Release data: René Splinter – Frames CD, Groove Unlimited, 2014 After listening to “Frames”, I’m impressed by the confident attitude and the solid way this Dutch composer has accomplished this nice follow-up on his very strong and successful album “Modern Ruins”. Most of all, the 57-minute/8-track sonic canvas stays true to the artist’s beliefs and vision, not hiding the influence…
Release data: Ashra – @shra & @shra vol. 2 CD, MG.Art, 2008 This double-cd features remastered versions of the original albums “@shra” (1998) and “@shra vol. 2” (2002). These contain the dynamic live performance by Manuel Göttsching and his trusted companions Steve Baltes, Harald Grosskopf and Lutz Ulbrich on February 11 (Osaka) and 12 (Tokyo) 1997, Japan. The progressive instrumental…
Release data: Rhea – November Stars CD-R, Rhea Music, 2006/2013 Here’s another archival recording of analogue-oriented harmonic cosmic music composed by Mark de Wit, which sonically lines up very nicely to his other releases despite its more rhythmic, pulsating character. The listener immerses easily in the atmospheric depths and expansiveness of space encountered in the 77-minute vintage sounding outcome, which…
Release data: Project Andrew Rotten – En Passant CD, Private Release, 2005 The musician behind Project Andrew Rotten (not an attractive name for a band if you ask me) is German synthesist Andreas Morsch, who some will know as one of the members the fine collective Pyramid Peak. “En Passant” (mastered properly by Rainbow Serpent’s Gerd Wienekamp) is an energetic…
Release data: Coral Cave – Panorama CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 Accessible, melodic and typical German electronic music. At first glance, these words (still) come to mind when putting on the 70-minute “Panorama”, the first studio album by Tilo Voigthaus and Erik Matheisen since 1996. Their sequencer-driven (at times still slightly TD-angled) output sounds bright and straightforward and is in…
Release data: MorPheuSz – Tantalizing Thoughts at the Dawn of Dreams (Chapter Two) CD, Groove Unlimited, 2014 With their album “Tantalizing Thoughts at the Dawn of Dreams”, the four experienced musicians making up MorPheuSz have added a strong and upfront release to their discography. The project is an outlet of new ideas and electronic free style that wouldn’t really fit…
Release data: Anomalous Disturbances – Archive One CD-R, Private Release, 2004 “Archive One” is the first in a series of unreleased works from Anomalous Disturbances, aka the Vancouver-based ambient artist Terry O’Brien. The collected nine tracks of floating ambient soundscapes have been composed using sound processors and looping devices, in which occasionally some e-guitar shows up. “Languorous Liaisons” sets the…
Release data: Steve Roach – Bloodmoon Rising DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 The online-exclusive “Bloodmoon Rising” consists of a series of new pieces specially created in the last few days leading up to the second lunar eclipse in 2014 on October 8th. The 70-minute longform meditation makes a beautiful aural headphone journey where spiraling, smooth shifting currents of tranquility, mystery,…
Release data: Seetyca – Lieder Zum Summen CD, Gterma, 2014 The ambient music I’ve heard so far from German soundartist Seetyca has always fitted in the darker, mysterious category, so what a surprise to see him explore the lighter, uplifting and more contemplative side on “Lieder Zum Summen” (Songs for Humming). The 70-minute textural soundscape (dedicated to the late Peter…
Release data: Vidna Obmana – Passage in Beauty CD, Decade/Relic, 1991/1995 “Passage in Beauty” is one of the privately released limited edition albums by Dirk Serries (aka vidnaObmana) that saw the light of day at the start of the ’90’s. It saw a physical (remastered) re-release on the same medium in 1995 on the Relic label and in 2013 on…
Release data: Riechmann – Wunderbar LP/CD, Sky Records, 1978 “Wunderbar” is the one and only solo album of the late German synthesist Wolfgang Riechmann, who’s known best for his collaborations in the bands Phönix, Neu!, and Streetmark. Influences of the symphonic genre, the Krautrock scene and a slice of what we later on would call synth pop all find their…
Release data: Phrozenlight – Starlight CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ambientlive Records, 2007 “Starlight” is my first encounter with the ambient music of Dutch composer Bert Hulshoff aka Phrozenlight, although the latter has established quite a lengthy catalogue by now, solo and in collaboration with others. The album, best heard with headphones and eyes closed, features one continuous free form 65-minute piece setting…
