Here is the link to download this hour of excellent music for free:
http://lowlightmixes.blogspot.com/2010/04/driftage.html
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
The Lowlight Mixes - Driftage
Here is the link to download this hour of excellent music for free:
http://lowlightmixes.blogspot.com/2010/04/driftage.html
Sunday, April 25, 2010
MDAC017 - Monthly Discerning Audio Chart, April 2010
GARETH HARDWICK - "London 220109"
The ever expanding Under The Spire catalog continues its high-quality output policy with this near half-hour contribution from Low Point label boss Gareth Hardwick. I've only recently received it through the post and have been listening to it an awful lot so that I can include it in this month's review section. I often find that as much as I want to support the label wherever I can, I end up writing a few words about UTS releases when they have near enough sold out! So got in quick with this one.
I didn't need long to decide whether this piece would be included this month, since Gareth is a top artist and I'd already enjoyed listening to the samples on the UTS website. The half hour arrangement of drone washes, guitar sounds, field recordings and carefully drawn out atmospherics is ever-changing and full of slowly evolving detail. Rather than being a linear drone written for background listening purposes, Hardwick has carefully sculpted this piece into something that is interesting and detailed enough to serve for a conscious listening experience. I am aware from the release notes that this is in fact a release of part of a live performance, I gather at London hence the title. It opens up with eerie atmosphere based passages before expanding to that slowly evolving dronescape.
I remember cycling along earlier this week as I listened to this, and being forced to smile that special smile that signifies I'm listening to something that is simply overwhelming. I dare say I'll be coming back to this one a lot over the forthcoming years...
M.OSTERMEIER - "Lakefront"
It only took a few seconds of listening to the samples on the Hibernate Records website before instinctively ordering myself a copy of this superb album. Ostermeier is a new name as far as I am concerned, although I am told that he has another excellent record out on Parvo Art.
I've listened to Lakefront all the way through several times throughout the month and I can vouch that this is a stunning piece of work right the way through. Essentially, you could describe this as an album of piano based moments. Although, such is the painstakingly attentive sound design from this artist there is more than enough additional substance to give it that obvious edge when compared to against many of the piano-based albums that are about. It would in fact be fair to say that this isn't a piano-led album - the piano passages serve as mere moments that are part of Ostermeier's overall sound collage. The album is full of detail and intelligent design - you'll soon get lost in what could easily be one of the releases of 2010. A must buy for any fan of ambient music.
RYONKT - "North Small Town"
Next up on Hibernate is a superb short album from young Japanese artist Ryo Nakata under his Ryonkt banner. This album feels like a miniature sequel to his last release on Under The Spire 'Window To The Room', with its gentle, relaxing collection of drones. However, rather than 'North Small Town' being just a further extention of previous output, it has a couple of unique features.
Firstly, although there are four separate untitled pieces, interestingly they all feel harmonically related. These pieces could perhaps have been arranged into a single longformer but instead, they have been left as four individual segments - each with their own subtle nuances in character.
The drone construction is typical of Ryo's familiar style - deep, atmospheric, but always melodic. He has also used a very slight hint of field recordings as with his Under The Spire release. Although, with this record they heighten as the album draws to a close on 'Untitled 4' with what seems to be a snow footprints recording.
The other key ingredient to this short album is the provision of mastering duties from Jannick Schou. He has brought an element of power to Ryonkt's drones which add a new slant to his work. I found that in 'Window To The Room' the drones were quiet and gentle which would induce a sleepy listening state. Schou has really added that element of power to these works to encourage more constant conscious listening, whilst still allowing the listener to reduce the volume at will for a more restful state.
More superb work from a superb artist. What more would you expect?
TOBIAS HELLKVIST - "Evolutions"
Ian Hawgood's Home Normal label is a trusty port of call for most who are keen on the modern ambient scene as he has a forward thinking music policy and selects works from some of the best sound designers in the world. This is whether they are familiar names like Jason Corder's Offthesky project or works from Hawgood himself, or whether they are new and emerging names. Tobias Hellkvist is more of an emerging name - at least as far as I am concerned, and here he turns in a solid ambient/sound design albums that is up there with some of the best material to come out on the label. Hellkvist has crafted a truly magnificent album spanning from gentle soundwashes, through lush guitar accents and other instrument manipulations. The album serves up a varied palette of sounds that will keep you interested and likely keep you going back for more helpings for years to come. There's been a lot of stuff out on Home Normal this month, and in particular, this for me is a 'must purchase'.
FABIO ORSI - "Winterreise"
Italian drone master Fabio Orsi has had this album out on Slow Flow for a few weeks now. I only got round to downloading it at the beginning of the month and I've been enjoying this one all month. 'Wintereisse' is an album of six parts, fusing unusual and almost choral drones with gentle field recordings and hushed instrument sounds. Orsi is an obviously talented artist with an interesting approach to ambient music, who is able to make his drones feel that extra bit different and unique. The one thing that I am very much looking forward to, is listening to this winter themed album in context later in the year. The one thing with writing a season-based piece of work is that by the time a label can release it, it may come out off-season, as with this. But this is a solid effort anyway - you'll still enjoy it during the summer and my goodness, it will sound excellent when winter eventually comes round again...
