Radiolab “Dawn of Midi” (August 29, 2013)

Host: WNYC Studios (Lulu Miller & Latif Nasser)
Main Guest: Akash Israni (Dawn of Midi, bassist)

Episode Overview

This short episode dives into the story and music of Dawn of Midi, a Brooklyn-based acoustic trio whose sound bridges the gap between ancient folk rhythms and the seemingly mechanical precision of electronic music—all performed live on traditional instruments. The hosts explore how the band evolved from freeform improvisation to an obsessive, trance-like minimalism, challenging the boundaries between what is human and what is machine-made in music.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Dawn of Midi

• The hosts take a brief detour into music, focusing on their “musician hats.”
• Dawn of Midi is introduced as a band whose music has been quietly featured in previous Radiolab episodes ([00:46]).
• The band consists of:
  • Akash Israni (bass),
  • Amino Belyamani (piano),
  • Qasim Naqvi (drums).
• The unusual band name references MIDI—a music technology protocol—and the tension between the organic and the synthetic ([01:22]).

2. Origins: From Tennis Courts to Improvised Darkness

• The players met at CalArts; their initial friendship was forged—not through music—but through late-night, raucous tennis matches ([02:04]).
• Quote:

  “We would play like late at night... Qasim had stolen the key... at 3am... I think we were really drunk. Security showed up... he saw the intensity… he was like, you guys should continue, like, carry on.”
  — Akash Israni ([02:04–02:29])

• This intensity and dedication transferred to their early music, played in a pitch-black classroom, entirely improvised, and directionless ([02:38]).
• Quote:

  “It was completely, totally improvised. Like, before they started... no idea what key... no idea of what tempo... just start cold.”
  — Host ([02:42–03:02])

3. Stepping Towards Minimalism: Influences and Evolution

• The band’s musical interests shifted as they toured:

  • They began absorbing influences from electronic (Aphex Twin), trance, and particularly West African and Moroccan music ([03:51]).

• These genres’ distinct rhythmic patterns inspired a gradual transformation:

  “Over two years ... they pieced together this style ... 180 degrees from what they were just doing.”
  — Host ([04:19])

• The result:

  • A trance-inducing, minimalist music that is acoustic but so precise it’s reminiscent of machines ([04:21–04:38]).

4. Listening Segment: Experiencing “Dysnomia”

• The hosts share a long excerpt from Dawn of Midi’s album “Dysnomia” ([05:12]).
  • The music creeps in softly, with a pulsing bass and muted, percussive piano.
• Notable reactions:
  • Quote:

    “I know a pod of whales who would go crazy for this.”
    — Host ([05:33])

  • The piece feels “machine-like,” but it’s entirely performed live.

    “This is all a lie. They’re playing real instruments. It’s acoustic. Although it doesn’t sound acoustic.”
    — Host ([06:53–06:56])

  • The gradual evolution and subtle shifts in the music are noted:

    “It just keeps doing that for 45 minutes ... it’s really just one long thing.”
    — Host ([07:40])

5. Becoming “Human Machines” & The Analog Revolution

• The music’s obsessive, mechanical feel is a deliberate pursuit:
  • The band transforms from “free improv, no rules, to becoming, like, human machines” ([08:16]).
• Quote:

  “Something is going on in the world ... people doing things ‘analog’ that 10 years ago would have been assumed were absolutely impossible without the aid of technology. ... The computers showed us a world of possibility and now we’re almost realizing that world was inherent to us, not the machine.”
  — Akash Israni ([08:31–09:35])

• Dawn of Midi’s process illustrates a larger trend: using technology as inspiration, then reclaiming those techniques as purely human achievement ([09:35]).

6. Non-narrative, Timeless Music

• The music resists traditional storytelling, instead offering company through shifting patterns:
  • Quote:

    “If you just let it do what it’s ... it’s not going to tell you a story. It’s just going to keep you company.”
    — Host ([09:56])

• The hosts discuss the “quantum states of time” in the band’s music—overlapping, conflicting rhythmic cycles echoing ancient trance traditions ([10:31–10:43]).
  • The patterns “fall in and out of phase,” creating a multiplicity of listening experiences, either as simple grooves or deep rhythmic puzzles ([10:40–11:49]).

7. Art Analogies and Emotional Resonance

• The hosts compare the experience of listening to Dawn of Midi to viewing Mark Rothko paintings:
  • Both are layered, ambiguous, reward close and broad attention, and evoke shifting emotions ([11:49–12:38]).
  • Quote:

    “When I look closely, I see patterns within patterns within patterns… Then I pull myself out and see three rather richly tonal blocks of color.”
    — Host ([12:13])

8. Final Thoughts and Where to Hear More

• The blend of ancient and new, mechanical and human, leaves lasting intrigue.
• More information about the band and their album “Dysnomia” is available on the Radiolab website; listeners in NYC are invited to a live show ([12:38-end]).

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “Dawn suggests something pleasant, beautiful... midi, technological, cold. That's actually not a bad place to start.” — Host ([01:35])
• “It was completely, totally improvised ... no idea what tempo ... they just start cold.” — Host ([02:42–03:02])
• “Ancient folk music filtered through highly obsessive computers that actually aren’t computers, but people.” — Host ([04:21])
• “I know a pod of whales who would go crazy for this.” — Host ([05:33])
• “They’re not playing a machine... It’s acoustic. Although it doesn’t sound acoustic.” — Host ([06:50–06:56])
• “If you just let it do what it’s ... it’s not going to tell you a story. It’s just going to keep you company.” — Host ([09:56])
• “Computers showed us a world of possibility and now we’re almost realizing that world was inherent to us, not the machine.” — Akash Israni ([09:35])
• “Feelings from the patterns ... ancient and new at the same time. Super mechanical and yet deeply human.” — Host ([12:40–end])

Important Segment Timestamps

• Introduction and Band Origin: [00:16–02:42]
• Tennis court beginnings: [02:04–02:29]
• Early improvisational style: [02:38–03:14]
• Musical influences and evolution: [03:51–04:38]
• First music sample (“Dysnomia”): [05:12–07:38]
• Analog vs Machine, reclaiming “human” music: [08:31–09:56]
• Discussion on rhythm, “quantum states of time”: [10:23–11:49]
• Rothko analogy, patterns in music and art: [11:49–12:38]
• Closing thoughts: [12:38–end]

Tone & Style

The conversation is playful, curious, and candid—reflecting Radiolab’s signature blend of investigation and wonder. There’s humor and gentle skepticism from the hosts about the music, but also awe at the band’s process and the possibilities it reveals about the human mind and creativity.

Summary

Radiolab’s “Dawn of Midi” unfolds as both a love letter to experimental music and an exploration of the human capacity to imitate—and surpass—technology. The episode spotlights how three musicians, starting from late-night tennis matches, developed a mesmerizing, trance-inducing sound that blurs the line between analog and digital, ancient and futuristic. The hosts use vivid language and art analogies to help listeners appreciate music that defies easy categorization, ultimately highlighting the beauty of patterns—both sonic and emotional—in the modern age.