low light mixes

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Ambient music mixes for a chaotic world

Episodes

Friday Sep 27, 2024

End of Summer Noise by Black Brunswicker

Friday Sep 27, 2024

This mix is another great example of why I enjoy guest mixes so much. This collection of tunes starts off rather noisy, hence the title. It's a style of music that I don't go to very often. But it's very cool to hear in this mix.

Our guest this time is Ethan Helfrich, who records under the name Black Brunswicker. They have a new album out called "Been Around Here Before" and you can find it here:

https://blackbrunswicker.bandcamp.com/album/been-around-here-before

Here's what Ethan says about the mix:

"This is a collection of some music that I've been listening to recently, as well as some old favourites. Having spent 2 months in the US this past summer visiting family and traveling for gigs, I spent a lot of time on the road. It brought me back to music I used to play on my daily commute, when my days were soundtracked by the incessant humming of Chicago's highways (listen to "I Think This Heat is Getting to My Head" off my new album for the reference). While most of this isn’t what people might consider ambient — and I don’t really listen to ambient music much anymore — it’s instrumental guitar music that shares a similar feeling. It transports you to different worlds and headspaces or, at the very least, keeps you company on your morning drive."

Thanks, Ethan, for the trip this mix takes us on.

Cheers!

T R A CK L I S T :

00:00 Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Fire at Static Valley (G_d's Pee AT STATE'S END! 2021)
05:44 Russian Circles - Ghost on High (Blood Year 2019)
07:55 Wolves In The Throne Room - Dia Artio (Two Hunters 2007)
13:25 Sleep - The Sciences (The Sciences 2018)
16:10 Grouper - I Saw A Ray (A I A: Dream Loss 2011)
20:20 Black Brunswicker - Down at the Creek (Been Around Here Before 2024)
23:25 William Tyler - Highway Anxiety (Modern Country 2016)
32:20 Jack Rose - Miss May's Place (Dr. Ragtime & His Pals 2008)
34:53 John Fahey - America(Re-Recorded Version) (Death Chants, Breakdowns And Military Waltzes 1964)
39:48 Black Brunswicker - The Cave (Been Around Here Before 2024)
43:27 Fripp & Eno - Evening Star (Evening Star 1975)
50:45 Bobby Lee - Walking with Trees(Live) (Cosmic Country Revue Live at PDV 2023)
54:41 end

Thursday Sep 19, 2024

Primordial Dreams

Thursday Sep 19, 2024

This is a collection of tribal ambient tunes. Think frame drums and synth washes. Think Steve Roach & Robert Rich - "Strata." Think Byron Metcalf.

There's really not much else to say, if you like the sounds mentioned above, you'll enjoy this mix.

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Louigi Verona - Geothermal Rising (Abiogenesis 2024)
06:30 Steve Jansen & Richard Barbieri - Remains Of A Fragile Illusion (Other Worlds In A Small Room 1995)
11:11 Byron Metcalf & Mark Seelig - A Teacher Appears (Kali Raga 2024)
20:52 Glasbird - Lokoteraina (A Sonic Expedition 2024)
23:40 Mystic AM - Thus Spoke Zarathustra / The Djinn (Cardamom & Laudanum 2022)
31:42 Cowboy Sadness - Billings, MT (Selected Jambient Works Vol. 1 2024)
35:45 Byron Metcalf - Nine (The Shaman's Heart II 2011)
44:10 The Rain Dogs - Delta Drift (Variations (i) 2020)
50:45 Craig Leon - The Gates Made Plain (Anthology of Interplanetary Folk Music Vol. 2: The Canon 2019)
56:10 Frore & Shane Morris - Into The Dust (Ochre 2023)
67:30 end

Wednesday Sep 11, 2024

Sequencer City

Wednesday Sep 11, 2024

I have been on a huge sequencer/Berlin-school bender for the last few months. I think it goes back to Paul's train mix back in May. Through that mix I found the music of Gert Blokzijl - https://gertblokzijl.bandcamp.com/. I gobbled up a number of his albums immediately. Then last month I discovered the music of Martin Stürtzer - https://phelios.bandcamp.com/ He's got a ton of stuff out there and it's all good. I'm not sure how I missed him until now, but I'm glad I found him.

