As we glide into summer even here in Blighty we’ve been blessed with a rare appearance of that elusive fireball in the sky, the rest of the world likes to call the sun! This sadly is where the charming anecdotes end this week as we go dark, and a touch creepy with the immersive horror podcast ‘The Cellar Letters’ created by long-term pals Jamie Petronis & Jay Sayers. I would also like to thank the lads for bringing this podcast to my attention, and for allowing me the chance to look under its bonnet & kick the tyres. Shout out to Jamie for the introduction (cheers fella!) 

Both chaps write & provide voices within this stripped-back indie podcast, designed with a ‘found footage’ sound production that I personally liken to what ‘The Blair Witch Project would sound like if it were made into a 2021 podcast. For me, the sound of this podcast feels like you are within a first-person shooter-style video game. Right there in the middle of the action!

The guys make no bones about being green to podcasting citing the awesome ‘Magnus Archives’ & ‘The Black Tapes’ as big parts of their inspiration for their fledgling audio drama.  Jamie came up with the initial concept for the podcast, and Jay came on board having no idea what an audio drama was!

The chaps train of inspiration also calls in at Haunting of Hill House, Paranormal Activity, and Cabin in the Woods. I will also include into that mix of artistry Sam Rami’s Evil Dead for a touch of thrills & laughs and quirky horror. So what I’m hoping to do for you readers is paint a visual image of the personal inspirations of Jamie & Jay’s podcast (he hopes!)

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Overview

The plot for The Cellar Letters really is quite a straightforward scripted horror audio drama, however, don’t let that detract from what is a refreshingly distinctive podcast concept. Two pals and one dog relocate to Maine in a bid to start out new with a clean slate. Nate voiced by Jamie Petronis rents a big old house for the guys to set up shop and begin their fresh start.

To fill in time, and jump on the ever-growing trend of people making random podcasts Nate decides to create his own documentary-style podcast to capture current events. Proving the need to decompress at a time of anxiety, and unlock a creative flow. Well, I thought that statement sounded quite articulated even if no one else does.

These podcast recordings are where this podcast differs from others. With its raw style of recording, it allows the show to wire the listener into each episode. It is also through these recordings that Nate begins to hear strange knocking noises coming from their abode basement; why does creepy knocking always start in either a basement or attic?  

Sidenote – friendly advice time guys! Enjoy this podcast however you like to listen to podcasts, however in my opinion to truly appreciate the fully immersive experience of this audio drama I highly recommend listening through headphones as it just sounds mega. I cannot stress how jumpy the horror is within this podcast. Cliche doors banging, and ghostly voices really get the adrenaline coursing through your veins just like four double vodka Red Bulls, only without the alcohol, hangover, and caffeine overload!

Back to the drama and Nate investigates said knocking and discovers a room within the basement which holds filing cabinets filled with scores of creepy letters. If Nate is the straight no-nonsense part of the double act Steve (Jay Sayers) is definitely the joker in the pack. I like to think of them both as a modern-day Riggs & Murtaugh style pairing.

After the friend’s personal private eye investigation, Steve concludes that the house’s landlord Jim, or Jim the reaper as Steve prefers to call him is behind the creepy basement letters. Steve’s addition to the podcast lends a touch of comedy to the show making it less dark and more Scooby-Doo in parts.

To visualise Steve would be to think of the most annoyingly upbeat friend you have, the type of person you like as a pal, but can only be taken in small doses before you feel drained; but in a totally harmless lovable way.

The gruesome letters found within the basement are not the only theme running throughout the show. As the podcast progresses what becomes clear is Nate is clearly escaping from an event from his past which involves his ex-girlfriend walking out on him. This is the real motivation & driver for Nate moving to the East Coast adding backstory, context, and dimension to this audio drama.

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Thoughts

I know, I know you are probably thinking why have I enjoyed this podcast, and who is it for? Well, I initially listened to this audio drama and blasted through five episodes without even noticing; which is rare for me and an indie podcast. I found myself absorbed in the stripped-back no-nonsense nature of the show. The no frills, no theme music, and no endless credit listings at the end of each episode are quite appealing to my inner minimalistic character.

I lmao at the NYE episode (ep.5) where the lads get tanked up and attempt to create a retro beatbox about Jim the reaper. The scene was pure comedy gold, and I would love to know if the writing of that scene was largely influenced by Jay…

Intentionally, or non intentionally I enjoyed the ingenious acting from Jamie & Jay as they slightly lose their minds desperately trying to understand what is going on. Being a nuance freak I found the way in which scary, jumpy scenes were delivered was nothing short of brilliant. The strange, lighthouse keeper hysteria created by our two pals as they descend into madness was excellently executed.

What makes the show is the chemistry between our two main characters. This is something that is not easy to re-enact if you are not already the best of buddies. Both chaps are super talented, with Jamie (Nate) coming from an acting background, and Jay (Steve) having worked at Disney, which does not surprise me!

My only minor criticism is that lack of divider when an episode ends, and the next episode begins means there is no real marker other than the beep of Nate’s phone/voice recorder. This is just a personal preference thing, and probably my personal OCD working overtime so feel free to take that statement with a pinch of salt lads.

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Outro

I hope that you have enjoyed reading this review of ‘The Cellar Letters’ which can be found on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you grab your podcasts from. Albeit podcast novices Jamie & Jay have made a cracking podcast here that needs recognition. If you are looking for a different podcast offering some horror mixed with hilarious banter, and clever plot twists you should consider giving this podcast a shot! The guys are doing a great job of carving out their own niche.

To coin a phrase by the late great David Bowie “never play to the gallery” and the chaps behind The Cellar Letters are certainly in no danger of doing that!

If you want to find out more about the guys and The Cellar Letters, head on over to their website www.thecellarletters.com for more info about the show. Whilst there you should positively check out their merch store on Redbubble for some ultra stunning podcast art by Jess Syratt. Let’s get on board with indie podcasters and show some support by rating & reviewing!

A while back someone commented on a review that I did for QCODES Soft Voice saying that the podcast wasn’t their typical jam, however after reading my review they tuned in, and really enjoyed it; this is the reason why I blog. Bringing you guys podcasts that you might not normally entertain. This is the reason why I write reviews.

So after reading this review, are you considering having your podcast reviewed by Tea in the Sahara? If so you can reach me via my contacts page. If you have enjoyed this particular review or any of my others please consider doing a few kind things to help me grow my website.

Please consider leaving a small comment in the comments section below each review, and whilst there why not like the review (it all helps!) These simple actions on your behalf really go a long way to help promote what I love to do, collaborate with talented podcast creators & write EPIC reviews. Well, that’s the master plan anyway.

Likewise, if you feel there is a podcast out there that needs a plug please get in touch. For further Tea in the Sahara reviews & shenanigans please check out the link boxes below. Until next time, cheers, Kev!

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Testimonial

Kev, I am so thankful for the incredible review you wrote for our little show. Your passion for them shines through in every line. The genuine passion and enthusiasm you show are the exact reason why creators like us do what we do. I genuinely believe you’re going places with your site and you will be an authority on the medium as it starts growing. Thanks again!

Jamie Petronis Writer/Creator of The Cellar Letters

• Review: “Bunker 8” The Midnight Mystery
• Review: “The Lucan Obsession” BBC SOUNDS
• Review: “Elon’s Spies” Tortoise Media
• Review: “Dirt an Audio Drama” season 4
• Review: “Curious Matter – The Exile”

A few weeks back I tweeted a call to arms asking the land of Twitter and its inhabitants for an exciting new podcast crying out for an independent review by Tea in the Sahara. Answering that call was the guys behind ‘The Night Post’ produced by Station 103. The Night Post is a weekly supernatural podcast created by an all-LGBT team. An extra special mention goes out to Rae Lundberg for introducing me to this creative new podcast; cheers Rae.

The TNP players are Rae Lundberg, Ethan Thomason, Tyler Anderson, and Elizabeth R.C Lundberg who all take rotational turns in writing & producing the show which airs every Wednesday. Ethan Thomason is also the show’s composer creating the soundscape within which the show exists.

The guys admirably & unashamedly admit that they are novices to the whole podcasting scene. Kicking off season one in the autumn of 2020 amidst a global pandemic, which would have been far from easy. Openly admitting that they bought a cheap microphone, and winged the podcast. This admission alone in my eye shows spirit. That spirit for having a go (a bloody good go at that!) And is all part of the TNP charm; trust me guys you smashed a debut!

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Overview

The Night Post is set within a fictional shadowy dystopian backdrop of Gilt city where communication in general between Gilt city & the Skelter has gone down the pan. For further clarification, The Skelter is technically the entire region of Gilt City and surrounding areas with locals using the term to distinguish what lies beyond the metro area. Or as I interpreted it as the difference between the outskirts of town. For London folk, this is how they would comfortably class the rest of the UK!

The idea for the podcast came to the shows writer’s as the US postal service became a hot topic for public debate. You see the TNP team all live within the rural south, where it appears internet speeds and mobile phone coverage is pretty shocking. This lack of modern-age communication ability made low-fi ways of communicating i.e. pen & paper more tangible to our podcasters. And so with this initial concept and blueprint, the TNP podcast was outlined.

