My exclusive track Frost is included on the compilation Elements 02.

Released by The Future Elements, 13 May 2013, and free to download from bandcamp or archive.org

Reviews

“Listening is believing here guys. Words sometimes cannot describe music and trust me when I say you owe it to yourself on this one. [ Elements 02 ] is definitely the next BEST THING close to [ Radio Etiopia ]. Many sublime artists at your discovery. All together the entire playlist is ecstatic and breathless on an ambient / soundscape note. Needless to say… at your disposal for FREE as well. SO DO NOT SKIP.” – The Siren Sound

“Elements 02 (Future Elements) is a more compact offering than its predecessor, but it’s more focused as a result.  This time around, the selections remain on the more ambient side of the spectrum, which helps the compilation to flow like a single work.  Artists familiar to ACL readers include Wil Bolton, orbit over luna and Endless Melancholy, but with twenty tracks, there’s plenty to peruse.  An early highlight comes from India’s Twisted Perspective, whose “Nocturnal Sakura” offers a slightly ethnic flavor.  Man Watching the Stars‘ “Ballast” rests in a soft bed of strings.  As the album progresses, a few beats sneak in, as do post-rock elements, drawing comparisons to the Buddha Bar series.  These all lead to Qualia‘s sweet “Goodnight”, which eases the listener out like a gentle horse from a barn.” – A Closer Listen

My exclusive track Haze is included on the new Symbolic Interaction compilation The Silence Was Warm Vol.4

Released on Symbolic Interaction, 10 May 2013, and available from Norman Records and Linus Records.

Reviews

“Here’s the latest instalment of Symbolic Interaction’s consistently marvellous ‘The Silence Was Warm’ series, with a host of great contemporary bliss-mongers lining up to offer exclusive passages of somnolent near-nothings, shimmers, drones and chimes.

Particularly soothing on my first run-through are the acoustic tinkling and cooing of Deathrowradio, Minco Eggersman’s Harold Budd-ish minimal piano, the post-rocky cinematism of Hopeless Local Marching Band, and the electro acoustic trance inducing minimal of Paun/Hideki Umezawa’s ‘Re:painted Wall’, but the whole collection is a gorgeously silky and therapeutic collection which will melt your worries away. Also includes contributions from the likes of Fonogram, Wil Bolton, Melorman, Ghostletters,Maps & Diagrams and Vermillion Gaze, and you can’t argue with that price!” – Norman Records

“これまでも数多くの良質なアーティスト達が参加していた、山梨のSymbolic Interactionのコンピレーション・シリーズ『The Silence Was Warm』の第4弾がリリース。
今作もアンビエント、エクスペリメンタル、エレクトロニカ、エレクトロ・アコースティック、ポスト・ロック、ポスト・クラシカルなどなどの、国内外の多数のアーティスト達が参加。メロディックで温かみのあるトラックが中心なので、エクスペリメンタル系の作品のファンのかただけでなく、聴きやすい穏やかなアンビエントやエレクトロニカ系の作品、アコースティック・インスト系の作品のファンのかたなどにも幅広くオススメなコンピに今回も仕上がっています。全16曲75分収録。パッケージはカード・スリーヴで限定300枚でのリリースです。” – Linus Records

“Between 2007 and 2011, Symbolic Interaction issued a dizzying number of releases and then… nothing. So it’s great to see Kentaro Togawa’s label back in action, even if it’s unclear whether its fourth The Silence Was Warm volume is a one-shot deal or a release signifying the resumption of activity. Regardless, the compilation offers a comprehensive overview of the label’s stylistic range and roster, given that a large number of its past associates (Pawn, Vic Mars, Melorman, Rudi Arapahoe, Minco Eggersman, etc.) appear on it.

We have to go all the way back to summer of 2008 for the release of Arapahoe’s Echoes From One To Another (the number one pick in textura’s 2008 round-up, incidentally), which makes his collaboration with Serbian composer and vocalist Jovana Backovic, “To Paint Breath On Air,” all the more welcome. Five years removed from Arapahoe’s classical-electronic debut album, the 2010 track is as exotic and alluring an excursion, though one given a noir jazz twist in its incorporation of acoustic bass and sensual vocalizing.

