Release data: Rolf Trostel – Narrow Gate to Life CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Musique Intemporelle/MiG, 1995/2022 In the spring of 2022, I approached the German label MIG with the suggestion of reissuing “Narrow Gate to Life”, the classic fourth album by Berlin-based electronic musician Rolf Trostel. As the label was unfamiliar with Trostel and had been unable to locate him, I helped…
Release data: Amethystium – Odonata CD, Neurodisc, 2000 “Odonata” is a remarkable and beautifully crafted album by Norwegian musician Øystein Ramfjord, better known as Amethystium. Consisting primarily of instrumental compositions, the album combines subtle influences from Enigma with elements reminiscent of Synaesthesia, John Stanford’s trance and dance-oriented sound, and David Parsons’ Tibetan and ethnic-inspired musical style. Deep, resonant bass loops,…
Release data: State Azure – Loom Digital Download, Private Release, 2026 Created across 2025 and 2026, “Loom” is an 18-track ambient sphere painting by State Azure (aka Patrick Unsworth). Spanning 49 minutes, this minimalist ambient release unfolds as an immersive and dreamlike soundscape, characterized by a profound sense of stillness and imagination, subtly enhanced by occasional, softly integrated sequencing. As…
Release data: Baffo Banfi – The Sound of Southern Sunsets CD, Innovative Communication, 1988 This nearly 60-minute, eight-track compilation collects old-school Berlin electronic music recorded by Italian synthesist Giuseppe “Baffo” Banfi between 1979 and 1982. Two of Banfi’s solo releases, “Ma, Dolce Vita” (1979) and “Hearth” (1981), were produced by Klaus Schulze. Remarkably, the latter would be Banfi’s only album…
Release data: Steve Roach & Loren Nerell – Terraform CD/Digital Download, Soleilmoon Recordings/Projekt Records, 2006 A compelling release and a no-brainer for aficionados of deep-listening drones and ethno-ambient textures, “Terraform” was originally issued as a limited-edition, DVD-sized digipak, complete with three grotto photo prints. In 2009, Projekt Records reissued the album in a standard CD jewel case. “Terraform” marks the…
Release data: Numina – Transparent Planet CD-r/Digital Download, MP3.com/Numina Music, 2001 “Transparent Planet” offers a beautiful collage of tracks, some of which have appeared on other Numina releases. Three tracks are taken from the album “Dreamsleep”, while two others had already been featured on “Evolving Visions”: an early mix of “Further Entwined”, which sounds considerably rougher here, and “Emerald Nebulae”,…
Release data: Steve Roach & Vidna Obmana – Ascension of Shadows CD/Digital Download, Projekt Records, 1999 In uncertain and troubled times, there is something deeply comforting about returning to long-form ambient music — music that quiets the mind and creates room to breathe. “Ascension of Shadows”, subtitled “Meditations For the Millennium”, is a perfect example of such an immersive listening…
Release data: Erik Wøllo – Earthshine CD/Digital Download, Projekt Records, 2026 With “Earthshine”, Mr Wøllo presents a spacious and richly textured side of his musical language. Recorded on analogue 4- and 8-track tape machines and later transferred to a computer for further arranging and mixing, the album embraces the character and limitations of analogue recording as an integral part of…
Release data: Steve Hauschildt – Where all is fled CD/Lp/Digital Download, Kranky, 2015 “Where All Is Fled” appears to be Steve Hauschildt’s second solo release following his departure from the ambient trio Emeralds. It is a highly emotive collection of dreamy electronica evoking a sense of drifting that seems to transport the listener to another place. Throughout the album’s nearly…
Release data: Drifting in Silence – Winters Past CD/Digital Download, Labile Records, 2024 Fans of emotive drift-style ambient and serene wintry atmospheres should take notice of this 35-minute recording by multi-instrumentalist and composer Derrick Stembridge. A lush, wide expanse opens up on the 6 tracks, spreading a sonic perfume of loneliness, solitude and introspection as it unfolds. The textures of…
Release data: Mike Griffin – Sudden Dark CD, Hypnos Recordings, 1997 “Sudden Dark” (subtitled “exercises in ambient minimalism”) is the first solo album by Hypnos label owner Mike Griffin, who is also one half of the ambient/experimental project Viridian Sun. He spent around two years working on the album. The artist describes his music as, among other things, “psycho-active soundscapes…
