Hypnos News Archive, 2004
2004.12.31
We here at Hypnos would like to thanks everyone for all the support in 2004, and wish
a happy, safe and prosperous 2005 to all.
2004.12.27
For those of you mulling over the purchase of some A Produce discs, or just looking for
some MP3 sample clips of something new, or both... here are some new MP3 format clips from a variety of
A Produce releases. These include items out of print (White Sands), and not yet released (Black Sands), and
the rest mostly available, both directly from A Produce and also from the
Hypnos
Online Store:
A Produce - A Smooth Surface (special edition)
An Indian Surface
Heart of the Dunes (live)
A Produce & Ruben Garcia - Early Sessions
Clear Pools
Intuition
Reflect Like a Mirror, Respond Like an Echo
Ruben Garcia - Maybe Forgotten Forever
From the Bottom of the Ocean
Maybe Forgotten Forever
Pantoun
A Produce - Black Sands (not yet released)
Farming in Arabia
Jimbe
This Dream Too
Vectoring
A Produce - Inscape and Landscape
Choir of Industry
Dwell 1
Inscape and Landscape
This Golden Needle
A Produce - Reflect Like a Mirror, Respond Like an Echo
A Smooth Surface
Near and Far Away
Reflect Like a Mirror
A Produce - White Sands (out of print)
The Clearing
The Far Shore Solo
Tunnels
Within Reach
2004.12.26
A couple of new items on the
Hypnos
Online Store from Austere:
Austere - Curio (standard edition)
Austere - Remittance
2004.12.15
Just received a big box of new discs from the Databloem label (and its
sublabel, Dataobscura), and added those items to the
Hypnos
Online Store. Here's a list of the items available from Databloem:
The Circular Ruins - Realm of Possibility
Mutagene - Sleeping Possession
Various Artists - Collection 2: Moving
The Circular Ruins - Empathy Test
Saul Stokes - Radiate
Danny Kreutzfeldt - Counterperipheral
Sgnl_Fltr - Vebra
The Circular Ruins - Conjunction (2cdr)
Subradial - Bioloophorm
Lammergeyer - Birds of Prey
Lammergeyer - Blue Oasis
Off the Sky - Cold Distances
Lammergeyer - Borrowed Time
Subradial - Bioloophorm 2
The Circular Ruins - Land of the Blind
Please note that I haven't added cover artwork for all of these yet, but all of them are in stock now.
2004.12.09
Today, I've updated the
"Hypnos $8.99 weekly special" feature on the
Hypnos
Online Store. It's now Solar Noise
by Viridian Sun.
In case you missed this one when it came out, here's what a few people said about it:
"Timeless space music, by a Portland, Oregon duo who know how it's done. The
first long track, "Solar Solar N Sol," brings to mind Steve Roach initially,
but the improvisational nature of the collaboration gives Viridian Sun's music
a more restless structure overall. The absence of electronic percussion and
rote sequencer patterns is also a plus, as it makes the music interactive and
unpredictable. Mike Griffin supplies the spacious electronic drones, while
David Tollefson's guitar not only adds drone counterpoint, but also a variety
of rhythmic figures and textures. Subsequent tracks maintain the quality of
the first, but move in slightly different directions. "Voxuua Soexis" is
darker and more agitated--almost the stuff of nightmare. "Nervous Eclipse,"
at over 20 minutes, is almost glacially slow, and features layered metallic
timbres and a cavernous echo. It is the longest and most abstract of the
cuts, and the most purely atmospheric. The CD closes with "Radiat," a serene,
drifting piece which ends the program on a thoughtful, but mellow note."
--OPTION Magazine, Bill Tilland
"Atmospheric gasps and galactic intrigue further inform Viridian
Sun's Solar Noise. Like NY's Everything Must Go, the duo of Mike Griffin
(electronics) and David Tollefson (guitars), are working within the
parameters of what is unceremoniously called ‘space music’ but, rather
than being a redolent series of bass sequencers and whispery effects,
Viridian Sun's undeniably powerful aura is cast by a scintillating
alteration of synthetic/organic tones and pitches, guitar strings that
are cannily manipulated, and a plethora of compellingly esoteric sounds.
The opening "Solan Solar n Sol" could have been Kubrick's ode to the
monolith from 2001, had the director sought out electronics instead of
regal classicism, as Viridian Sun take the listener on a journey through
differing sonic mazes, loops, peaks and valleys. And again, like their
fellow Hypnos artists, they exhibit a gift for daunting imagery and
wordplay: titles like "Radiat" and "Voxuua Soexis" unravel as
provocatively as the soundsmiths who invented their sonic counterparts.
In a word: gripping."
--Darren Bergstein, i/e Magazine
"Following in the footsteps of such drone masterminds as Brian Lustmord or
Steve Roach, Viridian Sun try a new twist on the now-classic ambient genre.
Instead of utilizing found sounds as the aforementioned artists frequently do,
Viridian Sun has instead chose to manufacture all of their own sounds
themselves.
The most amazing thing is that the liner notes state that a guitar was used
to create some of the elements, although you would never have known. The
subtle textures that flow and undulate through these compositions appear
to be entirely composed of digital and analogue synthesizers and not the
heretical guitar. Regardless, the permeating sub-bass and smooth waveforms
that appear throughout this album are nothing short of stunning.
This Portland duo has succeeded in coaxing an inordinate degree of vibrance
from their instruments and appear to have poured their souls into their
compositions. I will definitely look forward to being exposed to more
material by Viridian Sun as soon as it becomes available."
--Chris Christian, Sonic-Boom Magazine
It's kind of hard to beat $8.99 for a CD, so snap it up while you can!
Access it directly on the Hypnos Store here.
2004.12.07 (later)
New items added to the
Hypnos
Online Store today... Everybody loves Oophoi, and it seems that everybody loves Oophoi's
CDR label, Umbra. Here are some new Umbra titles, as well as a few re-stocked items. Order
fast, supplies are limited and who knows if/when these items will come back into stock. Many of
these are limited editions from the label, and may not be available when Hypnos goes to reorder:
Tau Ceti - Todstimmung
Tau Ceti - Frozen Planet
Tau Ceti - Somnium
Sostrah Tinnitus - Favo di Fiele
Netherworld - Eternal Frost
Also these restocks (please note that Dust in the Wind (2cd) is limited to 50 copies worldwide, so I don't expect this to be
available much longer:
Oophoi - Night Currents
Tau Ceti - Todahnlich
Oophoi - Dust in the Wind (2CD)
And while you're in a frame of mind to love and worship Oophoi, and to buy everything he ever recorded,
don't forget his Hypnos release
Athlit which is a great one:
Shop for Oophoi - Athlit
2004.12.07
Just a reminder about the new
"Hypnos $8.99 weekly special" feature on the
Hypnos
Online Store. This week, it's still Washed in Mercury
by Saul Stokes, at least for the next couple of days or so.
Probably the feature will be changed Thursday or Friday, so if
you're looking for Washed in Mercury at an amazing price, grab it before the feature changes, and
if you already have Saul's debut disc, check back later to see what's featured next.
Orders are coming into the Hypnos store at a frantic pace, not just for this Stokes feature but for all kinds of
stuff! We really do appreciate the support, everbody -- thanks!
2004.12.06
vidnaObmana just posted his update/newsletter on the Hypnos Forum... for those of you who don't wish to visit the Forum, I'll copy that newsletter here:
vidnaObmana December 2004 newsletter
1. Holiday Sale
2. LEGACY, 3rd and concluding chapter in vidnaObmana’s Dante trilogy
3. news
4. upcoming works
1. HOLIDAY SALE
We're able to save some unique CD titles from obscurity : original vidnaObmana releases, rare compilation CD's, etc. Now available in limited quantaties through our mail-order service at very interesting prices. And to top this unique offer, if you order more than 4 titles from our mail-order catalogue, you get a beautiful vidnaObmana T-shirt for free (size : XL).
Happy Holidays….
2. LEGACY
“If you like bands like Isis and Neurosis, think of stripping away the guitars and the heaviness, then adding a rhythmic component and some world music elements, and if you still imagine liking what you get, you should check out Legacy. If this were a book, I'd advise you to start with the beginning, but with music, it doesn't really matter. A rewarding experience!" – Disagreement.net (Luxembourg)
“The tone - set from the opening by the utterances of singer Steve Von Till intoning the chosen monotone excerpt from Inferno - is dismal, exploratory and riddled with neuroses. The sound often suggests the wielding of deranged sonic engines, sound mangling devices or the cross-breeding of musical abnormalities, tonal deformities. As unrelentingly uneasy as the earlier chapters, Legacy has a desolate beauty, a troubled allure - but is never, never restful.” – Morpheus Music (UK)
The much anticipated LEGACY supersedes vidna's critically acclaimed TREMOR and SPORE albums, interlocking with the two, while delivering a resounding communiqué all its own. LEGACY bleeds other-worldly atmospherics, ghostlike industrial ambience and spiraling electrical waves, ushering the listener forever downward. Features the guestappearances by Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree, Bass Communion, Blackfield), Steve Von Till (Neurosis, Tribes of Neurot), local Belgian musicians Paul Van Den Berg, Tex and photographer Martina Verhoeven.
vidnaObmana's new solo album LEGACY, has been officially released on Relapse Records and is available through www.vidnaobmana.be.
3. NEWS
VIDNAOBMANA
On November the 13th vidnaObmana succesfully concluded his concertseries with a overpowering performance at cultural center Luchtbal in Antwerp (Belgium). A concert which was recorded and filmed with 6 camera’s for a late 2005/2006 DVD release. A DVD release, titled ‘The troubled flame departed, having no more to say’, for which vidnaObmana will work together with webmaster Patrick and soundtechnican Ronald in order to conclude the Dante trilogy in style and as complete as possible. The DVD is set to include the complete concert in 5+1 dolby digital and in widescreen, the 3 videoclips directed by Patrick Ceuppens, a live clip by Ronald Mariën, a photogallery by Martina Verhoeven and much more as yet unconfirmed.
As already briefly announced vidnaObmana will now enter a period of transition and reflection so that no new concerts or brand-new work is being scheduled or recorded up till 2007. Apart from the DVD production, vidnaObmana will dedicate his time to re-structure his expansive backcatalogue in the hope of reducing the quantity and realizing a very selective but informative anthology series on his own Ikon label. Also the pending and critically-acclaimed ‘Opera for Four Fusion Works’ with Acts III and IV will be concluded in 2005.
Our website will be updated with all current and forthcoming news and works in the course of December 2004. Expect some nice sale offers of rare and older CD titles we were able to safe from the vault.
MARTINA VERHOEVEN
Our personal photographer Martina Verhoeven, who has responsible for the beautiful imagery on most vidnaObmana CD’s including the recent Dante trilogy and the overwhelming visuals during vidnaObmana’s concerts, has updated her website with a couple of new photo series and some latest news. She’s currently producing a limited series of blow-ups which will be sold through the vidnaObmana website in 2005. Visit her website at www.martinaverhoeven.be
4. UPCOMING WORKS
DRONE/NOISE ANTHOLOGY 1984-1989
2nd release for vidnaObmana’s Ikon label. After the well-received 20th anniversary anthology, vidnaObmana selected and re-mastered rare and unreleased pieces from his obscure and unfamiliar noise and experimental phase between 1984 and 1989. All pieces were taken from old cassette masters and unreleased studio sessions so that a lot of time and energy was invested in securing a high quality in sound for this CD release. Expect a provoking combination of early drone and atmospheric pieces with sonic assaults of noise and vocal experiments. The collection includes collaborative pieces with cassette-network pioneers Kapotte Muziek, PBK and Big City Orchestra. An essential compilation that re-confirms vidnaObmana’s significance in the independent music scene of electronic and experimental music. It also shows the listener vidnaObmana’s early foundation in more meditative music and what followed afterwards in these past 20 years. Expected in the first half of 2005.
ACT THREE – REFLECTION ON SCALE (OPERA FOR FOUR FUSION WORKS)
Naturally vidnaObmana can’t retreat into oblivion before he finalizes his epic Opera For Four Fusion Works for the Hypnos label. His admiration for composer Morton Feldman (1926-1987) solidifies musically by the participation of experimental artist Kenneth Kirschner who delivers some of the most introspective and desolate piano patterns for vidnaObmana to recycle and process. The third act that will be composed in memory of Morton Feldman’s breathtaking minimal music. The next intriguing step in vidna’s ambitious Opera project. We hope that a release will be officially scheduled for mid 2005 with the fourth Act to follow very soon afterwards.
CONTINUUM
While vidnaObmana solo goes into pauze, we’re excited and very proud to announce a new output for vidnaObmana’s originators musical experiments. , vidnaObmana and worldwide-appreciated and talented musician Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree, Bass Communion, Blackfield) bring you Continuuum. A multi-layered synonym for both their wilful visions together and motivated by both their immense passion for a wide-range of musicstyles.