As one might expect, the release includes its fair share of dramatic and heavily textured ambient soundscapes (Fonogram’s “Cruz Del Sur (Mekha’s Introspection),” Giulio Aldinucci’s “Travertino”), with field recordings naturally figuring into some of the pieces. In most tracks, manipulations of the source material are extensive, resulting in tracks solidly emblematic of the experimental electronic tradition. There are exceptions to that rule, however, such as Silmus’s sparkling acoustic reverie “Clearing Up” and Deathrowradio’s “Yeah Right,” a surprisingly sedate setting of countrified picking and wordless vocalizing. Some artists opt for a more melodious style in their contributions (Melorman’s “Your Day,” Vic Mars’ clarinets-and-piano setting “Before the War”), whereas others favour wistful evocations (Minco Eggersman’s “1994 (Somewhere in Time)”). Elsewhere, Wil Bolton’s textural moodpiece “Haze” meanders lazily like a more sedate example of an early Oval work, Maps And Diagrams serves up a lustrous, pastoral ambient setting called “Glossolalia,” and Shotahirama offers the release’s sole take on micro-detailed instrumental hip-hop in “Pretty Girl Sitting.”

In keeping with the title’s implied theme, the sixty-six-minute recording traffics more in becalmed moods than agitated ones, the exception being the set’s noisiest setting, “Incremental Threshold,” which alternates between controlled strings-heavy passages and scalding, guitar-fueled roar and is the product of Togawa’s own Hopeless Local Marching Band.” – Textura

“the silence was warm vol.4 is another worthy entry in Kentaro Togawa’s ongoing series.  The main draw continues to be the high quality exclusives, many of which are never available in any other format.  Also key: a ridiculously low price.  (only £3.19 at Norman Records!)  Sweetening the deal for those who contact the label directly: the opportunity to purchase a fun t-shirt (shades of Dmitry Martin!) as pictured below. Clearly Togawa is not making a much on this venture, but he’s having fun, and ebullience is contagious.

When seventeen artists are involved on sixteen tracks, something is needed to tie them together.  As he did on the Trust compilation, Rudi Arapahoe contributes the pristine mastering; he also leads off the set with a vocal collaboration.  While those unfamiliar with the native tongue may not understand the words, the track sets a contemplative mood, and the title ~ “to paint breath on air” ~ implies a calm demeanor.  Many other ACL-familiar names grace the compilation as well.  Wil Bolton‘s “haze” would be at home on any one of his recent albums, while Pawn‘s upbeat “re-painted wall” adds swirl to the artist’s trademarked stuttered electronics, stopping in the middle for a strange tea break.  David Newlyn‘s cello-laced “empathy” utilizes distant chants to unsettling effect; Giulio Aldinucci‘s “travertino” provides kind contrast with field recordings collected in Italy. When strings join the fray, the album reaches an early peak.  Maps & Diagrams highlights bells and drones on “glossolalia”, one of his most immediate recordings to date, while the reliable Hopeless Local Marching Band picks up right where it left off last year with calliope noises interrupted by a swift burst of metal and slowly impinging strings.  ”incremental threshold” is the best track on here, as well as the least ambient; as the penultimate track, it’s well-placed.

Of the artists new to ACL, only Shotahirama makes a poor impression; fourteen seconds of Scanner-esque dialogue is an odd way to introduce one’s self.  In contrast, Silmus makes the most of two and a half minutes with gentle acoustic guitar and shimmering wordless vox, and deathrowradio continues in the same vein two tracks later, sounding nothing like its name.  With so many artists needing exposure, Kentaro Togawa’s ear for new music is a boon.  Making money is not the point; it’s all about the celebration of well-known artists and the discovery of the new.  At this price, there’s no way to go wrong.” – A Closer Listen

My exclusive track Descent is included on the new Tessellate Recordings compilation Earthtones