Release data: Applefish – Pale Blue Dot Digital Download, Private Release, 2023 The soothing ambient character found on Nik’s previous albums continues with “Pale Blue Dot”, so there are few surprises here. Across its 47-minute runtime, slow-moving progressive textures and uplifting yet tender atmospheres, enhanced by various environmental sounds, create a distinctly cinematic feel. The drifting soundscapes evoke an introspective…
Release data: Joël Fajerman – L’Aventure des Plantes Lp, Carrere, 1982 Here’s another classic from the old days: an album featuring music for a French television documentary about botany. The composer is French musician Joël Fajerman, who created “L’Aventure des Plantes” by drawing on tracks from four previous projects in his sound library, with the exception of the emotive opening…
Release data: Planet of the Arps 2 CD/Digital Download, Deserted Island Music, 2024 Every now and then, a recording lands at Sonic Immersion HQ that makes me hit play a few more times than the usual couple before I even begin writing the review. Remy Stroomer’s “Planet of the Arps 2” is one of those releases. It’s also an excellent…
Release data: Mathias Grassow & Stephen Parsick – Gratitude and Humility Digital Download, Doombient, 2026 With this release, Stephen Parsick excavates music drawn from more than two and a half hours of deep-listening drone and mesmerizing dark ambient recordings that he created with Mathias Grassow between 2007 and 2008, who passed away in 2025. Across the four tracks, glacial…
Release data: Digital Dream – Sternenmusik Mc, Private Release, 1990 Back in 1987, German composers Andreas Morsch and Axel Stupplich began creating electronic music together under the name Digital Dream. With only a very limited setup at their disposal, the duo would get together twice a year, connect all their gear, and record their music onto DAT using two Atari…
Release data: Biosphere – Inland Delta Lp/Digital Download, Biophone Records, 2023 Improvising on reconditioned vintage synthesizers (but still in a minimal style) is what Geir Jenssen is doing on “Inland Delta”, visualizing rocky, remote but occasionally also a bit eerie yet disturbing aural environments through its partly drony synthetic textures. I can’t say I’m grabbed by the album’s environmental ambience,…
Release data: Max Corbacho – Eclipse CD-r/Digital Download, Silentsun, 2026 This album was prepared to coincide with the solar eclipse in August 2026. The four extended tracks making up the 72-minute recording elevate the listener from the start to smooth, curling, overtly lush and immersive expanses, with many subdued dynamics and intensities surfacing along the way. The calm reveal of…
Release data: Steve Hauschildt – Aeropsia Lp/Digital Download, Simul Records, 2025 A couple of years back I enjoyed Mr. Hauschildt’s album “Strands” quite a lot, but thereafter I lost track of his other stuff. Only recently, I stumbled upon the 2025 “Aeropsia” of this Cleveland native, a release exploring themes of perceptual distortion, disconnection, and renewal. The thoughtful mix of…
Release data: Matthew Florianz – Funicular Prism Digital Download, Private Release, 2026 With “Funicular Prism”, composer and sound designer Matthew Florianz -who relocated to England some 14 years ago- adds his 19th album to his discography. Matthew’s modus operandi (still) is working intuitively, aiming to create “living” soundscapes that function as detailed worlds and quiet places for listeners to explore.…
Release data: Axis – Natural High Lp, Victor, 1983 Despite being around in the genre for a long time, I still stumble upon, often well hidden, recordings deserving mentioning “Natural High” fits into that category, a project released in 1983 by Japanese synthesist Yasuo Ogata and programmer Keita Miyahara, aka Axis. The 45-minute outcome, setting off with warm analogue synths…
Release data: Robert Rich & Markus Reuter – Incubation CD/Digital Download, Soundscape Productions, 2025 The dark-flavored “Incubation” is the soundscape outcome created by touch-guitarist Markus Reuter and the accomplished Robert Rich. It was born out of various improvised sessions at Rich’s studio when Markus stayed there for a week, after one of his tours got cancelled. Don’t be deceived by…
Release data: Jim Ottaway – Treasures of Light CD/Digital Download, Private Release, 2026 When it comes to contemporary, cosmic-angled and melodic music, Mr. Ottaway’s “Treasures of Light” has a lot on offer. Same as the approach of the albums “A Promise of Eternity” and “Somewhere Inbetween”, Jim compiled this album from tracks recorded as early as June 2008 and completed…