Continuum will produce over the years to come a series of albums for US-based experimental label Soleilmoon Recordings. Each CD album will be released in a very beautiful and limited oversized digipack with breathtaking design and artwork by Lasse Hoile.
The first release, scheduled for February 2005 on Soleilmoon, blends both’s musicians initial love for the desolate and minimal. A CD that will be appreciated for the fans of microscopic ambient music.
2004.12.03
Check out the Hypnos Online Store for a new feature, which we will be updating weekly: it's the "Hypnos $8.99 weekly special" which will be (in case it's not obvious) a single Hypnos CD featured each week at the special price of $8.99. The first featured item this week is Washed in Mercury by Saul Stokes, which is only appropriate since that was the first Hypnos CD release ever. If you're looking to build up your Hypnos collection at the best possible price (short of scavenging through pawn shops in Las Vegas for the copies left behind on one of Mike's desperate and ill-fated gambling binges), check back weekly and snap these up!
2004.12.02
We now have final artwork for the upcoming Stephen Philips release on
Hypnos Secret Sounds, Dagboken. Here it is:
Dagboken is a long, slow-shifting piece of environmental ambience -- think of Paul Vnuk's
Silence Speaks in Shadows for an idea of the sonic territory this occupies.
This should not be confused with Stephen's Hypnos release Into the Dark which will be released
next year. Dagboken will be released within the next month!
2004.12.01
Above and beyond what was done yesterday, today I further updated the Hypnos CD Releases page. It appears that in the next 6-7 months, a total of at least 9 CDs will be released on Hypnos, Binary, and the new Hypnos Secret Sounds sub-label. For those too lazy to click that link, or who have yet to find that the "upcoming" items are at the bottom of that page, here is a list of those upcoming projects (not necessarily in chronological order -- in fact, I'm not sure what order these are in -- maybe that's for another update):
Robert Scott Thompson | At the Still Point of the Turning World (December 2004 or January 2005)
Numina | Eye of the Nautilus (winter/spring 2005)
M. Griffin | Sounds are Hidden Inside Objects (Hypnos Secret Sounds, December 2004)
M. Griffin | Fabrications (possibly imaginary release)
Stephen Philips | (as yet untitled) (Hypnos Secret Sounds, late 2004)
Stephen Philips | Into the Dark (Hypnos, 2005)
Jeff Karsin | Proton Jelly (Hypnos Secret Sounds, 2005)
Viridian Sun | Live, Paris Theater (Hypnos Secret Sounds, December 2004 or January 2005)
2004.11.30
Just a quick note today... updated the Hypnos CD Releases page to reflect some recently-scheduled upcoming items, including releases on the Hypnos main label, and the sublabels Binary and Hypnos Secret Sounds. Lots of great CDs coming up this next year!
2004.11.29
Hope everybody enjoyed their Thanksgiving here in the US (and those of you overseas, you already get
enough holidays, anyway). The holiday weekend ended up being a great time to get the new ChromaStatic 4 studio set up and
working. Speaking of the studio, I've recently begun an update to the Hypnos FAQ/Info page ,
which links to another document here which details a bit about previous ChromaStatic
studios, and some of my studio setups, working methods, and so on. This may be of interest to Hypnos obsessives, electronic
music gear lovers, and others with too much time on their hand.
This new setup has actually allowed me to complete a lot of recorded material. More new stuff than I've finished in years has been
born in these past two weeks.
The first CD release on the Hypnos Secret Sounds sub-label, Sounds are Hidden Inside Objects (which is also my first
solo release since 1997's Sudden Dark), is now substantially complete and should be released before the end of the year.
Here again is a glimpse of the cover:
It's a work of extremely minimal, drone-o-riffic ambient. MP3 sample clips of some kind will be posted in advance of the
release. Stay tuned.
2004.11.22
Today, a quick rundown of activities, changes, plans and upcoming projects from Hypnos and its allies:
First, the next Hypnos CD, At the Still Point of the Turning World, which is the Hypnos debut of the established and
prolific artist Robert Scott Thompson, will go into production any time now. Though we've missed our original projected release
date slightly, it will still be released during 2004.
It's been a couple of years since we've had new material from Saul Stokes, but he returns to the Hypnos/Binary lineup early
in 2005 with his upcoming release, Vast. Saul remains one of the most eagerly-followed Hypnos artists, and his
recordings are frequent listening in Hypnos HQ, so this is a big event.
Numina will release his followup to his extremely well-received Hypnos debut, Sanctuary of Dreams, in early 2005.
It will be titled Eye of the Nautilus.
The recently-announced Hypnos side-label, Hypnos Secret Sounds, will be launching soon. Among the first few releases
will be Sounds are Hidden Inside Objects by M. Griffin, Live, Paris Theater by Viridian Sun, and recordings
by Stephen Philips, Jeff Karsin, and several others not yet finalized.
We continue to try to expand the Hypnos
Online Store, adding new artists, labels and titles regularly. Keep checking back, as you should see the selection expand
steadily during the next few months, with new items added all the time, even when no major update has been made to the storefront
page.
The Hypnos
Forum continues to be our most popular destination -- yes, even more popular than this News page or the Hypnos Online Store (the
second and third most popular destinations, respectively) -- and it's been given an updated look. Also, the more volatile & polarizing
topics (generally politics and religion) have been moved off to their own section, so those who wish to primarily visit to talk about music,
movies and so on, may do so without being exposed to the most heated arguments... and those who wish to argue heatedly are free to
do so without offending those who would rather keep it mellow.
2005 looks to be a great year for Hypnos, especially coming after the doldrums of 2003, and 2004 which was spent getting back up to
speed. We should see lots of great new music, more frequent updates to this news page and the rest of the web site, and lots of new
materials available on the Hypnos Store. Stay tuned!
2004.11.19
Updates and additions to the Hypnos
Online Store:
New items:
Egocentric - The Sky Within the Ground (CDEP, The Foundry)
Oophoi - Dust in the Wind (The Works 1995-2003) (2CD, Umbra/Oophoi)
Lustmord - Heresy (remastered 2004 edition)
Rapoon - My Life as a Ghost
Re-stocked items:
Steve Roach - Texture Maps
Vidna Obmana - Anthology 1984-2004
2004.11.18
Continuing to try to add as many updated CD reviews as possible to each individual CD's page in the CD releases section. Here's a newly uncovered review of Jeff Pearce's To the Shores of Heaven, which appeared in Sleepbot:
"Mr. Pearce gets the very most out of his guitar. Most of the tracks have only the barest of substance, choosing instead to
drift on for miles. Long lazy chords, echoing voices, and drones flowing out to the horizon. But when the mood strikes him,
he can also provide a catchy precession of stanzas, or even just a dreamy undulation to an otherwise calm smooth surface.
His stylings strike a very good balance between the dark and the sweet. A very contentful work. It was released on the
Hypnos label, and they're generous with the quantities they produce."
--Sleepbot
Here's a review of Numina's Sanctuary of Dreams by Chuck VanZyl of Star's End radio:
"SANCTUARY OF DREAMS (73'14") by Numina (a.k.a. Jesse
Sola) comes from the same spark as many other soundworld
realizations in the field of Spacemusic. Through the subtle
manipulation of deep drones, sub-sonic swells, metallic
sonorities and the slow spiraling of contrasting chords, Numina
provides the listener with a wondrous sonic sanctuary in which
to reflect upon their own inner workings. Throughout his music
we find an artist trying to identify his relationship with the scale
of his work, and the relationship of this work to the environment.
The material on SANCTUARY OF DREAMS guides the form in
which Numina is working. The 10 tracks are each a storm of
color and sound, less representative of the chaos of the
unconscious mind than of the enigmatic and ominous world of
dreams . . . visions beyond cognition."
--Chuck VanZyl, Star's End Radio, WXPN, Philadelphia
And finally, one from Incursion e-zine, by Richard DiSanto, reviewing Vidna Obmana's Surreal Sanctuary:
"Ethno-ambient master Vidna Obmana returns with a surprising CD of complex soundscapes. Using a host of instruments
and "surreal acoustics", together with musical contributions from Steve Roach (guitar), Joris De Backer (double-bass) and Jim
Cole (overtone singing and tamboura) makes this one of Obmana's most complex and rewarding works to date, utilising more
sound manipulation techniques than I was expecting. Though Obmana's "unmistakable tone" is central in this release, its complex
sound constructions and layering of samples makes it a departure from the more gentle and unobtrusive ethno-ambient works
of his recent and not-so-recent past. Maybe I have never turned up the volume of one of his records, but with The Surreal
Sanctuary the impulse was natural: there's so much hidden beneath these layers, listening to it is like digging for the subtext of a
complex narrative structure. This is literature for the ears, telling stories and constructing entire worlds for its listeners to travel
through, only to return bewildered to the world like Dante rising from the infernal depths: "It was from there that we emerged, to
see - once more - the stars."
--Richard di Santo, Incursion e-zine
Our thanks to these reviewers, and all others who support Hypnos and its CDs and artists.
2004.11.16
Many new updates on the Hypnos Online Store... take a look at the "Hypnos Recommends" section.
2004.11.02
Sales have been increasing steadily on the Hypnos
Online Store, and we're continuing to add new items:
New and re-stocked items:
Biosphere - Cirque
Richard Bone - Ascensionism
Ian Boddy - The Deep
Ian Boddy - Jade
Ian Boddy - Phoenix
Ian Boddy - The Uncertainty Principle
Blackmouth - Blackmouth
Conet Project - Shortwave Numbers Stations (4CD)
Thom Brennan - Beneath Clouds
Ron Boots - Screaming Whispers
Price-reduced items:
Aube - Millennium - Ianuarius - $11.99
Aube - Millennium - Februarius - $11.99
Aube - Millennium - Martius - $11.99
Aube - Millennium - Aprilius - $11.99
Aube - Millennium - Maius - $11.99
Aube - Millennium - Iunius - $11.99
2004.10.28
Been busy moving Hypnos HQ, but we're almost done. Also, several new items have
been added to the Hypnos
Online Store:
From Oophoi's limited-edition CDR label, Umbra:
Oophoi - Three Lights at the End of the World (ltd.cdr)
Oophoi - Night Currents (ltd.cdr)
Various - World of Shadows (Umbra artists)
Tau Ceti - Todahnlich
From esoteric ambient sound artists, Austere:
Austere & Abstract Audio Systems - Evergone
Austere - Fade
Austere - Monodia
Austere - Convergence
Austere - Distance
2004.10.18
The latest Hypnos CD release, Chad Hoefler's Twilight in the Offing, has been well-received so far. Initial listener response has been very good, with several people on the Hypnos Forum immediately adding the item to their "Best of 2004" lists. Also, this weekend's Star's End Radio show made Twilight in the Offing it's "featured disc." Here is the review by Chuck VanZyl, host of Star's End Radio, and also promoter of the wonderful Gatherings concert series:
Twilight in the Offing (60'27"), the debut album by Chad Hoefler, deals with our inescapable encounter with Truth.
The 7 tracks exist as leviathans within this album's soundworld; to warn listeners of the approaching night. With its
Godzilla size drones representing a mounting tension and cavernously deep reverberations revealing a nervous
restlessness, Twilight in the Offing is more about the rising darkness than it is the coming dawn. This work makes
heat through its crosscurrent of turbulent electronic soundwaves. The line of each piece uncoils, surges and
swells into a sustained density. Breathing drones and murmuring sonic prominences intensify the listening experience.
Hoefler's mood ranges from that of a charred hellscape to the closing moments of a rapturous dream, somehow
echoed into the world. Material is a reaction to form. Here, the sound design provides a brief space in which to
contemplate transition. While sounds mingle like moving shadows in the dark, we consider the proportion of material
to length, and that which is beyond twilight, and our lives.
Tune in to STAR'S END this weekend for music from Twilight in the Offing, the new album from Chad Hoefler
The CD is available, as always, at the Hypnos Online Store.
2004.10.14
In the course of organizing the Hypnos Mail Order inventory, we found several items that were on the
shelves, but not listed as "active" on the Hypnos
Online Store. When Jenn showed me the list, I said "Hmm, I guess that explains why some of those
weren't selling as well lately!" These items must have run out of stock and been removed from the store,
then never added again when re-stocks came back in. Well, now, finally, they've
been added to the store now and are available for purchase... they include:
Rapoon - Rhiz
Steve Roach - Early Man (2cd version)
Steve Roach - Fever Dreams
Steve Roach - Magnificent Void
Steve Roach - Streams and Currents
Steve Roach - Texture Maps
Trial of the Bow - Ornamentation
Spyra - Sferics
Jeff Greinke - Over Ruins + Moving Climates
Airsculpture - Quark Soup
Vidna Obmana - Anthology 1984-2004
Hana - Omen
2004.10.13
OK, it's official. The papers are signed and Hypnos HQ will be moving to the other side of Portland next week. Wish us luck! We're still doing business in the mean time, processing orders promptly, answering emails, and all the rest.
