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Ambient music mixes for a chaotic world
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Sunday Feb 17, 2019
Sunday Feb 17, 2019
One of my favorite discoveries late last year was the album In Currents by Innesti. It's a wonderful combination of field recordings, loops, drones and light touches. I put it on my second Best of 2018 mix.
Innesti has a new album coming out on Feb. 25th and we are lucky to have a preview of it on this guest mix he has created.The mix stays true to the Innesti sound - gentle, calming, floating. I am excited to hear the new album and excited for this sneak peak.
Here are a couple Innesti links...
https://innesti.bandcamp.com/album/in-currents
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6vjQzIlQxwDP0miO2oGoXE
Cheers!
T R A C K L I S T :
- 00:00 Innesti - The Architecture of Clouds (Formless)
- 04:42 Yoyu - Open Space, Holding You Tenderly (Manitoba Forest Medicine)
- 08:32 Astrolabe - Afterglow (Lights Beyond the Mist)
- 12:34 Gallery Six - Harukaze (Bansyun)
- 16:06 Ishq - Cloud Forest (Flowering Mountain Earth)
- 18:14 ASC - Hadal Zone (The Waves)
- 21:47 Jacob Newman - Invisible Autumn (Invisible Autumn)
- 23:49 Eternell - Haven (Haven)
- 28:56 end
Sunday Feb 10, 2019
Sunday Feb 10, 2019
You know how when you see a certain director is involved with a film, like Christopher Nolan, you just know it'll be interesting. Or how music released on certain labels, such as 12k, will definitely be worth exploring. Well, that's how I feel when the tag "Curated by Paul Asbury Seaman" is attached to a mix.
Paul & I have collaborated on several mixes and all have been excellent. It's only Feb. 10th and already we've been treated to two of Paul's mixes. This one is a bit of a departure for him, using pieces that are, like the title says, long-form drones. For me droning ambient can be very hit & miss. This mix is definitely a hit.
Here's what Paul says about it:
“Most of us have contemplated the seemingly contradictory opposites that are a fundamental aspect of reality: good and evil, joy and pain, love and hate, our inner world and infinite space. But this ying/yang, male/female, fire/water dichotomy obscures the fact that much of life is lived in the in-between, in the places where light and dark overlap. Perhaps one reason so many people find calm and inspiration at the beach is its liminal quality—between the ocean and the land. In this mix I give you 71 minutes in that mysterious clarity between trance and tranquility.”
Thanks Paul!
Cheers!
T R A C K L I S T :
- 00:00 Alio Die - A Place Beyond(Sitar Meditations 2015)
- 10:46 Louigi Verona - droning198(droning198 2016)
- 26:55 Louigi Verona - droning276(droning276 2017)
- 46:28 Ascendent - Sylvan Rotation(Meridian EX 2018)
- 58:08 Steve Roach - Part Seven(Ultra Immersion Concert 2013)
- 71:32 end
Sunday Feb 03, 2019
Sunday Feb 03, 2019
The inspiration for this mix came from Mike Lazarev of Headphone Commute. Last year he discovered an old hard drive with some of his old mixes from around 2006. Called fiftmuziek sessions, he posted some online and you can find them here...
https://reviews.headphonecommute.com/liftmuziek-sessions/
They focus on classic IDM & ambient electronica from that era & they are fantastic.
One of the mixes that Mike uncovered from that same time period featured albums from Native State artists Rena Jones and Shen. I fell in love with this mix. I played it non-stop for a few weeks and I knew that at some point I'd make a mix that used some of those tunes. Here is Mike's mix titles Resplendent...
https://soundcloud.com/headphonecommute/asmadeus-resplendent-mix
My mix, The Passing Storm, takes its name from the track by Rena Jones which opens the mix. The sound is classic IDM. Most of the tunes are from 2001 - 2007 with the exception of the Autechre & Plastikman cuts. Even though "Bike" is 10 years older I just couldn't do an IDM mix without Autechre.
