low light mixes

https://feed.podbean.com/lowlightmixes/feed.xml

1.4M

Downloads

489

Episodes

Ambient music mixes for a chaotic world

Episodes

Sunday May 15, 2022

Fractal Panorama - Guitar Space Rock

Sunday May 15, 2022

Seven years ago I did a mix called "Space Rock" that is unique in the Low Light Mixes catalog. It's a collection of instrumental tunes that are guitar driven and are a bit spacey, a little prog rock, and with some post-rock tossed in as well. You can find to original mix here: http://lowlightmixes.blogspot.com/2015/04/space-rock.html

I've always wanted to do a follow-up mix but never got around to until now. So here is "Fractal Panorama - Guitar Space Rock". It's a set of new and old instrumentals with the same vibe as the first mix. I was happy to have dug up some really old cuts from 1972, '73 & '74. I was especially psyched to have stumbled on the Richard Pinhas homage to Robert Fripp with the track "In the Wake of King Fripp" from 1974. But my favorite cut in the mix is "Slowburn" by Sonar With David Torn. It's got this great, slightly menacing vibe to it.

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 The Re-Stoned - Fractal Panorama (Stories of the Astral Lizard 2018)
09:50 Dungen - Kalifen(versio) (Haxan - Versions by Prins Thomas 2017)
17:20 Agitation Free - First Communication (2nd 1973)
22:46 Maat Lander - Planet of the Intelligent Gas-shaped Lifeforms (Seasons of Space Book #12017)
27:50 Sonar With David Torn - Slowburn (Tranceportation Vol. 2 2020)
37:00 Papir - IIII (IIII 2014)
41:50 Achim Reichel & Machines - Invitations (Echo 1972)\
46:45 Heldon - In the Wake of King Fripp (Allez Teia 1974)
53:12 My Brother the Wind - Once There Was A Time When Time And Space Were One (Once There Was A Time When Time And Space Were One 2014)
56:32 My Brother the Wind - Epilogue (Once There Was A Time When Time And Space Were One 2014)
60:49 end

Sunday May 08, 2022

A Faint Resemblance - Tapes & Topographies mix

Sunday May 08, 2022

A new album from Tapes and Topographies dropped last week and as expected it is very good. Tapes & Topographies is one of my favorite ambient artists so I asked if they would do a guest mix. And I am happy to present "A Faint Resemblance".

I'm stealing this background info from friend of the blog, Harry Towell over at Whitelabrecs. "Tapes and Topographies is US based artist Todd Gautreau, who has had music releases on labels such as Past Inside the Present, Dronarivm, Shimmering Moods and his own imprint, Simulacra. His project has been active since 2014 following his previous alias Tear Ceremony and he also produces a downtempo as Sonogram."

This mix hits the sweet spot for me - the perfect combo of dusty noise and loops and ambience to create a dreamy, meandering mix. If you like that kind of sound and enjoy the mix the definitely check the new Tapes and Topographies album. Here's the link:

https://tapesandtopographies.bandcamp.com/album/modalities

Here is a list of all the albums used in this mix in the order in which they appear:

Thanks Todd for a great mix!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Tapes and Topographies - With that being said (Modalities 2022)
06:25 r beny - Ektar 100 (Seafoam & Dust 2020)
10:00 The Lifted Index - Chronologic Moss (Host of Living Forms 2021)
13:00 Jogging House - Strangers (Holds 2021)
17:35 Color of Time - Color of Time (Color of Time 2021)
20:05 Andrew Tasselmeyer - Becoming (Vantage Points 2018)
22:22 Tomosla - Possum (A Small Town In The Mountains 2021)
25:20 Tapes and Topographies - Verticals (Modalities 2022)
29:10 Halftribe - Imperfect (Archipelago 2020)
35:05 Sonogram - Certainly Obscured (Cubists 2012)
41:10 zaké - Variation (Sound Space Variations 2022)
44:25 Brian Eno - Chamber Lightness (Lightness 1997)
56:34 end

Sunday May 01, 2022

Space Requiem - A Tribute to Klaus Schulze

Sunday May 01, 2022

Klaus Schulze 1947 - 2022

Klaus Schulze, considered to be a godfather figure in electronic music, died this week. I'd say he was one of the big four of early electronic music pioneers which in addition to Schulze would include Jean-Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk, and Tangerine Dream.

