Release data: Vince Clarke – Songs of Silence CD/Lp/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mute Records, 2023 It’s time for some more slow, wistful music, this time composed by Vince Clarke who many may know from his time with Depeche Mode and later on…
Release data: Loneward – Beyond the Sea, Part One CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2024 A lot of the music Mike Carss has put out by now has been a most pleasant and overtly relaxed listening experience. Mr. Carss recalls the…
Release data: Subclavian – I CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2024 The start of March brought a nice surprise as I read about Subclavian, which appears to be the alter-ego of Phobos, aka UK synthesist David Thompson, kicking off an entirely…
Release data: Jonn Serrie – Ascendant Destiny CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, New World Music, 2024 Jonn’s goal for “Ascendant Destiny” is to take his audience to beautiful and inspiring places with his signature blend of lush, emotive, and cinematic ambient soundscapes. Spending…
Release data: Rudy Adrian – Reflections on a Moonlit Lake CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2024 From the start, Dunedin-based musician Rudy Adrian envisioned the outcome of “Reflections on a Moonlit Lake” to be a bit in the style of his…
Release data: Robert Schroeder – D.MO. Vol. 5 CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spheric Music, 2024 After four volumes in the D.MO series, I would have thought Mr. Schröder’s archive would be empty by now. But no, here’s “Volume 5” featuring another set…
Release data: Däcker – Anthropomorphic Personification CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Deserted Island Music, 2023 From time to time I have music on my desk that demands some extra time to investigate and grab the full picture. This applies to the second release…
Release data: Martin Stürtzer – Lander Modules DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2024 The smooth evolving, 5-track space cruiser “Lander Modules” is a live recording of Mr. Stürtzer’s ‘Home Concert 58’, sonically sketching out the story of ancient, present, and future…
Release data: Three-Six (36) – Reality Engine Lp/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Past Inside the Present, 2024 “Reality Engine”, the third and final vinyl in 36’s synth trilogy on the Past Inside the Present label, sees Mr. Huddleston continue the melodic, melancholy machine…
Release data: Awenson – Faith CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2024 “Faith” is a concept album in the fairly ‘traditional’ Berlin School style, but still bearing Awenson’s easily recognizable, occasionally hypnotizing, style. Furthermore, music, images, and the poem have been conceived…
Release data: Altus – Solastalgia CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2024 I recall having quite some issues with the previous Altus album “Descender” but hearing the first textural waves of “Solastalgia” -created from May to July 2023- makes clear the latter…
Release data: F.D. Project – Stars Landscape and Collision CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2023 Moody, uplifting, and passionate electronic music is what´s found in Frank Dorritke´s 70-minute, cosmic-themed “Stars Landscape and Collision”. Partial progressive and orchestral in form, the five-part…
Release data: Martin Stürtzer – Aquatic Cosmos DIGITAL DOWNLOAD EP, Private Release, 2023 It’s hard to keep up with the fast-paced tempo of releases by this talented German synthesist, but the quality of his music doesn’t seem to be the…
Release data: Perge – Void Coefficient CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2023 The title of this Perge release, which took about 3 months to record, refers to a state in a nuclear reaction which is the theoretical maximum output before the…
Release data: Hollan Holmes – Sacred Places CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2024 In one of my previous reviews of Mr. Holmes’s music I once remarked the heartfelt aural splendor spread out there simply draws you in without much effort.…
Release data: Gert Emmens – City Never Sleeps CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2023 Painting emotive nocturnal cityscapes before the mind’s eye is what “City Never Sleeps” is all about. Its storyline is about a young country boy who moves to…
Release data: Steve Roach – Stratus DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Steve Roach Exclusive, 2020 “Stratus” is one of the vast range of releases Steve Roach offers through his Bandcamp Exclusive page. It features 6 atmospheric, cloud-inspired pieces that -according to the artist-…
Release data: Parallel Worlds – Reflections CD/LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Móatún7, 2023 With “Reflections”, skilled Greek synthesist Bakis Sirros continues his sojourn through organic, dark-ambient electronics. The eight tracks air malevolent, gloomy, and stark atmospheres incorporating abstract future-noir as well as minimal…
Release data: Erik Wøllo – Cloud of Strings CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2023 “Clouds of Strings” sees a return of talented Scandinavian multi-instrumental artist Erik Wøllo to his first love: the acoustic guitar. In more than one way, the 12…
Release data: The Roswell Incident – Departure from the Homeworld CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2023 Too many years have passed since this band’s last release from 2019, so it’s a relief Groove Unlimited grabbed the opportunity just before E-Live 2023…
Release data: Rob Papen – Waiting CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2023 It has been a long wait, it actually took Rob nearly 20 years to launch this follow-up album to “Daydreamer”. So what a surprise it was to see this…
Release data: Amongst Myselves – An Abandoned Day CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2023 The overall feel of the eight-track “An Abandoned Day” is one of nocturnal ambient that walks on and crosses the abstract/experimental edge at times. The feel of…
Release data: Simon Lomax – These Tranquil Winds CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2023 On “These Tranquil Winds”, skilled UK ambient composer Simon Lomax (formerly known as Maitreya) dives deeper into a fascinating, slow-moving transcendental world of textures and atmospheres. “The…
Release data: Loneward – Fractional Dimensions Volume 3 CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2023 “Fractional Dimensions Volume 3”, of which the previous volumes were published in 2022 and Spring 2023 respectively, is part of an ongoing series from Canadian composer Mike…
Release data: Numina – Collection of Dimensions DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2023 After a hiatus of some six years, Jesse Sola aka Numina brings the Em-community “Collection of Dimensions”, an 8-track/62-minute dark-ambient and melodic space-music excursion to different dimensions. First…
Release data: Forrest Fang – The Lost Seasons of Amorphia CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2022 US musician Forrest Fang is one of the best-selling artists on Sam Rosenthal’s Projekt label. Forrest’s creative process is generally about exploration, aiming to develop…
Release data: Applefish – Astrosat DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2022 Warm, deep, and rather contemplative ambient space music is on the menu on Applefish´s debut album “Astrosat”, a 50-minute astral journey by UK composer Nik Davies unfolding calmly in 11…
Release data: Johan Tronestam – Roswell CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, SynGate, 2015 The albums and tracks by Scandinavian composer Johan Tronestam fit in the league of feel-good, moody, and well-tempered electronics. The 79-minute “Roswell” is no exception, offering nine Berlin School-infused pieces…
Release data: Robert Schroeder – Into the Light CD, Spheric Music, 2023 With his release Into the Light”, the Aachen-based musician brings his listeners a 57-minute concept album that sonically stays close to that of Berlin School but contains far…
Release data: Rainbow Serpent – Voices of the first day CD, Manikin Records, 2001 Teutonic Berlin School, especially the output of Klaus Schulze, has been a strong inspiration for Rainbow Serpent´s core sound, but the German duo was always able…
Release data: Bruno Sanfilippo – Ver Sacrum DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, ad21 Music, 2023 “Ver Sacrum”, inspired and informed by the ancient custom of ritualized expulsions of the same name, sees composer Bruno Sanfilippo head into a new direction that I’d like…
Release data: Ayaavaaki & Purl – Ancient Skies CD/LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, LILA, 2023 “Ancient Skies” is an extensive electronic dream journey of nearly 2,5 hours envisioned and realized by the duo Alexander Lux (aka Ayaavaaki) and Ludvig Cimbrelius (aka Purl). It…
Release data: Alio Die & Dirk Serries – The Chapters of the Eclipse CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt, 2022 Both these two experienced ambient composers, hailing from Italy and Belgium respectively, have numerous collaborations and solo works under their belt. What I…
Release data: Node – Singularity CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2023 Sure, there’s been lots of talk about this UK quartet, most notably for their same-titled debut from 1994. The 67 minutes of music contained on “Singularity” -all created with analogue synths,…
Release data: Steve Roach – Ambient Church CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Timeroom Editions, 2023 Concerts performed in churches are something special, filling the sacred space with hallowed soundings. Ambient master Steve Roach already did several during his career, which this time around…
Release data: Applefish – Luminous DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Valley View Records, 2023 My attention was drawn to this UK artist and recording by my trusted friend Dan from Down Under with whom I had the privilege to do various audio projects…
Release data: Llyn Y Cwn – Stratigraphy CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2023 It´s been quite some years since I dug any further music by UK artist Llyn Y Cwn, aka Ben Powell, whose output is field-recording-based dark ambient with a…
Release data: Johan Agebjörn – Subtracted Soundspaces DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2023 For “Subtracted Soundscapes”, featuring electronic music moving fluidly between the naturalistic and the slightly otherworldly, accomplished Swedish composer/producer Johan Agebjörn revisited past work, though with a strong…
Release data: Loneward – Willoweald CD-r/Digital Download, Private Release/Stereoscenic, 2023 Gentle and overall lush orchestrations make up Loneward’s “Willoweald”, a nearly 60-minute peaceful and imaginary piece of ambient soundscape music inspired by the spring season. As I’ve come accustomed…
Release data: Lauge – Sceneries DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Valley View Records, 2022 I just realized quite a lot of quiet ambient music has passed on my plate over the last couple of months. In there also fits the lengthy “Sceneries” by…
Release data: John Mark & David Antony Clark – The Leaving of Ireland CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, White Cloud Records/Naxos, 1998 Ok, please join me on another trip down memory lane. “The Leaving of Ireland” is a concept album by these two…
Release data: Gert Emmens – Mysteries of Dawn CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2023 Since Dutchman Gert Emmens started out composing, he created lots of moody electronics with his large assortment of vintage instruments. “Mysteries of Dawn”, created between November 2021…
Release data: Brendan Pollard – The Zone of Malleable Fears CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Acoustic Wave Records, 2023 For this record, UK synthesist Brendan Pollard decided to do things differently: creating music based upon a storyboard of ideas he created many years…
Release data: Meg Bowles – Voices from the Ethereal Forest CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Kumatone Records, 2022 Synthesist Meg Bowles considers music -which she always has experienced very visually- as a primary language, a means to link to vivid worlds full of…
Release data: Gunnar Jónsson Collider – S.W.I.M. LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, A Strangely Isolated Place, 2023 “S.W.I.M.” is the debut of Icelandic musician Gunnar Jónsson Collider on A Strangely Isolated Place with an expansive trip through six fictional environments. We are talking…
Release data: Sphäre Sechs – Extradimension CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2023 The majority of the music of talented German composer Martin Stürtzer happens at the moment as he improvises live or during studio sessions, something also applying to the darker…
Release data: Brianwork – Back to the Roots II CD, Cue Records, 2019 I haven’t reviewed much of Uwe Saher’s music but am familiar with quite a bit of his accessible, melodic music since the middle of the ‘90s. This…
Release data: Bob Holroyd – A Different Space CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Six Degrees Records, 2000 Here’s Bob Holroyd’s third album “A Different Space” -turning out significantly more tribal-spiced- which would not have been out of place on Peter Gabriel’s Real World…
Release data: Exuviae – Echoes in the Emptiness CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Greenhouse Music, 2000 Greenhouse Music’s third album, released over 20 years ago, comes in the name of Exuviae, aka American musician Brooks Rongstad. The Greenhouse compilation “Convergent Evolution” already featured…
Release data: Pete Namlook – Silence III CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Fax, 1998 Here’s another release from the extensive Fax catalog. It sees Peter Kuhlmann -alias Pete Namlook- continue the concept of “Silence” in Part III. I’m not familiar with the previous…
Release data: Boreal Taiga – E10 DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Wayfarer Records, 2022 Boreal Taiga is the creator of beautiful, lush ambient electronic spherescapes inspired by the Northern Hemisphere and Arctic environment, an area where the reindeer roam and the Sami live.…
Release data: Pete Namlook – Namlook XX-Music for Urban Meditation II CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Fax, 2007 This is one of those albums that only works its magic when listened to focused and preferably with headphones. It’s a heavy and intense trip…
Release data: Cosmic Ground – Entropy CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2023 Since this talented German musician started out under the CG moniker, dark ambient journeys into the deeper end in line with ‘70’s enigmatic, Teutonic Tangerine Dream have become his…
Release data: Steve Roach – Rest of Life CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2023 The 134-minute “Rest of Life” is a release with a contemporary sound design celebrating calm, reflection, and introspection through arcs of immersive, textural music for which the…
Release data: Michael Neil – Adrift DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2021 As could be expected with such a title, Michael Neil´s “Adrift” takes its listeners into drifting oceanic sceneries. The four tracks -three clocking over 13 minutes- feature calm, warm…
Release data: State Azure – Nova Sonus DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2022 Here’s another invitation to travel into future worlds where it is left to the listener to form his own images of the delicately moulded off-world ambiences. Calm and…
Release data: Mikkel Rev – The Art of Levitation LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, A Strangely Isolated Place, 2023 Mikkel Rev is the alias of Norwegian music producer Mikkel Haraldstad who presents a melange of contemporary electronics, trance, and ambient on “The Art…
Release data: Peter Mergener – New Horizons CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spheric Music, 2023 With his previous release “Astronaut”, Peter Mergener was already inspired by the cosmos and the anniversary moon landing in particular. The 56-minute “New Horizons” (featuring a typical BSC/Prudence…
Release data: Rudy Adrian – A Walk in the Shadow Garden CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2023 Like almost all of Mr. Adrian´s previous releases, this recording had a long way coming. As usual, it involved a lot of (almost…
Release data: A.P. – Tidsmateria CD/Digital Download, Gterma, 2022 This album was released simultaneously with David Parsons’ “Portal” in December 2022. Despite it being drifting, with minimal textural ambient, reviewing it took me quite a bit longer than I…
Release data: Science of Sleeping, Spacecraft – Moons of Jupiter Digital Download, Valley View Records, 2022 Here´s a recording for all who enjoy floating ambient soundscapes that wander gently and slightly majestic through the womb of the universe. The…
Release data: Erik Wøllo – Recurrence CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2021 It’s hard to keep up with the releases of Norwegian artist Erik Wøllo, who´s able to offer a dreamlike, cinematic journey on almost every recording, merging profound and timeless…
Release data: ASC – Original Soundtrack CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, A Strangely Isolated Place, 2022 The focus of this ASC recording -written during the 2020 pandemic lockdown- centers around a more acoustic sound of looped piano dressed with melancholic, airy soundscapes. James…
Release data: David Parsons – Portal CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Gterma, 2022 I’ve been following and enjoying the sonic adventures of David Parsons for over three decades now. Personally, I’ve been especially fond of his Tibetan-inspired/flavored works such as “Himalaya”, “Tibetan Plateau”,…
Release data: Jonn Serrie – Elysian Lightships DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Valley Entertainment, 2023 This album had a long way coming, as already three of its tracks (also the first three on the release) were already released as “singles” with intervals in…
Release data: Axess – Time Traveller CD, Private Release, 2005 One actually can’t go wrong with the nicely shaped contemporary electronic music of Axel Stupplich, who’s also involved in the project Pyramid Peak. Compared to the previous releases, Axel’s third…
Release data: Loneward – Fractional Dimensions Volume 2 CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2023 Here’s Mike Carss’s second chapter in this long-form series exploring slow-moving spaces for contemplation, meditation, and sleep. The continuous 65-minute ambient track entitled “Lacunarity” guides us into overall…
Release data: Robert Schroeder – Floating Music edition 2023 CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spheric Music, 2023 It rather puzzled me what point is/was to publish Mr. Schroeder´s second album “Floating Music” for the third time since the vinyl release in 1980. I…
Release data: Subdream – A Tale of Distant Stars DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Exophere Music, 2022 I´ve been following Chris Bryant´s Synphaera label and its sub-labels for years now which has proven a fine outlet for some quality electronic music. One of…
Release data: Spyra – Little Garden of Sound 2022 CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2022 Spyra´s “Little Garden of Sound 2022” (Monotonous Music For Stereophile Listeners) is a pure and honest dedication to classic Berlin School music and Klaus Schulze in…
Release data: Zuwe – SH40 CD/LP/MINIDISC/MC/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Hiraeth Records, 2022 Zuwe is an Amsterdam-based musician whose musical background and experience include mainly (ambient) electronic music and environmental recordings. As his music evolved, he started implementing more instruments such as guitar…
Release data: Creation VI – Beringia CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Cryo Chamber, 2019 Once in a while, I like to dig through the large pool of dark ambient created globally. Creation VI, founded in 2006, is an ambient/drone project by Ukrainian-based sound…
Release data: ASC & Sam KDC – A Restless Mind 12″/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Auxiliary, 2020 Since I discovered ASC´s ambient work I´m fascinated by this artist’s talent to explore spellbinding, deeper aural worlds through (mostly) texture. “A Restless Mind”, accomplished in…
Release data: David De Michele – Passage Through the Central Sun DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Indigo World Productions, 2001 David de Michele, formerly known as David White Dove, is a Colorado-based musician composing music for transformation since 1994. “Passage Through the Central…
Release data: Max Corbacho – Atmospheric Twilight CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, SilentSun, 2022 Expansive, gracious, and awe-inspiring textural landscapes have been a trademark of Max Corbacho since I ran into his music around 2000. Every release he put out appears as an…
Release data: Klangwelt – Here and Why CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spheric Music, 2022 On his fifth album, of which large parts were created during the tiring, most difficult global corona pandemic and lockdown, Gerald Arend addresses global themes and worldly affairs…
Release data: Altus – Hidden Realms and Vacant Spaces CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2022 Altus’ “Hidden Realms and Vacant Spaces”, inspired by Stephen King’s immensely popular “The Dark Tower” saga, delves into the undiscovered wheres and whens beyond our imagination.…
Release data: Futureworld Orchestra – Mission Completed XL/Turning Point XL CD/LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, FutureWorld Records, 2022 Some 40 years after their initial release, these two classic synthpop albums -based on the original Dureco releases- are now finally available in full. It’s…
Release data: Thom Brennan – Mist CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Space for Music/TMB Soundworks, 2000/2022 “Mist” is part of a series of albums released after a total rebuild of Thom’s studio, between 2000 and 2001. It features Mr. Brennan’s interpretation of his…
Release data: F.D.Project – Distance CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2022 There’s not much to say about the fine batch of contemporary electronic music making up this release. The rhythmic-driven, not-too-busy-sounding “Distance” continues in the footsteps of its predecessors, blending well-tempered…
Release data: Patrick Kosmos – The Visitor 1988 CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 1988/2022 During his career, Belgian synthesist Patrick ‘Wille De Wael’ Kosmos did a lot of quite memorable, visually attractive live concerts. Some of them were recorded and made…
Release data: Rolf Trostel – Narrow Gate to Life CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Musique Intemporelle/MiG, 1995/2022 In spring 2022 I suggested the German MIG label consider re-releasing “Narrow Gate to Life”, the classic fourth album by Berlin-based electronic musician Rolf Trostel. As…
Release data: Wolfgang Düren – Eyeless Dreams Lp/CD, WPL Records/MIG, 1980/2022 Most people might know Wolfgang Düren as the chairman of Waldorf Music. Before founding that company he collaborated with Wolfgang Palm (the man behind PPG) and distributed his synths…
Release data: Rüdiger Gleisberg & Mathias Grassow – The Seer CD/Digital Download, Gterma, 2022 Next to being good friends, German musicians, Rüdiger Gleisberg & Mathias Grassow have pursued their own solo projects as well as collaborated in various constellations,…
Release data: Axess – Chamaeleon CD, Invisible Shadows, 2003 When it comes to quality German electronic music, bands like Rainbow Serpent and Pyramid Peak come to mind. One of the members of the latter is Axel Stüpplich, who kicked…
Release data: Various Artists – Bhogavati CD/Digital Download, Gterma, 2022 This beautifully rendered concept release – marked as an ambient nocturnal abyssal tapestry – is built up in-house to tell a story from the label’s own mythos and features…
Release data: Frank Klare – Solodreams CD-r/Digital Download, Syngate, 1986/2012 Here’s a nice (re)discovery coming from the German Syngate label offering the EM-audience a full album of cosmic electronics in vintage, end of the ’70s Schulze-style. Pete Farn gave…
Release data: Basic Principles – Colours CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Deserted Island Music, 2022 Well, I bought this very moody double album at E-Day 2022 from the artist himself at the label’s booth, but unfortunately, it had to wait until recently before I…
Release data: Javi Cánovas – Slow Light CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Neu Harmony, 2020 In the last few years, it´s become clear this Spanish synthesist has been struggling in various ways, one of them will be the lack of recognition as well as…
Release data: ASC & Inhmost – The Moons of Saturn CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Auxiliary, 2021 As a fan of free-form deep space music, I already explored quite some releases by ASC, but it appeared this guy also did some collaborations, “The Moons…
Release data: Cosmic Ground – Isolate CD/LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Tonzonen Records, 2022 It`s not hard to imagine the album´s music and its title may have a connection to the human condition during the extended period of Covid that hit the globe severely…
Release data: Frank Beissel & Steve Roach – Nautical Twilight CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Soundquest Music, 2022 “Nautical Twilight” is the debut release of Steve Roach and New Mexico-based synthesist Frank Beissel, a highly in-depth atmospheric ambient journey into immersive soundscapes. From…
Release data: Parallel Worlds – Dark Energy CD-r/12″/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Moatun 7, 2022 Bakis Sirros’ “Dark Energy” contains five 10-minute atmospheric ambiences, as usual, created through his analogue modulars along digital FM and virtual analogue synths sampling. Drony, minimalist textural landscapes…
Release data: [‘ramp] – happy days are here to stay CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Doombient, 2022 Since I came to know his intriguing music I dare say Stephen Parsick has a sarcastic view on the world as well as mankind, something he…
Release data: Terminus Void – Interstellar CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2021 Terminus Void´s impressive “Origins Unknown” prompted me to investigate his debut “Interstellar”, a recording released during the Covid pandemic. From the first notes, it’s clear this emotionally charged album…
Release data: Jonn Serrie – Starmoods Mc, Future Music, 1984 Let´s turn the wheel of time and join me on a trip back to 1984. That year would see the cassette release of “Starmoods”, the debut of one of the finest…
Release data: Deepspace – Deep Blue Universe DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2019 The ambient spaces explored by Brisbane-based composer Mirko Ruckels have the ability to resonate in the air long after the music has faded away, at least for me. The…
Release data: Perge – Mutually Assured Destruction CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2022 What a great title for an album mirroring the state of the world, one of constant turmoil! As Perge (aka Matthew Stringer & Graham Getty) initially started out to…
Release data: Loneward – Our Unyielding Sky CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2022 Many composers in the Em-genre, e.g. Mychael Danna, Peter Challoner, Erik Wollo, and Thom Brennan just to name a few, have been fascinated and inspired by the sky above…
Release data: Erik Wøllo – Inversions EP, DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2022 For me, Norwegian multi-instrumental artist Erik Wøllo belongs to the league of artists making it hard to keep up with the high speed of releases. “Inversions” was fully…
Release data: Robert Schroeder – Spaces of a Dream CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spheric Music, 2022 The sound of Robert’s previous album already showed a return to his early output, and this also applies to “Spaces of a Dream” in a certain way.…
Release data: Venja – Galactic Underground Volume 3: Music for Astronauts CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Art for Ears, 2021 For the third volume of the series, Johan Geens invited fellow countryman Rhea (aka Mark De Wit) and German synthesist Michael Brückner to join…
Release data: Peter Mergener – Robotic Instinct CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Cue Records, 2016 I must say I was quite annoyed when I found out this album by established German synthesist Peter Mergener was released in physical form as a CD-R and not…
Release data: Irezumi – Forest Digital Download, Private Release, 2022 Some six years after “Thirty”, French artist Manuel Mesdag brings his audience a full body of work with “Forest”. It’s a one-hour enchanting, warm, and most moody ambient release,…
Release data: Loneward – Fractional Dimensions Volume. 1 CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2022 Creating proper long-form music demands patience, attention, and talent. Under the Altus-moniker, Mike Carss already delivered some fine stuff such as the “Sleep Theory”- trilogy. Now he…
Release data: F.D. Project – Color of Life CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2022 The music featured on the 9- track “Color of Life” sees a continuation of Frank Dorittke’s contemporary, highly melodic style. Some pieces are rhythmic-driven, slightly rock-oriented, or…
Release data: Paul Ellis & Jared White – Unbroken Promise CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2022 “Unbroken Spirit” was meant to be created in the flesh and live in the moment but due to the unfortunate strike of Covid19 things had to…
Release data: Chuck Van Zyl – Votive CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Synkronos Music, 2021 The love for sound creation in the analogue domain has been (and continues to be) the heart and soul of Chuck van Zyl’s music. “Votive” features three 20-minute…
Release data: Robert Rich – Neurogenesis CD/LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Soundscape Productions, 2020 Initial work on “Neurogenesis” -inspired by a complex, mathematically-tinged lucid dream Mr. Rich had in March of 2019- took off in the summer of 2019, but then took a…
Release data: Venja – Galactic Underground CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Wool-E Discs, 2017 Having heard “Galactic Underground Volume 2” made me decide to investigate G.U.’s first chapter. This 70-minute journey through time and space features a similar structure, the majority of the 10…
Release data: Johan Tronestam – Androids CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2022 In the last few years, I haven’t been able to keep up with the speed of the new releases of the talented Mr. Tronestam, who now has found a…
Release data: Sequentia Legenda – Resonances CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2022 With “Resonance”, French synthesist Laurent Schiebert takes his listeners back into the cosmic realms of Berlin School music transported in the here and now with three long tracks. In…
Release data: Boreal Taiga – Nunavet (Arctic Drone Sessions) DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Wayfarer Records, 2021 Historically curious and immense, the arctic and subarctic areas have been a huge interest for sound artist Boreal Taiga’s for many years already. “Nunavut” was inspired…
Release data: Kebu – Urban Dreams CD/LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Zyx Music, 2021 There’s no doubt Kebu (aka Finnish synthesist Sebastian Teir) is a busy guy since he kicked off his sonic journey about a decade ago. “Urban Dreams” is Sebastian’s third…
Release data: Meg Bowles – Pilgrimage CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Kumatone Records, 2022 You’re at the right spot with the releases of Meg Bowles when it comes to profound emotional ambient(space) music with lots of intrinsic elegance merged with a meditative touch.…
Release data: Chuck Van Zyl – The XYL File CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Industry8, 2016 Let’s focus on some old School-based electronic music from the US created in the mid ’80s that now sees a re-release. Marking the 25th anniversary of its…
Release data: Kurtz Mindfields – Flying from Berlin to Paris LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, FeverDog Music, 2022 The EM community was offered another view and approach to classic Berlin School-style electronics since Frenchman Jean-Luc Briançon started releasing his music as Kurtz…
Release data: Wolfgang Bock – Cycles LP/CD, Telefunken/MIG, 1980/2022 It must be at least 15 years ago when I started my own -quite lengthy search- for the master tapes of “Cycles”, leading to the disappointing outcome they could not be…
Release data: Deepspace – Superradiance DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2022 The music of Mirko Ruckels, aka Deepspace, has always been a fine vehicle to detach from worldly affairs. Now there’s “Superradiance”, out as a download on the established Projekt…
Release data: Brian Vassallo – Scenes Vol. 1 DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2021 Malta-based composer Brian Vassallo started releasing music in 1998, since then putting outing out more music on a regular basis. The 44-minute “Scenes Vol. 1” compiles…
Release data: Forrest Fang – Forever Cascades CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2021 For “Forever Cascades”, multi-instrumentalist Forrest Fang created ten rhythmic-driven, minimalist aural surroundings with an Oriental edge, blending synthetic textures with world instruments such as violin, gamelan, dulcimer, and the…
Release data: Robert Marselje – 5 CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2021 I never cared much for the general melodic music Dutch synthesist Robert Marselje released, until now. The sonic content of his 78-minute album “5” is the counterpoint of…
Release data: Kelly David – Illusive CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2021 With “Illusive” (a 68-minute meditation on the endurance of beauty through troubled times), the evocative electro-acoustic journey Kelly David mapped out on predecessor “Meditation in Green” gets a…
Release data: Kubusschnitt – The Core CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2022 Kubusschnitt, aka Andy Bloyce, Tom Coppens, and Ruud Heij is a Pan-European retro-electronica collective that has been around since the end of the ’90s presenting their own interpretation…
Release data: David Parsons – Atmanaut CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Celestial Harmonies, 2018 This release is a surprising one as the composer hadn’t received any notification from the label they had released it finally after it had been shelved for so many…
Release data: Loneward – Pallid Memories CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2022 At the end of 2021, Canadian composer Mike Carss announced he quit his job and would fully focus on making music from then on. As far as I know,…
Release data: F.D. Project – The other side of …. and more CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2021 If one likes accessible, moody, and melodic electronics with some occasional vibrant electric guitar, the works of F.D. Project (aka Dinslaken-based composer Frank…
Release data: Simon Lomax – Notes from the Void Vol. 2 CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2022 This recording is the second installment of imaginary, gently resonating, and evolving soundscapes complementing the ambient journey released a year before. Melancholy and reflection…
Release data: Three-Six (36) – Symmetry Systems DIGITAL DOWNLOAD/12″, Past Inside the Present, 2022 The music on this 25-minute ep, inspired by the early Artificial Intelligence compilations on Warp Records, is almost instantly recognizable as a 36 recording. Still minimal…
Release data: AirSculpture – Widely Spaced CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2022 Same as for many others, the covid pandemic deprived the AirSculpture trio of meeting up in person and jamming together. After many hardships and setbacks they found a way…
Release data: Däcker – Pareidolia CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Deserted Island Music, 2020 With so much music coming from other countries I too often forget my small country has something nice and interesting to offer as well. So here’s an album merging…
Release data: Third Eye Sound – Panorama DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2021 By accident I came into this fine space-ambient EP by Boulder-based composer Shane Williams, operating as Third Eye Sound, whose output is highly inspired by Nepal. The…
Release data: EL-KA – La Rêve” CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2020 I can’t say I’m much of a follower of electronic music from Germany, but I do know Tübingen-resident Till Kopper and Düsseldorf-based HaJo Liese (aka EL-KA) have been around…
Release data: John Christian – Glis Glis CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2021 Those who cherish sequencer-driven electronics with an edge are at the right spot with John Christian’s “Glis Glis” (44’31’’). The 3-track recording mixes improvised soundscapes and effects with…
Release data: Venja – Galactic Underground Volume Two CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Art for Ears, 2020 Accomplished Belgium composer Venja, aka Johan Geens, has been around in the EM scene for some 30 years or so, but I confess missed out on…
Release data: Juta Takahashi – Miyabi CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Lunisolar Records, 2021 “Miyabi” is an album containing brand new music after an environmental approach (“Music for Urban Promenades I & II”) and a collection of tracks (“Gems”). Gentleness and tranquillity still…
Release data: Max Corbacho – A Connection to the Wonder CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Silentsun, 2021 The title of this album is well chosen as it’s an entrance into a magical world of expansive, serene textural vistas and alternate realities. An…
Release data: Vidna Obmana – Revealed by Composed Nature LP/CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Hic Sunt Leones, 1990/1993 “Revealed by Composed Nature” is the fifth album released on Stefano Musso’s Hic Sunt Leones label, featuring intimate ambient music of a repetitive, overall soothing…
Release data: Bruno Sanfilippo – Piano Textures 5 CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, ad 21 Music, 2020 From the start of the 38-minute “Piano Textures 5”, moods are sensitive, lush and elegant while a lovely sense of optimism and freedom takes off…
Release data: Thorsten Quaschning – AMA CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Protanopia, 2021 The musicianship of Thorsten Quaeschning has many faces, and with “AMA” he has outdone himself offering another solid production to his audience. It’s a concept album featuring nearly 76…
Release data: Robert Schroeder – Pyroclast CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spheric Music, 2021 With “Pyroclast”, Robert Schroeder -though taking a different sonic road- has delivered a cosmic-angled recording keeping the quality on par with his previous release “C’est Magique”. Robert even…
Release data: Bruno Sanfilippo – Tangible CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, ad21, 2021 The influence of social media and the way we connect/relate to each other on a natural and human basis has changed the world rapidly and significantly over the last…
Release data: Skoulaman – Byssed CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2021 After Ron Boots, Skoulaman was another electronic musician who found his way to Bas Broekhuis’ Byss Studio during the Covid lockdown. Despite the latter troubled situation, this live album…
Release data: Interconnected – Grainophonics CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD/LP, Móatún 7, 2021 “Grainophonics” by Bakis Sirros and Ingo Zobel (aka Interconnected) is an ambient work full of surreal, adventurous atmospheres and organic soundscapes created with big analogue modular synths with granular,…
Release data: Pyramid Peak – Symmetry CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2020 After quite a busy year in 2018, the German band Pyramid Peak took a well-deserved creative break. With the 67-minute “Symmetry”, Axel Stüpplich and Andreas Morsch offer another…
Release data: Wavestar II – Two CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Soddett Hall Music, 2021 On their second release, the trio Dyson, Whitlan, and Ward extend on the fine music of their debut, offering a 71-minute batch of highly accessible music rich…
Release data: Mathias Grassow – Isola CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Gterma, 2021 The sacred, the expansive, the mystic, and the introspective are imminent and most present on “Isola”. The 79-minute release features four extended tracks by Mathias Grassow composed between 2009…
Release data: Kloob – Parallel States CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Winter-Light, 2021 Shorter, colder, and darker days are upon us once again, a proper period to enjoy some dark ambient. Kloob’s “Parallel States” is a haunting, gloomy drift into deeper lands…
Release data: Uni Sphere – TempUS CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2021 Some 6 years ago Eric van der Heijden and Rene Splinter surprised the EM scene with their project Uni Sphere and its fine debut “EndLess EndeavoR”. The latter…
Release data: Ben Swire – Equilibriums CD-EP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, The Foundry/Hypnos Recordings, 2002 In collaboration with the ambient label Hypnos, Michael Bentley’s Foundry label started releasing cd ep’s in mid-August 2002, a mini-cd with a playing time between 15 and 30…
Release data: Martin Stürtzer – Illumination Cycle CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Synphaera Records, 2021 Any fan of captivating and smooth sequencing in new Berlin School style paired with spacious, cinematic atmospheres should have a go at Martin Stürtzer’s “Illumination Cycle”. The consistent…
Release data: Lyonel Bauchet – The Diver CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2021 “The Diver” by French library music composer Lyonel Bauchet -released a decade after his download-only album “The Secret Society”- is a tactile, highly imaginative ambient concept album. It centers…
Release data: Carbon Based Lifeforms – Refuge (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Leftfield Records, 2014 After they left their label Ultimae around 2014, the experienced Swedish ambient music producers Johannes Hedberg and Daniel Segerstad (aka Carbon Based Lifeforms) continued…
