Zaumne, born Mateusz Olszewski, is a Polish sound artist who has been into cassettes since he was in kindergarten and started making music on his computer in high school. Today, he fuses elements of ambient, dub, field recordings, and carefully processed spoken word extracts as a study of human emotion. Earlier this month, he debuted on Manchester label sferic with Parfum, an exercise in escapism and sensual wandering that you can file next to the work of HTRK and his new label-mates Jake Muir and Space Afrika. Recorded in support of the album, Olszewski’s XLR8R podcast has the same acute emotional pull—expect precisely one hour of hazy ambient visions, muffled lo-fi beats, and soothing textures that’s an enthralling late-night listen.

01. What have you been up to recently?
Gathering inspiration for mixes, conceptualizing new projects, and enjoying my late night snacks: frozen cherries from my grandma’s garden. Revisiting Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s work has also been a treat.

02. What have you been listening to?
Lately, mostly music from my girlfriend’s playlists!

03. You’ve got a new album out through sferic. What can you tell us about it?
My main focus with Parfum was fantasy and its elusive nature. I’m thinking about the album as an exercise in escapism and wandering. I’m happy to have it released on sferic. I couldn’t have asked for a better place! I’m also very thankful to YL Hooi, Metoronori, and Patrick Shiroishi for their contributions.

03. When and where did you record this mix?
In my apartment in Poznań, Poland at sundown.

04. What setup did you use?
Laptop with two controllers.

05. How did you choose the tracks that you’ve included?
I wanted them to sound lush with occasional grit. I was also influenced by a fragment of John Berger’s “Ways of Seeing” episode about how fantasy is constructed and I wanted to keep it as a theme throughout the mix.

06. What can the listener expect?
An excellent lying in bed or walking companion. Genre-wise, it’s mainly ambient pop with elements of trip-hop and dub.

07. What’s next on your horizon?
Playing some concerts with the new material and finally working on the next album!

XLR8R Subscribers can download the podcast below. If you’re not an XLR8R subscriber, you can read more about it and subscribe here.

Tracklisting

01. Deux Filles “Let’s Get Closer” (Glass Modern)
02. Księżyc “Dychana” (OBUH)
03. Sonoko “Aori Tori (Dai Go Maku)” (STROOM)
04. Pablo’s Eye “The City Orange” (swim ~)
05. Voice Actor “Offending The Audience” (STROOM)
06. Jabu “Side B” (do you have peace?)
07. Dangerous Electric Kiss “Cleanopolis” (Angelic House Mix) (Newsic)
08. Hysterical Love Project “Lashes” (Motion Ward)
09. crimeboys “deja entendu (dub)” (3 X L)
10. buttechno & Triš “in your head” (psyx)
11. oqbqbo “night perfume” (Posh Isolation)
12. James K “Everyrose” (AD 93)
13. Hydroplane “The Love You Bring” (A Colourful Storm)
14. Teresa Winter “Heathen’s Gate” (The Death of Rave)
15. Akira Yamaoka “Maternal Heart” (Konami)
16. HTRK “Real Life / The Duet” (Self Released)
17. Romance “Some Enchanted Evening” (ECSTATIC)
18. LA Timpa “It Smiles Without My Lie” (O___o?)
19. usof “Goodbye Forever” (Unreleased)