How does being in the same room—feeding off each other’s energy in real time—elevate the creative process? And what happens when two very different unique musical voices blend together, creating something new and beautiful?

This episode, we’re joined by Ambient Electronic veteran Deborah Martin and renowned oboist and multi-instrumentalist Jill Haley for a discussion about their upcoming collaborative album “Rendering Time.” We discuss the magic of co-creating in studio together, the seamless blending of acoustic and synthetic sounds from distinct artistic worlds, moments of discovery, and what these elements might reveal about the listening experience.

Listen in on this Interview Edition:

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00:00 – Intro

02:27 – Surprising intersection of unique musical paths

10:14 – Rendering Time is a little different than The Silence of Grace, Into The Quiet

17:50 – “Rendering Time” – What’s with the name?

25:29 – Working together in the studio

41:02 – Deer hooves, primordial howling and other things outside the comfort zone

45:15 – Changed by working together

52:00 – What can listeners expect to hear on Rendering Time?

54:55 – Track-by-track conceptual focus

01:01:00 – Wrap up

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Music Preview – Rendering Time

01:02:01 – Deborah Martin & Jill Haley | From Source | Rendering Time

01:07:36 – Deborah Martin & Jill Haley | Soaring | Rendering Time

01:11:14 – Deborah Martin & Jill Haley | Secrets of the Talking Trees | Rendering Time

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Video Edition >

Drifting in with the warmth of the season, our Summer 2025 CMX is a continuous mix born of sun-drenched days, still waters, and the golden hush of twilight. These handpicked tracks flow through light and shadow — a soundtrack for lingering July afternoons and the quiet pull of the August night. As the sky deepens and the stars emerge, let this mix accompany your search for wonder, reflection, and the unseen magic that stirs just beneath the surface.

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00:00 – Intro / VO / Mark Rownd | At the Edge of Calm Waters – II | Painting Twilight

01:41 – Deborah Martin, Greg Klamt & Mark Rownd | Shimmers | Convergence

09:37 – AeTopus | Sunny | iota

15:45 – Darshan Ambient | Acre of Sun | Autumn’s Apple

22:20 – John Gregorius | The Expansive Sky | Full Of Life

27:48 – Matthew Stewart | A World Bathed In Sunlight | A World Bathed In Sunlight

32:52 – Jeff Greinke | A Stretch of Sun | Other Weather

37:16 – Craig Padilla & Marvin Allen | Sunflowers in the Wind | Weathering the Storm

41:45 – Ben Cox | Grebe | On Water

50:17 – Tom Eaton | The Slow River | How It Happened

59:00 – Dark Sky Alliance | Warm Inlet | Interdwell

01:05:11 – David Helpling | Waves Dream of Breaking | IN

01:12:16 – Northcore | Nocturne | Desatero

01:17:43 – Rudy Adrian | Moonlit Beach (for Jeff) | As Dusk Becomes Night

01:22:38 – Chronotope Project | The Scent of Evening Flowers | Dawn Treader

01:29:28 – Darshan Ambient | Lingering Day | Lingering Day: Anatomy Of A Daydream

01:35:46 – Erik Wøllo | Summer Tommorow | Guitar Nova

01:38:33 – Jon Jenkins | Zzyzx Road | Beyond City Light

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Video Edition >

June and the beginning of summer bring warmer temperatures. So warm, in fact, that the intense heat wave we’ve had here at SPM NE has us sheltering in the AC of the studio where we’ve been spending the month thinking about Improvisation. How do artists think about those moments of uncertainty and unexpected opportunity? Do some artists embrace it only when it results in something great, or do they make it a core part of their creative process?

This episode, we’re joined by recording artists Howard Givens, Craig Padilla and Eric Jensen (otherwise known as Massergy) for a discussion about improvisation, spontaneity, “happy accidents,” the space between the notes – and what all of that teaches them about themselves as artists and humans.

Listen in on this Interview Edition:

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00:00 – Intro

00:42 – Welcome / VO

03:09 – Introductions

04:10 – Improv / Spontaneity in the creative process: Craig Padilla

05:50 – Improv / Spontaneity in the creative process: Eric Jensen

10:30 – Improv / Spontaneity in the creative process: Howard Givens

17:50 – “Happy Accidents” and mistakes leading to new ideas

22:22 – Inspiration from film and acting (h/t to Kubrik)

24:04 – Create for yourself, not results (h/t to Rick Rubin)

27:10 – Improvisation’s “elastic” structure

29:05 – “The blank canvas” (music vs visual)

32:57 – The spiritual aspect of collaboration in the flow state

37:48 – Creating music in nature (watch out for owls)

41:58 – What makes a piece finished?

47:29 – In the ear of the listener

53:35 – The gift of Craig’s Holiday house performances (and the limitations)

59:34 – What has improvisation taught you?

01:05:15 – Lightening Round 1: Name a track – Craig (Howard Givens & Craig Padilla: A Step Achieved)

01:06:55 – Lightening Round 1: Name a track – Eric (Massergy: Fire Opal)

01:08:38 – Lightening Round 1: Name a track – Howard (Brain Laughter: The Other Side (of Night))

01:13:14 – What it teaches us about being human

01:17:51 – Lightning Round 2: Name one thing that inspires (gear or not) – Howard: Everything

01:20:50 – Lightning Round 2: Name one thing that inspires (gear or not) – Craig: Modular synths

01:22:42 – Lightning Round 2: Name one thing that inspires (gear or not) – Eric: The process itself

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More from Howard Givens: https://spottedpeccary.com/artists/howard-givens/

More from Craig Padilla: https://spottedpeccary.com/artists/craig-padilla/

More from Massergy: https://spottedpeccary.com/artists/massergy/

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Video Edition >