Category: RECOMMENDATIONS

Snoqualmie Falls – Dream Sequence

“Dream Sequence“ starts with a rumbling distant thunder and the dripping sounds of water in a bathroom nearby. Slowly – very slowly! – drone chords set in to create a calm soothing sound. But underneath, there is the dark foreboding sound of a low register piano pulse…

“We are Snoqualmie Falls, and this is the soundtrack to our dream life. Where we’re from the birds sing a pretty song, and there’s always music in the air.”

Snoqualmie Falls – named after the scenic cascade in Washington State – is Jeff Stonehouse (a.k.a. Listening Mirror and Jffstnhs) creating the music and Alicia Merz adding her ethereal vocals.

Oe + Coniglio; Yannick Franck; Tone Color

Taalem is a Paris-based label – “exploring the different sides of ambient music through 3” CD-R’s and FLAC downloads – with a somewhat different release policy:
“As we’re tired of all these ultra-limited & ultra-expensive releases, taâlem discs are unlimited editions. As long as the demand exists, every release is available.” Some fine examples from their recent releases:

∅E + ENRICO CONIGLIO – INNER FROST
21 Minutes (2 Tracks) of Glacial ambient created by ∅e (Fabio Perletta: guitar, loops) and Enrico Coniglio (guitar, field recordings, sampler).
The (december 2013) release was especially postponed because the music perfectly fits the winter season. The opening sounds of a harsh winter storm might give you some extra chills.
But in summer, this wide musical landscape full of fascinating details may help you cool down when desired!

Raison D’Etre; Machinefabriek; Arche; Sozu Project; Zenjungle

RAISON D’ÊTRE – MISE EN ABYME
Another voyage into darkness by Raison D’Être (Peter Andersson, Sweden, who has been recording music since 1992). “Mise en Abyme” (“Placed into the abyss”) “is an inner journey down to the most hidden and dark parts of the Self. But even in the darkest and chaotic places in the depths, there are small shades of light, hope and understanding.”

Richard Chartier; Pleq+Philippe Lamy; Pjusk+Sleep Orchestra; Thomas Tilly

RICHARD CHARTIER – SUBSEQUENT MATERIALS (2006 – 2012)
Where most releases nowadays are focussed on a physical release on a vinyl album and thus do not cross the 40 minute mark, Richard Chartier chooses a different approach and squeezes the most out of the possibilities of a digital release: Subsequent Materials (2006 – 2012) offers no less than three hours of his characteristic electronic music.

Various Compilations

Compilation albums are a nice (and often inexpensive) way to get introduced to new artists you’re not yet familiar with. For a label, they’re a great way to present their artist portfolio. Or a way to raise some money to fund new projects.
Or … they may be used as an auditive sleeping pill…
Prepare for over 15 hours of assorted musical selections:

Elements 1-5

ELEMENTS ONE – FIVE
To celebrate their five years of existence, the renowned Home Normal label presents a massive five-album compilation set.
64 Tracks with an incredible artists line-up (I won’t even begin to start name-dropping here!). Apart from the five album set, the individual albums are also sold separately.
Profits of each album will go to five different charity organisations: one for each separate album.

Micromelancolie – It doesn’t belong here

It seems I have missed some things in the past: Micromelancoliéis a new name to me, but according to the discography on his site, Robert Skrzynski has already released around 30 titles (cassettes and CD/R) since 2009.

Micromelancolié is a great name for his project.
Likewise, “It doesn’t belong here“ is a great album title, since that is exactly how the music sounds: as if it doesn’t belong here.

Yair Elazar Glotman – Northern Gulfs

Glacial Movements – the italian label specializing in “ambient and electronic arctic soundscapes” – is one of those labels where the quality of the releases is so consistently in line with their original mission that they can almost be ordered blindly. Quality glacial music guaranteed!

“Northern Gulfs“, the debut release of Yair Elazar Glotman, is no exception to that rule.

Dat Rayon – Motor City

From Gdansk, Poland comes Dat Rayon.
I have no idea who is (or are) behind that alias, but that only adds to the mystery of this album.

“Motor City“ is Dat Rayon‘s second full album, the follow up of the self-released “Station Wagon” debut from 2012. This time it’s released by Zoharum, with a beautiful 6-panel sleeved physical edition too (limited to 300 and quickly selling out, by the way).