The podcast does have its own centralised bunch of characters (Nicholas, Milo, Clementine, and Val) written with their own individualised backstory with one of the biggest plots being Milo (Tyler Anderson) who finds himself endlessly searching for his missing husband Ashley. In my opinion, it is the actual stories taken from the letters with which our couriers deliver, and the storytelling narration delivered to the audience’s ears that make the show.

The couriers, or pigeons as they are known at the post act as an integral nocturnal postal service connecting communication dots for many inhabitants of Gilt City. The couriers are treated with unfair contention by most, and that theme sadly derives from real-life experiences our writer’s experience living within the South. That slowness and reluctance for change within a society where you don’t always fit in seem to be the focal message running within the background of this forward-thinking podcast.

You have to remember that this podcast is written and produced by an indie podcasting team with a limited budget. There is a raw production quality to some early episodes where the audio sounds just a little squiffy, especially if there is a scene where an actor raises their voice. To be fair the TNP guys do cover these audio teething problems during their recent Q&A episode. And this really is me nitpicking as the audio steadily improves becoming flawless as the show progresses. I even had the ‘ding, ding, ding’ guitar theme music created by Ethan Thomason buzzing around in my head days later!

The writing within the show on the other hand is the real star of the podcast. The use of vocabulary and articulated line delivery in certain letter reading scenes is bang on the money. I mean who else wouldn’t want to title an episode ‘Centrifugal Force’ right? I also think that the way the TNP team sets out their stall and takes turns to write & produce the show really makes every storyline quite unique in its own right.

Look out for episode 04. ‘So Below’ was easily my favourite episode from the first series. The detailed evocative, almost claustrophobic description Val gives whilst exploring the city’s underworld setting was a deeply immersive experience and was brilliantly written (kudos guys!)

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Kev’s thoughts

So who could this podcast be for? Well anyone that enjoys a show that is a mish-mash of genres really. TNP is advertised as a supernatural podcast, however, it is not your out-and-out ghost story type of paranormal podcast you might be accustomed to. Sure, there are creepy events that take place giving the show a cool edge to it, however, I see a deeper meaning behind the podcast. If I may, I see this podcast as more about relationships, some close, some strained, some blossoming (I’m talking about you Val & Clementine!) However at the nexus of TNP is the characters, and how they navigate the relationships they create as the series progresses. The slightly deep-meaning answer I know, but hopefully, you get the gist.

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Outro

I really hope you have enjoyed reading this review for ‘The Night Post’ which can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you grab your podcasts from. If this review strikes a chord with you I highly recommend you head over to the official The Night Post website for more details about the show. Or better still why not rate & review their podcast and perhaps jump on the Patreon bandwagon for early episode releases, and proposed bonus episodes? Roll on season two guys.

The TNP team are on it like gin & tonic pulling out all the stops to make this fantastic podcast a success, and if you cannot already tell I am personally passionate about indie podcasters. So all you podcast reviewers out there let’s get behind this visionary team. TNP is giving out show postcards for every review they receive so what’s not to like about some awesome merch bribery? They have also launched a TNP playlist called Gilt City Radio over on Spotify for eager fans to get their inner TNP groove on.

Plug time! Are you considering having your podcast reviewed by Tea in the Sahara? You can reach me via my contacts page. If you have enjoyed this review please consider doing a combo of kind things by leaving a cheeky comment, and liking this review. These simple actions on your behalf really go a long way to help promote what I love to do, collaborate with talented podcaster’s & write EPIC reviews. Likewise, if you feel there is a podcast out there that needs a plug please get in touch. For further Tea in the Sahara reviews & shenanigans please check out the link boxes below. Cheers, Kev!

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Credits

Nicholas Best – voiced by Ethan Thomason
Milo Cylix-Wilder – voiced by Tyler Anderson
Clementine Keys – voiced by Elizabeth R.C Lundberg
Valencia Torres – voiced by Rae Lundberg

• Review: “Bunker 8” The Midnight Mystery
• Review: “The Lucan Obsession” BBC SOUNDS
• Review: “Elon’s Spies” Tortoise Media
• Review: “Dirt an Audio Drama” season 4
• Review: “Curious Matter – The Exile”

Billed as “if you’d made up your mind up..think again” the hit investigative documentary podcast The Battersea Poltergeist returns for one more roll of the dice in the shape of a conclusive bonus episode for its legions of adoring fans.

And like whacking on your favourite, comfortable pair of trainers (Adidas if you are interested) we rejoin investigative journalist Danny Robins, flanked by his team of supernatural experts Ciaran O’Keefe and Evelyn Hollow, for one final deep dive into the ongoings at 63 Wycliffe Road.

With this ninth bonus episode, Danny & his team pull out all the stops with fan theories, the inclusion of a 1990’s TV host superfan, and one final Q&A session with the lady of the hour Shirley Hitchings herself. So strap yourself in one final time Poltergeist fans, lets bonus up for 57 minutes as Danny does his best to finally close the chapter on the most intriguing ghost story podcast which has gripped millions.

But before we press on one short pause. If for some reason The Battersea Poltergeist slipped by you, and you are now reading this review scratching your head going “huh?” Here’s some super quick context to help enlighten you.

Journalist Danny Robins & his team of ghost hunters try to unravel a precursory poltergeist case, set within the backdrop of a post-war 1950’s Battersea, London. The podcast is centred around a teenage girl, Shirley Hitchings, her family, and a poltergeist called Donald seemingly trapped within the family home. Danny & co try to unearth the truth of this sixty-five-year-old ghost story aided by the original case notes left by paranormal investigator Harold (Chibs) Chibbett.

As additional side notes, if you also missed my first review of The Battersea Poltergeist which I wrote back in mid-February, I highly recommend you take a quick peek if not for my own fan theory on the show.

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Overview

Episode nine kicks off exactly how Danny started the series way back in January with Danny in his garden shed with a box of case notes left by Chibs; a touching anecdote for the show to come full circle in man’s little oasis the garden shed. With my review, I aim to signpost, in my opinion, the most poignant parts of this bonus episode.

Danny begins by reeling off recent fan notions with my favourite being about the River Heathwall. For me, this is the most tangible theory for the noises, and house shaking that the Hitchings began to experience back in 1957.

Fun fact, apparently the land on which Wycliffe Road resides was originally located between the River Heathwall and The Thames, creating an island on which Battersea sat. The Heathwall or Heathwall Ditch/Heathwall Mill Pond was later converted into a sewer in the 1880s, and apparently, through looking at old maps this sewer runs directly under Wycliffe Road. Again the most feasible explanation supports the noise element conundrum without having a handy time machine to see if the theory stacks up.

As I comfortably sit within team sceptic I appreciated both Evelyn Hollow and Ciaran O’Keefe’s professional analysis of recent key elements connected with the case. That new necklace story that Shirley regaled about looking in a shop window whilst with her pal, is further ammunition that the whole poltergeist story is exactly that, an elaborate story.

Shirley claimed to have said that she liked a particular necklace that was on display in said shop window, and poof as if by magic it miraculously appears on the table in Wycliffe Road. Although Shirley denies she stole the necklace there is no other way for it to turn up at her house. Now I am not calling Shirley a thief, however, if this was true, and Shirley had this gift why didn’t she walk past a Rolls Royce showroom muttering that she liked them big flashy motors!  Again, the only one alive to collaborate this particular tale is Shirley (go, team sceptic!)

Evelyn Hollow goes further and provides evidence on this situation by discussing a similar case on fraudster Alma Fielding, who conned people into believing she could make objects vanish, and then reappear. That Alma Fielding account sums up how clever trickery and sleight of hand can easily baffle people.

That’s even before you hear Ciaran O’Keefe’s credence by dropping wisdom bomb’s on Shirley levitating, and sheet pulling episodes. I must say in defence of ‘team believe’ you have to remember this event happened in the 1950s. No internet, no Google, and also a time when some folk’s thought rock & roll was the devil’s music! So it’s easy for me to conclude my own thoughts that this was an almighty charade, with my very 21st-century mindset.

Okay, so I am not going to run through this whole review continuingly pouring scorn over everything Shirley’s claims as blatant conjecture. I genuinely enjoyed this podcast, and the journey it took everyone on was totally absorbing. During one of the listen along together episodes Danny mentioned that it felt like a little club, us all listening in together. That interaction Danny & the BBC offered to the listener within the show made it feel like you were part of his team trying to unlock this grand ghost tale. And this tale about Donald the poltergeist clearly resonates with a really wide audience.

That audience also includes one time 1990’s TV presenter royalty Sarah Greene of Blue Peter & Going Live fame. Sarah mentions how she enjoyed following the podcast during a brief chat about the show, with comparisons drawn between podcast, and mockumentary TV show Ghostwatch (1992). This collation was drawn by some listeners who wrote into Danny concluding that Danny had cooked up the whole podcast story about Shirley & Donald referencing Ghostwatch.

Ghostwatch was a TV series that claimed to have a legitimate ghost house with all the trappings of shadowy goings-on beamed live via the tele to the British public. Well, this show fooled millions! Being a teenager in the UK in the early nineties I vividly remember that Halloween episode of Ghostwatch as the so staged haunted house was set in Northolt, where I grew up. Back then I remember kids jumping on their BMX’s cycling around housing estates hoping to seek out the Ghostwatch house. So this proves I am not impervious to media hype in a time long before the internet.

