Considering this release, featuring guitarist David Torn and synthesizer player Drew Schlesinger, was made in 1978, I’m astounded as to how fresh it sounds. There are a few spots where the recording might be a touch thin (I’m playing this album on the speakers of a relatively new iMac), but overall, this is very solid, rather beautiful looping and synth programming. If you are a fan of Brian Eno’s and Robert Fripp’s collaborations, or are simply curious about Torn’s early works, this album is a must. It is also a fine introduction to Schlesinger, whom I knew nothing about before being pointed to this release.
Kosmische Musik
[Music] Subact – The Outside World
Dresden has a pretty great reputation producing rock bands, but Subact are something quite special. Through some sort of alchemy, they have managed to blend old electronic music, modern dubstep, and have finished it off with a bit of a 70s German progressive rock vibe. The band has been featured here before, and most certainly, they’ll be here again.
[Music] Gianpiero De Filippo – Synthscapes
Though Gianpiero De Filippo declares himself to be a non-musician (sounds like a chap with the surname of Eno), he intuits rather well. This release is a type of tribute to the beauty of Kosmische Musik, the Berlin School, Fourth World ambient and even a tip to Chris & Cosey.
[Music] Various Artists – A Last Sunset, A Celebration of Candy Lozier, Volume 1
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.
[Music] Robert Scott Thompson – Green Flash and the Dryline Chaser
This new 45-minute EP by our friend Robert Scott Thompson is part of a new cycle of releases called Pluviophilia. This work is a good sample of what a magnificent series we’re going to be treated to.
Robert’s work is reminiscent of the works of Robert Rich and Steve Roach. With time, his name should be held in the same regard as these two maestros are. This new generation make incredibly vital compositions.
[Music] BLURRR – Pain Is A Garment
BLURRR, a project of composer Aaron Kim, performs a type of musical wabi sabi. In times like these, with so much pain and grief in the world, I salute anyone who is willing to mix this concept with Kosmische Musik. Quite a nice EP. From BLURRR’s Bandcamp page:
This album was heavily inspired by the term ‘wabi sabi’. This Japanese term has no real definition. It’s more of an instinctual feeling of peace through imperfection. Crafting this album was emotionally laboursome as I tried to emulate wabi sabi in my own interpretation sonically.This is a concept album about the process of self-healing. Suicide rates, anxiety and general depression has seen a sharp rise as mental health issues seem to grow more commonplace in society today. My hope is that you, the listener, can digest this album as a therapeutic experience that can influence your core to improve yourself today. All positive change can happen, it just takes support. And just know that there are people around you.
[Music] THREE DECADES OF POPOL VUH. — dereksmusicblog
Derek’s Music Blog posts a treasure of an article documenting the greatest of Kosmisch Musik bands, Popol Vuh. May Florian Fricke rest in peace knowing that his legacy remains.
Three Decades Of Popol Vuh. In West Germany in the early seventies, a number of groundbreaking bands were formed including one of the most important, innovative and influential bands in the history of German music, Popol Vuh. Over the next three decades Popol Vuh. established a reputation for releasing ambitious and innovative music that influenced the next generation of musicians. This was the case from the release of Popol Vuh’s 1970 debut […]
[Music] Can – Geheim (Half Past One) [Peel Sessions]
[Music] Kraftwerk – Europe Endless
I’ve yet to hear a bad track from Kraftwerk. Thanks the my incredible friends on my Facebook feed who pointed me to this lilting piece of electronic music.
[Music] RIP Dieter Moebius
Extremely sad news today. The Quietus reports that Dieter Moebius, one-half of the legendary Cluster, along with Hans-Joachim Roedelius, a collaborator with Michael Rother in their Harmonia project, as well as Brian Eno, and a source of influence for so many musicians who delved into making electronic music, passed away today at the age of 71.
I had the pleasure of meeting Dieter and Achim a few times as they would pass through my home on tour. I wish his wife, Irene, Achim and his family, and all those who worked with him, much comfort in the days ahead.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 