Line Noise

Ben Cardew spoke to defiantly different US producer Nikki Nair about DIY spirit, Pepe Bradock, humour, love, the wonder of Bang Face, Instagram self promo, Set The Roof, Hudson Mohawke and his new(ish) EP The Sick Dimension, which sees old-school house filtered through his tangled musical mind. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra.

Back in May 2019, pre-musical stardom, K-Pop songwriting, Dua Lipa remixes and all, Erika de Casier was an independent artist whose debut album Essentials was getting everyone very excited. She came to the Radio Primavera Sound offices for an interview with Sprung, our English-language morning show, and was charm itself. Johann Wald and Mark Dix spoke to her about lo-fi Sade, jeep music, Essentials, being independent, friendship with Smerz and much more. And today we’re bringing it back as a Line Noise. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra.

Ben Cardew spoke to the wonderful Sébastien Tellier about sheep in the head, relighting the fire, domesticated life, Eurovision, working with Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and his fantastic new album Kiss The Beast. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra.

Ben Cardew spoke to Femi and Ife from Ezra Collective about Tony Allen, The Shrine, live versus recorded, the band’s new album Here Because of Hope, drummers and drumming, at the Cruilla festival in Barcelona. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra.

Ben Cardew spoke to the hugely talented musician, poet, director and actor Saul Williams ahead of the release of his new album, Leap Life, in August. In a wide-ranging and very revealing interview, they spoke about that new album, but also the role that music plays in Williams’ life, trusting the moment, shamanism and ceremony, headphone listening, technology, Sun Ra, optimism, Paris and more. Naturally, Ben also asked him about his magnificent DJ Krust collab. Coded Language and - for film fans - they discussed his role as a preacher in Sinners. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra.

Ben Cardew spoke to Zora Jones about the sting from 400 bees, going off grid, singing in Spanish, playing live live and more, as she looks ahead to the release of her wonderful new album 50 Bullets To The Heart. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra.

Inès Boullant - better known as French dance destroyer u.r.trax - came to the RPS studio at Primavera Sound ahead of her first live festival gig to talk sneaking into clubs at 14, annoying her Parisian neighbours, blowing up during Covid and “anti club music”. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra. Photo by @leafhopperproject

Ben Cardew and Johann Wald spoke to everyone’s favourite experimental music duo, Matmos, about the joy of being Matmos, Hit Em, ideas that just don’t work and a lot more, in a totally charming interview at Primavera Sound 2026. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra. Photo by leafhopperproject.

This week, we welcome Étienne de Crécy, a house hero for any sensible musical brain, back to Line Noise. Last time out, in 2023, we spoke about the origins of Étienne - Motorbass, Super Discount and all - so in this interview I wanted to catch up with what he had been doing since then. That included the Flashback tour, playing vinyl, songs that do and don’t work with modern audiences, his excellent Warm Up album, working with Damon Albarn, football and playing live versus DJing. We also look ahead to the 30th anniversary of his classic Super Discount. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra. Photo by Emile Moutaud.

Ben Cardew spoke to musician and synth enthusiast extraordinaire Colleen about learning to swim, feeling free, letting down your guard and a lot more in a very charming and in-depth interview, recorded at the SLS hotel in Barcelona.

Ben Cardew finally got to tick off a long-time musical aspiration by sitting down with French Touch icon Dimitri From Paris this summer, ahead of Dimitri’s gig at La Paloma in Barcelona. Discussion ranged from Dimitri’s classic Sacrebleu album essentially being a joke - and not a joke at the same time - to the art of remixing, Compass Point and Dimitri’s unique style. Line Noise comes with the support of Cupra.

Ben Cardew spoke to New York DJ hero Victor Calderone about 18-hour sets, phone-free zones, Bleep, working with Joey Beltram, signing to Sire and - of course - remixing Madonna. We also chatted about his new New York residency, ma++er, at Brooklyn club Refuge, where he is to be found spinning 12-hour sets that will take you into tomorrow evening. Photo by Philipp Paulus. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra.

Ben Cardew spoke to Lucrecia Dalt about depressurised mambo, the voice at its most revealing, horror films and why she still dances, ahead of her gig at Primavera Sound 2026. Plus: find out her favourite film soundtracks. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra. Photo @leafhopperproject

Ben Cardew spoke to Chinese musician, DJ and creative chef Yu Su about her fantastic new album Foundry, about grit and metal, cooking and music, moving to London, Kaifeng, Seefeel and a whole lot more. Line Noise comes with the support of Cupra.

Ben Cardew spoke to Krautrock / kosmische hero Michael Rother about Neu!, Harmonia, Kraftwerk and his solo career, taking in creative explosions, musical freedom, the perverse advantage of not having gear, the Neu "!" and whether he is a fan of Stereolab. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra.

Ben Cardew spoke to Ed Wynne, the leading light behind British psych? prog? ambient? space rock? band Ozric Tentacles, about Todd Rundgren, 43 years of the band, getting advice from George Harrison, a nice shimmery afterglow and more. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra.

On this week’s Line Noise, Ben Cardew spoke to Mancunian extraordinaire Mike Pickering, a man whose musical history makes ordinary people quake. They spoke about Quando Quango, Factory Records (where Mike signed James), being the resident DJ at the Haçienda in the glory years of rave, making the first British house record (perhaps), forming M People and winning the Mercury Prize, A&Ring Calvin Harris and - most of all - Mike’s new book Manchester Must Dance: A Life of Music, Madness and Moving On Up. is he the best connected man in Manchester? Quite possibly. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra.

The wonderful Olof Dreijer visited the RPS studios to talk about his solo debut album, Loud Bloom, a record of colour, joy and bustling life. We talked about living in Barcelona, aquatic synths, the shadow of The Knife, jazz, click consonants, sci-fi and getting away from the macho forces in dance music. Loud Bloom is released on May 4 and Olof plays Primavera A La Ciutat on June 3. Line Noise is brought to you by Cupra.

Myd returned to Line Noise ahead of his recent Barcelona gig to talk the joys of playing live, tour bus life, his recent album Mydnight and the pain of losing a hard drive. Plus, prepare yourselves for some severe Todd Edwards-spotting. Line Noise comes with the support of Cupra. Photo by Alice Moitié. 

Has anyone had a more interesting life in music than Steve Hillage and Miquette Giraudy, aka System 7? They were both in Gong in the 1970s, recorded the classic album Rainbow Dome Musick in 1979, gravitated towards acid house in the 80s and eventually formed System 7 in 1989. 27 years later, they are about to release their 15th (ish) album, the excellent Flower of Life, which includes collaborations with Coldcut’s Matt Black and The Orb, and have a new live tour planned. We speak about all that, as well as Miquette’s work on the “heroin ‘n’ hippies” film More in 1969, talking guitars with Mike Banks, Steve playing with Sham 69, birthing dance music at Glastonbury and vintage synths. Plus, we discover their secret to a healthy working and sentimental relationship. Line Noise comes to you with the support of Cupra.