Danny also speaks with Shirley’s cousin Bill to get his take on events which adds another dimension to the proceedings. To close out this bonus episode Danny puts listeners questions directly to Shirley in a final Q&A round seeing Shirley answer, and defend herself, which I must say she does admirably.

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Thoughts

Summary time! Returning to this podcast with last weeks bonus episode aiming to tie up loose ends was a great way to try and draw a line in the sand. I still position myself firmly within the non-believer camp as I personally deal in fact, not fiction. I also still strongly believe either Shirley or one of the Hitchings family has Tesla level creativity when it comes to storytelling. I might get Monstered in the comments for saying that, however, I am the first person to flag down a black cab, and head for real street with tales of the supernatural.

But then again without this story, we wouldn’t have this wonderful podcast, and lord knows society loves events that cannot be rationally explained. That grey area somewhere in-between the lines that make us all become armchair detectives is simply within Joe public DNA.

And like the special buy centre aisle of Aldi, The Battersea Poltergeist always delivered massively on surprises. Those surprises in turn connected with its audience on a bigger scale that possibly even Danny wasn’t expecting. In short you truly never knew what was going to happen next, and that ultimately is this shows winning formula. People who believe in the paranormal really do believe. And those on the other side of the coin (myself included) love debunking those wild theories. Until the next podcast Danny!

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Outro

Thank you for taking the time to read my review of ‘The Battersea Poltergeist’ which I genuinely hope you have enjoyed. All of the episodes can be found naturally on BBC Sounds, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or from wherever you choose to get your podcasts from.

If you are considering having your podcast reviewed by Tea in the Sahara you can reach me via my contacts page. Check out my reviews on Dirt, and Wandering with the Dead, if you are interested to see the level of detail which goes into one my independent reviews.

Hopefully, if you have made it this far down the page you have enjoyed my style of writing? I wasn’t going to plug my other reviews en masse, but then again if I am not going to blow my own trumpet who will, cheers Kev.

Great, thoughtful review of Ep 9… https://t.co/XIAKBurTi9

— Danny Robins (@danny_robins) April 26, 2021

This week guys we Delve into the depths of history’s darkest past with a podcast that deals with some heavy historical subject matter. Real Dictators is designed to retrace and chronicle some of the 20th century’s most evil tyrants to have walked the planet. This is done by offering the listener a deep dive (45/50 mins) into the private personal lives of individual dictators charting their birth, rise to power, and subsequent downfall across several individualised chapters.

As you can imagine this podcast deals with some hard-hitting disturbing historical events, with acts of total brutality and barbarity against humanity that I can appreciate is not easy listening for every reader. As with all of my reviews I set out my stall, present the facts, coupled with my own personal opinion and allow the reader to form their own decision to engage with the show, or not. I have also tried to remain sympathetic with my review because of its nature and content. However, history lovers will certainly enjoy this original, forward-thinking approach to podcasting.

Entering its second season ‘Real Dictators’ was created by Pascal Hughes of Noiser Podcasts; a UK-based podcast production company that pride itself on specialising in dramatic storytelling. Our escort and adept guide/presenter throughout these events is Paul McGann of Dr Who fame, whose vocal delivery blends harmoniously into the show perfectly. The secret lives discussed during the first few seasons include dictator heavyweights such as Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, and Adolf Hitler, as well as others not so widely known like Papa Doc, General Tojo, and Colonel Gaddafi.

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Overview

To try and understand the mechanics of how each dictator brainwashed entire countries, seized power and caused the deaths of millions, the podcast revisits these events using leading professionals within their own fields. The invaluable experience of authors, historians, professors, and first-hand witnesses is used to recount each event as it happened.

As the show suggests it gives the audience rare access to peer behind the curtain, like a fly on the wall placing you directly within each tyrants meeting rooms, private quarters, bunkers, and battlefields explained first hand by those who were there.

Where this show differs from other historical podcasts is by setting the scene of how these violent tyrants became the embodiment of evil modern society associated with them. Those pivotal, powderkeg moments from their early formative years put them on a trajectory of not just changing nations, but also shaping the world around us. Their complete tyrannical metamorphosis is documented throughout each chapter right into adulthood, and later twilight years. What follows within the series is their totalitarian regimes, political uprises, civil wars, revolution, and calculated takeovers by force, propaganda & fear brought to life by historians. The production quality (Joel Duddell), and attention to detail throughout Real Dictators is outstanding, leaving literally no stone unturned.

Having watched the excellent Netflix series ‘The Last Czars’ documenting the ill-fated Romanov royal family I was curious to find out more about Joseph Stalin, and where he personally fitted within the Russian Revolution. The chapters on Stalin within this podcast, regarding his early years helped fill in some of my own inquisitive blanks, adding historical context by unmasking the former Georgian bank robber who would later become the Premier of the Soviet Union.

I must also mention the music & sound design used within this podcast, which is almost like having its own independent character embedded within the show (if that makes sense?) That immersive atmosphere created really puts the listener onsite within those scenes, the sound team are trying to portray. Whether that be a bleak, desolate, crunchy-snowy scene in Siberia, or frantically running through the cobbled streets of Munich with bullets pinging out overhead, Head of Music Ollie Baines, & Tom Pink (Sound Design) have you covered. The stirring theme music with its dark jaunty strings sets the tone for the podcast beautifully, with a string arrangement by Dorry Macaulay. If like me you geek out over a good soundtrack make sure you check out the Noiser website for the complete soundtrack used within both seasons so far.

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Kev’s Thoughts

So who is this podcast for? Well obviously anyone that is interested in historical events that’s a given. However that being said, even the hardened history buff can take something new away from this podcast as there are still plenty of surprising revelations to be found within its chapters.

Extra kudos for having author, Second World War historian, & YouTuber Mark Felton within the show’s ensemble of experts. I already follow Mark over on YouTube, so hearing his comprehensive account on the General Tojo episodes was a real bonus for me.

My personal takeaway from this podcast is the truly breathtaking scale, and cruelty of some of the atrocities created by each dictator. The show in essence caused me to pause, and think much wider & broader. The regime’s of Mao, Stalin, and Hitler are gone, however, that does not mean the world we live within is completely dictator free; and that is something we as a society should not forget.

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Outro

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Thank you for taking the time to read my review of ‘Real Dictators’ which I genuinely hope you have enjoyed reading. A new episode of Real Dictators is released every Wednesday. In the second series Real Dictators are charting Adolf Hitler’s rise from Austrian third rate painter, to the leader of the Third Reich. All episodes of Real Dictators can be found on Spotify, Google, or from wherever you choose to get your podcasts from.

This is my first historical podcast review, and here’s hoping it won’t be my last! This review was challenging for me given I normally tend to review fiction podcasts, so I really hope you can appreciate the extra effort that went into my writing.

If you enjoyed my style of reviewing why not check out my previous review of Soft Voice for something a tad lighter on the old content front? If you are looking to have your podcast or audio drama reviewed by Tea in the Sahara, whatever your genre please do get in touch via my contacts page and let’s have a chat! Cheers, Kev.

This is great! Thanks for the review 👍

— NOISER (@Noiser_Podcasts) April 7, 2021

• Review: “Bunker 8” The Midnight Mystery
• Review: “The Lucan Obsession” BBC SOUNDS
• Review: “Elon’s Spies” Tortoise Media
• Review: “Dirt an Audio Drama” season 4
• Review: “Curious Matter – The Exile”

Over the last few weeks, I have been blessed with reviewing some truly out-of-this-world, A-plus, exciting, independent podcasters. So to keep things fresh, and mix it up a little, this week I thought I would head on down Main Street, and mosey on into Commercial Town with one of the best production companies (QCODE), and their latest podcast offering ‘Soft Voice’.

Even as I write this review Soft Voice sits at #1 on Apple’s podcast charts which is totally insane. Why the insanity you might ask? Well this top spot, number one charting position comes just after one episode of Soft Voice airing. This early winners medal comfortably demonstrates (early doors) how on-trend, and in-demand this awesome show already is!

But before my review, and all of that good stuff if you haven’t you should check out my review of ‘Dirty Diana’ which has recently been nominated for a handful of Ambies awards, including a podcast of the year & best fiction podcasts (fingers crossed QCODE!) This review of Soft Voice brings my tally of QCODE reviews to four lovingly put together; not that I’m not counting you guys!

(Spoiler ALERT) if you have not already listened to the first few episodes just yet, as I will be dispensing my own early thoughts, and opinions on the podcast within this review.

Written, and created by James Bloor, with Naomi Scott playing Lydia, Bel Pawley as Soft Voice, & Olivia Cooke as Dark Voice giving this show a British all-female-fronted casting which is fantastic! All three actors co-produced the show, which is also directed by James Bloor.

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Overview

Soft Voice’s plot is based around Lydia (Naomi Scott), a twenty-five-year-old estate agent from London with an unusual companion, Soft Voice (Bel Pawley). Soft Voice is not your traditional podcast companion as Soft Voice resides inside Lydia’s head as an internal imaginary voice offering up the best solutions, tactics, & advice on Lydia’s everyday life. That selection pivots on advice ranging from which trendy yoghurt to buy, how best to sell a flat, to personal matters such as which boyfriend to date, how to master Italian, and successfully play the oboe.

Soft Voice originally came into Lydia’s life when she was a child, and through Soft Voice’s ongoing guidance Lydia triumphs with everything that she does and prides one of her biggest achievements on having her own flat with a jacuzzi bath. Ahh, how good life is with Soft Voice?

