Substrate RadioSubstrate Radio

Substrate calls itself freeform radio from Alabama, and it runs out of Birmingham, where the sponsors listed on its site are the same rooms its DJs turn up in — Saturn, Seasick Records, The Nick, the Sidewalk film festival. Nine DJs hold the named hours between them: Craig Ceravolo, Jackie Lo, Paul Cordes Wilm, Supreme and the rest, with a show each for film, old-time radio drama and the psychic arts. What is left of the clock runs on Jason Hamric's own playlists, morning, afternoon and through the night.

The written side is as busy as the air — a song of the week, album reviews, best-new-album lists, film and book reviews — and what both halves love is indie rock: Swervedriver, Slow Pulp, Wishy, Korea Girl, American Football, Liz Phair. Around that sit Maximum RockNRoll, The Classic Hip Hop Show, The Other Sounds of Latinoamerica, and a show of old-time radio dramas.