Paul Jebanasam - Rites [2013]

one of the best releases of the year for me. a mixture of so many styles that I will need to stop typing before I make a fool of myself.

let's just say it's grim. it's noisy. it's good.

dl / buy [320]

Secret Pyramid - Distant Works I [2013]

An incredible release. Nothing flashy, just incredibly moving. I look forward to his future releases very much.

dl / buy cassette [320]

Black Swan - Redemption [2013]

pretentious. extravagant. atmospheric. good.

dl / buy [320]

Best of 09

#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

#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

#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)

David Lynch - The Air is On Fire [2007]

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)

Cat Nap - Moon River [2007]

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)

SleepResearch_Facility - Nostromo [2001]

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)

William Basinski - 92982 [2009]

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]

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)

Funckarma - Psar Dymog [2009]

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)

Various Artists - The Throne of Drones [1995]

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

#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)