low light mixes

Secret Songs of the Harp

 

 

Last year saw a trio of very fine albums of harp music from Andrea Cortez, Mary Lattimore, and Kirsten Agresta Copel. Here are links to all three albums:

 

https://auralcanyonmusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-secret-song-of-plants

 

https://marylattimoreharpist.bandcamp.com/album/silver-ladders

 

https://kcopelymusic.bandcamp.com/album/around-the-sun

 

I used "The Secret Song of Plants" quite a bit as a work-from-home soundtrack. Then recently I realized that I'd never made a mix devoted to harp music. So here it is. It's beautiful and relaxing without being spa, new age crapola.

 

Cheers!

 

 

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Assia Cunego - Section 25-30 (Canto Ostinato 2009)
• 03:42    Alice Coltrane - Vrindavana Sanchara (Transcendence 1977)
• 07:22    Andrea Cortez - Song 3 (The Secret Song of Plants 2020)
• 14:20    Mary Lattimore - Pine Trees (Silver Ladders 2020)
• 17:28    Lavinia Meijer - Gnossienne No. 1 (Voyage 2015)
• 21:45    Kirsten Agresta Copely - Winter's Bone (Around The Sun 2020)
• 26:51    Claire Deak & Tony Dupé - for bernadette (the old capital 2020)
• 29:27    Lavinia Meijer - Glassworks Opening Piece (Glass:Metamorphis The Hours 2012)
• 35:33    Susan Jolles & Bert Lucarelli  - Claire De Lune (Music for Oboe & Harp 2012)
• 40:35    Julia Rovinsky - An Arc of Doves (Dusk 2010)
• 46:52    P.G. Six - #1 For Wire-Strung Harp with Echo (Music From The Sherman Box Series and Other Works 2006)
• 49:49    MItch Greer - Ambient Harp Midnight Reverie (Ambient Harp Midnight Reverie 2020)
• 65:55    end

 

 

Almost Home

 

I'm not sure exactly where this mix started. I heard a few tunes that had a wistful, almost melancholy feel to them and began collecting tracks.

The result is this new mix of mostly modern classical music but with a good dose of electronics and atmospherics. Most of the music is new with 10 of the 15 tracks from 2019. I think this mix would also work well as a soundtrack for fall.

 

Cheers!

 

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Glåsbird - Isbjørnøya(Svalbarð 2019)
• 04:44    Halftribe - Maybe(Backwater Revisited 2019)
• 07:40    William Ryan Fritch - Time Curves So Subtly(Deceptive Cadence 2019)
• 10:56    Slow Meadow - You Felt Like Home(Those Who Rush Across the Sea 2018)
• 15:12    Caminauta - Almost Home(Fragments 2018)
• 21:12    Emanuele Errante - Old Summer Afternoons(This World 2019)
• 25:56    36 - Lahaina Noon(Healing Sounds: A Compilation for Hurricane Recovery 2019)
• 28:39    Sven Laux - Being Too Optimistic(The Writings 2019)
• 35:05    Christoph Berg - Coda(Day has Ended 2013)
• 38:45    Dakota Suite - Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You(What Matters Most 2018)
• 42:22    Dan Romer & Saul Simon MacWilliams - Goodbye Lizard Island(Chasing Coral 2017)
• 45:37    James Murray & Mike Lazarev - Living Treasure(2019)
• 48:57    Loneward - Memories Past(Home 2019)
• 56:02    Porya Hatami & Aaron Martin & Roberto Attanasio - Xakelewe(Sallaw 2019)
• 65:33    Mikael Lind - Ending WithThe Beginning(Contingencies 2019)
• 69:54    end

 

Luminoustrings

 

This mix has been brewing in my head for the last couple of years. Basically I've been planning a follow up to the Luminouspaces mix since I posted it in 2016. I finally got going on the sequel a few weeks ago while listening to "Constellations" by Jane Antonia Cornish. It's an absolutely lovely album. If you like modern classical recordings you'll definitely enjoy it.

 

The mix begins and ends with a track from Constellations. In between you'll find a collection of modern classical favorites from the last year or two. Like a lot of my mixes, it's a beautiful compilation with a tinge of melancholy.

 

Cheers!