The writing style of Soft Voice really reminds me of the hit series Fleabag by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and you can draw similarities between both shows as I think they are universally relatable shows. Okay, let me expand a little on that sweeping statement. The clever way the framing & direction of scenes set within Soft Voice really bring the show into focus.

For example, Monday morning sales meeting at Hatchet & Sprig with Branch manager Trevor creeping it up to maximum. For me (in my head) this is how I envision estate agent meetings to go. The Hugh Grant-Esque barrister boyfriend Graham who only chats to Lydia through WhatsApp notes almost made me fall off my chair in laughter!

And that’s the trick and winning formula you see. Making ordinary people with seemingly dull jobs come to life in a way that we can all relate to. Those relatable thoughts help to link the listener almost directly into the show (if that makes sense?)

Being an ex-Londoner I can instantly visualise events that take place within the big smoke. The after-work pub drinks on a school night that progressed to a nightclub ushered in my own memories of doing that very exact thing which was a welcomed drop of nostalgia.

The cleverly embedded nuances of finishing said night out, and finding everyone in your group lives in SE London, and you live in East, meaning a solo tube journey home drunk can have only been written by someone that has lived that experience!

Another reason why this podcast has all the hallmarks of a winning show is the beautifully immersive way that the surroundings sucks the listener into Lydia’s headspace along with Soft Voice. The cute ‘jam tomorrow’ milestone targets Lydia sets in order to reward herself for doing something she hates is something as humans we all intrinsically do.

I also like that Soft Voice isn’t just a quiet performer she comes with her own set of ground rules. Those no-nonsense, strict rules include no radio, no satnav, and ironically definitely no true crime podcasts (wonder if that was an in-house joke?)

Life and winning seem to go hand in hand for Lydia until one-day Soft Voice suddenly leaves! No reason, no explanation, pure radio silence. This is where the wheels of success fall off for Lydia in a massive way as we are introduced to another voice inside Lydia’s head who’s just moved in, Dark Voice (Olivia Cooke). I cannot wait to see what Dark Voice has to install for our Lydia as I think things are about to get even crazier. Or as the kids might say sh*t is about to get real!

Character-wise I adore Bel Pawley’s strict, monotone, nonchalant, vocal delivery as Soft Voice which is the standout performance of the show so far. Another character I really liked for all the wrong reasons was the ‘difficult man’ within the apartment viewing scene. A hilarious condescending pr*ck that we have all had the displeasure of meeting at some point in our lives. This character was excellently written in a wonderfully awkward British setting.

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Thoughts

So why is this podcast as popular as a sea shanty at the moment? Again the writer’s imaginative way of writing about ordinary events we can all relate to makes this podcast impossible not to like. That, and being flanked by some absolutely talented actors in Naomi Scott, Olivia Cooke, and Bel Pawley makes this podcast one of the most exciting releases of the year. I mean who wouldn’t want your own Soft Voice? I guess there are times in life we all wish we had someone telling us what the optimum route to success was to take. Or a personal barometer telling us the right path to choose, or even an inbuilt Geiger counter to warn you of impending danger!

I personally wouldn’t review a podcast until at least three episodes in however, such is the class of this show I decided to take the plunge early. I am also going to break the trend and nail my colours to the mast and state that if Soft Voice doesn’t continue to be the runaway success it deserves, I’ll eat my own hat (hat on standby!)

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Outro

I really hope you have enjoyed reading this review for ‘Soft Voice’ which is so worth checking out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from. If my review strikes a chord with you I highly recommend you head over to the official QCODE website for more details about all of their other great podcasts. Or better still if this review has piqued your interest please rate & review the show in order to spread the word! And lastly best of luck to the QCODE family with The Ambies in May I’m sure you’ll bring home some silverware.

Are you looking to have your podcast or audio drama reviewed? Well look no further you’ve unexpectedly found your perfect partner; Tea in the Sahara! Whatever your podcast genre please do get in touch via any of the below methods or through my contacts page, and whilst you are there why not check out my other podcast reviews (links below) and perhaps leave a cheeky comment! Cheers, Kev.

The concept of this week’s review started out life back in 2010 from very humble beginnings as a short film that never got off the ground. Fast forward ten years, and like NASA’s aptly named rover Perseverance, that ambition and script concept switched out from silver screen to audio drama.

‘Wandering With The Dead’ is the brainchild of Cody Signore, an ambitious filmmaker from Boston, USA. The spark and idea, is a menacing western horror thriller set within the lawless Wild West of the 1870s. A cowboy setting with a much darker edge than often portrayed within mainstream visual entertainment.

For me, this audio drama is kinda like what the TV series Westworld would be like if it were given an adult 18 rating! It is also worth pointing out that this podcast admirably covers some challenging themes, which might not be everyone’s cup of tea. So if you are a fan of podcasts that include the following – happiness, unicorns, candyfloss, and rainbows; WWTD might not be your jam. Hopefully, if you are on my page you are blessed with an open mind and will continue in that vein.

Like most indie podcasters, WWTD is written, directed, edited, mixed, and mastered, all by its creative engine Cody Signore. Oh and if there weren’t already enough plates spinning, Cody also narrates the show throughout the series. Hats off Mr Signore, and cheers for introducing me to the WWTD universe.

Customary spoiler ALERT if you have not already binged listened to the three episodes of WWTD just yet, as I will be offering up my own thoughts, and opinions on the show within this review. These theories may blow some plot holes in the story, so consider this your fair warning.

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Overview

The plot outline see’s us follow anti-hero Christian Anderson (Brian Stivale) travelling across varying American territories throughout three chapters. Brian’s vocal delivery of Christian fits in with this weathered, no-nonsense, loner of a character seamlessly. Christian is not your stereotypical ‘man with no name’ bounty hunter as he harbours a shadowy past, including carrying along with him some rather precious cargo. The contents inside Christian’s saddlebag consist of a man’s mangled corpse riddled with months of decay. But why is Christian carrying such a foul freight? Or to coin a phrase used throughout the series “what’s in the bag?”

Through Christian’s travels he encounters some disturbing characters, and strangely all of them recognise who the person is within the body bag. In episode one Christian meets a bunch of ruthless cannibals. Mama & the Animals, which if they weren’t cold-hearted cannibal killers would be an ultra-cool name for a band. Mama (Kim Ramón), and her gang try to drug Christian and steal his prized corpse. Fortunately for our gunslinger, the Mama gang are a couple of gunmen short of a posse, and Christian gains the upper hand and escapes. This is the point where Christian also meets and saves a young girl Hannah who becomes his almost silent companion in his quest to Missouri.

During episode two Christian stumbles across Daniel, a travelling cameraman for hire, a confidence man using his influence to fulfil an unsettling fetish on his unsuspecting prey. A despicable character brought to life literally made my skin crawl! Cody’s detailed description of the early camera process techniques is a nice touch reminding us how images were painstakingly made in those pioneering days of photography. A shot of Christian & his corpse can be seen below. I guess they didn’t say “cheese” back in the day then!

A brief character mention should also go out to Elizabeth (Heather Foster) who gives a sterling performance as the inquisitive saloon gal Christian is introduced to within chapter three’s bar scene. I loved the way she phrased her lines in that wonderful Deep South drawl.

The shows timeline buffer’s about like Tarantino’s movie Pulp Fiction as we move back & forth from past & present keeping the audience firmly on its toes. As the series progresses we learn more about Christian’s humanity as he mentions that he, himself has young children, and in chapter two we establish that sadly like most uneducated people of that era Christian cannot read. These small clever refinements included within the writing help the listener build, and form a more human picture of Christian. Perhaps he might not be the initial monster we all had him pegged out to be (just maybe).

As we follow Christian’s epic pilgrimage the descriptive writing, and portrayal of landscape, terrain, surroundings, and topography is splendidly brought to life. For example, if said scene features weather that is cold, and desolate the listener gets a window seat into that extreme environment. If the mercury suddenly soars and the settings change to stifling heat, the listener gets sunburnt (it’s that good!)

All of this before I begin to mention how trailblazing Cody’s writing is within the western world of WWTD. Nuance alert, the level of detail, and the distinction delivered within his narration fit this audio drama like a glove! Credit must also go to the amazing Bond-Esque, pre-title sequences with every new episode, peppering the podcast with yet more added dimension. The twist and turns within the show definitely keep the listener guessing.

Let me make a bold statement about the sound design within this show. It truly is the Tesla of sound design! Rain, horse hoofs, crackling campfire, blizzards, honky-tonk piano, stooping vultures, and locomotives it has all been encased and crafted by Cody. The way the background music interlaces within the framework of a scene is super slick. That slickness also allows individual artists to close out an episode with their own unique musical style. My favourite of these tracks is the bluesy, ballsy ‘Stormy Shapes’ by Soldier Story, which reminds me slightly of the opening of ‘Love Spreads’ by The Stone Roses. I digress, the inclusion of all three tracks seems to resonate with the landscape of this audio drama perfectly (tracks listed below).

“Carry me Home” by The Sweeplings
“Stormy Shapes” by Soldier Story
“Beware” by Beware Of Darkness

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Thoughts

So who is this podcast for? For any fans of horror & westerns, and keen eyes for details. Fans of the author Stephen King would also enjoy this unrighteous take on the old west. You can tell that Cody has poured his heart into this project to make it work, and real talent always shines through!