Release data: Scott Lawlor – Neptune DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, earthMANTRA, 2014 During the years, the fine earthMANTRA netlabel has already brought lots of interesting ambient/space artists to my attention. “Neptune”, subtitled “the Mystical Blue World”, is the second release on this netlabel by Texas-based composer Scott Lawlor, who hereby present six nicely molded pieces of uplifting, graceful cosmic music with symphonic…
Release data: Unique – Boat People CD, Nocturne Records, 1994 Here’s another trip down memory lane. This release is a “forgotten” recording, being part of large distribution catalogue of Cue Records NL in the EM heydays of the ’90’s, I still have fond memories of. There’s some emotive and moody instrumental music found on the 47-minute “Boat People”, ranging from…
Release data: Anomalous Disturbances – Archive Three CD-R, Private Release, 2014 “Archive Three” is a 60-minute collection of previously unreleased ambient-drone soundscapes realized during a series of recording sessions throughout 2007 and 2008. Canadian sound artist Terry O’Brien (aka Anomalous Disturbances) performed the five freeform compositions on guitar with Ebow, guitar synths and effects exclusively. The floating outcome travels through…
Release data: Robert Schroeder – Backspace CD, Spheric Music , 2014 According the liner notes, “Backspace” is an album filled with electronic music for the flight through the universe of fantasies and emotions which could even be on top of Mr Schroeders 2007-recording “SphereWare”. Well, expect 10 tracks/73 minutes of good mood, emotive and highly accessible electronics with assorted percussion…
Release data: Liquid Mind – Relaxing Rain & Ocean Mixes CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Real Music , 2014 Those of you out there familiar with the previous releases of Chuck Wild, aka Liquid Mind, know his output fits into the new age and ultimate relaxation modus. No new music on this release though, but six tracks (taken from the albums “Meditation”, “Spirit”…
Release data: Andrew Heath – The Silent Cartographer CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Disco Gecko Records, 2014 The sonic quest of UK-composer Andrew focuses on immersive ambient music evolving in a drifting, quiet realm. In his own words, Andrew seeks out the random, juxtaposition of tiny noises and then set them against sustained piano notes that drift in and out of phase, or…
Release data: Mank – Gutta-Percha DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Manky Music, 2013 In the notes to 52-minute “Gutta-Percha”, composer Ben Powell (aka Mank) states the majority of the ambient music was written on a Canadian icebreaker on the Beaufort Sea north of Alaska, where he performs oceanographic measurements as a day job. With his trance-inducing, rhythmic-driven and mellow music, Powell attempts to…
Release data: Nemesis – Xenopus CD, Retroduction, 2014 “Xenopus”, released at the end June at the Scandinavian ambient music conference Ambicon 2014, features shorter compositions compared to the previous album “Living Statues”. Fans of the band need not to worry though as it still celebrates the vibe, sphere and moods which make the bands output special. The nine tracks range…
Release data: Amongst Myselves – The Past is Another Country CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 “Compared to the previous releases of Amongst Myselves, the 59-minutes of ambient music contained on “The Past is Another Country” offers the next level into further abstract/experimental and overtly dark ambient spaces journeying inward. The seven organic-spiced, contrasting electronic and natural ambient/drone compositions carve through…
Release data: Jeff Pearce – In the Season of Fading Light DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2012 “In the Season of Fading Light” by Indiana-based composer Jeff Pearce is a collection of singles (of which part of the proceeds is donated to charity) plus one new track. Four of the singles, however, were re-recorded for the sake of making them fit…
Release data: Cousin Silas – The Sound of Silas CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, WAAG, 2014 Cousin Silas is the nom de plume of UK-composer, producer and self-proclaimed “sound alchemist” David Hughes. He has describes his music (which he has created since 1996) as “audio photographs” or “moodscapes”. Within the creative process, he seems to draw inspiration from such diverse sources as writer…
Release data: Dirk Serries – The Origin Reversal CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2014 A Gibson Les Paul custom guitar and a few pedals. These were the tools Dirk Serries applied solely in creating the music for “The Origin Reversal”. The music of the latter attempts to hail back to the sound of the vidnaObmana releases from the end of the…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Horizons CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2014 According to the composer, the music on the contemporary instrumental album “Horizons” was recorded over a period of years and then assembled into a much more fluid track order. Well, the six accessible, more song-structured compositions again give a true voice to the fine sonic craftsmanship of…
