There is an intricate sorrow to Isorinne’s new album, ‘Speechless Malison.’ Though broadly melodic, it feels exhausted rather than restrained; though rippling with a pulse, the rhythmic passages are sparse, their measured source a great distance away. Building on last year’s cassette, ‘Echoic Memoir,’ ‘Speechless Malison’ takes greater and emotive strides, however brittle the path.
Future Primitive is back with an immersive new LP from CN, whose approach to electro comes loaded with analog fuzz and a wistful vision of science-fiction sounds. Originally a cassette release on Wil-Ru Records in 2011 ”The Expedition Beyond” is a musical narrative that chronicles the astral travels of a star-craft and it’s crew through the outer reaches of the Galaxy. 10 tracks of cosmic acid funk, drifty nebulous synth-scapes and robo-centric electro.
Among many of the producer’s aliases and side monikers, Black Zone Myth Chant is surely Maxime Primault’s finest accomplishment as an artist. Having come through via Low Jack’s unfailingly pleasing Editions Gravats over the last few years, he has now begun to establish himself as our go-to man for sounds that truly lie on the periphery of what is deemed normal or sane. Feng Shen is his new LP, once again coming out through Editions Gravats, and it’s a wild, ethereal journey from start to finish. The frameworks are loose and cavernous, but most tracks going further than ambient or drone do contain plenty of rhythmic flow, making them playable on the more open-minded of dancefloors. “Spiritual Decay Dub” perfectly reflects the diversity of sounds on here, their mysticism, and Black Zone Myth Chant’s ability to construct meaning out of sparse sounds.
Field Records welcomes Acronym for a new album, Malm, which follows many great ambient laced deep techno EPs and LPs on Semantica and Northern Electronics. The 10-track beatless affair pays homage to one of his lost friends who was torn between his dualistic nature. In a state of paranoia, stress and inner conflict, even brief moments of panic can be fatal for yourself and the people around you. This album is born from those ideas and was recorded and arranged between 2015 and 2017 in different parts of the world using various analog and digital synthesizers and effects. Informed by grief and sorrow, the album evolved through a number of different forms and finally comprises three acts; the first two showcase the artist’s take on the mental and physical circumstances during the events that took place on the 4th of January 2016 in Malmi, Helsinki, and the final act presents his viewpoint after that date. The Swedish artist offers absorbing and meditative passages of ambience and sombre atmosphere across all pieces here. Long, tailed pads gently come and go, occasional percussive sounds get sprinkled about and bleak keys bring real tenderness. It’s an escapist listen that ranges from oppressive and heavy to more subtly uplifting and is one of the most coherent and cohesive albums you could wish to hear.
Special re-issue in the form of a compilation of various tracks from Pauline Anna Strom’s albums: Trans-Millenia Consort (1982), Plot Zero (1983), Spectre (1984), Japanese Impressions (1988), Aquatic Realms (1988) and Mach 3.04 (1988). Essential ambient works by one of the pioneers from back in the days.
Superb, expert neo-minimalism from the retiring Berliner — veteran of collaborations like Vilod (with Ricardo Villalobos), the Moritz Von Oswald Trio, NSI and Sun Electric — making a rare, treasurable solo foray. Six tracks ranging from oscillatory steppers to eerie hauntings. Beautifully sleeved, too.
Alessandro Cortini (Nine Inch Nails/How To Destroy Angels) composed the Forse series using a Buchla Music Easel. Forse, meaning ”maybe” In Italian, is a series of 3 double LP releases Cortini recorded for Imprec to release in 2013. ”All pieces were written and performed live on a Buchla Music Easel, in the span of one month. I found that the limited array of modules that the instrument offers sparked my creativity. Most pieces consist of a repeating chord progression, where the real change happens at a spectral/dynamic level, as opposed to the harmonic/chordal one. I believe that the former are just as effective as the latter, in the sense that the sonic presentation (distortion , filtering, wave shaping, etc) are just as expressive as a chord change or chord type, and often reinforce said chord progressions. Of all the years with Nine Inch Nails the period spent writing and recording the instrumental record Ghosts I-IV is probably the one which changed my approach to music making the most. After that record I started getting more into instrumental composition, although I tried to approach it in a different way. While we had a vast array of tools and instruments at our disposal then, I decided to approach my pieces limiting myself to one instrument only, as I found myself being more decisive when faced with a limited creative environment.”
Emotional Rescue returns to the music of “dark ambient” pioneers O Yuki Conjugate (OYC) with the reissue of their debut album, ‘Scene in Mirage’. Released in 1984, it’s post-industrial; cold wave overtures mixed with an ambient oeuvre created a compelling album that has gained cult status. Quickly selling out in its original pressing, inexplicably their record label decided not to re-press, so an expanded cassette version called ‘Scene In Mirage/Soundtracks’ was re-released on the band’s own Final Image label with an accompanying video. Here, Emotional Rescue’s re-issue combines the best of both versions in a lovingly recreated sleeve taken from the original design templates. Based around original members Roger Horberry and Andrew Hulme, OYC is now returning in its fourth incarnation with live shows and hopefully, new music to come. Watch the horizon.
Introducing Mr. Eff. Part myth, part man. Dragging by the arm to safety through digital swamps and haunted houses, The Parallel stands as a singular vision of Miltonian proportions. Small vignettes and passing scenes give way to grandiose and beautiful moments, from the wave-sleaze of Midnight Predator to the pre-credits Suicide-tribute of H E A R T T H R O B, The Parallel works as much for drive time as it does for drifting off to a far off land that is both wonderful and strange.
