Alessandro Cortini – Risveglio [HOS426]

August 2, 2015November 26, 2025 hipodromealbum, alessandro cortini, ambient, drone, hospital productions, industrialLeave a comment

For his last outing on Hospital Productions, Nine Inch Nails collaborator Alessandro Cortini utilized just two pieces of equipment: a Roland MC-202 and a delay pedal. For this follow-up, he’s expanded his toolbox a little, supplementing those hardware pieces with two further machines: a Roland TR-606 and TB-303. Musically, Risveglio inhabits a similar space to its predecessor, with Cortini creating blurry, fluid dreamscapes built around semi-rhythmic loops, distorted chords and fuzzy ambient textures. Listeners may struggle to spot the TB-303 – most often used to create ragged waves of intense electronics – such is the unique way in which Cortini manipulates it. Regardless, the Italian’s post-industrial, half-awake soundscapes are thoroughly mesmerizing.

Alessandro Cortini – Forse 3 [IMPREC418]

August 2, 2015November 26, 2025 hipodromealbum, alessandro cortini, ambient, drone, electro, imprime recordsLeave a comment

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.

Calimex Mental Implant Corp. – El Saber Del Arpavor [NW003]

July 12, 2015March 25, 2019 hipodromealbum, ambient, calimex mental implant corp., danny wolfers, electro, nightwind recordsLeave a comment

Danny Wolfers comes again with a new project, Calimex Mental Implant Corp., on his label Nightwind Records. 13 summer cruising tracks very much in the style of Legowelts PPU release from last year. Gold plated cassette in faux plastic luxurious case.

Leonardo Martelli – Menti Singole [ATN021]

July 12, 2015February 7, 2018 hipodromeambient, antinote recordings, electro, experimental, leonardo martelliLeave a comment

Antinote introduce Leonardo Martelli who’s Menti Singole 12″ again proves what a vital and interesting label the Paris concern has become under the tutelage of Quentin Vandewalle. Leonardo Martelli is a relative newcomer from Foligno in Italy, with just one prior cassette behind him, which appeared on Drvg Cvltvre’s New York Haunted label. There is a distinct electro flavour hovering over Martelli’s Antinote debut. Of course there is still plenty of room for the kind of leftfield meandering that Antinote has made its name on, but with a more forthright club purpose beating at its heart.

Jeff Mills & Mikhail Rudy – When Time Splits [AXCD047]

May 9, 2015November 4, 2025 hipodromealbum, ambient, axis records, classical, detroit, jeff mills, mikhail rudy, symphonicLeave a comment

Jeff Mills has always tried to do things differently, but few could have foreseen his collaboration with classical pianist Mikhail Rudy. Back in February, the two men joined forces to write, and subsequently perform, a soundtrack for Henri-Georges Clouzot’s unfinished 1964 film L’Enfer. When Time Splits is a recording of that performance, with Rudy providing evocative piano motifs and thoughtful solos, accompanied by typically spacey, sci-fi inspired electronics from the Detroit maestro. At times it’s willfully discordant, at others immensely beautiful. Throughout, it remains a fascinating study in combining the worlds of modern classical, jazz, ambient and experimental electronics.

Cio D’Or – Off & On [TELRAE026]

May 3, 2015April 16, 2020 hipodromeambient, ambient techno, cio d'or, telraeLeave a comment

The Munich born sound architect, Cio D’or, comes with the her second release for Talrae. “OFF” describes a biotope in which two different poles gently collide. Rooms of reverb meet orchestral sounds meet acoustic clicks, in a process of an ongoing motion, where there is no beginning and no end. The flip side highlights “AND ON” and shows white horses amongst waves of sounds. This track could be an electronic soundtrack to a day at an isolated beach in the Indian ocean.

Madteo – Raveyard Shifts EP [LTNC005]

May 3, 2015May 2, 2015 hipodromeambient, experimental, latency recordings, madteoLeave a comment

Given the quality of his eccentric, left-of-center productions, it’s rather surprising that this 12″ is Madteo’s first release since 2013. Predictably he’s in fine form for this Latency debut, dropping a trio of tracks that largely eschew dancefloor thrills in favour of crackly textures, woozy chords, experimental electronics and minimal-goes-leftfield rhythms. A-side “Irreconcilable Differences” sets the tone, layering fuzzy guitar touches and hushed melodies over a quietly pulsing rhythm track. “Hoodshedding” is crackly, hypnotic and out-there, sounding not unlike early Nicholas Jaar with a Madteo twist. Arguably best of all, though, is EP closer “Discomfort Zone”, which manages to be both dreamy and wholly unsettling in it’s’ pursuit of smacked-out IDM thrills.

