MDAC002 Monthly Discerning Audio Chart, DECEMBER 2008

With my ideas for the direction of the Discerning Audio Chart posts in their infancy, I've been giving some thought on where I'd like to develop them. So, for December, I shall be continuing the theme of publicising the ten 'stand-out' tracks of the month. Also, I shall add the year of release for each track, and extend the description a little. Where applicable, I shall provide direct links for downloading netlabel releases too...

I'm still going to keep the chart free from any rigid criteria. It's quite simply a 'what have you been listening to lately?' list. The charts will contain styles from accross the board, from Ambient, Dark Ambient, Prog-Rock, Post-Rock, Downbeat Electronica, Trip-Hop, Jazz, Funk, Acoustic, Neo-Folk, Tribal/Ethnic, Deep House, Tech-House, Minimal, Techno
Anything goes!

DECEMBER 2008

(in no particular order)

J.ARIF VERNER 'In The Colour Of Air' [2005]

TRACK

"Beautifully pleasant light Ambient here, with sounds of feint distant guitars and unfurling synth washes. It's the kind of Ambient music that makes you feel that sadness that is accompanied by an awe-struck smile."

NrvNet 'Music For Stargazing' [2008]

MIX
"My attention turned towards Ambient music fully since downloading some mixes from this very site in mid 2007. Here, NrvNet creates an excellent follow up to his previous Music or Stargazing mix. The first volume has been a regular on my night-time playlist ever since I discovered it over a year ago...This well selected blend of Ambient is punctuated by gentle field recordings. Don't be put off by the size of the file; the space it takes up is worth every kilobyte!"

download the mix here:

http://hydrogencafe.blogspot.com/2008/12/music-for-stargazing-vol-2.html

IGNEOUS FLAME 'Oxana' [2004]

ALBUM

"I seem to be discovering artists that are new to my music collection all the time, and I can't believe I hadn't stumbled accross this earlier! These are a collection of murky ethereal soundscapes with occasional glimmers of light, serving as an excellent sleep album."

SAWAKO 'Tears' [2006]

TRACK

"This is a very unusual piece of orchestral Ambient. The whole track has a quirky arrangement throughout, transporting the listener to times gone by. Mysterious whispers have the listener feeling on edge, and transported back to time gone by...before giving way to a much lighter compositions of acoustic guitar strums with accompanying sound effects and female vocals. With an overall feeling of melancholy, this track effortlessly moves between different moods and tones."

MARCONI UNION 'Distant' [2006]

ALBUM

"It's rare that I buy every track all in one go from an album. I very seldom buy the whole package, unless I get the feeling that the work as a whole is going to be a lasting 'classic' in the playlist. This album however, is one of those scarce few. Not only do the shimmering washes of electro-acoustic sounds and delicate nuances amount to a compelling listen, I am also very keen on the thought provoking writings and loose concepts behind the album. It's material that could amount to an essay of my own personal speculation and discoveries, but I think it's best left for the listener to ponder for themselves..."

TUU 'Shiva Ascending' [1995]

TRACK

"This is an old piece I stumbled accross, and it's an ethnic tribal affair. I'm not overly familiar with the artist, but I dowloaded a few tracks from them and shall be reading up on them.

It's nearly ten minutes of soundscape, which starts of with a constant ohm style drone, punctuated by metal clangs, clicks and bangs before giving way to the most eerie of instruments. The drone more or less stays constant throughout, but it's that special instrument that will really attract your attention..."

CHICK COREA "Inner Space" [2005]

TRACK

"Moving away from a largely Ambient month, here's an excellent piece of Jazz I purchased. My Jazz collection is quite small, as I have a highly selective attitude towards it. For me, Jazz is best appreciated live, rather than walking down the street, through my iPod headphones. But the pieces of Jazz I do have, I enjoy a lot. For me, finding jazz that is listenable at home/on my iPod is a slow but very rewarding affair...and this track is certainly one of those that will feature prominently in my Jazz playlist for years to come."

OFF THE SKY "Dwelling Spells" [2008]

ALBUM

"New on the Zymogen netlabel, Off The Sky's Jason Corder has conjured a small collection of beautiful Ambient pieces. I've downloaded most of Jason's netlabel stuff, and would class myself as a big fan of his work. This release features tones and melody that could have been derived from an old music box, draped gently over the usual excellently treated field recordings."

download the album for free:

http://www.zymogen.net/releases/zym021/

MICHAEL TROMMER "Tree Line" [2008]

ALBUM

"I tend to listen to this one late at night, as after the first delicately crafted drone, Trommer blends a vast array of exquisitely detailed field recordings into minimalist artistic soundscapes - all of which lures the listener into a mild pre-sleep trance. I rarely listen to it without falling asleep within 10 minutes, but my mind's subconscious looks at the disc with much delight!"

download the album for free:

http://www.serein.co.uk/music/ser018/

LEIF "The Benrhos Dubs" [2008]

E.P

"This is the only piece of House/Tech that is included in this chart...but I thought it deserved a mention, especially as I have been spinning Leif's Trimsound cuts over the last couple of years. Not only that, but I cannot believe that House music as forward-thinking and professional as this could be released as a netlabel E.P!