I would also like to personally thank Cody for walking me through the voice casting process he adopted whilst casting WWTD in a covid world. This particular process has long been of interest to me. That insight into the mechanics of the podcasting world. Script run-through, director notes, and requests for specific line deliveries were such an eye-opening, and invaluable education for me. Cheers fella.

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Outro

I really hope you have enjoyed reading this review for ‘Wandering With The Dead’ which is undoubtedly worth checking out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from. Cody is yet another extremely talented independent podcaster that needs more recognition for his perseverance, and unbelievable work. If my review strikes a chord with you I highly recommend you head over to the official WWTD website for more details about the show. Or better still if this review has piqued your interest please rate & review the show in order to spread the good word.

If you are looking for another indie audio drama positively brimming with creative class I highly recommend that you jump on Dirt by the equally talented podcaster Kris Kaiyala. You will thank me.

Are you looking to have your podcast or audio drama reviewed like Cody’s? Well look no further you’ve unexpectedly stumbled across your perfect partner Tea in the Sahara. Whatever your genre you can reach me via my contacts page.

Hopefully, if you have made it this far down the page you have enjoyed my style of writing. If you did why not check out my other reviews, and maybe like and leave me a comment cheers, Kev.

• Review: “Bunker 8” The Midnight Mystery
• Review: “The Lucan Obsession” BBC SOUNDS
• Review: “Elon’s Spies” Tortoise Media
• Review: “Dirt an Audio Drama” season 4
• Review: “Curious Matter – The Exile”

‘From Now’ sadly finished just about a month ago, however that hasn’t stopped the growing global demand and thirst for this exceptional juggernaut of a podcast no, no! My original review of the show a month back still stands as one of the most visited reviews that I have written which is a true testament to the quality of this show. If you haven’t already checked out my previous review of the podcast I highly recommend checking it out before we dip into this review (pt.2) where I will pick up from ep.4 onwards.

From Now, written and created by Rhys Wakefield & William Day Frank, starring & executively produced by Scottish actors Richard Madden (playing Edward Fitz) most famous for the TV series ‘Bodyguard’ and being mooted as the next James Bond, star alongside veteran theatre, television, & film heavyweight Brian Cox who plays Hunter Fitz.

Australian Rhys Wakefield of ‘The Purge’ also directs the show, and spoiler ALERT if you have not already binged listened to the whole series just yet, as I will be offering up my own thoughts, and opinions on the show within this review.

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Overview

We pick up my review following the heated scene where Edward almost strangles his elderly brother Hunter to death. Hunter recovers and recalls a dream that may just hold the only clue the twin brothers have to the 35-year mystery of the USS Hope. We also sadly learn how Hunter was beaten by his parents, and the brutal emptiness he felt in the aftermath of Eddie’s disappearance. Back to that dream/hunch which amounts to answers potentially hidden at Eddie’s gravesite now seemingly the only card left to play.

Meanwhile, vintage meteor space debris crashes out of the sky all around Arizona causing FBI agent Elisa Watkins (Betty Gabriel) to return, and link up with our brothers alongside android nurse Helen (Erin Moriarty) and exit stage-left in a flying car to the destination Eddie’s cemetery. Hunters health at this point is a constant worry, and there are grave concerns that he might not make the mission.

‘The Southern Light’s episode connects a ton of dots and is the biggest “ah-ha” episode as we hear the inflight recordings of the USS Hope, which is an absolutely harrowing scene to listen to. If you can visualise the terror, and claustrophobic final scenes from the movie Alien that’s how this scene left me. The maiden voyage and takeoff went buttery smooth until the spacecraft appears to fly into something and all of the USS Hope’s crew, except Edward, are mercilessly sucked and grimly fused alive into the walls of the ship. For the crew of the USS Hope barely twenty minutes had gone by, but in reality, as the spaceship re-enters the earth’s atmosphere they have been gone for thirty-five Years!

The Russian Federation try to blast our guys out of the sky en route to the cemetery. Queue a standoff where Eddie freezes time like Neo from the Matrix allowing our heroes to escape. Our motley crew arrive at the cemetery with the mystery lying within Eddie’s headstone in the shape of a drive with the black box recording one of the events played out on the Hope. This exonerates lieutenant Edward Fitz as the killer of Hope’s crew (phew!) Elisa’s FBI partner turns up and is a grass selling them out to the Russian Federation. Nurse Helen gets shot up, and our gang are captured by the underground resistance; talk about frying pan to fire scenario!

The resistance literally lives underground like The Wombles, being that they are miners who mine the green power source that currently powers everything above them in our dystopian future. The leader of the resistance agrees to help Eddie & co. return to the site of the USS Hope via an underground railway system of minecarts. When I heard this part the kid in me could not stop thinking about a similar scene from Indiana Jones & The Temple of Doom!

The camaraderie slightly warms between our siblings as Hunter shares the reasons why the planet is dying due to man’s requirements for power like a weapons-grade industrial revolution. It now rains and snows in the state of Arizona because of mankind’s lust for ways of powering the planets sprawling urban jungle. Again, I like the social-environmental awareness of what could happen to our planet if we allow ourselves to not be accountable for our actions.

Fear not, we are now on the homeward stretch people, don’t worry. Our team pop up on the USS Hope, and it appears battlefield lines have been drawn up between the Americans & The Russian Federation. Hunter plays the black box recording from nurse Helen to the population thus letting the world know about what really happened to Hope’s mission. The Russian’s on the other hand plan to fly USS Hope back through the wormhole window to complete its original mission.

Edward again uses his insane alien DNA powers to freeze time on the spot allowing enough time for Hunter to say some goodbyes and fly the ship directly into the wormhole. In the cockpit, Hunter talks us through what appears to be five minutes of flight time within the wormhole before re-entering the earth’s atmosphere (this seem familiar?) Podcasting sound effect guys must love using radio static to ramp up the suspense as ground control ask Hunter to identify himself over the radio. Above the white noise and static Hunter’s reply is “I’m American, where am I? When am I?” Has Hunter returned at the same point he left at or has he travelled forward thirty-five years into the future just as Eddie did? World-class ends as Hunter’s voice fades and the credits begin to roll. Thank you QCODE.

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Thoughts

My thoughts for the future? Without using the USS Hope to travel forward in time I will dispense my ideas on the show (see what I did there?) From Now has all the hallmarks of an HBO series for certain, and I know my followers are probably saying to themselves “Kev says this weekly!” However such is the quality of the writing within this podcast it could easily transverse into a film or TV series; that’s all I’m going to say.

In my original review, I highlighted the two main characters Hunter & Eddie Fitz who are acted out fantastically. However, I would also like to shine the spotlight on Betty Gabriel who plays FBI agent Elisa Watkins. As the show opens up and progresses I really enjoyed the development of Elisa’s character and her own personal attachment to Hope’s ill-fated mission. Moving into a second season, which we all want to see for certain, I personally would love to see how the writers execute the arch from the first series into the second. When you write a show this good the expectations settings for a positive follow up will no doubt be skyscraper high (no pressure guys!)

I really hope you have enjoyed reading this continuation review for ‘From Now’ which is worth checking out on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or from wherever you get your podcasts from. I know that the good people of QCODE have some imminent podcasts about to drop which will no doubt be class, so keep your ears peeled people.

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Outro

Are you looking to have your podcast or audio drama reviewed? Well look no further you’ve unexpectedly found your perfect partner; Tea in the Sahara! Whatever your podcast genre please do get in touch via any of the below methods or through my contacts page, and check out my other reviews listed below cheers, Kev.

This week guys I have a very different podcast review for you to immerse yourself into, in the shape and guise of The Battersea Poltergeist which is a part investigative documentary/part enigmatic drama. A show which includes a unique interactive opportunity for the listener to peer through the furnace door and share their possible theories, sentiments, and potential thoughts on the case of the podcast; more on that later.

This show is based on the book ‘The Poltergeist Prince of London’ written by James Clark & Shirley Hitchings. The Battersea Poltergeist podcast is written & presented by Danny Robins, produced by Bafflegab Productions for BBC Radio 4. Bafflegab already has an honourable roll-call of podcasts being the guys behind the sinister podcast production of the 1970s TV series ‘Children Of The Stones’ which is absolutely worth checking out if you remember the children’s show and fancy a retro reminisce.

Oh and as always spoiler ALERT. Apologies if you haven’t started to listen to The Battersea Poltergeist just yet, there are some spoilers blown ahead in my review.

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Overview

Journalist Danny Robins & his team of ghost hunters try to unravel a precursory poltergeist case, set within the backdrop of a post-war 1950s Battersea, London. Centred around a teenage girl, Shirley Hitchings (Dafne Keen), her family, and a poltergeist seemingly trapped within the family home. The podcast cleverly darts back & forth from 1956 to the present day, providing the listener context as Danny tries to unearth the truth of this sixty-five-year-old ghost story. Aided by the original case notes left by paranormal investigator Harold (Chibs) Chibbett voiced by Toby Jones.

The story goes, that Shirley Hitchings discovered a large, ornate silver key on her pillow which does not fit any lock within the house. The strange key goes missing, and the residents of 63 Wycliffe Rd start to witness unwelcomed banging in the loft which cannot be rationally explained. The banging ramps up, and out of frustration the Hitchings family nickname the supposed source of all the racket Donald. Harold (Chibs) Chibbett, a tax inspector by day, and paranormal investigator by night sets about helping the Hitchings try and solve the mystery of why their home is potentially haunted by a poltergeist. And also ironically proving that the taxman is still after you, even if you are a ghost!