Release data: Martin Stürtzer – Portal to Tau Ceti Digital Download, Echo Elberfeld, 2025 What I have here is a one-hour ambient-space recording by accomplished synthesist Martin Stürtzer containing three lengthy compositions. All are highly atmospheric, drifting, ethereal, and calm excursions into outer space assembled of improvised soundscapes and morphing ambient pads. One should best cherish this slow, enveloping and…
Release data: Ascendant – Excursions in Light Digital Download, Aura Exclusive, 2016/2023 In the past years I’ve heard quite a bit of the works Chris Bryant and Don… Tyler created under the Ascendant moniker. For years, “Excursions In Light“ (together with “Into the Void”) was previously only available as an exclusive ambient release through the duos Patreon portal. As the…
Release data: Loren Nerell – The Gong Prophet CD/Digital Download, SoundQuest Music, 2021 The recent passing of California-resident and musician Loren Nerell, a free spirit composer who built bridges between Balinese gamelan, tribal and electronic rhythmic ambient music, prompted me to visit another recording of his. Gamelan (an ensemble of instruments, mostly tuned percussion similar to xylophones) again makes a…
Release data: Sphäre Sechs – Nebular Resonance CD/Digital Download, Loki Foundation, 2026 A rise and fall of spacious synth pads forms the core of the journey of exploration found on Sphäre Sechs’ seventh album “Nebular Resonance”. Approximately half of the darker shaded, free form outcome was introduced at Mr. Stürtzer’s “Phobos live 2025″ free-form live event. Strings of mysterious, spatial,…
Release data: Subheim – Approach CD/Digital Download, Tympanik, 2008 “Approach” is the debut recording by Greek composer Kostas Katsikas, aka Subheim, whose music I ran into by accident. It offers a peculiar but intriguing mix of ambient, IDM, and downtempo, merging crispy beats/rhythms, piano, drones, female voices, electronics as well as a tad of glitch into a rather…
Release data: Chris Meyer’s Alias Zone – Passage CD/Digital Download, Private Release, 2026 “Passage” is a collaborative beat-less and mostly sequencer-less ambient electronic music work between Chris Meyer’s Alias Zone and acclaimed ambient artist Robert Rich, offering an outcome that’s quite a bit different than Alias Zone’s previous albums. According to the promo blurb, Mr Meyer’s has been working on…
Release data: Manuel Göttching – Dream & Desire CD, Musique Intemporelle/Spalax, 1991 Originally, “Dream & Desire” was recorded for a one-hour radio play at RIAS Berlin in 1977, but it never saw the light of day as an album. This stayed that way until 1991, when Bernd Kistenmacher seized the opportunity to release it on his label. What the listener…
Release data: Michael Stearns & Robert Rich – Reunion of Breath and Waves CD/Digital Download, Soundscape Productions, 2026 In June 2025, after many years of friendship and shared musical interests, sound explorers Michael Stearns and Robert Rich finally embarked on a collaboration to create an album together. They actually met back in 1986 when Stephen Hill introduced them to each…
Release data: Phobos – A Perceived View Digital Download, Private Release, 2026 The list of releases by this English musician is becoming lengthy by now, which isn’t a bad thing, as until now there always has been sufficient weight and fine atmospheric content found in each of them. The two-hour “A Perceived View” consists of two extended tracks recorded live…
Release data: Lisa Bella Donna – Moogmentum CD/Lp/Digital Download, Behind the Sky Music, 2021 The magic and possibilities of Moog equipment are demonstrated clearly on “Moogmentum” by Lisa Bella Donna, who’s a proud ambassador & educator of Moog Music and all of the artistry that goes into making their instruments. The sonic landscape enfolding on the continuous 11-track outcome (depicted…
Release data: Ian Boddy & Erik Wøllo – Transmissions CD/Digital Download, DiN, 2025 Those familiar with and/or enjoying Mr. Boddy’s and Mr. Wøllo’s previous collaborative albums “Meridian” and “Revolve” will find some interesting reimagined and revisited versions of tracks from each of them on “Transmission”. The latter chronicles their concert at the Capstone Theatre in Liverpool in April 2024, offering…
Release data: Black Mellotrons – Tripmuziek Digital Download, Doombient, 2026 Ok, aficionados of ambient, drone-based electronic music created with real mellotrons should pay attention here: “Tripmuziek” contains a series of five recordings Stephen Parsick made once upon a time, on his own or as collaborative efforts with Klaus Hoffmann-Hoock (aka Cosmic Hoffmann), to be used for future concert performances or…