Netlabel projects are usually ventured for pure non-profit experimentation, making new contacts/friends and to gain feedback. So anyone into proper House should certainly take full advantage, and provide the artist with feedback where it's due.

download the album for free:

http://www.thinner.cc/pages/releases/releases_detail.php?id=thn102

*

So completes the month's list of sounds I've particularly enjoyed. There's been plenty of stuff I've left out mind...but those ten certainly have grabbed my attention for this calendar month. Who knows what the new year will bring!?

MDAC001 Monthly Discerning Audio Chart, 'NOVEMBER 2008'

I decided to broaden the features on this blogspace by adding a monthly list of pieces/albums I've been particularly enjoying over the month. In the past, I've tried writing charts and lists on previous websites/forums and usually tie them to being from one specific genre of music. This didn't work out in the end, as some weeks I'd spend more time listening to tracks of a completely different genre altogether and lose touch with the genre the chart was based on.

So with this monthly 'chat', I am not going to refine the chart by genre and any other rigorous criteria, I'm just going to leave it loose and undefined....

NOVEMBER 2008

(Chart in no particular order)

Ray Valioso - "You'll Never Be Mine"

"Just the way I like my Deep House..."
Parov Stelar - "For All We Know" (From the album 'Rough Cuts')

"Excellent moody downtempo jazz"

Motionfield - "Arcipelago" (From the free netlabel album 'Movements')

"Epic downtempo grooves from a superb album"

Jan Jelinek & Triosk - "Munmorah" (From the album '1+3+1')

"Some of the Deepest laziest music you'll hear"

Marbert Rocel - "The Harder They Come" (From the album 'Speed Emotions')

"Beautifully Melancholy mood piece"
Stafraenn Hakon - "Safi" (From the album '...skettir Edik a ref')

"Smooth Guitar based track"

Tortoise - "Night Air"

"Low slung downtempo"

Markus Guentner - "Soften Edges" (From album Lovely Society)

"Stand out track from a good House album"

The Mercury Program - "The Secret To Quiet"

"Superb Post Rock from a superb band"

Hird - "Burn" (From the album 'Moving On')

"Twisted downtempo funk"

AGCD021 Various Artists "The Main Course" (Audio Gourmet mixed compilation)

CD One, 'The Starter' was the appetiser for this three-course meal. It served as a gentle introductory course to a three-CD series that spans many different flavours and textures.

The 'Main Course' delves much deeper than 'the starter' with its dense textures and subtle ingredients. It is not easy to digest and only the connosieurs will 'get it'. Some of you will find its flavours too unusual a blend that you may never try it again. Yet some will find it unobtrusive, charming and beautiful...coming back for many more helpings in years to come!

http://www.archive.org/details/AudioGourmet-MainCourse23

INGREDIENTS:

001A Audio Gourmet "Misappropriation"

'Suffocated industrial noise sounds'

001B Lum "Redanemone"

'Subtle quirky deepness'

002 Nunc Stans "Land"

'Cinematic atmospheres'

003 Pseudophone "Walkabout"

'Mysterious tribal ambience'

004 Jari Ylamaki "Somnium Est Imago Mortis"

'Minimalist forest funk'

005 Tlon "Farewell"

'Bass-heavy Ambient medley'

006 Off The Sky "Mileece's Reduction"

'Sweet and mellow soundscape'

007 Motionfield "Arcipelago"

'Deep downtempo loops'

008 Roland Fiege & DFO "Exchange"

'Deep hazy minimalism'

009 Anders Ilar "Then It Happens"

'Drones, bass and micro-loops.'

010 Ferenc Vaspoeri "Tibrukila Tree"

'Electronic elevator jam'

011 Osso Bucco "Four Walls"

'Glitchy Folkcore'

012 Zvezdara "Still Life At Sunrise"

'Melancholy electro acoustic finale'

You may have enjoyed that. Room for more? Search for the artists in Google; you'll be amazed at how much more you can find!

AGCD020 AUDIO GOURMET "Subconscious Substance"

At last, Audio Gourmet's third album 'Subconscious Substance' is out on Webbed Hand Records and available for free download.