While listening to all this music I just knew I had to create a mix full of sequencer or Berlin-school tracks. Most of the tunes are new with 5 of them from 2024, a few more from 2019 to 2022. And one golden oldie from 1983 by Edgar Froese. I really enjoyed putting this one together so look for another before the end of the year.

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

https://gertblokzijl.bandcamp.com/album/upgraded-from-the-past

https://phelios.bandcamp.com/album/dyson-sphere-alpha

https://www.amazon.com/Pinnacles-Edgar-Froese/dp/B000025JRO

https://jfitoussi.bandcamp.com/album/plein-soleil

https://open.spotify.com/album/5RRCLKU2zA5aUV68mFdeXV?si=b9G9HLZFShq3DgesJXyDEw

https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B09GW384VC?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_cjTbSCQAjo8lzOi3OXvrbvGhh

https://thombrennan.bandcamp.com/album/eventide

https://synphaera.bandcamp.com/album/wave-interference

https://tronestamjohan.bandcamp.com/album/somewhere-far-away

https://phelios.bandcamp.com/album/lander-modules

https://the-rosen-corporation.bandcamp.com/album/icy-nights-awakening

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Gert Blokziji - Upgraded From The Past 1 (Upgraded From The Past 2019)
06:52 Martin Stürtzer - Uncharted Systems (Dyson Sphere Alpha 2021)
14:00 Edgar Froese - Specific Gravity Of Smile (Pinnacles 1983)
22:00 Jonathan Fitoussi - Rayons solaires (Plein Soleil 2020)
27:12 Just a Human - Pulse (2024)
29:37 Pye Corner Audio - Earthwork (Entangled Routes 2021)
33:24 Thom Brennan - Eventide Pt. 3 (Eventide 2022)
38:20 Lars Leonhard - Wavelength Dreams (Wave Interference 2024)
44:22 Johan Tronestam - The Castle Above The Clouds (Somewhere Far Away 2024)
50:00 Martin Stürtzer - The Last Outpost (Lander Modules 2024)
57:42 The Rosen Corporation - Part Two (Icy Night's Awakening 2024)
63:23 end

Wednesday Sep 04, 2024

Story Time by Paul Asbury Seaman

Wednesday Sep 04, 2024

book-8794154_1920%20by%20Marijakes,%20Pixabay.jpg

Sometimes a mix comes along at just the right time. This new mix from Paul comes as summer has ended and the weather, at least around here, has turned a bit chilly. There's something about this collection of tracks that seems to work well with this change of seasons.

This mix is different from the usual LLM fair and definitely a change in direction for Paul, a temporary change but a welcome one. These are all vocal tunes, each with its own story to tell.

Here's what Paul says about this compilation:

“Just some of my favorite story songs from the past few decades. Some classics and some I hope will be a delightful discovery for you, as they were to me. Interesting that more than half of them turned out to be about death. But we end on a hopeful note, celebrating life, the universe and friendship.”

Perfect for night time listening around a fire with a good whiskey. Thanks Paul!

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Michael Smith - Panther in Michigan (Love Stories 1992)

04:43 Mary Lee's Corvette - Tangled Up In Blue (Blood On The Tracks 2011)

11:01 The Chieftains - The Magdalene Laundries (Tears Of Stone 1999)

15:50 John McCutcheon - Christmas In The Trenches (Winter Solstice 1984)

21:16 The Longest Johns - Fire & Flame (Cures What Ails Ya 2020)

23:38 Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Powderfinger (Rust Never Sleeps 1979)

29:02 James Keelaghan - Cold Missouri Waters )A Recent Future 1995)

33:53 Gordon Lightfoot - The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald (Summertime Dream 1976)

40:15 Bruce Springsteen - You're Missing (The Rising 2002)

45:01 Laurie Rose Griffith - Easy Way to Live (Tocoi Light 2005)

50:20 James McMurtry - Crazy Wind (Too Long in the Wasteland 1989)

