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Fennel - A Leap Across A Chasm [2010]

2010-07-08T15:26:00.004-04:00

My buddy Franciscus is a true artist and one of the few people whose taste in ambient/drone I fully trust. Over the past few years we have sent our doodles and ideas back and forth, and it's been a pleasure to watch his techniques and style grow. This release is his first full length dive into ambient music, and it is professional as well as exceptional. As he finished his last semester at UCSB in Mathematics, Franciscus was overcome with nostalgia and decided to create an album to pay homage to his years on campus. Various field recordings from the area are accompanied by hums and swells, creating a tranquil and smooth album. A sound that is not too far from something Fennesz would do, yet original in its own way.

1: Fluid Boundary / Radiant Yellow, Humid Green (7:18)
2: Hollow Reverie (3:29)
3: Twilit Bioswales (4:44)
4: Windswept Chaparral / Fluid Boundary 2 (9:39)
5: Fabricating Memories (7:18)
6: Zona Glacialis (6:03)

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/320/85mb)

requests

2010-06-18T16:05:00.012-04:00

Oneohtrix Point Never - Heart of a Champion (just side A)

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/256/18mb)

Aidan Baker - Broken & Remade

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/v2/87mb)

Celer - Ariill

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/192/91mb)

Celer - Cantus Libres

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/v0/169mb)

Celer - Descender

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/v0/143mb)

Celer - Fountain Glider

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/320/100mb)

Celer - Poulaine

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/320/92mb)

Yagya - Rhythm of Snow

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/v0/110mb)

Gareth Hardwick - Sunday Afternoon

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/320/67mb)

Gareth Hardwick - Waiting for the Penny to Drop
DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/v0/81mb)

Gareth Hardwick - I Dream of Red

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/256/32mb)

Nocturnal Emissions - Songs of Love and Revolution

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/v0/84mb)

Nocturnal Emissions - Magnetized Light

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/192(vbr)/81mb)

Nocturnal Emissions - Tharmuncrape An'goo

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/256/97mb)

Nocturnal Emissions - The World is My Womb

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/256/60mb)

Gregg Kowalsky - Tape Chants a Million

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/192/44mb)

Splash - Slippery Beach / Trashed Gamelan

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/128(vbr)/60mb)

James Ferraro - Marble Surf [2008]

2010-06-17T23:25:00.002-04:00

Summer jamz

1: Memory Theater (19:13)
2: Surf Washing on Spring Marble (19:05)

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/192/51mb)

Oneohtrix Point Never - Returnal [2010]

2010-06-17T00:26:00.004-04:00

I didn't anticipate my request section to blow up like it has, and if I keep getting requests at this rate I may shut it down soon. I'll try and get all those up for you all in the next few days though.

In the mean time, check out this new release by OPN.

1: Nil Admirari (5:06)
2: Describing Bodies (4:19)
3: Stress Waves (5:53)
4: Returnal (4:44)
5: Pelham Island Road (7:37)
6: Where Does Time Go (6:25)
7: Ouroboros (2:04)
8: Preyouandi (6:12)

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/320/95mb)

Mohave Triangles / REALMS

2010-06-11T16:22:00.007-04:00

Mohave Triangles is a project my friend Robert Thompson has been working on, and each tape he sends to me gets better. Harsh sawtooth drones mixed with warped vocals and static. Noisy and lulling at the same time, just a massive wall of sound. He also has more tranquil pieces, it's all great stuff in my opinion.

REALMS - Misc. Demos [2009-2010]

REALMS is a project with Robert accompanied by his friend Davis on drums. I don't have all of these releases, so I don't know which is which. I've just attached 4 assorted tracks from various demos.

Agua (17:16)
SEWRLMSMLRWES (6:02)
Tokyo (1:55)
Travels (2:15)
DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/320/60mb)

REALMS - Tehuantepec Demo [2010]

1: The Galapagos Islands (13:25)
2: Orbs (6:54)
3: Channeling (12:43)
4: Cosmic Swells of Conciousness (4:17)
5: Prehistoric Lands (5:53)
DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/320/94mb)

Mohave Triangles - Demos [2010]

Bedroom Synth Jam (2) (6:56)
Eternity Clouds (7:55)
Sabal Beaches (7:35)
Vision Quest 1935 (4:43)
DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/320/60mb)

Mohave Triangles - Astral Holograms [2010]

1: A (14:48)
2: B (14:57)
DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/320/68mb)

soonish is a relative term

2010-06-02T20:38:00.004-04:00

it's been a wild ride, time for a new age

next week = new blog
more martial, more noise, tape hiss out the ass

I'm back

2010-04-18T13:37:00.003-04:00

request list coming soonish

Celer - Dilué (Diluted) [2007]

2010-04-15T17:21:00.003-04:00

Upped by request.
DISCOGS
DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/v0/61mb)

Irezumi - Endurance [2008]

2010-04-15T17:18:00.003-04:00

Upped by request.
DISCOGS
DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/256/105mb)

William Basinski - Melancholia [2003]

2010-04-15T17:12:00.005-04:00

Upped by request.
DISCOGS
DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/FLAC/150mb)

William Basinski

2010-03-16T19:40:00.011-04:00

all rips in v0 (except 1)
available in flac on request

Shortwavemusic [1998]

Watermusic (mp3 192 CBR) [2001]

The River [2002]

Melancholia [2003]

Variations: A Movement In Chrome Primitive [2004]

The Garden of Brokenness [2005]

Variations for Piano & Tape [2006]

El Camino Real [2007]

The River (Alternative Mix) [2008]

HDD crash #5

2010-02-12T16:16:00.004-05:00

rage

William Basinski - Vivian & Ondine [2010]

2010-02-04T21:16:00.004-05:00

Once again, I'm speechless.

1: Vivian Ondine (45:10)

DOWNLOAD(Mediafire/mp3/v0/68mb)

HDD crash #4

2010-01-12T02:52:00.005-05:00

Best of 09

2010-01-04T18:20:00.008-05:00

#1 Leyland Kirby - Sadly, The Future Is No Longer What It Was

Some of you know Leyland Kirby as The Caretaker or V/Vm. Others may not know him at all. Either way, this album transcends everything he's done in the past. Kirby began focusing on dreams and memories when he started releasing music under The Caretaker. His music seems to be dedicated to this general theme since then. But The Caretaker tries hard to be spooky and fill a niche. This release under his real name sounds more personal. It's a 3xCD release, totaling nearly 4 hours of music. The biggest standout track to me is the sixth track on cd #2, "I've Hummed This Tune To All The Girls I've Known." He uses an instrument I've only heard from early 80's moog artists. He makes it wail and weep. The first and last tracks are melancholy doodles on the piano with swells of drone, and they are heart breakers.