"This is an album to play when you are sitting alone, reminiscing about bygone times. Subtle, restful melodies and sounds of nature guide the mind to positive, yet nostalgic reveries."

http://www.webbedhandrecords.com/wh112-audio-gourmet-subconscious-substance/

TRACK ORDER:
01 Garden’s Apex (03:52)
02 7 Minutes Of Peace (07:23)
03 October (09:39)
04 Preserving The Obsolete (07:49)
05 Forgotten Dreams (03:30)
06 Subconscious Substance (09:47)
07 25 Years On (07:22)
08 Underlying The Mind (04:59)
09 The Future [Bonus Drone] (12:57)

Recorded and Produced by H. Towell
Cover Photo by B. Towell
Total Time: 01:07:18

"This album is themed around the idea of nostalgia, the subconscious and distant memories; that strange intangible feeling triggered by a familiar stimulus. The brain associates these stimuli with a dormant memory in the brain. Sometimes, these memories can be relived clear as day…others so feint a glimmer that you cannot possibly comprehend what your brain is trying to tell you. This album should hopefully capture the essence of nostalgia, and also serve as a preservation for the sound that I have lifted from every day life."

(1) Garden’s Apex
"Some of the faintest of memories lie in childhood. It will seem a natural process to explore as time presses on and you grow older, yet for children the first experience of this begins within their own back-garden."

(2) 7 Minutes Of Peace
"This track is an effort to preserve and transport the listener to the amazing level of peace I felt as I wandered around Caldey Island, near Tenby, Wales. The piece accurately captures the sheer tranquility and general aura of the island, and shall serve as a vivid nod of nostalgia for as long as I live."

(3) October
"It is October, late Autumn, and winter begins to draw near. The familiar scent of burning wood reminds us of many a year gone by. The leaves have turned, shrivelled and dropped, leaving our trees bare once again as yet another year passes."

(4) Preserving The Obsolete
"A well looked after piano can last over a century, outliving most human beings. It was my usual walk home from lunch, past the auction rooms, where I was to discover the piano. It was left out for the skip, discarded and disused. I decided to come back when nobody was around and see if I could squeeze any last sounds from it before it were to be condemned to the tip forever. I can be unsure of the age of this piano, but try to imagine the lives that it has touched? The people who have played on it? The people listening? Its past owners?"

(5) Forgotten Dreams
"We spend days, months, years sleeping and dreaming. During which, all of our thoughts and past experiences are regurgitate and merged together to create surreal experiences that for just a moment, seem real. Each time we go to bed, for the hours that we spend sleeping, our brain creates a subconscious existence within our mind. Only a fraction of this will be remembered vividly. For the rest of our life, these forgotten dreams can only be faintly relived…just for a split second."

(6) Subconscious Substance
"The subconscious substance - the brain’s basement of memories, events and past experiences, forgotten. We only revisit them for a split second, when a familiar stimulus triggers a sudden moment of unexplained nostalgia."

(7) 25 Years On
"In just a 25 year lifespan, a village, town or city can change considerably. Imagine revisiting somewhere you have not been 25 years on…Old buildings are destroyed, new ones are built. The size of the place can grow, the shops and businesses can change and the whole place will seem rather unfamiliar in comparison to the way you remember it. Yet, in and amongst all this change, a few things remain unchanged and familiar.All of this change is difficult to comprehend, as the memories you hold so fondly seem like yesterday. It is only when you look how you too have changed and what has happened in your life that you will realize the magnitude of time that has elapsed."

(8) Underlying The Mind
"Inside our minds, there are many negative aspects that we are constantly battling with. Doubts, regrets and things we’d have done differently, just eating away at us. An optimist will try to put these niggling pessimistic thoughts to the depths of their subconsciousness. However, regardless, from time to time the thoughts will creep up to the surface of our minds and infect our dreams…"

(9) The Future [BONUS DRONE]
"This track was included on the album at the last minute and is an edited version of a 25 minute piece. This quiet reflective track serves as a window into the boundless and unknown future. It is quite easy as humans with our advanced brains to ponder upon the past, but it is fascinating that the future and what will happen is a complete mystery. Even more mysterious and intangible than nostalgia itself…"

–H. Towell

AGCD019: AUDIO GOURMET "The Starter" (CD 1/3)

This Audio Gourmet blogspace has been used to tracklist/inform on the various CDs we've put together and given away over the last six months or so. We've had mostly Ambient music CDs/mixes, some trip-hop, mellow/cinematic electronica, a couple of bits of House and finally, I've put together the first full-length Downtempo/chillout mix CD.

It will form part of a three-disc mix series showcasing a different range of styles with each mix. The first, 'The Starter' explores the downbeat tempo range with a collage of deep dubby rhythms and funky beats. It will serve as a nice follow up to fans of the previous Plethorama series, yet with one bonus - it has a downloadable mix file!!

http://www.archive.org/details/AudioGourmet-TheStartercd13

TRACKLISTING AS FOLLOWS:
01 RHYTHM & ROOTS "Portland Woodchamber"
02 INNER CITY SOUL "Autostadt"
03 NIKOBELLA "Asleep In Riad"
04 JAZZANOVA "Place In Between"
05 TERRENCE PARKER "Once I Was Lost"
06 KENN STARKS "Fly Away"
07 FLYING LOTUS "Mages Sages"
08 GROOVECATCHER "Cafe De Plage"
09 JASMON "Prince Of Persia"
10 MATT BALZAN "The Agent"
11 RITHMA "Opium Dreams"
12 BLACKFISH "Delta"
13 FOREIGN TERRAIN "Hessia"
14 MAXIMILIAN LOOP "Close To The Edge"

The very most important thing I hope that you get from this CD is enjoyment of course and hopefully gain enthusiasm for this type of music. The artists are the real talent, not me! I may have spent a long time searching for/discovering this music, but the artists are the ones who have produced the material and I hope that people will use this mix series as a spring-board in discovering/searching into the artists themselves. So...all that waffling basically means:

SUPPORT THE ARTISTS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE LABELS!!!!!

