At SXSW, Mixcloud CEO Nico Perez discussed how algorithms on music platforms isolate listeners, echoing psychologist Sherry Turkle’s observation that we’re “alone together, each in our own bubble.” Community radio counters that robotic regression with selections chosen by someone who is genuinely moved by it. The bond that forms, like needle to wax, bears a certain fragility but the chords of the connection are unmistakable and alive.
When a community radio host throws on some obscure Malian blues after a reggae revival track, or plays a 1970s Ethiopian jazz piece that somehow captures what you didn’t even know you were feeling, those lightning-bolt moments of discovery add not just color but depth to your musical canvas. Bold, intuitive leaps that may introduce you to something transformative is par for the course. But a live one who knows a thing or two about the gospel of rhythm on the ones and twos is not only the best frequency wayfinder when you dare to follow the mood wherever it leads. They are also hyper-local magnets with strong emotional fields. And while there is not much place for commercial pretend, community radio is human-centered music discovery that emphasizes emotional connection and cultural enrichment. What it lacks in analytics it makes up for in authenticity—offering a uniquely intimate and consistent presence as trusted local voices embedded in the culture and daily lives of their listeners: An apt influence of word and sound.
This is Humanx FM , signing off.