Release data: Between Heaven and Sky – A Horizon of Dreams Digital Download, Private Release, 2026 What I got here is the second, now full-length, release by Rishi Bhatia (aka Spacecraft) and UK synthesist Nik Davies (aka Applefish). The 41-minute recording focuses on lush soundscape ambient, sonically continuing where their previous EP left us. A kindred sense of calm and…
Release data: Forrest Fang – Radiance and the Receding Light CD/Digital Download, Projekt Archive, 2026 The outcome featured on this double album -mastered expertly by Robert Rich- is another showcase of Mr. Fang’s rather unique hybrid style of electronic music incorporating ethnic influences from Asia, as such producing rich electronic textures of music that’s often complemented by assorted Western and…
Release data: Loneward – Mosaic – Singles Collection Volume 5 Digital Download, Altus Music, 2026 Mike Carss started this series of albums under the Altus moniker back in 2007 with the first volume entitled “Singulus”. By whatever reason, it now continues under the Loneward banner, offering a batch of eight atmospheric soundscapes -of which five are previously unreleased- composed between…
Release data: Lisa Bella Donna – Mysteries of Time and Space CD/Digital Download, Groove Unlimited, 2026 “Mysteries of Time and Space” -released on E-Day 2026- marks Lisa’s strong debut on the established Groove Unlimited label, seeing her execute a wondrous blend of vintage sound imagery and field recordings in three extended tracks. Here, anyone looking for profound, enchanting pads and…
Release data: Brainwork – Hypnos CD, Cue Records, 2026 In the album’s booklet, musician Uwe Saher elaborates that the content of this album turns away quite a bit from traditional Berlin School. Instead, it focuses on minimalist sound design and layered repetitive sound structures featured on two 20-minute tracks and one 12-minute piece. As such, listening to and appreciating the…
Release data: Perge – Tall Stories CD/Digital Download, Private Release, 2026 When Matthew Stringer initially formed Perge with Graham Getty, it was in response to the TD ‘Tape Tree’ bootleg exchange project being cancelled and that much of what was being put out as EM wasn’t really putting in the effort which was turning the audience off; the large interest…
Release data: Gert Emmens & Ruud Heij – In Perspective CD/Digital Download, Private Release, 2025 Well, these two musicians -who first met back in 1997- don’t need to prove anything anymore as they are both very well skilled and have brought a long list of releases (solo as well as through collaborations) to the table. The 3-cd “In Perspective” (comprising…
Release data: Johannes Schmoelling – Instant City CD, Viktoriapark Records, 2006 One could say the 74-minute “Instant City” by accomplished musician Johannes Schmoelling is one of vision, joy, and experience while also revealing a bit more of Johannes’ personal world and his development through time. In an interview, he once remarked the album in some ways is also the approach…
Release data: Rainbow Serpent – Voyager CD, Ardema Musik, 1996 Same as their fine debut “Futuregate”, their second collaborative work “Voyager” continues nicely in the footsteps of the Berlin School style of Klaus Schulze while being strongly influenced by the available technology, as well as gained experience over the years. Aside from that, I’m sure the duo’s own activity as…
Release data: Hoenig – Göttsching – Early Water CD, Musique Intemporelle/Spalax, 1995 “Early Water” is one of those classic gems in electronic music that found its origin in a jam session that took place in Berlin in the autumn of 1976 between Manuel Göttsching and Michel Hoenig. The “lost” recording remained on the shelf for about 20 years or so,…
Release data: Australis – Oneironaut CD/Digital Download, Essential Noises, 2025 “Oneironaut” (referring to Oneironautics, the ability to travel within a dream on a conscious basis.) is an accessible, melodic release offering a brief conscious exploration into the always unexpected territory of dreams, a place where we are involuntary wanderers. Within the dream experience -which is unique to each human being-…
Please click the link below to read the full article “David Parsons: Immersive sounds tapping into worlds beyond” Feature of David Parsons Tribute – Sonic Immersion This extensive article is the outcome of a collaboration of myself, New Zealand composer Rudy Adrian and Marius-Christian Burcea, host of the podcast website “Journeys To The Infinite”.