AGCD018 "TRANSIENT UNIVERSE" An Audio Gourmet Mix

"Transient Universe - Everyone has off days...have we ever wondered WHY?"

Download/Stream: http://www.stillaudio.com/2008/08/still-audio-26-transient-universe

Transient Universe refers to the universe not being fixed, as most imagine. It is the idea that the universe is constantly expanding and contracting at a varying rate. With this, the theory has it that our moods and emotions change in accordance with these contractions.
Everybody will remember times when they felt they had more energy, more confidence and optimism in a particular situation...and equally they will remember the times when they just haven't felt up to it. Often, these feelings are unexplainable, as there is not necessarily a reason for us being suddenly optimistic/pessimistic.
Think of a human striving for a dream or goal and whilst usually remaining confident, the next day they wake up feeling they're just not good enough to make the grade.
The Transient Universe theory explains that this sporadic fluctuation in mood is a completely natural process...

So, with this theory in mind and being a popular topic of discussion amongst my friends, I've decided to put together a mix to capture the essence of our ideas.
This quiet, half-hour Ambient mix wavers gently and smoothly between differing Ambient moods, encapsulating the theory that our mood can shift along with the expanding and contracting of the universe.

To make the mix, I downloaded a copy of Acoustica mp3 Mixer and began selecting a few tracks, some metal clangs, thunder samples, rain recordings and other field recordings to create this audio collage.

A special thanks goes out to Peter Goddard for supplying the coverart image; as soon as I stumbled accross it on Facebook I knew it would be suitable for a project at some point...this one seems to fit nicely - thanks!

Another thankyou - I'd like to commend Simon at www.stillaudio.com for featuring this mix as a podcast on the Still Audio site. It's an excellent place for keepingin touch with a wide range of electronic music styles, from netlabels around the world. Thanks again Simon!

The tracklisting, which follows, cannot be fully accurate, as in most areas of the mix there are subtle field-recording underscores...The tracks are in the right order, at least.

KEVIN KREBS - "The Blue Concubine & I" [Audio Gourmet Short Edit]
[Audio Gourmet field recordings]
MOTIONFIELD - "Sounds From A Lonely Forest"
[Audio Gourmet field recordings]
KENNETH KIRSCHNER - "25th of January, 1997"
[Audio Gourmet field recordings]
MORTESIUM - "Dream State"
[Audio Gourmet field recordings]
AUDIO GOURMET - "Untitled Drone #1"
[Audio Gourmet field recordings]
THE GREEN KINGDOM - "Epic Toadlick"
POCKA - "Dao"
CON CETTA - "2.53"
[Audio Gourmet field recordings]

AGCD017 Audio Gourmet "Ergonomic Cacti E.P"

A return to Audio Gourmet production work, and we have something very different here in this next E.P. Fusing his previous experimental work as Audio Gourmet with his House/techno sound, Harry has put together this 3-tracker featuring some more beat orientated tracks.

First up, is title track 'Ergonomic Cacti'. True to its name, the track is quite prickly in nature, in the way that it's quite difficult to listen to - it's difficult to easily define its tempo and the loops leave you wondering whether they fit the beat. Yet, there are elements that just fuse it all together in a very 'ergonomic' way.
Harry then provides a House remix which focuses on a more solid beat structure.
Finally, there is a remix of a track of an old album, 'Challenging Perception' called 'Trees'.

Will from Kaiser Productions is in fine form again, having produced the covering artwork for this release.

TRACKLISTING:
(1) Ergonomic Cacti (Original 'Minimal' Version)
(2) Ergonomic Cacti (Harry Salsava House Remix)
(3) Trees (Harry Salsava Treemix)

AGCD016 - Harry Salsava "Journey Through The Deep"

This CD has been one of my favourite projects since getting into music, so I thought I really ought to post a link to it for all to hear.
The CD was made in the long, hot summer of 2006 and has since been one of my best ever mix CDs. It was off the back of this mix that I managed to secure a gig and regular slots for the Dig Deep House nights in Peterborough. Although Gino and myself have gone on to play tougher styles and edgier/funkier rhythms, this sCD still serves as a piece of nostalgia, harking back to when it all started.
Before I recorded the mix, I took some time preparing the tracks and transitions. Usually, I record on the fly, but this time I wanted to take time compiling the CD and creating the perfect atmosphere.