RELMIC STATUTE - "Abscon (5.L) Ditus Ianua"
I'm still always keen to keep an eye on netlabel releases, as I know that there are some talented artists out there who are happy to give their music away for free. However, when I discovered that Relmic Statute has an album out on High Linear Music, I was particularly excited. Dave Horner, a British artist, has had releases on a few labels including the likes of Hibernate and is renowned for his live performances. His music is tape-loop manipulation based and fuses finely-woven deep drones with field recordings and instrument takes. This album features four mid-length tracks that span through these sound sources in an exploratory fashion, taking your head through a cloudy, lulling journey as you listen. The opening piece is awash with restful beauty and evolving layers of sound and is a track that I am particularly fond of - but the favourite has to be 'Exploratory Notes' as the guitar use in this is just mindblowingly beautiful. The fact that this album is free means that this really can't be overlooked if you're interested in extremely good ambient music.
SUSTAINER - "Distancia"
An unfamiliar name emerged on the Audio Talaia netlabel earlier this month as this two track E.P from Sustainer is available for free download. The fact that mastering duties were done by Ian Hawgood was enough to seal the need to at least listen. And these two mid-length pieces certainly don't disappoint. Two shimmering ambient drones that are sure to push all the right buttons available free of charge to anyone who should want them in their music collection. I check the Audio Talaia label every couple of months and give the back-catalog releases a listen to see if there's anything I've missed out on - and this release in many ways is amongst the labels finest audio excursions to date. Sustainer is a name I have added fondly to my list of artists to keep watch on and I look forward to future projects from this talented Spanish artist.
ASUNA & OPITOPE - "Sunroom"
'Sunroom' sees the collaboration of the industrious Chihei Hatakeyama and musician Date, treating us to a feast of sunny electro-acoustic ambient pieces. I first listened to this album on a day off, as I cycled through local villages on a hot sunny day. Unfortunately, my tyre burst when I was six miles from home...As I waited for my lift to arrive, I remember wandering around the countryside whilst listening to this album - thinking, this is likely to be my summer listening companion for quite some time.
In parts, this is a light melodic drone affair, delicately punctuated by gentle electro-acoustic instrumentation. At other times, the instrumentation takes the lead to provide almost song-like melodies.
Although with similarities, as far as this record is concerned, this is a different direction for Hatakeyama. With Date, he explores the instrument based route as the main ingredient to this sun-drenched excursion. Only in the last track 'Column Of Air' are we provided with an example of the sort of drone work that is typical of Hatakeyama.
This is a bright, optimistic and summery ambient album that comes with my strong recommendation.
DAMIAN VALLES - "Bow Echoes"
I was aware of Damian Valles' presence in the Under The Spire back catalog and although I have been able to flick through samples of the release on various distribution websites, I have missed the boat in terms of purchasing a copy. If karma exists however, then I must have been particularly well behaved of late, as Valles has released a wonderful album on one of my favourite netlabels, Resting Bell. It's without doubt one of the very best albums to come out in the netlabel scene of all time and it is an album with the strength of character to stand up aside works by the likes of Fennesz, Pillowdiver et al.
The key to a good ambient album could be depth, personality or simplicity; it could be many things. In the case of 'Bow Echoes', it is its varying palette of electro-acoustic tones, drones and recordings. This record is absolutely brimming with character from the sun-drenched opener to the dreamy ambient drones it closes on. The audio speaks for itself and from first listen to this, you'll soon agree that Damian Valles is a name to watch out for in the scene. Even further enhancing this Creative Commons netlabel release is the addition of an accompanying video for the first track.
This is a very very fine netlabel release package overall - it would be criminal to miss out on this one.
PAWN - "A Hum Of The Library"
I'm sure it annoys people that I write a couple of paragraphs that could be enough to encourage a purchase of an album, only for you to find that said album has since sold out. However, how could I not include something as good as this? And besides, when I began writing these mindless ramblings on this very blog some time ago the initial purpose was to basically list the ten albums I have personally enjoyed. Well this has been something of an instant classic and I'm sure it's not just myself who'll be saying this. Pawn is the work of Japanese artist and in this particular album, he teams up with gifted British cellist Danny Norbury for the track 'The Book That Is Never Read'. Norbury's composition is simply beautiful as ever and tinged with the depth of melancholy only the cello can conjur. The rest of the album sees mainly short pieces ranging from delicate piano deconstructions, field recordings and lulling drones. Closing 'A Hum Of The Library', is a nine minute drone with a constant ventilation hum. Overall, the works cover a range of ambient styles and the library-themed narrative is strong and interesting. This album was extremely limited and sold out very quickly - any future output from Pawn is to be met with high expectation if this is anything to go by.
The ever expanding Under The Spire catalog continues its high-quality output policy with this near half-hour contribution from Low Point label boss Gareth Hardwick. I've only recently received it through the post and have been listening to it an awful lot so that I can include it in this month's review section. I often find that as much as I want to support the label wherever I can, I end up writing a few words about UTS releases when they have near enough sold out! So got in quick with this one.
I didn't need long to decide whether this piece would be included this month, since Gareth is a top artist and I'd already enjoyed listening to the samples on the UTS website. The half hour arrangement of drone washes, guitar sounds, field recordings and carefully drawn out atmospherics is ever-changing and full of slowly evolving detail. Rather than being a linear drone written for background listening purposes, Hardwick has carefully sculpted this piece into something that is interesting and detailed enough to serve for a conscious listening experience. I am aware from the release notes that this is in fact a release of part of a live performance, I gather at London hence the title. It opens up with eerie atmosphere based passages before expanding to that slowly evolving dronescape.