Release data: Troika – Troika II Dream Palace CD, Enso Records, 1997 The fantasy/fairytale and dreamy instrumental music known from Troika’s fine debut album “Goddess” sees a nice continuation on David Arkenstone & companion’s second effort “Dream Palace”. Form and structure are still kept simple, with bits of world music and slices of drama noticeable during the ride. The tranquil…
Release data: Dan Pound – Life Giving CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, PoundSounds, 2014 “Life Giving” (coined as nocturnal space music by the composer) is a release filled with lush, tranquil, smooth soaring and drifting ambient music centred on the living spheres. The 73-minute gentle spiral of warm textural soundscapes and effects is accompanied by subtle pulsations pushing things slowly onward. The overall…
Release data: Kevin Braheny & Tim Clark – The Spell CD, Hearts of Space Records, 1996 “The Spell” is the second and last album by Kevin Braheny (Fortune) and Tim Clark, containing so-called imaginative and magic-coined instrumental music. The downside here though is a cheesy, strong new-age side to the 51-minute recording, which also features Kevin’s EWI Woodwind prominently on…
Release data: Bryan Carrigan – Inspired CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Peonies Music, 2014 The sonic trail running smoothly through Bryan Carrigan’s fifth album “Inspired” radiates a positive and uplifting message. The latter refers to finding inspiration in everyday life, go with the flow, finding balance and being more appreciative to the tides and times as life unfolds. The emotive, more mainstream-oriented instrumentals…
Release data: Phobos – Sector Four DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 Fans of the music of Phobos don’t have to worry about the character and mood of the music contained on his fifth album, as “Sector Four” sees a nice continuation of the vast, intense dronescapes of Mr Thompson’s excellent effort “This Desolate Place” (although it might also be a…
Release data: Nord – Berlin DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 Now here’s a guy from Romania, Sztakics István Attila aka Nord, who has composed a fine album of Berliner School inspired EM with an occasional dash of the symphonic. “Berlin” clocks at 1,5 hours of music, featuring upfront sequencing and quite a bunch of tweaked solo voices and sound effects.…
Release data: Vangelis – Rapsodies LP/CD, Polydor Greece, 1986 “Rapsodies” is the second full-length album by Vangelis and Greek actress Irene Papas, of which a large part of the music was recorded around 1982 in Vangelis’ famous Nemo (home) studio in London. The at times quite minimal and majestic music is a celebration (and electronic rendition) of seven Byzantine liturgical…
Release data: Vidna Obmana – The Spiritual Bonding CD, Extreme Records, 1994 As stated in the cd-booklet, the album title highlights the gathering and spiritual communication between the various musicians involved in the outcome: Steve Roach (who also did the production of the whole recording), Djen Ajakan Shean, Alio Die and Robert Rich. The tribal-organic, deep and darkening ambient music…
Release data: Tuu – The Frozen Lands CD-EP, Amplexus, 1999 The 20-minute cd-ep “The Frozen Lands” contains a set of three solo pieces using gongs, metal instruments and electronic processing and sampling of their sounds. The 8-minute title track kicking things off offers the central theme of the whole recording, and stems from music which was made to accompany an…
Release data: Jason Sloan – To Cross the River of Light CD-R, Grey Area/Zero Music, 2001 I came to know this American ambient musician though the (now deceased?) Zero Music label of James Johnson. The packaging makes one think of the Italian Amplexus releases, containing four sheets with art and info. The EP “To cross the River of Light” appears…
Release data: Vidna Obmana – Tremor CD, Relapse Records, 2001 When ambient composer Dirk Serries entered the 2000’s, the music he made as vidnaObmana started to head into new directions. “Tremor” is the first part of a trilogy inspired by Dante’s poem “Inferno”, featuring a much more tribal/industrial mélange of sounds along minimal techno-tribal rhythms. Sonically, we’re entering a darker,…
