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 definitely think they deserve your attention, with ór without extra words!
STEVE ROACH + KELLY DAVID – THE LONG NIGHT
With his impressive back-catalogue spanning over 30 years, Steve Roach may very well be counted as one of the Grandfathers of classic ambient music.
He has always remained true to his personal style: his deep soundscapes has become an example for many other artists.
“The Long Night” is a collaboration with Kelly David (Senior Attorney in the legal-affairs department of Qwest at daytime, Soul Music DJ and Ambient Musician at night!)
“The music is contemplative, though not brooding….a sixty-one minute mental excursion into unforeseen creative possibilities when the night becomes a special time beyond sleep, a contemplative zen noir of minimal radiant ambience.”
ORPHAX – UNDONE
Short 4-track EP (available as C25 cassette, 3″ CD and download) where Sietse van Erve (Orphax) reworks some basic material originally created in 2003 that has been lying around until late 2013.
The resulting set is a collection of immersive, deep and brooding dronescapes: “….four pieces which find themselves somewhere between dark ambient, drones and abstract compositions. It is dark moody music which clearly refers back to my older music from the period 2002 to 2004, but with a new twist to it.”
RUSSELL HARMON / GAVIN MILLER – ISLANDS
“This Is It Forever”, run by Gavin Miller, is a small label (‘for future music’). It’s one of those DIY labels that release interesting hand-crafted packages in low quantity editions, which usually mean they sell out in the blink of an eye. So by now, you’ll have to do with the download version of this split EP…The title refers to the islands where both artists live: UK for Gavin Miller and Iceland for Russell M. Harmon.
PORYA HATAMI – SHALLOW
Porya Hatami is a sound artist based in Sanadaj, Iran. A remarkable fact, because it’s not often we get to hear ambient/electronic music from that particular part of the world. But that does not necessarily mean the cultural background is reflected in his music (and why should it? I can’t recognise windmills and clogdances in the sound of most Dutch electronic artists either..).
In the 45 minutes of “Shallow“, Porya Hatami present three pieces, each quite different from the other, but all “effortlessly relaced and spacious … exploring the balance between electronics and environmental sounds, utilizing processed acoustic and electronic sources and field recordings.”
MATHIEU LAMONTAGNE + EMMANUEL TOLEDO – VARIATIONS SUR TOUT CD QUI POUSSE
(MUSIQUE POUR STATION ORBITALE)
Six works by Mathieu Lamontagne, as re-interpreted by Emmanuel Toledo (a.k.a. Eem). There’s not much more information than that, really, but the translation of the title for the non-french speaking will probably help fire the imagination: “Variations on Everything that Drives us…(Music for Orbital Stations)” – “Several Approaches to a theme, to a destination…”