Three months into the pandemic lockdown, I launched Soundwave, a show featuring ambient, classical, experimental, and instrumental mixes from notable guest deejays. It was my way of coping with the stress and isolation of the pandemic.

Originally, the guest deejays were people I knew from my previous electronic music show, solipsistic NATION. The show soon grew to include musicians I admire and musicians I discovered on Spotify, Bandcamp, Twitter, or through the various music blogs I read. Today’s show is special because it features a mix from Michael Donaldson, who I met through Micro.blog.

Why is this special?

When I joined Twitter way back in 2006, the network was not too big and small, making it a vibrant community. You could have conversations with people that sometimes lead to friendships. Not that that’s impossible on Twitter today, it just makes it more unlikely. It also meant connecting with musicians and label owners and bypassing the usual intermediaries, which was great for my electronic music show. That aspect of Twitter is virtually missing today.

Micro.blog’s network is growing, but it’s still pretty small compared to Twitter’s early days. However, the smaller size allows for more inclusivity. The likelihood of thoughtful and genuine conversation increases. Another factor in the civility and congeniality of Micro.blog is that it’s a subscription service. It’s very affordable, $5 a month, but that immediately eliminates your bots, trolls, and shitposters. That alone is worth the price of admission.

Michael had shared an interview he did with musician Daniel Fuzztone on Micro.blog. I liked the interview, I liked Fuzztone’s music, and I liked Michael’s other posts and articles. He was a perfect fit for Soundwave, so I invited him to guest deejay on the show. I also invited Fuzztone, and his mix will go live in December.

Michael’s mix is dreamlike. It also has a very 80s/90s electronic music feel to it, which I appreciate. I think you’ll enjoy the experience.

I’m pleased with how everything all turned out. I’m grateful that a platform like Micro.blog exists to allow collaborative efforts like today’s show to come about.