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.
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).
For this mix I aimed to create a dreamlike and timeless atmosphere – dark (but not too dark). It is calm, yet there are many shifting scenes, many passing landscapes and some conflicting emotions… When it ends, (I hope) it feels as if it was much longer than it actually was …
After “Fragile.Flicker.Fragment”( 2011) and “Four Shibusa“(2012), “Rift Patterns“ is Monty Adkins‘ third full album release for the Audiobulb label.
It’s a digital download release (no physical counterpart) that comes with an interactive iBook containing music, text, moving image and film, created by Deborah Templeton (writer), Jason Payne (video artist), and Stephen Harvey (photographer, graphic designer) in response to Monty Adkins’ music.
In the Shortlist sections, I will mention 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 – with ór without extra words!
D’INCISE – GRAPHEIN
“Graphein”is a conceptual soundscape using only sounds from pencils and paper. It was originally created for an audiovisual installation by Delphine Depres, but the subtle sounds also work well when they are detached from its original concept.
The amplified sound of scribbling pencil on paper (a sound that may have become somewhat anachronistic in these digital times) resembles the crackling of a wood fire. Or maybe even the amplified sound of a thousand tiny insects at work.
“The November Earth“ is Aqua Dorsa‘s second full album, follow up to “Cloudlands“ (2009).
Sadly, it will also be their last: Gianluigi Gasparetti (better known as Oöphoi), died in april 2013.
The album they were working on was finished by his Aqua Dorsa partner Enrico Coniglio and was released later in 2013.
Therefore,“The November Earth“ has become a fitting In Memoriam album to remember one of ambient music’s finest artist.
The music of Boozoo Bajou (German duo Florian Seyberth and Peter Heider) has always been quite atmospheric.
The three full albums (and numerous 12-inches) they have released since 2001 contained the low-tempo dubby trip-hop often called ‘Lounge’ – the lush kind of sounds that German musicians seemed to master exclusively.
Their latest album, “4“, manages to build on all they did before, and use it as a foundation to create an album that ‘transcends basic categories and expectations’.
No surprise in the title: “No. 2” is the follow up to Christina Vantzou‘s “No. 1” from 2011.
The follow-up to a succesfull debut is often referred to as ‘the difficult second album’ – but not really difficult for Christina Vantzou it seems: the album feels like a natural progression, while at the same time a firm step forward.
A few months ago I wrote some words about Anne Chris Bakker‘s beautiful album “Tussenlicht“, a self released limited edition CD-R. (If you haven’t checked this one yet: the digital edition is still available!)
It’s a pleasant surprise to find that his new (first “official”) album “Reminiscenses“ is now released on Dronarivm, the (Moscow-based) contemporary ambient and modern classical music label curated by Pleq and Dimitry Taldykin.