Back to the present day, where Danny & his team armed with 21st-century technology try to use modern methods previously unavailable in 1956 to try and solve the case. The 3D method of virtually mapping the Hitchings home so that Danny can visually immerse himself into the Hitchings shoes like he had his own Delorean time machine was insane, and I would have totally loved to have seen it!

The families unfortunate Fred Karno circus circumstance gets a mighty upgrade from noises to flying objects, and Donald communicates with them through a sequence of knocking sounds. The press rocks up and ratchet up the tension, as there are rumours of Shirley levitating, which is corroborated when our 2021 journalist Danny visit’s the sole remaining member of the Hitchings family, Shirley now in her eighties.

Episode 4, and back in 1956 the Hitchings family finally lose it and agree to allow a chap called Harry Hanks to hold an underground seance to hopefully rid Shirley & her family of their unwanted spectre, Donald. Photographic evidence of that very seance is shown below with Harry Hanks in the middle, and Shirley to his right. Harry (David Troughton) in my mind is your typical situational, charlatan praying on desperate people in order to make a quick pound note.

Thoughts..

So at four episodes in it’s my turn to play DI Bergerac and offer up my own thoughts on the podcast, including my stance on the poltergeist plot the show is based. Starting with the podcast I really like the idea of an investigative journalist revisiting a super old case armed with modern technology. There’s something quite exciting about listening to Danny and his team as they try to piece together the different elements of the puzzle both from a sceptic, and believer standpoint.

Using new methods to try and debunk theories like the VI recreation scene, and getting insight into modern exorcism puts a 2021 detective spin on the series which, for those like myself who enjoy playing detective will love. The production of the podcast is also on the money with some scenes feeling claustrophobic only for the silence to be broken by a large bang or scream to make the listener jump out of their skin!

I especially enjoyed the case update episode inviting Joe public to email their own theories about the show which is a bold, engaging form of interaction between the podcast and its audience.

My theory on the whole haunting, and poltergeist piece is simple. My Grandad used to say “don’t worry about the dead, it’s the living you need to watch out for!” And there is an element of truth within that statement. I think both investigations, past & present have focused on proving what is not there, and in so discounting the obvious. The Hitchings family themselves.

In my opinion, I believe that the poltergeist was engineered by the Hitchings family with each playing their own part in the deception. Perhaps the hoax went too far when the press got involved, but my money is on the family, or an individual family member creating the ruse independently. Listening to the show money doesn’t seem readily available within a very full household, and knowing that the country was financially still on its knees following the war perhaps the story was cooked up to make an extra bob or two out of an elaborate ghost story that perhaps went too far. Maybe I am being too overtly cynical, but if you haven’t noticed one of the authors who wrote the original book linked with this investigation is indeed Shirley Hitchings. Again, my personal opinion so I’ll let you mull that one over for a moment.

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Outro

Who is this podcast for? This week this is a total no-brainer, anyone! Let me bolster that statement out a tad more for you. This podcast would suit anyone that is a fan of the occult, enjoys ghost stories, and unsolved mystery cases, and likes the use of modern CSI-style detective work to crack a case. The podcast is super engaging, incorporating the listener into the show with their thoughts/hunches during the Q&A episode, which for me was a very astute move.

Final, final thoughts from me, it is also worth highlighting the shows haunting title music co-written by Ben Hillier and the talented Nadine Shah which fits in perfectly with the whole spooky theme the podcast is trying to project.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this podcast review for ‘The Battersea Poltergeist’ podcast which is hands down worth checking out on the BBC Sounds App, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. The email address is below if you want to email the series with your very own hunch or theory on the show Batterseapoltergeist@bbc.co.uk

Are you looking to have your podcast or audio drama reviewed? Well look no further you’ve unexpectedly found your perfect partner; Tea in the Sahara! Whatever your podcast genre please do get in touch via any of the below methods or through my contacts page, and check out my other reviews listed below cheers, Kev.

Thank you!! Great review.

— Danny Robins (@danny_robins) February 12, 2021

• Review: “Bunker 8” The Midnight Mystery
• Review: “The Lucan Obsession” BBC SOUNDS
• Review: “Elon’s Spies” Tortoise Media
• Review: “Dirt an Audio Drama” season 4
• Review: “Curious Matter – The Exile”

Following on from the huge success of the hit podcast The Cipher’s series finale last week I thought perhaps a follow-up review was in order. If this is your first time landing on this page (hello & welcome), for those who haven’t listened to The Cipher podcast yet I would strongly recommend that you check out my previous review from a few weeks back of ‘The Cipher’ which covers off the first five episodes in my own unique way. With this follow on the review part two I will be diving into the series at the midway point, so from episode six onwards.

Written & created by Brett Neichin with support writing by Janina Matthewson, produced by Emma Hearn, and directed & executively produced by John Scott Dryden. The Cipher is a Goldhawk production commissioned by BBC Sounds, the very same production company who brought us the EPIC ‘Tumanbay’ which I reviewed in 2020.

So are we ready to return to Narnia, perhaps crawl through a washing machine and once again fall down the sci-fi thriller rabbit hole? Oh and as always spoiler ALERT, apologies if you have not already listened to the complete series so far there will be some serious spoilers blown ahead.

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Overview

We pick up the adventure continuing with that same blistering pace set within the first five episodes as we establish that Sabrina’s dodgy dad Harry worked for a secret collective of scientists called The Storks. The Stork’s headed by Ian Sinclair, played God establishing a gene-editing program thus mixing a strand of alien DNA with human DNA generating a hybrid resulting in Sabrina (Anya Chalota). Yep, you heard me right our very own anti-hero, and genius Parallax solver is part alien. Moreover, Sabrina is not the only hybrid, she also has 30 more siblings (bombshell no 1!)

Sabrina, Benny, & Fergus travel to Iceland to meet up with Sabrina’s online pal Isabella, voiced by Hera Hilmar. Queue a magic carpet ride from Black Beach, Iceland via a derelict aeroplane/spaceship and our gang end up on a tropical island where bombshell no 2 drops; Sabrina’s mum is not dead! Sabrina’s sketchy mum was originally part of The Stork’s but set up a splinter group called The Swan’s believing that AI and robotics are the future for humanity, not splicing alien & human DNA. And if that wasn’t enough, war is apparently imminent between the aliens & mankind.

The island is a front for The Swans to operate out of and learn that they are also a dab hand at engineering realistic-looking human robots like a next-level Lex Fridman. If you read my first review, you will remember that I said that I had a niggling feeling about Benny (Chance Perdomo), which I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Well in episode eight all is explained as our resident super-nerd Benny, not only works for Sabrina’s mum, he is a bloody robot! Excellent plot twist which totally blind-sighted me, and I totally enjoyed the “ah-ha” plot revealing moment.

Our trio travel to Tokyo to meet with Dr Aoki, voiced by George Takei. If this actor’s name is not familiar to you, he was the chap who drove the original Starship Enterprise in Star Trek and is also an active spokesperson for human rights campaigns to boot. Long story short, Dr Aoki was a member of The Stork’s and claims to have a vaccine for the piercing hum noise that the hybrids hear. This hum is a hypnotic noise used by the aliens, which Dr Aoki calls The Blues. Dr Aoki tries to cure Sabrina & Isabella (also a hybrid) as we get a character 180 about-turn, as the good Dr Aoki is ruthlessly murdered by Isabella who turns out is not as shy as on first impressions, and rocks venom-tipped razor blade fingernails. Who knew Revlon made such a shade?

In the ensuing fracas, Fergus (Samuel Adewunmi) is mortally wounded and sadly dies. The creativeness of the way this scene was written and poignantly delivered is a true credit to both direction and the actor’s incredible abilities. Sabrina & Benny evade Isabella & the deceitful Efrat (Olivia Popica) from Arrow and set up shop in Japan.

The pair decide that if war is coming they will need all the help they can get, and if life gives you lemons, make lemonade. They create their own cipher Parallax calling card to reach out to Sabrina’s hybrid siblings for help in the fight. The final scene is genius as the pair finally receive a phone call from Elkin, one of Sabrina’s siblings who decoded their cryptic message. Sabrina & Benny suggest for the three of them meet up; “Where are you Elkin?” asks Sabrina, queueing a long silent pause… Elkin quietly says through the static “I’m not on earth!” Bosh roll the theme music, and credits, and whilst you are there pick up my jaw from the floor. Fantastic open way to close out the series’s leaving the audience dangling on an eroding cliff edge wanting more.

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Kev’s Thoughts…

My thoughts for the future of the show? Off the bat, 100% there needs to be a series two to further expand on this already amazing scripted storyline. Not to sound like The Cipher hype man, but if someone has not already had the conversation about converting this awesome podcast into what could be an award-winning TV series, you should. Take note of Netflix, BBC, and Amazon, the writing within The Cipher would easily transition to a successful TV series. Just looking at the number of people that viewed my initial review I did for the show the interest & demand are certainly there.