I remember cycling along earlier this week as I listened to this, and being forced to smile that special smile that signifies I'm listening to something that is simply overwhelming. I dare say I'll be coming back to this one a lot over the forthcoming years...
M.OSTERMEIER - "Lakefront"
It only took a few seconds of listening to the samples on the Hibernate Records website before instinctively ordering myself a copy of this superb album. Ostermeier is a new name as far as I am concerned, although I am told that he has another excellent record out on Parvo Art.
I've listened to Lakefront all the way through several times throughout the month and I can vouch that this is a stunning piece of work right the way through. Essentially, you could describe this as an album of piano based moments. Although, such is the painstakingly attentive sound design from this artist there is more than enough additional substance to give it that obvious edge when compared to against many of the piano-based albums that are about. It would in fact be fair to say that this isn't a piano-led album - the piano passages serve as mere moments that are part of Ostermeier's overall sound collage. The album is full of detail and intelligent design - you'll soon get lost in what could easily be one of the releases of 2010. A must buy for any fan of ambient music.
RYONKT - "North Small Town"
Next up on Hibernate is a superb short album from young Japanese artist Ryo Nakata under his Ryonkt banner. This album feels like a miniature sequel to his last release on Under The Spire 'Window To The Room', with its gentle, relaxing collection of drones. However, rather than 'North Small Town' being just a further extention of previous output, it has a couple of unique features.
Firstly, although there are four separate untitled pieces, interestingly they all feel harmonically related. These pieces could perhaps have been arranged into a single longformer but instead, they have been left as four individual segments - each with their own subtle nuances in character.
The drone construction is typical of Ryo's familiar style - deep, atmospheric, but always melodic. He has also used a very slight hint of field recordings as with his Under The Spire release. Although, with this record they heighten as the album draws to a close on 'Untitled 4' with what seems to be a snow footprints recording.
The other key ingredient to this short album is the provision of mastering duties from Jannick Schou. He has brought an element of power to Ryonkt's drones which add a new slant to his work. I found that in 'Window To The Room' the drones were quiet and gentle which would induce a sleepy listening state. Schou has really added that element of power to these works to encourage more constant conscious listening, whilst still allowing the listener to reduce the volume at will for a more restful state.
More superb work from a superb artist. What more would you expect?
TOBIAS HELLKVIST - "Evolutions"
Ian Hawgood's Home Normal label is a trusty port of call for most who are keen on the modern ambient scene as he has a forward thinking music policy and selects works from some of the best sound designers in the world. This is whether they are familiar names like Jason Corder's Offthesky project or works from Hawgood himself, or whether they are new and emerging names. Tobias Hellkvist is more of an emerging name - at least as far as I am concerned, and here he turns in a solid ambient/sound design albums that is up there with some of the best material to come out on the label. Hellkvist has crafted a truly magnificent album spanning from gentle soundwashes, through lush guitar accents and other instrument manipulations. The album serves up a varied palette of sounds that will keep you interested and likely keep you going back for more helpings for years to come. There's been a lot of stuff out on Home Normal this month, and in particular, this for me is a 'must purchase'.
FABIO ORSI - "Winterreise"
Italian drone master Fabio Orsi has had this album out on Slow Flow for a few weeks now. I only got round to downloading it at the beginning of the month and I've been enjoying this one all month. 'Wintereisse' is an album of six parts, fusing unusual and almost choral drones with gentle field recordings and hushed instrument sounds. Orsi is an obviously talented artist with an interesting approach to ambient music, who is able to make his drones feel that extra bit different and unique. The one thing that I am very much looking forward to, is listening to this winter themed album in context later in the year. The one thing with writing a season-based piece of work is that by the time a label can release it, it may come out off-season, as with this. But this is a solid effort anyway - you'll still enjoy it during the summer and my goodness, it will sound excellent when winter eventually comes round again...
RELMIC STATUTE - "Abscon (5.L) Ditus Ianua"
I'm still always keen to keep an eye on netlabel releases, as I know that there are some talented artists out there who are happy to give their music away for free. However, when I discovered that Relmic Statute has an album out on High Linear Music, I was particularly excited. Dave Horner, a British artist, has had releases on a few labels including the likes of Hibernate and is renowned for his live performances. His music is tape-loop manipulation based and fuses finely-woven deep drones with field recordings and instrument takes. This album features four mid-length tracks that span through these sound sources in an exploratory fashion, taking your head through a cloudy, lulling journey as you listen. The opening piece is awash with restful beauty and evolving layers of sound and is a track that I am particularly fond of - but the favourite has to be 'Exploratory Notes' as the guitar use in this is just mindblowingly beautiful. The fact that this album is free means that this really can't be overlooked if you're interested in extremely good ambient music.
SUSTAINER - "Distancia"
An unfamiliar name emerged on the Audio Talaia netlabel earlier this month as this two track E.P from Sustainer is available for free download. The fact that mastering duties were done by Ian Hawgood was enough to seal the need to at least listen. And these two mid-length pieces certainly don't disappoint. Two shimmering ambient drones that are sure to push all the right buttons available free of charge to anyone who should want them in their music collection. I check the Audio Talaia label every couple of months and give the back-catalog releases a listen to see if there's anything I've missed out on - and this release in many ways is amongst the labels finest audio excursions to date. Sustainer is a name I have added fondly to my list of artists to keep watch on and I look forward to future projects from this talented Spanish artist.