Eecee – Cosmic Trigger [DBA017X] FREE DOWNLOAD

April 19, 2015April 18, 2015 hipodromealbum, ambient, don't be afraid, doubt, drone, eecee, experimental, free download, free tracks, ian lehmanLeave a comment

Don’t Be Afraid have released the latest album from US based artist Eecee(a.k.a. Doubt), called Cosmic Trigger. The album has been released as a cassette and free download via Don’t Be Afraid’s Bandcamp page and as expected, it’s an experimental leaning affair and a beautiful, mostly ambient journey through mesmerising textures and atmospheres.

Varg – Ursviken [NE019]

April 19, 2015June 8, 2023 hipodromealbum, ambient, ambient techno, drone, experimental, jonas ronnberg, northern electronics, vargLeave a comment

Sophomore album from Jonas Ronnberg aka Varg with icey electronics live recorded. Ursviken is, unsurprisingly, a largely icy and atmospheric affair, with occasional bursts of throbbing, techno-influenced intensity (see the relentless loops and murky textures of “Vitberge”, and industrial freakiness of “Guldstaten”) punctuating the otherwise downbeat, largely ambient mood. As usual, there’s much to admire, from the bleak, dubbed-out oddness of “Raggarsvin” and overwhelmingly dreamy “Ohn”, to the understated grooves and spaced-out chords of “Skaeliptom”.

Roger 23 – Mensch 001 [MENSCH001]

April 12, 2015December 9, 2020 hipodromealbum, ambient, mensch musik, roger 23, roger reuterLeave a comment

ROGER 23 - Mensch 001

Wicked ambient/drone cuts by bad boy Roger 23.

Metasplice – Metasplice [BR005LP]

April 12, 2015July 4, 2023 hipodromealbum, ambient, bruxist, electronics, experimental, metaspliceLeave a comment

Philly’s Metasplice are back with another double LP’s worth of unique soundscapes. To be sure, they’re previous sides for Morphosis’s Morphine label and they’re own imprint _bruxist have been some of the most engaging works of electronic music in recent memory. This collection of new works is even more arresting and vital.

Alessandro Parisi – Phormix Podcast #9

March 25, 2015March 25, 2015 hipodromealessandro parisi, ambient, phormix, podcast, synth pop, synth waveLeave a comment

Rising Sun Systems – Oberheim Space [NW002]

March 15, 2015March 12, 2015 hipodromealbum, ambient, danny wolfers, legowelt, nightwind records, rising sun systemsLeave a comment

Time to hit the vape and embark on the journey of your lifetime, or at least a most pleasant trip this week…or as long as your attention span can handle it. Rising Sun Systems – Oberheim Space, 11 tracks of ambient g-funk slow jams and psychedelic space muzak. Using special frequencies to alter your brain waves and make u a smarter and better human being. Written, produced and performed by Danny Wolfers on Roland Juno 106 KIWI, Oberheim Matrix 1000, Korg DW8000, Yamaha SY35, EMU EMAX II etc.etc.etc.

Vatican Shadow – Death Is Unity With God [LOVE100]

March 15, 2015June 19, 2024 hipodromealbum, ambient, dominick fernow, hospital productions, industrial, modern love, vatican shadowLeave a comment

This double LP album arrives through Modern Love and features a handpicked selection of tracks from the Death Is Unity With God cassette box set Dominick Fernow aka Vatican Shadow issued on his own Hospital Productions label last year. 12 tracks featured here are a balanced blend of broken, ice-cold techno and finely calibrated drone pieces backed by subtle percussive patterns. There’s also plenty of his more raucous beat thrashing and even a few moments of nostalgia.

L’estasi Dell’oro – I Look Upon Nature While I Live in a Steel City [FIELD014]

March 15, 2015May 26, 2023 hipodromealbum, ambient, christopher ernst, field records, industrial, l'estasi dell'oro, technoLeave a comment

Dutch label Field is back with another album project, this time from American producer Christopher Ernst, aka L’estasi Dell’oro, who also records as Penalune and is co-founder of the Voodoo Down label. Before now, Ernst has proved himself to be adept at crafting deep and atmospheric, excellently ambient techno on a range of labels. Varying his tempos and textures, he does acid, raw stuff, tough beats and more industrial grooves. Across this new 8-track album, all this and more is explored in captivating fashion. This is an expressive and expansive modern techno album from L’estasi Dell’oro that is perfectly at home on the always interesting Field label.