 

 

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Jane Antonia Cornish - Beyond The Sky(Constellations 2018)
• 07:20    Glåsbird - Gunnbjørn Fjeld(Grønland 2019)
• 13:25    Ian Hawgood & Danny Norbury - II(Faintly Recollected 2018)
• 18:40    Snorri Hallgrimsson - Still Life-Instrumental(Orbit 2018)
• 21:27    Peter Gregson - Warmth(Quartets Two 2017)
• 24:45    Laurie Anderson & Kronos Quartet - Another Long Evening(Landfall 2018)
• 26:30    Ben McElroy - Songs of Iceland(Songs of Iceland 2018)
• 29:05    William Ryan Fritch - Red Wolves(Birkitshi - Eagle Hunters In A New World 2017)
• 31:10    Christopher Spelman - The Lost City of Z(The Lost City of Z 2017)
• 31:50    Max Richter - Shimmering Clouds(My Brilliant Friend OST 2018)
• 32:50    Ceets - Hover, Over Me(Concrete Fields 2017)
• 37:45    Valgeir Sigurðsson - Committee(Little Moscow 2018)
• 39:36    Julia Rovinsky - Metamorphosis II(Dusk 2017)
• 46:22    Nicholas Britell - The Culmination(Moonlight 2016)
• 48:00    Jane Antonia Cornish  - Wave Cycles(Constellations 2018)
• 58:12    end

 

 

 

 

The Sun's Gone Dim - A Tribute to Johann Johannsson

 

Johann Johannsson died on Friday, February 9, 2018.

 

Devastating. 

 

I absolutely adored his compositions.

 

I am at a complete loss for what to say about his music. So rather than try I made this mix.

 

Because I cross post all these mixes over on Mixcloud I am not able to make a mix with nothing but Johannsson music. Mixcloud has a policy of only 4 tracks from a single artist per mix. So I used 4 Johannsson cuts, some of my favs, and music from other artists that I have always grouped together with Johann.

 

I hope you will listen to this mix and also go seek out Johannsson's awesome library of music that is keeping his memory alive in this world.

 

 

 

Johann Johannsson Complete on Spotify

 

 

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Johann Johannsson - The Sun's Gone Dim and The Sky's Turned Black
• 05:33    Henryk Gorecki - Symphony No. 3 Lento(exerpt)
• 08:30    Johann Johannsson - Flight from the City
• 14:35    Max Richter - On The Nature Of Daylight
• 20:43    Johann Johannsson - Kangaru
• 23:22    Craig Armstrong - Choral Ending
• 25:54    Just a Human - Johann
• 28:15    Olafur Arnalds - Öldurót
• 32:22    Clint Mansell - Together We Will Live Forever
• 37:05    Johann Johannsson - IBM 1403 Printer
• 44:05    Christopher Spelman - The Final Journey
• 51:27    Hildur Gudnadottir - Unveiled
• 54:48    Olafur Arnalds - Dalur
• 58:31    lowlight - Memories of JJ
• 62:07    end

 

 

 

 

Vox Eterna - A Wordless Hymn to a Luminous World

 

 

 

 

I'm not sure where this mix originated.  It may have started with Johann Johannsson's Kangaru from the Arrival soundtrack, God knows I listened to that a ton over the last 6 months.  Maybe it was Max Richter. 

 

Whatever it was I found myself collecting vocal tunes.  The kind of tracks that have vocals but many times no words or lyrics.  If there are words it's usually unintelligible or a language like Latin.  Once I gathered enough music then wa-lah here's an ethereal vocal mix.

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Max Richter - Sketch for a Portrait #1(Morgan OST 2016)
• 01:06    Olafur Arnalds - Raddir(Island Songs 2016)
• 05:00    Ashera - Lullaby for Mother Earth(Ambient Selections 1997)
• 08:00    Tim Hecker - Utropics(An Imaginary Country 2009)
• 08:53    Jonsi & Alex - Boy 1904(Riceboy Sleeps 2009)
• 11:30    Jim Cole - Astral(Godspace 2002)
• 15:18    Jim Cole - The Way Beyond #10(The Way Beyond 2003)
• 17:30    Brian Eno - 2-1(Music for Airports 1978)
• 22:30    Melanie Pappenheim and Jocelyn Pook - Blow the Wind/Pie Jesu(Deluge 2009)
• 24:50    Max Richter - Path 5(Sleep 2016)
• 31:00    Johann Jphannsson - Odi Et Amo(Englaborn 2002)
• 33:50    Murcof & Vanessa Wagner - Farewell, O World, O Earth(Statea 2016)
• 41:00    Peter Gabriel - Dressing the Wound(Birdy 1985)
• 44:20    Alio Die & Amelia Cuni - Churning the Ocean(Apsaras 2001)
• 49:20    Johann Johannsson - Kangaru(Arrival 2016)
• 51:50    Jon Anderson - Bless This(Global Communication Remix)(The Deseo Remixes 1995)
• 57:44     Trio Mediaeval & Arve Henriksen - St. Birgitta Hymn(Rimur 2017)
• 61:48    Voces8 - Vasks: The Fruits Of Silence(Winter 2016)
• 66:30    end

 

 

 

 

 

 

Luminouspaces

Two of my favorite albums this year are from Icelandic composers, Jóhann Jóhannsson - Orphée and Ólafur Arnalds - Islands.  How does the tiny country of Iceland produce so many incredible artists? I don't know how but I'm happy every time new music comes from that mysterious place.