I am very happy with how this mix turned out. I'll definitely have to crank out another one later this year.
Also, just a quick reminder that there is now an easy way to support me & the artists in these mixes. It's called Mixcloud Select and you can find out more here...
www.mixcloud.com/lowlight/select
Cheers!
T R A C K L I S T :
- 00:00 Rena Jones - The Passing Storm(2006)
- 05:00 Shen - Main Springs(2006)
- 08:44 Autechre - Bike(1994)
- 13:27 Brothomstates - Mdrmx(2001)
- 17:36 Lusine - Jetstream(2007)
- 22:40 AM/PM - the ends 4(2004)
- 29:10 Farben - A Famous Myth(2003)
- 34:05 Plastikman - Pakard(1998)
- 44:25 Rena Jones - Driftwood(2006)
- 50:47 Jan Jelinek - Tendency(2001)
- 57:27 end
Sunday Jan 27, 2019
Sunday Jan 27, 2019
We were having such a nice mild winter here in Wisconsin but then I had to go and jinx it in the last post in which I said we hadn't very much snow. Well, since then we've had two significant snow storms with another 12 inches expected over the next two days.
Snow I can handle but the temps have plummeted - the high temp yesterday was 4° with wind chills around -25°. Ugh. But it gets worse - Wednesday's high temp is supposed to be -14°! That's the high temperature! So much for our nice mild winter. I'm getting too old for this!
I had an IDM mix all ready to post but the frigid landscape was calling for a frozen mix. Most of the tracks are new, 2017 & 2018. And every track has an appropriate cold word in the title. Such as winter, frozen, wind, ice, cold, arctic, snow, etc.
I recommend listening with a cup of hot tea nearby or better yet a large glass of scotch.
Cheers!
T R A C K L I S T :
- 00:00 The Gentleman Losers - Make We Here Our Camp Of Winter(2018)
- 05:25 Stray Theories - Frozen Skies(2018)
- 10:08 Zoë Keating - Icefloe(2018)
- 13:36 Helios - North Wind(2018)
- 16:53 Luton - Ice Museum(2018)
- 20:30 Spheruleus - Frozen(2010)
- 22:37 r beny - Glacial Tongues(2018)
- 26:02 Rapoon - Ice Whispers(2007)
- 31:27 Porya Hatami - Snow(2012)
- 37:54 Hotel Neon - Cold Suns(2018)
- 47:47 Akira Kosemura - Snowy Sky(2017)
- 49:20 Halo - Winter Lullaby II(2012)
- 50:50 Seabuckthorn - Sent In By The Cold(2018)
- 54:50 Michael Brook - On Ice(2017)
- 55:46 Maiya Hershey - Arctic Waters(2017)
Sunday Jan 13, 2019
Sunday Jan 13, 2019
I haven't posted a Sunday morning mix in a long time. So here is the first Sunday morning collection of 2019.
There's not much to say - it's the typical Sunday morning mix. A little jazz, some ambient, some instrumental, etc. Most of the tunes are fairly new with three exceptions.
The cover pic is my backyard, but not from this year as we haven't had much snow at all. Of course I just jinxed it so next week we'll probably get 3 feet.
Cheers!
T R A C K L I S T :
- 00:00 Johann Johannsson - Mandy Love Theme(2018)
- 01:30 Ben Rath - A Quiet Morning(2019)
- 06:25 Luis Miehlich - Spring Haiku 2(2018)
- 10:19 Andrey Kiritchenko - Sparkling Early Mornings(2008)
- 13:55 Joseph Shabason - Treat It Like A Wine Bar(2018)
- 19:43 Alice Coltrane - Radhe-Shyam(1977)
- 23:32 Peppermoth - Claude(2018)
- 27:34 Gigi Masin - Kite(2018)
- 31:45 Dean Mcphee - The Devil's Knell(2018)
- 36:00 Hampshire & Foat - End Song(2017)
- 37:46 Eli Keszler - Fifty Four To Madrid(2018)
- 40:58 The Necks - The World At War(1990)
- 56:00 Endurance - Measurements of Light(2017)
- 61:24 end
Sunday Jan 06, 2019
Sunday Jan 06, 2019
As is usually the case with these mixes, one song sets me on the path towards a new collection. In this case it was the song T by Dan Lissvik.
https://danlissvik.bandcamp.com/track/t
It keep popping up on a few of my playlists and I always thought it had kind of kraut rock feel to it. I realized that I've never made a kraut rock mix and that needs to be rectified.
