Airtime: Canino FM

In the latest instalment of our Airtime interview series, we spoke with Barcelona's blossoming hub, Canino FM.

"Barcelona has this tight, vibrant underground community that thrives outside the prevalent commercial dynamics of the city," the Canino FM team say. "So, we thought, why not give those voices more space?"

This approach feels very much aligned with the ethos and goals of ourselves at Refuge Worldwide, and so when SOUNDIT Festival in Barcelona approached us to co-present a stage together with Canino FM on July 18th and 19th, it was a big yes from us. We have the great pleasure of co-presenting the ECO Stage, where artists ranging from Josey Rebelle, DJ Pete, perila & ulla, Moritz von Oswald & Tikiman, TRS and Pépe will perform.

In the chats we have had with Canino since, and the interview below, we learned a lot more about the inspiring work the station is doing, even in just over a year so far. Check out the chat below and tune in on July 10 for a SOUNDIT and Canino takeover on Refuge.

Please start by telling us a bit about Canino FM and how it all started?

Canino FM kicked off a little over a year ago, born from a feeling that there was a lack of platforms truly representative of our community, its distinctive sounds and the talent that defines it. We wanted to amplify the voices of artists and collectives from non-commercial and counter-cultural scenes, and to open up room for creative exploration. Barcelona has this tight, vibrant underground community that thrives outside the prevalent commercial dynamics of the city. So, we thought, why not give those voices more space?

We (CobraBubble, just claudia and LANAV) started streaming DJ sets from the cultural space Casa Montjuic every other Wednesday in January 2024. Last September we moved onto our current loving home in the counter-cultural, multi-functional space FOC. We built our permanent studio there, with a cozy wooden room where people can enjoy the streams on-site every Sunday.

Beyond the inherently cultural dimension of the radio, we’ve always wanted to create a community meeting point: a place where individuals who share common values can hang out and connect. It's been amazing to watch a whole community blossom around it, with people faithfully showing up for every single stream.

Also, we conceive this project as a bridge - a way to connect our local and national electronic music scene with the international one. Unfortunately, Spain is a bit isolated given its cultural and historical context, due to which its development isn’t on par with its EU neighbours. By bringing in both Spanish and international artists and encouraging them to collaborate, we're hoping to forge bonds that go way beyond national borders – those borders that have, unfortunately, really held back the growth of our music scene.

Do you have a specific idea for your music policy?

The identity of the radio is intimately linked to experimentation, so we give a lot of space to artists with proposals that stand out of the conventional. Being daring is always encouraged. We try to be as diverse as possible. Think, live hip-hop sessions, Brazilian funk, ambient, rock-metal, poetry, talk shows… but the people behind the radio are inclined towards bass-intensive genres so there’s a bit (a lot) of that!

Organically, diversity in terms of identity (sonically, ethnically, gender) has always been a part of our line of programming. We work with collectives we hold close to our hearts and artists with very diverse backgrounds and we also give space for up-and-coming artists and interesting voices that deserve a spot.  Also, in Canino we encourage artists to explore facets of their musical projects that wouldn’t fit in a club: here you’re free to do what you wish so there’s not so much clubby stuff. We also don’t hold a lot of space for more techno, deep, housey, minimal genres since we feel there’s already a strong offer for that kind of music in the city.

Refuge and Canino seem aligned in our approach of putting political issues to the forefront of what we do. How have you managed, especially in the increasingly repressive current climate, to navigate politically, financially and ethically?

We’re lucky Barcelona is a city where political activism is embedded in society’s very core and historically there’s a strong feeling of resistance, therefore there’s a lot of space for protest and dissidence. The climate of rising repression around the West has had a lingering impact here, but we haven’t seen ourselves too impacted by personal attacks, institutional censorship or financial struggles due to our political positioning. We’re thankful to be in a scene where care, solidarity and dialogue are prioritised.

We have chosen to use that luck to make as much space as possible for the voices that need to be heard and have never thought twice about voicing our opinions about injustice or shedding light on critical situations around the globe, be it the Palestinian genocide, the suffering in Congo or the crisis in Yemen. This has been done through fundraisers, talks, takeovers and collaborations with different artists and collectives. We’re also very happy to share space with a very politicised musical collective we admire as Jokkoo, and to be inserted in a very politically active initiative as FOC is, where ethics always come first. It comes natural to be actively political when our context is such.

In a world shaped by inequality and ongoing violence, what responsibilities do cultural platforms have? How can they become spaces of resistance, care, and the nurturing of  long-term cultural transformation?

Culture is a great vehicle for delivering and amplifying political messages in a way that's both accessible and easily understood. In an era where information is fragmented and dialogue is eroded, we believe one of the top responsibilities for a cultural platform is to cultivate a nurturing space for discussion. Strengthening the process of learning is vital in today’s climate. 