Release data: Erren – Fleissig – Schöttler – Steffen – Night on Ouddorp CD, Private Release , 2014 Back in November 2010, German musicians Jörg Erren, Bert Fleißig, Jochen Schöttler and Christian Steffen recorded their first set of improvised recordings together, of which an excerpt would end up on the cd-r “Ouddorp Tapes”. In 2012, this release would be followed…
Release data: Shane Morris & Mystified – Evolution CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2014 What I got here is the second installment of the “Inspired Evolution” , a triple concept-release about prehistoric time and evolution. As can be expected, the highly atmospheric, free form and organic ambient music takes up the trail where its predecessor “Epoc” left us. In this…
Release data: Three-Six (36) – Dream Tempest CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, 3Six Records, 2014 The intrinsic drone world of textures and soundscapes found on the first half of 36’s sixth album “Dream Tempest” offers a lighter (or maybe brighter might suit better) tone without losing that beautiful sense of glowing melancholy that graced the previous releases. In addition, the introspective as emotive…
Release data: Optical Image – Another Treasure Point CD, SoundArt Productions, 1997 With this album, Tom Habes reflects on the music of his successful debut “Treasure Point”, delivering a fine melodic outcome. While sticking close to and re-interpreting the original compositions, Mr Habes enriched the contemporary instrumentals with a further pleasant layer and cinematic drive. It’s great to hear it…
Release data: Matthew Florianz – Jaren CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, H/S Recordings, 2006 Here’s a fine ambient recording celebrating the beauty, momentum and special meaning of each of the four seasons taking place during the year cycle. “Jaren” was released in 2006 as a limited edition bonus cd-r to pre-orders of the cd release of Mr Florianz’s “Niemandsland”, and originally presented the…
Release data: Hemisphere – Outdoors CD, Cue Records, 1994 On his third album “Outdoors”, Ralph Knappe-Heinbockel (aka Hemisphere) presents both rhythmic-driven, melodic pieces along free form ambient compositions. Once again, I feel Ralph is at his best on his non-rhythmic soundscape pieces such as the delightful “Backwoods Echo”, or the smooth but intense textural breezes of “Arctic Circle” and “Quiet…
Release data: Synaesthesia – Desideratum CD, Hypnotic/Cleopatra, 1995 What I got here is the second album of the duo Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber, aka Synaesthesia, offering a massive 140 minute work of sonic art. Although it starts out cool and trance-upbeat with “Andromedia”, the music thereafter unfolds in much slower pace and textural spacious manner. It features a nice…
Release data: William Linton – Wayfarer CD-R, Space for Music , 2000 Here’s another (again short) album of lush ambient/space music by William Linton who once more invites his listeners on a journey through imaginary and impressionistic musical landscapes. Sonically, things are kept simple on “Wayfarer” with an occasional sparkle, while creating a comfortable atmospheric/new-age state. Just take pieces like…
Release data: Robert Fox – Blue Mountains Suite CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Fx Music, 1993 The sweeping and majestic music making up “Blue Mountains Suite”, the third album by UK-synthesist Robert Fox, takes its inspiration from a three week journey to Australia in the winter of 1991. On the 60-minute release, the symphonic and atmospheric along a range of captivating melodic lines…
Release data: Temps Perdu? – Earth Story CD, Amplexus, 2000 According to the electro-organic outcome of their previous albums “Athanor” and “Terra Incognita”, depicting the mysterious, the remote, the fascinating (and the even surreal) impact of desert ambiences has become the trademark of French/German duo Dirk and Catherine Ledit-Grützmann, aka Temps Perdu?. The tribal-infused music on “Earth Story” (clocking at…
Release data: Michael Stearns & Ron Sunsinger – Singing Stones CD, Hearts of Space/Fathom, 1994 Those having a knack for deep, organic and tribal ambient music will find much of their liking on “Singing Stones”, which has a way of awakening the senses. This concept album happened around the same time as “Kiva” (on which Steve Roach joined them), and…
Release data: Christopher Franke – The London Concert CD, Varese Sarabande/Sonic Images, 1993 “The London Concert” by ex-TD member Chris Franke features his one and only live performance after he left Tangerine Dream. On the occasion in October 1991, Mr Franke was assisted on stage by his trusted engineer Edgar Rothermich (aka Richard E. Roth). The 47-minute recording kicks off…