ASUNA & OPITOPE - "Sunroom"
'Sunroom' sees the collaboration of the industrious Chihei Hatakeyama and musician Date, treating us to a feast of sunny electro-acoustic ambient pieces. I first listened to this album on a day off, as I cycled through local villages on a hot sunny day. Unfortunately, my tyre burst when I was six miles from home...As I waited for my lift to arrive, I remember wandering around the countryside whilst listening to this album - thinking, this is likely to be my summer listening companion for quite some time.
In parts, this is a light melodic drone affair, delicately punctuated by gentle electro-acoustic instrumentation. At other times, the instrumentation takes the lead to provide almost song-like melodies.
Although with similarities, as far as this record is concerned, this is a different direction for Hatakeyama. With Date, he explores the instrument based route as the main ingredient to this sun-drenched excursion. Only in the last track 'Column Of Air' are we provided with an example of the sort of drone work that is typical of Hatakeyama.
This is a bright, optimistic and summery ambient album that comes with my strong recommendation.
DAMIAN VALLES - "Bow Echoes"
I was aware of Damian Valles' presence in the Under The Spire back catalog and although I have been able to flick through samples of the release on various distribution websites, I have missed the boat in terms of purchasing a copy. If karma exists however, then I must have been particularly well behaved of late, as Valles has released a wonderful album on one of my favourite netlabels, Resting Bell. It's without doubt one of the very best albums to come out in the netlabel scene of all time and it is an album with the strength of character to stand up aside works by the likes of Fennesz, Pillowdiver et al.
The key to a good ambient album could be depth, personality or simplicity; it could be many things. In the case of 'Bow Echoes', it is its varying palette of electro-acoustic tones, drones and recordings. This record is absolutely brimming with character from the sun-drenched opener to the dreamy ambient drones it closes on. The audio speaks for itself and from first listen to this, you'll soon agree that Damian Valles is a name to watch out for in the scene. Even further enhancing this Creative Commons netlabel release is the addition of an accompanying video for the first track.
This is a very very fine netlabel release package overall - it would be criminal to miss out on this one.
PAWN - "A Hum Of The Library"
I'm sure it annoys people that I write a couple of paragraphs that could be enough to encourage a purchase of an album, only for you to find that said album has since sold out. However, how could I not include something as good as this? And besides, when I began writing these mindless ramblings on this very blog some time ago the initial purpose was to basically list the ten albums I have personally enjoyed. Well this has been something of an instant classic and I'm sure it's not just myself who'll be saying this. Pawn is the work of Japanese artist and in this particular album, he teams up with gifted British cellist Danny Norbury for the track 'The Book That Is Never Read'. Norbury's composition is simply beautiful as ever and tinged with the depth of melancholy only the cello can conjur. The rest of the album sees mainly short pieces ranging from delicate piano deconstructions, field recordings and lulling drones. Closing 'A Hum Of The Library', is a nine minute drone with a constant ventilation hum. Overall, the works cover a range of ambient styles and the library-themed narrative is strong and interesting. This album was extremely limited and sold out very quickly - any future output from Pawn is to be met with high expectation if this is anything to go by.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Hibernate Recordings Showcase on Fluid Radio...
I am just far too late with this post about a live Fluid Radio broadcast from Hibernate Recordings label manager Jonathan Lees, showcasing a selection of tracks from forthcoming releases. Unfortunately, I am that late with my post about it that the mix has since been broadcast live and you will have missed it - that is, if you rely solely on me as the informer of such goings on.
Fear not however, for the mix is still available for listening at the following link:
http://www.mixcloud.com/FluidRadio/hibernate-recordings-showcase/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=flash_links&utm_term=title
It seems that we have a wealth of fantastic material to come out of this already well-established British label. There are some artists on the forthcoming Hibernate roster that will be new to many, and others that are familiar. Either way, the future release schedule is one to look out for as each album comes out. This is a superb collection of music as you'll hear for yourself if you click the link above...
Also, worth me pointing out that a piece from my next album 'Clandestine' is featured as track ten on this mix. Many thanks to Jonathan for taking my album on and for including a piece in the mix.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Spheruleus - Frozen Quarters (Reviews)
BOOMKAT:
"Spheruleus is an ambient composition project from young Lincolnshire-based sound designer Harry Towell, collecting fourteen pieces that all in some way feature recordings made in and around the artist's locality, making for music that serves as "an attempt to preserve and capture my day-to-day environment". Towell's music fits perfectly within the Under The Spire universe, not only evoking the sort of misty lusciousness that's become the imprint's calling card, but even calling upon the mastering services of previous UTS contributor Ian Hawgood (curator of the Home Normal imprint) who helps cast a frosty sheen over the album. There's a little more instrumental substance running through this edition than on some of the label's prior outings, and opening cut 'Vignette' recalls the scratchy, lo-fi and wintry melodies of Finnish soundscaper Hannu, while 'Solution' provides a similar feel, crinkling through ghostly music box figures. The flow between instrument-focussed content, field recordings and processed drones imbues the record with an especially compelling and varied arc, one that goes to extremes at times: apparently Towell clambered into a skip to record some of this to capture the right sort of natural reverb he was looking for. Now that's commitment for you. Taking an entirely different angle, 'Crescent' and 'Colophon' come close to Leyland Kirby or Caretaker-style looped reminiscences, emerging from an auditory fog - something that only amplifies the stealthily emotive character of the record. If there's one defining factor to these Under The Spire discs it's surely their accessibility, and their tendency to render abstract drone music an approachable and enjoyable experience - often even to the unconverted. This has seldom been more true than in the case of Frozen Quarters, an album full of evocative frequencies and atmospheric designs. Recommended."
