, be sure to check out Gordon's interview series on xenpilled amongst his near-daily livestreams about xen! (I was there on March 21st, the 549th stream!) Music: Intro: bad drums [22edo] - xenpilled how to cut a glock into 13 equal pieces [13edo] - limeboiler (from staffcirc vol. 7) sufficiently terrible [37edo] - xenpilled crumb [22edo] - xenpilled real diatonic morphs [ polysystemic  / MICROTONAL ] - xenpilled All ED3's 5-50 - Stephen Weigel (from emoji album) wasting time [22edo] - Gordon Wery (live performance) Outro: real diatonic morphs [ polysystemic  / MICROTONAL ] - xenpilled Xenpilled/Gordon Wery links: https://www.youtube.com/@xenpilled https://gordonwery.bandcamp.com/album/frenemies https://www.twitch.tv/stalefleas My interview with Gordon: https://www.youtube.com/live/-3EWEchni3c?si=QodSCaUdeZ-4Z1Pn Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/nowandxen Follow http://nowandxen.libsyn.com https://twitter.com/now_xen https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/ Subscribe RSS: http://nowandxen.libsyn.com/rss iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/n… Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mhnGsH… Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/nowxen Twitter: https://twitter.com/now_xen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnmYNMpemAIq8DnK5HJ9gsA

    1h 31m
  4. 12/29/2025

    094 - LAMPLIGHT

    Join us for a conversation with the mad conlanger and electronic musician "Lamplight!" We create Lamplight's unique style from the ground up, joining them in the DAW, and muse about the possibilities in their composition, tuning, and music. Lamplight's conlang and microtonal thoughts are highly connected to their color-based synesthesia and phenomena they have experienced about the world for years and years. Correction: at 1:07:07, Lamplight meant to say "7edo" instead of "5edo." This has been marked onscreen in the YouTube video. Music: [00:00:00] Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrfAz8V4WNc&list=PLUPfWiftqUrLfx3p7KldNF0xWJdJLH6OR (41-TET) - LΛMPLIGHT [00:06:24] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71yBnSVBsJk&list=PLUPfWiftqUrJKBlMd_3uvGzdu0BeaLk76 (37-TET) - Stephen Weigel [00:10:37] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnuMjXeHrY&list=PLUPfWiftqUrJKBlMd_3uvGzdu0BeaLk76 (JI and 41-TET) - LΛMPLIGHT [00:10:57] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrfAz8V4WNc&list=PLUPfWiftqUrLfx3p7KldNF0xWJdJLH6OR (41-TET) - LΛMPLIGHT [00:50:51] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqF27cFscGI&list=PLUPfWiftqUrJKBlMd_3uvGzdu0BeaLk76 - einrail [00:51:19] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwZMduKD8lk&list=PLUPfWiftqUrJKBlMd_3uvGzdu0BeaLk76 - Monotone Triangle [00:51:43] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z4-vRCWSwk&list=PLUPfWiftqUrJKBlMd_3uvGzdu0BeaLk76 - Tachy Bunker [00:52:16] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGF1hFMDBZY&list=PLUPfWiftqUrJKBlMd_3uvGzdu0BeaLk76 (24-TET) - ひるりゅー / Hiruryu [01:08:26] Outro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnuMjXeHrY&list=PLUPfWiftqUrJPPFqMXo1UI8k78kYN0ogV (JI and 41-TET) - LΛMPLIGHT Shasavistic Music Theory playlist (with subtitles): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKRj3IJSFEI&list=PLUPfWiftqUrIy3dMXdcpaYpGt6vZAeW5a LAMPLIGHT's YouTube and website: https://www.youtube.com/@L4MPLIGHT https://lamplight0.sakura.ne.jp/a/ Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/nowandxen Follow http://nowandxen.libsyn.com https://twitter.com/now_xen https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/ Subscribe RSS: http://nowandxen.libsyn.com/rss iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/n… Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mhnGsH… Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/nowxen Twitter: https://twitter.com/now_xen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnmYNMpemAIq8DnK5HJ9gsA

    1h 11m
4.7
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

The podcast about contemporary microtonal and xenharmonic music, launched by Sevish and led by Stephen Weigel.