54:22 David Wilcox - Eye of the Hurricane (How Did You Find Me Here 1989)

57:51 Richard Thompson - 1952 Vincent Black Lightning (Rumor and Sigh 1991)

62:28 Lucinda Williams - Sweet Old World (Sweet Old World (1992)

67:09 Bruce Cockburn - Look How Far (Breakfast in New Orleans, Dinner in Timbuktu 1999)

72:40 end

Wednesday Aug 28, 2024

Current Ambient Obsessions August 2024

Wednesday Aug 28, 2024

Sometimes I go off on tangents with nostalgia mixes, guest mixes, jazz mixes, etc. and I can lose sight of the fact that this is primarily an ambient mix site. So now it's time for a straightforward ambient mix.

All the tracks in this set are from summer 2024, with a couple not even released yet. So super fresh.

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

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Polaroid Notes - Quiet Rooms (Quiet Rooms 2024)
05:55 PJS - Sky Dance (Flora 2024)
14:41 Tapes & Topographies - the clouds and the briars (Plumage 2024)
17:40 Philippe Deschamps - The Silence of Pallas (The Silence of Pallas 2024)
21:12 Metric System 1981 - Down To The Sea (Down To The Sea 2024)
22:20 Toàn & Francis Gri - Rêve quatre (Le tissage des rêves 2024)
28:30 Glasbird - Days of Iron and Steam (Fenscapes 2024)
34:12 Akmuo - Terapija 1 (feat. VS & Emilija) (Sielos Terapija 2024)
36:30 Thorny & Matt Borghi - Outside the Circle I (Fragments of Distance 2024)
41:12 Scattered Light - Beacons (Beacons 2024)
44:50 Mount Shrine - A Slow Plane Part 1 (The Mount Hibiki Tapes 2024)
52:05 ARROWOUNDS - Portasar (Burial Trances of the Tentacled Sect 2024)
56:02 Michael Scott Dawson - Mojave Flowers (feat. Michael Grigoni) (The Tinnitus Chorus 2024)
60:28 end

Wednesday Aug 14, 2024

Communiqué '77 - '86

Wednesday Aug 14, 2024

When I was in college, a million years ago, I worked at the student radio station. There were some cool people there that turned me onto all sorts of new music. I had cassette tapes of several of the albums they introduced me to and I played them for years. I can't remember to put my garbage out on time but I can still picture the handwritten spines of cassette cases for albums like David Sylvian - Gone To Earth and Tangerine Dream - Hyperborea.

A few of my prized cassettes were from more obscure artists such as the 3 that start this mix - Clara Mondshine, Baffo Banfi, and Bernard Szajner. After listening to these albums recently, I decided to make an entire mix of artists from that cassette era. The result is a nostalgic trip back to the late 70s and early 80s for some electronic goodness.

The tracks range from more obscure artists like Lilienthal, Clara Mondshine, Baffo Banfi, and Bernard Szajner to more well known like Phil Mazanera & Richard Pinhas to the very well known Jean Michel Jarre & Al Di Meola. This collection takes me back to a specific time and works well as a cohesive mix. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I did.

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Clara Mondshine - Landing At Full Moon (Luna Africana 1981)
05:19 Baffo Banfi - Astralunato (Ma Dolce Vita 1979)
09:00 Bernard Szajner - The Memory (some deaths take forever 1980)
13:15 Richard Pinhas - Melodic Simple Transition (L'Ethique 1981)
16:45 Al Di Meola African Night (Scenario 1983)
21:00 Craig Leon - Region of Fleeing Civilians (Visiting 1982)
25:20 Phil Manzanera - Criollo (Primitive Guitars 1982)
30:10 Jean Michel Jarre - Magnetic Fields Part IV (Magnetic Fields 1981)
35:40 Michael Shrieve & Klaus Schulze - Communique (Transfer Station Blue 1986)
48:15 Roedelius - Weilchenwurzeln (Wenn der Südwind Weht 1981)
52:55 Michael Brook - Midday (Hybrid 1985)
58:41 Lilienthal - Gebremster Schaum (Lilienthal 1978)
64:50 end

Wednesday Aug 07, 2024

The Passing Of Time by Old Amica

Wednesday Aug 07, 2024

The guest mix hits just keep coming! This set come to us courtesy of Old Amica, a two-person band originally from Norrbotten, Sweden. Today they are separated by 1864km with one part in Stockholm, the other in Genève.

https://oldamica.bandcamp.com/

I was familiar with their work on the Whitelabrecs label:

https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com/album/taiga
https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com/album/fyr

So I was excited to hear about a new album coming out on August 9th. And then I was even more excited when they agreed to create a mix for LLM.