My mate Jake uploaded the mix on our old Jucy Fruit website as a promo mix. We don't use the site anymore, but the mix is still hosted fortunately. Feel free to stick it on in the background whilst you're online; if you want a copy, just ask and I'll get one burnt. I would mail it out if anyone was interested from further-afield.
I'll go through the tracks below to perhaps entice you to listen/ask for a copy...

http://www.dookiedownpromotions.co.uk/jucyfruit/jucy.html

(1) TACKLEHEID - "Co Co Maca Stick"
"Extremely Deep atmospheric dub here. The track is off a very good white label e.p, which should be tricky to track down these days..."

(2) CHRIS COCO ft. PETER GREEN - "Albatross" (King Britt Scuba Mix)
"This is a beautiful remix of the classic Fleetwood Mac guitar work of Peter Green. The original is very subtly recognisable under some lovely mellow synths."

(3) FURRY PHREAKS - "Lament For A Dead Computer" (Part Two)
"Picked this very original record up at 3 Beat records in Liverpool a few years ago. Produced by Charles Webster...it's not typical organic Deep House you'd normally associate with him; it's much more electronic. Very quirky track."

(4) BLU MAR TEN - "Numbers"
"This track follows on nicely, produced by genre-hopping Blu Mar Ten. Another old, but cracking record, with a nice techy feel."

(5) KARMASTRY - "El Chakra" (Spaced Bonus Beats)
"Suddenly from nowhere, you are transported to deepest tribal Africa...these bonus beats add a lot of subtle atmosphere."

(6) MOMENTS OF SOUL - "Delicious" (Dub)
"The first subtle hint of soulful vocals are sprinkled into the mix. Deep twisted House music with a sinister feel."

(7) SMOKESTACK - "Radio Chamber"
"Hugely atmospheric dubby track here with fantastic beats. Wait 'til the wind samples come in..."

(8) Q-BURNS ABSTRACT MESSAGE - "Innocent" (Magik Johnson Guilty Mix)
"Magik Johnson makes superb work of a truly classic piece of House. He's really done something special with this track."

(9) DADDY J & THE FACE - "Electric City" (Ambient City Remix)
"Nice simple track here that moves the mix nicely towards a techy climax."

(10) ABICAH SOUL PROJECT - "The Young Are The Future""This really deep cut comes in excellently. This is JUST how I like my Deep House!"

(11) ELITE FORCE - "Tribe Vibe" (Dub)"The mix CD is technically at its best between the previous track and this. The two tracks are in for ages and work well together. Deep tribal percussion with an excellent bassline in this one..."

(12) JOHN DAHLBACK - "Parkdancer"
"This is a really good track off a really good E.P; very deep detroit Techno to round things off nicely."

AGCD015: Audio Gourmet - "Frogs Have No Guts" E.P

The "Frogs Have No Guts" E.P is a project that includes four relatively short trip-hop/downtempo tracks made at various points over the last year. I got Will Kelly on-board with the design concepts - so I must extend my thanks to him for putting something together!!
Download from the following link, also, below is a brief description of the track:

http://www.archive.org/details/AudioGourmet-FrogsHaveNoGutsE.p

This is a four-track E.P of varying Downtempo/Trip-Hop cuts.
Below is a tracklisting and a brief insight into the theme/name behind the track:

(1) CLIMATE:
This track was incorporates IDM/Trip-Hop style beats draped over a gentle Ambient drone which was actually made by applying effects to a simple cheap Harmonica. The name refers to particular hard-ship in my career which is a result of the current financial climate.

(2) YOUR REMINDER
This track is a deep hypnotic downtempo cut, and the title is named after a phone bill I got 'reminding' me of impending charges as I struggled to keep the spiralling bills paid.

(3) THE RECIPE
This track is a laid-back Trip-Hop groove with an acid-style bassline and deep synth keys. Just thought the name 'recipe' fitted...

(4) PARADIGM
The most recent contribution to the E.P, paradigm was made by adding reverb to drums and layering synth sounds over the top. I've always liked the word paradigm, and at some point I just HAD to name a track after it!

AGCD014 Various Artists "The Sleep Disc"

The following compilation is a personal tribute, featuring my favourite 'sleep' tracks. Most Ambient music, with its beatless textures, is naturally sleep-inducing. If I've had a particularly hectic day or just struggle to sleep in general, I select a few hypnotic soundscapes set at a low volume and slowly drift off to sleep...
I've hundreds of relaxing sleepy Ambient pieces, so in compiling 'The Sleep Disc', I selected a few of my out-and-out favourites and blended them with others that just flow together.

This CD could serve as a cure for the insomniac too; it's highly unlikely that anyone could lie awake throughout the entire CD...Just be sure not to play it whilst driving!!!!