This album is the result of a long personal journey and is conceived as a series of small tales.On stage or on CD, the dreamlike world of Renart will take you away. Between solitary experimentation and acclaimed electronic performances, he keeps surprising us.Renart weaves melodic and melancholic atmospheres through tales which give free rein to our interior wanderings. At the crossroads of repetitive musics, 70’s psychedelic rock and modern techno, Renart creates powerful nagging rhythms and sharpens his future tracks in his misty castle of Malpertuis.
A two-part mix as a follow up to the recent ambient & light meditation gigs at brilliant corners.
Hungarian composer and musicologist László Hortobágyi, took his first expedition to North India in the late 1960’s to record music, study philosophy and learn traditional instruments such as the rudra-vina, sitar, surbahar and tabla. These ongoing trips heavily influenced his musical style and much of his recorded work. LFI is happy to announce the reincarnation of one of his most illustrious works, Transreplica Meccano originally released by Hungaropop in 1988.
Veranda Culture is the new project from Melbourne artist and DJ, Francis Inferno Orchestra. The new album, his second full length LP, follows on from his most recent release, the club-ready ‘Oasis and Time’, The next step in James’ musical journey sees the producer shift-direction with the tranquil and beautiful Veranda Culture, balancing New Age ambience, percussive pulse rides and echoing synths for an album that unfurls with a calming patience and soothing confidence throughout. Recorded over a period of three years between Melbourne and London, FIO began making Veranda Culture after discovering the debut album of Greek-born, Sausalito-based composer Iasos – the New Age masterpiece ‘Inter-Dimensional Music’ LP — in Melbourne’s Liquorice Pie record store. The album is filled with quietly twitching rattles and bells, gurgling talking drums, and snippets of trickling water and bird songs collected through field recordings, creating a bed of sound that is hard to pin down but effortless to absorb as a whole.
“Rhys Celeste aka Microlith passed away 26th February. 24 years old. The fatal weekend when Rhys lost his life I was mastering the tracks for his release in Fundamental Records. Rhys sent me the tracks only a few days before. He kept about forty untitled tracks for Fundamental Records and together we selected a perfect track list for the album. I was with all these melodies in my head all that weekend, I remember perfectly that feeling. Today I still have that special sensation that you can feel in all tracks composed by Rhys, something nostalgic with a big doses of happiness and hope in every note. When I was mastering his tracks I was like a young kid with a new record in my hands, each track is great, even the interludes are very special compositions.I am sure the people who support the projects we release in Fundamental Records will support this album not only for the circumstances but mainly because the quality of the tracks from someone with only 24 years… this is sad. I feel a deep emptiness inside of me because Rhys never listened the final tracks mastered… we released each track with the original references Rhys used for his tracks, except two tracks included in the very special 7. This feeling is something I can’t explain in words, and it is very difficult to carry within me. The next monday after his death I was like out of my body, we had a mountain of work with the shipping of the 808 Box but I felt totally paralyzed, my wife Anais and I could hardly speak, we were speechless for some minutes, looking to the screen of the computer trying to understand what happened, then I decided I have to do what I said to Rhys only two days before, and I opened the player in my laptop and I started to work in the design for the cover with the music of Rhys in repeat mode. I was in front of the screen all day, printing many sketches and color variations. I called Fundamental Records to our label for a very good reason and this project deserves this adjective in full effect. For the same reason I also decided to release this album under the real name of the artist, Rhys Celeste and use his music name, Microlith, for the title.”
An ambient compilation opening Affin’s 10th year anniversary. Find some hidden ambient pearls from Markus Guentner, Joachim Spieth, Gustavo Lamas, Zann, Toki Fuko and Ismael Pinkler.
From the depths of night shine beams of light. Temple invites you to enjoy these peaceful excursions.
Richard Vergez launched the Night Foundation project with little fanfare in 2016, with several tracks and a new artist page appearing inconspicuously late at night in the UK time zone. With him already being a part of the Lobster network – producing the iconic collages that burnished the stellar Raw MT ‘Richard’s Revenge’ and Hedge Maze ‘Kerb Hits’ releases – it wasn’t long before Lobster Theremin’s Jimmy Asquith became literally the 12th play of these new tracks via the usual social media algorithmic attraction. Soaring solo synth expeditions came floating from the tinny 3am laptop. With headphones and a better system; a full sonic explosion of raw hardware warmth, twinkling icicles and soft landing pads. Nostalgic, interlocking melodies and slow drawn-out synth lines that nod back to the psych rock workouts of Steve Hillage and even elements of Pink Floyd. A steady and studied extended improv evoking patience, peace and interstellar harmony. Formed of three completely individual yet inseparable parts, Memory Bells is a touching and truly special body of work. Evocative, immersive and another Lobster Sleep Sequence catalogue entry for quieter times.
Amsterdam-based duo Wanderwelle return to Silent Season for their debut album which is inspired by the mysterious pagan tribes that once roamed across the European woodlands. ‘Lost in a Sea of Trees’ tells the tale of a lone traveller who enters a dark, ancient forest. Lured deep into the woods by something not of this world as he enters uncharted grounds. Step by step his journey is getting darker as he encounters strange phenomena and beings among the trees.
In the second part of the Unlocking Sounds collaboration between the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision’s RE:VIVE initiative, the Research Center for Material Culture and Amsterdam’s Tropenmuseum, Dutch producer Parrish Smith digs through the Tropenmuseum’s ethnographic music archive and reads between the lines of ethnomusicology to confront the Netherlands’ colonial past. Assisted by the writings of Surinamese slave resistance writer Anton de Kom, Smith delivers a gripping social commentary entitled GENESIS BLACK.
The Hipodrome Of Music 