I've always enjoyed his music but I was a bigger fan of the other three artists in that group. That being said, somehow I still ended up accumulating around 20 of his albums. He released more than 60 during his life.

This mix is a collection of his solo work and his collaborations as well as his early work in the groups Ash Ra Tempel & Cosmic Jokers. This set is expanded in length because so many of his tracks are long. While putting this together is was great to rediscover that I love the album Transfer Station Blue. Check it out if you get the chance.

https://michaelshrieve.bandcamp.com/album/transfer-station-blue

Take time to remember Klaus, listen to this mix and seek out some of his myriad recordings.

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Klaus Schulze - Floating (Moondawn 1976)
07:09 Ash Ra Tempel - Amboss (Ash Ra Tempel 1971)
10:20 Michael Shrieve & Kevin Shrieve & KS - Communique (Transfer Station Blue 1984)
23:10 Pete Namlook & KS - Set the control for the heart of the mother 5 (Dark Side of the Moog 9 2002)
30:48 Lisa Gerrard & KS - Unity (Come Quietly 2009)
32:15 Klaus Schulze - Dune (Dune 1979)
37:55 Cosmic Jokers - Galactic Joke (Cosmic Jokers 1973)
41:50 Stomu Yamashta - Space Requiem (Go 1976)
42:53 Klaus Schulze - Minority Report (Eternal: The 70th Birthday Edition 2017)
55:55 Klaus Schulze - My Ty She (Ballet 3 2007)
1:28:50 Richard Wahnfried - The End - Someday (Trancelation 1994)
1:32:45 end

Sunday Apr 24, 2022

Totally Ambient

Sunday Apr 24, 2022

Here's the latest in a series of simple, straightforward ambient mixes. It started with Simply Ambient then we also had Always Ambient, Purely Ambient, and Absolutely Ambient.

This is a mix with no theme or story or concept. Just excellent ambient tracks. All the cuts used here are from 2022.

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

https://krysalisound.bandcamp.com/album/our-own-unknown

https://jogginghouse.bandcamp.com/album/weight

https://ambientologist.bandcamp.com/album/the-unavoidable-death-of-loneliness

https://projektrecords.bandcamp.com/album/neogene

https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com/album/bullfinch

https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com/album/1989

https://aliodie.bandcamp.com/album/distillation-of-time

https://wreathmusic.bandcamp.com/album/green-wall

https://andrewheath.bandcamp.com/album/quiet-noise

https://michaelscottdawson.bandcamp.com/album/music-for-listening

https://krysalisound.bandcamp.com/album/imaginary-taleshttps://polarseasrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/restful-spaces

https://benmcelroy.bandcamp.com/

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Austin Rockman - Illuma (Our Own Unknown on [Krysalisound 2022)
06:52 Jogging House - Shape (Weight on Seil 2022)
11:08 Sven Laux & Logic Moon - A Cascade Made of Stars (The Unavoidable Death of Loneliness on Ambientologist 2022)
15:50 Jarguna - Neogene (Neogene 2022)
20:48 headland - jellybone (bullfinch on Whitelabrecs 2022)
25:02 Jens Pauly - Ohne (1989 on Whitelabrecs 2022)
29:35 Alio Die - L'estasi Del Silenzio (Distillation Of Time on Hic Sunt Leones 2022)
35:15 wreath - Esjan (Green Wall on Stereoscenic 2022)
38:06 Andrew Heath - Particle Drift (Quiet Noise on Whitelabrecs 2022)
42:43 Michael Scott Dawson - Praise and Other (Music for Listening 2022)
45:00 Wil Bolton & Francis Gri - The relief in an empty row (Imaginary Tales on Krysalisound 2022)
51:09 Harry Towell & Guy Gelem - The Springs (Restful Spaces on Polar Seas 2022)
56:20 Ben McElroy - Bed Down in the Murk (How I Learnt To Disengage From The Pack on The Slow Music Movement 2022)
61:00 end

Sunday Apr 17, 2022

Severance - and alternative soundtrack

Sunday Apr 17, 2022

I love doing these alternative soundtrack mixes. I believe this is the fifth one I made. Sometimes I have the mix take the soundtrack in a different direction and sometimes I simply follow the vibe of the original with all new tracks. This mix takes the later approach.

