"The Endless Seasons" is an experimental ambient project by Pascal Savy and Toshikatsu, who worked together on creating music and lacquer incense cases. All tracks have been produced by Pascal Savy, upon conceptual propounding by Toshikatsu and long-distance communication between London and Tokyo. The incense cases have been designed and hand-crafted as a quadtych (series of 4) over a year period. This release explores the concept of Japanese seasons within the realm of imagination, and their instrinsic absence of absolutes.
mastered by Christopher Leary at Melograf Mastering
Released on Collaboration No. 1 of Luxus-Arctica records International alongside tracks by artists Carl Sagan's Ghost, Saffron Slumber, and Specta Ciera.
credits
released 01 May 2010
Arranged and composed by Ehrler Vogel. The image used is CC by Runar Eilertsen (www.flickr.com/photos/runare). The original collaboration release image was taken by Jourdan Laik (www.enspiar.com)
Next on Audio Gourmet we welcome aboard Leonardo Rosado, an artist and curator of the Feedback Loop netlabel. Aside from running Feedback Loop, Leonardo's main musical focus explores the collision between sound, poetry and everyday life by using automatic expressions that he likes to call 'wordsoundscapes'. The construction of his music pieces expose daily life happenings that are individual and at the same time universal; it has a strong sense of suggesting a pause to think about our actions and our surroundings. Words and sounds have different meanings depending on the listener, but only if they take the time to delve into the complexity of their own stimuli.
His past discography includes work released on the likes of his own Feedback Loop label as well as Test Tube, Relaxed Machinery, Public Spaces Lab, XS Records and Clinical Archives
In addition to the sounds you can hear in 'Dream On', here is a collection of short poems for each track that offering an insight into the concept behind this project:
REBUILDING THE DREAM here I am trying to fit old memories in new clothing forcing my rebirth
DREAM ON feeling the heartbeat like a new born seeing through belly skin
WIPED OUT when I hear that ringing I know that nothing will be left of me nothing worth singing about
SLEEPLESS MURMUR turning around in bed counting sheep closing the eyes in darkness. nothing will stop the unrest the murmur of change
Once again we have the distinct pleasure of welcoming a new artist to the Earth Mantra family, this time Gregg Plummer, an artist we have long admired and whose music we have greatly enjoyed. With his new release "Three Graces", Gregg delivers to us a collection of three intelligent and captivating ambient pieces that we think our audience really needs to hear.
It is difficult to characterize Gregg's music in words, for he is a genuine musical chameleon. On one piece he might land firmly in the space music camp, and then on the next he might flirt with new age. After that, he might embrace dark ambience, and then on another he might border on the experimental. This kind of creativity is rare enough, but his ease in jumping from style to style is all the more exceptional. If that weren't enough, his mastery of each form that he attempts just leaves us astonished.
This album is a perfect case in point. The music of "Three Graces" straddles the genres of light ambience and textural soundscapes, rewarding those who listen to the album end to end with the kind of journey that evolves seamlessly from realms of angelic choir to abstract tone poem and back again. The individual pieces have their own distinct perspective and voice, and yet the entire album retains Gregg's signature point of view, almost as if each track was merely a facet of a larger, deeper concept. This remarkable duality between unity and distinctiveness suffuses all aspects of his music, from the compositions themselves to the lush sound design to the effortless structure he weaves into his magical work. Truly striking and wonderful music.
As one might surmise, we at Earth Mantra are big fans of Gregg Plummer, and could not be more delighted to be releasing his first Creative Commons album. 2011 is shaping up to be quite a fantastic year in the world of ambient music, and we think "Three Graces" is certainly one of the noteworthy releases of the year. Highly, highly recommended.
Lily Pond Orchestra returns to the shores of Earth Mantra, this time with a stunning three-disc collection of exhilarating ambient compositions called "Suite For New England".
Douglas JP Lee, the man behind Lily Pond Orchestra, began working on this epic release in early 2010, though at the time he was only intending to develop three individual pieces. As he composed, however, he realized that these early works were actually aspects of a much larger and more ambitious effort. So he transformed these pieces in progress into this cohesive whole, an album that superbly evokes the mystery, history, and beauty of the land that Douglas loves so much.
We chose the word "epic" with care, for we feel this album certainly deserves such a description. We find it difficult to point to -- or perhaps even imagine -- an album of similar length that covers its thematic territory with such aplomb. From the stark vistas of the New England landscape explored in "Acadien Mist", to the rich cultural treasures of the "Valley of the Poets", to the introspective calm of "Lily Pond Reflection", this release delivers one of those rare experiences in the ambient world that both soothes and inspires, that enlightens even as it relaxes.
Indeed, the music of "Suite For New England" somehow expertly fuses the realm of Eno-esque 'ignorable' mood music with a compositional style that is much more active, almost symphonic, in nature. We find this music to be just as suitable as background for reading or sipping tea by the fireplace or napping on a quiet afternoon as it is suitable for active listening with headphones in a darkened room. We particularly love the titles, which stimulate mental imagery as powerful as any we have ever experienced. Masterful.
