What are some of your favorite releases from 2019?

chris23 · January 01, 2020, 08:35:53 AM

When I asked this last year, Castleview was the only one who chimed in. Hoping to get some more input this year. I want to make sure I didn't miss out on something that people think is excellent!

Here are some of the releases that ended up on major repeat this past year. This isn't a "best of" list; just a list of 10 things "I really enjoyed."

Thom Brennan - Soundgardens
An amazing return! The more drone-based of the Brennan 2019 releases.
https://thombrennan.bandcamp.com/album/soundgardens

Porya Hatami, Aarom Martin, & Roberto Attanasio - Sallaw
Mysterious mixtures of cello, piano, and processed sounds. Creative and moody.
https://dronarivm.bandcamp.com/album/sallaw

ASC - The Waves
Layers of drifting synths.
https://shop.silentseason.com/album/the-waves

Autumn of Communion - Folk Etymology
An underrated release for AoC: It captures everything I like about their style.
https://neotantra.bandcamp.com/album/folk-etymology

Marty Hicks - Olreilion
Experimental piano. Soft and cloudy.
https://chiheihatakeyama.bandcamp.com/album/olreilion

Jens Pauly - Vihne
12k-like lo-fi guitar loops and found sounds.
https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com/album/vihne-2

Ludvig Cimbrelius - Intimacy
Drifting and ethereal.
https://pitp.bandcamp.com/album/intimacy

Halftribe - Backwater Revisited
Glitched out ambience with incredible melodies.
https://dronarivm.bandcamp.com/album/backwater-revisited

Anaamaly - Love Frequency Pt. 2
My favorite sleeping soundtrack of the year. Reminds me of James Johnson's Cube series.
https://anaamaly.bandcamp.com/track/love-frequency-pt-2-unconditional-528-hz-30-minute-extended-mix

Max Corbacho - Echo of Longing
Deep and evolving synth textures.
https://maxcorbacho.bandcamp.com/album/echo-of-longing

Castleview · January 01, 2020, 10:11:41 AM

I didn't listen to a lot of new ambient music from 2019. I've been listening to a lot of dark ambient and drone music lately, all of it being older releases that I either had already or recently discovered.

Here's some 2019 stuff that I heard and enjoyed:

Jaja - Eternity

https://jaja.bandcamp.com/album/eternity

Chihei Hatakeyama - Ghost Woods

https://chiheihatakeyama.bandcamp.com/album/ghost-woods

Hiemal - Aleutian Canopy

https://hiemalambient.bandcamp.com/album/aleutian-canopy

Igneous Flame - Argon

https://igneousflame.bandcamp.com/album/argon

Innesti - Formless

https://innesti.bandcamp.com/album/formless

Earth Orbit Audio System - Terpsichore

https://earthorbitaudiosystem.bandcamp.com/album/terpsichore

Warmth - Wildlife

https://archivesdubmusic.bandcamp.com/album/wildlife

Sihou · January 03, 2020, 08:12:54 AM

Castleview · January 03, 2020, 08:28:16 AM

^I'm going to have to check out some of those albums. Welcome to the Hypnos Forum!

Sihou · January 03, 2020, 08:41:40 AM

Quote from: Castleview on January 03, 2020, 08:28:16 AM
^I'm going to have to check out some of those albums. Welcome to the Hypnos Forum!

Thank you

I advise you to start with Sever Ga + Nonpandoras - Slow Light.
In my opinion, this is one of the best that happened last year on the Russian stage.
https://kartaskvazhin.bandcamp.com/album/--3

Castleview · January 03, 2020, 08:54:22 AM

I started with Logic Moon - I See Planets, but I'll listen to that one right after that. Thanks again!

There's been a lot of great ambient music that has come out of Russia, and Eastern Europe in general for that matter. That region has been a great hotbed for the genre for a while now. I wouldn't have known about any of it without Bandcamp.