TRACKLISTING:
(1) Robert Henke - "Oomoo"
(2) Deepspace - "Deserted"
(3) On 14 - "Leaf"
(4) Darkened Soul - "Dreamscapes"
(5) Mortesium - "The Sleeper Awakens"
(6) dreamSTATE - "Stone and Sky"
(7) Philip Wilkerson - "Hymn 2"
(8) Veem - "400"
(9) Pseudophone - "Kovata"
(10) On 14 - "Mint"

AGCD013: Various Artists: Plethorama Volume 2

This compilation serves as a follow up to the first Plethorama album and builds nicely from where this project last left off.
The idea behind Plethorama was to create a collage of sultry audio in compilation-form to showcase some innovative artists so that the listeners might delve into other pieces from these artists.

TRACKLISTING AS FOLLOWS:
(1) Love Spirals Downwards - "I'll Always Love You"
(2) Funki Porcini - "Big Sea" [edit]
(3) Blue States - "Your Girl"
(4) Four Tet - "Unspoken"
(5) Djivan Gasparyan & Michael Brook - "Take My Heart"
(6) Plaid ft. Benet Walsh - "Eyen"
(7) The Starseeds - "There Is Enough For Everyone"
(8) Jazz Fiction - "Jazz Fiction"
(9) Deep Dive Corporation - "Deep Dive"
(10) Trance Groove - "Paris"
(11) Potlatch - "Sleep At The Swamp"
(12) Michael Brook - "Tangerine II"

AGCD012: Audio Gourmet - 'Defying Science'

Dark ambient, drone, musique concrete, field recordings, and orchestrated noise are all descriptions which easily fit this collection of quiet yet deep mood pieces. This is the third album on Webbed Hand by Audio Gourmet.

http://www.webbedhandrecords.com/wh103-audio-gourmet-defying-science/

TRACKLISTING AS FOLLOWS:
01 Inner Monologue
02 Zephirus
03 Arcane Truth
04 Ancient Paean
05 Magnetic Implosion
06 Relic
07 Circa 1812
08 Sumerian Empire
09 An Uncertain Moment
10 Lament For An Extinct Species
11 Hollow Endeavour
12 Birth Of A Planet
13 Tomorrow’s Memory
14 Cries Of The Forlorn Machines
15 The Unseen Species

Recorded and Produced by H. Towell

Russ Burgess contributed field recordings and sounds to “Cries Of The Forlorn Machines.”

“Inner Monologue” also appears on Webbed Hand Presents String Ambient (wh101)

AGCD011 - Various Artists "PLETHORAMA" (An Audio Gourmet compilation)

After a short break from Audio Gourmet releases, I have taken the time to put together this CD-only 14 track genre-hopping compilation album. On the whole, the tracks were downloaded for free on various netlabels.
By and large, Audio Gourmet productions/compilations have a theme and concept behind them. Whereas 'Plethorama' just flows delicately with no real purpose. Most of the tracks induce a fairly emotional feeling within the listener and it's quite an atmospheric sound journey.
The genres of this varied compilation span from Ambient, Musique-Concrete, IDM, Psychedelic Rock, Folk, Cinematic, Acoustic to Downtempo.

As with all Audio Gourmet compilations, please take the time to support the respective artists if you've enjoyed the content. Each track is just the tip of the ice-berg in terms of what each artist is capable of. If you take the time to search further into their sounds and productions, you'll be amazed at all the fantastic music out there!

TRACKLISTING:

(1) Phasen "Insomnia"
(2) Ani Di Franco "Geetar"
(3) Muhr "L'ecoulement"
(4) The Holy Mountain "A Portrayal Of Empyreal Stars"
(5) The Kirbi "Ocean Heart"
(6) Mark.Nine "Beautiful You" (Message In A Bottle)
(7) Nest "Charlotte"
(8) Deepspace "Arctic Sun And Weather Experiments"
(9) Martin Herterich "Slow Dance"
(10) Nest "Lodge"
(11) Vizion "Reflect"
(12) Pseudophone "Kov-ata"
(13) Mortesium "The Sleeper Awakens"
(14) The Winters Quarters "Like Snow On White Sand"

Apologies to those disgruntled at not being able to download the CD: seek out the artist yourselves if you really want to hear the tracks. Most are available for free download anyway...

AGCD010 Harry Salsava - Hindsight

This 127bpm Deep House cut is Harry Salsava's first solo House production on Audio Gourmet.
Harry has been DJing and producing for around 6 years and 'Hindsight' is perhaps his best effort at producing House since...He is more renowned for producing Ambient/experimental music, but hopefully this recording should showcase some diversity in his repertoire:

http://www.archive.org/details/HarrySalsava-Hindsight

AGCD009 Audio Gourmet - 'Earth's Exit Door'

http://www.webbedhandrecords.com/

"Check the sytem, reboot the brain. Re-install the software andcontinue with lifes game; just be sure to avoid Earth's exit door..."