The moment I heard these two recordings I knew I'd have to make a new modern classical mix. All of the music here is fairly new and most of it has an accessible classical take with an ambient touch.

http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/us/artist/johannsson/

http://olafurarnalds.com/works/

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Johann Johannsson - Flight From The City
• 06:06    Ólafur Arnalds - Oldurot
• 10:27    Kenneth James Gibson - Poured Semi Silently Upon You
• 16:27    Matt Dunkley - Cycle 6
• 21:12    Johann Johannsson - A Sparrow Alighted Upon Our Shoulder
• 23:36    A Winged Victory for the Sullen - Atmos VII
• 26:00    Ólafur Arnalds - 1995
• 29:48    Sarah Neufeld & Colin Stetson - And Still They Move
• 32:23    Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - Casino
• 34:00    Kenneth James Gibson - Long Gone Canadian Summer
• 40:30    Johann Johannsson - Good Night Day
• 44:22    Matt Dunkley - Cycle 5
• 48:06    Ólafur Arnalds - Doria
• 51:11    Dustin O'Halloran - We Move Lightly
• 54:02    Nils Frahm - The Shooting
• 58:26    Ryuichi Sakamoto - Hell Ensemble
• 61:01    end

Headphone Commute ...and darkness came

The awesome folks over at Headphone Commute asked me to do a special mix for them and of course I could not refuse. The mix is special because it is helping promote a fantastic new compilation they have put together.  It's called "...and darkness came" and you can find out about it here... Headphone Commute ...and darkness came. The compilation features 80 tracks(yes, 80 tracks!) from great artists in ambient, modern classical and experimental music.  Artists like Max Richter, Clint Mansell, offthesky, Julien Neto, Ólafur Arnalds, Dakota Suite, Christopher Willits, Loscil, Lawrence English, Maps And Diagrams, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Nils Frahm, Talvihorros, Bersarin Quartett, Antonymes, Simon Scott, Dustin O’Halloran, Machinefabriek, :papercutz, and many, many, more. 100% of the proceeds are donated to two charitable organizations, Doctors Without Borders and The Humane Society, to help all those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Please head over to Headphone Commute and think about picking up this excellent compilation. T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Yuki Murata - Prologue
• 04:34    James Murray - Still Waters Rise
• 08:55    Monolyth & Cobalt + Évo Lüthi - Dust Off
• 13:25    riverrun - Maallinen Kuu
• 16:00    Antonymes - Elegy IV
• 20:05    Julien Neto - Los Cien Enamorados
• 23:15    M.Cadoo - a.m.
• 26:45    Jóhann Jóhannsson - Melodia (iv) (Live at Ancienne Belgique)
• 28:15    Brambles - Reflected Consciousness
• 30:45    Tomoyoshi Date, Corey Fuller, Marcus Fischer and Simon Scott - Quartet(intro)
• 33:20    Simon Scott - For Betty
• 35:15    offthesky - Still Breathing
• 38:50    Dakota Suite - Now I Am Lost
• 44:20    Christoph Berg - Silence
• 46:56    Erik K Skodvin - Amber & Glass
• 49:05    Honig + Templeton - Reginald Cousins
• 52:10    Takahiro Kido - Sweet Silince
• 55:45    Minus Pilots - Illuminating The Dark Fields
• 58:30    Dustin O'Halloran - Fragile #2
• 1:01:15    end

imaginary soundtracks

I guess you could say that all the music I listen to is a soundtrack of one sort or another.  Soundtrack for cleaning the house, soundtrack for sleeping, for biking, for reading, for living.  Most of my mixes could be considered to be mini soundtracks.

So what makes this one different?  I guess the tracks collected here just sort of had that "soundtrack" feel when I first heard them.  I imagined a scene from a film with the tune as the soundtrack.  The tracklist then becomes a set of "imaginary soundtracks."

Some of the cuts, such as those from Cliff Martinez & Clint Mansell, are from actual soundtracks.  The others just seemed to fit the mood.

Enjoy.