For anyone not familiar with it, Severance is a series on AppleTV+, an eerie dystopia where people can sever their work life from their home life with a brain implant. Variations on the main theme are used throughout the show. It's just odd & sinister enough to leave you feeling off kilter. Here's the opening credit sequence:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmS3m0OG-Ug

And here's the series trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJYlG5I4rOk

I was happy to have stumbled upon a collection of Erik Satie piano pieces that I've had for 40 years and found that the Gnossienne tracks worked perfectly with the feel of the Severance theme. Another common sound in the show is ticking or pulsing so you hear that in the Hans Zimmer cut and The Nick Cave track as well as a few others.

Even if you don't watch the show I hope you enjoy the mix.

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Just a Human - The Basement (2022)
01:20 Hans Zimmer - The Mole (Dunkirk 2017)
02:58 Erik Satie - Gnossienne No. 1 (Early Piano Works, Vol. 1 1975)
08:31 Roedelius & Tim Story - Seeweed (4 Hands 2022)
12:19 Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - Orphans of Krypton (Watchmen 2019)
14:11 Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - Red Ford (Kings OST 2018)
16:18 Piero Umiliani - Sole Percussioni (Continente Nero 1975)
18:50 Martin Glass - Okinawa Fantasia (The Pacific VIsions Of Martin Glass 2017)
20:10 Wilburn Burchette - Witch's Will (I Am The Center: Private Issue New Age In America, 1950-1990, 2013)
21:33 Eli Keszler - Realtor Creep (The Scary of Sixty-First 2021)
22:14 Angelo Badalamenti & David Lynch - Mysterioso #2 Film Version (Twin Peaks Archive 2011)
25:38 Nicholas Britell - Keepers of the Keys and Seals (If Beale Street Could Talk 2018)
27:20 Klaus Gesing, Björn Meyer, Samuel Rohrer - What We Leave (Amiira 2016)
32:08 Erik Satie - Gnossienne No. 4 (Early Piano Works, Vol. 1 1975)
35:02 Corey Fuller & Richard Skelton - Insula (Isolarii 2022)
38:19 Klaus Gesing, Björn Meyer, Samuel Rohrer - Flimmer (Amiira 2016)
40:20 Seefeel - Monastic (Succour [Redux] 2021)
46:08 Tale Of Us - Alla sera (Endless 2017)
52:09 Erik Satie - Gnossienne No. 3 (Early Piano Works, Vol. 1 1975)
56:33 end

Sunday Apr 03, 2022

Listening in the Dark (Mystical Ambience #4) by Paul Asbury Seaman

Sunday Apr 03, 2022

vincent-chin-KRVmB7wraZ4-unsplash%20%5Bicon%5D.jpg

"Listening in the Dark" is such a great title for an ambient mix. I've listened to a lot of these mixes in the dark - sitting on the deck at night, in bed before sleep, stargazing, etc. I wonder how many folks purposely listen to ambient & electronic music in the dark. I remember playing the Conet Project recordings in the dark and a friend said it was a little too freaky. This mix is definitely not freaky.

This is the latest installment in Paul Asbury Seaman's "Mystical Ambience" series. And like the others, it's a great collection of tunes, some of which are not in my normal ambient rotation. But that's why I love getting mixes from Paul, they expose me to new artists and styles. Here's what he has to say about this compilation:

“Here’s another mixed genre program, including one (just one) spoken word song early in the set. I find it interesting that, metaphorically, darkness has many more layers than what we associate with light. It can be scary and impenetrable, but also part of the hero’s journey into deeper understanding, or working through the infamous dark night of the soul. As Guy Clark says it, there’s a world of things you can’t see in the day time. And some folks take comfort in that.”