SMALLFISH:
I’ve been listening to this new release on Under The Spire a lot in the last week and I have to say it’s not only a fascinating piece of work, it’s also incredibly beautiful - possibly the most beautiful release on the label so far in fact. There’s just something about it that I can’t quite put my finger on and the way it’s lingered in my head long after playing it is testament to the attention that’s gone into it. Essentially the work is a series of mediations on the more naturalistic side of electronic music – the more organic end, if you will. Beginning with a deeply atmospheric and very oriental sounding piece it soon delves into some incredibly lush and fragile sounding tracks that move effortlessly between textured drone and melancholic, melodic works. Each seems to have its own unique micro-fragment of time and, although there are overarching themes here, each track is a work unto itself. Simply a stunningly fine album in my opinion that gets better with every single listen. Mastered by Ian Hawgood and limited to 150 numbered copies… you know what to do! Highly recommended
NORMAN RECORDS:
This is the work of Harry Towell who has used lots of field recordings from his local environment. I've joked in past reviews that records sound like they were made in a skip, but this chap has actually recorded some sounds in a skip, using its natural reverb. This is ultra chilled with some warm melodic elements derived from trumpet, harmonica, zither and guitar. This really is lovely soothing stuff that I guess sort of fails in the ambient category. Post-ambient perhaps??? This guy is talented and he makes some sublime sounds. Ltd hand numbered edition in the usual house style arigato-pak.
"Spheruleus is an ambient composition project from young Lincolnshire-based sound designer Harry Towell, collecting fourteen pieces that all in some way feature recordings made in and around the artist's locality, making for music that serves as "an attempt to preserve and capture my day-to-day environment". Towell's music fits perfectly within the Under The Spire universe, not only evoking the sort of misty lusciousness that's become the imprint's calling card, but even calling upon the mastering services of previous UTS contributor Ian Hawgood (curator of the Home Normal imprint) who helps cast a frosty sheen over the album. There's a little more instrumental substance running through this edition than on some of the label's prior outings, and opening cut 'Vignette' recalls the scratchy, lo-fi and wintry melodies of Finnish soundscaper Hannu, while 'Solution' provides a similar feel, crinkling through ghostly music box figures. The flow between instrument-focussed content, field recordings and processed drones imbues the record with an especially compelling and varied arc, one that goes to extremes at times: apparently Towell clambered into a skip to record some of this to capture the right sort of natural reverb he was looking for. Now that's commitment for you. Taking an entirely different angle, 'Crescent' and 'Colophon' come close to Leyland Kirby or Caretaker-style looped reminiscences, emerging from an auditory fog - something that only amplifies the stealthily emotive character of the record. If there's one defining factor to these Under The Spire discs it's surely their accessibility, and their tendency to render abstract drone music an approachable and enjoyable experience - often even to the unconverted. This has seldom been more true than in the case of Frozen Quarters, an album full of evocative frequencies and atmospheric designs. Recommended."
SMALLFISH:
I’ve been listening to this new release on Under The Spire a lot in the last week and I have to say it’s not only a fascinating piece of work, it’s also incredibly beautiful - possibly the most beautiful release on the label so far in fact. There’s just something about it that I can’t quite put my finger on and the way it’s lingered in my head long after playing it is testament to the attention that’s gone into it. Essentially the work is a series of mediations on the more naturalistic side of electronic music – the more organic end, if you will. Beginning with a deeply atmospheric and very oriental sounding piece it soon delves into some incredibly lush and fragile sounding tracks that move effortlessly between textured drone and melancholic, melodic works. Each seems to have its own unique micro-fragment of time and, although there are overarching themes here, each track is a work unto itself. Simply a stunningly fine album in my opinion that gets better with every single listen. Mastered by Ian Hawgood and limited to 150 numbered copies… you know what to do! Highly recommended
NORMAN RECORDS:
This is the work of Harry Towell who has used lots of field recordings from his local environment. I've joked in past reviews that records sound like they were made in a skip, but this chap has actually recorded some sounds in a skip, using its natural reverb. This is ultra chilled with some warm melodic elements derived from trumpet, harmonica, zither and guitar. This really is lovely soothing stuff that I guess sort of fails in the ambient category. Post-ambient perhaps??? This guy is talented and he makes some sublime sounds. Ltd hand numbered edition in the usual house style arigato-pak.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Hibernate Recordings presents an evening of dimly lit soundscapes and shimmering melodies...
Wednesday May 19th 2010 @ Hole In t’ Wall, Hangingroyd lane, Hebden Bridge
8.00pm, free entry.