2004.10.11
About a week ago I mentioned that later this year, Hypnos would be initiating a new limited-edition
CDR sublabel called Hypnos Secret Sounds. I have several ideas already for projects to release through
this outlet, and I'm also sure plenty of new ideas will come up. None of those projects are really ready
to announce yet, so my artwork and design experiments, which I may demonstrate here (as many people
indicated they enjoyed seeing the evolution of the Chad Hoefler CD artwork prior to that CD's actual
release) have incorporated one of those projects I'm certain will be released on Hypnos Secret Sounds
in 2005:
This recording is not quite finished, but it's actually closer than my long-awaited, in-progress-since-1997
album Fabrications, so I feel pretty comfortable tentatively announcing it at this time.
2004.10.08
We've had a great response to the latest Hypnos CD, the Chad Hoefler debut Twilight in the Offing. Orders are flowing in steadily on the Hypnos Online Store, and we'll be sending out promo copies to radio and press next week. Thanks again, everyone, for your support of Hypnos and our roster of artists.
2004.10.06
Here it is... the first new Hypnos CD release since May!
Chad Hoefler's CD debut Twilight in the Offing is now available for purchase on
the Hypnos
Online Store.
This is the Hypnos debut, and in fact the CD release debut, of an fantastic new ambient music artist.
It's one of those rare, special debuts that immediately designates the artist as important and
worth watching. Twilight in the Offing is the work of a mature and experienced
artist, with a sonic variety and depth that stand up next to the best of the ambient/space music
genre. Check out the clips below for a sample:
Track listing with MP3 sample clips
crimson lost
enveloping shadow
substrata
refugia
in a marooned moment
on the eve of plum frost
orchard of stone
Chad says:
As the title of my debut CD, Twilight In The Offing, metaphorically suggests,
this 7 track, 1 hour long CD represents my attempt to sonically capture the
concept of inevitability. I endeavored to use track titles that portray the muse for this work: the inescapable
fact that darkness follows dusk (at least in the vast majority of places on this planet), that fall and winter
follow summer, and that the expiration of life is the ultimate certainty. Tracks vary widely from one another
from deep and dark orchestral soundscapes with tribal percussion to floating sonic surrealism to abstract, pensive
soundworlds. If I had to compare the genre of this work to the genres of other ambient artists, I would say that
it belongs to the same family of work represented by the likes of Alio Die, A Produce, Robert Rich, Steve Roach, etc."
Reviewed by Robert Rich:
"Overall, I must repeat that this is some of the best music that I have mastered in a long time. I don't say
that lightly. Your sense of dynamics, patient timing and spaciousness makes for a very well-crafted work."
Reviewed by Jeff Kowal (aka Terra Ambient) on the Hypnos Forum:
"...a brilliant debut
release! And I mean Brilliant. Musical skill of this kind comes from the bones, it can't be learned. The CD
has a lot of familiar flavors, but nothing distinct or recognizable. Like a fine, complex wine. Musically,
the CD is wonderfully dense and saturated, but is clear in purpose and design. The compositions are never
muddy or crammed.
It is an amazing debut worthy of everyone's attention. Regardless of your preferences in style,
Twilight has something for everyone... electronics, blended with tribal beats, blended with
floating pads blended with enough darkness to make it edgy... this CD carries it all with masterful precision.
The CD just seeps with solid, elegant production values. You can hear Robert's subtle mastering style all
over it, but obviously Chad's skill as a musician and audio designer make the compositions work in the first
place. This is a CD for headphones. I cannot recommend enough that people try this CD out. It is a very
visceral, complex and noteworthy body of music that is to significant to miss out on! PUT IT ON YOUR MUST BUY LIST!"
We're very proud of this release, and excited to be the first to bring you the work of Chad Hoefler.
Access it directly on the Hypnos Online Store here.
2004.10.04
Lots of activity behind the scenes on
the Hypnos
Online Store this past few weeks (many new items added, many out-of-stock items replenished, many
temporary "sale" prices) have resulted in a big increase in orders. Thanks, everybody. Like I never
tire of mentioning, if people buy more Hypnos CDs, it allows us to release more Hypnos CDs.... and we
definitely have a lot of plans cooking for the coming six months or so. It looks like more new CDs
will be released during that upcoming time than in the previous eighteen months.
What's more, traffic at the Hypnos
Forum is also up dramatically. Probably this is due to a lot of (mostly civil) election-related discussion,
but whatever the reason, it's busy lately. In the past, I've found that more postings lead to more
people visiting, which leads to more postings, and so on... and right now we're at a point of high activity.
Whether you're interested in learning about some new
music, discussing Anime films, or taking a poll on who you think will win the presidential election next month,
go on over to the Forum and check it out.
It looks like it should just be a few more days, at most, before Chad Hoefler's CD debut Twilight
in the Offing is ready to sell. Also, by mid-October we'll be ready to announce at least two
of the initially planned releases on the Hypnos Secret Sounds project.
Lastly, the link to www.electroambientspace.com
originally posted on Friday was formatted incorrectly and didn't lead anywhere unless you copied and pasted the
address into a new browser window. If you're more inclined to visit a web link that actually works, try again
today.
2004.10.01
Phil Derby's excellent new magazine, Electroambient Space, has converted from an "old fashioned printed on paper" type magazine to a monthly webzine, available for free at www.electroambientspace.com. Phil sent the following announcement, which also explains some of the specific features of this first monthly issue:
Hi everyone. I have switched formats for my magazine Electroambient Space. It is now a monthly webzine, and the
October issue is up and ready for your reading pleasure. Features this month include:
Artist Spotlight: Airsculpture
Feature: Unknown EM artists
Interviews: Hampshire Jam 3 artists RMI and ARC, and Airsculpture
CD Reviews: New Spyra, great 2-CD compilation of the 2003 Mojave Desert Gathering, much more! Nearly
40 reviews total in this month's issue.
Please check it all out. And please pass this along to other related individuals or music lists that might be interested.
Comments and feedback, positive and constructive, are welcome. Thanks.
Phil
Phil Derby
Editor and Publisher
Electroambient Space
www.electroambientspace.com
Phil is one of the finest reviewer currently working in this genre, and since all this content is now completely free,
I hope everyone will go take a look at Electroambient Space. This month's issue also includes a review of the Hypnos/Binary
release by John Duval, Hell's Canyon, which also happens to be one of the "Hypnos Summer Sale" items on the
Hypnos
Online Store.
Here's the Hell's Canyon page on the Hypnos store:
John
Duval - Hell's Canyon - $9.99
John Duval - Hell's Canyon track list with MP3 samples:
Approaching the Rim
Hell's Canyon
River of Fear
Beside the Sulfur Sea
Paleozoic Twilight
Sleepy Hollow
... and here's Phil Derby's review of Hell's Canyon:
"'Approaching The Rim' starts like something out of the movie 'Forbidden Planet,' as textural deep space blips appear on the screen. The abstractness continues into the title track, defying easy description. Bass notes slide up the scale, the portamento lending an otherworldly and somewhat humorous affect. 'River of Fear' has a much more ominous quality, but then a rapid sequence takes off. Then it swells and slacks while other electronics play subtly over the top. An atmospheric siren-song passage draws this piece to a close. 'Beside the Sulfur Sea' is reminiscent of the way Jean-Michel Jarre used whooshing wind sounds in Oxygene and Equinoxe. Paired bass notes plink along as bubbling gurgling electronics dance about here and there. Duval’s work is difficult to describe, with too much going on to be ambient music, but too little to be anything close to Berlin school. 'Paleozoic Twilight' is part primordial soup, part vintage sci-fi, again reminding me a lot of 'Forbidden Planet.' I can see Robby the Robot moving across the living room of Morbius’ home, or Leslie Nielsen talking to Anne Francis beside the pool as I listen to this one. It’s all a bit on the quirky side, but also refreshingly different from almost anything else that’s out there in EM circles right now. I suspect this one is a grower; I’ll be giving it several more spins to try it on for size."
In other Hypnos news, briefly:
Chad Hoefler's Twilight in the Offing should be ready to sell next week.
Robert Scott Thompson's The Still Center of a Turning World is complete from a recording/mastering standpoing,
and we just need to come to agreement on some artwork & design issues. Should be ready to release in late October or
early November.
The last Hypnos release of 2004 is expected to be Numina's followup to his very popular debut Sanctuary
of Dreams, which will be called Eye of the Nautilus.
Also late in 2004, Hypnos will announce a series of cdr limited editions called Hypnos Secret Sounds. The plan is that these
items will be limited to 200 copies, and will focus on first releases by emerging artists, live recordings, experiments in
drone or minimalism, and so on. These will be created to match the usual Hypnos standard of quality, both in terms of
music and artwork/packaging, while allowing some more flexibility in the kinds of music that we can release.
At the time of a more official announcement (well, it's already official now, but some of the details are not yet
finalized, and will not be until after Hypnos HQ moves in mid-October), it is likely that I will change the
longstanding 'no demos' policy here at Hypnos, subject to certain rules or limits. The idea is to find a way to
present more interesting and worthwhile music to the listening public, than we are presently able to release
on the regular Hypnos & Binary imprints. This is something we're very excited about, and we hope you'll be looking
forward to it as well, once all the details are announced.
2004.09.29
More items added to the Summer Sale on the
Hypnos
Online Store:
hyby0306
John Duval - Hell's Canyon $9.99
fou12
Dean Santomieri - The Boy Beneath the Sea $9.99
fou14
Mollusk - Accretions $9.99
hyp2131
Robert Rich - Somnium (DVD) $21.99
hypts01xl
Hypnos T-Shirt - SIZE XL $12.99
hypts01l
Hypnos T-Shirt - SIZE L (very ltd. quantities) $12.99
hypts01m
Hypnos T-Shirt - SIZE M (very ltd. quantities) $12.99
din14
dbkaos - Art of Sacrifice $11.99
din13
Subsonic Experience - Praposition $11.99
din97
Ian Boddy/Ron Boots - Phase 3 $11.99
din98
Ian Boddy - Rare Elements (2cd) $16.99
din99
Ian Boddy - Continuum (2cd) $16.99
We're adding new items to the store regularly, so if you haven't checked in for a while,
take another look.
2004.09.28
Here's a series of new MP3 sample clips for some TrancePort Special Edition releases:
Sample MP3 clips for A Smooth Surface (special edition) by A Produce:
An Indian Surface (excerpt)
Heart of the Dunes (live, excerpt)
Sample MP3 clips for Early Sessions by A Produce & Ruben Garcia:
Clear Pools (excerpt)
Intuition (excerpt)
Reflect Like a Mirror, Respond Like an Echo (excerpt)
Sample MP3 clips for Maybe Forgotten Forever by Ruben Garcia:
From the Bottom of the Ocean (excerpt)
Maybe Forgotten Forever (excerpt)
Pantoun (excerpt)
The latter two items are temporarily out of stock at the Hypnos store today, but these and all in-print
A Produce & TrancePort Special Edition titles should be back in stock next week. Check that section of
the Hypnos Store here.
2004.09.27
Here are several new additions to the
Hypnos
Online Store:
Jim Cole - The Way Beyond
"The Way Beyond gets my highest recommendation: it's paradigm shattering work by one of the
brightest lights in today's ambient scene."
--Review of The Way Beyond, by Brian Bieniowski, The Ambient Review:
Also new in stock, several items from the Manifold label:
Lull - Collected
The ultimate in drift and darkness! A collection of rare and unreleased compilation tracks formed within Mick
Harris' deepest nightmares.
Rapoon & Birds Of Tin - Monomyth
"These are the best parts of things like Rapoon's 'Kirghiz Light'
or 'Dream Circle', but limned with the glowing depth of Birds Of Tin's dense, drifting waves and flows."
Sleep Research Facility - Dead Weather Machine
"Dark exquisite ambient, simply perfect... chilling, huge and deep. Like the
electrically-charged shade of Lustmord's 'Place Where The Black Stars Hang'."
Sleep Research Facility - DWM Re: Heat
"Originally conceptualized as a 100 copy cdr to go with a special limited edition of Dead Weather
Machine, Manifold commisioned Sleep Research Facility to create a single hour-long track of
total dark-ambient drift based on the original material."
Aube - Howling Obsession
"More fittingly titled 'Howling Obsession Revised' as this existed previously as a limited 20 copy CDR edition from
the Newsonic label. The material on that release was so good that it seemed a shame to keep all but twenty people
from ever hearing it and this includes tons of extra material, namely Howling Obsession Performed live."
Crawl Unit - Versus Silence
Ultra-minimal ambience approaching the limits of silence.
"The sounds on this record, originally recorded between 1993 and 1995, were intended for use as
"environmental sound for exhibition space". These pieces are remarkable for how their subtle and
dense soundscaping continuously moves in and out of a foundation in silence. These five segments
create an amorphous whole where silence is not only used as marks of punctuation, but fulfils its
double role as both the source and the destination of sound. Highly recommended."