I don't want to get into a debate about what is and isn't kraut rock. There are tracks from kraut rock classics like Neu! and Can. But there are also three cuts from new artists like Dan Lissvik, Sankt Otten and Kilchhofer. Those new tunes are in there because I thought they fit with the kraut rock vibe.
The rest of the mix contains artists like Cluster, Ashra, Popol Vuh, Holger Czukay, Conrad Schnitzler, Bernard Szajner and Gunter Schickert. I'm exactly sure which ones would qualify as kraut rock but I think they're all close enough.
Cheers!
T R A C K L I S T :
- 00:00 Neu! - Isi(1975)
- 04:55 Dan Lissvik - T(2016)
- 09:55 Conrad Schnitzler - Ballet Statique(1978)
- 14:00 Holger Czukay - Persian Love(1982)
- 18:55 Ashra - Shuttle Cocks(1977)
- 25:10 Cluster - Sowiesoso(1976)
- 31:55 Sankt Otten - Zwischen Demut und Disco(2018)
- 37:24 Bernard Szajner - The Memory(1980)
- 41:30 Can - Future Days(1973)
- 46:00 Kilchhofer - Lubbari(2018)
- 49:20 Ashra - Blackouts(1977)
- 53:35 Gunter Schickert - Guitarre Wlaurniam(1983)
- 57:25 Neu! - Weissensee(1972)
- 63:25 Popol Vuh - Hoere, Den Du Wagst(1978)
- 69:00 Cluster - Zum Wohl(1976)
- 75:20 Bernard Szajner - A Kind of Freedom(1980)
- 78:07 end
Sunday Dec 30, 2018
Sunday Dec 30, 2018
This is the perfect mix to close out 2018 and look forward to 2019. "Turning Hopeful" has a more hopeful, positive vibe than most of my mixes. Which is why it should be no surprise to find out that it was curated by the one and only Paul Asbury Seaman.
I like working together with Paul because he takes mixes in slightly different directions than I usually do. These collaborations bring a nice breath of fresh air to this 12 year old mix blog.
Here's what Paul says about this mix:
"This mix features melodic ambient tracks with a hopeful feeling, including some early New Age classics guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Also, brand new tracks from Byron Metcalf and Remote Vision, a solo project of Don Tyler (Ascendant). The theme was inspired by the title song from John Hiatt’s 1988 album, “Slow Turning.” Redemption means turning from one way of being to embrace another, a recurring process, fueled by hope."
Thanks Paul, in 2019 I hope we can all turn hopeful.
Cheers & Happy New Year!
T R A C K L I S T :
- 00:00 Scott August - New Horizons(Radiant Sky 2010)
- 06:09 Jan Garbarek - In Praise of Dreams(In Praise of Dreams 2004)
- 11:24 Ulrich Schnauss - Knuddelmaus(Far Away Trains Passing By 2001)
- 17:54 Kitaro - Caravansaray(India 1983)
- 22:08 Richard Burmer - The Turn Again(Bhakti Point 1987)
- 27:12 Mark Isham - On The Threshold Of Liberty(Vapor Drawings 1983)
- 34:20 Vic Hennegan - Aqua Donna(Aqua Vista 2008)
- 40:30 Erik Wøllo - Wind Journey 2(Wind Journey 2001)
- 45:25 Oystein Sevag - Miles Near(Link 1993)
- 47:00 Vangelis - Hymn(Themes 1989)
- 49:37 Detlef Keller - Last Step(Harmonic Steps 2005)
- 53:30 Remote Vision - The Glittercliff(Into Light 2018)
- 60:00 Byron Metcalf - A Naturally Occurring Heart(Inner Rhythm Meditations, Vol. II 2018)
- 68:37 end
Sunday Dec 23, 2018
Sunday Dec 23, 2018
Right after I posted my Best Ambient of 2018 mix I started diving into a bunch of other year end lists. Of course I discovered some excellent releases that I would have included in my mix/list if I had known about them in time. I found enough music that I decided to create a second Best of 2018 mix.