Simon Scott [www.myspace.com/o3o3o]
Simon is the former Slowdive drummer who puts out international experimental music with integrity on his label KESH Recordings. Through Simon’s dimly-lit soundscapes, we encounter shimmering melodies that gather and disperse through apocalyptic rhythms, surrounded by layers of harmony that hover over found-sounds. Simon has also collaborated under the moniker Seavault (Morr Music) with A.Ryan from Isan, and also goes under the name Televise.Machinefabriek [www.myspace.com/machinefabriek]
Machinefabriek (Rutger Zuyderveldt from Rotterdam, Holland) is amongst the finest experimental/electronic artists of recent years – his ultra-prolific back catalogue showcases his ability to perfect classical ambience, organic drone soundscapes, electronic minimalism and cathartic noise, and he has been hailed as one of the most interesting new experimental musicians by the Wire magazine. Clem Leek [www.myspace.com/clemleekofficial]
Clem Leek is a musician & composer from the South East. He has just completed his MA in Music Composition an is now releasing his first E.P, ‘Through the Annular’ on Schedios Records. Clem draws his influence from a number of sources, from the minimalist composers Steve Reich & Philip Glass and also such musicians as Keith Kennif, Max Richter, Matt Hales and many more, creating a beautiful mix of piano melodies and subtle instrumentation, all set to the crackle of a 78" record.Relmic Statute [http://www.myspace.com/relmicstatute]
Relmic Statute is Leeds-based artist David Horner, who assembles lulling, grainy soundscapes based on the splicing of field recordings collected from cassettes and old 1/4-inch tape.Spheruleus [www.myspace.com/spheruleus]
Interluding the performances of the artists listed above, Harry Towell (Spheruleus) will be playing some of his favourite ambient/drone/electro-acoustic records from over the years.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
AGCD039 - Harry Towell "A Familiar Pattern" (Spring Drone mix)
The familiar pattern of changing seasons brings us spring - leaves are slowly returning to the trees and new life is upon us. The weather ranges from warm and sunny intervals to outbursts of rain.
Plenty of inspiration for basing an ambient mix around spring - and so here is heady collection of the sleepiest drones you're likely to hear, to serve as the soundtrack to your spring.
This mix opens with a short and musical piece by Tape and Bill Wells, before heading off down a drone based representation of spring. At times, it is bright and cheerful and at other times, it is cloudy and overcast.
The above photograph was taken by myself in Lincolnshire, UK on a pleasant spring afternoon.
TRACKLISTING:
001 TAPE AND BILL WELLS - "Fugue 4"
002 TAYLOR DEUPREE - "Weather"
003 LEXITHIMIE - "Discolor"
004 JACOB NEWMAN - Strings and Keys"
005 SPHERULEUS - "Untitled"
006 SHAULA - "Sea Of Trees"
007 KYLE BOBBY DUNN - "Mobiles (There Is No End)
008 Tu'M - "Monochromes 2"
009 MORGAN JENKS - "Gemini (It's You)"
010 NEST - "Amroth"
011 TOMASZ BEDNARCZYK - "Shimokita"
012 ANDREW THOMAS - "1000 Pinholes In A Black Paper Sky"
013a CHIHEI HATAKEYAMA - "Jade Green River"
013b JASPER LEYLAND - "It Swept"
014 COUNTERSPARK - "5.28"
015 YUI ONODERA - "Synergetics #2"
Throughout this mix, you will be able to hear various field recordings. Some were recorded myself, others were actually part of the recordings used and others were created by the following artists:
DAVID VELEZ
SCOTT SHERK
HIROKI SASAJIMA
Let me know what you thought of this mix, and whether you were able to stay awake whilst listening...
Cheers,
Harry
MDAC016 - Monthly Discerning Audio Chart, March 2010
'Review' time again! That monthly blog post where I pretend to be a music journalist. There's been plenty out since the start of 2010 - March is no exception. Not all of this month's material is new however - I've been prompted to revisit memory lane a few times this month and I've also been scouring back-catalogs too, for those gems I may have missed.
JASPER TX "A Voice From Dead Radio" (Remixes)
First up and straight to the top of this month's list is Dag Rosenqvist's new release on Under The Spire. It is a collection of old works remixed by what can only be described as a selection of the biggest names in the scene. Added to this, Dag is of course a big name himself and here, this marvellous 2 x CD release has come out on one of the best labels around at the minute. Under The Spire has decided that for this one, they'd drop their usual Arigato package in favour of this fully printed CD with stunning artwork from Oscar Jacobsson. They really have gone all out with this album and most importantly, the music itself certainly hasn't been compromised. This entire package as a whole is a truly amazing piece of work. You might now struggle to get hold of it, since it's more or less sold out already...
For me personally, the highlights of this tremendous release are the remixes by Pillowdiver, Simon Scott and Steinbruchel. Seaworthy and Zelienople have turned in superb reinterpretations too, as the two longer tracks on this remix CD.
Potentially a candidate for album of the year...
ITHACA TRIO - "Tesla Versus The Night"
As many are becoming increasingly aware, Under The Spire are a label releasing consistently top-notch material as each month passes. This label is really starting to turn heads throughout the scene and upon a purchase of any release, it is easy to see why. This release by the Leeds based collective is no exception - it stands proudly in the label's catalog and is every bit the shining example of the sort of fine music we have come to expect from Under The Spire.
Opening with 'Dragon Sleeps Well', we are treated to a laidback and gentle arrangement of carefully treated electro-acoustic manipulation that is a perfect example of just how talented the Ithaca Trio are. There are many passionate ambient music enthusiasts that have never heard of them - which is difficult to grasp, as upon first listen this sounds as good as the work you'd associate with established scene heavy-weights and seasoned veterans of the genre.
Unfortunately, it looks like Under The Spire have more or less sold out of this one - but I strongly recommend keeping an eye on the Ithaca Trio. If Tesla Versus The Night's anything to go by, they have a bright future ahead of them...
NICOLA RATTI - "From The Desert Came Saltwater"
This is by no means a new piece of work, but often I find myself scouring label back-catalogs and artist's previous works to see whether I'd missed something special.
Missing this 2008 masterpiece until now is not something that I'm proud of - especially since Ratti's 'Esope' released the same year by Zymogen has been such a firm favourite for me, even to this day.
