Hi, I'm Les Orchard and these are playlists of music I like. Some of them are kind of conceptual mixtapes. Others are just a random mix. Maybe this will turn into a kind of music blog?
Featured
Big Sonic Heaven SpyAn automated attempt to spy on what's streaming at bigsonicheaven.com
IPM RadioIPM Radio, "In Perpetual Motion", was a weekly multi-DJ show out of Lansing, Michigan, from 1998 to about 2010, run by Bob Perye as Director Mac and carried on Live365. These are the tracks its DJs played most across 369 recovered playlists, resequenced as a mixtape. Thanks to Director Mac, DJ Piotr, Rev. Baldknobber, Pfrank, Saint, The Riccer and the rest of the crew. Some full shows survive on Mixcloud.
The Electric Front99.9 The Electric Front was DJ Lee's one-man Live365 station out of Detroit–Windsor, 2001 to at least 2009: industrial, EBM, futurepop, and plenty of his own remixes. I was a listener back then (December 2002). These are its longest-running weekly top-ten hits, recovered from the Wayback Machine and resequenced as a mixtape. DJ Lee's remixes play from his YouTube channel; where a remix couldn't be found, the original stands in.
Signal DecaySignal Decay was a Live365 station out of Seattle, running from 2001 into at least 2009 — contemporary EBM, futurepop, synthpop, and obscure New Wave carrying the 80s forward. I've found no other archives — though maybe someone has recordings. These tracks were recovered from Wayback Machine captures of its station pages and playlist frames, then resequenced to play as a mixtape.
Numan's ShadowGary Numan is pretty great, isn't he? This is mostly the 1997 tribute album Random, but also a bit of rabbit-holing of my own.
Sometimes, I miss City ClubBack around 1995-2005 or so, I used to go to Leland City Club in Detroit. It was a grungy goth club where I smoked too many clove cigarettes and if you ever saw it with the lights on you'd know why it should have been condemned. The music was good, at least.
Bleep Bloop Bop (Synthpop)More bleepy boopy Synthpop than clangy bangy Industrial.
some of my 90s dance bullshitNot now, James, we're busy.
Industrial Accident (Industrial / EBM)More clangy bangy Industrial than bleepy boopy Synthpop.
before the western odysseyBack in about 2007 or so, my wife and I moved to Califormia. Before that, we lived in Michigan and I was listening to a lot of indie rock on RadioIO. These are a lot of my favorites from then.
- 📁 00-conceptual
2026
Big Sonic Heaven SpyAn automated attempt to spy on what's streaming at bigsonicheaven.com
IPM RadioIPM Radio, "In Perpetual Motion", was a weekly multi-DJ show out of Lansing, Michigan, from 1998 to about 2010, run by Bob Perye as Director Mac and carried on Live365. These are the tracks its DJs played most across 369 recovered playlists, resequenced as a mixtape. Thanks to Director Mac, DJ Piotr, Rev. Baldknobber, Pfrank, Saint, The Riccer and the rest of the crew. Some full shows survive on Mixcloud.
IPM Radio: Breaks & Big BeatBreaks, big beat and electro from IPM Radio, "In Perpetual Motion", Bob Perye's weekly multi-DJ show out of Lansing, Michigan (1998 to about 2010). Most of it comes from Wallace the Scot's sets, with Buttons and Agent Detroit. Picked from 59 recovered DJ sets built around Hexstatic, Freestylers, Plump DJs, Skeewiff and their kin, then resequenced. Wallace and Buttons both play the June 4, 2005 show on Mixcloud.
IPM Radio: Detroit Techno & HouseDetroit techno, house and electro from IPM Radio, "In Perpetual Motion", Bob Perye's weekly multi-DJ show out of Lansing, Michigan (1998 to about 2010). Most of it comes from Pfrank's sets, with The Riccer, The Mangler and Director Mac. Picked from 88 recovered DJ sets built around Detroit Grand Pubahs, Plastikman, Ectomorph, Kenny Larkin and their kin, then resequenced from deep house into the late night. Some full shows survive on Mixcloud.