Release data: Dedast – Soft Landing DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Cosmicleaf Records, 2012 Dedast is Greek producer and composer Vasilis Miamis, previously operating under the moniker Will-o’-the-wisp. His album “Loft Landing” features instrumental contemporary ambient with occasional down-tempo flavours, sounding versatile, open and transparent. Next to a feel of ambient chill-out, the nine moody, sometimes rather minimal shaped tracks contain mellow melodies…
Release data: Robert Rich & Lisa Moskow – Yearning CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Hearts of Space/Fathom, 1995 After her contribution to one track on “Propagation”, Robert Rich invited American sarod-player Lisa Moscow for his full-length “Yearning”. Most of the sounds on “Yearning” are acoustic in origin and then radically processed via electronics, exploring the most intense, introspective elements in a contemporary electroacoustic…
Release data: Nacht Plank – Echo Ark CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, …txt Recordings, 2014 Nacht Plank, one of the monikers of Lee Anthony Norris, explores the deeper end of the ambient genre. “Echo Arc” is a work of sonic art filled with dense textural landscapes, drones and sustained beats evoking quite a metaphysical mood and feel, while there’s also a psychedelic, surreal…
Release data: Erik Wøllo – Tundra CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2014 The atmospheric music on the 5-track/30-minute EP “Tundra” lines up to the contemporary sounding outcome featured on Erik’s full-length “Timelines”. At the same time though, it incorporates traditional world music elements by blending it with sound samples, chants and throat singing from Arctic indigenous people. It lends a pleasant…
Release data: Analog Sweden – Moments Lost (music and art inspired by the movie Blade Runner) CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD/LP, Private Release, 2014 Analog Sweden is a Swedish duo with Fredrik Segerfalk and Per Ronge at the helm. Through crowd funding they started raising money to establish and release the concept album “Moments Lost”, music and art inspired by the movie “Blade…
Release data: Can Atilla – Concorde CD, Groove Unlimited, 2005 With the 79-minute “Concorde”, Turkish composer Can Atilla brings another fine collection of vibrant and melodic music. It’s inspired by the legendary Concorde airplane and the critically acclaimed contemporary works of Tangerine Dream of the ‘80s and ‘90s along a dash of the ‘70’s. The sounds, the sequencing and the…
Release data: Simon Lomax – A Glimmer of Memory CD/LP, Txt Recordings/Private Release, 2014 First a few words of the composer on this ambient work of art, taken from his website/SoundCloud page: “I’ve often thought about the way that we perceive memories. It was one early morning when I was out running in the Somerset countryside seeing a few rays…
Release data: Peter Challoner – Livescape_2 Alternating Frequencies CD-R, Ambient Sound Projects, 2014 The second installment in the Livescape series was recorded live in the studio in real time in February 2014 with no additional overdubs. The nine interlocking tracks, featuring subtle environmental sounds occasionally, is a world of tranquility and slow drifting textures along very gentle sequence-patterns and rhythms…
Release data: Ishq – Blue Infinity CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Virtual, 2014 Matt Hillier’s “Blue Infinity” is an ambient concept album inspired by the story of Peter Lanyon, the painter and glider pilot based in Cornwall, who painted landscapes of the West Cornwall peninsula from a gliders perspective. In a sense, the album’s music is an imagined flight in a glider across…
Release data: Józef Skrzek & Przemysław Rudź – The Stratomusica Suite CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Generator.pl, 2014 This concept album between progrock musician Józef Skrzek and Mr Rudź contains the music especially composed for The Balloon Mission to the Edge of Outer Space. Although the cd-cover lists six different parts, the 56-minute outcome is presented in one go without track indexes. After…
Release data: Robert Rich – Propagation CD, Hearts of Space, 1994 “Propagation” is a concept album about biology and the many elements of life, a sonic metaphor for “the miraculous process of living”, the spreading of genetic material across the planet in a brilliant, perpetually evolving dance of chemical, biological, and spiritual ecstasy. The cross-cultural, electro-acoustic and organic sound filling…
Release data: Michael Stearns – Sacred Site CD/MC, Hearts of Space, 1993 Capturing the power, beauty and magic from all kind of inspiring places around the world into compelling music has always been the cornerstone of accomplished US-composer Michael Stearns. The almost 60-minute “Sacred Site” compiles some of his fine soundtrack music along assorted compositions made between 1983 and 1993,…