So, this aside, I now have the album and can confidently recommend this as another Nicola Ratti masterpiece and as a prominent feature in my record collection.
This record is just full of detail - it is almost song-like in tone and structure at times, although before this becomes too familiar it treads forward to take on yet another twist in a different direction. There are field recordings littered carefully underneath a bed of electro-acoustic manipulation and composition and before long you'll hear for yourself that Ratti is a genius sound-designer - carefully manipulating a host of sounds into a gentle and relaxing listening environment. I'm not sure whether he has anything new in the pipeline - but for now, if you're not already familiar with his work, then this one is not to be missed.
TAPE AND BILL WELLS - "Fugue"
This short, sweet record sees the collaboration of two extremely talented sets of musicians. Swedish post-rock band Tape join forces with folk musician Bill Wells to blend a selection of relaxed acoustic/electro-acoustic compositions.
The four-track release features guitar, an organ, other instruments and some gentle appliance of electronic effects. It is difficult to tell by listening who plays what - but I think this is irrelevant. I am a fan of Tape as a band - but at times their output can be a little saccharine in places for my taste.
Here, with Bill Wells, they allow their work to adopt a more low-slung and melancholy approach - which suits me fine! All four pieces are absolutely beautiful, none more than 'Fugue 4', which serves as a crescendo piece to close this short album. I have been bowled over by this superb release and I dare say you will be too...A must, is this.
MACHINEFABRIEK - "Ijspret"
It is dificult to write anything about Rutger Zuyderveld without instinctively using the term prolific or anything vaguely synonymous with the word. I, like many interested in the experimental electronic music scene am indeed familiar with most of his consistently interesting work.
The reason I have this month chosen to highlight this older release of his is that he is performing in May at the Hole In The Wall pub in Hebden Bridge and I myself shall be in attendence. So as that exciting prospect draws nearer as each day passes, I have spent much of the month checking back over some of his releases. This little masterpiece stood out more than most - I like the way it is such a short album yet full of tiny detail. It says so much in such a short space of time, without ever feeling hurried. I like how I am able to spend a 15 minute break at work, listen to the album in full and feel completely refreshed as a result.
ELAN MEHLER QUARTET - "Scheme For Thought"
In recent weeks, my side-project search for late-night ambient jazz has been leaking into my review sections with the recent addition of Bohren & Der Club Of Gore et al to my record collection.
So, here with 'Scheme For Thought', I can present the perfect example of the sort of sounds I am collating as I near a collection large enough for me to construct a mix. This album represents exactly the style of jazz I am particularly fond of. As a record, it is certainly not new to me. I first heard it played a few years back on a Gilles Peterson radio show and I have been thoroughly enjoying it ever since.
It is a few years old and many will already know of this delightfully relaxing jazz record. My recent inspiration to craft an hour-long jazz mix ha urged me to dig this classic out again. And a real classic indeed it is...
ASHER - "Landscape Studies"
Another album I'd missed somehow - despite the fact that I am familiar with the artist. This album of mid-length minimal drone soundscapes is one of the sleepiest, most restful albums I've heard - and that's saying something! The drones are gentle, lightly atmospheric, feature gentle hiss and subtle unobtrusive field recordings. It reminds me in some ways of the sort of minimal ambient drones you'd expect to hear from recent Ryonkt output, such as his 'Window To The Room' release on Under The Spire. I strongly recommend picking up a copy of this album - especially if you're in need of a good rest! The real beauty with 'Landscape Studies' is that it is very difficult to concentrate fully on it and you're likely to fall asleep before hearing the album consciously in full. So it will take a lot of listens to really get to know the album fully. Which, given its simplicity and minimal approach is a really special thing.
FENTON - "Pup"
Under the pseudonym 'Fenton', Shuttle 358 wrote the album 'Pup' some time back with a view to focus on sound design centred around guitar. I was still thrashing out techno back in the days that this was released, so I missed it. No harm in checking back down the back-catalogs to see what I'd been missing out on...I think the main reason I've not given this album a good listen before now is because of the less than evocative track titles. The album is called 'Pup', there are tracks entitled 'Bunny' to name but two examples. But what's in a name?
'Pup' is actually an album full of exactly the kind of lazy ambient sounds I'm constantly searching for. And it has been there all along, throughout my search for fine ambient music. So I have made a resolution to try and judge less by its proverbial cover...
JASPER TX "A Voice From Dead Radio" (Remixes)
First up and straight to the top of this month's list is Dag Rosenqvist's new release on Under The Spire. It is a collection of old works remixed by what can only be described as a selection of the biggest names in the scene. Added to this, Dag is of course a big name himself and here, this marvellous 2 x CD release has come out on one of the best labels around at the minute. Under The Spire has decided that for this one, they'd drop their usual Arigato package in favour of this fully printed CD with stunning artwork from Oscar Jacobsson. They really have gone all out with this album and most importantly, the music itself certainly hasn't been compromised. This entire package as a whole is a truly amazing piece of work. You might now struggle to get hold of it, since it's more or less sold out already...
For me personally, the highlights of this tremendous release are the remixes by Pillowdiver, Simon Scott and Steinbruchel. Seaworthy and Zelienople have turned in superb reinterpretations too, as the two longer tracks on this remix CD.
Potentially a candidate for album of the year...
ITHACA TRIO - "Tesla Versus The Night"
As many are becoming increasingly aware, Under The Spire are a label releasing consistently top-notch material as each month passes. This label is really starting to turn heads throughout the scene and upon a purchase of any release, it is easy to see why. This release by the Leeds based collective is no exception - it stands proudly in the label's catalog and is every bit the shining example of the sort of fine music we have come to expect from Under The Spire.