IPM Radio: FuturepopFuturepop and melodic synthpop from IPM Radio, "In Perpetual Motion", Bob Perye's weekly multi-DJ show out of Lansing, Michigan (1998 to about 2010). Picked from 170 recovered DJ sets built around Covenant, VNV Nation, Assemblage 23, Apoptygma Berzerk and their kin, then resequenced. Credit to Director Mac, DJ Piotr, Xtina, The Riccer, Saint and every DJ who carried these sets. Some full shows survive on Mixcloud.
IPM Radio: Gothic & DarkwaveGothic rock, darkwave, deathrock and a closing run of gothabilly from IPM Radio, "In Perpetual Motion", Bob Perye's weekly multi-DJ show out of Lansing, Michigan (1998 to about 2010). Picked from 135 recovered DJ sets built around the Cruxshadows, Faith and the Muse, Collide, Chinadoll and their kin, then resequenced. Credit to Director Mac, Rev. Baldknobber, Deatheater, SugarGirl and the rest of the crew. Some full shows survive on Mixcloud.
IPM Radio: IndustrialIndustrial, EBM and electro from IPM Radio, "In Perpetual Motion", Bob Perye's weekly multi-DJ show out of Lansing, Michigan (1998 to about 2010). Picked from 223 recovered DJ sets built around Chiasm, Hocico, Wumpscut, Front Line Assembly, Velvet Acid Christ and their kin, then resequenced. Credit to Director Mac, DJ Piotr, Rev. Baldknobber, Angry Rohn, Saint, Prototype and the rest of the crew. Some full shows survive on Mixcloud.
IPM Radio: The Late YearsThe late years of IPM Radio, "In Perpetual Motion", Bob Perye's weekly multi-DJ show out of Lansing, Michigan: 2006 to 2009, when electroclash, indie-dance and dubstep ran alongside the industrial core. These are the era's most-played tracks, leaving out what's already on the main IPM Radio mixtape, resequenced. Credit to Director Mac, Angry Rohn, DJ Suppli, The Mangler and the crew. Two full 2006 shows survive on Mixcloud.
The Electric Front99.9 The Electric Front was DJ Lee's one-man Live365 station out of Detroit–Windsor, 2001 to at least 2009: industrial, EBM, futurepop, and plenty of his own remixes. I was a listener back then (December 2002). These are its longest-running weekly top-ten hits, recovered from the Wayback Machine and resequenced as a mixtape. DJ Lee's remixes play from his YouTube channel; where a remix couldn't be found, the original stands in.
The Electric Front: Complete ArchiveEvery track I could recover from 99.9 The Electric Front, DJ Lee's Live365 station (2001 to at least 2009), drawn from its weekly top tens, year-end Top 100s, and now-playing samples, in order of first appearance. I was a listener (December 2002). DJ Lee's remixes play from his channel where they survive, originals stand in elsewhere, and about twenty tracks with no playable copy were left out. Hear the station itself in its ads and artist spots.
Signal DecaySignal Decay was a Live365 station out of Seattle, running from 2001 into at least 2009 — contemporary EBM, futurepop, synthpop, and obscure New Wave carrying the 80s forward. I've found no other archives — though maybe someone has recordings. These tracks were recovered from Wayback Machine captures of its station pages and playlist frames, then resequenced to play as a mixtape.
2025
Expansive feelsThe feels, they're expansive in these tunes.
2024
DronesThis songs kind of drone on - they're not about drones.
Solarpunk templeWhat if it's solarpunk but a little hopeful and a little angry and a little witchy?
2022
Sometimes, I miss City ClubBack around 1995-2005 or so, I used to go to Leland City Club in Detroit. It was a grungy goth club where I smoked too many clove cigarettes and if you ever saw it with the lights on you'd know why it should have been condemned. The music was good, at least.
Bass Guitar AppreciationThese tunes let the bassist step out front and lead for a bit.
Smile because it happened: ending credits for imaginary moviesThese songs make me think of things wrapping up all bittersweet.
2021
Dark jamsup-tempo melancholic jams with some miscellanea thrown in just because
vibing while cryingTo verklempt and back again
Bleep Bloop Bop (Synthpop)More bleepy boopy Synthpop than clangy bangy Industrial.