CD 1: When We Parted, My Heart Wanted To Die (76:40)

1: When We Parted, My Heart Wanted To Die (Friedrichshain Memory) (15:06)
2: The Sound Of Music Vanishing (11:15)
3: The Beauty Of The Impending Tragedy Of My Existence (7:36)
4: And As I Sat Beside You I Felt The Great Sadness That Day (12:52)
5: Tonight Is The Last Night Of The World (9:36)
6: To The Place Between The Twilight And The Dawn (20:15)

CD 2: Sadly, The Future Is No Longer What It Was (78:57)

1: When Did Our Dreams And Futures Drift So Far Apart ? (9:53)
2: Not Even Nostalgia Is As Good As It Used To Be (9:40)
3: Sadly, The Future Is No Longer What It Was (20:26) 4: Stay Light, There Is A Rainbow A Coming (12:16)
5: And Nothing Comes Between The Sadness And The Scream (6:59)
6: I've Hummed This Tune To All The Girls I've Known (12:48)
7: Not As She Is Now But As She Appears In My Dreams (6:55)

CD 3: Memories Live Longer Than Dreams (79:58)

1: Memories Live Longer Than Dreams (8:37)
2: Don't Sleep I Am Not What I Seem, I'm A Very Quiet Storm (13:17)
3: A Longing To Be Absorbed For A While Into A Different And Beautiful World (13:20)
4: Days In The Wilderness (4:17)
5: Stralauer Peninsula (16:56)
6: We All Won That Day, Sunshine (2:44)
7: And At Dawn Armed With Glowing Patience, We Will Enter The Cities Of Glory (Stripped) (10:47)

(disc1/disk2/disk3) (Mediafire/mp3/256/417mb)

Best of 09

2010-01-04T17:39:00.005-05:00

#2 Celer - Capri

2009 was the year I really got into Celer. After I gave Capri a try, I fell in love and began grabbing every release I could. Then July came along, and news of Dani's death hit me hard. Will told me each album represents a certain time of their life, and each track is a moment/feeling/experience they shared together. Their sound is so personal, and although the listener will never connect to the songs as closely as the creators, some of the emotion seeps through the swells and it's true beauty shines. Celer has raised the bar for my expectations as far as drone goes, and they have given me a new appreciation for ambient music in general.

1: Mouthfeels Of Capreae (3:03)
2: Polaroid Family Portrait (3:40)
3: Unequal Temperament (2:06)
4: Ascensionaires (3:19)
5: A Pause (0:42)
6: An Erne Of A Sigh (3:00)
7: With Ice, Anent The Steam (1:05)
8: We Missed You Favonian (4:21)
9: Listen To The Inverted Sounds, Falling (2:22)
10: Op.0 (0:33)
11: Is Lands (2:40)
12: Bracelets Passed To Spanish Hands (1:29)
13: Paired Plateaus (2:08)
14: When Ice Makes You Weep (2:13)
15: Transposing Piano (1:08)
16: In Characteristic Form (4:17)
17: Transcribe This Past (1:38)
18: Still Running (3:24)
19: In A Past Of Haze, These Beaches (0:58)
20: I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (2:19)
21: Sonata For Dual, Unaccompanied Piano (3:04)
22: Craven Gardens (3:51)
23: Lint White (7:27)
24: Others World (1:21)
25: Symtolomny (2:28)
26: Anacapri (4:18)
27: Lists Of Sycophants And Wishing (3:01)
28: Rich Telescopes (4:10)
29: A Sorted Ending (1:18)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v2/106mb)

Best of 09

2010-01-03T17:26:00.004-05:00

#3 William Basinski - 92982

I don't have much to say about this album. It is Basinski in his best form. He gives you a tease of his ability and loops it. The sound washes over you until it becomes ingrained in your being. When my room is at a certain shade of darkness, I can hear the third track of this album. When I ride the trains in the rain, I hear dlp 3. His tracks haunt me, and the more I listen to them, the more goosebumps I get.

1: 92982.1 (12:54)
2: 92982.2 (22:45)
3: 92982.4 (19:59)
4: 92982.3 (7:07)

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/v2/80mb)

Best of 09

2010-01-01T12:18:00.004-05:00

#4 36 - Hypersona

Hypersona is the first installment by 36, number 1 in a 3 part series. This album is full of emotion, and whether it makes you happy or sad, it's sure to make you feel something. The sound is hard to pinpoint, but the best way I can explain it is some really dreamy, warm chillout music. Each track floats around with texture and windy static. Cozy stuff, my default album of 09.

1: Signal (1:32)
2: 2249 (2:54)
3: Inside (5:22)
4: Intercept (0:54)
5: The Box (4:55)
6: Nephyr (5:31)
7: Beacon (3:04)
8: Hypersona (5:46)
9: Juliet (3:04)
10: Dream Window (2:01)
11: Forever (5:27)
12: Untitled (0:50)

DOWNLOAD (3six/mp3/v2/65mb)

Best of 09

2009-12-31T01:51:00.009-05:00

#5 Tim Hecker - An Imaginary Country

Hecker is back again with another massive monolith of an album. If I had to compare it to his other works, I'd say it's like Harmony in Ultravoilet with a more agressive textured sound. Heavy walls of sound mixed with calmer ambient pieces. This album has gotten me through many late night drives, pure bliss when played loud through some nice speakers.