Importantly, a cultural platform can also make space for dialogue and communication by generating a community around it where empathy and respect are a baseline. We can do so by giving space to the multiple voices that are part of our society, legitimising them and spreading their word. Specifically, as a radio operating kind of at the margins of market logic - no entry fees, free access to our cultural product - we are fortunate to be able to foster relationships based on an alternative model, one that moves beyond the competitive, profit-driven ethos of capitalism.

Now, more than ever, unity is required to hold resistance against the powers that be. Each day we’re pushed into atomisation and individualisation, and the impact we can have on our immediate context through smaller, direct actions can be under-appreciated when looking at the bigger-scale problems that seem insurmountable. But things are changed little by littles, and the togetherness culture fosters is a great starting point for action. Being together - that itself is a great act of resistance.

Can you explain exactly what you are trying to say with the slogan that’s hung behind the DJs on your video stream: “Love is radical or not at all. Freedom is total or not at all.”

This poster was designed by one of our residents, Sunny Graves, and shared around Barcelona in the wake of the Palestinian genocide, already two years ago (the b-side of the poster is a Palestinian flag). For us, it conveys a message of ‘love and care at all costs’ that we want to live by with the radio. We can’t contemplate our freedom as such and stand-by while being witness to the oppression of others. 

What do you think are the essential steps or commitments a community radio should take to genuinely support and promote diversity?

Awareness comes always first: we have to take a good look at our platform and ask ourselves whether there’s diverse representation in our platform: is the discourse, the tone, the style homogeneous and repetitive, or does it invite discovery and exploration?

We would say quotas are still needed in some cases, but in our case diversity came organically. We got there by giving space to people around us that hold an amazing talent and are working great lengths to make Barcelona’s scene a better place. We believe it’s important to cultivate an ‘anything foes’ atmosphere: being inviting, opening our doors to unheard of artists, not fearing experimentation

Supporting diversity also means offering creative spaces for collective use so everyone can find an outlet for self-expression, be it workshops, talks, or shared studio spaces. On top of that, to be open to giving constructive feedback. Lastly, diversity should also be part of the behind the scenes. The volunteers and people around the radio should also feel there’s open doors to work there with no constraints other than the will to do so.

Feel free to share as much or as little information as you want, but maybe you can talk a bit about the financial model of your station? 

This is always a pickle. Originally, the co-founders invested a start-up sum of money to cover equipment and essentials. We then organised a few events that gave us a little push, like our opening event where most residents contributed by playing b2bs for free (big luv). We get a little bit here and there serving some cheeky beers during the streaming days, but are still figuring out how to make the radio a sustainable model in the long run. Crossing fingers for some juicy grants to come our way too. 

What do you think success looks like for radio stations like ours? 

In our opinion, to create a community around us that feels connected, valued and empowered to take creative risks without fear of criticism. Being able to create an inviting platform where artists can thrive, while they may have been overlooked in more conventional or commercial spaces.

Beyond just providing a stage, success lies in fostering new ways of creating, thinking, and debating. Our objective is to be a catalyst for innovation, encouraging artists and our audience to explore unconventional ideas and challenge established norms. And to just have fun. Let’s never forget about that part!

Could you tell us about one or two of your most special memories from running the radio so far?

The key core memory since we opened the radio is probably the opening event of our studio in its current location. It was a hell of a ride. For us it was a turning point since we had to build the permanent studio before the event to be able to have an ‘ambient’ stage and it was crazy work. We were ambitious and maybe a little unrealistic but somehow we managed (shoutout to Anna for her production skills).

The hard work paid off and it was a beautiful day. We shut the blinds in the warehouse so a Sunday afternoon gave the feeling of a Saturday night so people felt like blasting drum & bass at 6pm and the crowd loved it. Both the artists (the 24 residents that would be part of this first official season) and the audience were completely open to exploration. We felt for the first time how something strong, a tight community, was being born around the radio. It was a beautiful feeling to begin this new stage with.

Lastly, we’re excited to connect and hang with you all at SOUNDIT! Any local tips for DJs we should check out?

Barcelona’s local talent is rich and diverse, and definitely needs more attention! Rachael is definitely at the top of our list - insane vinyl-only trips that know no boundary. Also, importantly, some of our residents will be opening stages during the festival and they’re all amazing: Pépe for a mixing masterclass, AINES for liquid bass wizardry, TRS for a sinuous trip and oma totem for some deep, bassy sounds. Ylia and R-010 are also amazing acts you shouldn’t miss.

Find the crews of both Canino and Refuge Worldwide at the ECO Stage of SOUNDIT Festival on July 18 and 19 - tickets and more information are here.