Release data: Craig Padilla & Zero Ohms – To Sleep on Stellar Winds CD/Digital Download, Spotted Peccary Music, 2024 The five-track ambient-space release “To Sleep On Stellar Winds” sees a reunion of acclaimed US synthesist Craig Padilla and Richard J. Roberts (aka Zero Ohms) after a 12-year hiatus. It has resulted in an aural journey, which sees Mr. Padilla implement…
Release data: David Helpling & Scott Reich – Through the Thought Horizon CD/Digital Download, Spotted Peccary Music, 2026 A reverie of delicate yet thoughtful soundings and a serene aural sanctuary would be an appropriate description for this spacious, luminous, 55-minute work of ambient that’s filled to the brim with lush, warm, and pastoral tones. According to the press sheet, “what…
Lp/ Release data: Michael Hoenig – Xcept One LP/CD, Cinema Records/Capitol Records, 1987 Anyone expecting something like his classic “Departure from the Northern Wasteland” will be disappointed as “Xcept One” presents an assortment of noisy, driving progressive electronics with digital drums/rhythmic percussion matched with melodic synth lines. In particular, the sound of Synclavier and Oberheim synthesizers is featured throughout. “Xcept…
Release data: Rogue Element – Premonition CD/Digital Download, Acoustic Wave Records, 2004 What I got here is the first release on Brendan Pollard’s own Acoustic Wave label, a recording he made with Jerome Ramsey using the Rogue Element moniker. Having released “Storm Passage” earlier on, this fine release is breathing the sound of vintage electronics through all its veins. Great…
Release data: Detlef Keller – 2025 Live CD/Digital Download, Manikin Records, 2026 This release sees the light of day some 10 years after “The Breakfast Event”, which I’m still enjoying quite a bit. “2025 Live” comprises a 53-minute set Detlef played at the EC festival in Lemgo, as well as a 20-minute recording made at a presentation in Münster. The…
Release data: Software – FragrancE CD/Digital Download, IC/DigIt, 1990 With this album (part of the exhibition “Digital Art”), the Software formulae moves straight into New Age music territory while integrating some further money-making tricks Mr. Weisser & co. were good at back in those days: dabbling with catchy concepts and so on. This one says it offers musical translations of…
Release data: Axess – The Power of Love CD/Digital Download, Private Release, 2026 The content of this album -which comes with a rather kitschy cover in my opinion- sees a continuation and slight extension of the emotive yet compelling and profound sound palette musician Axel Stupplich displayed on the subdued-sounding “Resurrection” and “Sea Shore”. Released on April 10, 2026, it…
Release data: Simon Lomax – Together, We Are Never Far From Home CD/Digital Download, Council of Nine, 2026 What I got here is Simon Lomax’s 15th album to date, which the artist refers to as another passage through time and emotion. To the outcome of the 48-minute “Together, We Are Never Far From Home”, Simon elaborates that it explores enduring…
Release data: Lisa Bella Donna – Odyssey CD/Digital Download, Private Release in collaboration with Omnia / Live Acts, 2020 Those who have seen this remarkable woman play live at E-Day 2026 have experienced a very talented, extraordinary and above all profoundly skilled musician who’s very much at home in the analogue gear domain. She has actually been composing and recording…
Release data: Erren – Fleissig – Schöttler – Steffen – Mosselbank Digital file, Private Release, 2016 The outcome of this album was created by Jörg Erren, Bert Fleißig, Jochen Schöttler, and Christian Steffen during jam sessions and lots of improvising while staying at a holiday lot in Ouddorp, Zeeland, in 2016. Same as “Tidal Shift”, the music (split into Part…
Release data: Ice Planet 9000 – How to bottle a Star CD/Digital Download, Private Release, 2026 Their fourth album, “How to Bottle a Star”, sees the duo Brent Zius and Karl Learmont take the next step in what they pinpoint as a retro‑futuristic, dark‑ambient voyage built around luminous melodies and vast, galactic chord progressions. Furthermore, Karl elaborates that he was…
Release data: Loneward – Paradox of Silken Stars Digital Download, Altus Music, 2026 A display of emotions has always been one of the pillars of Mike Carss’s music, a stronghold for aural journeys for the mind’s eye. March 2026 saw the release of the 55-minute, 7-track “Paradox of Silken Stars”, an album pairing varied emotive currents beautifully with broadening, deep,…
Release data: Boduf Songs – Selected Instrumental Works Mc/Digital Download, Bluesanct, 2026 Those looking for some quiet, reflective as well as intimate electronics in these restless, troubled times should check out this release comprising 14 instrumental tracks by Mathew Sweet, aka Boduf Songs. It’s solitary, sparse music without overt song structure, with intimacy always found at the core of the…