1: 100 Years Ago (3:28)
2: Sea of Pulses (4:41)
3: The Inner Shore (4:17)
4: Pond Life (1:24)
5: Borderlands (4:46)
6: A Stop at the Chord Cascades (4:43)
7: Utropics (1:05)
8: Paragon Point (5:04)
9: Her Black Horizon (1:27)
10: Currents of Electrostasy (3:43)
11: Where Shadows Make Shadows (8:37)
12: 200 Years Ago (4:45)

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/320/95mb)

Best of 09

2009-12-29T16:43:00.004-05:00

#6 Gareth Hardwick - Aversions

I'm back from a very nice break, merry christmas to everyone. Hope it was excellent. I've had some serious trouble as to how I should finish this countdown. While I was making the list, I was still downloading new music, and if I had a chance to do it over it would look quite different. No matter though, I'll forge ahead and post the other notable albums when I'm done. This particular release has a strange back story, one that lead Library Tapes, Apalusa, Xela, John Simson, Steinbrüchel, Strategy, Chris Herbert, and Machinefabriek to make guest appearances. Gareth Hardwick has big friends in the ambient industry, and his guitar-based drone is a perfect example of the Low Point sound (the label he runs). While working hard on his new release, a nasty hard drive failure left him with nothing to show. In a dash to release something, he sent out old doodles and samples to his friends, and what came out of it is an album of amazing remixes. Each track is Hardwick's sound accompanied by each artists signature sound. There are also 2 doodles he threw together, which tie up a very pleasing album.

1: Aversions (1:46)
2: Last Heights (Library Tapes Remix) (4:46)
3: David (Apalusa Remix) (11:49)
4: High Tension (Xela Remix) (6:06)
5: Interlude (Ft. John Simson) (1:53)
6: Carnations (Steinbrüchel Remix) (9:04)
7: Last Heights (Strategy Remix) (5:13)
8: Dissolve (Chris Herbert Remix) (11:43)
9: Lost in the Memory (Machinefabriek Remix) (6:49)

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/192/80mb)

Best of 09

2009-12-21T20:23:00.005-05:00

#7 Tu M' - Monochromes Vol. 1

Tu M' is an Italian duo that doesn't mess around when it comes to drone. When I listen to them it clicks; I don't know if it's the harmonics they use, the speed of their swells, or some underlying factor. I knew I was in love from the beginning. They mostly do loops with warm overtones. Nothing fuzzy, nothing special, just done right. Kind of like if Stars of the Lid tried to take on Basinski's loop-based style. Perfect for studying/sleep. But don't take my word for it, just give it a try. You wont regret it.

1: Monochrome #01 (14:35)
2: Monochrome #02 (12:49)
3: Monochrome #03 (7:06)
4: Monochrome #04 (20:50)

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/v0/98mb)

Best of 09

2009-12-17T20:24:00.004-05:00

#8 Arizona Jaguar - 1993-2009

I was going to put a Driphouse cassette on my list, and then I was thinking about putting a Treetops cassette on my list. Then I found out they did a collab, and guess what? It's the shit. Short and sweet (10 mins). It's early 80's space moog stuff on an acid trip. Ursa knows whats up already, props to no not fun not no

1: A (4:51)
2: B1 (2:57)
3: B2 (2:57)

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/320/16mb)

2009-12-16T17:47:00.006-05:00

#9 Chubby Wolf - Meandering Pupa

Chubby Wolf was the moniker of Danielle Banquet-Long, half of the duo Celer. Some of you may know that she passed away this June to heart failure. Although this is a crippling blow, Will (her husband) has informed me that Celer still has around 25 albums to be released, and Chubby Wolf has 9 already lined up with labels. And that's not including re-releases, which he promised as well. Although her death is tragic, her memories and emotions remain in her music. This release is special to me, and although it is short, it makes up for itself in beauty. Calm, peaceful, warm.

1: Anneal This Chord Of Bliss (3:54)
2: Golems Caving In To Rebels (3:48)
3: Before We Get To Grinding (2:34)
4: Melting Upwards (1:22)
5: Barefoot In Head's Hallways (3:49)

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/320/35mb)

edit: you can also download/preview this album in lossy/lossless here

Best of 09

2009-12-12T16:44:00.007-05:00

#10 Lawrence English - A Colour For Autumn

When something gets released on 12k, it's basically got a pre-approved gold star rating by me. This label is a force to be reckoned with, and it was quite a challenge for me to not make most of my list solely from their 09 catalog. The first album I heard from Lawrence English was "For Varying Degrees of Winter," which blew me away with its subtlety and texture. This release is the second installment in a series of seasons, representing Autumn from his own perspective. Drones and field recordings, amongst the occasional doodle on guitar. Fennesz has an appearance on track four, with some guitar and sound manipulation. As the album winds down, Lawrence brings back his high pitched ring, almost like a fly buzzing in your ear; however, he finds a way to make it fit with the music rather than give you a headache. Overall it's very tranquil.

1: Droplet (6:49)
2: Watching It Unfold (5:49)
3: The Prelude To (2:16)
4: The Surface Of Everything (5:01)
5: Galaxies Of Dust (5:23)
6: Stillness In Motion (5:35)
7 ... And Clouds For Company (6:21)

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/v0/60mb)

Best of 09

2009-12-07T21:12:00.005-05:00

#11 Lustmord - The Dark Places of Earth

This is some music straight from hell. I don't know why, but I crave this sound. I love to lay in bed at night and play dark ambient, trying to gain the mindset these artist put behind their music. It's great. This release is one of my favorite from Lustmord. Sorry, no tribal horns this time. Just creepy, isolating, rumbling tones. This guy is the king of dark ambient for a reason.

1: Fallen (16:00)
2: Atom (13:37)
3: Ashen (13:43)
4: Eon (8:34)
5: Primal (9:56)
6: The Last Days (6:37)

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/v0/119mb)

Best of 09

2009-12-02T23:50:00.003-05:00

#12 Cylon - Resonanz

It seems like most of the best releases this year have been from completely obscure artists. The further I delve into this genre, the more I realize how skewed the listening population is. There are so many releases that tower over the mainstream staples, and yet they are still unknown to most. This release is no different. Such mesmerizing and gorgeous tones, an amazing work of drone. No surprises, clean to the end. A great album to drift off to sleep to. And on a side note, I've finally gotten mediafire to work consistently, which will make downloading my posts a lot more efficient from now on.

1: I (7:18)
2: II (7:54)
3: III (3:44)
4: IV (2:58)
5: V (7:51)
6: VI (8:26)

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/v2/45mb)

Best of 09

2009-11-29T14:53:00.004-05:00

#13 Earth Station - Control Belief

2009 seems to be the year of cassettes rebirth. DIY noise and punk bands have been putting out limited cassette releases forever, but a new wave of drugged out beardos have made the cassette the pinnacle of this new "psychedelic/lo-fi/drone" genre. I must admit I approached this new style with extreme contempt, but lately I've changed my approach to music in general. Why hate something without attempting to understand and become familiar with it first? I picked this particular release up off Weedtemple (props to robbie), which seems to specialize in this type of music I'm talking about. Control Belief stands out to me because of it's ability to balance the lo-fi sound with quality drone. Some parts sound like they were recorded in space, and others sport an even more alien sound.

