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Has anyone had a more interesting life in music than Steve Hillage and Miquette Giraudy, aka System 7? They were both in Gong in the 1970s, recorded the classic album Rainbow Dome Musick in 1979, gravitated towards acid house in the 80s and eventually formed System 7 in 1989. 27 years later, they are about to release their 15th (ish) album, the excellent Flower of Life, which includes collaborations with Coldcut’s Matt Black and The Orb, and have a new live tour planned. We speak about all that, as well as Miquette’s work on the “heroin ‘n’ hippies” film More in 1969, talking guitars with Mike Banks, Steve playing with Sham 69, birthing dance music at Glastonbury and vintage synths. Plus, we discover their secret to a healthy working and sentimental relationship. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra.

Our guest on Line Noise this week is Matt Black, half of epochal British electronic music duo Coldcut alongside Jonathan More. The reason for our talk was the 20th anniversary edition of their fifth album, Sound Mirrors, which is being reissued on vinyl for Record Store Day. And we did talk about this; but we also went gloriously all over the shop, from Top of the Pops to AI; Coldcut’s working relationship to the role that musical genre plays; and I even asked about the possibility of a new Coldcut album some day. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra. Photo by Hayley Louisa Brown.

Terrence Dixon doesn’t do many interviews. So when the enigmatic Detroit producer agreed to speak to Line Noise around the release of his new EP for Tresor, When Stars Remember, we jumped at the chance. In a very sweet interview, we talked about his history with Tresor, the power of extreme repetition, falling asleep to your music, his grandmother’s love for Kraftwerk, Juan Atkins, Mike Banks, not reading manuals and so much more. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra. Picture by Evan Zott.

My guest on Line Noise this week is Dominick Martin, AKA Calibre, a hugely renowned producer from Belfast best known for drum & bass but who has also made everything from jazzy folk to deep house. We were talking ahead of the release of his new Calibre record, Tricklemore Sea (released on May 1), an album of elegant and often elegiac downtempo beats on which Martin’s voice features heavily. Over the course of an hour, we spoke about everything from Martin's lack of confidence in his voice to his upbringing in 80s Belfast, passing by Lankum, Sun Ra, Swerve, perfect pitch, bringing his parents to gigs and what his daughter thinks of his music. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra. Photo by JakeDavis_@jakephilipdavis_@khromacollective-9772

Ben Cardew spoke to French producer Malibu (a.k.a. Barbara Braccini) ahead of her gigs in Barcelona (April 14) and Madrid (April 15) about the profound impact of her live shows, music as a diary, growing up in a small town and the loneliness of LA. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra.

Ben Cardew spoke to the don of techno, Mr. Jeff Mills, about Live at the Liquid Room, the importance of dancing, making music every day and more, when Jeff was in Barcelona for the Liquid Room anniversary tour. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra. Photo by Yuichiro Nora.

To mark the release of his Stereolab book, Space Age Batchelor Pad Music, Ben Cardew reads 10 minutes from the opening chapter, in what is the closest you're probably going to get to an audiobook. Here, we discover why he wanted to write the book in the first place and what makes Stereolab so special.

Johann Wald takes a turn hosting Line Noise this week, as regular host Ben Cardew comes on the show to promote his new book, Space Age Batchelor Pad Music: The Story Of Stereolab In 20 Songs. Ben explains the how, whys and wherefores of the new book, including why he decided to write it in the first place, the choice of the 20-song structure and trawling the Stereolab back catalogue for themes and oddness. They also talk about why Stereolab are one of the most unique bands of the last few decades, explore the idea of inefficiency in music and wonder at the sheer size and improbability of the Stereolab back catalogue. As a bonus: their favourite Stereolab songs.

Ben Cardew spoke to Maya Shenfeld and Pedro Maia at the Mira festival in Barcelona about Under The Sun, their special - and genuinely stunning - audiovisual live show; climate change, deep marble quarries, being friends and what they love about each other’s work. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupa. Photo by Leafhopper.

This week we welcome elsas, a young producer from Cardedeu onto Line Noise to speak about her new EP APORIAMOR, love’s contradiction, well-kneaded dough, Medieval music and touring with Sampha. elsas is playing Barcelona’s Caixaforum on March 27. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra.

At the Mira festival in Barcelona, Marie Davison returned to Line Noise for the third time, proving once again that she is one of the sharpest, funniest people in dance music today.In the interview, we talked about Clown bangers, Surveillance Capitalism, squaring dystopia with humour and so much more. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra. Photo by Xarlene.

Danny L Harle returns to Line Noise for a record-breaking fourth time as we celebrate the release of his "debut" (ish) album Cerulean. Mar Vallverdú and Ben Cardew grill him on his greatest melody, working with his daughters, Dua Lipa's tea, Elizabethan composers, Ibiza and much more. Line Noise comes with the support of Cupra.

This week on Line Noise a legend returns: Karl Bartos was first on Line Noise  in 2022 around the release of his autobiography; The Sound of the Machine, My Life in Kraftwerk and Beyond. In 2026 he returns and the emphasis is on his solo career and especially, his debut solo album Communication, which was re-released by Bureau B last year and which initially came out in 2003.  We talk about leaving Kraftwerk, liberation, the power of a group and his love of The Beatles, getting away from computers, guitars, Johnny Marr, remixing Planet Rock, the Telephone Call - he even plays us a few bars, Esperanto and so much more, in a wide-ranging and very warm interview. I hope you enjoy listening half as much as I enjoyed doing it. Line Noise comes with the support of Cupra. 

Our guest on Line Noise this week is Maara-Louisa Dunbar aka Maara, a Montreal producer and DJ whose brilliant new album Ultra Villain was released by NAFF on February 5. We talked about being a villain, narrative albums, misunderstanding, what the hell “home” means, Madonna, trip hop and more, in a very open-hearted interview. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra.

Ben Cardew spoke to the very charming Flying Lotus at the Mira festival in Barcelona about the links between music and film, his body horror Ash, the scariest music in the world and the possibility of new records. Photo by Alba Rupérez. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra.