low light mixes

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Ambient music mixes for a chaotic world

Episodes

Tuesday Nov 08, 2022

Music for Recovery(from the midterm elections)

Tuesday Nov 08, 2022

Well, Christ on a bicycle, this midterm election season was a shit show. So here is a mix of beautiful ambient tracks to help us all heal and recover.

Here are links to all the albums used in this mix in the order in which they appear:

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Uther Moads - Future Waves (Uther Moads 2011)
03:53 Brian Eno - Making Gardens Out Of Silence (FOREVERANDEVERNOMORE 2022)
11:30 Katharina Schmidt - Particles (Particles 2022)
19:00 Taylor Deupree & Arovane - Sill Lili (Skal_Ghost 2022)
22:45 Ruven Nunez - Untitled No. 51 (Untitled No. 51 2022)
30:00 Nils Frahm - Stepping Stone (Music For Animals 2022)
35:30 Son of Chi & Radboud Mens - Side A excerpt (AI-25: The Transition Recordings 2022)
43:15 From Overseas & City of Dawn - Silent Friends (Misty Memories 2022)
47:40 V. Kristoff - Creek II (Nocturne 2022)
54:25 Jason Letkiewicz - Emergent Ray I (Emergent Rays 2022)
58:00 Monogoto - Komorebi(deletion 47) (Partial Deletion of Everything Vol. 2 2022)
61:55 Andrew Heath & Simon McCorry - Rain (A is for Autumn 2022)
65:05 end

Friday Oct 28, 2022

Slightly Spooky

Friday Oct 28, 2022

I wasn't planning on making a Halloween themed mix but a couple of days ago I heard a new album called "Xiuxiuejar" by Hekla and I knew I had to use some tracks in a mix. Hekla is an Icelandic musician who use the theremin to create haunting, other-worldly soundscapes. Perfect for a Halloween mix.

Some of the other tracks follow a similar vibe I have used for creepy mixes in the past, sort of a dark jazz feel. Then I mix in some noisy stuff, some ambient & some other oddities. I don't want these mixes to be ultra dark doom ambient but this is more off-kilter than most Low Light Mixes.

After finding the theremin tracks from Hekla I was reminded of a very theremin-like instrument - the Ondes Martenot. It looks like a piano or organ but sounds like a theremin and it's played by sliding a ring attached to wires up and down the keyboard. Check out this video for an idea of how it's played and what it sounds like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0aflcF0-ys

There are two tracks in the mix that use the Ondes Martenot. They are Tindersticks - The Strangler & Christine Ott - Pluie. I believe Christine Ott plays the instrument on the Tindersticks track as well as her own. Radiohead is famous for using the Odnes Martenot in a few songs. Maybe I'll make an entire mix featuring the instrument someday.

Here are the links to all the music used in this mix:

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Hekla - Hrakföll (Xiuxiuejar 2022)

03:18 Buen Aurelio Malazar - pre.sagio (pre pro post 2020)

04:49 Theodore Shapiro - After Hours (Severance Soundtrack 2022)

06:45 Eli Keszler - The Tenth Part Of A Featured World (Empire 2019)

09:15 Tindersticks - The Strangler (Minute Bodies: The Intimate World of F. Percy Smith 2017)

12:20 Andy Cartwright - Seeker (Unstill 2021)

14:00 Pavaka Group - I Am Void (Pavaka Group 2022)

15:43 The Phonometrician - Death is a Woman (Cóiste Bodhar 2022)

18:00 John Butcher - Wind Piece (Resonant Spaces 2006)

18:49 't Geruis - L'Appel (Bain D'Étoiles 2022)

21:35 Christine Ott - Pluie (Time to Die 2021)

26:30 Wanderwelle - Decay (A State of Decrepitude 2020)

30:25 Andrew Pekler - Close to Strangers (Sentimental Favourites 2011)

32:17 Lars Rynning & Suren Seneviratne - Solar Wind (Magnetism 2020)

33:35 Andrew Heath & Simon McCorry - From Darkness (A is for Autumn 2022)

37:02 Hekla - Sólin Gekk (Xiuxiuejar 2022)

42:53 The Phonometrician - I See Youy (Cóiste Bodhar 2022)

47:55 Grails - Bad Bhang Recipe (Black Tar Prophecies Vols 1, 2, 3 2006)

49:50 Darkroom - The Shadowy Side of the Hill ( The Last Sense to Fade 2021)

54:50 William Ryan Fritch - Lay Hands Upon Us (Built Upon a Fearful Void 2021)

57:39 Aaron Martin - Buried in Waves (The End of Medicine 2022)

59:09 Hekla - Tangarhald (Xiuxiuejar 2022)

60:20 end

Tuesday Oct 25, 2022

Quiet Indie Fall 2022

Tuesday Oct 25, 2022

As we are getting closer to the end of the year I figured it was time for some quiet indie tunes from 2022.

This collection goes from the slow pop of Monica Martin to the ambient vocals of Brian Eno to the simple folk sound of Phosphorescent to a Joni Mitchel cover. My favorite track is "This Is How It Works" by Angel Olsen. It will probably be in my top three songs of the year.

Enjoy these vocal tunes, I'll get back to ambient soon.

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00    David Byrne And Yo La Tengo - Who Has Seen The Wind
02:42    Monica Martin - Go Easy, Kid
06:37    The Smile - Open the Floodgates
10:44    Kevin Morby - Stop Before I Cry
15:33    Shearwater - Aqaba
20:30    Angel Olsen - This Is How It Works
26:42    Courtney Marie Andrews - These Are The Good Old Days
29:11    Peter Gabriel - Here It Is
34:10    Brian Eno - There Were Bells
38:34    Flock Of Dimes - Amelia
44:16    Big Thief - Change
49:04    Mamak Khadem - Dead and Alive
54:14    Phosphorescent - Meridian, MS
56:27    end

Wednesday Oct 19, 2022

Robert Fripp Guitar Moments

Wednesday Oct 19, 2022

A few months ago a friend and I were talking about King Crimson & Robert Fripp. He is not as familiar with Fripp's work as I am so I started a playlist of not just Crimson tracks but also other excellent Fripp guitar work with other artists such as Brian Eno, David Bowie, David Sylvian, Hall & Oates(yes, Hall & Oates!) & others.

This week I decided to finally make a mix of some of the tracks. I wasn't sure if or when I'd post it online. Then this morning I see that today, Oct. 19th, is the global premiere of the King Crimson documentary "In The Court Of The Crimson King: King Crimson at 50". What a perfect coincidence!

I guess that makes the decision for me about when to post the mix. So here it is - a collection of some of my favorite Fripp guitar work. In order to keep the length manageable I had to leave out some great tracks like Bowie - Heroes, King Crimson - Lark's Tongue is Aspic, Talking Heads - I Zimbra, Fripp & Eno Heavenly Music Corp. & several others. I think the tracks I settled on cover a wide range and fit together nicely over the 84 minutes of the mix.

If anyone is interested the documentary will be shown in a special streaming event this weekend on Oct. 22nd. Here's the link - https://www.nugs.net/live-download-of-king-crimson-in-the-court-of-the-crimson-king.-king-crimson-at-50.-london-gb-10-22-2022-mp3-flac-or-online-music-streaming/621290-WEBCASTVARIANT.html

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 David Sylvian - Upon This Earth (Gone to Earth 1986)

06:12 Fripp & Eno - Evening Star (Evening Star 1975)

13:38 The Roches - Hammond Song (The Roches 1979)

19:00 Brian Eno - St. Elmo’s Fire (Another Green World 1975)

21:41 David Bowie - Teenage Wildlife (Scary Monsters 16980)

28:15 King Crimson - Fracture (Starless and Bible Black 1974)

37:23 David Sylvian & Robert Fripp - God’s Monkey (The First Day 1993)

42:11 Brian Eno - Baby’s On Fire (Here Come the Warm Jets 1974)

47:24 King Crimson - Space Groove II(edit) (ProjeKt Two Space Groove 1998)

55:00 King Crimson - Sailor’s Tale (Islands 1971)

61:20 King Crimson - Starless (Red 1974)

73:30 David Sylvian - Wave(version) (Camphor 2002)

76:15 Fripp & Eno - Meissa (The Equatorial Stars 2004)

84:05 end

Tuesday Oct 11, 2022

Soalce of the Sea

Tuesday Oct 11, 2022

s o l a c e

g a t h e r s t h e s i l e n c e

o f t h e s e a

Anyone who has followed this mix blog for more than a minute knows I like sea themed mixes. I like the ebb & flow, the washes of synth sounds and especially echoing sounds, like a bell or buoy pinging in the distance or underwater echolocation.

So this mix continues that vibe. Lots of new music and lots of echolocation.

Here are links to all the music used in this mix in the order in which it appears:

https://audio.submersion.info/album/parallel-motion

https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com/album/slicing-space-time-into-objects

https://ab-mosscoveredtechnology.bandcamp.com/album/brick-and-air

https://hibernate.bandcamp.com/album/sub-aquatic-spheres

https://gylden.bandcamp.com/album/island-friend

https://archive.org/details/AProduceASmoothSurface/TPC+It+Comes+In+Waves.mp3

https://taylordeupree.bandcamp.com/album/harbor

https://shop.silentseason.com/album/the-waves

https://polarseasrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/as-the-night-comes-softly-down

https://taylordeupree.bandcamp.com/album/the-inland-sea

https://greinke.bandcamp.com/album/noctilucent

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Submersion - Alignment (Parallel Motion 2020)

02:25 xu - a1. slicing space-time into objects (slicing space-time into objects 2022)

06:25 Moss Covered Technology - Brick & Air VI (Brick and Air 2022)

09:40 Spheruleus - The Ocean Yawns (Sub-Aquatic Spheres 2020)

14:18 Gylden - Bug light (Island Friend 2022)

18:55 A Produce - It comes in waves (A Smooth Surface 2004)

25:45 Taylor Deupree - Harbor (Harbor 2022)

29:20 ASC - Kelp Forest (The Waves 2019)

35:45 landtitles - fragments(of) (as the night comes softly down 2022)

37:20 Taylor Deupree - Too Close To Being Far Away From Everything (The Inland Sea 2022)

45:50 Jeff Greinke - Undercurrent (Noctilucent 2022)

52:15 ASC - Nautical Depths (The Waves 2019)

59:53 end

Sunday Oct 02, 2022

Autumn Trumpet by Paul Asbury Seaman

Sunday Oct 02, 2022

Certain instruments seem suited for particular settings or seasons. I've always thought that piano works well as a winter accompaniment. Twangy guitar goes well with hot weather. And trumpet feels right at home during autumn.

Which brings us to the latest collection from Paul Asbury Seaman - Autumn Trumpet. The mix sets the mood perfectly. Here's what Paul has to say about it:

“No Scandinavian angst this time, just mellow trumpet and, hopefully, some pleasant surprises. Mostly very languid night music, interspersed with a bit of fall color and swirling leaves... The contemplative theme seems to fit with the season—my favorite).”

Thanks for another excellent set, Paul.

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Miles Davis - Nuit Sur Les Champs-Elysees(Take 2) (Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud 1958)
05:22 Patrick O'Hearn - Eldorado (Eldorado 1989)
10:00 Tom Harrell - Dublin (Infinity 2019)
19:32 Herb Alpert - Fandango (Fandango 1982)
23:02 Chuck Mangione - Consuelo's Love Theme (Children Of Sanchez 1978)
30:33 Matthew Halsall - The Temple Within (The Temple Within 2022)
35:32 Enrico Rava - Interiors (New York Days 2009)
42:52 Jeff Oster - From The Dreamtime (True 2007)
47:00 Jeff Greinke - The Milky Way (Scenes from a Train 2013)
53:18 Meg Bowles - Night Sun Journey (From The Dark Earth 1997)
60:42 Patrick O'Hearn - Upon the Wings of Night (Indigo 1991)
68:28 end

Sunday Sep 25, 2022

The Birdsong Project

Sunday Sep 25, 2022

On September 7, NPR dropped an episode of All Songs Considered about an enormous new compilation album called "For The Birds: The Birdsong Project." It's a massive collection of original songs and poems about birds and inspired by birdsong. Artists range from Alice Coltrane, Nick Cave, Laurie Anderson, and The Flaming Lips to Sam Prekop, Devendra Banhart, Yo Yo Ma, and of course Andrew Bird & Jeff Tweedy.

Here's a link to the episode - https://www.npr.org/2022/09/06/1121237661/this-episode-is-for-the-birds

As I listened to the collection for a few days at work, my ambient brain thought of using some of the instrumental tracks in a mix. So for this mix all the tracks come from The Birdsong Project. Most of the cuts have worked bird sounds in with the music.

Unfortunately this collection is not available on Bandcamp. So it's very expensive to buy the full compilation, with the vinyl box set selling for $400 and the mp3 downloads going for $38 per volume. So I would suggest listening to the collection on Spotify which you can find here - https://www.audubon.org/news/the-birdsong-project-box-set

Here's one more link to check out - https://www.thebirdsongproject.com/

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Shearwater - Kwitaro Backbone
05:33 Sam Prekop - Stations Parallel
10:12 Aska Matsumiya - Tori No Uta
12:57 Paul Cantelon - Hymn for Four Birds
18:41 Makaya McCraven - For The Birds
21:27 Elliot Bergman - Crow Dialectic
25:27 Andrew Bird - Rare Birds
32:22 Joachim Cooder - Carolina Turtledove
34:55 Carla dal Forno - Morning Maggie
37:04 Devendra Banhart - Ka
40:20 Dexter Story - Wefoch(Birds)
43:40 Stuart Bogie - Far Rockaway
49:11 Woodkid - Altamira Oriole
51:57 Marcelo Zarvos - Nightbird
55:39 Cosmo Sheldrake - Evening Chorus(Live in the Bluebell Woods)
60:27 end

Sunday Sep 18, 2022

Mystical Waterwheel by Paul Asbury Seaman

Sunday Sep 18, 2022

Two water themed mixes in a row is a coincidence but one I'm glad has happened. The different styles of the two most recent mixes show that a similar theme can be approached in distinct ways. Paul does a great job of mixing various genres into one coherent mix.

Here's what Paul has to say about Mystical Waterwheel:

“The image I have for this mix is children running along a babbling brook, climbing over rocks to follow the stream downhill through a forest, then discovering a stone millhouse powered by a waterwheel, the slow turning of its paddles (and the muffled thumping of the wooden cogs inside) making a steady contrast to the rushing water, now spent and quietly merging with the larger river.

From figuring prominently in Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai to a perennial subject of autumn calendars, waterwheel mills are a ubiquitous symbol of pastoral tranquility. You’ll find plenty of good vibes—and marimbas—on this one.”

Oh man, that Oregon track really takes me back. Thanks Paul for another excellent musical journey.