--Reviewed by Richard DiSanto, Incursion.org
2004.09.21
Another set of CD reviews added to the CD information pages here on hypnos.com -- this time it's Paul Ellis's Hypnos/Binary release Into the Liquid Unknown:
"Top 50 CDs of all time."
--Bill Binkelman of windandwire.com, on the Ambient Music mailing list
.
"Paul's prior solo work, 'Appears To Vanish,' was a great foray into both familiar territory
and new electronic ground. Influences of Jean-Michel Jarre and Tangerine Dream were present,
with more active and melodic elements. He ventures more into his own on this release, which
he likens to baroque minimalism. And if it ain't baroque, don't fix it. Seriously, this is a
nice diversion from typical Berlin school sequencing. Oh, yes, there are loops and sequences
aplenty, but this isn't relaxed space music with a simple pulse or two. It is very active,
always on the move. 'Bend In The River' and the title track begin with almost twenty minutes
of rapidly shifting up and down electronics, surrounded by solid bass lines, and lots of
synths and effects. Though energetic, it is also manages to be relaxed at the same time. The
bubbly, cascading sequences are a familiar theme throughout. But the disc features some
really cool atmospheric pieces as well, such as 'Moonlit Stream At The Mouth Of A Cavern,' a
teaser that is almost shorter than the time it takes to read the title. It serves as the
intro to my favourite track, 'Under The Waves, A Sky Of Water.' This is so reminiscent of
Jarre's active works, such as 'Magnetic Fields,' a real treat. The flutey synths are great.
'Slowly Rowing Through Ghost Melodies' has a meandering quality befitting its title. Next up
is another favourite, "Undines," a tale of underwater nymphs that swirls in circular
atmospheric textures. The rapid opening theme from the disc is revamped slightly in the next
track, which then leads to the very pretty 'Glistening.' Crisp, clear bell tones bring
Schulze to mind, but the composition seems tighter, not just loose improvisation. It's airy
and beautiful but not at all schmaltzy. Wonderful stuff. A really strong yet restrained
sequence appears toward the end, one of the few places where I hear something like TD. Mostly,
though, Paul has created something that will definitely please electronic music purists,
without just rehashing those who have gone before. If you must have your retro fix, then check
out 'Luminous Depths In A Sapphire Sea,' with mellotron flutes and lots of warbly e-sounds.
Paul does a great job arranging the musical highs and lows, as upbeat tracks flow into
midtempo tracks, slowing down to textural pieces, and ratcheting it back up again, all
seamlessly flowing together. Well done."
--Phil Derby, Synth Music Direct
.
"The sound of German electronic space music from the 70s has held a powerful sway over
any musician twisting knobs on a synthesizer. A quarter century after Kraftwerk, Tangerine
Dream and Klaus Schulze codified their sound, people are still making music like they
stepped into a Berlin time warp. And it's not surprising. The sound of rolling sequencer
patterns, swirling effects and laser burst melodies still sounds fresh. To put on Phaedra
or Body Love is to be transported once again. Paul Ellis is one of many who were mesmerized
by that sound, as evidenced by his group, Dweller at the Threshold. But with his second
solo album, he's finally breaking away, making a music that, while still reflecting his
roots, moves into a space that hasn’t been trampled. INTO THE LIQUID UNKNOWN is built
around analog synthesizer sounds and interlocking sequencer patterns that build into maze-like
designs. He drops the simple 4/4 rhythm, plodding drum machine patterns and smothering
synthesizer string pads that plague most post-70s space musicians. Instead, his lines
are clearly etched into black space, rhythms are suggested more than played, with melodic
lines squeezing through delays and filters, morphing in endlessly fascinating timbres.
of Dweller alumnus Ellis.
INTO THE LIQUID UNKNOWN is an 'ESSENTIAL ECHOES FOR 2001' selection."
--John Diliberto
.
"This 73 minute CD is the second release on Binary Records, profiling the solo endeavors
of Dweller alumnus Ellis.
Commencing with delicately fluid tones, this music swiftly evolves more stamina and
effervescence with demonstrative riffs that capture the listener's attention. That
sonic grip tightens with each passing moment as the melodies swell and grow intricate.
The pulsating harmonies never flow over-the-top, remaining active but sedately unaggressive.
High-end snarls twirl into engaging textures peppered by astral blooping and the distant
clanking of antediluvian machinery. This liquid music seeps like a glistening nebula,
immersing the listener in a turgid but pleasant pool of fanciful sound.
Considering this CD's title, it's no surprise that much of this music explores a fluid
quality. Keyboard notes spill forth like swift waterfalls, casting melodies out to
undulate along invisible streams that splash around the audience with vibrant result. When
the songs ease back to allow the listener to catch their breath, the calming passages adopt
the vastness of a placid ocean under a night sky of urgent stars."
--Matt Howarth, Sonic Curiosity
.
"This is the first recording in a cooperative agreement between the
excellent {@Hypnos Recordings} label, and the {@Binary} label. This is
worth mentioning before the review because the music that is going to be
released with the new {@Hypnos/ Binary} label is nothing at all like the
music of {@Hypnos Recordings} which specializes in dark, almost clinical
Ambient. {@Hypnos/ Binary} has put their focus on more dynamic forms of
electronic music, everything from experimental electronica, to more
rhythmic trance, and classic European-influenced e-music. This is an
important distinction to make when listening to their first release {$Paul
Ellis’} {^Into the Liquid Unknown}. {$Ellis’} {^Liquid Unknown} is as
close to classic Berlin-school electronic music, i.e. Tangerine Dream, and
Klaus Schulze, as one can get, without actually being from the
Berlin-school. The mechanical sounds of classic analog synthesizers and
sequences pulsates on this recording from the beginning and until the end.
Fans of {$Steve Roach’s} early rhythmic and sequencer-based work, such as
{^Empetus} and {^Now/ Traveler} will verily enjoy {$Ellis’} {^Liquid
Unknown}. {$Ellis} has crafted this recording into a long-running and
cohesive work that drips of electronic music nostalgia, while at the same
time creating a work that is truly representative of his own voice. This
is a fine recording, and for those that have a thirst for German
electronic music that has longed to be quenched then this is certainly a
disc worthy of your time."
--Reviewed for All Music Guide by Matt Borghi
.
"Paul Ellis is a third of the American trio "Dweller At The Threshold" who
will be seen this coming spring at the Alfa Centauri Festival. After letting
me know about this upcoming performance, Paul sent me his most recent solo
CD (he had previously made the magnificent "Appears to Varnish") plus a CD
from DATT. After I had listened to both discs several times, I had to
conclude that there is not very much difference in style, quality or
mind-space between Paul Ellis solo and that of DATT: Thus "Into The Liquid
Unknown" also breathes an atmosphere of TD's "Stratosfear", but it is
certainly not a pastiche version of that music: it is lovely spacemusic,
with wonderfully dramatic swells smashing through the stereo image,
restrained sequencers and other enjoyable elements. Not music which roars
out of the speakers, where everything has been chucked in and let loose, but
instead a lot of attention and restraint has been payed to something which
in the hands of others could have been much rougher. A sort of long,
enjoyable and evocative introduction to something very beautiful, as you
(hopefully) will be familiar with and love..."
--Frits @ KLEM
.
"The press release for Intothe Liquid Unknown categorizes the disc as
classical Berlin School e-music. Paul Ellis has longbeen, by his
own admission, associated with that style of music. this is the first
release on the Binarylabel, a division of Hypnos. Thus, it is fitting and
appropriate that Paul has added some newtwists to the old school..
Being a huge fan of the Hypnos label, I was eager to hearthe new light that
Paul and Hypnos would shed on thesubject. I dearly love the heavysequences
and deft synth washes of the German brand of e-music. I am overwhelmed by
Paul's cross-genreapproach. His dramatic sequencessurround subtle
atmospheres and minimalism. This is similar to the style that Groove artists
have beenexploring. Ron Boots, in fact, has perfected the technique.
Paul adds something to the mix for a unique sound. Paul achieves sequenced
drama without anorchestral or symphonic overtone. Therhythms drive the
minimalism for an extremely chilling effect. I felt goose bumps and calmness
at the sametime. I was drifting and dancing. It was definitive biorhythmic
meditation.
It would stand to reason that Mike Griffin and Hypnos are promoting and
encouragingnew styles. I have said it before andI'll say it again -- if it's
on Hypnos, it'll be great!"
--Jim Brenholts
.
"And now for something completely different - a disc that is full of sequencing and electronics,
but is NOT Berlin school! How is this accomplished, you ask? Well, if your name is Paul Ellis,
you do it by having your own vision of exactly how you want your music to sound. Doing what he
describes as baroque minimalism, this is a foray into a musical fantasy world, with familiar
elements from Teutonic leanings, but used in a different manner than most. Beginning with
"Bend In The River," an active main sequence bubbles and rolls along nicely, in keeping with
the "liquid" theme. Good spacey elements underneath to give it some balance. Thicker synths
join the rolling pattern, and there is a good build-up in intensity. I like the way all the
sounds just sort of drop out one at a time, albeit quickly, at the end. The title selection
features a very similar pattern to the first track, with the rapid rolling up and down
sequencing. It's not your typical hypnotic looping style, it's more active than that. The
simple electric piano chords in the last couple minutes of this track work especially well,
sounding really good in the mix. Next comes "Moonlit Stream At The Mouth of a Cavern," whose
title is practically longer than the song. It's short, but man, this one is cool. I love the
deep space atmospheric mood. Next is "Under the Waves, A Sky of Water." I really like the
gradual fade in of the main sequence as it transitions out of prior track. A key change midway
through adds good variety. When the key changes back, a strong synth string lead line appears,
cool vintage sound. The flute adds a nice touch, too. This is part Jarre, part Spyra, part
something else. Great track. Though the focus is on more structured and active pieces, some
of my favourites are the delicate, atmospheric floaters, like "Undines," which is wonderful.
Another ambient track is "Glistening," which begins with cool bells and synth birds. The
title is perfect, really capturing the essence of it. The sequence that starts at 4:16 is
fantastic, perfect Tangerine Dream imitation - that's a good thing, in my book. "Luminous
Depths In A Sapphire Sea" has an opening sequence and vintage synth sounds that hit me as
very Jarre-esque. Then the flute synth comes in, and I love the way it meanders through the
rest of the piece. Ellis inserts accomplished piano playing very nicely into some of the
latter tracks, like "The Underground River," still with ample doses of synthesizers to
please the electronic purist. There is a very natural flow and progression to much of the
music, particularly in the later tracks. "Drop Becomes Ocean" is a perfect, understated
ending to a wide-ranging e-music journey."
--Sequences
.
"Paul Ellis (he of the synthesizer group Dweller at the Threshold) has
released an album on the new Hypnos "sub-label" known as Binary. His
recording, Into the Liquid Unknown, features fifteen cuts, so don't
expect a blow-by-blow description of the music! What I will tell you,
though, is that this is a stellar effort of neo-Germanic EM that is
positively KILLER music on headphones. In fact, until I donned 'phones,
I couldn't begin to appreciate the dense mix, exciting layers of synths,
and overall intoxicating mixture of mystery, exhilaration, and power
that pours forth from this CD. It is simply a fantastic exploration into
Berlin soundscapes, analog bliss, and sequencer sensuality.
What really makes this album stand out, though, is how Paul never stops
evolving a piece. "Bend in the River," which opens the CD, is a good
example. If your idea of German-school EM is anchored in the notion of
slowly mutating synthesizers that take forever to make their intentions
known, or even if you are expecting endless sequencers pounding out one
repetitious series of notes after another, hang onto your helmet! This
CD cooks with a variety of spices and a lot of fire and that's no lie!
The album's centerpiece is obviously the over-thirteen-minute title
track - and it is a stunner! Laser zaps, synth arpeggios, spacy effects,
bubbling sequencers, bassy beats - hell, it's the freakin' EM bible! And
by god, it's FUN! I just love this track (and the rest of the CD too).
The refrain on this cut is so infectious that I can't get enough it. And
the sound of this CD - I mean, it's textbook. There is shit going on
everywhere!
With so much constantly fluxing music and a technical mix this dense (in
the best possible sense of the word), it's somewhat pointless to try to
actually "describe" the music except in the most general terms. At
times, sweeping and dramatic, and at other times propulsive and
energetic, Into the Liquid Unknown is filled with so much to recommend
it that I could write a review just of the title track and it would
still be 500 words long! But it does feel necessary to mention a few
other songs. "under the waves, a sky of water" starts slowly and quickly
erupts into a near orgasmic explosion of sequenced beats and sensual
synths, bringing to mind the image of racing down a twisting road in the
Swiss Alps, being chased by the bad guys from Ronin (one of my favorite
flicks, by the way). Juxtaposed with that frenetic pace is the next cut,
"slowly rowing through ghost melodies," (has Paul been studying Tim
Story's knack for cool titles?) which is one of the more evocative
numbers of the CD, full of floating washes, muted synth beats, and
quirky repeating melodic refrains. Another cut I like is "drifting
shards from an ice floe" which is appropriately icy (very cool heavily
echoed digital piano and whooshing synths). A lot of the song titles
make some kind of literary allusion to water, but the only constant on
the album to my ears is the excellence of the music. The brilliant EM
flows from track to track like a cyber-river of musical circuitry.