A first artist-album release for Audio Gourmet in the form of this five tracker, called 'Earth's Exit Door', signed to the Webbed Hand Records netlabel. Artwork and ideas for the accompanying text comes courtesy of Will Kelly.

These strange audio textures allow you to meditate on many of life's ultimate questions.

Each track has been assigned a brief thought-provoking narrative:

INVERTED NUCLEUS

An inverted nucleus created itself by accident or chance. They have no concept of being self aware; they are merely organic cell making engines. Cell-making engines multiply and divide to create more complex lifeforms that are driven at the core by an inverted nucleus. A defected nucleus is unstable, becasue they have the inverse to a rational DNA coding that would otherwise create a stable life form. This means, potentially, that two identical nuclei can be inverted and create totally diffrent organic masses due to the complexity and nature of the DNA coding that has become irrationalised within the cell: One inverted or defected nucleus could produce an organism that struggles to function in any way and will cease to exist. Whilst the other will experience the opposite effects and the proteins generated by this inverted DNA will create cells and biological functions that will thrive in harmony, thus giving birth to inverted life or 'dark life', as has become the popular term. If allowed to flourish, this dark life will seek out higher and greater goals as intelligence is evolved and will thus begin the quest to better itself, just as its brother, the original nucleus had already acheived. This could well be the origin of life in the universe: if you could imagine a biological big-bang that created the first ever nucleus and DNA strands. Thus, just like the universe that acts as the womb for all life, ever destroying and creating itself in an infinty of big-bangs and big-crunches. Life cycles on within, on its own oscillating path of self creation and self destruction. Human beings, having evolved considerably through extensive mutation, are constantly searching for ways to escape this constant cycle and live in sustained harmony. Striving to keep the 'exit door' shut, if you will.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Ceasing to exist after only a brief ephemeral period of time is something of immense contention for humans, as they wish to remain on the planet and keep the 'exit door' shut. Others want to escape through the 'exit door', through a spiritual connection and live for eternity that way. Searching for a 'higher source'. Through means of science and research, we are able to understand more of our existence and are able to create ways of making it easier, and our goals more attainable.A created intelligence aids a life full of perplexing and menial problems/tasks; it is designed to alleviate some of life's hardships. As humans, we realise how small our existance is and thrive to expand our perception in order to expand our knowledge and technology and potentially develop a solution to keeping the 'exit door' shut.

HYDROGEN

Water is an element SO crucial for sustaining the existence of any life-form. We all need it to stay hydrated, to stay hygienic and to stay healthy. This point cannot be emphasised enough; water is absolutely paramount for us to exist. However, by complete contrast, it has wiped out hundreds of species in the form of regular ice-ages that destroy most living things. Ice is stored water in frozen form.It is fascinating, that one of the most vital elements we require to exist can be equally as lethal to man-kind.

THE MIST BEFORE SUNRISE

The mist before sunrise is a metaphor for the human fear of the unknown. An un-specified quantity is the most daunting prospect for a human being. As humans, we like to accurately predict the outcomes in life and if the eventuality of something is clouded, we are not sure how to react. We learn from our experiences, some of which are mistakes, so it is necessary for our development to confront them. Every discovery ever made will have entailed some element of risk. Sometimes, what may have seemed like a huge obstacle can turn out to be a worthwhile and positive discovery. An element of informed caution is of course to be taken on board, as for each chance of a positive outcome, there is an equal chance of a negative one...

THE DAY OF THE TREMOR

It is amazing that a seemingly 'perfect' day can be mutilated into destruction by the means of a natural disaster. In one unpredictable fell swoop, our state of contentment can be wiped out completely. As advanced as the human race has developed, a natural disaster will wipe out our creations, possessions, experiments and ultimately, some of mankind. Those who have not experienced an earthquake for instance, will struggle to fully empathise with those who have been affected by its grave consequences. It's the survivors of such destruction that know the real value in life - to stay alive, breathing and at least staying clear of Earth's Exit Door...

AGCDOO8 Harry Salsava and Gino "February 2008 Demo Mix)

Audio Gourmet go back down the House-music route again, by presenting this dual mix-CD from DJs Harry Salsava and Gino.

The pair have been DJing since 2003 and have gone from strength to strength over the years. Starting off like most, accumulating records and practicing at home, before long, with hard work and persistence, they were getting gigs at venues in Peterborough, Nottingham and Loughborough. They are both extremely open-minded musically, incorporating many different musical influences in their record collections. Here, we are presented with an hour of jackin'/tech-house, reminiscent of their successful gigs at Dig Deep House nights in Peterborough.

Download from this link:
http://www.archive.org/details/HarrySalsavaAndGino-February2008Mix

TRACKLISTING:

Natural Rhythm - "Why Must I Feel This Way?"