So it is with great pleasure that we unveil the "Suite For New England", Lily Pond Orchestra's latest release on Earth Mantra. Highly, highly recommended.
If Guilds Requiem was the acceptance of staring at the dying embers of the funeral pyre, then Ascension is the sound of a thousand gnarled branches clawing relentlessly at a muted Sun.
Utilising Bass guitar drones effected, looped and processed, the ep features two new pieces, Ascension and Atonement.
This is the second EP from Engineer, Bassist Mark Midgley's solo project, Guild (also known from The Black Lanterns, Alt, Falconetti)
Quinn Walker is a sound artist living and working in Daegu, South Korea. Using mostly acoustic instruments, his laptop as well as field recordings, he attempts to weave together slow moving washes of sound that slowly augment and mutate themselves over time. To date his only other release was a very limited business card CDr on Heat Death Records. Future releases on Hibernate, Heat Death, and Audio Gourmet are also planned.
Ambient wizard Shane Morris returns triumphantly to Earth Mantra, with a brand new studio release called "Equinox".
Folks, we have a serious treat in store for you with this one. Fans of Earth Mantra will know Shane from his transcendent live releases "Premonition" and "Magnetosphere", as well as his live collaboration with Dan Minoza entitled "The Ritual Space". This time Shane delivers a collection of composed pieces realized wholly within his studio - and knocks the ball completely out of the park.
We at Earth Mantra love to listen to so-called tribal ambience, the kind of music that combines powerful hand percussion with mysterious and evocative textures, yielding profound otherworldly soundscapes. When tribal ambience fuses with space music, a particularly potent blend emerges, exactly the kind of music that can be found on this delicious release, a disc that lovers of the Steve Roach or even Vidna Obmana schools will feel completely at home with.
The compositions on "Equinox" simply mesmerize. We listen to a lot of ambient music, but something about this album captures our imagination in a way few others do. Perhaps Shane's immaculate percussion work is the reason, or maybe it is his remarkable ability to layer complex sounds without the sound ever becoming overburdened. Certainly, Shane's live performance chops have reached their pinnacle of expression with "Equinox". This is the album Shane was born to make.
For we are simply blown away by the sheer perfection of this extraordinary release. It is very difficult to pull off a tribal ambient collection that really hits on all cylinders, where the percussion feels effortless and the slow-evolving ambience blends perfectly with the fast-moving drum lines. And yet, Shane makes it all seem easy, propelling wave after wave of gorgeous ambient delight through our speakers, with a truly professional sheen. And the tasteful guitar and didgeridoo work contributed by Dan Minoza and AK Blake are the frosting on the cake.
So it is with great pride that we unveil to our listeners "Equinox", the latest album by Shane Morris. A masterwork, and certainly one of the top releases of 2011 so far.
Creation VI is an ambient/drone project for Ukrainian sound artist Tim Six, started in 2006.
The main aim of the project is to discover the properties of music as a tool for expressing nonverbal concepts. The first such notions arise in philosophy, mysticism and of course, in all kind of creativity. Power of ambience is practically inexhaustible, so every aspect in which there is a need of musical thinking, finds its particular expression. so the music of Cretion VI may vary from dark and ritual ambiences to weightless, transparent drones.
'Planetary Nebula' was recorded with guitar and some reduced voices, with delay and reverb used for creating a continuous flow of sound.
This work explains the genesis of planetary nebulae in the form of sound. From astronomical observations, we know that these bizarre clouds of ionized gas are the remnants of a stellar atmosphere ejected by the explosion of giant star. We can express the numbers, we can capture the spectra and images but the actual feeling of being inside the nebula, experiencing its movement, display of colors and energy is difficult to capture.
Throughout the passages within these two tracks, the Creation VI project intends to musically depict this atmosphere and allow the listener a further insight into experiencing planetary nebula...
released 22 March 2011
Written and produced by Tim Six
Cover artwork by Tim Six
Mastered by Byron Fel
Sylvie Walder and entia non (James McDougall) are well-known names in the netlabel-world and beyond. Sylvie Walder released collaboration-albums with Phillip Wilkerson, Siegmar Fricke, and "_" (as Kakitsubata). entia non has released solo-works on test tube, IOD, u-cover, Resting Bell and contributions on compilations for duckbay and Slow Flow Recs.
On "bewilderment" Sylvie and James create a rich and deep organic sound-cosmos. Droning background-layers, instrumental fragments, field recordings, voices, athmospheric glitches and crackles, all assembled to a breathing, living collage. Especially the first three tracks work with this sound-model. Based on Sylvie's piano recordings, James built up an impressive ambience by processing, re-arranging and re-structuring the material. The last track "le petit lac" is more guided by Sylvie's piano playing with only very subtle accouterments and mastering by James. The artists cooperate together over the huge distance between France and Australia, but the result actually sounds like they have sit together in the same studio and knew eath other since their school days.
It's a pleasure to hear how all the different elements, layers and sounds fit together and result in a work that sounds so clear, whole and beautiful.
"entia non" is the project moniker of Australian artist James McDougall. After great releases at u-cover (zero comma zero, inter alia) and test tube (distal) he comes up with his first release "sub routine" on Resting Bell.