Sihou · January 03, 2020, 09:15:23 AM

Quote from: Castleview on January 03, 2020, 08:54:22 AM
I started with Logic Moon - I See Planets, but I'll listen to that one right after that. Thanks again!

There's been a lot of great ambient music that has come out of Russia, and Eastern Europe in general for that matter. That region has been a great hotbed for the genre for a while now. I wouldn't have known about any of it without Bandcamp.

Oh yes bandcamp is a very wonderful thing

Unfortunately, piracy is very developed in the post-Soviet space. Listeners are used to getting music for free. At the moment, there are so many musical communities that purchase music on the bandcamp and spotify for donations from subscribers and then put the music in the public domain.

chris23 · January 03, 2020, 09:44:20 AM

Great list! There are lot of things to explore on there that I haven't heard before.

Sihou · January 03, 2020, 09:49:59 AM

Quote from: chris23 on January 03, 2020, 09:44:20 AM
Great list! There are lot of things to explore on there that I haven't heard before.

Hello Chris.

Glad I brought something new!

I registered. I hope that I will contribute.

chris23 · January 03, 2020, 10:00:33 AM

Welcome, Sergey!

I'm listing to Sever Ga + Nonpandoras right now and it is great.

Sihou · January 03, 2020, 10:12:41 AM

Quote from: chris23 on January 03, 2020, 10:00:33 AM
Welcome, Sergey!

I'm listing to Sever Ga + Nonpandoras right now and it is great.

Thanks!

My wife doesn't like ambient and drone. The only musician she likes is Pepo Galan. And more recently, Sever Ga + Nonpandoras.

Will I follow you in bandcamp if you don't mind?

Castleview · January 03, 2020, 10:37:47 AM

Quote from: Sihou on January 03, 2020, 09:15:23 AM
Quote from: Castleview on January 03, 2020, 08:54:22 AM
I started with Logic Moon - I See Planets, but I'll listen to that one right after that. Thanks again!

There's been a lot of great ambient music that has come out of Russia, and Eastern Europe in general for that matter. That region has been a great hotbed for the genre for a while now. I wouldn't have known about any of it without Bandcamp.

Oh yes bandcamp is a very wonderful thing

Unfortunately, piracy is very developed in the post-Soviet space. Listeners are used to getting music for free. At the moment, there are so many musical communities that purchase music on the bandcamp and spotify for donations from subscribers and then put the music in the public domain.

Sorry to hear that, but I'm not shocked. I always try to give artists something on a pay-what-you-want release because I'm an artist myself.

In addition to my Bandcamp in the signature, I also have a fan account:

https://bandcamp.com/castleview_the_fan

Sihou · January 03, 2020, 10:53:09 AM

Perhaps your elites and powerful people will stop threatening rhetoric with Russia and see it as an enemy someday and then it will be possible to restore order by joint efforts. But it will not be easy. People get used to freebies very easily.

Pleased to meet you! As a listener of the old school, I prefer to listen to music on physical media. Why don't you publish music on physical media?

Castleview · January 03, 2020, 11:13:14 AM

Quote from: Sihou on January 03, 2020, 10:53:09 AM
Perhaps your elites and powerful people will stop threatening rhetoric with Russia and see it as an enemy someday and then it will be possible to restore order by joint efforts. But it will not be easy. People get used to freebies very easily.

Pleased to meet you! As a listener of the old school, I prefer to listen to music on physical media. Why don't you publish music on physical media?

Cost and concerns about demand. For a while, I haven't even had a full-time job until very recently so money has been a bit tight for me. Plus, I don't want to end up with extra inventory if I don't sell everything. You're probably the first person to ask me about a physical release that I can remember.

I'd rather try to get on a label that could handle a physical release than do it myself.

Sihou · January 03, 2020, 11:32:05 AM

Quote from: Castleview on January 03, 2020, 11:13:14 AM
Cost and concerns about demand. For a while, I haven't even had a full-time job until very recently so money has been a bit tight for me. Plus, I don't want to end up with extra inventory if I don't sell everything. You're probably the first person to ask me about a physical release that I can remember.

