There is a group of wonderful ambient musicians on Facebook who constantly release music of stunningly good quality. Names like Cousin Silas, Martin Neuwirth, Glen Sogge and Scott Lawlor among others are among the great names working in this field. Another was Candy Lozier, a fine composer who passed away in September of this year. She collaborated with so many wonderful musicians, ran a label, and contributed mightily to the spread of ambient and electronic music. This compilation is a great memorial to all she did for the scene.
Bandcamp
[Music] Eilean Records’ Magical Ambient Map — Bandcamp Daily
All of the thoughtful label’s physical releases include a sample of the place each artist calls home.
[Music] Rainbow Chan – Long Vacation
Rainbow Chan released what has to be one of the most freakishly charming releases I’ve heard in a while. Think of someone as innovative as Björk, but far more experimental. From her Bandcamp website:
Rainbow’s latest EP Long Vacation singlehandedly places her among the most innovative composers and musicians on the scene right now. More Dirty Projectors than J-Pop, Chan isn’t afraid to mix textures and sounds that lie far outside mainstream familiarity—weirdly warped bells, floating, dissonant flutes and her own voice mixed and mashed into its own mosaic of shattered parts.
[Music] Kosta T – слухач
Konstantin Trokay (Kosta T) is a violinist out of Perm, Russia. His music meanders in a pleasant way, something like a walk through a dark forest. There are plenty of twists and turns, and some are not always gentle. Intriguing.
[Music] JOHN 3:16 – JOHN 3:16 / Visions Of The Hereafter
JOHN 3:16 are among the most powerful bands in dark ambient and drone music today. Philippe Gerber continues to amaze with his catalog, but this release is particularly special, as I never had the chance to delve into their early catalog.
This release combines the first two albums by the band onto one cassette. Both releases remind me not just of dark ambient music, but of the middle period post-Industrial and experimental music I grew up with.
Favorable is not a strong enough word to rank this release. It’s quite powerful.
[Music] Dos Brujos – Brothers of the Wolf + The First Gods Split
Dos Brujos are an Austrian band which offer a heavy Black Sabbath-inspired wave of sludge. I’m really liking the meatiness of their sound, and it goes well beyond mere Sabbathian hero worship.
The label they’re working for on this release, Fuzzy Cracklins Presents, tends to keep their metal catalog fresh, and they offer many free releases. They’re worth exploring.
[Music] Stéphane Clor & HJ Ayala – Motoco
Listening to what I would assume is microtonal guitar work (if my friends would be so kind as to correct me, I would be much obliged) proved to be a very rewarding expeience. HJ Ayala, a friend of this blog, collaborates with cellist Stéphane Clor in this release clocking in at just under 40 minutes. This is a quiet release, but the interplay between guitar and cello seems to intricate that it managed to hold my attention throughout. I’m already a fan of Ayala’s guitar playing, so I’m not surprised he continues to release improvisational music of such great quality, but it’s nice to see him collaborate with Clor, whose work I had never heard until today. A recommended disc.
[Music] Bob Mould – I Don’t Mind
What a pleasant surprise this is! Former Hüsker Dü and Sugar front man Bob Mould does a quite good cover of a song made famous by The Buzzcocks! It doesn’t get much more power-pop than this.
[Music] DjClick – DjClick & The Alaev Family
I can’t say I know much about DjClick, who is an electro DJ and remixer based out of Paris. I know even less about the Alaev Family, who are traditional musicians from Tajikistan. The pairing of these two, however, leaves a spectacular impression. Deep, ancient grooves are updated, not quite for the dance floor, but for powerful listening.
[Music] Various Artists – Anthology of Contemporary Music From Middle East
Never think that the Middle East is ignorant of current musical (or anti-musical) trends. They are probably better informed that a fair amount of their Western colleagues, and are making music that proves it. Once again, many thanks to the brilliant Raffaele Pezzella for being such a visionary.
From the Unexplained Sounds Group Bandcamp site:
Following the Anthology of contemporary music from the African continent, this new collection released by Unexplained Sounds Group, focuses on experimental and alternative music from the Middle East and includes artists from Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iran, Israel, Iraq, Palestine, Jordan, Afghanistan, Cyprus. A kaleidoscope of sounds by artists rooted in their traditions, but at the same time projected towards the new frontiers of music. The minimal melody of Ahmed Saleh introduces us to the exploration of sound paths that unfold through the electronic experimentation of Cenk Ergun, the radical improvisation of Mazen Kerbaj, the pulsating and disturbed electronic of Tony Elieh, the noise drone of Nyctalllz, the tribal and psychedelic music, in the Velvet Underground style, by Afghan musician Naujawanan Baidar, the lysergic ambient of Bloom Tribe, just to mention some projects included in the compilation. An intricate and exciting sound puzzle in which the listener will find his favorite way to a new promised land of sound.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 