Car radio

not an end of year list, just a list 🍦

get in loser we’re going shopping?

I passed my driving test a few months ago. Fourth time lucky. 🥹 And it’s great! But it’s the radio, specifically the in-car radio, and the variety of music at the turn of a dial that just… blows my mind.

Now, I understand the concept of radio. I’ve grown up with radio. I get radio. It was always there. But these days I don’t listen to the radio too often, unless I’m in the car and cruising down the mean streets of suburbia (although I switch off the radio coming up to roundabouts and those right-turn junctions, I mean, who came up with those junction designs, such nonsensical concepts, and I don’t like them one bit!!!).

But the radio. I’m talking FM radio, not online radio, just because FM radio is right there in the car and button-pressing is involved. It’s more fun, dare I say dexterous, than trying to open an online radio station on my phone and then doing the Bluetooth thingy. I am severely allergic to that idea.

So, in-car radio. Just wow. You’ve got it all! It’s an education. Britney Spears? Affirmative. East 17? Hell yeah. UB40? No question. Tall Paul? You better believe it.

And sometimes, ALL on the same day!

I’m writing this from Ireland, which means I am in Dublin, which means I have the privilege of scrolling through Irish radio stations. And let me tell you, it’s a mixed bag! A party bag. It’s the Wild West out there. And you won’t come out the other side without feeling… something. Nostalgic! Uplifted. Curious. Irritated. Surprised. Anxious. Dreamy.

I want to celebrate car radio. The concept of car radio, the musical VARIETY of car radio.

Here’s everything I’ve heard on the car radio in the last cupla weeks. 17 tracks that I can remember i.e. a party bag. And we’re going from AM to PM, as Christina Milian would say.

Actually no, that’s a lie, we’re going backwards, as in, starting with the dancey stuff from nighttime driving before going into the daytime stuff, because I don’t wanna waste the night tunes by listing them at the bottom of the pile, as it’s very likely YOU, dear Subscriber, will not scroll to the end of this Substack. So let’s not waste the dancey tunes by leaving them at the end of the list.

Major NB: Credit where credit is DUE. Most of the dance tunes are sourced via Al Gibbs’ long-running (and wonderful) show ‘Freaks’ (Fridays 7-10 PM + Saturdays 9-11 PM). 98FM also had some decent dance bits but ‘Freaks’ provided a reliable flow of the funky stuff.

I can’t remember the other stations I flew through while sitting at various red lights, but Q102, TodayFM, Spin1038, FM104, East Coast FM, 2FM, and Nova, also made appearances on the radio screen thingy.

Oh also also, shoutout to Adam who recommended tuning into Cian Ó Cíobháin’s show ‘An Taobh Tuathail’ (Monday to Friday 7 PM-9 PM) on Raidió na Gaeltachta. I am extremely ashamed to admit that I twirled past Raidió na Gaeltachta on several occasions. I just didn’t give it a chance because I assumed there wouldn’t be any dance music on there, but I was outrageously wrong on that front.

In fact I am listening back right now (not in the car) to one of Cian’s Friday night shows (which are V dancey) and basically, there’s everything from spacey broken alien sounds to squishy techno so I am quite happy about this new (for me) radio addition and still embarrassed that I didn’t tune in before now, especially in the car.

So to make up for lost listening, I’m starting this listicle with a tune I plucked from a previous episode of ‘An Taobh Tuathail’ (you can listen back to old episodes here). I believe this tune was made for the dancefloor AND driving at night (safely!!!).

And one more thing, Britney features twice. But don’t hate the player, hate the dial. She’s always on the airwaves, is our Britney. And if you can’t handle that, well sorry. Too hot to handle. Too fast too furious.

Furious.

🚐

Volpe - Pressure

Made for night driving O K !

Punchunella - San Trancisco (Air Tattoo Reconstruction)

Oh my LANTA. Just. Oh my Lanta? P.S. I think the piano melody is unnecessary but live and let live.

Elli Mac - Celebrate (Tall Paul Mix)

11 minutes long! It all kicks in at the halfway mark. Urgent, celebratory, slightly stressful while driving but… there’s good stuff here! (Viewers of SATC Season 3 Episode 8, I’m looking at you.)

The Source - Clouds (Jon The Dentist Remix)

For the boy racers at the back 🐌

Nikolai - Ready to Flow

A hairy trance classic. I took the long way home to enjoy the full thing, and je ne regrette nien.

DJ Sandy vs. Housetrap - Overdrive

Call me crazy but is there anything more blissful than driving at night (responsibly!!!) with dance music on the radio? I am talking about lovely dance music selected by a human being (namely Al Gibbs again, who played this tune and many others here) LIVE on the radio? It’s a rare thing, it’s a beautiful thing, and I think this is one of the most magical tunes I’ve ever heard in a car-based setting.

Sasha/Emerson - Scorchio

Another late(ish) night dial into ‘Freaks’ whilst in transit. Would I be the biggest Sasha and/or Darren Emerson fan? Níl but I like the unpolished vibe to ‘Scorchio’, as in, it’s not sleek and sophisticated progressive house. It’s crunchy. And it sounded good in the car.

Rhythm On The Loose - Break of Dawn

A timeless work of art, and there’s nothing more to say or do.

Britney Spears - Gimme More

It’s Britney bitch, and we’re driving in the daytime now. Would you believe, I heard this TWICE in one day on two different stations and in the same hour. I’m not making this up! Double Britney, and I’m not complainin’.

UB40 - Red Red Wine

Dreaming at the red light.

East 17 - Stay Another Day

I love this song on a very deep level. It’s everything. It’s just everything.

Dr. Dre - Still D.R.E. ft. Snoop Dogg

Still waters run deep 💚

Wham! - Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go

Respect to Wham! specifically George Michael, always and forever, but I only associate ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ with this Oscar-worthy scene from Zoolander. It’s Alexander Skarsgård’s trancey sunglasses, the model mobile, the jerky dance moves, the inexplicable Tommy Hilfiger billboard, the New York of it all. Absolutely gorgeous car tune.

Britney Spears - Piece Of Me

The lyrics 💔 One of MANY songs I heard from the Blackout album on afternoon car radio (FM104 are mad for it, in particular). Still going strong 18 years later. Yes, it’s been 18 years since this tune came out.

Aaliyah - More Than A Woman

More Than A Woman i.e. say no more.

Eminem - Lose Yourself

I’m not sure about this song (it’s V dramatic) or Eminem as a concept. Sure we’ll leave it in anyway.

Airscape - Pacific Melody

I 💖 trance. Ending on a sparkly note for those who made it this far. xxx