In the Shortlist sections, I will mention some of the albums that I enjoyed listening to, but couldn’t find the time (or the right words) for a “full” review for. Still, I think they deserve your attention: use the links to find more info and hear previews.
Marcus Mohall – Hinna
Sometimes it is amazing to find the most beautiful sounds just floating around to be downloaded for free. Like these two short drone-tracks from the EP called “Hinna” (“Catch”) by Marcus Mohall, from Sweden.
Deep, spacious drones, based on field recordings, chords from a Nord Modular G1 and lots of reverb. These EP’s 20 minutes leave you wanting for more.
Bvdub – I Remember (Translations of ‘Mørketid’)
“Translations” (not ‘remixes’) of the original 2007 album Mørketid‘ by Netherworld (Alessandro Tedeschi).
80 minutes of multi-layered washings referring to the period of the year “when the Arctic winter cold encases everything and the sun doesn’t rise over the horizon” – so what better label could there be for this release than Glacial Movements?!
The original work is used “as a base, and it is indeed interwoven in the translations, but my translations serve more as my own narratives on the memories and feelings his original work evoked. The translations are about memories… memories of dreams lost, and never fulfilled… but also the beauty in knowing that dreams exist…as whether they come true or not, it’s in their pursuit that life means anything.”
Keith Freund – Constant Comments
A lot of ambient music is melancholic or even downright dark, but there’s also a lighter side of the genre. Playing his guitar in reaction to field recordings of playing kids, birdsong, passing conversations, this music might be described as “feelgood ambient”.
“Reacting to the sounds around him, words said in passing, shards of birdsong, a glint of breeze, and kids at play, Freund stands atthe center to create gentle meanderings to add as his part of the symbiotic conversation. The soothing sun is recorded alongside softvoices; the intake of a breath mixes with laughter of children.”
Anonymeye – Anontendre
Another guitar-centered release, although the sounds surrounding Anonymeye’s guitar (Andrew Tuttle from Brisbane, Australia) are definitely more electronic, somewhat ‘harsher’ compared to the environmental fieldrecordings from Freund‘s album, but fortunately not without humour.
“Loosely, Anonymeye’s music could be described as an Anonymocracy – where tensions previously held between assumed rival factions such as acoustics and electronics, improvisation and composition, dissonance and melody are recognised and explored, but eventually heading towards a resolution that is part utopian and part redemption.”
Volkan Zorlu – Puredrone
With a title like this you would expect, eh well, pure drones, but this 3-track EP-release is not “just drones”. The opening track has a threatening slow heartbeat-like pulse and effectively tense guitar chord behind the industrial, David Lynch-like, drone. The second track keeps up this intriguing atmosphere, but the closing closing track does not really fit it’s title with it’s utterly relaxed ethnic dub ambient pop style.
The internet does not reveal ANY information about Volkan Zorlu, which is quite unusual in these days. He shares his music using Mediafire – which of course means that this is a free download.