The second release on Tessellate is our first attempt at a compilation album and an ambitious one at that, clocking in at 2 hours long. Earthtones spans the internet-based contemporary ambient music scene, with a concept that helps us concentrate more on the geography that lies between each artist. In making worldwide communication easier, the internet has made it easy to forget the sheer size of our planet. Not only has each artist supplied an unreleased track for Earthtones; they have also provided an image of their local surroundings to accompany it to help further drive home the theme. Some are of local landscapes, others are personal places of interest to the respective artist. When you download the album, these images will show with the tracks when you listen to them on your laptop or mp3 player and as the tracks change, you’ll transport across the globe and back again, acting as a sort of postcard from the artist to you, the listenerThe loose plans for Earthtones were laid out when Tessellate Recordings began operation early last year. It was only following my unexpected redundancy in the summer that I was forced to take a serious look at the label after I was unable to finance it. After toying with the idea of folding the label, I have put together a plan which involves three stunning physical releases in the future. These will all start from the money made from Earthtones –everybody who purchases will be helping us to fund the next CD release!

Reviews

“Earth Hour is not solely, as some may say, a symbolic act. The campaign is a universal cry for help, aiming to reach all four corners of the drought-feverish, rain-swept, tornado-hit, turbulent climes of the Earth. The hour raises awareness on the outspoken and controversial subject of climate change, and also helps to substantially reduce the amount of energy we all use, if only for an hour per year. As the hour strikes, the presence of artificial light vanishes, but so do our fears, anxieties and apprehensions. The new-found darkness allows us the ability to connect deeply with our surroundings on Earth, and as reflection descends, the whole experience transforms into an incredibly relaxing hour, with no lights or electrical sources ready to distract the mind. It’s a sensation that attracts an amazing clarity, one for both the mind and our thoughts, stimulating senses that were previously subdued by the freedom in vision. For only one hour, a very refreshing, pure peace filters through amid a calm silence. And ambient music is a perfect filter for the music of the Earth, loose in the air, all around us like a loving spirit. It’s an opportunity to be truly at one with our surroundings, and it is a sensation that we have, perhaps, neglected, but it is one that our predecessors must have thoroughly enjoyed. Deep thoughts are allowed ample space to breathe, and the spiritual seeds that the healthy soul depends on are nurtured and restored to the full. Seeing is, for some, believing, but it’s quite an eye-opener (sorry) to realise just how dependent we are on the sense of sight. Seen through the filter of the eyes, the beauty of the Earth, and of all that surrounds us, is spectacularly viewed, but it is the soul that really takes in the gorgeous sight of it all, and it is the soul that is truly affected; the eyes are only the window. An epiphany of appreciation dawns as thoughts circle: the purpose of our place on this Earth, not even a grain of sand along the beach of infinity. Our reliance on light and energy is a subtle enslavement; we really don’t appreciate, or show the necessary awareness, our impact drives into the Earth. Our interactions leave constant footprints on her soil, as she leaves her imprints on the human body. The pitch-black hour highlights in red ink just how much we’ve come to rely on artificial light, as our species drains the planet of her beautiful gifts and sustaining resources. The only problem is that in the dark – in front of our eyes – the red ink disappears.

The dazzling blue eyes of the Earth are at once gazing and glazing over. Our planet is just as beautiful with the lights out. If we embrace the light of the night as we do the light of the day, then sixty minutes may potentially become a way of life. You’ll even get to see the stunning Milky Way Galaxy up in the heavens, with no light pollution to conceal it – and that’s a pretty good deal.

Earthtones is a collection soaked in the falling rain, sent of clouds and found in the upper atmosphere; a flowing ambience living out a vibrant, life-drenched day at high altitudes. At almost two hours in length, the record sails along and never veers into indulgence; it’s natural and beautiful music for a natural and beautiful rocky planet. In fact, the music could just as easily take up twenty-four hours, for this is the music of the Earth. You’ll find no artificial light on Earthtones, the latest release from Tessellate Recordings, which itself aims to fund new arrivals. And with ambient music as deep as this, from such a rich line-up of musical talent, it’s a very worthy cause.