Paul Ellis is da man when it comes to mapping the current terrain of
neo-Germanic EM. Or, at the very least, he is the guide you want at your
side if you go exploring the land of sequencers, synths, and pulsing
analog soundscapes. I can't remember when I was confronted with an album
that I couldn't get enough of yet was almost impossible to describe and
do justice to (actually, I can - it's the last one I reviewed by L.
Gaab, although his and Paul's music is world's apart). But when words
fail me, I fall back on pure blathering rhapsodic rambling. In short,
Into the Liquid Unknown kicks your ass, takes your name, and leaves you
exhausted in the gutter wanting more - I guess that metaphor makes the
CD appear to be a drug of sorts. In that case, just call me "junkie
Bill."
--windandwire.com
Here's the Into the Liquid Unknown page on the Hypnos store:
Paul Ellis
- Into the Liquid Unknown - $12.99
Into the Liquid Unknown track list with MP3 samples:
1 Bend in the River 06:52
2 Into the Liquid Unknown 13:35 -mp3 excerpt-
3 Moonlit Stream at the Mouth of a Cavern 00:58 -mp3-
4 Under the Waves, a Sky of Water 05:15
5 Slowly Rowing Through Ghost Melodies 05:49 -mp3 excerpt-
6 Undines 03:38 -mp3 excerpt-
7 A Roaring Player Piano Left Burning on the Beach 06:04
8 Glistening 09:11
9 Drifting Shards from an Ice Floe 03:22
10 Luminous Depths in a Sapphire Sea 04:53
11 Suspended 03:48
12 The Underground River 02:55
13 Dissolve 02:47
14 Alexandria 03:14
15 Drop Becomes Ocean 02:03
2004.09.20
More CD reviews added to the information pages of each Hypnos and Binary CD release. Several new ones today for Synthetic Block's Sonic Approach:
"Taking a Sonic Approach that lies somewhere between ambient and progrock, Synthetic Block steers his
impeccable creations into realms which blend the atmospheric with the musical.
Depending on the ear of the beholder, the initial moments of Variations On A Theme Of Absence could be
prettily eerie or utterly serene (I find them both!) but in a spacey vein regardless; the track grows
more musical, with a slow bass groove, even. The soft, clambering notelets, faint rhythmics and gossamer
sheens of Sonic Approach warp into a free-flying celestial mode, taking a bass-powered detour toward its
more-shapeless close.
Doused (12:53) begins as smooth sheets rise and fall in extended flutters; later, low, tuneful riffs
unfurl against long-reaching curtains of spectral softness, while buoyant bass flits beneath; the track
lands in its own little sea of tranquility. Bed Of Sphinxes rolls on electric crests of a symphonic
nature; when these lush waves segue into The Square Triangle, they are topped by interlocking synth
motifs of tweedling leads and pulsing lows with caressing overtones.
A pair of short interludes finish the disc; dazzling little Inevitable (2:59) oscillates and levitates on
crystalline notes and sweeps, then becomes Sonic Recall via a more-deeply twisting strand which burrows
into toneshifting clouds, etched with sporadic cymbal activities.
Pretty... spacey... and sometimes so crispy clean it seems a bit sterile, though when soundcapes are this
gorgeous, that's a niggling point. Synthetic Block merges fluid melodies into starlit ethereality with
his gentle Sonic Approach. A-"
--David Opdyke, The AmbiEntrance
.
"I cannot believe that there is not more feedback regarding "sonic approach". upon receiving my radio promo the first note on track 1 totally captivated me. block approaches sonic sounds immediately and never slows. and, of course,
fulton pulls some tricks. "square triangle" is my top playlist pick because of it's well defined and energetic change in tempo and musical registration. all tks are getting air and well deserving of such.
are you guys collaborating with the russians?
are you on the same interstellar link?
very few composers are in touch with the same deep grooves and beats (nearly industrial), but very melodic.
not wanting to pass judgement, or anything, but
"sonic approach" & "fields" are two HYPNOS/BINARY tops.
thank you my friends..."
--Flyingdude, WAWL Radio host, on the Hypnos Forum
.
"There has been quite a gap between the release of Jonathan's 2nd
release The Opposite of staring into Space and this brandnew one.
Sonic Approach (8 tracks, almost 60 min.) has been worth the wait,
offering another blend of classic electronics & the sophisticated
infusion of modern approaches,
so-called "Block-treatments". Next to the flowing passages there are
sequenced , more structured parts leading the way, but there's always
this lush, adventurous feel showing up during the whole record. The
music delves into spacious territory (Quartz Marsh) but the tracks
also show distinct traces of Berliner School (Square Triangle), the
vast soundlayers sometimes even reminding of Schulze in his '70-
period. The later absolutely applied for the nice solo-sounds in the
12-minute track Doused.
All these elements make listening to Sonic Approach a very enjoyable
experience, in which you actually experience electronic music of
former times get connected to the present.
Well done !
--Bert Strolenberg, KLEM Magazine, The Netherlands
.
"Synthesist Jonathan Block, who records as Synthetic Block, has released three albums as a solo
act, but this is the first one of his recordings I have reviewed. Sonic Approach is a unique
combination of Berlin school sequencer-style EM, melodic floating spacemusic textures, and some
subtly abstract qualities as well. The result is music that is complex in the best possible ways,
as it shifts between various moods and styles on each track's journey from inception to completion.
Some of the eight selections are shorter (in the three to four minute range) while others span out
to as long as nearly thirteen minutes. Regardless of the length, though, each cut offers up music
that is well-engineered, thoughtfully composed, and artfully performed.
"Variations on a Theme Of Absence" opens amid a swirling sea of darker tinted synths and evolves
into a pulsing neo-futuristic sequenced track, brimming with both retro electro-fluidity and
cybernetic energy. "The Quartz Marsh" shifts gears, painting a forbidding soundscape - an eerie
miasma of dark whirlpools laced with zapping electrons and twinkling bell tones. The tracks on
Sonic Approach segue directly into one another, but each selection is separate and distinct so that
only the bridging sections create continuity (although there are similar sounds and moods throughout
the entirety of the CD). The title track matches percolating synth with wailing horn-like notes and
an undercurrent of dramatic washes; this is one of more dynamic songs on the album and would make
ideal highway cruising music. While there is some unmistakable familiarity to Berlin school motifs,
Block's style (here and on other tracks as well) uses the Germanic subgenre as a mere starting
point, not as a destination (he shares this compositional aim with a few others artists, such as
Paul Ellis, as opposed to those who follow the tenets of Berlin music theory more closely, e.g.
some of the artists on Groove Unltd.).
Among the three shorter tracks, "Bed of Sphinxes" is sparse from a melodic standpoint, being more
overtly electronic and textural in nature (although very cool in a SF way, with its reverberating
electric pulses and circuitry-ish sounds), while "Inevitable" has a shiny pristine quality to it,
as well as a quirky clipped sense of rhythm. "Sonic Recoil" ends the album as a reprisal of the
some of the earlier musical themes from the CD in a deliberately-paced fluid mass of electronic
tones and textures, slowly introducing stately Berlin-esque rhythms towards the end and then fading
everything out into nothingness.
Sonic Approach amply demonstrates Jonathan Block's imaginative vision of a contemporary direction
for EM by integrating subtly abstract (yet accessible) elements with more mainstream Berlin school
structures and sounds. Some tracks on the album have a rich cinematic characteristic and others
are draped in neo- and/or retro-futurism. I enjoyed the album the more I played it, as (like so
many "pure" electronic music releases) its compositional depth is revealed slowly, rewarding the
patient listener. While less emotionally involving than, for example, the works of Dom F. Scab or
Ron Boots, Block's album still presents music that offers an enjoyable experience and represents
time well spent exploring its assorted pathways. Recommended."
-- Bill Binkelman, windandwire.com
.
"Jonathan Block is a poet in every sense of the word. Recording as Synthetic Block, he creates
beautiful verse with his synthesizer and manipulations. Sonic Approach, his third release and
Hypnos debut, is his best work by far. He has always combined deep drones and vast atmospheres with
Berlin school sequences and rhythms. He does it again with an intense flair and smooth segues.
While there are eight tracks on this disc, Block's techniques and style treat the set as one long-form
(58-minute) composition. Dave Fulton, of Dweller at the Threshold, mastered and did the post-production
engineering. He also contributed some analog synth work. This CD is a masterful example of the Binary
mission -- excellent retro e-music with modern digital enhancements. It will appeal to fans of Rudy
Adrian, Paul Ellis, Saul Stokes, and Ron Boots."
--AMG, reviewed by Jim Brenholts
Direct link to Sonic Approach at the Hypnos store:
Synthetic Block
- Sonic Approach - $12.99
Sonic Approach track list with MP3 samples:
Variations on a Theme of Absence
The Quartz Marsh
Sonic Approach
Doused
Bed of Sphinxes
The Square Triangle
Inevitable
Sonic Recoil
2004.09.19
Continuing to add new CD reviews to the information pages of each Hypnos and Binary CD release. Here are two additions for Dweller at the Threshold's album Ouroborus:
"I was naturally very intrigued to hear the music on this CD, knowing that
the gentlemen of DATT are to be heard this coming spring at the ninth Alfa
Centauri Festival. In any case, my expectations were high because I knew
their earlier releases "No Boundary Conditions" (KLEM80, p.59) and
"Generation, Transmission..." (KLEM89 p55), and had been very enthusiastic
over these. Well, after a whole week of this disc not getting out of the CD
player in the hobby-room, I know for certain that I will be choosing a good
spot to be when DATT give their concert. If they chose to play what I hear
on this CD, then that will be fabulous!
The music is pure electronic, in a style which many KLEMers love. Lots of
sequences, but in this case with a more subtle manner than we know form the
Berlin School EM. And naturally space-sounds, dramatic hits, gripping solos
and very professional thematic developments in the individual compositions
and the overall album. Additionally, when you realise that the three gents
appear to be excellent musicians who know how to make a good mix, you will
begin to understand why I look forward to hearing them live."
--KLEM Magazine, The Netherlands
.
"Track 1 (3:38)
I like the hint of a melody at the beginning and end of the piece. It sounds
slightly sinister, and teases you because it seems like it is going to go
somewhere else, but doesn't. Good intro.
Track 2 (10:41)
The one little pulse that runs through it reminds me of the synth TD used on
"Kiew Mission" from Exit, one of my favorite tracks - so right away I like
this one. But not just because of that - all the little floating sounds
around it are great, too. Very Airsculpture-like passage ensues, with great
sequencing and tron lead. All retroheads, including myself, will find this
irresistible.
Track 3 (13:04)
Minimal beginning, everything sounds far off, nice effect here. Sort of a
pause to come up for air after the great Track 2. Organ lead gives this an
older TD sound, like Atem, at least for a moment. The transition from one
theme to another between three and four minutes is fantastic, really gradual
and incredibly smooth, just like TD at their peak - well done! This is such
a great, subtle track. I like it even better than Track 2, but I love both
of them.
Track 4 (8:01)
Mellow, sort of rides out a gentle, good sequence. Another great transition
as it falls out of the sequence toward the end. The choirs at the end are
very Redshift-ish.
Track 5 (8:00)
Energy picks back up, I like the layered build up of sequences to start. I
think it hits full stride at the 1:00 mark, and I'm already in sequencer
heaven, but it adds another great bit about 20-25 seconds later, then a down
beat, and more synths. Ok, we're only up to 2:00, I can't take anymore great
sounds, stop already!!! This track is a grabber.
Track 6 (17:54)
I love that tinny, crisp percussion sound that TD used on Ricochet. That
same sound is here, with a cool rhythm that sort of skips a beat and echoes
all over the place with cool panning effects. Nice. Short little stabs of
bass and a great flute synth have TD Sorcerer, Encore, or Stratosfear written
all over them. About 8:00 in, and I'm going crazy again, this is just too
good. Do Franke, Froese and Bauman know some of their basement tapes have
been stolen, and their best ones at that??? Another great sequence is folded
in at 11:50 mark, when I thought it couldn't get better. Keeps building. As
awesome as track 5 was, this may even be better.
Track 7 (8:57)
I'm drained, I can't take anymore, what's left? Starts easygoing enough, I
can handle this. Uh oh, here it comes - more energy, more intensity - have
they no shame? No sense of decency? A Berlin school fan can only take so
much! Ok, I'm getting a little silly, but who can blame me? I'm running out
of superlatives. This midtempo sequencer piece is actually a really good
finisher, not too mellow, not too upbeat, sort of letting us down easy after
the rest of the disc. It sounds like a final track, it just fits. You can
tell it's getting ready to end about 2-3 minutes before it actually does, and
just gradually, softly, brings you back to Earth. Has a very definite
ending, changing to its final theme right when it seemed it would be content
to just float around a couple more minutes and fade out.