1: Side A (10:38)
2: Side B (10:38)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/256/38mb)

Best of 09

2009-11-27T15:09:00.005-05:00

#14 Tomasz Bednarczyk - Let’s Make Better Mistakes Tomorrow

When I saw that Bednarczyk had a new release coming out on 12k I knew I was in store for some lovely stuff. The first four tracks are harmonic noise with cozy chords; the light, thoughtful kind of sound. From the the album seems to diverge, and each track has its own style. A huge standout track is 8, "So." It reminds me of something The Caretaker might do, with a windy distant sound and some faint tune you can't seem to pick out from the noise.

1: While (3:11)
2: Shimokita (3:30)
3: Drawing (5:22)
4: Raspberry Girl (5:19)
5: Autumn (4:47)
6: The Sketch (3:45)
7: Kyoto (3:36)
8: So (2:45)
9: Little Spring (6:37)
10: Night (4:10)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0/69mb)

Best of 09

2009-11-21T19:10:00.003-05:00

#15 Keith Fullerton Whitman - Taking Away

Whitman has put out 2 great releases this year. The first, Dream House Variations, comes in a 4XCasette box, where each cassette is supposed to be played simultaneously. And being the weirdo he is, he decided to make all the track lengths different, so the possibilities of sound are endless. This release is just 2 behemoth tracks, each with a completely different sound. Track one sounds like someone got a hold of his Playthoughs album, covered it in mud, and threw it in the ocean. This song is filtered so hard it would be fair to call it rape. The second track strays into the cosmos of blips and bloops, with plenty of noisy racket to boot. Parts of it are far from what I would consider "ambient" but I'm throwing this release out here because it's just that damn good.

1: Side A (31:16)
2: Side 1 (31:17)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/256/114mb)

Best of 09

2009-11-18T13:21:00.006-05:00

#16 Mariska Baars, Robert Deters & Rutger Zuydervelt - Gris Gris

This album isn't for everyone. In fact, it's probably for no one. I'm merely placing it on the internet for the world to grab in case there is someone who will enjoy it as much as I have. Track one may seem like complete silence for a few minutes, but a quick view of the spectrogram reveals something quite different. Something so delicate it requires an open schedule and a good set of cans to appreciate. Each track is it's own textured loop, giving anywhere from an underwater feel to that pop-glitch style 2009 has been flooded with. This was released on Low Point, which is slowly becoming my label of choice.

1: Gris Gris 1 (16:41)
2: Gris Gris 2 (10:24)
3: Gris Gris 3 (10:20)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/192/49mb)

Best of 09

2009-11-15T20:47:00.003-05:00

#17 Sam Goldberg - Winter Hallucinations

Seeing this guy live was one of those trance-like experiences. Just one man, a guitar, and some pedals. He sat on an amp and kept his head down mostly, so I closed my eyes and let the sound travel all around me. There's not much I have to say except this guy does some amazing stuff with a little delay. Hands down some of the best guitar-based drone I've ever heard.

1: Sleet Apologist (5:02)
2: Winter On Bexley (5:04)
3: White Out (5:04)
4: Eight Candles (4:42)
5: February 17th (5:00)
6: Superior Pho (4:43)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0/47mb)

Best of 09

2009-11-10T21:42:00.000-05:00

#18 Chris Zabriskie - I Am a Man Who Will Fight for Your Honor

Zabriskie used to make solo folk music that was, in my opinion, pretty terrible. This year he seems to have found his niche, pushing out 3 ambient full-lengths within the span of 7 months. From listening to the first few seconds of the opening track, I picked up a huge Eluvium influence. In fact, most of his tracks could easily pass as a Cooper album if the id3 tags were labeled wrong. Although this irks me, I can never get enough of this sound. Piano, swells, just beautiful stuff.

1: Androids Always Escape (1:33)
2: The Sun is Scheduled to Come Out Tomorrow (7:04)
3: I Am Running with Temporary Success from a Monstrous Vacuum in Pursuit (7:17)
4: I Am Running a Marathon with Thousands of Other Highly Qualified People Who Are All Trying to Defeat Me (3:59)
5: I Am Running Down the Long Hallway of Viewmont Elementary (6:24)
6: Laserdisc (3:44)
7: I Am a Man Who Will Fight for Your Honor (11:25)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0/54mb)

Best of 09

2009-11-03T18:42:00.000-05:00

#19 Alio Die & Aglaia - Private History of the Clouds

Alio Die (Stefano Musso) does most of his work in collaborations, sporting releases with such greats as Mathias Grassow, Vidna Obmana, Ora, and Robert Rich. His partner on this release, Aglaia, is far more obscure. Musso has been putting out music since the late 80s, and tends to stay true to a style of drone that correlates to it's genres founders. Faint field recordings accompany soundscapes that vary from calming to piercing. I've been using this album to study with because it's gorgeous and doesn't get too active.

1: Cumulus Congestus (9:43)
2: Stratus (9:42)
3: Radiatus (8:31)
4: Nimbus (13:39)
5: Perlucidus (13:13)
6: Cirrus (12:09)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0/104mb)

Best of 09

2009-10-28T23:43:00.002-04:00

#20 Sleeping Me - Lamenter

Clayton McEvoy is a newcomer to the music scene, but I feel 2009 is just the beginning for his drone/ambient work. Lamenter is short and sweet: 26 minutes of drone-based guitar. I'm a sucker for anything with a gorgeous swell but there's something about his sound that is so reminiscent to me. The first track starts up and it seems so cozy, like I've heard it a million times before. He uses notes that really impact you, keeping your attention while staying true to his style. The last 3 tracks have additional acoustic and guitar tracks that give it a sound similar to a very minimal exposions in the sky. And if you, much like me, can't stand post-rock anymore, don't let that scare you away from this release. It's refreshing stuff. Cheers to 09, a great year for ambient.

1: Redeemer (6:58)
2: Northern Pacific (5:00)
3: Bleeding Riverbed (2:45)
4: The Magnanimous Security Guard (7:12)
5: Kinski For Halloween (5:21)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/256VBR/48mb)

David Lynch - The Air is On Fire [2007]

2009-10-17T14:27:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: Untitled (12:40)
2: Untitled (6:50)
3: Untitled (3:09)
4: Untitled (3:56)
5: Untitled (11:58)
6: Untitled (6:37)
7: Untitled (4:16)
8: Untitled (8:52)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/320/121mb)

Grains of Sound - Rays of Life Vol. 2: Under [2008]

2009-10-17T14:20:00.000-04:00

Upped by request

1: Ether Drift (4:10)
2: Surrounder (Ambient Mix) (4:09)
3: We Will Be Our Aliens (3:15)
4: Three Day Haze (8:28)
5: Lost In Translation (4:08)
6: Go Softly Around Your Eyes (5:38)
7: Glacial (5:23)
8: Ketaesthetic (10:53)
9: Booming Dunes (3:40)
10: Autopilot (4:20)
11: Parachute (5:30)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/320/131mb)

Grains of Sound - Rays Of Life Vol I: Down [2007]

2009-10-17T14:13:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: Opiate (4:19)
2: Ultraviolet (7:04)
3: Botanical Curiosities (6:20)
4: Surrounder (Club Mix) (5:35)
5: Siamese Twilight (6:54)
6: I Am The Pieces. You Are The Puzzle (6:47)
7: Caesura (4:50)
8: Eden Awaits (5:33)
9: Madaul (3:39)
10: Floating Through Thought (4:41)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0/90mb)

Pete Namlook & Bill Laswell - Psychonavigation [2003]

2009-10-16T21:32:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: Psychic And UFO Revelations In The Last Days (38:46)
2: Angel Tech (10:17)
3: Black Dawn (21:22)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/192/96mb)

Celer - Continents [2006]

2009-10-16T21:10:00.001-04:00

Upped by Request.

DISC 1
1: La Oroya's Cantankerous Bells (9:01)
2: Bereft Oversight (10:00)
3: Slack Tree Diagrams (8:03)
4: Carpel Tunnels Of Love (8:38)
5: The Ex Hypthesi Dreams Of Populous Clouds (3:24)
6: Spring Shields (11:05)
7: Chernobyl Hearts And Multiple Throats (8:22)
8: (H)yoōˈBristik (7:34)
9: Ceramic Foam Party (8:55)

DISC 2
1: Fast Forwarding Sleep (9:34)
2: Sputtering Lungs / End Organ (10:04)

DOWNLOAD(Mediafire/mp3/v2/97mb)

Alva Noto - Transform [2001]

2009-10-16T19:56:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: Module 1 (5:50)
2: Module 2 (3:37)
3: Module 3 (10:11)
4: Module 4 (6:27)
5: Module 5 (4:44)
6: Module 6 (5:37)
7: Module 7 (4:59)
8: Module 8 (5:28)
9: Module 9 (7:46)
10: Module 10 (2:42)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0/75mb)

Alva Noto - Prototypes [2000]

2009-10-16T19:52:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: Untitled (0:55)
2: Untitled (7:25)
3: Untitled (4:03)
4: Untitled (5:23)
5: Untitled (0:50)
6: Untitled (6:58)
7: Untitled (5:16)
8: Untitled (5:35)
9: Untitled (6:17)
10: Untitled (7:01)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/192/65mb)

Cat Nap - Moon River [2007]

2009-10-16T19:42:00.001-04:00

Upped by request. Absurdly obscure (20 copies) release from Mark McGuire of Emeralds . Seems to have a linear progression of sounds, reaching to the far ends of the spectrum.

1: Play Little Games (4:55)
2: Moon River (15:34)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/320/41mb)

Celer - Four Pieces / Three [2009]

2009-09-26T16:46:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: Photophores (19:50)

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/v2/25mb)

Celer - Dilué (Diluted) [2007]

2009-09-26T16:15:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: Dilué (54:29)

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/FLAC/97mb)

Aube - Metal on Metal 2xCD [2008]

2009-09-25T16:54:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1-1: Quell (12:51)
1-2: Mentalité Du Métal (9:39)
1-3: Suppression (22:10)
1-4: Calx (10:34)
1-5: Unite Plate (5:25)
1-6: Métal Du Mentalité (9:06)
1-7: Metal On Metal (3:13)

MDML98 - Métal De Métal European Live Tour 1998

2-1: Metal Live 1998-1 (20:39)
2-2: Metal Live 1998-2 (38:04)
2-3: Metal Live 1998-3 (2:27)
2-4: Metal Live 1998-4 (2:57)

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire/mp3/v0/213mb)

2009-09-24T19:46:00.000-04:00

Celer - Compositions For Cassette [2009]

2009-09-24T18:34:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

A1: Untitled (7:51)
A2: Untitled (1:43)
A3: Untitled (9:00)
A4: Untitled (2:50)
A5: Untitled (8:33)
A6: Untitled (2:51)
B1: Untitled (1:02)
B2: Untitled (4:15)
B3: Untitled (4:51)
B4: Untitled (7:02)
B5: Untitled (5:27)
B6: Untitled (8:25)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0/105mb)

Celer - I Love You So Much I Can't Even Title This (The Light That Never Goes Out Went Out) [2008]

2009-09-20T16:03:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: Isotope Shortage (10:18)
2: The Delay Of Intolerance (10:08)
3: Ruined Repairs (40:11)

DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/192/81mb)

Martyn Bates & Troum - To A Child Dancing In The Wind [2006]

2009-09-12T12:59:00.000-04:00

Upped by request. I've never been a fan of Eyeless in Gaza or his solo stuff, but there's something about Martyn Bates voice that matches so well with a dark feel. Anyone who enjoyed the Murder Ballads should definitely check this out, and vice versa.

1: Mad As The Mist And Snow #2 (12:59)
2: The Arrow (3:49)
3: The Magi (4:55)
4: I Made My Song (2:44)
5: To A Child Dancing In The Wind (4:18)
6: Mad Reprise (9:38)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0/58mb)

Lustmord & Robert Rich - Stalker [1995]

2009-08-26T23:03:00.000-04:00

Upped by request. This album runs the gamut of everything dark ambient should be. Two main founders of this genre teaming up on a classic.

1: Elemental Trigger (6:06)
2: Synergistic Perceptions (10:59)
3: Hidden Refuge (9:36)
4: Delusion Fields (9:33)
5: Omnipresent Boundary (15:00)
6: Undulating Terrain (5:36)
7: A Point Of No Return (11:35)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0/110mb)

Celer - Tropical [2008]

2009-08-07T12:58:00.000-04:00

Upped by request. Average kbs of 95 or so, but it's v2. Kind of strange.

1: Normal Sadness (The Softness Of The Sea Hibiscus) (13:29)
2: Stipulated Morning Beside The Wreckage (First Sight) (6:46)
3: The Second In A Sequence Of Glances And Introductions (6:58)
4: Heart Shapes And Requiems At The Height Of LamLam (6:55)
5: Empty Hum (An Open, Empty Ocean) (18:03)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v2/36.13mb)

Celer - Four Pieces / Two [2009]

2009-08-03T13:24:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: Balsam (18:33)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0/19mb)

Oöphoi - Mare Tranquillitatis [2004]

2009-08-03T12:24:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: Hypnos (5:19)
2: In The Wake Of Kere (12:19)
3: Enlil (4:20)
4: Snwy (4:59)
5: Ybris (10:10)
6: The Dreaming Lilith (28:42)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0/103mb)

RIP Dani

2009-07-28T20:16:00.000-04:00

I just found out Danielle Baquet-Long, half of Celer, died earlier on this month at the age of 26. This is truly a crippling blow for myself because I am still in the process of falling in love with this group. It's sad to think about them not putting out any more music, but I'm glad they put out as much as they did when they were together. My condolences to her husband William and relatives of Dani

Aidan Baker - Dance of Lonely Molecules [2007]

2009-07-24T15:08:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: Sarabande (23:19)
2: Trotto (10:05)
3: Saltarello (23:22)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0)

Keith Fullerton Whitman - Playthroughs [2002]

2009-07-24T14:56:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: Track 3a (2waynice) (5:30)
2: Feedback Zwei (10:01)
3: Fib01a (8:01)
4: Acgtr SVP (9:05)
5: Modena (17:02)
DOWNLOAD(Sendspace/mp3/v2/71mb)

Aidan Baker - Field of Drones [2004]

2009-07-07T15:06:00.000-04:00

Aidan Baker is an excellent musician. He does a lot of styles well, but most of his solo stuff is drone. Very clean.

1: Darkness Encroaching (22:19)
2: Twilight (27:18)
3: Shadows ( 27:28)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/320/166mb)

Celer - Discourses of the Withered [2008]

2009-07-07T14:59:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: This Thinking Globe Exploding (14:19)
2: The Carved God Is Gone; Waking Above the Pileus Clouds (12:51)
3: Stargazing Lily Lacks the Flower (10:55)
4: A Crush, a Hero-Worship & Hyperrealism (5:51)
5: The Separation of the Two-Phased Apple Blossoms (8:50)
6: Delaying the Entropy; In Emptiness, Forms Are Born (14:26)
DOWNLOAD(Sendspace/mp3/320/148mb)

Bass Communion - Ghosts on Magnetic Tape [2003]

2009-07-06T14:42:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: Ghosts on Magnetic Tape I (12:46)
2: Ghosts on Magnetic Tape II (7:02)
3: Ghosts on Magnetic Tape III (10:15)
4: Ghosts on Magnetic Tape IV (8:18)
5: Ghosts on Magnetic Tape V (18:49)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/320/126mb)

-

2009-06-19T15:57:00.000-04:00

Laraaji - Ambient 3: Days of Radiance [1980]

2009-06-19T10:22:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: The Dance #1 (9:15)
2: The Dance #2 (9:43)
3: The Dance #3 ( 3:21)
4: Meditation #1 (18:47)
5: Meditation #2 (7:50)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/320/95mb)

The Mount Fuji Doom Jazz Corporation - Future Doomjazz Corpses

2009-06-18T20:00:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: Untitled (6:03)
2: Untitled (6:24)
3: Untitled (5:24)
4: Untitled (4:07)
5: Untitled (9:20)
6: Untitled (7:23)
7: Untitled (10:28)
8: Untitled (7:52)
9: Untitled (12:12)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/320/156mb)

Celer - Sunlir/Scols [2006]

2009-06-18T14:24:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: Sunlir 1_9 (8:55)
2: Sunlir 2_2 (8:02)
3: Sunlir 3_1 (6:47)
4: Sunlir 4_1 (9:01)
5: Sunlir 5_8 (7:20)
6: Sunlir 6_4 (6:18)
7: Sunlir 7_12 (7:20)
8: Sunlir 8_10 (10:00)
9: Sunlir 9_7 (7:40)
10: Sunlir 10_6 (5:13)
11: Scols 1_7 (12:25)
12: Scols 2_9 (7:33)
13: Scols 3_17 (6:27)
14: Scols 4_10 (6:30)
15: Scols 5_6 (7:12)
16: Scols 6_1 (8:20)
17: Scols 7_4 (7:44)
18: Scols 8_5 (7:08)
19: Scols 9_2 (7:04)
DOWNLOAD (Megaupload/mp3/320/330mb)

SleepResearch_Facility - Nostromo [2001]

2009-06-11T19:59:00.000-04:00

Upped by request.

1: A-Deck (13:58)
2: B-Deck (11:50)
3: C-Deck (11:55)
4: D-Deck (12:34)
5: E-Deck (11:29)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/256/111mb)

Celer - Capri [2009]

2009-06-05T15:11:00.001-04:00

Celer is an incredibly underrated drone group. It's a married couple that individually distributes all their work. They have a huge catalog of stuff ranging from minimalism to what most people would consider post-rock. This is their most acclaimed (and recent) release, and I would imagine any fan of the ambient genre could find some substance in this album. Fans of Windy & Carl and Stars of the Lid should definitely check them out.

1: Mouthfeels Of Capreae (3:03)
2: Polaroid Family Portrait (3:40)
3: Unequal Temperament (2:06)
4: Ascensionaires (3:19)
5: A Pause (0:42)
6: An Erne Of A Sigh (3:00)
7: With Ice, Anent The Steam (1:05)
8: We Missed You Favonian (4:21)
9: Listen To The Inverted Sounds, Falling (2:22)
10: Op.0 (0:33)
11: Is Lands (2:40)
12: Bracelets Passed To Spanish Hands (1:29)
13: Paired Plateaus (2:08)
14: When Ice Makes You Weep (2:13)
15: Transposing Piano (1:08)
16: In Characteristic Form (4:17)
17: Transcribe This Past (1:38)
18: Still Running (3:24)
19: In A Past Of Haze, These Beaches (0:58)
20: I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (2:19)
21: Sonata For Dual, Unaccompanied Piano (3:04)
22: Craven Gardens (3:51)
23: Lint White (7:27)
24: Others World (1:21)
25: Symtolomny (2:28)
26: Anacapri (4:18)
27: Lists Of Sycophants And Wishing (3:01)
28: Rich Telescopes (4:10)
29: A Sorted Ending (1:18)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v2/106mb)

Fennesz/Biosphere/Hazard - Light [2001]

2009-05-29T17:17:00.001-04:00

Upped by request.

1: Hazard - Meteosat (5:52)
2: Fennesz - C-Street (5:00)
3: Biosphere - When I Leave (Finely Tuned Version) (6:48)
4: Biosphere - Algae & Fungi (Candelaria Version) (5:44)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0/35mb)

Bülent Ortaçgil - Benimle Oynar Mısın? [1974]

2009-05-09T20:17:00.000-04:00

I picked this up from a waffles article a while back and just listened to it this morning. I can't stop! This guy is almost like a Turkish version of Donovan, and these tracks are like candy. Basically recommended to anyone who trusts my taste in music.

1: Günaydin (2:04)
2: Kediler (3:33)
3: Olmali Mi Olmamali Mi (2:34)
4: Anlamsiz (1:34)
5: Hersey sevgiyle baslar (3:05)
6: Suna Abla (1:54)
7: Bahar türküsü (2:23)
8: Benimle Oynar Misin (2:09)
9: Yagmur (3:47)
10: Sen varsin (2:11)
11: Yüzünü dökme küçük kiz (2:18)
12: Sik Latife (3:46)
13: Dört kisili düs (3:13)
14: Günaydin II (1:52)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0/52mb)

William Basinski - 92982 [2009]

2009-05-03T14:03:00.000-04:00

I'll just leave this here...

1: 92982.1 (12:54)
2: 92982.2 (22:45)
3: 92982.4 (19:59)
4: 92982.3 (07:07)
DOWNLOAD

Mokira - Persona [2009]

2009-04-17T15:06:00.000-04:00

Andreas Tillander is well known for his work in IDM and Glitch, but this is his first ambient release I've found listenable. Huge swells and drones that sound distant.

1: About Last Step And Scale (10:34)
2: Lord, Am I Going Down? (7:39)
3: Contour (5:25)
4: Valla Torg Kraut (10:47)
5: Oscillations And Tremolo (9:45)
6: Ode To The Ode To The Street Hassle (2:10)
7: Invitation To Love (6:52)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0/80mb)

anbody out there?

2009-04-13T16:36:00.000-04:00

Ateleia - Formal Sleep [2007]

2009-03-26T19:47:00.000-04:00

Listening to this album today inspired me to share some wommmmmmmms with the world. This dude makes delicious harmonies. Good mixture of minimal drones with pops and glitches.

1: Of Isthmus (8:06)
2: Salt Horse Sculpture (9:30)
3: Formal Barrier (5:57)
4: Brine, Coming To Rest (9:28)
5: A Doubtful Shore (5:49)
6: Bridget Riley (9:10)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/192/65mb)

Ennio Moriconne - Metti Una Sera a Cena [1969]

2009-02-25T13:59:00.000-05:00

Not ambient at all. Not really like anything I've ever heard. Personal favorite from Moriconne.

1: Metti, Una Sera a Cena (4:29)
2: Sauna (4:55)
3: Vuota (3:09)
4: Alla Luce Del Giorno (3:05)
5: Croce D'Amore (2:28)
6: Uno Che Grida Amore (4:31)
7: Ric Happening (3:23)
8: Amami (2:19)
9: Nina (4:48)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v2/50mb)

Raison d'être - The Empty Hollow Unfolds [2000]

2009-02-17T00:25:00.000-05:00

Cold Meat Industry is pretty well known name to fans of dark music, especially ambient and industrial. Some people even use the labels name as a genre classification for the music. Raison d'être has been around for quite a bit, but I think this is his best one. Swedes and Norwegians always create some pretty gothic stuff, but this isn't overdone. Metal on metal, choral chants, field recordings, the works.

1: The Slow Ascent (5:40)
2: The Hidden Hollows (10:17)
3: End of a Cycle (7:54)
4: The Wasteland (9:28)
5: The Eternal Return and the Infinity Horizon (20:09)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0/89mb)

2009-02-15T01:02:00.000-05:00

Funckarma - Psar Dymog [2009]

2009-02-07T13:52:00.000-05:00

The first ambient release from Funcken brothers. The engineering and production is excellent. Lot's of orbs getting tossed around with varying volume/direction. Great headphone music.

1 Amon Velvet (4:52)
2 Jenz Amd (3:38)
3 Spine Ent (5:09)
4 Ymadyn Line (4:45)
5 Raud Bumb (4:48)
6 Bee Zaine (6:03)
7 Ambo Atin (5:24)
8 Dnr Ambin (3:32)
9 Stamp Dirn (5:20)
10 Tubed Infend (5:21)
11 Psar Dymog (5:07)
12 Pipe Screen (5:16)
13 Screed Reasched (2:57)
14 Noire Dane (5:22)
15 Kardane Syco (5:03)
16 Fanil Dredged (4:20)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v2/115mb)

needs moar wommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

2009-02-06T01:01:00.000-05:00

M.J. Harris & Martyn Bates - The Murder Ballads [1998]

2009-02-05T11:08:00.000-05:00

A personal favorite, but recommended only to fans of neofolk. Mick Harris (Napalm Death, Lull, Scorn, Somnific Flux) collaborating with Martyn Bates. The three albums (Drift, Passages, Incest) were made between 1994 and 1998 and put into a collection. Harris' eerie but calming ambient matched with poetry sung in a meter I can't pick out. Each track is a story of something terrible but sung in a lullaby fashion. Standout tracks like The Two Brothers and Long Lankin sound like something from medieval or renaissance times. Truly strange music.

