Currently listening, part 1

[darkenedsoul]

Deinonychus - War Machines
New Risen Throne/Locust Reign - Prophets From The Abyss
Megaptera - Staring back at you
The Knell - Harm (gotta throw some doom in there ;-) )

[Undershadow]

FRANK BRETSCHNEIDER : Rhythm
SIGNAL : Robotron

http://www.ei-mag.com/verite0015.php#03 for descriptions/appraisals of both albums – both recommended - on the excellent minimal electronica label, Raster-Noton (http://www.discogs.com/label/Raster-Noton), run by Carsten Nicolai (aka Alva Noto), Frank Bretschneider (aka Komet) and Olaf Bender (the three of whom work collectively as Signal)

[jim brenholts]

immersion 3, disc 2 - sleep chamber by steve roach
i absolutely love this set! nobody does atmospheric space music better than steve! the textures and timbres on this piece are deep and wide. they flow around, through, above and below each other seamlessly.

[Kent M]

[CAM100] V.A. - Cycles
A 44-track compilation from the Camomille netlabel including artists such as Julien Neto, Khonnor, Lackluster, Twerk, Sense . . .  Download for free here: http://www.camomillemusic.com/

[Chad Hoefler]

Charles B. Kim:Polis--a wonderfully sublime CD

[APK]

This evening

- Spyra: Headphone Concert   (just the first long track ... love it. Tres Berlin, but well played.)
- Weigl & Hoffmann: Examples of a Medusa  (kafkaesque lyrics and addictive simple music)

[Bill Binkelman]

Pat Metheny and Charlie Haden - Beyond the Missouri Sky
Nice mellow music while preparing a beef and broccoli stir-fry... just a bass and a guitar (well, some very minimal synths here and there) and loads of atmosphere

[g.@.b.]

Almost in that same vibe, Bill.

NP: Pat Metheny - One Quiet Night (solo Baritone Guitar)

[Dave Michuda]

Somnia Podcast 002 - brilliant mix from http://somniasound.blogspot.com/
Rapoon - Time Frost - picked one of the last copies from the Hypnos store.   Excellent cd that uses the Blue Danube Waltz as a source.
Martin Grech - march of the lonely - a melancholic release featuring guitar piano & mournful vocals.
Murmur - Undertone - good dubby eletronics

[APK]

Hey, Dave has upped the ante ... we have to post covers now.

:)

[SunDummy]

Years ago, I picked up a curious little box set by OMIT called "QUAD".  It was a triple CD set, with insanely detailed and obsessive notes outlining the sounds contained therein.  I tried to get into it, but it was so busy, so dense with ideas that it just never clicked.  I finally sold it a few years ago.

I recently discovered that I had MP3's of these disks on a backup drive, so tonight I'm giving them another listen.  WOW.  I mean, WOW.  This is really, really interesting; a crazy sound collage, sometimes just loops of environmental sounds, sometimes odd voices, strange clangs, weird instrumental interludes, and a whole lot more.  I wish I still had the box set; this is really clicking with me now. 

So sorry, no picture to be found online...   ;)

[jkn]

np:

jeff greinke - lost terrain - somewhat foggy, melancholy, washed out, lovely ambient

was:

the circular ruins - confluence - I've always liked this one from APK.  Weird thinking that this is now almost an "older" release... ha.

Sorry - no pics this time.  :)

[jkn]

np:

Lennie Kravitz - Let Love Rule - great album - when I'm in the mood there's nothing better.

was:

Jill Scott - Who is Jill Scott?  Words & Music Vol. 1 - Worth the price of admission just for the track "It's Love" - what a great groove.   Jill's voice is beautiful.

[Mark Mushet]

I'm retroactively looking into Alison Krauss after the wonderful recent disc with Bob "Percy" Plant. So I'm listening to "New Favourite" (with her group Union station). It's quite nice but I think she'd really soar with more sophisticated arrangements which are hinted at on the "Raising Sand" CD.

Like the Portuguese singer Madradeus (whose voice Alison's recalls at points) the supporting band doesn't quite push far or high enough to reach the sublime. Maybe next time? Or is the Nashville milieu too conservative?

[APK]

This afternoon

Spyra: Orphan Waves (excellent, if you like his old-school style. Very Pink Floyd in places.)

[Dave Michuda]

Mark,

I too am about to delve into other Alison Krauss music based on the latest release.  She has a track on a compilation cd, "Beautiful Dreamer - The Songs of Stephen Foster", that I love.  The track is called "Slumber My Darling" & features Krauss & Yo Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer and Mark O'Connor.  It is absolutely gorgeous!  Worth the price of the cd alone.

Other recent spins...
johann johannsson - ibm 1401, a user's manual
belbury poly - the owls map
Takeshi Nishimoto - Monologue

[rdj]

Happy New Year to everyone here.

Celer - Bells (great loop based drones)
Loscil - Stases (more fine drones)
Tom Heasley - Where The Earth Meets The Sky (I don't think a description is needed as most know about this man and his awesome set of pipes!)

[mgriffin]

Happy New Year to you too, RDJ.

Lots of great listening lately around here.  Last night:



Kilowatts - Ground State (Native State Records)

Based on the description on the Native State web site I expected this to be edgier and glitchier, but I'd say overall it's very accessible and fun, even "catchy," nothing off-puttingly experimental here.  I'd call it well-crafted, lower-tempo techno with occasional glitch elements, and very prominent melodic/musical content.  In thinking of how to describe it, I keep wanting to use the word "fun."  Definitely will be getting regular play around here.

[mgriffin]

Later last night:



krill.minima - Nautica (Native State Records)

Another case of confounded expectations from Native State Records (see mini-review of Kilowatts CD above).  Based on what I knew of Marsen Jules, and what else I'd heard of Native State, I expected this to be much more rhythm-oriented and with a brighter, more typically electronic tone.  This album is quite restrained ambient, definitely something that would appeal to most people on this Forum.  It's not really drone-oriented or too minimal, though, actually there's a bit of activity under the surface, and rhythmic components that are buried and subtle, more like low-key churning or cyclical sounds than "beats" in most places.  Everything is very restrained and "cool" but there are none of the typical ambient-minimalism cliches here.  Very pleasing material, and having heard this, I will definitely have to seek our more krill.minima and more Marsen Jules.

[Numina]

Here's what I purchased today and am quite enjoying listening to:

Echo & the Bunnymen ~ "Flowers"
Children Within ~ "Walkabout" CD Single
Covenant ~ "Brave New World" CD Single
A-Ha ~ "Hunting High & Low"
Children Within ~ "Freedom of Choice"
Ambassador 21 ~ "Fuck All Systems"
Depeche Mode ~ "Ultra" - remaster

J.