Here's what Johan & Linus say about this creation:

"This mix is a collection of songs and sounds that have had an influence on our new album “För alltid” (out August 9th via Le Mont Analogue [Dronarivm]). “För alltid” is an album about the passing of time, and we tried to break our sound down to its smallest constituents. Sounds that have always been there as a world of its own, but hid in the background."

Thanks so much for this excellent set! Be sure to check out their new release https://oldamica.bandcamp.com/album/f-r-alltid

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 The Beach Boys - Our Prayer (20/20 1969)
01:06 Jónsi & Alex - Atlas Song (Riceboy Sleeps 2009)
08:27 Julianna Barwick - The Harbinger (Nepenthe 2013)
14:02 Stars of the Lid - Dungtitled(In a major) (And their Refinement of the Decline 2007)
19:07 Oliver Coates - One Without (Aftersun [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] 2023)
23:51 Foreign Fields - Terrible Times (Reprise) (The Beauty of Survival 2020)
25:17 Old Amica - Mot natten (För alltid 2024)
32:12 Brian McBride - Overture(For Other Halfs) (When the Detail Lost its Freedom 2005)
38:41 Matti Bye - Open Sea (Capri Clouds 2024)
42:20 Hildur Guðnadóttir - 12 Hours Before (Chernobyl [Music from the Original TV Series] 2019)
44:30 Angelo Bandalamenti - Dark Space Low (Twin Peaks [Limited Event Series Soundtrack] 2017)
46:15 Ryuichi Sakamoto - fullmoon- immersion 2023 (async immersion 2023 2017)
51:03 Skator - Ljusa Tiden (excerpt) (År 2020)
52:20 Old Amica - Neckar (För alltid 2024)

Wednesday Jul 31, 2024

We Are Vaporized - The Music of Adam Wiltzie

Wednesday Jul 31, 2024

One of my favorite albums this year is Eleven Fugues For Sodium Pentothal by Adam Wiltzie.
https://adamwiltzie.bandcamp.com/album/eleven-fugues-for-sodium-pentothal

Adam has an extensive discography of work - ranging from solo albums & soundtracks to work in the groups Aix Em Klemm, The Dean Texan, and A Winged Victory For The Sullen. But he is most well known for his work as part of Stars of the Lid, one of the best ambient duos/groups of all time.

After listening to his new album I hauled out some of his other work and loved it all over again. So this mix is the result of me binging Adam's music for the last month or two. It's a great combo of ambient & modern classical. https://adamwiltzie.com/

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00. Adam Wiltzie - Tissue Of Lies (Eleven Fugues For Sodium Pentothal 2024)
02:42. A Winged Victory For The Sullen - So That the City Can Begin to Exist (Atmos 2014)
06:54. Aix Em Klemm - Sparkwood And Twentyone (Aix Em Klemm 2000)
13:28. Stars Of The Lid - Articulate Silences Part 1 (and Their Refinement of the Decline 2007)
18:40. Adam Wiltzie - the endless battle of the maudlin ballade part 3 (travels in constants, volume 24 2015)
21:06. A Winged Victory for the Sullen - A Minor Fifth Is Made Of Phantoms (The Undivided Five 2019)
24:18. The Dead Texan - The Struggle (The Dean Texan 2004)
29:10. Aix Em Klemm - The Luxury Of Dirt (Aix Em Klemm 2000)
35:00. Stars Of The Lid - Dust Breeding (1.316)+ (Avec Laudanum 1999)
40:40. Adam Wiltzie - We Were Vaporised (Eleven Fugues For Sodium Pentothal 2024)
43:23. The Dead Texan - Taco Me Manque (The Dead Texan 2004)
45:25. Stars Of The Lid - The Lonely People(Are Getting Lonelier) (The Tired Sounds Of Stars Of The Lid 2001)
55:18. A Winged Victory For The Sullen - All Farewells Are Sudden (A Winged Victory For The Sullen 2011)
62:20. end

