2008 outlook for Hypnos (and Binary and Hypnos Secret Sounds)

[Bill Binkelman]

I wonder whatever happened to Meg Bowles...

Somebody, I think it was Jeff Pearce (or maybe Bill Binkelman... I get those two confused) said that she had a baby, or maybe more than one, and was keeping busy with that.

she did have a baby. last time i communicated with her she and her husband were busy with their producing and engineering work.
(there is no need to get jeff or bill confused. they do that quite well on their own.)

     

[Wanterkeelt]

Hello,
this is my first post to this forum as I have only discovered the Hypnos website (not the label) quite recently. My name is Mirko, from Luxembourg. I was browsing through this thread and I saw that there were plans to rerelease "Jeff Pearce | Daylight Slowly" in 2008. Has that happened so far ? On the mailorder it's out of stock, so am I again too late, or is it only coming soon ?

Thanks for the help.
Best greetings to one of my favourite labels for ambient music.

Mirko

[mgriffin]

Hi Mirko, thanks for your message, and welcome to the Hypnos Forum.

No, you're not too late with Daylight Slowly.  In fact I've just been slow about getting the CD into production so it appears this will be an early 2009 release.  My apologies to those who are waiting on these discs, and to Jeff Pearce as well.

I guess I'd better write a "2009 outlook for Hypnos" topic now!

[Wanterkeelt]

Thanks for the fast reply. That's good news for me.
Are all albums repressed regularly if they run out of stock ? I saw that Vidna Obmana "The Surreal ..." is listed as out of print ?

[mgriffin]

We decide each case individually when it comes to repressing Hypnos CDs that run out.  Vidna Obmana has requested that all his CDs be allowed to lapse out of print when they're sold out, so we will not be repressing The Surreal Sanctuary.  The same goes for other Vidna Obmana CDs on Hypnos, when they sell out, though we did repress Landscape in Obscurity when the first pressing sold out fairly quickly because this was before VO's decision to stop releasing music under that name.

Usually when we run our of a CD we intend to get it back into print at some point, though it sometimes makes sense to leave a disc out of print for a while to gauge how interested people are in it.  If there is not much interest, it doesn't make sense to pay for the repressing, if it will take several years before the cost of repressing is recouped.

[michael sandler]

We agree that name collision is a big problem but usually can be ignored, ...

Just out of curiosity, have you guys ever heard of a "Depressive Black Metal" (whatever that is) band called Austere?

Mike S

[Wanterkeelt]

Hi Mike,

are the two rereleases of

Jeff Pearce | Daylight Slowly

and

Nebula | The Path of White clouds

still on the agenda for the next few months ?

Thanks, Mirko

[mgriffin]

Hi Mirko
Yes indeed, these release are still planned, and the delay does not indicate a change in plans to release these items.  We've just been slow to move several projects forward during 2009.  We plan to make some progress on these releases, as well as other planned projects, very soon.  Thanks for your patience.

Mike

[abasio]

I am just getting into the Hypnos catalogue, loved Sense Project - Sublime and I am thinking of a getting between 5 and 10 albums next month. What would you say are the must haves?

[LNerell]

Since the Nebula CD hasn't been released yet, plus their is all the confusion as to which band is which I was thinking its not too late for yet another name change to perhaps Nebulous.  Not only does the term mean "hazy, vague, indistinct, or confused," but it also has a lesser known secondary meaning "of or resembling a nebula." 

[judd stephens]

I am just getting into the Hypnos catalogue, loved Sense Project - Sublime and I am thinking of a getting between 5 and 10 albums next month. What would you say are the must haves?

I was wondering how many hypnos cd's I have listened to, so I went to the hypnos section of the store and found out it was a whopping 34 releases!  That's a lot for me, for one label, so let me give you my faves.

In the category of more melodic, beautiful ambient/spacemusic, I'd recommend these:

James Johnson- The Butterfly Chamber
Jeff Pearce- Daylight Slowly & To the Shores of Heaven
Ma Ja Le & James Johnson- Seed
Jeff Greinke- Wide View

Of the deeper and/or darker/spacier releases, my favorites are:

Tom Heasley- Where the Earth Meets the Sky
Vidna Obmana- Landscape in Obscurity
Saul Stokes- The Zo Pilots
Viridian Sun- Perihelion
Numina- Sanctuary of Dreams
Oophoi- Athlit

If you go the Hypnos Binary route, which the releases are more rhythmic, Dweller at the Threshold's Ourobouros and Vir Unis/ Saul Stoke's Thermal Transfer are essential listening.

I've tapered off buying lately and haven't heard any of the Secret Sounds releases yet, though a few do look quite appealing.  Even if you randomly select 10 cd's from various years of Hypnos releases, you probably won't go wrong... and of course you'll get a bunch of different recommendations from each individual listener.

[abasio]

Cheers! I'll look into some of them 

[mgriffin]

Sorry I didn't answer this myself, Abasio -- I figured I'm sort of biased.  I appreciate Judd chiming in and I'd invite other Hypnos forum members to list some of their own favorite releases, as well.

[9dragons]

I would start any Hypnos purchasing spree with Mother Sunrise, the Alio Die and Opium collaboration. Hands down my favorite Hypnos.

The Ma Ja Le / James Johnson collaboration Seed is a classic, as well as Vnuk Jr.'s Silence Speaks in Shadow (this one is a must if you are looking for longform deep ambient).

Shift to the Ghost is a keeper. All the Stokes albums...

[ffcal]

Joseph--I'd have to agree, in Stokes we trust.  Ditto for the Mother Sunrise album, one of my Hypnos favorites, too.  I'd add to that Gigi's Athlit album, and Mike's 1st (?) Fulton collab, The Most Distant Point Known.

Forrest

[9dragons]

I forgot about a whole raft of other Hypnos output that I love:

Vidna Obmana Surreal Sanctuary and the Contemporary Nocturne are masterpieces. Landscape in Obscurity is a late night absolute favorite by which to chill.

Of course there is all the Robert Rich work, some of his best albums are on Hypnos. Humidity springs to mind first off.

And I would agree that Athlit is a classic, but Distance to Zero is magical, and has been getting more play lately.

Of the 2008 releases I only picked up Villa Galaxia and Tones For Lamonte. Both are big favorites...

[Brian Bieniowski]

My favorite Hypnos CDs:

Robert Rich—Somnium
David Tollefson—New Eyes on the Universe
Sola Translatio—Mother Sunrise
Vidna Obmana—Landscape in Obscurity
Jeff Greinke—Lost Terrain
v/a—Weightless, Effortless
Saul Stokes—Outfolding
Tom Heasley—When the Earth Meets the Sky
Modell/Mantra—Sonic Continuum

Guess I'm more of a classic Hypnos fan, though I'm a little behind in getting some of the new ones. 

[stuyvesant]

I would have to include To the Shores of Heaven by Jeff Pearce in any list of favorite CD's let alone a list of Hypnos discs.

[9dragons]

Just listening to A Produce's Smile on the Void. What an awesome album...

[Campus Stellae]

my favorite Hypnos cds:
David Tollefson New Eyes on the Universe
Viridian Sun Perihelion
Robert Rich Sunyata
Robert Rich Inner Landscapes
Mike Griffin Sudden Dark
Paul Vnuk Silence Speaks in Shadow
Jeff Pearce Daylight Slowly
Vidna Obmana Soundtrack for the Aquarium