Opening with 'Dragon Sleeps Well', we are treated to a laidback and gentle arrangement of carefully treated electro-acoustic manipulation that is a perfect example of just how talented the Ithaca Trio are. There are many passionate ambient music enthusiasts that have never heard of them - which is difficult to grasp, as upon first listen this sounds as good as the work you'd associate with established scene heavy-weights and seasoned veterans of the genre.
Unfortunately, it looks like Under The Spire have more or less sold out of this one - but I strongly recommend keeping an eye on the Ithaca Trio. If Tesla Versus The Night's anything to go by, they have a bright future ahead of them...
NICOLA RATTI - "From The Desert Came Saltwater"
This is by no means a new piece of work, but often I find myself scouring label back-catalogs and artist's previous works to see whether I'd missed something special.
Missing this 2008 masterpiece until now is not something that I'm proud of - especially since Ratti's 'Esope' released the same year by Zymogen has been such a firm favourite for me, even to this day.
So, this aside, I now have the album and can confidently recommend this as another Nicola Ratti masterpiece and as a prominent feature in my record collection.
This record is just full of detail - it is almost song-like in tone and structure at times, although before this becomes too familiar it treads forward to take on yet another twist in a different direction. There are field recordings littered carefully underneath a bed of electro-acoustic manipulation and composition and before long you'll hear for yourself that Ratti is a genius sound-designer - carefully manipulating a host of sounds into a gentle and relaxing listening environment. I'm not sure whether he has anything new in the pipeline - but for now, if you're not already familiar with his work, then this one is not to be missed.
TAPE AND BILL WELLS - "Fugue"
This short, sweet record sees the collaboration of two extremely talented sets of musicians. Swedish post-rock band Tape join forces with folk musician Bill Wells to blend a selection of relaxed acoustic/electro-acoustic compositions.
The four-track release features guitar, an organ, other instruments and some gentle appliance of electronic effects. It is difficult to tell by listening who plays what - but I think this is irrelevant. I am a fan of Tape as a band - but at times their output can be a little saccharine in places for my taste.
Here, with Bill Wells, they allow their work to adopt a more low-slung and melancholy approach - which suits me fine! All four pieces are absolutely beautiful, none more than 'Fugue 4', which serves as a crescendo piece to close this short album. I have been bowled over by this superb release and I dare say you will be too...A must, is this.
MACHINEFABRIEK - "Ijspret"
It is dificult to write anything about Rutger Zuyderveld without instinctively using the term prolific or anything vaguely synonymous with the word. I, like many interested in the experimental electronic music scene am indeed familiar with most of his consistently interesting work.
The reason I have this month chosen to highlight this older release of his is that he is performing in May at the Hole In The Wall pub in Hebden Bridge and I myself shall be in attendence. So as that exciting prospect draws nearer as each day passes, I have spent much of the month checking back over some of his releases. This little masterpiece stood out more than most - I like the way it is such a short album yet full of tiny detail. It says so much in such a short space of time, without ever feeling hurried. I like how I am able to spend a 15 minute break at work, listen to the album in full and feel completely refreshed as a result.
ELAN MEHLER QUARTET - "Scheme For Thought"
In recent weeks, my side-project search for late-night ambient jazz has been leaking into my review sections with the recent addition of Bohren & Der Club Of Gore et al to my record collection.
So, here with 'Scheme For Thought', I can present the perfect example of the sort of sounds I am collating as I near a collection large enough for me to construct a mix. This album represents exactly the style of jazz I am particularly fond of. As a record, it is certainly not new to me. I first heard it played a few years back on a Gilles Peterson radio show and I have been thoroughly enjoying it ever since.
It is a few years old and many will already know of this delightfully relaxing jazz record. My recent inspiration to craft an hour-long jazz mix ha urged me to dig this classic out again. And a real classic indeed it is...
ASHER - "Landscape Studies"
Another album I'd missed somehow - despite the fact that I am familiar with the artist. This album of mid-length minimal drone soundscapes is one of the sleepiest, most restful albums I've heard - and that's saying something! The drones are gentle, lightly atmospheric, feature gentle hiss and subtle unobtrusive field recordings. It reminds me in some ways of the sort of minimal ambient drones you'd expect to hear from recent Ryonkt output, such as his 'Window To The Room' release on Under The Spire. I strongly recommend picking up a copy of this album - especially if you're in need of a good rest! The real beauty with 'Landscape Studies' is that it is very difficult to concentrate fully on it and you're likely to fall asleep before hearing the album consciously in full. So it will take a lot of listens to really get to know the album fully. Which, given its simplicity and minimal approach is a really special thing.
FENTON - "Pup"
Under the pseudonym 'Fenton', Shuttle 358 wrote the album 'Pup' some time back with a view to focus on sound design centred around guitar. I was still thrashing out techno back in the days that this was released, so I missed it. No harm in checking back down the back-catalogs to see what I'd been missing out on...I think the main reason I've not given this album a good listen before now is because of the less than evocative track titles. The album is called 'Pup', there are tracks entitled 'Bunny' to name but two examples. But what's in a name?
'Pup' is actually an album full of exactly the kind of lazy ambient sounds I'm constantly searching for. And it has been there all along, throughout my search for fine ambient music. So I have made a resolution to try and judge less by its proverbial cover...
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