The Littlemen - "Gotta Keep"

Joey Youngman - "Heritage"

DJ Timothee & Smart Dog - "The Paper Is Not Cry"

Reggie Watts - "So Beautiful"

MastikSoul - "Kalimia"

Layo & Bushwacka - "Kick Your Ass"

Phil Weeks - "Born To Roll"

Da Sunlounge - "Go Deep"

Grant Dell - "House Ur Head"

Phil Weeks - "Back For More"

Jason Hodges - "My Stylee"

Demarkus Lewis - "Body Tonic"

John Larner & Slater Hogan - "What's Wrong With Me?"

AGCD004: 'Inverted Nucleus', accompanying visuals

A first collaboration with Audio Gourmet for Will Kelly aka Das Kaiser, comes in the form of this accompanying set of visuals to our track 'Inverted Nucleus'.

A slow, swirling ever-evolving set of particles change and match the mood of this atmospheric soundscape.

Will, with a HND in electronics, is keen on experimenting with challenging technology; we hope he has a lot more to offer Audio Gourmet in the coming future.

To see the video, visit the following link:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=w1nJHHXJW_s

AGCD007 'Positive Mental Attitude'

To download or listen to 'Positive Mental Attitude', visit:

http://www.archive.org/details/AudioGourmet-PositiveMentalAttitude

By accident, I fused music and spoken word together whilst surfing the net and decided to merge the two seperate recordings together to recreate the experience I had discovered. I have been a long-standing admirer of the ambient works of Stars Of The Lid, and when on their myspace page, I was listening to their track 'A Meaningful Moment'. Bear in mind this was playing in the background whilst I was surfing the net for 'Positive Mental Attitude' resources. I fell accross a Bill Fitzpatrick video where he speaks on the benefits of a positive attitude in life. I felt that the music really added meaning to this speech and I just had to capture the two together and preserve that moment.

Apart from a little extra reverb/chorus on both recordings, the original sounds remain pretty much intact. No additional production/sounds have been added. The actual quality of the recording has been lost slightly, but the main part of the message is there to be heard at least.

Please support both Stars Of The Lid and Bill Fitzpatrick if this recording has inspired you.

STARS OF THE LID:

http://www.myspace.com/starsofthelid

http://brainwashed.com/sotl/

BILL FITZPATRICK:

http://billfitzpatrick.com/

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Special thanks to Will Kelly for help with capturing recordings...

AGCD006 'Gino - Intervention'

The first House-mix to feature in the quickly expanding Audio Gourmet blog-label catalog is this CD-length mix from Gino.

Gino has been DJing for around 5 years and has played in venues accross the U.K. His style is techy and electronic at a nice leisurely House pace.
The title was inspired by the fact that his doorbell rang half-way through the mix...it starts off with a piece of short Ambient music to introduce the mix, and then kicks in with some tasty Deep House that opens out to some full-on techy business.

Download for free, via the following link:

http://www.archive.org/details/Gino-Intervention

A full tracklisting will follow as soon as he gets back to me with it - but for now, enjoy!!!

Play loud...

AGCD005 - Audio Gourmet - 'Rusted Dreams'

Audio Gourmet have released more dark/experimental ambient music with a two track E.P called Rusted Dreams. Both tracks are over ten minutes long and follow on nicely from the last release, Inverted Nucleus. As a big dreamer, I am fascinated at just how surreal dreams are and this E.P somehow captures that essence into audio form.

After submitting the music to Webbed Hand Records (netlabel), I am pleased to announce that they have decided to accept it into their catalog of releases.
This has widened my audience considerably, and can be downloaded for free at:

www.webbedhandrecords.com

The catalog number is: WHR091 Audio Gourmet 'Rusted Dreams'

Many thanks to label owner Chris McDill for including my release on his label; most appreciated!

AGCD004 Audio Gourmet - Inverted Nucleus

The latest release on the Audio Gourmet netlabel is in the shape of 'Inverted Nucleus'.

This is Harry's first ambient production of the year and is extremely dark, haunting and disturbing.

It is a quintessential representation of dark ambient music with its inching movement at a crawling pace; a release not for the faint-hearted. It's an extremely subtle, minimal track that rewards a few listens...

http://www.archive.org/details/AudioGourmet-theInversedNucleus

Enjoy!

AGCD003 Audio Gourmet - Challenging Perception

The next release features a collection of productions produced by Harry Salsava, under his Audio Gourmet moniker.

The tracks are purely experimental and designed for no apparent purpose other than experimentation with found sounds. There is no copyright on any of the recordings; as usual, Audio Gourmet are completely uninterested in financial gain and musical egotism.

Tracks in no particular order:

Scopo

Mist

Misappropriation

Lost Shores

The Ghost Like Tranquility of Winter's Arrival

Eau Minimal

The Hexagon

Trees

Dineural

Four Rooms

The tracks can be downloaded individually via the following link:

http://www.archive.org/details/AudioGourmet-ChallengingPerception

Unfortunately the files are large and in .WAV format, but I'm trying to get some mp3 versions.