The four tracks, deeply affected by the Australian landscape (South East Queensland), are very subtle, just like putting your ears on the ground of an animated, busy grassland. Little glitches grawling around like insects, soft wind flurries playing in the long green grass. Then you hear distant shreds of melodies, waving through the air, on the last day of your summer holidays.
If you live on the northern hemisphere, you can close your eyes and let in some memories of the last golden sunbeams. On the southern hemisphere, you can sit on the porch and enjoy the warm season with this gentle and touching pieces.
“I never expected your decays” is collaboration between Tanner Menard (USA/Install/Archaic Horizons/Milieu Music/SlowFlow,…) and James McDougall (A.k.a Entia Non/Australia/Siridisc/Mystery Sea/Taalem/Ripples/IH,…) James received Tanner’s piano melodies and combined various additional layers of processed sounds and textural field recordings. The result was then returned to Tanner for additional refinement. Recorded 2008/2009.
Release 2011-03-16.
Returning to Audio Gourmet with a second EP, we welcome back Deep Into Perspectives to see out the winter with a trio of dark and mysterious tracks.
Deep Into Perspectives is ambient and experimental artist Kent Nymann, from Norway.
With a new set of tools and the cold and dark Norwegian winter came new inspiration for this follow up EP to last year's 'The Lost Tapes'...
The result is 'Vintage Noir', a project inspired by movie-scores and the dark winter mood.
The noise-textures are field-recordings from old media such as magnetic tapes, film, vinyl recording and noise from electric and mechanical devices.
Vintage Noir is a blend of textures and melodic passages which give a dense and atmospheric sound. This short collection of work is a step closer to movie-scores in the way that it is produced and arranged, marking a progression in the expanding discography of Deep Into Perspectives.
released 15 March 2011
Written and produced by Kent Nymann
Artwork by Kent Nymann
A French sound artist who also records as Silencio, Julien Demoulin is welcomed into the Audio Gourmet fold with this short EP called Fanø.
Recorded under his own name, Fanø is an EP that explores a variety of sounds through atmospheric textures and onto beautiful droning soundscapes.
The concept for the EP was inspired by a particular visit to Fanø, an island off the west coast of Denmark on which he has close friends. Everytime Julien visits the island he feels more and more at peace with himself.
Recently, he was feeling extremely sad and confused but couldn't understand why.
Upon arriving at Fanø which at the time was coated with snow, he slowly started to make sense of this situation and understood what was required to improve his situation. As he walked along the beach, this realisation set in as the snow slowly started to melt away.
As a homage to friends on the island and that particular trip, Julien's EP for Audio Gourmet intends to capture the essence of Fanø in the hope that its peace invoking aura transfers to all who listen.
released 08 March 2011
Written and produced by Julien Demoulin
Photography by Julien Demoulin
When Good Weather For An Airstrike was conceived back in 2009, it was a way for Hampshire, UK artist Tom Honey to alleviate problems caused by tinnitus to aid sleep.
With his 5th official release comes Jigsaws, a collection of songs that were recorded during the production of various past EPâs and albums between 2009 and 2011.
Released in February 2011 on Jerky Oats Records where it sold out within 36 hours, für alali is a 17 minute track split into two movements paying homage to Arvo Part, and is based on personal events of 2010. The first movement is a modern classical piece built around an improvised piano recording, recalling themes of heart breaking optimism that make way to bitter-sweet melancholy. This then segues into the ambient-drone second movement which focuses on the feelings of downbeat nostalgia decaying towards the horizon until it becomes just a childhood snapshot.
credits
released 28 February 2011
Recorded and produced during November & December 2010
Mastering by Christopher Leary at Melograf Mastering
Back in 2002, i asked a couple of my online friends if they wanted to participate in this new project i was doing called Camomille. We were mostly trackers back then and i was amazed at Ryan McKenney's experimental modules. He was the artist that would open Camomille 8 years ago and i'm honored to present his latest full length ' Momentum '.
As the title hints, the movement Ryan weaves is that of subtlity as we slowly but seamlessly travel through the many textures he creates, like a spaceship, or a bird flying underwater.
Sometimes we hear stars of the lid influences mixed in with mysterious field recordings, faraway glitches and everyday moments.
The fourth album in the Twilight Sessions series.
Like the previous four releases in this series, this is a collection of improvised live recordings.
In places, very ambient: long, drawn out pieces that evolve slowly, creating quite an emotive and evocative sound. Each piece starts as a blank canvas with no preconceived notion of where the music will go.
Notes and noises are played from synths, guitar, voice, clarinet and samples and fed into one or two loops which repeat and layer and decay. These loops can be quite long, so as a performer I can add notes as I see fit, but only have a certain amount of control over what is heard - the rest is serendipity.
This time, the whole album was recorded in one week in November 2010, with each recording around an hour long.
I hope you enjoy this album as much as I enjoyed making it. Rest assured, another one will follow soon enough!
Rivers of Ashes are back with an album that ads new elements to their deep droning sounds... Lusruta has provided various sample-based soundscapes that have been edited, reconstructed, overdubbed and mixed by the ghost between the strings. Artwork by AestheseA
