Category: other-music

Jean-Paul Dessy + Musiques Nouvelles – O’Clock

Jean-Paul Dessy (1963) is a Belgian composer with an impressive track record.
One that is clearly not afraid to cross borders into unknown territories: he has a distinct personal style of composing, which is quite different from other contemporary modern classical composers that often choose the romantic ‘cinematographic’ style. His work is dramatic, extremely dynamic – a roller coaster ride of conflicting emotions.

This is neither classical music as-we-know-it, nor is it rock music disguised as a symphony.
It’s not simply following the current ‘hip and happening’ post-classical style, but completely unique and personal.

Cio D’Or – All In All

More than ever before, it seems female artists are rightfully claiming their own space in experimental electronics.

Hot on the heels of the surprising Sleepstep album by Dasha Rush comes All In All – a new release by Cio D’Or (who’s track Distanz also saw a beautiful remix on the recent Sonae album).
Sleepstep and All In All are a perfect match, exploring the same musical areas of experimental yet atmospheric techno, pushing the boundaries of (dub-) techno into new and adventurous territories.

Dasha Rush – Sleepstep

At first listen, her new album Sleepstep (subtitled ‘Sonar Poems for my Sleepless Friends’) does not sound like a ‘typical’ Raster-Noton release… maybe because her sonar poems are ‘feminine, subtle and personal reports’ – nothing like the usual concepts of electronic music created by nerdy, predominantly male tech-wizzards.

But as the album progresses, the musical soundscapes get more abstract and gradually prove Dasha’s perfectly at home on the Raster-Noton label.

DreamScenes 2015-04

This month’s edition focuses on new music from some ‘para-ambient’ releases: not exactly ambient by definition, but definitely atmospheric.

Introducing new albums by Dasha Rush, Yamaoka, Juxta Phona, Forrest Fang, Piano Interrupted, Cass., Bill Seaman, Biosphere, Matthew Mercer and Ah! Kosmos.

Piano Interrupted; Cassie/Kearley; Bill Seaman; Juxta Phona; Yamaoka

This “shortlist” is categorized under “Other Music” which means it’s only loosely related to what we call ‘ambient’.

Listen to reconstructions of Piano Interrupted‘s “Unified Fields”, your Inner Voicings with Dan Kearley and Daryn Cassie; intensely touching music from Bill Seaman; a playful Juxta Phona (which turns out to be Jason Corder) – to finally immerse yourself in the rhythmic patterns of Yamaoka

Michel Banabila & Oene van Geel – Music for Viola and Electronics

After they met when working together on Cloud Ensemble, Michel Banabila and Oene van Geel extended their collaboration which resulted in 2014’s “Music for Viola and Electronics”.

Both were so very enthusiastic about the new musical world that they had opened up, that they kept working on “Music for Viola and Electronics II”, which is released this month.

Judging by the (strikingly beautiful!) aerial landscape photography by Gerco de Ruijer on the cover, their collaboration will probably not end here: the crop of the (geometric) landscape on the Volume I cover photo is only partially harvested – by hand, line by line… a difficult, strenuous, but most rewarding work.

Hecq – Mare Nostrum

Could this be a celebration of the 40th anniversary of Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music?
In fact, it really ís machine music!

Remember ‘Tron’?
I guess this is what Kevin Flynn must’ve felt like.

Jeff Bridges – Sleeping Tapes

Imagine Jeff Bridges – or The Dude, if you prefer – sitting right next to your bed, telling you stories like a granddad to his grandson would do … bedtime stories, memories he just seems to improvise on the spot, or even guided fantasies to help you doze off…
Would you be able to fall asleep?
Or would you fight off sleep to make sure you can listen to all he has to tell you?