Area – One Less Me [SEQ012]

March 15, 2015March 1, 2022 hipodromeambient, area, industrial, m50, sequenciasLeave a comment

Sequencias first release for 2015 comes from Chicagoan, Area. He has melded elements from bass music, industrial, electroacoustic, spoken-word and techno into 3 tracks that distill their influences into something greater than the sum of its parts. Opener “Circadian” is built on a two-chord refrain to a stepping rhythm amidst a dank warehouse atmosphere. Spoken-word interlude, “One Less Me,” is little more than a female voice processed and cleverly twisted over crisp electronic filigree. The EP closes with “XXeXX” (Crushkilled Version), which sounds like the remnants of the opening track after being drop-forged and scattered to the breeze—long peals of reverberating melodic feedback straining under a dense bank of static fog—breaking free every few measures to expand into the light, then crushed. “One Less Me” is the beginning of a new relationship that we look forward to see flourish in the future, and of course, to share it with you.

Gianluca Petrella – 103 EP [ELER007]

January 25, 2015January 23, 2015 hipodromeambient, electronique.it records, gianluca petrellaLeave a comment

Gianluca Petrella is one of the most talented trombonist all around the world. “103 Ep” is traveling on the most intimate and electronic side of Gianluca’s music, clarifying its fine taste with a series of cinematic atmospheres described with the combination of haunting jazz melodies with obscure electronic pathways. This record captures completely the atmospheres evoked by dark cities, midnight, smoky streets, loneliness, existentialism and romanticism, allowing you to experience the jazz music from an unusual perspective.

Occult Orientated Crime – The Occult Orientated Crime Album [NW001]

December 14, 2014December 14, 2014 hipodromealbum, ambient, danny wolfers, legowelt, nightwind records, occult orientated crimeLeave a comment

The first Occult Orientated Crime album on Nightwind Records. Extremely trippy PRO ambient not just some jumbled up random chiliwave overcompressed 80s retro soggy biscuit jerkoff — this is PROFESSIONAL AMBIENT – 100% psychedelic drug music with perfectly finetuned selected frequencies to alter your state of mind and take you to complete loss of subjective self-identity: the result of years of experimentation and research. Korg Microstation, Golden Microkorg, X5D, MS20, Moog Little phatty, Doepfer synthacon-EML101 modular.

Continue reading “Occult Orientated Crime – The Occult Orientated Crime Album [NW001]” →

Lawrence – A Day In The Life [MMLP180]

November 30, 2014May 26, 2023 hipodromealbum, ambient, lawrence, mule musiq, peter kerstenLeave a comment

While Peter “Lawrence” Kerten is perhaps best known for his stripped-back approach to house and techno, many of his greatest records have explored his deep-rooted love of ambient music. It’s great to see, then, that this sixth full-length sees him in full-on ambient mode, variously laying down picturesque, becalmed compositions, twinkling productions and hypnotic.

Gunnar Haslam – Mirrors And Copulation [LIES055]

November 23, 2014January 31, 2018 hipodromealbum, ambient, ambient techno, experimental, gunnar haslam, l.i.e.s., long island electrical systemsLeave a comment

Gunnar Haslam returns to LIES records for his second album, Mirrors and Copulation. Following a slew of 12″ releases this year, Gunnar delves deep into his darkest palettes for a return to his patient, haunted soundscapes that shrouded his debut LP, Mimesiak. Across eight tracks of ambient techno both brooding and tumultuous, Gunnar Haslam unravels a narrative on overpopulation and its potential environmental ramifications inspired by the Borges quote the album title references. “Meter By Me, Sybil” cascades arpeggios through a thick fog that never leaves Mirrors. “Ajapajapam Version” cuts through with a sluggish 3/4 strut and nauseated 303 bassline, but the rest of the A side is fully enveloped by the Gunnar’s peerless recreation of the wet ambience of a ghostly rainforest. “Cloud Castle Lake” offers an uptempo cut buoyed by a blasted kick drum and frenetic 606 workout. Still enshrouded, “Cloud Castle Lake” further explores Gunnar’s sonic terrain with the force of a freaked dancefloor’s momentum, much like the album finale, “In Argo Teurano”, which blasts forth from the mist with a weathered adventurer’s grit.