Why do I like this show? If you haven’t already guessed it I am a big fan of this podcast. For me, this is the first fiction podcast that I have come across that causes you to actually think, backtrack, and revisit previous episodes. The show is cleverly littered with Easter eggs like a millennial podcast version of ‘Where’s Wally’ or ‘Where’s Waldo’ if you live in the States. The smart inclusion of popular cultural references (Tinder, Reddit, Tiktok) coupled with geographical locations, and nuances is an ingenious contemporary approach to podcasting. It’s almost pioneering in terms of where the writing takes the listener. To enjoy this podcast I personally find you don’t have to be a fan of the sci-fi drama, however, an inquisitive open mind will serve you well. Even I did not know what ‘IRL’ meant to millennials, so it goes to show you can teach old dogs new tricks!

I also have somewhat of a scoop for you as I write this review. Through valuable sources, I have learnt that The Cipher’s main character Sabrina was based on a real-life person called Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski an American theoretical physicist dubbed the next Einstein. Sabrina’s Wikipedia page makes for very interesting reading, and you can clearly draw parallels from where the inspiration came from for the shows leading lady.

Lastly, I would also like to thank the show’s writer Brett Neichin & director John Scott Dryden for personally writing to me to thank me for my previous review. Apparently, within the writing of my review, I managed to capture the spirit of The Cipher. Well, I tried my best chaps!

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Outro

I hope you have enjoyed reading my continuation review of ‘The Cipher’ which is 100% worth checking out naturally on BBC Sounds and Spotify, or wherever you choose to get your podcasts from. Hopefully, you have enjoyed this review. If so, please do check out my other reviews including the interstellar ‘From Now’ or perhaps the indie comedy podcast ‘Mike Prowse Solo Travel’ which are both amazing!

Are you looking to have your podcast or audio drama reviewed by Tea in the Sahara? Well, you’ve found your perfect partner! Whatever your genre please do get in touch via any of the below methods or through my contacts page. Cheers, Kev.

• Review: “Bunker 8” The Midnight Mystery
• Review: “The Lucan Obsession” BBC SOUNDS
• Review: “Elon’s Spies” Tortoise Media
• Review: “Dirt an Audio Drama” season 4
• Review: “Curious Matter – The Exile”

Let’s kick off a brand new year with my intergalactic podcast review of ‘From Now’ completing my own personal hat-trick of reviews from those studio production guys down at QCODE. If you haven’t already, you should definitely check out my other two QCODE podcast evaluations in the shape of the sinister Ghost Tape and risque Dirty Diana both polar opposite podcasts, yet astounding in their own rights.

‘From Now’ written and created by Rhys Wakefield & William Day Frank, starring & executively produced by Scottish actors Richard Madden (playing Edward Fitz) most famous for the TV series ‘Bodyguard’ and being mooted as the next James Bond, star alongside veteran theatre, television, & film heavyweight Brian Cox who plays Hunter Fitz.

Australian Rhys Wakefield of ‘The Purge’ also directs the show, and apologies spoiler alert if you haven’t already listened to the first three episodes.

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Overview

A psychology space-age thriller set within a dystopian 2060 future with the plot anchored around the returning of a spaceship, the USS (United States Ship) Hope from her ill-fated maiden voyage, somewhat late by exactly thirty-five years to be precise! The mysterious ghost ship returns amidst a media frenzy, and as the crowds gather to watch on the hatch opens and the soul survivor lieutenant Edward Fitz from a seven-man expedition steps out. The whole crew aboard the famed vessel have been found dead, and Edward, startled & confused has not aged one day in thirty-five years.

Back on terrafirma Edward’s identical twin brother Hunter Fitz (Brian Cox) now a 65-year-old man suffering early stages of onset dementia has been brought to the landing site by the FBI to ascertain, and question where his brother Edward has been for the past 30 years. Could Edward be a clone, and what brought about the demise of the rest of the USS Hopes crew?

Hunter apparently has his own demons to exercise, which have been living within his head (rent-free), and as the return of the USS Hope, those demons have also been kept hidden for thirty-five years. And more importantly what part did he have to play with the secretive ‘operation window’? Assisted by Hunter’s android robot helper nurse Helen (Erin Moriarty) the two brothers meet for the first time in an epic showdown with some excellent byplay sibling rivalry on display as both men demand answers.

Let’s back things up for historical landscape context. The USS Hopes primary mission was to formally seek an answer to our global climate change as mankind has nearly poisoned the planet into extinction. NASA deem the only viable option, and escape for mankind is to create a space program using identical twins as astronaut’s to charter an odyssey to seek out a planet called Fader-Seven (guesswork on the spelling) which hopefully holds enough natural resources to sustain life. I must say I like what the writers have done here with the story focusing on the mission, and underlying theme on climate change, and what a lack of respect could subsequently do to our planets endgame if not taken seriously.

QCODE production has a fantastic array of ace podcasts and are equally lucky to have had their payroll blessed with some seriously high calibre acting talent. Brian Cox is a major coup adding much-needed depth, and experience to the sadly mentally detouring character Hunter Fitz. Through Brian’s immense acting abilities he really brings to life the inner strength within Hunter in what is his ultimate defiance to not let his condition beat him. Beautifully scripted, and superbly executed.

The other leading character within the show is Edward Fitz voiced by the excellent Richard Madden who certainly knows how to make the needle move with a performance! If Hunter is calm & collected Edward is the opposite being irrational, demanding, and prone to acts of violence. The first scene where the twins meet where Hunter says that he was previously a handsome man is a genius scene. It’s too early to fully understand what, or even who Edward is however Richard Madden plays the former confident hotshot astronaut in a confused & frightened tone balancing like a high-wire trapeze act of intrigue & menace.

Erin Moriarty also needs a quick mention for her portrayal of Hunters assisted helper nurse Helen. The way the two bicker & squabble like a married couple even though one of them is a machine brings a lighter tone to this otherwise dark 2060 future we find our cast set in.

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Thoughts

Three episodes in my theory is this, Hunter & NASA have engineered a way for the USS Hope to travel through a self-created wormhole ‘operation window’ which through trials was perceived as safe. Something obviously went wrong with Hope’s mission which leads us to the guilt that is all-consuming Hunter. The ‘who done it’ part with why the crew are all dead I haven’t quite figured out yet. Although I’m not ruling out Edward losing his mind and carrying out the macabre act. But is that too obvious? Perhaps the Russian Federation have a secret part to play…

If I am to nitpick (sorry), my only small gripe with the show is that they used actors with very English sounding accents to play the parts of the younger Eddie & Hunter when they move to America to begin their space program. Yet fast forward 30 years, and on Eddie’s return via the USS Hope, he strangely has a seriously thick Glaswegian accent. Now I’m no accent specialist, but I’m pretty sure you don’t pick up a Scottish accent in Nevada, or deep space comes to think of it.

So who is this podcast for? Again guys another week, and another awesome sci-fi thriller innovatively scripted which really delivers. If like me you like an audio drama with some genuine acting talent on display, and a podcast that keeps you guessing where the plot is heading, look no further. Hit that download button now and take the From Now plunge. You might just thank me!

(Final words I promise!) The visually stunning retro artwork used for the podcast depicts the very essence of the show in a futuristic neon nightclub kinda vibe with the Fitz brothers looking like guest DJs bang in the middle of the shot. QCODE, if you haven’t got this image in mind for some cool looking merch you should consider it.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this podcast review for ‘From Now’ which is definitely worth checking out on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts from. UPDATE! If you have enjoyed this review you might want to read my continuation review of From Now (pt.2).

Are you are a writer or creator keen to have your podcast given the once over by an independent podcast critic? Have you enjoyed the previous Q&A blogs that I have done, and are thinking I’ve gotta get me one of them?! If that is the case, then maybe (just maybe), I am the chap for you. For all podcast submissions, you can reach me on my contacts page, or email me directly tinthesaharah@gmail.com.

Until next time podcast lovers cheers Kev!

Let’s start this review by stating that Santa came a day late on Boxing Day gifting us the first five episodes of the totally addictive podcast ‘The Cipher’ to gorge ourselves on during the festive break. And I for one couldn’t wait to dive into another immersive fiction-based podcast drama that was apparently a year in the making.

Written & created by Brett Neichin with support writing by Janina Matthewson, produced by Emma Hearn, directed & executively produced by John Scott Dryden. The Cipher is a Goldhawk Production commissioned by BBC Sounds, the very same production company that brought us the magnificent Tumanbay that I reviewed earlier on in the year. If you haven’t already listened to it, should totally be on your ‘listen to next’ podcast playlist.

The plot moves with a serious pace covering multiple geographical locations, so strap yourself in folks for some heavy reviewing pre-context as the writers introduce us to characters galore whilst falling further down the sci-fi thriller rabbit hole. Oh and spoiler warning apologies if you haven’t already listened to the podcast yet.

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Overview

The Cipher centres around lead protagonist Sabrina, an orphaned 16-year-old uber-intelligent schoolgirl played by Anya Chalota of Witcher Netflix series fame. I like to think of Sabrina as a switched-on millennial safecracker combination of Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, & Indiana Jones with bucket loads of sass thrown in for good measures.

Sabrina has a recurring dream of black rain which culminates when she awakes with the words “Kasamar Debon Kouru” which I am probably butchering and no doubt spelling incorrectly. Originally born in Afghanistan, Sabrina now lives in Wolverhampton with her adoptive father Harry a supposedly humble bespoke umbrella salesman; more on Harry later as it seems the dad definitely has something to hide.