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Cliff Martinez - First Drive Home
• 00:40    James Murray - Greenlands
• 04:25    Vieo Abiungo - Insincerity peeked through Cloudlessly...
• 06:51    Roly Porter - Caladan
• 09:20    Jacaszek - Orszula
• 12:22    Olafur Arnalds - lag fyrir oemmu
• 15:45    Craig Armstrong - Starless
• 20:00    Max Richter - Fictions & Data
• 21:40    Popol Vuh - Grab der Mutter
• 23:55    Jon Hopkins - Opalescent
• 25:10    Emanuele Errante - Memoirs
• 30:25    Ryan Teague - Cell Cycle
• 34:16    Clint Mansell - We're Not Programs Gerty
• 36:55    Peter Broderick - No More Space
• 37:36    Johann Johannsson - They Being Dead yet Speaketh
• 40:35    Biosphere - Iberia
• 44:07    Maya Beiser - Only Breath
• 45:50    Cliff Martinez - See You in Four
• 47:33    Jon Hopkins - Fairytale
• 52:15    end

I can hear the snow fall

For some reason,when I think of falling snow, the instrument that comes to mind is the piano.  Maybe it's from years of listening to Vince Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas album.  So it's no surprise that there is a fair amount of piano music in this "snow" mix.

We didn't have any snow yet but I had been thinking about doing a "first snow" mix for awhile & decided to throw one together Friday night.  Then I woke up Saturday morning to a light dusting of snow on the ground.  Maybe next I should do a mix for winning the lottery. ;)

As I said there is a lot of piano music in here.  Led by Nils Frahm, from his excellent Felt album.  A release that will end up on my best of the year list & one which everyone needs to hear.  I think this mix works well as an early season "snow" mix versus the more bleak mid winter drones that will show up later.

I expect to crank out at least one more mix before the end of the year.  Plus I'll have a year-end top 20 list, so start thinking of your own lists if you'd like to contribute.

Enjoy.

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Nils Frahm - less [erased tapes]
• 05:20    Bernocchi, Budd, Guthrie - Heavy Heart Some More [Rarenoise Records]
• 09:35    Deepspace - Whisper
• 12:50   The Humble Bee - Sky Litter [cotton goods]
• 15:22    Willamette - Echo Park [infraction]
• 18:10    Pleq + Lauki - II (antonymes remix) [somehow recordings]
• 24:44    Cliff Martinez - Wrong Floor [lakeshore records]
• 25:45    Max Richter - eternal flowers question stars [Metropolis Movie Music]
• 27:48    e and i - Pearls for Alma [cotton goods]
• 29:40    Isnaj Dui - Always Close [hibernate]
• 32:48    I've Lost - in this cold, empty place [future sequence]
• 36:35    Diatonis - Whiring Above Our Heads
• 40:00    Nils Frahm - Pause [erased tapes]
• 44:25    Cliff Martinez - He Had A Good Time [lakeshore records]
• 45:39    Harold Budd - Three-Fingered Jack [darla]
• 47:40    Maps & Diagrams - Groghe(fort) [nomadic kids republic]
• 51:00    S. Carey - Rothko Fields [jagjaguwar]
• 54:50    Part Timer - seed collection [mobeer]
• 58:20    Nils Frahm - Keep [erased tapes]

songs for staying in

On the heals of the last mix, which was sort of modern classical, comes another neo-classical type mix. I started collecting tunes for this mix after I heard Alva Noto's "Argonaut Version" in a Quiet Sounds mix.  I like that song & wanted it to find a home in a mix. Speaking of Quiet Sounds, there are some excellent mixes available for download there.  I wish Brian would crank them out more often. I stole the title for this mix from a song by The Tumbled Sea, which is next to last in the mix.  It just sounded like a good title & it fit with the crappy weather we've been having here. The mix ends with a sort syrupy tune from Anthony Phillips.  It may be a bit too sweet but it's one of those tunes that I have always liked, goes back to college days.  i don't know if I was hearing it for the first time now, whether I would like it as much.  I'm sure a big part of the song's attraction is it's nostalgic significance.  Anthony Phillips is the original guitarist for Genesis and back in high school & college I was a HUGE Genesis fan.  Actually I still am, but that was how I came to Phillips' music back then.  It was nice to sneak that track into a mix. Make some tea or coffee & enjoy "songs for staying in". T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Anthony Phillips - Wind-Tales
• 00:35    Ben Frost - Extortion
• 02:37    Alva Noto - Argonaut Version
• 09:20    Rave Degolith - Orchestrated version of Aphex twin's Xtal
• 13:50    Jan Garbarek & Eleni Karaindrou - Fairytale
• 15:25    Deaf Center - The day I would neer have
• 18:00    Julia Kent - Seul, pendant un instant
• 22:10    Philip Glass - Islands
• 24:45    Brian McBride - toil theme part 1
• 26:55    Field Rotation - Acoustic Tale 2
• 29:25    The Notwist - Jonas
• 30:50    Akira Kosemura - Hicari
• 32:30    Dustin O' Halloran - A Great Divide
• 37:45    David Darling - Darkwood IV
• 42:25    Antonymes - a heart filled with emptiness
• 45:00    The Tumbled Sea - A Song for Staying In
• 49:48    Anthony Phillips - Sleepfall, the geese fly west
• 54:22    end