Links to the music used in this mix:

https://projektrecords.bandcamp.com/album/earth-luminous

https://searec.bandcamp.com/album/waterwheel

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009L7C88A/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp

https://davidhelpling.bandcamp.com/album/sleeping-on-the-edge-of-the-world

https://whaleloryb.bandcamp.com/album/magic-kalimba-meditation

https://trentemoller.bandcamp.com/album/miss-you

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CVUVZ0/ref=dm_rwp_pur_lnd_albm_pm

https://sebtaylor.bandcamp.com/album/defiance

https://shiftingparadigmrecords.bandcamp.com/album/waterwheel

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0029ONQHO/ref=dm_rwp_pur_lnd_albm_pm

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VFVM8I/ref=dm_rwp_pur_lnd_albm_pm

https://squidlid.bandcamp.com/album/steam-powered-submarine

https://anantakara.art/album/forgotten-key

https://sopercussion.bandcamp.com/album/threads-2

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NQJJSBC/ref=dm_rwp_pur_lnd_albm_pm

https://kronosquartet.bandcamp.com/album/pieces-of-africa

https://www.discogs.com/release/518367-Nik-Tyndall-Lagoon

https://robertrich.bandcamp.com/album/tactile-ground

https://www.amazon.com/Classical-Sonos-Johann-Sebastian-Bach/dp/B000003Y34/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1DK5PW9YN9EF0&keywords=Sonos+Handbell+Ensemble&qid=1663506658&s=dmusic&sprefix=sonos+handbell+ensemble+%2Cdigital-music%2C89&sr=1-4

https://music.erikfriedlander.com/album/rings

https://projektrecords.bandcamp.com/album/earth-luminous

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Erik Wollo & Byron Metcalf - Linked Stars (Earth Luminous 2016)
02:30 dDarkwater - Waterwheel (Waterwheel 2021)
04:35 Bryan Carrigan - Masquerade (Windows 2012)
09:25 David Helpling - Promise (Sleeping on the Edge of the World 1999)
14:15 Calm Whale - Magic Kalimba Meditation (Magic Kalimba Meditation 2021)
23:33 Trentemoller - Miss You (Miss You 2008)
27:18 Oregon - Waterwheel (Out of the Woods 1978)
33:25 Kaya Project - Welcome To The Endless Spinning Wheel (Defiance 2022)
39:26 Daniel Thatcher - Im Alpental (Waterwheel 2021)
45:52 Camel - Rain Dances (Rain Dances 1991)
48:31 Uakti - Japurá River (Aguas da Amazonia 1999)
52:57 SQUID LID - Waterwheel Waltz (Steam Powered Submarine 2009)
55:42 Anantakara - La Force Du Coeur (Forgotten Key 2021)
59:02 So Percussion - Threads: X. Chorale Prelude (Threads 2011)
63:19 Shadowfax - Vajra (Shadowfax 1982)
67:32 Kronos Quartet - Escalay 'Waterwheel' (Pieces Of Africa 1992)
71:24 Nik Tyndall - Timeless (Lagoon 1990)
76:50 Robert Rich - The Abiding Wheel (Tactile Ground 2018)
81:40 Sonos Handbell Ensemble - II. Concerto in A minor(Adagio) (Classical Sonos)
85:28 Erik Friedlander - Waterwheel (Rings 2016)
90:10 Erik Wollo & Byron Metcalf - Distant Future (Earth Luminous 2016)
97:21 end

Sunday Sep 11, 2022

4th World Excursions - Slow Water

Sunday Sep 11, 2022

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I love the strange exotic sounds of artists such as Jon Hassell, Andrew Pekler, and William Selman. Their music can take you on an audio journey to imaginary places halfway around the globe. My first 4th World Excursion mix was 4 years ago and I've only done one follow up, which is weird considering how much I enjoy this style.

Here are the first two in this series:

https://www.mixcloud.com/lowlight/folding-water-fourth-world-excursions/

https://www.mixcloud.com/lowlight/strange-beauty-4th-world-excursions-vol-2/

And here is the new follow up - 4th World Excursions - Slow Water.

This new mix follows a similar pattern and feel as the other two - using a combination of field recordings and the sounds of bells, drums, vibraphone, various mallet instruments, the vibe creates a feeling of floating in a small wooden boat in a lagoon somewhere in Indonesia. As the waves lap against the boat you can hear distant drums, crickets, jungle birds, frogs, and odd instruments lulling you to sleep. Of course there are electronic elements to keep things interesting.

Here links to all the albums used in this mix in the order in which they appear:

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Jason Kolàr - Bells (Liquid Rhythm 2022)
04:00 Vague Imaginaries - Montagnes Flottantes (L'île D'or 2020)
07:50 Jarguna - Shuar Tales (Animas-k 2021)
10:20 Thunder & FX
11:40 Ethan Braun & Sam Gendel - 1/2 Sculpture (Rio Nilo 66 2021)
14:40 David de la Haye - The Pond Listener (With Ears Underwater 2022)
15:20 David de la Haye - March Towards the Light (With Ears Underwater 2022)
16:05 Inhmost - Waters Edge (Early Horizons 2021)
20:10 Mark Templeton - Channel Shifting (Ocean Front Property 2020)
22:00 Mike Cooper - Towards Great Piles Of Masonry (Oceans Of Milk & Treacle 2022)
23:45 Andrew Pekler & Giuseppe Ielasi - Baden-Baden (Palimpsests 2021)
26:12 Jason Kolàr - Magic Random Exotism (Liquid Rhythm 2022)
29:15 Vague Imaginaries - Mais (L'île D'or 2020)
34:40 William Selman - Realgar Bay (Naming Before Names 2020)
40:18 Maps and Diagrams - One Day (Teygja Part B 2021)
42:35 Pauline Anna Strom - Tropical Rainforest (Angel Tears in Sunlight 2021)
47:25 Hawsepiper - Air Stones (Red Knot Returns 2021)
51:15 Andrew Pekler - Tuanahe (Sounds From Phantom Islands 2019)
55:15 Felipe Otondo – Mombasa (Mombasa 2022)
57:25 Loren Nerell & Mark Seelig - Kayon (Tree of Life 2014)
58:45 Ultramarine - Signals Into Space (The Sun in the East 2020)
65:00 end

Sunday Aug 28, 2022

Walk Softly Upon This Earth - A Handpan Journey

Sunday Aug 28, 2022

The Handpan, or Hang, is a percussion instrument related to the Caribbean steelpan instrument. It is like a convex version of a steel drum with the two halves attached together. The instrument has been used in a lot of new age music and faux new-age eastern mysticism. Like a lot of new age music instrumentation there is a fine line between enjoyable, relaxing ambient and new age schlock. Unfortunately, many time use of the handpan falls into the latter category.

That being said, I do occasionally like the sound of the handpan and I don't care about healing energy and mystical power crapola. I just like the sound. While relaxing outside on my deck I came across Musical Incense vol. 1 by Laura Inserra. It became my go to music for zoning out in a chaise lounge while doom-scrolling Twitter, a habit I really need to break.

I decided to make an all handpan mix. The vibe is slow and relaxing. Sometimes handpan players can show off with their hands racing around the instrument to create intricate patterns. That style has its place but not in this mix. I tried to keep the pace slow and the vibe relaxing.

I can imagine some folks complaining that it all sounds the same. But that's what I like about this mix - it feels like one long handpan track. I can really zone out to it.

Here are links to all the albums used in this mix in the order in which they appear:

Kick back and come along on this relaxing handpan journey.

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Laura Inserra - Passage I (Musical Incense vol. 1)
05:40 Christopher Of The Wolves - Dream Sequence (Rhythms Of Sleep)
13:52 James Hood - Stereoscopic Mindgasm (Pure Ceremony)
18:10 Calm Whale - Awaken Earth - Handpan Journey
30:45 Laura Inserra - Passage III (Musical Incense vol. 1)
40:15 Christopher Of The Wolves - Surrender (Reiki - Healing Music)
51:12 James Hood - 12 Uses of Time (Pure Ceremony)
59:00 Ravid Goldschmidt - Calm Upon You(hang solo) (Calm Upon You)
63:45 end