HOCast #243 - Jo Johnson

"A sonic fabric of light and calm, where each moment echoes like a deep breath, opening invisible spaces for quiet contemplation and gentle healing. Minimalism and precision come together to shape crisp, delicate atmospheres that invite you to linger without hurry."

Jo Johnson is a British musician whose three-decade journey spans punk, techno, and contemplative electronic minimalism. A former guitarist for the influential 90s riot grrrl band Huggy Bear, she later immersed herself in the underground techno scene, joining the Bleep43 collective in 2001 and founding its label. Jo’s solo work explores immersive and emotive sonic landscapes through synthesizers and effects, influenced by pioneering women in electronic music. Her albums have been released on Further Records, Going In, Mysteries of the Deep, and Castles in Space. She is a regular performer at festivals and venues like Freerotation, The Purcell Room, Cafe Oto, and Parallel.

In 2025, Jo launched Alterations, an evolving album project released track-by-track on Bandcamp, each piece accompanied by exclusive materials for subscribers. She has collaborated with pianist Hilary Robinson, releasing experimental works on 9128.live and performing at events like Daylight Music. As a DJ, Jo has appeared on platforms such as Refuge Worldwide, Monument Waves, and Music for Programming. Beyond music, she has contributed to a Huggy Bear book project compiling the band’s zines and history. Jo also co-curates Bleep43’s deep listening events in unique spaces across London, championing boundary-pushing artists in ambient and experimental sound.

Links:

Bandcamp: jojohnson.bandcamp.com
Bleep43: bio.site/bleep43
Instagram: www.instagram.com/jojohnson.tinysilences/
Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/jo-johnson.bsky.social

Tracklist:

Patricia Wolf - Woodland Encounter (Balmat)
Jo Johnson - 03 (forthcoming)
Marcus Fischer - Ten (self-released)
Ashley Bellouin & Ben Bracken - Sung Strings (Debacle
Records)
Dan Bean - Face Lix (unrelease)
Bea Brennan - Can You? (Old Technology)
Bana Haffar - m720 (self-released)
Mareena & JakoJako - Phantasma (Muzan Editions)
Avsluta - Blushing Bushes (Accents Records)
Field Lines Cartographer - Transit of Ariel (Castles in Space)
Takashi Kokubo & Andrea Esperti - Melting Clocks
(WRWTFWW)
Manuel Fogliata (FKA Nuel) - metta (self-released)
Hologram - Age of Balance (self-released)
Minced Oath - Smoke and Scissors (Front End Synthetics)
arovane - youd (quiet details)
Bea Brennan - A Fanciful or Impractical Idea or Theory (Old
Technology)
Raica - Song 4 (unreleased)
Cate Francesca Brooks - Swallow Skims the Water