Wednesday Jul 24, 2024

A Quiet Way - Mysterioso Vol. 2

Wednesday Jul 24, 2024

This year we've had quite a variety of mixes here at LLM headquarters. From underwater ambient to space rock guitar to alternative soundtracks to Thai funk/soul/psychedelia/surf rock. Now we take another turn, this time to atmospheric jazz.

I've done similar mixes in the past with Halloween sets and the original Mysterioso mix 7 years ago - https://www.mixcloud.com/lowlight/mysterioso/

This set comes to us from Kevin, a loyal listener & a man with excellent taste in music. He has provided us with three other great mixes, which you can find here:

https://lowlightmixes.blogspot.com/2020/07/not-seeing-is-flower.html
https://lowlightmixes.blogspot.com/2022/01/hymns-voices.html
https://lowlightmixes.blogspot.com/2021/07/cello-mood-swings.html

Here's what Kevin has to say about his mix:

"I was trying to put together an atmospheric, classic jazz mix of tunes inspired from a slowed down and reverb version of Glenn Miller's Moonlight Serenade. However, I had some trouble finding the tracks which matched what I had in mind. This ambient jazz mix happened instead.

There are a couple of ‘classics’, Duke Ellington’s haunting Solitude (1934) and Miles Davis' ethereal In A Silent Way (1969). The other tracks are fairly recent in comparison but all have a loose jazz theme. Once I had finished the mix I discovered the Low Light Mysterioso mix which has a very similar feel and thinking behind it, dark, ambient, brooding, atmospheric. So here is Mysterioso 2 hope you enjoy listening."

Thanks for the excellent mix, Kevin. Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Dale Cooper Quartet - Une Petit Cellier
05:00 Fausto Illusion Orchestra - Someone sang and slowly
10:38 Kilimanjaro Dark jazz ensemble - The Nothing Changes
15:18 Black Chamber - Teleology
19:30 Duke Ellington - Solitude
22:38 Dictaphone - Opening Night
27:03 Angelo Badalamenti - Dance of the Dream Man
30:14 Bohren and Der Club of Gore - Constant Fear
36:25 Michael Andrews - Liquid Spear Waltz
38:26 Manet - Zygomatic Bones For days
46:12 Trigg and Gusset - Promenade
50:28 Miles Davis - Silent Way(edit)
54:30 Somewhere off Jazz Street - Rest Your Head
59:43 end

Wednesday Jul 17, 2024

Summer Stargazing '24

Wednesday Jul 17, 2024

After the road trip music of Khruangbin, it's time to get back to some ambient tunes. There's not much to say about this mix other than I was going for a vibe of sitting outside on a warm summer night, gazing at the stars. That's it simple, straightforward ambient music. Most of the tracks are from 2024.

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

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00 Innesti - Astral Secrets (Contemplate 2024)

03:33 The Album Leaf - Circulation (Blast (feat. Aaron D4VD) 2024)

07:58 Alva Noto - Hybr:id Noh Human (Hybr:id III 2024)

15:15 Jogging House - Live at Home pt. 1 (Live at Home 2024)

21:07 Kaito - Summer Sketch(Floating Through Space In A Dream - iF edit)

(Collection 2024)

25:30 Hadley Roe - Fragrances (All That's Left 2024)

28:36 Astropilot & Crows Labyrinth - Dreaming Earth (Timeless Sky 2024)

31:15 IDTiL - Abstraction Release (Equilibrium Horizon 2024)

37:45 Brian Eno - Bells Above Instrumental (Drawings In A Notebook 2024)

42:10 State Azure - Ratios (As The Dawn Fades 2023)

51:00 Andrew Heath - The Cloud Machine (The Cloud Machine 2024)

60:00 end