I don't know what these three guys were smokin' when they made this record,
but I hope they keep smokin' it! The new line-up for D@T seems to have
changed the chemistry just right somehow. This kicks serious Teutonic butt!
They should be very, very proud of this one. This, along with Paul's solo
CD, should really create some buzz for the new Hypnos sub-label, Binary.
Well done, guys."
--Phil Derby
Here's the direct link to this CD at the Hypnos store, in case the above
description gets you interested:
Dweller at the Threshold - Ouroborus - $12.99
Also, here's an Ouroborus track list with MP3 samples:
1 Circular Logic 03:38 -mp3 excerpt-
2 After Logic Fails 10:41 -mp3 excerpt-
3 Ouroborus Part 1 13:04 -mp3 excerpt-
4 Ouroborus Part 2 08:01 -mp3 excerpt-
5 Worlds Without End 08:00 -mp3 excerpt-
6 Resolution 17:54 -mp3 excerpt-
7 Automatic Writing 08:57-mp3 excerpt-
2004.09.17
Here's a news announcement from Hypnos artist Vidna Obmana regarding some upcoming concerts in Europe:
Dear Listener, colleague and friend,
We are pleased to announce that vidnaObmana in the light of his forthcoming
Legacy album (Relapse Records) will perform live a last series of concerts
before going into a period of transition and reflection.
So don't miss out on these live concerts...
September 26th 2004 - Live on Atmostreams
vidnaObmana will perform an exclusive live set for Atmostreams, from his
studio in Belgium. vidnaObmana will perform sections from all 3 parts
(Tremor, Spore and Legacy) as he is currently preparing himself for a DVD
concert in function of the trilogy on November the 13th in Antwerp
(Belgium). While nothing is confirmed to be on the official playlist,
through Atmostreams you'll have a chance to listen to a live set in
progress. For more information (time, login procedures, etc.) about this
online concert, visit Atmoworks.com
October 7th 2004 - Kulturbunker Muelheim, Cologne (Germany)
October 8th 2004 - Cuba, Muenster (Germany)
vidnaObmana is preparing himself in the most detailed way for his ultimate
Dante trilogy concert on November the 13th 2004 in Antwerp and therefor he
comits himself to do these 2 extra concerts as part of getting focused with
the right concertrhythm. Be prepared for 2 concerts filled with raw energy
and live extracts from Tremor, Spore and Legacy. For information on both
dates (venues, tickets, etc.) please visit the following websites : Auf
Abwegen (www.aufabwegen.de), Kulturbunker Muelheim (www.kulturbunker-
Muelheim.de),Cuba (www.cuba-cultur.de) and Geraeuschwelten
(www.geraeuschwelten.de).
November 5th 2004 - De Lichtfabriek, Haarlem (The Netherlands)
Due to vidnaObmana' succesful concert with Dutch organist Willem Tanke
during the Biënnale of Rotterdam in February 2003, vidnaObmana was offered
this unique chance to work together with the Holland Symfonia, a full-sized
classic orchestra. vidnaObmana is composing exclusively a series of pieces,
derived from the Legacy studio sessions, for electric guitar, fujara and
recycling sources which he'll perform and link with the sections the
Holland Symfonia will play. The Holland Symfonia will perform works from
John Adams, Penderecki, Bach, Xenakis, Sibelius, Mossolov and Arvo Pärt. A
surreal combination fading out the boundaries of styles in music and which
may not be missed by the fans of vidnaObmana and contemporary classic
music. Tickets are now available through the Holland Symfonia website
(www.hollandsymfonia.nl).
November the 13th 2004 - cultuurcentrum Luchtbal, Antwerp (Belgium)
The ultimate Dante trilogy concert to be recorded and filmed for a
2005/2006 DVD release. This concert, with the epic title 'The troubled
flame departed, having no more to say', will be recorded (for a 5+1
mastering) and filmed for a DVD release in 2005. As the title indicates,
this concert is most likely one of the last concerts vidnaObmana will
dedicate himself to before entering a period of transition and reflection
so don't miss out on this unique concert as it will give you the perfect
opportunity to enjoy and experience vidnaObmana live in concert at one of
the best acoustic concertspaces Belgium has. Tickets and info at
cultuurcentrum Luchtbal (www.ccluchtbal.org).
www.vidnaobmana.be
info@vidnaobmana.be / vidnaobmana@skynet.be
Good luck to Vidna with those shows. I'd encourage all those listeners in the area to
check them out if possible. I've seen Vidna Obmana perform live several times and
it's always worthwhile to see him.
Of course, Vidna Obmana CDs are available as always at the Hypnos store, the most recent being:
Vidna Obmana - An Opera for Four Fusion Works, Act 2 - $10.99
2004.09.16
Now available again on
the Hypnos
Online Store, a 2002 release from our hottest-selling artist right now:
Numina - Solace (cdr)
Review of Solace by The AmbiEntrance:
"As shapeless, lovely and tangible as a cloud, the sounds of Solace ring with Numina's
thoughtfully applied touches. Subtly stunning ambience gets an impressed A- for 54+
minutes of free-flowing comfort."
Also back in stock by Numina (though slightly less "big news" since it was only out of stock
for about a week) is Starfarer's Tales Vol. 1 by Ixohoxi & Numina:
Ixohoxi & Numina - Starfarer's Tales, vol.1
Volume 2 of this collaboration will be released soon, and when it's available, we'll have it at
the Hypnos
Online Store.
2004.09.14
As has been hinted around here recently, Hypnos HQ will be relocating next month. In advance of this
move, we're having a Summer Sale on the
Hypnos
Online Store.
What's more, I know some Hypnos listeners, and readers of this page, are themselves recording artists,
and some of you may be interested in
this page
on the Hypnos Forum page, where several synthesizers and other pieces of recording gear are now
being offered for sale, in advance of the move. If we can get these sold in the next week or so to
"Hypnos friendly parties" that would be great, otherwise the remaining items will be auctioned on
E-Bay.
Please note that the Electrix Repeater has been sold, and 4 or 5 other items have received inquiries
from interested parties, though nothing is yet "taken" other than the Repeater.
2004.09.13
More site updates are ongoing... this time, the individual CD pages on the
CD releases page are being updated to include
CD reviews. The first step will be to get each CD page updated with the "old" reviews (the ones
that were in place before this site redesign started), and this is almost complete. The second
step will be to update all the pages with the most current reviews, which had never been added
to the old reviews pages.
Soon I hope to have more news on the next Hypnos release (after the currently in production
Twilight in the Offing
by Chad Hoefler), Robert Scott Thompson's
The Still Center of a Turning World. As soon as artwork is available for RST's disc,
a preview will be offered here.
Lastly, I'm pleased to announce that the next release after that looks to be Numina's follow-up
to his popular Hypnos debut Sanctuary of Dreams. That follow-up will be called Eye of
the Nautilus.
2004.09.09
Following on from yesterday's news update, today I completed an update to the
FAQ/Info page on this site. This included
not only a cosmetic upgrade to the new format, but also a few factual updates as well.
Also moved the Jan-Mar 2004 news into an "archive" (see the bottom of this page for archived
"old news" files), which will make this news front page load more quickly for those of you
on dialup.
On other thing -- in the August 24th news update, discussing the upcoming Hypnos
CD release of Chad Hoefler's Twilight in the Offing, I displayed three different
artwork versions that were being considered, and invited comments or suggestions on which
version was preferred. Particularly on the
Hypnos
Forum, people made suggestions and expressed preferences, and it turned out the majority
(including Mike, Jenn and Chad, who had the most important votes anyway) preferred the version
which ended up being the final. So here's a glimpse of the next Hypnos CD, coming later this
month:
Now, work commences on the next Hypnos release, the long-awaited Hypnos debut by Robert
Scott Thompson, The Still Center of a Turning World. More news on this one soon.
2004.09.08
Just completed many updates to the CDs and
Artists pages on this site -- not only the directory
pages (of Hypnos CD releases and Hypnos artists, in case that wasn't obvious), but to the individual
pages for each CD and each artist. They've been updated to match the new format of the rest of the
hypnos.com site, and in most cases I updated any obsolete information on those pages, though I may
have missed some. In my ongoing effort to cleanup the layout and organizational structure of hypnos.com,
I'm moving toward a single page for each CD and a single page for each artist. Each CDs page will
have an image of the cover, a track listing, sample audio clips (in most cases -- soon enough, in all
cases), and an archive of any reviews relevant to that CD. This seems much easier to me than having one
page for the CD, one page for the audio clips, and one page for the reviews for that CD, plus keeping
a listing for that CD up to date on
the Hypnos
Online Store.
The goal is a more organized structure, easier to access to whatever information the web site
visitor is seeking, and increased ease of keeping everything complete and up to date. In the
future it should be easier to make sure each CD has all necessary info that's relevant for
information or reference purposes, or to help with purchasing decisions.
2004.09.05
It looks like Hearts of Space radio played another track from Numina's Sanctuary of Dreams disc. Of course that's currently available on the Hypnos Online Store, in case you heard it. There are definitely other important and influential radio shows) (Echoes and Star's End spring to mind first, but there are others), but Hearts of Space is the hardest one on which to get airplay, mainly due to the short format (one hour a week).
Distribution Date: September 3, 2004
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
: HEARTS of SPACE
: ATTN: Radio
: PO Box 5916
: Sausalito, CA 94966-5916
=--------------------------------------------------------------------=
PGM 707 : "SLOW TIME"
=--------------------------------------------------------------------=
PGM NOTE : exploring the mystery of relative motion
=--------------------------------------------------------------------=
FEED DATE : 9-03-04
=--------------------------------------------------------------------=
STEVE ROACH, BYRON METCALF and MARK SEELIG
"Part Seven" (edited) < 0:00->4:41 >
: MANTRAM; Projekt 160; 2004
: Info: www.steveroach.com; www.byronmetcalf.com; www.projekt.com
LAYNE REDMOND
"The Whirler" < 4:41->9:17 >
: INVOKING THE MUSE; Sounds True M816D; 2004
: Info: www.soundstrue.com; www.layneredmond.com
--segue--
TERRA AMBIENT
"The Pilgrim's Road" < 9:17->12:03 >
"The Gate" (edited) < 12:03->18:02 >
"Westerly Prayer" < 18:02->23:56 >
: THE GATE; Lotuspike LS-0001; 2004
: Info: www.lotuspike.com; www.terraambient.com
FRITZ HEEDE
"The Call" < 23:56->26:20 >
: ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS; Artek Images/Magical Eye ME 3001; 2002
: Info: www.artekimages.com; www.fritzheede.com
AMIR BAGHIRI and BRANNAN LANE
"Petroglyph" (edited) < 26:20->30:42 >
: LUCID CIRCLES; BrannanLane.com BLCMUS508; 2004
: Info: www.brannanlane.com; www.amirbaghiri.de
BRUNO SANFILIPPO and MAX CORBACHO
"A Lucid Dream of Strange Landscapes" < 30:42->37:03 >
: INDALO; AD21 Music AD 0105; Spain 2004
: Info: www.bruno-sanfilippo.com; www.maxcorbacho.com
STEVE ROACH, BYRON METCALF and MARK SEELIG
"Part Four" < 37:03->40:41 >
"Part Five" (part) < 40:41->48:37 >
: MANTRAM; Projekt 160; 2004
: Info: www.steveroach.com; www.byronmetcalf.com; www.projekt.com
JIM COLE and ALPHA WAVE MOVEMENT
"Bislama" (edited) < 48:37->53:39 >
: BISLAMA; Spectral Spiral Music #3; 2001
: Info: www.spectralvoices.com; home.earthlink.net/~alphawav
NUMINA
"Lost on Silica Ridge" < 53:39->58:20 >
: SANCTUARY OF DREAMS; Hypnos hyp2445; 2003/2004
: Info: www.hypnos.com/n-sod.htm; www.numinamusic.com
=--------------------------------------------------------------------=
PRODUCED BY : STEVE DAVIS and STEPHEN HILL
=--------------------------------------------------------------------=
(c) 2004 Hearts of Space
=--------------------------------------------------------------------=
So... thanks to HOS for the promotion, and congrats to Jesse aka Numina.
Numina - Sanctuary of Dreams - $12.99
2004.09.02
Here's a new idea on
the Hypnos
Online Store... it's a "Summer Sale,"where you can get temporary markdowns on eight
different Hypnos CD titles. It should be noted that these are not permanent price
reductions, and also that the special pricing is not indicative, in all cases, of a
slow-selling disc (in fact, two of these are among the best-selling Hypnos titles
of all time). I wanted to present a mix of under-appreciated gems and more broadly
popular titles for this sale.
