Този епизод е музикално пътешествие до една от двете нови членки на Европейския съюз: България. Включва интервю с Omi от Ouim Records.

Излъчването ни на живо се хоства от Radio Scorpio, първото независимо радио в Белгия.
Тази програма е инициатива на netlabelism, Jan, Elke, Akwalek, Toon & embe.

http://www.archive.org/details/nws020
http://netlabelism.net/
http://radioscorpio.com/netwaves
http://ouim.net/

01. Awedisco - Esem
02. Fog - Sektor
03. Joint Venture - Surbahar
04. Night Rains - Samodeia
++ interview Omi
05. Sequences Of A New Dawn - Prarhamansah
++ interview Omi
06. Venus In Flames - Sound Set
07. Moment of green - Antony Staijkeov
08. Deep Blue - Antony Staijekov
09. Intelligent design - Mlosky
10. Yourai - Pavy
11. Yoko - After Waiting
12. Stigae - Cut that laugh
13. Sofia Traffic Jam - Manasyt

- Who are you?

My name is Simeon Stavrev, but the most people call me Omi. I’m 21 years old from Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.

- What are you doing in daily life?

In daily life I’m a web developer and a project manager of WAXX Studio. I’m also student in Technical University of Sofia and my subject is “Communications and technologies”. In not so daily life I’m a samurai, which modern meaning is a person, who wanna make something better and different from the usual trivial desires of the most of the others.

- Please, describe Bulgaria in 5 words.

Really wonderful and amazing nature!

- Are you and most Bulgarians happy to be member of the European Union now?

Actually I can’t estimate, because we are still in the beginning of the way which Greece, Portugal and Ireland had already completed. Most Bulgarians still don’t understand and see the real benefits of our membership in the union. We have lots of problems to solve, for instance:
- to change all of the current politicians with a better, who will steal less, or will not steal in general;
- to choose our European deputies, who will be worthy to keep our national interests;
- to specify all areas for NATURA 2000, and to do it for keeping our nature, not to be interested so much of the financial investments;
- to spend the best way all European structure funds;
.. and lots of other problems to become closer to the normal European nations. I’m sure, don’t know exactly when, Bulgaria won’t be the poorest country in the union.

* * * * * * *

1. What is “ouim”?

“Ouim” is a neologism, which comes from the sacred sound “Ohm”. It’s and a combination between the names of it’s founders - Omi (your humble servant - me) and my partner Poli. Her nickname is Aluin. When you bring together “Omi” and “Aluin” you will get “Ouim”. Actually this name was previously used by Aluin for a chaishop and decorations organization. One of our Hungarian friends interpret it in some way like this: Oh You! I Am!

2. What is the history of ouim?

In the beginning of 2004 we’ve started a web portal for trance music in Bulgaria - ouim.org - and it’s still running pretty well. Before a couple of weeks we’ve celebrated it’s third birthday with a party in one of the biggest clubs in Sofia. Approximately one year later we’ve collected so much music from Bulgarian artists, who wanted to share it, so we decided to open an Internet label and this is how ouim.net was born. We’ve started on 10th of March 2005 with a three releases. Till 21st of April we’ve got 11 albums form 9 artists. The next half an year we hadn’t release anything. Gradually we’ve contacted other people and gathered a lot of new tracks and for this moment we have 31 releases and a musicians from Bulgaria, Ukraine, Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina and USA.

3. Can you describe/label the typical OUIM-sound?

Our goal is to promote all kinds of electronic music, in any tone of the progressive, tech, groovy, experimental, deep, atmospheric sounds. Our aim is to tune people’s minds to the waves of our Gaia. With the music we want to move people, automated in the dynamic urban life, take their gray surroundings of silicon machinery, all-consuming commercials and egocentric humans, and convert them into wonderful imagery in the colors of the rainbow, deep rain forests, wild jungles, paradise sunny islands, vast fields, regal deserts, high mountains, crystal clear oceans. The music is our key that opens a door out of the monotonous digital existence and into the free land of our imagination.

4. Can you tell something about your rich website? It looks pretty hypnotic and mysterious ;)

You can find detailed information of any release and it’s author - covers, pictures, track-lists, download links, on-line streaming player. Not so long ago, we’ve opened and a DJ section, where we publish selected sets, mixed with precision and mastery. OUIM Netlabel is based on a site engine written by me. All content of the site is managed by a control panel. So it’s quite easy for our team to make lots of changes and improvements. We started with a different design from the current, but later Poli decided to change it. So it’s basic colors now are green, orange and gray, and it’s logo consists of 3 rounded daisies.

5. What kind of reactions do you get from your listeners?

When I read or talk with somebody, I find that most of our recordings inspires the listeners. Our music is not so dancing instead of bringing new ideas and feelings.

6. What do you consider to be the most interesting netlabelsong released on ouim and why?

All of our releases are really very very interesting, so thats why we’ve released them. But there are few of them which need to be specially mentioned: “Far Above” by Kliment, “Gopal” and “Tubifex” by Surbahar, “Rodopted” by Band Of Mad Women, “Demos” by No Reason. That’s my favorites.

7. What’s your opinion on the “philosophy” of netlabels and creative commons?

Creative Commons Licenses allows us to release freely our productions. When you publish tracks or whatever under Creative Commons License you can allow commercial uses of your work or not, you can choose modifications of your work or not. So your netlabel is the source of this, which you can share and everyone can take it. Without Creative Commons Licenses I can’t imagine how the majority of netlabels will exist, there will be a jumble of tracks and releases, without clear author rights. Maybe if there is an alternative license use of General Public License (GPL) or something like this. My opinion on the “philosophy” of netlabels and creative commons is that they are irreplaceable, and goes hand by hand.

8. Can you describe the netlabelscene in Bulgaria and its popularity? To what extent do young Bulgarians know the existence of netlabels?

Bulgarian’s netlabel scene isn’t big, but it’s quality. There are 4 netlabels which I know - Ouim (ouim.net), Stretching Spaces (stretching-spaces.net), Zvyked (zvuked.net), Mahorka (mahorka.tk). Of course they are not very popular, because their sound isn’t so easy for perception. But at it’s musical spheres they are very good accepted, because they are unigue.

9. Nowadays, there are many – if not too many – platforms offering free music (archive, scene, jamendo, other independent netlabels). Don’t you think this is very difficult for someone looking for the music he likes? Do you think there is a solution to solve this problem of selection and findeability in the future?

Type in Google whatever you want and you will find it. It’s quite easy and freely. If you want to find suitable sounds for your mind, you should just listen, listen lots, lots of tracks. There is no other way to find interesting and inspiring music. There is no such software or other way to look for good tracks instead of your hearing. It’s good we have many platforms offering free music. There must be variety… but and balance. We live in the century of unduly information and everyone tries to filter it.

10. Can you make a top three of the best netlabel tracks ever made (not ouim-exclusive)? [please answer this question by mail]

Sorry, I’m not listenenig other netlabel’s releases, only ouim’s :(. But my favorite labels are Iboga (Denmark), Digital Structures (Sweden), Tribal Vision (Czech Republic).