Les' & Alex's wedding musicWhen my wife and I got married, I burned a CD to play at the ceremony and this is what was on it.
2020
some of my 90s dance bullshitNot now, James, we're busy.
Space Truckin'Warp Drive Active
Big Sonic Heaven (Shoegaze/Dreampop/Britpop)Inspired by and stolen from the playlists of Darren Revell of https://www.bigsonicheaven.com/
GIRD YOUR LOINS (fight music)Orz: `Oh, it is dancing`
2019
Synthetic Space ProgramGet dressed for space and bring your synthesizer.
2018
Halloween spoopy times i guessThis is Halloween, this is Halloween
Trader Joes musicWish I'd gone further with this, but for awhile I was taking notes on what I heard in Trader Joe's
ElectrostompsThese are electro songs and they make me stompy.
ElectrotweepopThese are electronic songs that seem rather twee and sweetly boppy.
2017
Music for when you're doing something you probably shouldn't be doingSneaking into places, breaking things, tracking down targets.
2016
Don't Let the Bastards Grind You DownI was trying to cope with the results of the 2016 election and retain maybe a modicum of optimism.
Synthpunk?Not synthpop but synthpunk - more squonky and screechy than bleepy and bloopy.
2014
Industrial Accident (Industrial / EBM)More clangy bangy Industrial than bleepy boopy Synthpop.
I ♥ Live 105 in SFBack in about 2007 or so, my wife and I moved to Califormia. One of my favorite stations there was Live 105, and these were some of the songs I heard then.
2013
Our Lady Peace (Mike Turner era)I really like Our Lady Peace, but I'm salty that they basically fired their original guitarist. This is their stuff from before that.
Music for Frapsing Space GamesFor awhile, I wanted to make videos of playing space games, and these were the soundtrack.
2012
before the western odysseyBack in about 2007 or so, my wife and I moved to Califormia. Before that, we lived in Michigan and I was listening to a lot of indie rock on RadioIO. These are a lot of my favorites from then.
2011
- 📁 01-covers
2026
IPM Radio: CoversCovers from IPM Radio, "In Perpetual Motion", Bob Perye's weekly multi-DJ show out of Lansing, Michigan (1998 to about 2010). Kraftwerk, New Order, the Cure, Kate Bush and Kylie, run through industrial, synthpop, goth and gothabilly. Found by matching 369 recovered playlists against the songs they cover, then resequenced from the machine age to rock. Credit to Director Mac, DJ Piotr, Saint, Angry Rohn and the crew. Some full shows survive on Mixcloud.
Fetch My RevolverIf I had a revolver, there are frequent scenarios wherein I might reach for it.
Covered: Living on the CeilingFind as many cover versions as possible of 'Living on the Ceiling' by Blancmange.
2023
Numan's ShadowGary Numan is pretty great, isn't he? This is mostly the 1997 tribute album Random, but also a bit of rabbit-holing of my own.
All I Ever Wanted - A Tribute To Depeche ModeReally digging this Depeche Mode covers album, this week. Thinking I may end up buying it on vinyl: all i ever wanted — a tribute to depeche mode
2022
that light never goes out does itis this really necessary? possibly yes.
2021
keep running up that hillKate Bush made a lot of people run up that hill, didn't she?
Cry little sisterSo, I fell down a rabbit hole after I watched Lost Boys again and heard that CHVRCHES did a cover of Cry Little Sister.
No, really, Don't ChangeINXS made a lot of folks want not to change. I like it.
2019
These Fascist Groove ThangsWe don't need them, brothers and sisters
- 📁 02-top-lists
2026
2023
2020
2019
2018
2016
2015
2014
2013
last.fm lovedOnce upon a time, I used last.fm a whole lot more and I liked music there.
- 📁 zz-not-mine
2026
The 25 Best Synthpop Songs of 2026 (So Far)Synthpop Fanatic's mid-year roundup of 2026, rebuilt from the YouTube videos embedded in the original post.
Symphonic Rock AnthemsMale-led bands with epic harmonies, melodramatic riffs, and clever lyrics.
2025
2020
2012
