Currently listening, part 1

[APK]

What are you doing in that piano?
I'm Haydn.

[chris23]

Oh God. You just baroque the thread.

[amandaarmain]

Elizabeth Fawn "fairy rings"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sygmMG4Q7Ro

[chris23]

Heezen - Abandoned Memory
Got a tip on this from Jason of Infraction on the ambient@hyperreal.org listserv. Super cool stuff--reminds me a bit of Andrew Thomas's work on Kompakt. Lots of crackling, tape hiss, and finely sliced samples that are arranged in beautiful, atmospheric ways.
Buy/Sample: https://feutlab.bandcamp.com/album/abandoned-memory

Blake Gibson & Robert Davies - Quiraing
I think Drone On nailed this with his summary of the disc. This album strikes me as one of the "must owns" of 2015, and I'm worried that it might fly too far under the radar. If you haven't ordered this, please do so. Each track is special and represents an extraordinary blend of drone, composition, and organic ambiance.  The best part: The artists have the balls to include a track titled Only Rain that is, yup, almost 6 minutes of a rain storm. And it fits so well.
Buy/Sample: http://databloem.com/home/766-blake-gibson-robert-davies-quiraing-.html

[drone on]

The best thing I've heard so far this year, ambient wise, is Enceladus by Sphare Secs.  Stunning deep outer space stuff.  As good if not better than their Tiefschlaf CD.  On Malignant Records.

[chris23]

Good tip! I just hunted down some samples. Sounds great--and a bit spooky.

[phobos]

The best thing I've heard so far this year, ambient wise, is Enceladus by Sphare Secs.  Stunning deep outer space stuff.  As good if not better than their Tiefschlaf CD.  On Malignant Records.

That arrived the other day, I completely agree, stunning album.

Currently awaiting the arrival of Unearthed (6 CD Box set) by Kammarheit, now slightly delayed until mid April :'(

[Dave Michuda]

36 - Sine Dust
An excellent recording & a slightly different sound for 36.  He says "I wanted to make an EP that had a strictly defined sound and theme, which continued from beginning to end, using a limited array of instruments to tell the story. In some ways, it's the most minimal record I've made. The sounds are soft, muted and the notes are played with a gentle intensity that hopefully reflects my passion for the stars."  The synths have a sort of retro feel without being kitschy or obvious.  The tough here is just right.
https://3six.bandcamp.com/album/sine-dust

Tessellate Recordings - Earthtones Volume 3
Another good compilation from Tessallate.  A nice variety of textures & sounds.
https://tessellaterecordings.bandcamp.com/album/earthtones-volume-3

My Brother the Wind - Once There Was a Time When Time and Space Were One
Through a few playlists on Spotify I've discovered some current prog/space rock and this is one of my new favs.  Just good old fashioned psych space rock. 
https://lasersedge.bandcamp.com/album/once-there-was-a-time-when-time-and-space-were-one

[Joe R]

Hessien- Their first untitled EP, and Skurjn, their second EP. Airy and floaty guitar and synth based ambient, some of the most relaxing music I've ever heard.

[thirdsystem]

On constant play for the past fortnight..........

Autumn Of Communion 5 . This is a grower. One of the best in the series.
Blake Gibson/ Robert Davies - Quiraing
Igneous Flame  - Opaline

All of these will be in my top albums of 2015, no doubt about it.

Andy Tillison Diskdrive - Fog . Best purchase of the year so far. What a stunning but obscure album. Ambient,Berlin School, Prog, Jazz. Absolutely love it.

[chris23]

Marsen Jules - The Empire of Silence
A majestic new release from Marsen Jules. Eight tracks, each named after a unique Inuit term for snow, that are relatively simple in their instrumentation (mostly organ-like synth work), but complex in their composition.
Buy/Listen: https://oktaf.bandcamp.com/album/the-empire-of-silence-bonus-track-version

[judd stephens]

Blake Gibson & Robert Davies - Quiraing
I think Drone On nailed this with his summary of the disc. This album strikes me as one of the "must owns" of 2015, and I'm worried that it might fly too far under the radar. If you haven't ordered this, please do so. Each track is special and represents an extraordinary blend of drone, composition, and organic ambiance.  The best part: The artists have the balls to include a track titled Only Rain that is, yup, almost 6 minutes of a rain storm. And it fits so well.
Buy/Sample: http://databloem.com/home/766-blake-gibson-robert-davies-quiraing-.html

Anyone know if Quiraing is available as a download?  Couldn't find it anywhere.

[APK]

Judd. I think if Dennis at Databloem doesn't have a download for sale via a link on the album page, then there isn't one. He organizes his own downloads.

[judd stephens]

Thank you Andy.

Lovely photo on that album too btw.

[chris23]

Two new and excellent "name your price" releases on Bandcamp. Both involve dark, slowly evolving soundscapes. The Corbacho one makes great use of silence and pauses and has been my favorite soundtrack for sleeping over the past week.

Max Corbacho - Future Terrain
Buy/Listen: https://maxcorbacho.bandcamp.com/album/future-terrain

Steve Roach - Bloodmoon Rising Night 3
Buy/Listen: https://steveroach.bandcamp.com/album/bloodmoon-rising-night-3

[Seren]

Steve Roach - Light Fantastic, one of my favourites

[Seren]

[DUSKER_]

Midnight Tales - Eternalism (2015)
The new collaboration of Wolf Maps and Biblo.
Bandcamp: https://sacredphrases.bandcamp.com/album/eternalism

How To Disappear Completely - Remnant (2015)
New ep from HTDC. For fans of Hammock and Belong. Nocturnal drift.
Bandcamp: https://htdc.bandcamp.com/album/remnant

Hakobune - Sinking Stars (2015)
Space drift.
Bandcamp: https://hakobune.bandcamp.com/album/sinking-stars

[9dragons]

Had a strange phase where I was listening to audio books and not much music at all. Now the trend is reversed. A trip to China has curiously renewed my desire for music in a big way. Possibly because I first really got into ambient music while living there...anyway, have been on a spree of new music...

Kuedo: Severant, on the Planet Mu label. Pretty glorious sci-fi techno.
Andy Stott: Faith in Strangers. Dark industrial techno type music brilliantly executed with lushness and female vocals.
Suum Cuique: Ascetic Ideals. Analogue sounding well shaped and shaded noise explorations.
Sinoia Caves: Beyond the Black Rainbow. Towering soundtrack to the engrossing film of the same name.
Senking: Capsize Recovery. Dark, weird, beat driven and substantial, up there with the best.
Black Rain: Dark Pool. Cyberpunk classic reissued. Immensely atmospheric, dark and industrial but lush and pleasing.

[drone on]

Van Halen live Tokyo Dome 2013.  Killer dude.  Great live versions, evh totally shreds!!!