This is just another effort to get people to take
another look at the Hypnos
Online Store, and give us another try. Orders are being processed faster than ever, and there's
been great improvement on rapid communication with customers, and also keeping the catalog listings
up to date (in other words, out of stock items are removed more quickly, helping customers avoid
the frustration of items being available for order on the catalog, but not actually in stock for
purchase). We'll come up with more promotions and special ideas in the future to get people
back in the habit of buying the ambient, space and electronic music from Hypnos.
M Griffin - Sudden Dark - $9.99
Viridian Sun - Solar Noise - $9.99
Various Artists - The Other World (2CD) - $13.99
David Tollefson - New Eyes on the Universe - $9.99
Rod Modell & Michael Mantra - Sonic Continuum - $9.99
David Tollefson - Near and Far - $9.99
Markus Reuter - Digitalis - $9.99
Robert Rich - Humidity (3CD) - $21.99
Another update: the upcoming Hypnos CD Twilight in the Offing by Chad Hoefler is now in
the pressing stage, ready for release in the last half of September.
It also appears that the next Hypnos release after that is about to become official as well.
Some hints were dropped here in the news update of July 20:
What's more, another "announced long ago" album by another artist, who would be new to
Hypnos but a fairly established name in the ambient/electronic/experimental music scene,
recently delivered a completed master for said "long ago" album. It sounds very nice, and
I'll be in touch with this artist as well, in order to determine whether we're still "go."
More news on both fronts as things become more definite, either way.
The artist mentioned is Robert Scott Thompson, and while we're still working out some details,
we appear to be in agreement that this is likely to be a release on Hypnos, probably in October.
More news on this as soon as we have something more definite.
What's more, a number of other ambient/space/electronic artists of note have been observing
the recent resurrection of Hypnos (well, resurrection isn't the right word, but at least there's
definitely been an upturn in activity here) and have been in contact about possibly future releases
on Hypnos or Binary. I'm excited about the prospect of getting back to at least one new CD every
other month, and possibly even more than that, depending on how things go.
2004.08.31
Newly available on
the Hypnos
Online Store:
Jonathan Hughes - Fluidities (2cd)
New from The Foundry, a special 2 CD release by Jonathan Hughes "and guests," featuring two discs full of tracks exactly 6
minutes in length, the concept behind this behing that a listener with two CD players can play both discs at the same
time, and using "track shuffle" mode on both players will result in hundreds of different "combination" tracks. Of course
both discs can be listened to individually, as well.
Back in stock on
the Hypnos
Online Store:
Jeff Pearce - The Summer Solstice (cdr)
This disc has a life of its own -- one of the best-selling self-released CDRs ever on the Hypnos store. Another dozen copies
back in stock, so if you've been trying to get this one for a while, now's the time!
In other news, the next Hypnos CD release, Twilight in the Offing, is almost ready to go into production,
so it should be ready for release in the next month. We're also in discussion with several other artists about
possibly releasing on Hypnos later this year, or early in 05.
2004.08.24
Here's an exciting announcement... the next Hypnos CD release will be a CD debut (not just
a Hypnos debut, but a CD release debut) by an exciting new artist. In case you need a reminder about the
hints I've dropped, here's the news originally posted on July 20:
Lastly, I may have news of a new Hypnos release, by an artist new to Hypnos, fairly soon.
Back in 2001, Hypnos took a chance by releasing an album by "ambient unknown" Tom Heasley,
who came strongly recommended by Robert Rich, who had a mastering/engineering role on
Tom's album Where the Earth Meets the Sky. Likewise, this year, a new
album by a new "unknown" artist comes strongly recommended by Robert, who is not the kind
of guy who makes such recommendations lightly. Given all the changes here at Hypnos HQ
in the past few months, negotiations with this new artist have proceeded slowly, but it
appears that we have a fairly good chance of making an official announcement soon.
Now, after a bit of negotiation and preparation, we're ready to announce the next Hypnos
release officially. The artist is Chad Hoefler, and the name of his CD is Twilight in
the Offing. It's one of those rare, special debuts that immediately designates the artist
as important and worth watching. I'm excited to introduce Chad to the Hypnos listening
audience, and if this debut is any indication, he'll become a name many will watch with
great interest.
We haven't come up with final, definite artwork yet, and on that subject, I thought it would be fun to try
something different. Below, I'm posting a few alternate versions of cover artwork that are currently
under consideration. For one thing, i thought it would offer a glimpse into the process of creating
artwork for a CD release, and the way that different variations are sorted out and turned into a final
product. Also, I'd be curious to hear feedback about people's preferences, since we truly haven't decided
on a final version yet. In fact, we might end up using none of the three, and just doing something new.
Any feedback appreciated -- email mg (at) hypnos.com.
2004.08.23
A few new items on
the Hypnos
Online Store.
pearce05 - Luminous Dimensions DVD (video art by Michael Dubois, music by Jeff Pearce)
A Produce - A Smooth Surface
Terra Ambient - The Gate
I'll have an announcement tomorrow about the next Hypnos CD release, which should be out in September!
2004.08.13
Big update on
the Hypnos
Online Store. Several new items -- check out the "Hypnos Recommends" section, in
particular, on the front page of the store. Among the new items (and restocks) listed:
Restocks
Lustmord - Carbon/Core
Robert Rich - Numina/Geometry
Robert Rich - A Troubled Resting Place
Robert Rich & Alio Die - Fissures
Robert Rich & B. Lustmord - Stalker
TUU & Nick Parkin - Terma
Steve Roach - The Magnificent Void
New featured titles
Vidna Obmana - Archive 1984-2004
ARC - Blaze
Ian Boddy - Chiasmata
Paul Ellis - The Sacred Ordinary
dbkaos - The Art of Sacrifice
Asmus Tietchens/David Lee Myers - 60:00
Robert Rich - Open Window
2004.08.09
Over the weekend, I performed a major overhaul on the Hypnos Online Store. Several categories were eliminated (artists or labels that aren't sold much any more) and the remaining CDs in those categories moved into either the Miscellaneous or Closeout sections of the store. Also, the Best-sellers category has been updated. The Closeout section in particular has some great bargains, which are only available on remaining stock of those CDs, so go take a look.
2004.08.05
As hinted Monday, here are two new (old) items recently added to
the Hypnos
Online Store today:
Jeff Greinke & Rob Angus - Crossing Ngoli
(released 1992, see the Jeff Greinke section)
Vidna Obmana & Jeff Pearce - True Stories
(released 1999, see the Jeff Pearce and Vidna Obmana sections)
Both from the 90's, both featuring popular Hypnos artists, both out of print, both
available in limited quantities.
Speaking of the Hypnos Store, orders have been coming in steadily and we've been
getting them sent out almost every day as they arrive. If you haven't ordered in a
while, you'll definitely be pleasantly surprised by the faster order turnaround,
now that Jennifer is helping.
2004.08.02
Internet connection is finally working again... will have a couple new (old) items to list on the Hypnos Online Store this week.
2004.07.28
The worst stretch of internet dis-connectivity I've ever experience
has made it difficult to catch up on some of the hypnos.com updates and additions to
the Hypnos
Online Store I'd hoped to make, but the DSL should be re-installed tomorrow (bye-bye,
cable internet, I hardly knew ye!). In the interim, though, online orders are being
processed quickly and efficiently by Jennifer, who is learning the system at Hypnos HQ.
So, apologies for any lingering slowness with email, but that problem should be solved
tomorrow evening.
A small update has been made to
the Hypnos
Online Store, including the addition of Robert Rich's new solo piano album,
Open Window (go directly to that page on the Hypnos store by clicking here), and a couple of newly-featured Numina items on the front
page, to make up for the fact that Numina has allowed several of his old CDR releases
to go out of print. Sales of Numina's new Hypnos release Sanctuary of Dreams
are moving along briskly, though, which could bode well for future Numina releases on
Hypnos (possibly including some reissues of previously-CDR-only stuff that's no longer
available). Stay tuned.
2004.07.20
Here's another stage in the ongoing www.hypnos.com re-design. Slightly
less colorful... probably will lead to yet another revision.
Behind the scenes, orders placed at
the Hypnos
Online Store are being processed more promptly and efficiently than ever by new
Hypnos helper Jennifer, who can be reached via email at jenn (at) hypnos (dot) com.
Internet connectivity has been mostly down at Hypnos HQ since Friday (big fat thanks to
Comcast...), but we're getting by for the most part.
Lastly, I may have news of a new Hypnos release, by an artist new to Hypnos, fairly soon.
Back in 2001, Hypnos took a chance by releasing an album by "ambient unknown" Tom Heasley,
who came strongly recommended by Robert Rich, who had a mastering/engineering role on
Tom's album Where the Earth Meets the Sky. Likewise, this year, a new
album by a new "unknown" artist comes strongly recommended by Robert, who is not the kind
of guy who makes such recommendations lightly. Given all the changes here at Hypnos HQ
in the past few months, negotiations with this new artist have proceeded slowly, but it
appears that we have a fairly good chance of making an official announcement soon.
What's more, another "announced long ago" album by another artist, who would be new to
Hypnos but a fairly established name in the ambient/electronic/experimental music scene,
recently delivered a completed master for said "long ago" album. It sounds very nice, and
I'll be in touch with this artist as well, in order to determine whether we're still "go."
More news on both fronts as things become more definite, either way.
2004.07.13
The long coast-to-coast trip is done, and we're back at Hypnos HQ. Any order placed at the Hypnos Online Store in the past 12 days will be processed tonight and tomorrow, and then we'll have a number of updates and possibly some special deals.
2004.07.01
Please note:
Hypnos mail order HQ will be in hibernation mode between Thursday July 1 and Tuesday July 12, 2004. The Hypnos Online Store will remain "open" during that time, and orders will be held safely until we start processing and shipping your orders again on Tuesday the 12th. When we're back "up" again, Hypnos will have additional full-time help in order better and more efficiently to serve you. Thank you for your continued support!
2004.06.29
Finally completed most of the intended update to the "Hypnos Recommends"
section on the front page of the Hypnos
Online Store. Among the new featured items are:
Lustmord - Carbon/Core
Steve Roach - Fever Dreams
Various (Foundry) - Bibimbap)
Other stuff I intended to feature/recommend and just didn't get around to it yet (after staying up until 2:30 last night
trying to rework the "Hypnos Recommends" feature into a two-column arrangement):
Hafler Trio - How to Slice a Loaf of Bread (3CD)
Hafler Trio - How to Slice a Loaf of Bread (pt.2, Lengthwise, 3CD)
Hafler Trio - Kill the King (reissue)
Hafler Trio - No More Twain of One Flesh...
Hafler Trio - Normally
Hafler Trio - The Sea Org
Hafler Trio & Autechre - ae30 & h3ae
dbkaos - Art of Sacrifice
ARC - Blaze
Ian Boddy - Chiasmata
These last CDs don't include cover art scans on the Hypnos store listings yet, but they are in stock. Some of the
Hafler Trio items are very limited in quantity.
2004.06.23
Here's another big step in the Hypnos web site re-design mentioned last week. The last stage of the evolution was less visible than this one, and this should not be considered the "final" redesign (the colors in particular will probably change again soon), but it's most of the way there. If you see any problems with individual pages, try "reloading" the page in your browser, and if you still have a problem, you may need to upgrade to a modern browser that supports the full CSS specification. If you're using a modern browser and you're still seeing something "off," let me know at: mg@hypnos.com
2004.06.22
These items added tonight to the
Hypnos
Online Store:
Restocks
Alio Die & Nick Parkin - Aquam Metallicam
Hafler Trio - Cleave: 9 Great Openings
Lustmord - The Monstrous Soul
Lustmord - Paradise Disowned
Lustmord - Zoetrope
Lustmord - Purifying Fire
Muslimgauze - Arab Quarter
Loren Nerell - Taksu
Jeff Pearce - Summer Solstice
Nick Parkin - Entropolis
Nick Parkin - Geomorphic Resonance
Nick Parkin - Island of Dust
Nick Parkin & Tim Gillieron - Red Shift
Rapoon - Recurring (Dream Circle)
Rapoon - Rhiz
Steve Roach - Darkest Before Dawn
Steve Roach - Life Sequence
Steve Roach - Texture Maps
Vidna Obmana & Asmus Tietchens - Motives for Recycling(2cd)
Vidna Obmana - Spore
Asmus Tietchens & Vidna Obmana - The Shifts Recyclings
New Items
Hafler Trio - How to Slice a Loaf of Bread (3CD)
Hafler Trio - How to Slice a Loaf of Bread (pt.2, Lengthwise, 3CD)
Hafler Trio - Kill the King (reissue)
Hafler Trio - No More Twain of One Flesh...
Hafler Trio - Normally
Hafler Trio - The Sea Org
Hafler Trio & Autechre - ae30 & h3ae
Lustmord - Carbon/Core
Steve Roach - Fever Dreams
dbkaos - Art of Sacrifice
ARC - Blaze
Ian Boddy - Chiasmata
I'll be updating the Store's
front-page 'Hypnos Recommends' feature soon, as well.