A new day dawns, and Earthtones is alive. Another sunrise sits on the horizon, a warm air breezes over the running rivers, lakes and crescent valleys lit by the ascension of the sun. Earthtones attracts this kind of radiance. Shining oceans reflect off of clean electric guitars (‘Restbelief’), as crystal clear as glass across a sea of emeralds. Prismatic colours gleam through, as the oh-so-clean tones reflect the stunning purity of our beautiful planet. It can be found all over the world, in every corner and in every region, and the music flows an unbelievable fountain of peace found in nature’s arms. A trickle of clear water sprinkles over a dusty, melancholic piano melody, putting out the forest fires with cool tones but fading, fading, as if it were an awareness campaign lost on the trail, finally ending in disintegration. She has her own struggle, brought on by carrying 9 billion people and millions of species; the year-on-year assault on the environment, her atmosphere and the degradation of resources – not to mention our struggle to find renewable energy – all come at a cost. Earthtones is, above all, pure ambience, revelling in diversity and alive to the full. Ambient atmospheres act as a coating, like an ozone layer above the troposphere.
Dehydrated deserts deprived of water seem to thirst for this refreshing tone, and they lap it up as if it was fresh water on the shoreline of the soul.

A dazzling blossom of lucid, tropical colours burst in front of the eye like a skyline inked by soaring birds (‘Toxic Artificial Sea’). This is one of the most beautiful tracks on an album that is awash with revealing beauty. Palm-trees seem to sway as an ambient, turquoise breeze plays with sun-dappled leaves, in a brilliance of light that is both deep and warm to the approaching touch of outstretched palms, inviting the air closer. Drones are substantial, but they still feel as light as a feather (‘Raspberryhill Lane’), and sprinkled by rain.

‘Three Eight’ (Ekca Liena) uses up all of the electricity and energy as if it was the last, unstable fossil fuel left, running currents shaped like lightning-bolts on waves of distorted static, carving out electrical shocks like daggers sinking into the Earth’s soil and soul. ‘Limbus’, and her lush, green forests so vibrant with life, releases a trail of light that peeks through the branches in the midst of silent trees.

A beautiful piano section flows through ‘Riverside Park’, offering a retreat away from it all. A positive progression takes place among the floor of leaves and knotted vines, in a place where nature flourishes.

Peace may be found here.

Airy drones shower the background, adding a density to the environments and somehow making them seem and feel all the more real, in place and in substance. A beautiful still image complements every track, and the imagery inside the music complements each photograph. These musical places are very real, tied to the Earth through sound.

As Earthtones progresses, the air turns a deeper shade of blue, increasingly chilled amid the chirps of light, electronic static and the free-flow of ambience in nature. Chiming bells ring out the peace of the day, lost in the echoes and the blur of the seasons. The voice of humanity can be heard in the streets (‘Around The Block’), just as a reminder of our place on the planet – for now – but it isn’t long before the natural tones and drones displace these voices. Deep, almost tribal rhythms enter, but they’re only an obscured reverberation. The sound seems to arise from the East, but its origins are lost in the air; it doesn’t matter if it’s the orient, or Africa, or South America; it all falls under the music of the Earth. Birdsong dawns as the sunrise brings renewed light; Earth’s own sleeping hour is over. Exotic animals cry out from the jungles, as if the shrieks are their own cry for help, or the Earth’s voice made audible through a species walking her terrain, until it is brutally cut.

Earthtones carries an appropriate tagline: ‘We are from everywhere’. It is truly an international record, but it doesn’t shout it out. Earthtones is the quiet, thin layer sitting above the clouds and above the stratosphere, a heart-felt dedication to our beautiful planet Earth. If you listen carefully, you may hear her breathing as she continues to spin.

She’s still alive.” – Fluid Radio

“The digital era has been hard on music labels, and especially hard on the production of physical copies.  Thankfully, this crunch has also inspired a bout of creativity.  Tessellate Recordings, led by Harry Towell (Spheruleus) has just launched an ambitious effort to raise funds.  The selling point is clearly the music, an overview of modern ambience that gathers 28 artists on 26 tracks for two hours of meditative glory.  The unique aspect is the intentional and literal mapping of each artist, a demonstration of the global nature of the genre.  In addition, each artist has provided a photo of home or local surroundings that pops up whenever the digital track is played.  This latter aspect helps listeners to connect to the musicians as well as to the music.  For anyone even remotely interested in ambient music, this is a must-hear; and to anyone interested in keeping the scene going, this is a must-buy.  Over half of the artists have already been featured on A Closer Listen, and the others fit in nicely as well.

When presented with this much music, one naturally begins to ruminate on the state of the genre.  Must ambient music always be soft, or relegated to the background?  What makes particular artists and tracks stand out?  If it stands out, is it still ambient?  Whatever one may think of the necessity of ambient music to sound like other ambient music, the truth of the market is that the field is glutted with similar performers.  While a lack of originality may be fine for the average listener, it seldom translates into memory, reviews or sales.  Certain Earthtones tracks contain an extra element that the others lack; to this reviewer, these tracks point toward a continued evolution in the genre.  Listener favorites will vary, but to this reviewer, a few are particularly noteworthy.

Ruhe is a newer performer who has been impressing us over the past few months, thanks to a series of releases (A Beautiful Weakness, Organs, Easing) that have varied in their timbre, but not in their quality.  ”45°51’37.94 N, 122°40’11.24″ succeeds by including a generous amount of sound sources ranging from tape loops and field recordings to guitar and dulcimer.  The ear needs variety, which Ruhe is happily willing to provide.  The same is true of Danny Clay‘s “Silent Snow Secret Snow”, whose music boxes might have found a home on A Beautiful Weakness.  The key to this track is the bed of tweets and crunches, a combination that brings out its wintry intentions.  The prolific  Wil Bolton continues in this vein with the stuttered guitar and foreground traffic of “Descent”.  These selections share an interdisciplinary connection; instead of simply implying the outdoors, these tracks include the outdoors, but without the tired overuse that all-too-often plagues the genre.

The compilation also includes a few tracks that don’t sound like what listeners might expect.  Ekca Liena‘s “Three Eight (Earthtones Version)” delves into drone by incorporating elements of filtered abrasion.  In the same manner as the previously highlighted pieces offer horizontal variety, “Three Eight” offers vertical variety, enough to make the listener sit up and take notice.  Lauki tackles the same subject in a different manner on “Barcelona”, with percussive glitches and the sound of what might be a sampled foghorn.  Must ambient music be soft?  Apparently not ~ and these tracks prove the theory.  Finally buried deep in the album is Felix Gebhard‘s “Around the Block”, which sounds like a typical ambient piece until a marching band passes by, conjuring pleasant associations with Sigur Rós ”Se Lest” and concluding with the notes of live brass.

Should you purchase this compilation?  Here’s a simple test: if you’ve read this far, then you’re the right person for Earthtones.  Purchasing the album is a great way to show one’s support not only for Tessellate, but for the physical format and for ambient music in general.” – A Closer Listen

“Tessellate Recordings is a new label started by Harry Towell, well-known for curating tons of fine music for the Audio Gourmet netlabel, and of course for his own music as Spheruleus.

‘Earthtones’ is a massive compilation (26 tracks, over 2 hours) of well- and lesser known artists that all contributed a track to this album which is intended to raise funds for the next CD-releases.

Just picking a few names from the contributor list: Caught in the Wake Forever, Wil Bolton, Maps and Diagrams, Savaran, Ekca Liena, Bartosz Dziadosz (Pleq), James Murray, Damian Valles, Monolyth & Cobalt, Lauki, Offthesky, Radere, The Inventors of Aircraft. – I guess that’s enough to get you interested….

Not only did the artists contribute a musical track: they also provided ’an image of their local surroundings to accompany it to help further drive home the theme’.
The tracks contain these images as a personal ‘track cover image’, so when playing back the album ‘you’ll transport across the globe and back again, acting as a sort of postcard from the artist to you, the listener’.

Contributors come from all over the world, and together they present a wide array of different styles that are nowadays filed under ‘ambient’.

Tessellate Recordings has made an impressive start with these first two releases, and it’s definitely worth spending a few bucks to help fund their future releases.

Especially when these bucks also get you a compilation album like this!” – Ambient Blog

The debut release by The Ashes of Piemonte, my collaborative project with Lee Norris (Metamatics/Norken/Nacht Plank), is out now on Time Released Sound.

My exclusive track Damask is included on Rednetic Recording’s new compilation One Point Three.

It’s been ten years since Mark Streatfield and Joseph Auer founded Rednetic Recordings as a mean to release melodic electronic music ranging from lush electronica and techno to breakbeat and experimental, but instead of looking back, Rednetic is looking towards the future by bringing some of its regular roster together with some new comers for the third instalment of its One Point series.

Released almost six years after One Point Two, One Point Three comes as a two-part CD, named Archive A and B, both limited to 100 copies each, and as a 23-track digital album. The project features tracks from Rednetic regulars Utility Player, Ukkonen, An On Bast, Wil Bolton (Cheju) and Murray Fisher (MINT), the latter in a rare appearance under his own name, plus a host of contributions from artists from all over the world, all showcasing a much vaster scope of genres than on previous instalments. This ranges from lush techno (Forever Sound, Cyan341, USRNM, Ukkonen, Sinnesstruktur, Alphabox), atmospheric breakbeat (Zainetica, Mokujin), occasionally with vocals (Vacant Shores) and ambient (Wil Bolton, Murray Fisher, Colbets, Langer, Anzio Green) to crisp electronica (An On Bast, Z-Arc), urban grooves (Neytoda), acid-infused electro (Joseph Auer).

The range is much wider and more ambitious than the two previous instalments in this series, but like before, there is a definite intention here to gather some of the finest electronic music around, and make it work as a whole. Although Archives A & B are separate entities, at least on CDs, they are very much complementary and are designed to be experienced as such.

Curated by Mark Streatfield, who also contributes his first track under his Zainetica guise for quite some time, as well as Cyan341, the collection is much more than a snapshot of where Rednetic might be as a label ten years on from its inception. It documents a slice of electronic music focused primarily on melody and ambiences rather than on BPM and groove or all-out experimentation, which has been developing for over two decades and continues to inspire musicians and sound artists around the world today.

One Point Three will appeal not only to fans of the label, but also to fans of classic electronic labels of the early days such as Worm Interface, Toytronic or GPR right down to classic Warp or Skam releases.

Reviews

“London’s Rednetic Records have been responsible for a number of quality electronic releases over their ten year existence. Particular favorites of this writer include Recue’s All the Wrong Places, Infinite Scale’s Ad Infinitum and Warmed by Sunosis—all superb explorations of everything melodic electronic.

In celebration of a decade in business, the label is releasing a double whammy compilation of further soul fueled electronic music: One Point Three is the third in a series of fine collections exploring the outer reaches of techno, electronica and experimental sounds. Coming in two Archives the full compilation contains selections from 23 artists and includes tracks from Ukkonen, Will Bolton, Recue and the fantastically named Hopeless Local Marching Band.

Things commence relatively chilled with the bubbling arps and warm pads of “Aphelion” by Forever Sound before an immediate segue into the gentle rippling acoustic guitar work of Will Bolton. Murray Fisher follows with a fine contribution of piano led ambiance in a new departure from previous beat led outings under previous guise Mint. Later we find recent winners of best band name ever Hopeless Local Marching Band delivering a beast of an oddity that’s all opposing rhythms, demented circus melodics, industrial percussion and a sense of style as wonky as their name. Anzio Green provides the complete antithesis to this madness with “Sorry for all the mistakes”—pitching shimmering guitar against time stopping atmospherics in sultry style. Other tracks that tickled these ears find Recue showcasing superb production skills across a frenetic skittering IDM/dubstep hybrid complete with dreamy female vocal. Langer explores deep spacey dub techno territories and Ukkonen provides a characteristically left field take on melodic techno. Nice, indeed.” – Igloomag

“Rednetic Recordings has long been known for its melodic and more often than not techno-oriented brand of electronic music. Established by Mark Streatfield (aka Zainetica and Cyan341) and Joseph Auer a decade ago, the label reasserts its presence with a two-part, double-CD compilation called One Point Three featuring 140 minutes of new material by roster artists and new recruits. Curated by Streatfield, the twenty-three track collection, which arrives ten years after the first installment and six after the second, covers a broad stylistic range, with melodic techno, breakbeat, and ambient tracks heavily represented.

Forever Sound (Neil Wells) eases the listener into the two-volume set with a representative exercise in bubbly melodic techno called “Aphelion,” the Rednetic brand instantly coming into clear focus. On Archive A, the label’s ambient leanings are well-accounted for in a placid meditation by Wil Bolton (aka Cheju) (“Damask”), while its tougher side is represented by offerings from Utility Player (the muscular acid-techno banger “Eveflexiq”), Cyan341 (the militant tech-house jam “Tahrir”), and Kentaro Togawa, whose Hopeless Local Marching Band contribution “Craving” skitters frenetically between hyperactive string-based passages and crushing guitar episodes. Elsewhere there’s pretty piano-electronic lullaby (“Looking Over the Parapet” by Murray Fisher aka MINT), brooding electronica (Zainetica’s “Life’s too Short”), and murky dub-techno (Langer’s “Wind on Water”). Archive A‘s conspicuous misstep is the inclusion of a vocal on Vacant Shores’ “Non+,” which isn’t so bad as to be cringe-inducing but does spoil an otherwise credible exercise.

Archive B gets off on the good foot with an effervescent slice of acid-tinged electro from Auer (“Strangeland”) before moving on to a sleek high-roller (“Captcha”) and a melodic electronica sparkler (“Disposition”) from USRNM (Stuart Bowditch) and Z-Arc (Kris Derry), respectively. It soon becomes apparent that the second chapter’s stylistic purview extends further than the first’s: Neytoda fixes his gaze firmly on the street for a funkier grooves-heavy ride (“Exodus One”), Marco Rosso and Simon De Tomaso haul out the strobes for their disco-fied number (“Love Lazer”), Recue’s “Not Tonight” works a bit of early Squarepusher-styled breakbeats into the collection, and Streatfield and Bolton team up as Anzio Green for a slow-motion ambient evocation (“Sorry for All the Mistakes”). As if to confirm the suspicion, the volume ends with the most unusual of the compilation’s offerings, a woozy collage of electric harps and voices from FEAR called “Fear as Far as the Eye can See and a bit Further.”

If forced to choose, I’d opt for Archive B over A (Vacant Shores’ “Non+” the deciding factor), but they’re both quality collections. Only 100 physical copies of each has been made available, so those with a jones for classic electronic music of the type associated with Toytronic, Boltfish, and, of course, Rednetic shouldn’t wait too long if they want to acquire a copy.” – Textura

This sampler compiles a track from each release on Hibernate Recordings from May 2012 to February 2013. It includes my track Barbed from the album Under a Name that Hides Her.

Released by Hibernate Recordings on CDR in an edition of 30 (sold out), and as a free download from bandcamp, 25 January 2013.

I have contributed a remix of Echo & Narcissus to Daniel Land & the Modern Painters’ Sleeping with the Past EP. A big thanks to Dan for the invitation.

Released as a free download through Daniel’s Bandcamp, 21 January 2013

My track Migvie is featured on this compilation on new netlabel Assembly Field. The release also includes tracks by Darren Harper, Sima, David Newlyn, Pleq & Josco, Damien Valles and others.

Released as a free download by Assembly Field, 20 January 2013

Reviews

“Getting a foothold in the netlabel world is hard, really hard. To make yourself stand out in a veritable sea of creative commons labels you really have to hit the nail right on the head with your first release. For a start-up netlabel the challenge is tough, and Assembly Field netlabel is facing that challenge with a compilation release of experimental and drone heavyweights. At first glance of the track list you see some seasoned composers, some who are quite established in the commercial side of experimental music. The likes of Wil Bolton and David Newlyn both make appearances here, as well as some lesser known but equally as talented composers.

Darren Harper opens up the affair with a static, floating drone. The drone itself sounds like an unending, time stretched orchestra if you listen real close, with a bunch of warming crackle surrounding it. Following is Sima Kim with a plaintive piano track that meanders blissfully, bathed in lo-fidelity. It is not all warm though, Pleq and Josco collaborate on a seriously dark and ominous track which makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand, heart beats plodder in half way through as a deep bass warble plunders your speakers.

Perhaps my favourite track of the bunch is by Tone Color. ’061′ is a shimmering cacophony of field recordings, blissful drones and deep undertones that carry you away to whatever your special place may be, mine is a beach in Thailand, but this track will take you were you want to go. This is a strong first release for this new experimental label and hints at bigger things to come. I can only hope that they continue to release high quality recordings and promote both established and newer artists all the same.” – netlablism.com

The track Slate from my album Time Lapse has been used to soundtrack this amazing video.

The ultimate full moon shot. Dean Potter walks a highline at Cathedral Peak as the sun sets and the moon rises. Shot from over 1 mile away with a Canon 800mm and 2X by Mikey Schaefer.

I’m very pleased to have my exclusive track Magenta included on this free download compilation, which also features tracks by some wonderful ambient and drone artists including Quinn Walker, Damien Valles, Spheruleus, Maps & Diagrams, Field Rotation and many more.

Released as a free download by Voxxov Records, 30 November 2012

Reviews

“Voxxov Records’ second free download compilation exposes the other half of the new label’s potential roster, packed with our favorite artists in the fields of ambient, drone and modern composition.  It’s almost like a who’s who of A Closer Listen!

I did say “free”, didn’t I?  Okay, if that isn’t enough to entice some reluctant readers, how’d this for a lineup:  Strïe, Nebulo, Hakobune, Field Rotation, Fabio Orsi, Wil Bolton, Spheruleus, Damian Valles, James Murray, Teho Teardo, Quinn Walker, M. Ostermeier, Maps & Diagrams, William Ryan Fritch.  You’re either going to get it or you won’t, and I doubt anything I write will change your mind if you’re just one of those people who prefers to cross your arms and mumble *hmpff* when given the chance to get great music for free.

The following facts are still worth adding.  First and foremost, none of the above artists mails it in.  This compilation covers a smaller cross-genre splice than Voxxov’s Fall Is a House of Gold and Rain, and as such is more likely to warrant fully-sequenced plays.  M. Ostermeier begins with the piano and field recordings of “Flying South”, again easing us into the album – a feature that will serve Voxxov well on future releases.  The rest of the album unfolds like a lovely mix tape, with each track building on, and enhancing, the one before.  ”Faith in a wet season” is a beautiful phrase, implying an ability to recall a seemingly-absent sun; and as this album progresses, one begins to gain a similar impression.  It’s raining outside the house, but the sun is shining inside the speakers.

While the album flows together without a single jarring note, nestling similar sounds against each other’s hips, a few pieces do manage to stand out.  It’s important to note that “standing out” means a little less here than on other albums, since everything on this release is effective.  The always reliable Strïe turns in a haunting, mood-driven stunner with “Latent Hours”, conjuring images of the life that teems beneath a fallen leaf; as our Modern Composition Artist of the Year, we expected no less from her.  A mournful vibe inhabits Teho Teardo’s string-laden “Several Tree Huggers were found Dead”; it’s hard to believe that this is the same guy who helped to found Meathead.  A similar sorrow is found in Field Rotation’s “Continuum”, an extension of the artist’s already evocative discography.

Voxxov’s potential roster now seems to be set; the wagers can now be made as to which artists will receive the deluxe treatment.  With a lineup nearly as wide as that of our own site (Where’s the post-rock?  Just kidding!), we look forward to hearing whatever the label has in store.” – A Closer Listen