I'd rather try to get on a label that could handle a physical release than do it myself.

I feel for you.
But each of us experiences losses and setbacks in life. I had been sick with a deadly disease for three years. And only this year I was able to start working. It is fortunate that my family survived and I was not left alone. But I am grateful to my illness, I was able to change my character and worldview, I became happier and began to understand why we live.

By the way, I liked the Desolation track from your last album. You have pretty oppressive and pessimistic music.
Have you tried to find a label?

Castleview · January 03, 2020, 01:26:05 PM

You're right about life having ups and downs. I'm definitely in a better place career-wise and as a person than I was two years ago though.

With regards to labels, I haven't reached out recently. In the past, I released two albums on Black Dingo Records, a short-lived label ran by Duff Egan, but the label ended before Desolation was finished. Oceanscape was re-released on GV Sound years prior to that. There was a local label that had some interest, but they ended up shutting down late last year before I could record anything for them.

I thought about reaching out to Pantheon, ZHELEZOBETON, and Ostroga (Vitaly Maklakov aka Kromeshna). I have about 60-70 minutes of material that is close to being ready to release, one of which is a 31 minute longform drone piece.

Thanks for the compliment regarding Desolation. I love making dark dronescapes.

Seren · January 03, 2020, 01:47:00 PM

Hmm, that's a hell of a list to start getting into - thanks.

richardgurtler · January 04, 2020, 05:46:34 AM

Sihou · January 04, 2020, 10:43:19 AM

Quote from: Castleview on January 03, 2020, 01:26:05 PM
You're right about life having ups and downs. I'm definitely in a better place career-wise and as a person than I was two years ago though.

With regards to labels, I haven't reached out recently. In the past, I released two albums on Black Dingo Records, a short-lived label ran by Duff Egan, but the label ended before Desolation was finished. Oceanscape was re-released on GV Sound years prior to that. There was a local label that had some interest, but they ended up shutting down late last year before I could record anything for them.

I thought about reaching out to Pantheon, ZHELEZOBETON, and Ostroga (Vitaly Maklakov aka Kromeshna). I have about 60-70 minutes of material that is close to being ready to release, one of which is a 31 minute longform drone piece.

Thanks for the compliment regarding Desolation. I love making dark dronescapes.

My friend launched the label. If you are interested, then I can give him a link to your music. Perhaps he will be interested.

Sihou · January 04, 2020, 11:13:17 AM

Quote from: richardgurtler on January 04, 2020, 05:46:34 AM
Hi guys,

I usually try to avoid such list, but let's make an exception. But I am afraid the line-up will be quite long, I am unable to squeeze it and most likely I didn't mention all titles I wanted..., in random order...

Richard :)

Sōzuproject "Fragility Can Fly" CDr
https://sozuproject.bandcamp.com/album/fragility-can-fly

Innesti "Formless" CDr and "Between Worlds" CDr
https://innesti.bandcamp.com/album/formless
https://innesti.bandcamp.com/album/between-worlds

ASC "The Waves" CD
https://shop.silentseason.com/album/the-waves

Logic Moon "I See Planets" CDr
https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com/album/i-see-planets

Drifting In Silence "Away" CDr
https://driftinginsilence.com/album/away

Hello.

I'm glad you mentioned Paolo Mascolini (Sōzuproject). This is perhaps one of the few artists who can tell what his music is about and, surprisingly, my associations when listening to his music coincide with the feelings and intentions embedded by Paolo.

Innesti - I like his music, especially the Venetian Whispers track. I am here thanks to him. When I interviewed him, he advised me to register.

I purchased ASC "The Waves", but have not yet listened. I purchased it from a European distributor and I do not have a code for it.

I really liked Tobias' spatial dreamy compositions.

I put Drifting In Silence on the wishlist, but haven't reached it yet.