Disc one : DRIFT
1: The Death of Polly (14:09)
2: The Fowler (18:32)
3: Lucy Wan (4:39)
4: Long Lankin (16:04)

Disc two : PASSAGES
1: The Bramble Briar (13:27)
2: The Cruel Mother (11:24)
3: The Banks of Fordie (13:07)
4: The Murder of Maria Marten (17:32)

Disc three : INCEST
1: The Bonny Hind (12:11)
2: Sheaf and Knife (12:06)
3: The Two Brothers (17:08)
4: Edward (17:41)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v2/291mb)

Various Artists - The Throne of Drones [1995]

2009-01-26T15:56:00.000-05:00

A perfect example of my favorite vein of music. Spaced out, minimal, harmonic, brazen, and isolated. Soundscapes with texture.

1: Simorgh Sleeps on Velvet Tongues, The - Robert Rich (10:15)
2: Mobius III - Ray Guillette (3:25)
3: In the Catacombs (Again) - Steve Roach (7:44)
4: Smudgeon - Iso Ambient Orchestra (2:57)
5: Pool of Mercury - Xopher Davidson (5:13)
6: Equal Distance - Vidna Obmana (9:38)
7: Retina Volt Stream - Gregory Lenczycki (5:27)
8: Low Ceiling - Jeff Greinke (4:45)
9: Filament in Strata, A - Rhythm & Noise (3:22)
10: En Trance - Biosphere (4:47)
11: Etude For T.O.D. - David Darling (5:15)
12: Sound Characters - Maryanne Amacher (9:47)
13: Le Segue - Naut Humon (1:14)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0/117mb)

Best of 08

2009-01-10T13:14:00.000-05:00

#1
Aidan Baker & Tim Hecker - Fantasma-Parastasie

Tim Hecker teamed up with Nadja's Aiden Baker to create an album that blew me away. Droning guitar through feedback loops that are textured and booming with sound. A giant mix of doom, drone, and ambience. If your soundsystem can handle it, remember that maximum volume yields maximum results \m/.

tracklist condensed
1: Phantom On A Pedestal (5:50)
2: Hymns To The Idea Of Night (5:19)
3: Auditory Spirits (3:45)
4: Skeleton Dance (3:02)
5: Gallery Of The Invisible Woman (7:19)
6: Dream Of The Nightmare (4:20)
7: Fantasma - Parastasie (4:51)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/320/76mb)

Best of 08

2008-12-24T21:04:00.000-05:00

#2
Fennesz - Black Sea

Most of you have probably already checked this one out, but for those that haven't, consider this as a "you're welcome" in advance. Fennesz uses a mixture of electronics and loops with guitar to create a noisy, droned out effect. Overall this is a very solid album.

1: Black Sea (10:11)
2: The Colour of Three (8:07)
3: Perfume for Winter (4:36)
4: Grey Scale (4:10)
5: Glide (9:22)
6: Vacuum (3:59)
7: Glass Ceiling (5:49)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/320/94mb)

Best of 08

2008-12-16T15:38:00.000-05:00

#3
Matthew Robert Cooper - Miniatures

Most of you know Cooper by the alias Eluvium. This year's Miniatures falls nothing short of his previous records. Dense layers of the dreamiest synth and piano that drone in and out. Cooper takes a simple idea and throws it at you until you've got shivers in your spine. Seeing him play live is gut wrenching and emotional, as any good soundscape should be.

1: Miniature 1 (5:39)
2: Miniature 2 (1:28)
3: Miniature 3 (5:34)
4: Miniature 4 (3:43)
5: Miniature 5 (2:43)
6: Miniature 6 (1:22)
7: Miniature 7 (5:44)
8: Miniature 8 (1:05)
9: Miniature 9 (6:11)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/V2/43mb)

Best of 08

2008-12-07T14:54:00.000-05:00

#4
Growing - All the Way

Growing has always done a great job of taking noise and experimental sounds and turning them into something more delicate, more smooth. . As the album progresses, the tracks remain consistent and playful. Random hisses of noise thrown in to the mix guaranteed to tickle your brain.

1: Green Flag (6:16)
2: Wrong Ride (6:13)
3: Rave Pie Only (6:22)
4: Innit (6:39)
5: Lens Around (5:30)
6: Reconstruction (5:57)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/V2/59mb)

Best of 08

2008-12-01T19:04:00.001-05:00

#5
Library Tapes - A Summer Beneath the Trees

This year hasn't been too exiting for the ambient genre, but I've come across a few hits. This particular release often leaves me confused from track to track. Many tracks are accompanied by a violin, giving off a dreary orchestral sound (much like Esmerine/Set Fire to Flames). Other tracks are doodles on the piano, showing influences from Max Richter and the early ambient Eno recordings. Fans of Hammock and Windy & Carl would definitely follow this album well because it has a really droned out dramatic tone.

1: The Sound Of Emptiness Part 1 (1:30)
2: Pieces Of Us Were Left On The Tracks... (7:22)
3: Above The Flood (3:55)
4: A Summer Beneath The Trees (2:39)
5: The Fragile Tide (2:38)
6: The Modest Triumph (4:06)
7: The Sound Of Emptiness Part 2 (1:35)
8: The Rivers Turned To Cobblestone (3:19)
9: ...And The Rain Did Fall (10:49)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/192/51mb)

Lustmord - Heresy [2004]

2008-11-19T18:37:00.000-05:00

Lustmord is the kingpin of dark ambient music. He's been doing it since the 80's and since then his style has been emulated to death, such as many great artists. His music uses tones that are meant to inspire fear, and he goes to absurd lengths to make sure of it. One of my favorite things about him is his signature sound: a tibetan horn that sounds like a battle cry. Listening to lustmord can turn any room into the deepest pit of hell. Eeerie rumbles accompanied with wind that fill up the room around you.

1: Heresy Part I (7:26)
2: Heresy Part II (10:16)
3: Heresy Part III (16:04)
4: Heresy Part IV (6:35)
5: Heresy Part V (7:47)
6: Heresy Part VI (14:42)
DOWNLOAD(Sendspace/mp3/320/144mb)

William Basinski - The Disintegration Loops III [2003]

2008-11-06T17:41:00.000-05:00

William Basinski's Disintegration Loops are truly unique and beautiful. Circa 2001, Basinski set out to take old loops he made in the early 80's and convert them to digital. When he put the reels on the rod and began recording, brittle pieces of metal began chipping off the loops. The music was literally dying in front of him. I can't imagine what it would feel like to be Basinski, watching a masterpiece made 20 years earlier getting destroyed.

1: dlp 4 (20:07)
2: dlp 5 (52:21)
DOWNLOAD (Sendspace/mp3/v0/88mb)

2008-09-10T15:49:00.000-04:00