2004.06.17
This Hypnos News page is the beginning of a (mostly invisible)
change to the Hypnos web site. I'm gradually converting over to CSS formatting
(if you don't know what CSS is, don't worry about it), so you might see some
minor formatting differences, such as different text colors, font sizes, and
so on. If you see anything that appears to be a formatting "glitch" though,
please let me know at mg@hypnos.com
Which reminds me.... I'm in the process of transitioning over to that new email
address (most of you are familiar with the old address, mgriffin (at) hypnos
(dot) com, but due to an overwhelming, never-ending flood of thousands of spams
per week, I'm moving to a new address that will not be posted in click-able
form on the web, thus, I hope, avoiding those programs which scour web sites
for spam-able addresses), though both addresses will be valid for a transitional
period. When I disable the old address, I'll set up an auto-responder that will
remind people of the new address, so don't worry. This should make it easier
for people to reliably get in touch with me, and should make it much easier
for me to keep my own email house in order.
2004.06.16
Many people have asked for different Hypnos t-shirt designs
(in addition to the one already available here), and additional Hypnos merchandise options,
so I've started up a Hypnos store at Cafepress. For now, there's just one new
Hypnos t-shirt design available (in a few colors)...
...but gradually more options will be available, such as new t-shirt designs,
full-color CD artwork posters, and other doo-dads like mouse pads, coffee mugs,
and possibly the most significant thing ever to bear the Hypnos name: thong
underwear! The Hypnos store at Cafepress is here.
It should be noted that Cafepress is a separate company from Hypnos, and they
will be responsible for processing your order for any items purchased from that
site. It is not possible to add these Cafepress merchandise items to your Hypnos
Online Store order, and I will not be able to answer questions about order processing
on Cafepress orders (though they're a big e-commerce company and have their
own system set up to deal with that stuff).
2004.06.10
Another "long-overdue MP3 sample clips" posting, following
on as promised from what was started 2 days ago...
vidnaObmana - Soundtrack for the Aquarium
track list with MP3 samples:
Disc One
Aqua 1 (theme)
Aqua 2a
Aqua 3
Aqua 4
Aqua 2b
Aqua 5
Aqua 6 (theme)
Disc Two
Soundtrack for the Aquarium,
Live in Germany 44:15
Synthetic Block - Sonic Approach
track list with MP3 samples:
Variations on a Theme of
Absence
The Quartz Marsh
Sonic Approach
Doused
Bed of Sphinxes
The Square Triangle
Inevitable
Sonic Recoil
There we go... more coming next week after I return from
Atlanta & Savannah.
2004.06.08
Here are a bunch of long-overdue sample-length MP3 clips
from the last 3 Hypnos & Binary label CD releases (roughly 10 minutes worth
of samples, including at least something of each track, for each album):
Numina - Sanctuary of Dreams track list with MP3 samples:
Awaken Within A Deeper Realm
Lost on Silica Ridge
Elements of Time
In Loneliness, the Landscape
Fades
Beneath the Silver Surface
Thrown Into Oblivion
Fractured Eyes
Dream Recognition
Lucid Ascension (feat. Tara
Vanflower)
The Waking Breath
vidnaObmana - An Opera for Four Fusion Works: Act Two, Phrasing the Air (with Bill Fox) track list
with MP3 samples:
I
II
VI
V
IV
John Duval - Hell's Canyon track list with MP3 samples:
Approaching the Rim
Hell's Canyon
River of Fear
Beside the Sulfur Sea
Paleozoic Twilight
Sleepy Hollow
All 3 albums available, obviously, at the Hypnos Online Store. I'm going to go through the list
of all Hypnos CDs previously release, and make sure they all have a full set
of MP3 samples, a few at a time. Also, the central repository for all tracks
will probably be the Hypnos Store itself -- each album's "information" page
will include MP3 samples, and I'll probably do away with the "audio" clips page
(see left margin) as it's redundant, and lacks the additional stuff (album cover
artwork, description, possibly reviews) available at the Online Store.
2004.05.28
I was puzzled that so many people were emailing to ask
"Why isn't Numina's new Hypnos release available on the Hypnos Online Store?" when I realized.... the May 12
update to this news page never got posted to the hypnos.com server (I make the
changes to this site on my personal computer's hard drive, then upload the new
files to the hypnos.com server -- at least, I usually upload them...),
so nobody has seen it until now, except me! Anyway, the Numina album really
is available, and many people have been ordering it. I hope more will order
it now, and soon I'll get a front-page "Hypnos Recommends" update finished for
the store.
Also, take a visit to the Hypnos Forum, where you'll see the following important,
Hypnos-related announcement:
I have some
wonderful news, finally, on this subject [Note: This discussion area on the
Forum had been centered around the fact that Hypnos has been less active lately,
and several Hypnos friends and listeners had been expressing that they hoped
things would improve a bit soon] . For a while now, I've been trying to answer
the question of how I might best obtain some help with the running of Hypnos.
Clearly such help is needed, but with a small business being run out of my home,
it's not necessarily a simple matter to bring in a stranger to get the work
done while I'm gone. I thought I had found a partial solution, a few months
ago, but it turned out that this helper was not able to give me more than a
few, brief visits per month.
Now, for the first time ever, beginning in mid-July, Hypnos
will have a dedicated, full-time employee. I'll spell out the rest of the
details, and what exactly this means, as the change draws nearer. But it should
be obvious that at the very least orders should be processed more quickly,
emails answered more promptly, and we should even see more frequent updates
to the web site, and an increased number of CD releases.
Of course Hypnos is my "baby" and I'll still be very involved,
especially with the music, the artwork, and the web site, but it will be fantastic
for me to have help in many other areas. This should be a great benefit to
Hypnos customers, not to mention a benefit for me, as well as the roster of
Hypnos artists. I can't wait to get started!
2004.05.12
The latest Hypnos label release, Sanctuary of Dreams
by Numina, has been added to the Hypnos Online Store. The "Hypnos Recommends" front page
section will be updated later, so if you want to find the Numina disc right
away, you'll have to either do a "search" (see the toolbar at the top of the
storefront page), or visit the Hypnos label section of the store and scroll down.
This new release is a great one and we're very proud of it!
2004.04.25
Hypnos/Binary artists Dweller at the Threshold are currently
in The Netherlands for the Alfa Centauri Electronic Music festival. Actually,
the performance isn't for another few weeks, but they're over there already,
soaking up the local culture (you can figure out for yourself what this might
mean).
Another Hypnos artist Paul Vnuk (half of Ma Ja Le, and also responsible for
the solo Hypnos album Silence Speaks in Shadows)
is also present, as part of Fragment of a Dream, an ambient/electronic "supergroup"
of sorts, featuring Paul Vnuk, Dave Fulton and John Duval of Dweller at the
Threshold, along with Giles Reeves. In other words, Dave and John will be performaing
not only as Dweller, but also as 2/4 of Fragment of a Dream.
Also performing will be Par Example, Intelligentsia, and Free System Project.
For more information, visit this information page:
Alfa
Centauri Festival
Dave Fulton also passes along the following information, some of it related
to the festival and some more general DATT/Fulton news:
Dave Fulton of DATT is now working on a new project which may actually result
in a new band (which for this moment is called 'Fragment of a Dream'. Together
with John DuVal (DATT), Paul Vnuk (MaJaLe) and Giles Reaves (from Spacecraft)
he is preparing music and the show at Alfa Centauri #10 will be a collaboration
of Dave Fulton, John DuVal, Paul Vnuk and Giles Reaves and they will perform
their new music together with new and old DATT material.
Quantum has two new DATT related releases: First, the Full Boundary Condition.
It is the 1st 2 DATT albums and a 3rd of all new material in a special box set.
Also FSP and DATT have just released this new CD as well (American and European
retro synth music at its finest!):
Free System Projekt with DATT on Passenger 4. Visit the Passenger 4 Info Page for more (warning: link contains
graphic images of middle-aged men playing with modular synthetizers).
2004.04.07 (later)
The user interface problem with the Hypnos Online Store has been fixed (and in the process,
I've upgraded the storefront software to a slightly newer version. The result
of this is that the web address for the store has changed slightly:
OLD ADDRESS: http://www.hypnos.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv
NEW ADDRESS: http://www.hypnos.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc
That's right, the only difference is .mvc at the end
now instead of .mv, but this is enough that you won't find the store at all
at the old address. I'm in the process of changing the links to the Hypnos store
listed elsewhere on this site, so the only way you'll need to make this change
is if you have the storefront bookmarked directly. 2004.04.07 Something's currently
wrong with the Hypnos Online Store, and I'm working on figuring out
what it is. A quick look at the store front will reveal the problem... the category
list along the left side, and the toolbar along the top, are missing. I'll keep
working at this, and don't worry -- if you have ordered, or if you wish to order,
everything else seems to be working OK. It's just the user interface that's
screwed up. Sorry for the inconvenience.
2004.04.06
If you tried to send me an email a few days ago and had it bounced back as undeliverable, it was due to one of two problems. First someone (a spammer apparently) sent me a file with a corrupted header and a giant binary attachment, and not only did it fill up my inbox, but I also couldn't download or delete it. Second, the company that hosts the Hypnos.com domain has been having problems with outages, most recently the mail server:
Message to Our Members
Valued Members:
As many of you are aware, on Friday, April 2nd, between
the hours of 11:30AM and 6PM EST the ValueWeb email system was down. We know
this was aggravating for all of you and it was also tremendously disappointing
to us.
Over the last several months, Affinity has heavily invested
in improving our email system. This investment has resulted in continued improvement
in uptime and mail performance over the last 90 days. We feel we owe you an
explanation.
On Friday morning April 2nd, our email storage system
experienced a serious error causing our email system to destabilize. We immediately
contacted the supplier of the system for emergency service. In order to protect
the stored mail, it was decided to take the system offline to repair data
corruption that occurred from the error. This took several hours. No data
was lost.
Saturday night into the early morning hours on Sunday
April 4th, our supplier implemented a source code fix to alleviate a bug in
their operating system. This action took several hours as well. The repair
was tested, the issue was replicated, and the fix implemented. We are extremely
confident the problem has been resolved. We continue to invest in our network
infrastructure to deliver further service improvements. Should you have any
questions regarding our improvement program, please contact us.
We know how critical email is to your business. Please
accept our sincere apology for this service interruption.
Sincerely, Peter Chambers CEO, Affinity Internet
Anyway, both problems seem to be fixed now and email is apparently arriving normally.
2004.03.29
Added two more items to the "Hypnos Recommends" section
of the Hypnos Online Store -- a pair of releases on A Produce's
revived TrancePort Special Editions label:
A Produce/Ruben Garcia - Early Sessions 1991-1993
Ruben Garcia - Maybe Forgotten Forever (2CD)
Visit the
A Produce/TrancePort section of the Hypnos Store, or
the TrancePort
web site (hosted on hypnos.com) for more info.
2004.03.26
Big update to the Hypnos Online Store today... check out the front page's "Hypnos Recommends" for lots of new stuff. Two more titles to add tonight or this weekend, as well, so stay tuned.
2004.02.27
Hello again. New items added to the Hypnos Online Store tonight, including the long-awaited
second installment in VidnaObmana's An Opera for Four Fusion Works series.
It's Act II: Phrasing the Air (featuring Bill Fox). Other new titles added include:
Tom Heasley - On the Sensations of Tone
Alpha Wave Movement - Cosmology
Dom F. Scab - About a Tree
Ron Boots - Area Movement
Robert Rich - Calling Down the Sky
Also, a number of other Groove label titles were re-stocked,
including items from Michael Stearns, Ron Boots & Rudy Adrian. The store's front
page "Hypnos Recommends" section will be updated in the next couple of days,
but in the mean time you can find these items by utilizing the "search" button
at the top of the store screen, or by visiting the appropriate section or category
on the left.
2004.01.22
Boy, it took me a while to dig out from the order backlog
that occurred during my vacation (see last update), but everybody's been taken
care of (except a few people waiting on backorders of Jeff Pearce's Summer
Solstice, which is still on the way... but the machine is humming again.
Just completed an updated to the Hypnos Online Store, where you'll find new titles including:
Steve Roach - Texture Maps
Steve Roach - Life Sequence
Roedelius - Evermore (featuring Rapoon)
Rapoon - Rhiz
Rapoon & Desaccord Majeur - Salmo Salar
Rapoon - I Am a Foreigner
Next week, we'll see some new releases on the Amplexus
label, and it shouldn't be too much longer before the new Vidna
Obmana Opera for Four Fusions Works - Act 2 is
available (it's currently in production).
Then, the long-delayed-but-still-coming Hypnos releases from Numina, and from
Mathias Grassow and Jim Cole (see updates below for artwork previews).
Archived Hypnos News: