Review: Purple Radio

Broadcasting to listeners 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Purple Radio was born just over two years ago when a group of music-obsessed anoraks and budding DJ’s wanted somewhere to share their love of all things musical with an ever-growing web audience.

What started out as friends playing their records to each other has grown into a community based organisation that puts on parties, has regular nights at venues around the country and supplies DJ’s to festivals throughout the summer.

“We’re a close-knit, community spirited, non-profit making internet radio station” explains Ian Black, a self-confessed aging disco dolly who first floated the idea of Purple Radio back in 2007. “The station is run and supported by a loyal collective of music obsessives who value content over style, truth over bullshit and who are bang up for embracing new and old music provided by their peers. Unlike many internet radio stations we even pay PRS, so the artists get paid for the music being played.”

And it’s a broad church. With more than 30 regular DJ’s and numerous guests, the station doesn’t struggle to provide variety. But it’s the contributors’ commitment to unearthing gems and sharing them with like-minded people that keeps the station fresh and vibrant.

Not only are you guaranteed to hear something different on each of the shows, there are also regular features such as Saturday Soul, Deep Purple and Hip to the Hop that cater for particular genres. You won’t hear clichéd standards. Instead, DJ’s dig deep in their crates, often bringing you a different perspective on what you might think is familiar territory.

But if you thought internet radio was just a bunch of geeks in bedrooms playing records to each other, you couldn’t be further from the truth. Purple Radio has monthly residencies at bars in both London and Bristol, while DJ’s themselves organise regular parties in London, Nottingham and Manchester.

And they don’t stop there. Whether manning the radio at the Big Chill, tearing up the tent at the Drop Beats Not Bombs festival or entertaining the crowd at festivals like Festinho or The Trip, Purple Radio DJ’s are dedicated to bringing the party to the punters. They are even in talks with a superb venue in the Mediterranean to put on a fully-fledged, weekend-long beach party in 2011.

With all this activity, it’s little wonder the station picked up the prestigious Internet Station of the Year award – voted by listeners – in last year’s Internet Radio Awards, a title it’s keen to hold on to this year. But it’s not about to rest on its virtual laurels, as Ian explained…

“We’re always on the lookout for new talent to keep it fresh and bring in new ideas” he said. “Ours is an open house with all welcome, so come say hello on our forum, tune into our crystal clear 24/7 audio stream and start thinking about what you’re going to play on your show.”

You can tune into purple radio here.

A few of the Purple Radio DJ’s recorded a mix in preparation for Festinho this year… Listen here.

Tracklist:

Mr Black – Blue Jam ~ Club News
Boss – Wynonie Harris ~ Don’t Roll Those Bloodshot Eyes at Me
Andy Bgpz – BusCrates ~ Broken Pencils
Remote – Pursuit Grooves ~ Shabaps
Craigster – Diskjokke ~ 1987
Mat Hoods – Delegation ~ Heartache No 9 (Mungas 32% & Climbing Mix)
Jez Wells – David Rubato ~ Circuit (Siriusmo remix)
Melvin Pickles – John Lee Huber (Rodney Hunter mix)
Supine – Toby Tobias ~ Fluffy Fruit
Noizydan – Luke Vibert ~ Disco Nasty
Andy Devine – Black Devil Disco Club ~ For Hope (dub)
Brazil Banks – Parker vs P.Zilla ~ Ups & Downs
Mikeybaby – Dr Rubberfunk ~ Riding With The Ratman
Andrea – Nas/Olu Dara ~ Bridging the gap
Stu Eleventhirtyeight – Busta Rhymes ~ Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See (Eleventhirtyeight Festinho 2010 edit)

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