I could probably make a third mix but I've got to stop sometime. What were your favorite recordings of 2018?
2019 is just around the corner and it will start with a mix curated by the very talented Paul Asbury Seaman.
Cheers!
T R A C K L I S T :
- 00:00 Francis Harris - St. Catherine and the Calm(Trivial Occupations)
- 12:00 Luca Longobardi - Marte(The Garden)
- 17:38 Off Land - Zircon(Mineral Echoes)
- 26:40 Kenji Kihara - Sunny Spot(Scenes of Scapes)
- 31:50 Innesti - In Currents(In Currents)
- 39:45 Umber - Harvest(slow)(This Earth To Another)
- 48:55 Cremation Lily - Outlined Expanse(In England Now, Underwater)
- 53:12 Okomotive / Joel Schoch - Warmth in the Cold(Lone Sails)
- 56:10 James Murray - Old Friend(Falling Backwards)
- 61:20 The Gentleman Losers - Bend Low, Sweet Branch, Bend Low(Make We Here Our Camp Of Winter)
- 65:53 Okomotive / Joel Schoch - Bridge(Lone Sails)
- 67:13 Spheruleus - Saturday Drones(Saturday Drones)
- 77:44 end
Sunday Dec 16, 2018
Sunday Dec 16, 2018
Even though Christmas music has gotten more interesting than Dean Martin and Bing Crosby, there is not an awful lot of ambient Christmas music out there. So I've only attempted an xmas mix one other time and it was just okay. Until this year.
Thanks to a wonderful album from Matt Borghi I decided to give a holiday ambient mix another shot. Matt's album is called simply - "Ambient Guitar for Christmas."
And it's exactly what it sounds like - slow, ambient guitar with tons of reverb playing recognizable tunes that drift in and out of recognizability. From there everything else flowed pretty easily with a combination of classic xmas tunes to winter and snow songs.
Cheers and Happy Holidays!
T R A C K L I S T :
- 00:00 Matt Borghi - The First Noel(Ambient Guitar for Christmas)
- 03:40 Fuzzy Lights - Snowstorm in a Snow Globe
- 06:12 Dollboy - Look Darling, It's Starting to Snow
- 08:22 Clem Leek - Away in America
- 14:40 Rachel's - NY Snow Globe
- 17:00 Voces8 - Winter
- 20:15 The Green Kingdom - Sleep, Snow
- 28:20 Casino vs Japan - Christmas Morning
- 28:43 Matt Borghi - Shchedryk
- 31:35 Wil Bolton - Coventry Carol
- 33:54 Bill Nelson - The Christmas Gift
- 35:05 Sara and Adam - Wonderful Christmastime
- 38:35 Takahiro Kido - Christmas Song
- 44:04 Helios - Sunes Christmas
- 47:52 John Zorn - Christmas Time is Here
- 52:22 Voces8 - For Now I Am Winter
- 56:40 Matt Borghi - Silent Night
- 69:00 end
Sunday Dec 09, 2018
Sunday Dec 09, 2018
As much as I like end-of-the-year lists, I also get a bit anxious about them. As I compile them I keep thinking that I've missed something. Then as I'm re-listening to albums I start thinking "Is this one really that good?" & "Maybe this one deserves a slot...or this one...or this one..." Eventually I realize that these lists aren't anything definitive that I'll be judged on. Unless there's an ambient god in ambient heaven who will let me in or cast me out based on a lifetime of music choices. In that case I will pay for having listened to so much Enya in the 90s. ;-)
So after that meandering introduction, here is my Best of 2018 list and mix. As you'll see, the list is longer than the mix. That's mostly due to not wanting a 4 hour mix and also to some stuff just not fitting sonically.
It was another good year for music. Between my ambient/electronic fandom and my continued obsession with indie music, I barely have time to breathe sometimes. I'll post some links to Spotify playlists that kept me going this year.
In alphabetical order, here's the list of my favorite ambient albums of 2018:
1. A Strangely Isolated Place - Full Circle
2. Albrecht La'Brooy - Tidal River [2018]
3. Christina Vantzou - no. 4 [2018]
4. Dean McPhee - Four Stones [2018]
5. Delia Derbyshire Appreciation Society - Wow and Flutter [six degrees 2018]
6. Eli Keszler - Stadium
7. Frank Bretschneider - Lunik
8. From the Mouth of the Sun - Sleep Stations
9. G. B. Beckers - Walkman
10. GiGi Masin - kite
11. Halftribe - For The Summer - Or Forever
12. Helios - Veriditas
13. Hibernis - Middle of the Meds
14. Joseph Shabason - Anne
15. Kasper Bjorke Quartet - The Fifty Eleven Project
16. Khruangbin - Con Todo El Mundo
17. Klangriket & Sjors Mans - The Amsterdam Sessions
18. Leon Vynehall - Nothing Is Still
19. Lost Tribe Sound - We Stayed The Path That Fell To Shadow
20. Luton - Black Box Animals
21. Markus Guentner - Empire
22. Monty Adkins - Empire
23. Ocoeur - Inner
24. Olafur Arnalds - Re;member
25. Rival Consoles - Persona
26. Robert Davies - Elemental Shimmer
27. TAYLOR DEUPREE - Fallen
28. The Advisory Circle - Ways of Seeing
29. Triac - departure
30. William Selman - Musica Enterrada
And here's the mix:
T R A C K L I S T :
- 00:00 Leon Vynehall - From The Sea It Looms(Nothing is Still)
- 04:12 The Advisory Council - The Soft Dissolve(Ways of Seeing)
- 07:20 Ocoeur - Mother(Inner)
- 12:50 Halftribe - Balm(For The Summer-Or Forever)
- 16:07 Helios - Harmonia(Veriditas)
- 19:30 Delia Derbyshire Appreciation Society - She Brought The Sun(Wow & Flutter)
- 26:28 Klangriket & Sjors Mans - Prinsengracht(The Amsterdam Sessions)
- 31:47 William Selman - The Island Before The Internet(Musica Enterrada)
- 36:11 Eli Keszler - Which Swarms Around It(Stadium)
- 38:46 Taylor Deupree - The Lost Sea(Fallen)
- 43:51 Need A Name - Road to Berlin(A Strangley Isolated Place - Full Circle)
- 49:00 William Ryan Fritch - Burrow(Lost Tribe Sound - We Stayed The Path That Fell To Shadow)
- 53:24 Olafur Arnalds - Undir(Re;member)
- 58:15 Frank Bretschneider - Optik(Lunik)
- 1:01:28 Kasper Bjorke Quartet - Os(The Fifty Eleven Project)
- 1:12:48 Rival Consoles - I Think So(Persona)
- 1:16:58 Markus Guentner - Refraction(Empire)
- 1:25:20 Christina Vaztzou - No. 4 String Quartet(no. 4)
- 1:28:02 Robert Davies - Tangled Undergrowth(Elemental Shimmer)
- 1:35:28 Monty Adkins - Empire(Empire)
- 1:41:31 Triac - departure three(departure)
- 1:45:32 Luton - Ice Museum(Black Box Animals)
- 1:49:22 G.B. Beckers - Klandschwaden(Walkman)
- 1:54:19 Albrecht La'Brooy - Datbreak(Tidal River)
- 1:59:24 end