We have established that Sabrina has incredible smarts with easily an IQ level far above someone three times her age. With this intellect and bad insomnia, Sabrina solves an impossible online puzzle cipher called the Parallax which no one else across the globe has managed to unlock. The way Sabrina solves the door element of the Parallax puzzle by using Indian takeaway boxes gives you a tiny porthole into the way her brain solves complex problems seamlessly with everyday objects.

With the Parallax unlocked Sabrina unknowingly makes a phone call to an American policeman as the creator of the Parallax scientist Dr Usman has recently been murdered. Our puzzle solver unwittingly gets swept up with a mysterious international agency called Arrow headed up by Efrat, and voiced by the talented Olivia Popica. It transpires that the Parallax was used as a recruiting tool by Arrow in order to seek out the world’s best codebreakers to crack the mystery of the deceased scientist. Certainly trumps a recruitment drive by Google for creativity! On her reluctant travels, Sabrina is also introduced to an Illuminati-style group that claims to hold the answers to why/how she became to be orphaned and the true identity of who her secretive dad really is (hopefully still with me?)

The characters within The Cipher are outstanding with a truly stellar cast of talent on display. You already should have a good handle on Sabrina’s character deftly brought to life by Anya Chalota. The other main character within the show is Benny, an American lad (also 16) who is the second person to defy the odds and crack the enigma grade Parallax puzzle. Benny, played by British/American actor Chance Perdomo does an amazing job of rounding out Benny’s inner geek and introverted nature as the podcast advances.

Sabrina meets Benny within her local bookshop at the beginning of episode one as he tries to impress her with his photographic memory of a book she wants to read titled ‘A Girls Guide To The Galaxy’. Although Benny comes across as innocent, there is something that does not quite sit right with me about what his true motives are. Let’s just say it is a niggling feeling that all is not well in Denmark! That said I do like the smart scene between Sabrina & Benny when held captive to hold a non-verbal conversation using the unique lettering found within the black & white squares of a chessboard (a clever bit of writing guys!)

As this is a Goldhawk Production we are reintroduced to some quality actors last heard within Tumanbay in the shape of Nabil Elouhabi as Sabrina’s teacher, and a genius piece of the casting of badass Arrow agent Efrat played by Olivia Popica. Another quick mention goes to The Ciphers getaway driver Fergus played by actor/director Samuel Adewunmi who has the whole modern Huggy-Bear (ears to the street vibe) coupled with a soft heart down to a tee.

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Kev’s Thoughts

Early doors into a new podcast I usually like to play Magnum PI and offer up my own thoughts on where the story may take us, however, the writers of this particular audio drama have me completely stumped. The story already includes murdered scientists, alien plots, and what appears to be an international cloning syndicate thrown into the mix, four episodes in. So my guess is as good as yours as to where it is heading, which is also half the fun!

So who is this podcast for? Well off the bat if you are someone that loves a sci-fi thriller this podcast is a must. But that would be doing the show an injustice as it is much more than that and can reach a much wider audience. The plot taps into the relevance of modern-day technology angling the show slightly towards the internet generation with cultural references such as Uber, Skype, Deepfakes, Reddit, and social media sites like Tiktok, and Facebook, with even Justin Bieber getting a nod. The geographical locations the show takes your eardrums on reads like a hipster’s passport full of stamps from destinations like Boston, Iceland’s Sólheimasandur, & even London’s trendy Brixton.

So to summarise if you are seeking a fresh exciting podcast that is gripping, yet rich with astounding content produced to premium quality with a stunning roster of actors, written by writers that clearly have their fingers firmly on the pulse of what is ‘current & fresh’ to kick on with your new year The Cipher could be right up your alley. That and the fact that this podcast was commissioned by BBC Sounds means zero annoying adverts, which in my eyes is a massive plus point perfect for any tier of lockdown!

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Outro

I hope you have enjoyed reading this podcast review for ‘The Cipher’ which is definitely worth checking out naturally on BBC Sounds and Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from. Someone kindly left me a message to say that they checked out ‘Tumanbay’ off the back of my review of the show. I would like to thank you for all your kind words of support, this is exactly the reason why I blog.

For any budding podcaster/writers out there that are looking to have your audiobook or podcast reviewed by Tea in the Sahara, whatever your genre please do get in touch via any of the below methods or through my contacts page. Happy new year to all and here’s to a better 2021! Cheers, Kev.

• Review: “Bunker 8” The Midnight Mystery
• Review: “The Lucan Obsession” BBC SOUNDS
• Review: “Elon’s Spies” Tortoise Media
• Review: “Dirt an Audio Drama” season 4
• Review: “Curious Matter – The Exile”

Context is everything right? I first came across British actor Tamer Hassan when he was an up-and-coming actor in the London drug gangster film ‘Layer Cake’ opposite the next James Bond (Daniel Craig), and also another relatively unknown actor called Tom Hardy (sound familiar?) Tamer then went on to play the joint lead in the Nick Love, Costa del Sol classic 80’s film The Business. Both are excellent films that I highly recommend you watch.

Hopefully, for those not familiar with Tamer’s film work this slice of movie context can at least help you picture the chap I am writing about. If there was a London hardman to be played out in true authentic style Tamer is most certainly your man with this full-time geezer! Contextual lesson over.

Now in a world of actors & so-called celebrities seemingly jumping on the current podcast phenomenon with the likes of David Tennant, Peter Crouch, and just recently Danny Dyer all making podcasts my interest piqued when I saw that Tamer had launched his very own. Podcasting is rapidly becoming an overcrowded, confined platform, one which I have to admit I was slightly worried to see Tamer had joined the ranks with his podcast ‘Family Business’ (but how wrong was I!)

Tamer brings his ever charming South East London swagger to a completely unique podcast on Global Player about one of the most important things in the world, family. He discusses the ups & downs, highs & lows, tantrums & rucks by opening his personal phone book of celebrity pals & sporting stars, engaging in open conversations trying to bottom out what ‘family’ really means to us. I have said this before but life is definitely not all candyfloss & rainbows so it’s refreshing to hear podcast conversations about people’s real thoughts about family life (good & bad). A final caveat, this podcast is also not for the fainthearted as there is a sh*t ton of swearing throughout which might not sit too well with shrinking violets.

Tamer has a wonderful way of showcasing a story like your very own naughty, checkered past uncle as he chats to various celebrities about what really makes families tick for a period of about an hour. With three episodes to enjoy so far, we are treated to guest conversations with his daughter Belle Hassan, fellow Londoner and film legend Ray Winstone, and if that wasn’t enough for you to pick up your headphones and automatically listen, Tamer also has a chat with the talented Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh.

No question is too awkward, or small as Tamer guides us through questions that we probably wouldn’t even ask our own families. Like “what was I like as a dad?” Conversations that make you laugh uncontrollably, cry, and take a pause for thought to think about your own family lives in this crazy 2020 that we find ourselves in. Which I must say is quite a talent to bring to the party as a newbie podcaster.

Not knowing who the first guest Belle Hasan was, coupled with not being an avid follower of Love Island I found their conversation between father & daughter fiery, heartfelt full of love & laughter and completely brutally honest. Which in my mind is how a conversation should be between your nearest and dearest. The conversation between Belle & Tamer, about her younger days, and now Belle being an ambassador for mental awareness encouraging families to speak to each other made my respect for her skyrocket. Their conversations are not all of a sad nature as we all know there are family moments in life that make you almost piss yourself with laughter, and there are plenty of these moments shared between father & daughter.

Tamer’s conversation with Ray Winstone is an absolute gem to listen to as the two old pals reminisce, catching up on old times like they were in their local boozer, and we the listener are sat at the table opposite them eavesdropping. The two actors discuss early upbringings, their parents, and what role their mums & dads played in their upbringings. Ray’s daughter Jamie makes a fleeting appearance in this all-family Zoom call.

I urge you to listen to all of the ‘Family Business’ podcasts, however, if you only have time to catch one I would highly recommend you listen to the third episode with Scottish novelist Irvine Welsh whose insanely jam-packed life makes astonishing listening. And as Tamer says, anyone interested in the author they are in for a “real fu*king treat!”
Growing up in Leith, Edinburgh on the wrong sides of the tracks this is a first-time world-exclusive conversation which covers some real-life personal tragedies like Irvine’s dad’s illness and the pain that came with his passing, ditching heroine, and the events that led to writing his first legendary novel Trainspotting. Irvine also charts his rather eccentric career choices from kitchen porter, tv repairman, librarian, DJ, and then to the bestselling author which is a testament to natural ability, and a bit of old lady luck. One interesting titbit that I learned about Irvine was that he lived with some family in Southall, West London, a part of London that I am very familiar with growing up close to.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this podcast review for ‘Family Business’ which is definitely worth checking out on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. For any budding writers out there that would like a frank & honest review of your audiobook or podcast whatever your genre please do get in touch via any of the below methods, or through my contacts page.

I am not a professional blogger, however, if you have enjoyed what you have read please feel free to leave a comment (or two), it helps to know that my writing strikes a cord, and engages with someone out there!

• Review: “Bunker 8” The Midnight Mystery
• Review: “The Lucan Obsession” BBC SOUNDS
• Review: “Elon’s Spies” Tortoise Media
• Review: “Dirt an Audio Drama” season 4
• Review: “Curious Matter – The Exile”