This Is Darkness is a website based out of Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States which is dedicated to promoting dark ambient music. This is their first in what we hope to be are a long series of compilations dedicated to the promotion of the best of bleak music. Such names as Xerxes The Dark, Cisfinitum, Kammerheit and Leila Abdul-Rauf should be familiar to those of you who dig throughout the Internet finding the finest in headphone music, but there are loads more talented artists waiting for you to explore.
Ambient
[Music Podcast] CAMP: Inaugural Session: Touch / 30th September 2017
For those of you who are fans of Touch Records, this podcast introduces cuts of some remarkably good music. Thanks to CAMP HQ for starting this series.
[Music] Sonologyst – Silencers – The Conspiracy Theory Dossiers
Sonologyst is no stranger to this blog. Raffaele Pezzella, Mr. Sonologyst himself, brings a new release (also available on vinyl!) of dark ambient inspired by conspiracy theories. If Alex Jones were an ambient composer… oh, just kidding. He has a far more serious interest, and you can either read more about it at the Bandcamp page for this release or in the pull quote below:
For a serious introduction to the conspiracy theory, and the Breakaway Civilization, here’s a link to an excerpt from the book “A.D. After Disclosure” written by Richard Dolan and Bryce Zabel
www.richarddolanpress.com/ad-after-disclosure
Raffaele has brought so much good music into existence, both his own and so many others’, that he is owed a debt of thanks.
[Music] mNIPK – ABYSS / HUNTER (ALRN079)
Philippe Gerber of Alrealon Musique never ceases to amaze me. He has to be one of the hardest working men in experimental music (and perhaps in music in general, given the breadth of his work, running a label, DJing, et cetera).
He works under the nom-de-plume mNIPK for this project, which is electronic music that jumps genres easily, floating in the realm between dark techno, ambient and drone. Yes, it works together beautifully, if you just take the time to hear the first track, which is available now (Track 2 is due November 15, and is definitely worth your time!).
[Music] Subact – The Dubsquad EP
I have to thank my friend Yasen Kazandjiev for quite a few upcoming reviews of some of the most intriguing music I’ve heard in some time, starting with this EP by Dresden-based band Subact.
There are elements of bands like Ozric Tentacles and other psychedelic prog groups as well as sample work reminiscent of Front 242 and other Electronic Body Music bands from Belgium and Canada which I grew up listening to. This music is thoroughly modern, but it also hearkens back to an era when sampling technology was new. Martin Grellmann and company have done stunning work balancing past and present with this release.
[Music] Astral & Shit – бесконечный трепет цвета (увядание)
Nevyansk, Russia’s Astral & Shit have scores of releases out of Bandcamp. This is their most recent; an album full of long, dark, spacey tracks which don’t do too much but drone on and on in a pleasant, almost enveloping way.
[Music] O Yuki Conjugate European Tour
Friends and colleagues, if you are able to help out with setting up performances in Belgium, France or Poland, please contact Till Kniola of Auf Abwegen. His letter of request is printed below:
dear drone list,
sorry for the intrusion but maybe some of you can help/spread the word….
aufabwegen is bringing british experimental ambient group O YUKI CONJUGATE for their first ever proper tour to europe in december.
so far concerts are planned in germany, the netherlands and switzerland.
the tour will happen together with german artist KONRAD KRAFT.
we would love to do further concerts in belgium, france and poland. if any of you on the drone list is an organizer or knows of someone who might be interested in setting up a show, please contact me off-list at <zipo@aufabwegen.com> zipo@aufabwegen.com
the tour period is december 11-19th 2017.
thank you all!
kind regards,
till
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a u f a b w e g e n | Till Kniola
Lindenburger Allee 20 | 50931 Cologne | Germany
label & magazine: <http://www.aufabwegen.com/> http://www.aufabwegen.com
mailorder: <http://www.aufabwegen.de/catalog> http://www.aufabwegen.de/catalog
asmus tietchens: <http://www.tietchens.de/> http://www.tietchens.de
EDITION DEGEM: <http://www.editiondegem.de/> http://www.editiondegem.de
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[Music] Halim El-Dabh – Wire Recorder Piece (1944)
Egyptian-American composer Halim El-Dabh may well have been the first person to compose a piece in the style of Musique Concrète. There are arguments as to whether he or Pierre Schaeffer were first, and no one can say for sure.
Sadly, he departed this mortal coil yesterday. Many thanks to my friend, George Miskedakis, for advising me about his passing.
[Music] Experimental Groundbreakers Controlled Bleeding Straddle the Primal and Cerebral
Controlled Bleeding were among the greatest of the post-Industrial acts the United States ever produced. Bandcamp does a great job letting Paul Lemos speak of the band’s history, development, the loss of members Chris Moriarty and Joe Papa, and his future plans.
[Music] George Hadow / Dirk Serries – Outermission
George Hadow in an English percussionist currently residing in Amsterdam. It was a bit of a shock to see that he would be pairing with Dirk Serries, who won his fame as Vidna Obmana, his dark ambient project out of Belgium, but they blend together rather nicely.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 