Thanks for putting this together, Paul!

Links to all the albums in this mix in the order in which they appear:

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Sherry Finzer & Karasvana - Music of the Spheres (Centered 2022)
04:30 Guy Clark - The Dark (The Dark 2002)
08:00 Art Patience - The Unknown (The Unknown 2022)
14:05 Tom Moore & Tim Sadow - Gravity Free (Looking for the Timeless 2021)
20:00 M.NOMIZED - Virus (Ice Bells-A Tribute To Björk 2018)
25:12 Peter Phippen - Northern Lights (Into the Ancient 2022)
28:56 Jeff Johnson & Brian Dunning - Tara Hill (Eirlandia 2018)
31:56 Popol Vuh - Lacrime Dei Rei (Best Soundtracks From Werner Herzog Films 1991)
37:37 ASC - Surrounded by Silence (No Stars Without Darkness 2016)
44:18 Sherry Finzer & Karasvana - Sacred Spiral (Centered 2022)
49:10 Lorenzo Montana - Vertical Corridors (Descent 2022)
53:33 Johan Agebjörn & Mikael Ögren - The Hall of Crystals (Artefact 2021)
57:57 Astropilot - Night Meeting(Winter Dreams Version) (Pineland 2022)
60:38 Robin Guthrie & Harold Budd - After Dark (Another Flower 2020)
65:07 end

Sunday Mar 27, 2022

International Piano Day 2022

Sunday Mar 27, 2022

International Piano day takes place on the 88th day of the year, in honor of the number of keys on a piano keyboard. In 2022 that day is March 29th. So, as in years past, I have put together a mix of piano tracks to celebrate Piano Dat 2022.

This set starts off a bit different from those I've done before. Most are solo piano type mixes but this one starts off with 5 tracks that have more of an electronic vibe. After that we return to my normal nebulous, random note type of piano stuff. Then finishing off with a few more composed tracks.

pianoday.org

https://leiter.bandcamp.com/album/piano-day-compilation-vol-1

Cheers and Happy Piano Day!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Aukai - Distracted By Clouds(Ben Lukas Boysen Remix) (Branches Of Sun2017)
04:38 Mike Lazarev - All That Remains (Places for Peace 2022)
06:57 Arovane & Hior Chronik - The Return (Into My Own 2017)
09:46 Chris Hyson - Nocturne (Human Error 2017)
14:18 Jon Hopkins - A Drifting Up (Insides 2008)
18:25 Andrew Tasselmyer - Missing Pieces of Self (Limits 2022)
23:00 William Basinski & Janek Schaefer - on reflection (“ . . . on reflection " 2022)
29:55 unknown - generative pno
37:27 Nebel lang - Where Are You (Directions For Stopping 2022)
42:23 Spheruleus - Frozen (Frozen Quarters 2010)
44:30 Maps and Diagrams - Gehen (Marhofn 2022)
46:20 Jonathan Yandel - Impromptu No. 1 (Inner Ocean 2017)
53:38 Rob Simonsen - Argenté (Rêveries 2019)
57:40 grotta veterano - slaap (sleeplaboratory3.0 2022)
61:02 end

Sunday Mar 20, 2022

rainfall meditation ’22

Sunday Mar 20, 2022

AVvXsEgEWPhnCboIzEYJx3odiTHFQ8rRmbJF77sSGub5_wSVukoL7fL28lGZRCVMVcmaOLRnV1FQnF3h6B11BXE22DADXqrEfO1tj3yHuLd0uBMTHufbqirHr33TIWRM6DKPhvR5mfqvgeTAQYW7euETyWA6qrRj7XhGrvzs2IoSWnl_-uW6KqQYXA=s320

This mix is perfect for spring. Here the rain is the main attraction. It dominates the sound. I purposely mixed the audio from the music fairly low so that it sounds like it's playing in the background somewhere.

I did a similar mix back in August of 2020 - https://www.mixcloud.com/lowlight/rainfall-meditation/ and this one is the same idea. Enjoy this mix as winter snow turns to spring rain.

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 rain(duh)
00:40 Brian Eno - Hannah (Sisters 2017)
06:30 Austin Rockman (Our Own Unknown 2022)
10:50 Janek Schaefer - Beam Me Up (Glitter In My Tears 2017)
14:00 Calm Whale - Blue Moon Wind Chimes Meditation (2017)
22:22 Konstruct - Driftwood (Soundworks 2022)
26:45 Pepo Galán - Sowing (A Speechless Body 2022)
31:00 Andrew Tasselmyer - Our Own Private Libraries (Limits 2022)
37:15 David Cordero - El bosque animado (VA Home Normal 2020)
42:12 Brian Eno - LUX 4 (LUX 2012)
52:25 Lo-Fang - Himalayan Singing Bowls in The Hoh Rainforest pt. 1 (Near Other Worlds 2020)
60:00 generative piano
64:53 end

Sunday Mar 13, 2022

I dreamed I had to take a test...

Sunday Mar 13, 2022

The spoken word in music is a tricky thing. A lot of people really dislike it. And I totally get that. Most of the time I think it's distracting or annoying or cheesy. But obviously someone like Laurie Anderson is able to pull it off successfully. If I use a track with spoken word in an ambient mix it can ruin the mood so I decided to make an entire mix featuring tracks with spoken word.

What got me going on this mix was discovering an Eno EP from 2011. I was already familiar with his album, Drums Between The Bells, which features the poetry of Rick Holland. But I somehow missed the EP, Panic of Looking. As I listened to it for the first time I wondered if I could construct an entire mix based on spoken word tracks. There are tracks from both of the previously mention Eno albums and of course a few Laurie Anderson cuts. And I think the final result works pretty darn well.

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Brian Eno - the real (Drums Between The Bells 2011)
06:42 Laurie Anderson - Tightrope (Bright Red 1994)
11:51 Blurry The Explorer - Orange Tree Fallen (Blurry The Explorer 2021)
16:02 Felicia Atkinson With Sylvain Chauveau - Aberdeen (Roman Anglais 2008)
20:02 Balmorhea - Day Dawns In Your Right Eye (The Wind 2021)
23:33 Ryuichi Sakamoto - life, life (Async 2017)
27:40 Laurie Anderson - World Without End (Bright Red 1994)
30:09 Just a Human & David Ignatow - Revive & The World is So Difficult to Give Up...
32:22 Brian Eno - fierce aisles of light (Drums Between The Bells 2011)
34:33 Kate Tempest - Hold Your Own (The Book Of Traps And Lessons 2019)
38:25 Erland Cooper - Noup Head (Hether Blether 2020)
41:57 Cassandra Jenkins - Hard Drive (An Overview on Phenomenal Nature 2021)
46:51 Laurie Anderson - I dreamed I had to take a test... (United States Live 1984)
47:58 Ryuichi Sakamoto - fullmoon (Async 2017)
52:42 Brian Eno - Not A Story (Panic Of Looking 2011)
53:45 Brian Eno - the airman (Drums Between The Bells 2011)
56:52 Laurie Anderson - Lighting Out for the Territories (United States Live 1984)
59:04 end

Sunday Mar 06, 2022

The Power of Memory by Altus

Sunday Mar 06, 2022

AVvXsEg7PjWDWHPuer8QlJAmRVHF5azcw02RIG39DI2UeCBiDFEnlsDr6yl95JIUOGc_1Tz18AZ4U2VBVYDmZ4T4v6c__gwSjlHRzdIo4yXrqMI4EkyYjLwdBcCX44tIfTMCXQ59t6Oi3cahfMQBZcGGvb_vBatn_7OjyBI8yY3x7qa9XNbYnPMUHg=s320

The first time I used a track from Altus in a mix was 10 years ago. I've been a fan ever since. Altus is Mike Carss, who also records as Loneward. Between those two musical personas, I've used Mike's music in 10 mixes.

After listening to the new Loneward album, Pallid Memories, I asked Mike if he could create a guest mix for me. Luckily, he said yes and now we have this wonderful new collection, The Power of Memory. I've been listening to it nearly every day for the last two weeks and I just can't say enough about this mix. It transports the listener through space and time.

Here's what Mike says about this mix:

Our brains are mysterious machines when you regard how memory works. If you listen to new music and it causes you to sit up and take notice, there's a chance that moment in time will encode itself into the soundwaves. With each repeated listen, you can reinforce that, recording fragments of those periods of time. Afterward, no matter how long a time gap, if you listen to that song again, you can enjoy the memories held within. This makes the music yours and deeply personal.

Even more interesting is when you listen to new music and it simply unearths nostalgia within you.

The final track in this mix, written by me (Loneward), is my way of expressing both these phenomena.

As you might have guessed, each song (aside from the final track) has deep meaning to me. I'm happy to be able to share them with you, and I hope the music moves you enough to explore the albums they came from.

When Dave asked me to guest mix for LLM, I thought: yeah, that sounds like a fun project. I've never done anything like this before but knew there was an art to it. Now, I have a whole new level of respect for those who create these mixes. Coming up with a set list is one thing, but getting them to actually work together without unwanted dissonance . . .? Ouch!

My thanks to Dave for the opportunity. I hope you enjoy the journey.

- Mike

You can find Altus & Loneward music here - https://altusmusic.bandcamp.com/

Links to every album used in this set, in the same order in which they appear in the mix:

Also thanks to Mike for collecting this social info for all the artists in the mix:

Facebook:

Srg
@robertrichmusic
@hakobuneongaku
Jess Kahr
@Ex Confusion
@christophersiskmusic
@mattborghi
Awakened Souls
@kwajbasket
Norihito Suda
Ajna & @Massergy
@eternellmusic
@dirk.serries
Wings Of An Angel
@SteveRoachMusic

Twitter:

Srg
@robertrichmusic
@hakobunemusic
Jess Kahr
@exconfusion
@christophersisk
@mattborghi
@souls_awakened
@Kwajbasket
Norihito Suda
Ajna & @massergy
@illuvia
Dirk Serries
@WingsAmbient
@steve_timeroom

Instagram:

Srg
@robertrichmusic
@tobirarecs
Jess Kahr
@exconfusion
@christophersisk
@mattborghimusic
@awakenedsoulsmusic
@kwajbasket
Norihito Suda
@ajna_drone & @massergy_ambient
@ludvigcimbrelius
@dirkserries
Wings Of An Angel
@steveroachofficial

Thanks again, Mike, for creating this gem!

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Srg - Mantra 28th Oct 2008 (Self Released 2008)
04:51 Robert Rich - Seascape (Trances & Drones on Release Entertainment 2000)
09:19 Hakobune - Whispering In Their Presence (Whispering In Their Presence on Sunshine Ltd 2012)
14:21 Jess Kahr - ICA (The North Shore on Darla Records 2004)
17:29 Ex Confusion - Speak Softly In My Dreams (Embrace on n5MD 2012)
21:00 Christopher Sisk - 03 (Light 1 on Christopher Sisk Music 2012)
24:30 Matt Borghi - Dream Journal (Music for Meditation and Sleep - Short Forms, Vol. 1 on SloBor Media 2020)
27:28 Awakened Souls - How We Heal (How We Heal on Stereoscenic 2020)
30:37 Kwajbasket - Do Not Go to the Medical Deck (Science Fiction Soundtrack / Self Released 2012)
32:37 Norihito Suda - Acceptance (Modestly Calm on Somehow Recordings 2011)
35:19 Ajna & Massergy - White Spinels (Self Titled EP / Self Released 2013)
38:25 Eternell - Gray Havens (Waking Music / Self Released 2013)
41:00 Vidna Obmana - Forever Grown (Passage In Beauty on Decade Collection 1991)
44:10 Wings Of An Angel - Your Clinic Of Asunderous Therapeutic Atrophies Has Won This Year's Nobel Prize (Don't Trust The Sun / Self Released 2015)
48:07 Steve Roach - Dream Body (Mystic Chords & Sacred Spaces on Projekt 2003)
52:41 Loneward - A Collection of Lesser Moments (Pallid Memories on Altus Music 2022)
60:34 end