Release data: Eleon – Dreams beyond Terra CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Heart Dance Records, 2018 Let’s turn to some music with a vibrant, uplifting and contemporary sound design as well as expert mastering and production that I ran into as was…
Release data: Man from Mars – A Dream of Mars DIGITAL DOWNLOAD EP, Valley View Records, 2021 “A Dream of Mars” is a short story about the beauty of life and Mars, the planet on which humanity plans to continue…
Release data: Tacit Blue – Dreamland CD/Digital Download, Private Release, 2000 The year 2000 saw the release of “Dreamland” by Tacit Blue, a.k.a. the Missouri-based duo Chris Crabtree and Jim Rogers. They’ve dedicated the band to the exploration of…
Release data: David Helpling – Sleeping on the Edge of the World CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 1999 This is the second album from accomplished ambient-electronic artist and film composer David Helping which -like almost all of SP’s releases- is…
Release data: Ruben Garcia – I can feel the heat closing in CD, Close Tolerance Music, 1998 On his fourth album “I can feel the heat closing in” (for which Harold Budd provided the title) New Mexican artist Ruben…
Release data: Sayer – Future City CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, New Territory Records, 2019 Sayer’s music I got to know so far has been contemporary, dynamic and fresh. With the 75-minute “Future City” -a themed release accompanied by a short story-…
Release data: Keith Richie – Ambient Highways CD/LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Other Worlds Than These Music, 2015/2021 Keith Richie is an ambient, electronic, and soundtrack composer hailing from Mesquite, Texas. Keith has been releasing soundtrack-ish stuff since 2006 after he became obsessed…
Release data: Mychael Danna & Tim Clément – North of Niagara CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Hearts of Space Records, 1995 “North of Niagara” (subtitled “Impressions along the Bruce Trail”) is actually a sister release to Mr Danna’s solo effort “Skies”. It makes…
Release data: Ruben Garcia – The Gatekeeper CD, Close Tolerance Music, 1994 “The Gatekeeper”, Ruben Garcia’s second release, is dedicated to both Claude Debussy and Erik Satie featuring “11 improvised piano pieces for a simpler life”. No electronic music,…
Release data: Ian Tescee – IO MC/LP/CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, E-N Records, 1984/2004 The music of Ian Tescee was among the range of talented electronic musicians from the US that slowly found their way to Europe when import channels and European distribution…
Release data: Rainbow Serpent – Mosaique CD, Ardema-Musik, 1997 The musical development of the German act Rainbow Serpent, aka Frank Specht and Gerd Wienekamp, has always been strongly influenced by the available technology as well as gained experiences over the…
Release data: David Helpling – Between Green and Blue CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 1996 A great discovery I made in the mid-90s comes from Southern California musician and producer David Helping, who was nominated for the NAIRD (National Association…
Release data: Erik Wøllo – North Star CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2021 With “North Star”, accomplished musician Erik Wollo brings his audience a highly emotive and imaginary journey inspired by The North Star, the beacon up in the sky which guided…
Release data: Frank Makowski – Canon der Finsternisse CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2019 Ambient music comes in many forms, and several of them are not suitable for the faint of heart. The major of the works by German composer Frank…
Release data: Damm – Nautical Dawn LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, A Strangely Isolated Place, 2020 “Nautical Dawn” (inspired by majestic cloud formations at nature’s finest hour when the sun is 12 degrees below the horizon) is an electronic chill-out release by…
Release data: Bart Hawkins – Vision of Eden CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2021 Compared to his rather weird debut “21 Pulse Eclipse” (which was pure sonic exploration), Bart Hawkins second album “Vision of Eden” is a somewhat different breed.…
Release data: Todd Fletcher – Arcane Energies CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Microrelease/Editions100, 2001 “Arcane Energies” is the first release by Arizona resident Todd Fletcher on his Microrelease label with six longer tracks of around 8-9 minutes each. Todd describes the outcome as…
Release data: Stephen Felicetti – Imagination CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Delta Tauri Records, 1994 The cd-print already mentions the description Symphonic New Age, and that pretty much covers the musical content of this – without a doubt – remarkable cd. The American…
Release data: Ron Boots & Gert Emmens – One Night at Blackrock Station CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2021 After his second collaboration with Synth.NL, Ron Boots now joins forces with another powerhouse electronic composer from The Netherlands: Gert Emmens.…
Release data: Meg Bowles – From the Dark Earth CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Kumatone Records, 1999 “From the Dark Earth” is Meg Bowles’ fourth album, which delivered a wonderful sample of space music with predecessor “Blue Cosmos”. For this release, Meg…
Release data: Sequenced Reality – Almost Morning Now DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2021 After Syndrone was put to an end, André Theelen continued to listen to electronic music, only making music on his own took a back seat. In the…
Release data: Kurtz Mindfields – Synthr3 The Burning School Tape CD-r, FeverDog Music, 2020 Synthesist Jean-Luc Briançon was so fortunate to be chosen as an artist to test and musically develop Rémy Wasselin’s self-built semi-modular Synthr3, an instrument for both…
Release data: Juta Takahashi – Gems CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Lunisolar Records, 2021 Through the years, Juta Takahashi composed various tracks that appeared on compilation albums from various labels. These all -with the exception of the last track- have now been…
Release data: Brannan Lane – Lost Caverns of Thera CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, World Circle Records, 2000 The end of the ‘90’s and the first half of the 2000’s, marked a very productive period for US-composer Brannan Lane. “Lost Cavern of Thera”…
Release data: Johan Agebjörn & Michael Ögren – Artefact CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2021 In 2017, Johan Agebjörn and Mikael Ögren impressed me a lot with their well-crafted debut “We Never Came to the White Sea”. From the press-info…
Release data: Man from Mars – Mars Memory DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2020 Man from Mars is a project by two Serbian brothers who started listening to Vangelis at a young age, ending up producing trance and psy-trance music. A…
Release data: Distant System – Infinite Continuum DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2021 Many have been waiting for a second album of this American composer, who’s “Spiral Empire” gained lots of critical appraisal among fans of melodic chill-out, slow-trance and atmospheric…
Release data: Steve Roach – As it is CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2021 I confess I had various doubts about the clinical vibe and digital-ish sound design surfacing on some of Steve’s sonic creations of late. Fortunately, none of this…
Release data: Stephen Parsick – Moon Musick DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Doombient, 2021 “Moon Musick” is an atmospheric work of ambient art of which the original music dates back to 2006/2007 when the idea surfaced for a cd to go with an…
Release data: Spacecraft – Evening Star DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Valley View Records, 2021 A trip into textural, fluid space, a cosmic place of solace is what is awaiting you on the 48-minute “Evening Star” by Rishi Bhatia aka Spacecraft. There’s…
Release data: Altus – Sleep Theory Volume 4 CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2021 With this release Mike Carss brings his audience the fourth and final installment in the “Sleep Theory” series that was kicked off a decade earlier. If…
Release data: CC:Dome – Laurel CD/Digital Download, Ajna Music/Cursor Club, 2003 I personally feel the most interesting thing about this release, which comes as an attractive tri-fold digipack with nice cover-footage, is that it fulfils several plans that Garrett Parks…
Release data: CC:Dome – Dream Furious CD-EP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Cursor Club, 2000 “Dream Furious” is CC:Dome’s second release, an EP with 29 minutes of fine and attentively composed electronics. Compared to the Crown Invisible project from the same label, CC:Dome’s…
Release data: CC:Dome – Dome CD-EP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Cursor Club, 1998 CC:Dome is another enigmatic project from Garrett Park’s Cursor Club. Soundwise it’s episodic, rather minimal and, compared to the Crown Invisible-project on the same label, taking on a bit…
Release data: Crown Invisible – Crown Invisible II CD-EP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Cursor Club, 1998 The main comments I made on “Crown Invisible” also apply to the “follow-up” Ep “Crown invisible II”. Once again it’s quite visual music and a great…
Release data: Crown Invisible – Crown Invisible CD-EP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Cursor Club, 1998 Let’s journey back to 1998. That year I ran into something special for all those Em-enthusiasts always on the look-out for new diamonds in contemporary electronic music.…
Release data: Andreas Akwara – Solar Eclipse CD, Private Release, 2002 “Solar Eclipse” is the second effort by this German synthesist, and a concept album of space music. Those who think that the music can be laid alongside existing cosmic…
Release data: Brannan Lane / Vidna Obmana – Deep Unknown CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Brannan Lane Music, 2002 One of the many cds that Brannan Lane had planned for 2002 is this collaboration with his Belgian colleague Dirk Serries. It’s not a…
Release data: Simon Lomax – Notes from the Void, Vol. 1 CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Council of Nine, 2021 The process creating the music for “Notes from the Void” turned out a little different than Mr Lomax used to do on previous…
Release data: Rudy Adrian – When Dusk becomes Night CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2021 What I got here is possibly the most tranquil and serene album yet from this talented New Zealand-based composer. The major part of the 58-minute…
Release data: S1gns of L1fe – The Age of Cymatics Digital Download, Synphaera Records, 2021 This project by Chris Bryant -started around 2013- keeps surprising with its well-designed vibrant contemporary electronics topped by excellent mastering and production. There’s a captivating…
Release data: Robert Rich – Rainforest CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Hearts of Space, 1989 Back in 1989, the release of “Rainforest” marked a major breakthrough for Robert Rich, who actually made the album as an expression of despair and respect for our planet.…
Release data: The Adelaidean & Deepspace – Adrift DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2021 My first encounter with the music of TheAdelaidean a short while back was a pleasant one. For “Adrift” he now joined forces with his fellow countryman Mirko…
Release data: Penterakt – Conquest of the Moon CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Wool-E- Discs, 2021 Penterakt is a new collaborative project by Andy Bloyce and Tom Coppens, who some might know from the EM-collective Kubusschnitt. The 60-minute “Conquest of the Moon” -still…
Release data: Simon Slator – Chameleon DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2021 After quite an extended break from music-making, British musician Simon Slator recently started up again and released “Chameleon”. From the liner notes I learned the underlying theme is how,…
Release data: Paralle Worlds & Dave Bessell – Phosphenes CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2021 The stark, surreal and gothic are most present on “Phosphenes”, the third abstract-ambient effort of Bakis Sirros and Dave Bessell, who share a passion for vintage instruments…
Release data: Brendan Pollard – Prologue CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Acoustic Wave Records, 2020 The 65-minute “Prologue” -featuring music created in 2019 and 2020- sees the light of day some 13 years after Brendan’s last solo album. And another time around Mr…
Release data: Rhea – 108 Minutes -that changed the world- CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Wool-E Discs, 2018 Rhea’s “108 Minutes” -a three track/65-minute sonic tribute to Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space- is a nicely accomplished travelogue for all…
Release data: Altus – Trailhead: Singles Collection Volume 4 DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2019 Since his debut “24 Hours” (2001), Canadian Mike Carss has proved a skilled ambient composer of emotive textural landscapes full of elegance and drama. In addition,…
Release data: Kloob – Cryptic Interactions CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2020 The sonic world of Spanish ambient sound sculptor Kloob I’m accustomed to so far is one of deep invocation, and his “Cryptic Interactions” (inspired by various weird encounters with…
Release data: Lost Radiance – Marly Digital Download/CD-r, Sense/Net Neu Harmony, 2016 “Lost Radiance” is a project by the Russian trio Alexander Asimov, Roman Rogov and Yuriy Miller. “Marly” (a character in William Gibsons cyber-punk novel “Count Zero”) is a 47-minute outing…
Release data: Mathias Grassow – The Dreamquest Sessions CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Gterma, 1998/2020 At the end of 2020 Gterma surprised its fans and followers with the release of “The Dreamquest Sessions”, an ambient work of art Mathias Grassow created in 1998 for which…
Release data: Cosmic Ground – 0110 CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2020 The music of the German project Cosmic Ground fits in the league of vintage electronic music of the beginning and middle of the ´70`s made with a fine selection…
Release data: Brian Eno – Film Music 1976 – 2020 CD/LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Universal Music, 2020 All familiar with his music know a lot of Brian Eno’s music has (or evokes) a cinematic impact. The 17-track “Film Music: 1976 – 2020”, which…
Release data: Martin Stürtzer – Far Beyond the Stars DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Exosphere Music, 2020 This is the debut album of German soundartist Martin Stürtzer (better known as Phelios and the project Späre Sechs) on Synphaera’s sublabel Exophere. “Far Beyond the…
Release data: Ashtoreth & Stratosphere – Between Worlds CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Winter-Light, 2020 “Between Worlds” is a full-length collaboration of Belgian musicians Ashtoreth (aka Peter Verwimp) and Stratosphere (aka Ronald Mariën). Together they deliver a 7-track ambient soundscape with some ritualist…
Release data: Time Being – An Ocean of Time CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2020 With their third full-length release, aka US-synthesists Jourdan Laik and Phillip Wilkerson take another step forward in developing and defining their musical signature. As on…
Release data: Sequentia Legenda – Beyond the Stars CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2020 On each new album Laurent Schieber keeps pushing the boundaries while expressing his enduring passion for (and presenting his interpretation of) classic Schulze Berlin School electronics. On…
Release data: Steve Roach – Tomorrow CD/LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2020 Drawing from a vast, unique and deeply personal authenticity, Steve’s works are and always have been fueled by the momentum of a lifetime dedicated to (what he refers to…
Release data: Boreal Taiga – Elementa Soundtrack DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Wayfarer Records, 2020 “Elementa” is New Zealand-based nature photographer and film maker Richard Sidey’s second feature collaboration with ambient composer Boreal Taiga that’s also concluding the director’s Speechless trilogy. The compelling,…
Release data: Kloob & Onasander – Mundus Patet CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Winter-Light, 2020 Fall and winter make most appropriate seasons for deeper listening and travels into dark ambient spaces. Specialized in this EM-genre, Dutch Winter-Light-label brings us “Mundus Patet” (the world…
Release data: Johannes Schmoelling & others – 20 CD-EP, Viktoriapark Records, 2020 This is a celebratory release due to the 20th anniversary of Viktoria Park Records founded by Johannes Schmoelling in December 2000. The 30-minute Ep features four previously unreleased…
Release data: TheAdelaidean – Isolation CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2020 From Down Under comes “Isolation” by successful Aussie writer Sean Williams. The latter uses the moniker TheAdelaidean to explore original and collaborative soundscapes while referring to his output as structured…
Release data: Erik Wøllo & Michael Stearns – Convergence CD/Digital Download, Projekt Records, 2020 “Convergence” marks the debut collaboration between Erik Wøllo and Michael Stearns offering a blend of slowly-evolving, contemplative and intimate music reflecting a very visionary and vast aural…
Release data: Juta Takahashi – Music for Urban Promenades CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Lunisolar Records, 2020 Taking inspiration from a collage of faint bell sounds heard inside an indoor shopping mall in Yokohama, Juta Takahashi decided to undertake his own environmental approach…
Release data: Eguana – Abyss DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Cosmicleaf Records, 2020 Here’s another fine work of space-ambient bliss by Sergey Severin, aka Eguana, taking its listener into an infinite destiny. “Abyss’” tranquil sonic narrative -that never becomes superficial- unfolds as a…
Release data: Airwaves – Multiverse CD/Digital Download, Carpe Sonum, 2020 “Multiverse” is the final recording from the sadly deceased Oscar Menzel his widow discovered on his computer years ago. It is now made available to the public as a limited…
Release data: Forrest Fang – Ancient Machines CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2019 Every recording by multi-instrumentalist and sound creator Forrest Fang I’ve listened to has been an enchanting, mystifying and intriguing experience. In the creative process of molding and shaping…
Release data: Gáston Arévalo – Terrain LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, A Strangely Isolated Place, 2020 Seven years after “Rollin Ballads” Uruguayan sound artist and musician Gastón Arévalo returns with “Terrain”, an exploratory-themed ambient album told and unfolding through the lens of an…
Release data: Madis – Sea of Tranquillity CD/LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Seabound Music, 2020 Here’s a nice catch for fans of synth-pop related and rather infectious-melodic electronics composed by Polish musician/producer Amadeusz Malkowskraka Madis, aka Madis. The latter launched his debut mini-album…
Release data: Spacecraft – Excursion DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2020 This is not a recording by USA’s Tony Gerber & co but a solo music project by the same name of Bombay-based musician Rishi Bhatia. “Excursion” -the follow-up of 2019’s…
Release data: Skoulaman – Deepminds DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2020 “Deepminds” offers a nice set of music consisting of four compositions Hans van Kroonenburg published previously on YouTube as well as three new pieces: “Polymood”, “Mytilini Intermission” and the title…
Release data: Robert Schroeder – C’est Magique CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spheric Music, 2020 I confess I somewhat gave up on on Mr Schroeder after the uninspired outcome of his previous two releases. Well, on his 2020-release “C’est magique” -a sound excursion…
Release data: Simon Lomax – We Echo Endlessly DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Council of Nine, 2020 In November 2015, UK soundscapist Simon Lomax crossed the big pond for the first time for playing a live-set at Chuck van Zyl’s Star’s End Radio…
Release data: Bertrand Loreau – Eternal Sorrows CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spheric Music, 2019 The music on this 71-minute recording was made in 1981, a time when only limited analogue equipment along simple recording facilities were around and affordable for many electronic…
Release data: Maria Warner – Slipstream CD-r/Digital Download, Neu Harmony, 2019 No other than accomplished British synthesist Michael Neil -residing in Berlin since several years- is the musician behind the Maria Warner project. Inspired by his connection to the Berlin…
Release data: Wanderwelle – A State of Decrepitude LP/Digital Download, A Strangely Isolated Place, 2020 Meant as a soundtrack to humanity that once was, “A State Of Decrepitude” is a concept album by Amsterdam-based duo Phil van Dulm and Alexander…
Release data: Alio Die & Parallel Worlds – The Utopian Blossom CD/Digital Download, Hic Sunt Leones, 2020 About six years after their previous recording the collaboration between the musical talents Alio Die (aka Italian soundsculptor Stefano Musso) and Parallel Worlds…
Release data: Three-Six (36) – Music for Isolation Digital Download, Private Release, 2020 The power and value of music seems even more important in these hard times as the world’s population suffers heavily from the corona crisis. Secluded in his…
Release data: Chuck Van Zyl – Spacetones CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2019 Well, I guess the review of this one comes quite a bit later than I anticipated as I bought at the E-Live 2019 event where it was released.…
Release data: Amongst Myselves – The Good Earth CD-r/DVD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2020 “The Good Earth” is the first album by Australian synthesist Steve Roberts (aka Amongst Myselves) made since he moved away from his suburban house near Adelaide to…
Release data: Nothing But Noise – Mutanten Maschine CD/USB-Stick/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DB2fluctuation, 2018 This release saw the light of day previously on cassette-tape and on self-released USB-stick before it landed on silver disc, the latter containing one bonus piece. Stark, progressive…
Release data: Stefan Erbe & Steve Baltes – A-11 CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Erbe Music, 2019 Here’s another electronic album inspired by the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. The music on “A-11”, the third full-length collaboration of these skilled German…
Release data: Roger Eno and Brian Eno – Mixing C0lours CD/LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Deutsche Grammophone, 2020 Roger and Brian Eno’s collaborative debut-release “Mixing Colours” (created out of a back-and-forth process between the two brothers over a 15-year period) is an exploration…
Release data: Yagya – Old Dreams and Memories CD/LP/Digital Download, Small Plastic Animals, 2020 This album sees Reykjavik-based composer Aðalsteinn Guðmundsson redefining his own sound, continuing his quest in exploring new sonic pathways that he already started on his previous effort…
Release data: Nothing But Noise – Berlin to Brussel CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DB2fluctuation, 2019 On the 3-track/43-minute “Berlin To Brussel” Dirk Bergen and Daniel Bressanutti offer their listeners Berlin School-inspired electronics spiced with a few quirky hooks and slight experimental twists.…
Release data: Phobos – A Visual Presence CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2020 The 77-minute “A Visual Presence” -which comes with some great imaginative cover-art- documents David’s fourth concert performed at 2019’s UK’s Awakenings concert series, for the composer turning out…
Release data: Max Corbacho – Dreaming Spaces CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Silent Sun, 2019/2020 Due to popular demand, this album got a limited edition physical release after it had been offered as a free download and thank-you from Max Corbacho to all…
Release data: Hyperkube – Remnants CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Littl’ Antenna Records, 2020 Hyperkube is a project initiated by Belgium synthesist Tom Coppens (who some may know as a member of Kubusschnitt). With this release he continues his love for classic Berlin…
Release data: Hollan Holmes – Milestones CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2020 “Milestones” -marking Hollan’s debut on the established Spotted Peccary label- had a long way coming, not only as life got in the way. It actually deals with the…
Release data: Paul Ellis – Interstellar Nataraja CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2019 It seemed Paul Ellis put an end to his EM-career in January 2016 when his trusted studio dissolved, having lost decade’s worth of accumulated studio equipment. This heavy blow…
Release data: E-Musikgruppe Lux Ohr – Non Plus Ultra LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Svart Records, 2020 No other than German Krautrock/Kosmische Musik legend Eroc has been in charge of mastering “Non plus ultra”, the third full-length studio album from the Finnish collective E-Musicgruppe…
Release data: S-A-W – Iconic CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Viktoriapark Records, 2020 Kurt Ader is a talented German sound designer for hardware synthesizer, sampler and iOS apps who performed with Johannes Schmoelling on French Synthfest 2018 while having designed a large range of…
Release data: Skoulaman – Fluxes in Philadelphia CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2019 This album documents the (slightly adjusted) concert Dutch synthesist Hans van Kroonenburg (whose motto is the power of a synthesizer is not to imitate but to create) performed at…
Release data: Kurtz Mindfields & Hypnago – Soundtrack with Atmosphere EP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Wigwam Records, 2019 “Soundtrack with Atmosphere” is a recording featuring two different French artists presenting their own electronic universe on each side. First is Jean-Luc Briançon’s project Kurtz Mindfields…
Release data: Jutaro Takahashi – Pleochroism CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Neotantra, 2019 “Pleochroism” is Jutaro Takahashi’s debut-release on Lee Anthony Norris Neotantra-label (motto: Tantric solutions for ears). The outcome -that sees the Japanese composer in search of microcosmic beauty- continues Jutaro’s tranquil textural…
Release data: Daniel B. Prothese – Höllektrokraut / HellEctrokraut CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2018 Ok, time to dust off your speakers as here’s a treat for all fans of dynamic electronic krautrock with a leading role for analogue gear. Daniel B.…
Release data: Michael Brückner – The Undercurrent CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, SynGate Wave, 2019 “The Undercurrent” is assembled from shelved, unreleased music German synthesist Michael Brückner made between 2013 and 2019. This modus operandi may lead to an incoherent outcome, but the opposite…
Release data: Solaris – Aeon V CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Synphaera Records, 2017 The US Synphaera-label is known for their high-quality ambient releases, some fitting into (or inspired by) cosmic space music. Solaris is a collaborative effort between sound forgers Strahinja Maletic…
Release data: Peter Mergener – Astronaut CD, Cue-Records, 2019 Sure, the output of Em-veteran Peter Mergener has been low the last decade, but when something new comes up its worth checking out. This 50-minute concept album celebrates the 50th moon…
Release data: Leandro Fresco & Rafael Anton Irisarri – Una Presencia En La Brise LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, A Strangely Isolated Place, 2020 “Una Presencia En La Brisa” (A Presence In The Breeze) by soundsculptors Leandro Fresco and Rafael Anton Irisarri is something…
Release data: Walter Christian Rothe – Secrets CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2019 “Secrets” (a concept album with melodic drama from his time as a composer) offers music from the back catalogue of talented Belgium synthesist Walter Christian Rothe, sonically connecting with…
Release data: Rene de Bakker – Our Gift CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2019 Those familiar with the previous work of Dutch synthesist Rene de Bakker won’t be surprised the music of “Our Gift” (Rene’s first factory-pressed solo cd) doesn’t stray…
Release data: Sphäre Sechs – Transient Lunar Phenomenon CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Cryo Chamber, 2019 The quality space-ambient of the German duo Sphäre Sechs stands out for its profound as well as cinematic quality. The result on their 50-minute “Transient Lunar Phenomenon” -recorded…
Release data: Jonn Serrie – Azurae CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Valley Entertainment, 2019 With “Azurae”, Jonn wanted to follow up on musical ideas he developed on “Lumia Nights” and present a new perspective on those ideas. “Lumia Nights” envisioned an elegant “old school”…
Release data: Simon Lomax – How the Shadow Falls CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Council of Nine, 2019 The inner world explored on “How the Shadow Falls” is one of intense and profound textural ambiences extending further the emotive realm of its predecessors. Applying…
Release data: Rudy Adrian – Woodlands CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2019 For me, the biggest part of “Woodlands” is a trip down memory lane and most familiar to my ears. About half of it consists of aural sketches Rudy originally…
Release data: Sysselmann – Ritual of the Aurora Noir CD-EP, Winter-Light, 2019 Fall and wintertime are appropriate periods to listen, enjoy and immerse into dark ambient music. Well, Winter-Light brings us the dark realms of 32-minute Ep “Ritual Of The Aurora…
Release data: Kelly David – Meditation in Green CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2019 “Meditation in Green” encapsulates the listener into a hypnotizing world of in-depth dream and drone spheres accompanied by a fine assortment of field recordings and percussion. Inspired…
Release data: Mário Raposo – Humanization DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2019 Mário Raposo is an independent electronic music composer hailing from the Azores. His work ranges from electronic/new age to neoclassical and film music but in recent times he’s been composing…
Release data: Tonal Assembly – Lost and Found in Imaginary Landscapes CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2019 The musician behind Tonal Assembly is Dutchman Taede A. Smedes who I know as a frequent and enthusiast visitor of electronic music festivals. I didn’t…
Release data: Matt Borghi & Loneward – The Still Guardian DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2019 Mike Carss is known as an ambient artist who chooses to work on his own, which applies to almost all his recordings he made under the…
Release data: GROBEK – GROBEK I DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2019 Grobek (a word without any meaning) is a project initiated by Jörg Erren and Christian Steffen (both know as one half of the fine German quartet EFSS). Same as on…
Release data: Ian Boddy & Erik Wøllo – Meridian CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2017 Contrary to “Frontiers”, the sonic journey of Ian Boddy and Erik Wøllo third collaborative effort “Meridian” is for those preferring slower evolving, denser and atmospheric electronics expanded with lyrical e-guitar…
Release data: Thom Brennan – Elysian Fields CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, TMB Soundworks, 2019 This recording was and is one of a few albums Thom Brennan finished but held off on releasing. The nine tracks on “Elysian Fields”, recorded mostly between 2015 and…
Release data: Mathias Grassow & Michael Brückner – Polar Vortex CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DataBloem, 2019 “Polar Vortex” -a magical ambient journey created in 2017 and 2018 leading the listener from mystical regions of the north to realms beyond- is a 75-minute ambient…
Release data: Craig Padilla – Patterns of Thought (Special Remastered Edition) MC/CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 1998/2019 What I got here is a special remastered -20th anniversary- edition of Craig’s classic release from 1998 which was his last recording that came out…
Release data: Toby Marks & Andrew Heath – Motion CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Disco Gecko Recordings, 2019 “Motion” -the first collaborative album by UK soundscape-artist Andrew Health and Toby Marks (better known as Banco de Gaia)- offers a 60-minute ambient journey of processed…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Polyphasic Music CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2019 There’s quite a bit of sleep-inducing music around in the ambient and electronic music genre, just think of Altus’ “Sleep Theory” –trilogy, James Johnson, Eno’s “Thursday Afternoon”,…
Release data: Lauge – Dawn DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Iboga Records, 2019 This is my third encounter with Henrik Laugesen’s down-tempo electronics, who decided to expand the sound of “Dawn” (that also features two collaborations with fellow Dane producer Feeding Spring, aka Morten…
Release data: James Johnson – Environment 2 (Music for The Working Space)(CUBE 1) CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, AtmoWorks/Private Release, 2005 “Music for The Working Space” features one 60-minute track, a collage of slow evolving spheres, gentle textures and occasional piano keys along assorted…
Release data: Boreal Taiga – Iceland DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Polar Magnetic Records, 2018 “Iceland” marks the first album released through Boreal Taiga’s own label Polar Magnet Recordings. It continues the composer’s journey through the splendour of white out conditions and remote,…
Release data: Thom Brennan – Soundgardens CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, TMB Soundworks, 2017 “Soundgardens” was recorded between 2003 and 2005 and was intended originally to build on ideas Thom first explored on “Satori” as well as shorter tracks like “Radiant Ice” (the…
Release data: Australis – One of Ours CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Essential Noises, 2019 In the five years since his previous release “Adrift”, composer Oscar Aguayo (aka Australis) found he was particularly receptive to the underlying forces behind most of our acts…
Release data: Steve Roach – Bloom Ascension MC/LP/CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2019 Coined as a resplendent expression of elegant futurism, Steve Roach’s “Bloom Ascension” features four minimalist tracks of fractal, gentle spiraling analogue sequencer-driven electronics complemented by smooth yet elevating textural…
Release data: Rising Galaxy – Horizons in the Dark DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Cosmic Leaf Records, 2019 Now here’s an ambient recording featuring music treading similar ground as Vangelis’ “Tegos Tapes” and “El Greco” or some of Roach’s intense soundworlds. It’s a…
Release data: Lambert – Dimensions of Dreams CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spheric Music, 2019 Back in 1995 Lambert Ringlage released his successful third album “Dimensions of Dreams” that’s now available again as a remastered edition including one bonus track. It’s a highly…
Release data: Three-Six (36) – The Lower Lights LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Past inside the Present, 2019 The 10 tracks making up the 59-minute “The Lower Lights” were previously released digitally through 36’s Audio Diary on Patreon.com between April 2018 and April…
Release data: Kloob – Unpredictable Signs CD, Winter-Light, 2019 “Unpredictable Signs” is Kloob’s second album on Winter-Light and again an extensive journey into mesmerizing yet deep soundworlds and beyond. Compared to predecessor “Remarkable Events”, this sonic venture is characterized by more…
Release data: Thom Brennan – Another Time and Space CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, TMB Soundworks, 2019 “Another Space and Time” is a collection derived from many hours of material recorded over the last two years up to the present time. The meticulously…
Release data: Loneward – Home DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2019 One of the worst fears a musician may have is to (nearly) lose music still in the works or not yet released. This is what happened to Loneward’s second release…
Release data: Jos D’Almeida – Aspheres CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, caPe Recordings, 2019 “Aspheres”, a concept album dealing with a period after mass extinction, is the third release by Portugese synthesist Jos D’Almeida who’s residing in Ireland since two years. The almost…
Release data: Thom Brennan – The Path Not Taken (Full album) CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, TMB Soundworks, 2019 Ambient aficionados may remember this release published as part of a 20-minute EP-CD series released by Amplexus back in 1994. Later on in 1997…
Release data: Jorge Reyes – El Costumbre CD, Extreme, 2018 “El Costumbre” -realised in affinity with the customs of the Huichol Indians of Mexico- is an album featuring graceful yet subtle world ambient merging smooth soundscapes by Steve Roach with…
Release data: Thom Brennan – Imaginary Conquests CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, TMB Soundworks, 2019 After a 10-year hiatus USA synthesist Thom Brennan re-enters the Em scene with three (actually four) new albums. One of them is “Imaginary Conquests” which was supposed to be…
Release data: PERU – The Return CD, Private Release, 2018 With this album Dutch synth band PERU surfaces after approximately 25 years of absence. Their sonic odyssey now continues with Rob Papen and Ruud van Es leading the way using soft…
Release data: Yagya – Stormur LP/CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, A Strangely Isolated Place, 2019 The heart and soul of Yagya’s “Stormur” is centered round a subtle flow of delicately molded tonal progressions in minimal techno-ambient featuring some occasional dubby sidesteps. It’s a groovy…
Release data: Awenson – Hope CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2019 After a hiatus of several years, French synthesist Joël Bernard (aka Awenson) returns to the scene with “Hope”, a 67-minute album of cosmic electronic music with an undeniable “French” twist combined…
Release data: Uwe Reckzeh – Surreal Dreams CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mellowjet Records, 2018 The melodic, sequencer-driven Berlin School music with stronger ’80’s TD-characteristics found on “Virtual Minds” is prolonged on the “Surreal Dreams”. The nearly 76-minute album offers a transparent sound…
Release data: D’Voxx – Telegraph CD/Lp/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2019 Ian Boddy’s DiN label always had and still has a fine ear for alternative electronics and this debut release by D’Voxx – a live electronic music project by Paul Borg and…
Release data: Jeffrey Koepper – Transmitter CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2017 The nearly 60-minute “Transmitter” contains Jeffrey Koepper’s set played live at Chuck Van Zyl’s WXPN’s Star’s End Radio show in June 2016. Using vintage analogues only, the result (featuring…
Release data: Arjen Schat – 一人Hitori DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2017 Being an avid fan of longform and calming soundscapes I surely like to recommend “Hitori” by Dutch synthesist Arjen Schat. It’s freeform, meditative and slow morphing textural music with…
Release data: Mathias Grassow – Himavat CD/DIGITAL Download, Staalplaat, 1999 I’ve reviewed quite some (more recent) recordings by German drone-master Mathias Grassow, so here’s an older one from his back-catalogue. The cold, the dark and a distinct Tibetan feel are…
Release data: Etherfysh – The Sundered Sky CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2019 After a lengthy hiatus of 17 years, Etherfysh –aka Chris Christou- returns to the electronic music scene with “The Sundered Sky”, a 5-track release recorded partially in 2007…
Release data: Steve Roach – Electron Birth CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Timeroom Editions, 2018 It’s been a while since a dynamic, energetic as well as electrifying work of electronics by Steve Roach has seen the light of day. From the start the…
Release data: Seetyca – Trances CD, Winter-Light, 2019 Here’s one for those who dig long, continuous strings of soundscapes as expansive, inspired and deep drone worlds are on the menu on Seetyca’s “Trances”, a kind of follow-up of “Zwischenwelten”. The 60-minute…
Release data: Maria Warner – Metamorphosis CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Neu Harmony, 2018 I don’t have a clue who might be the skilled musician (according the label a musician who has been on the Em-scene for almost 30 years) hiding behind the…
Release data: Kurtz Mindfields – Gate to a new Dimension (Trans Aural 3D Xperience) CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Electrik Dream, 2018/2019 Work for the music of “Gate to a new Dimension” started in 2012 with the desire to record a vast range…
Release data: Glyn Lloyd-Jones – Mindmusic DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 1984/2013 In an interview I conducted in November 2008, this composer talked about his first steps in music, finally being able to build a bridge between the electronics side and the…
Release data: Sequentia Legenda – Over There CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2019 Since his fine debut “Blue Dream” in 2014, French synthesist Laurent Schieber made his own personal journey through electronic music, most notably composing his own extended vision of…
Release data: Craig Padilla – Folding Space and Melting Galaxies CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Space for Music/Private Release, 2000/2018 In the year 2000 US-synthesist Craig Padilla joined the roster of Tony Gerber’s Nashville-based Space for Music label with “Folding Space and Melting Galaxies”…
Release data: Brian Vassallo – Beyond 2 (The Moment of Discovery) DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, BV Music, 2018 This Ep is the sequel of Brian’s 1998 album “Beyond” sticking to the same playing time – 31-minutes- as the first one. The idea behind…
Release data: Javi Cánovas – One More Day, One Day Less DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2017 I only need a few lines for this release. Javi’s 4-track “One More Day, One Day Less” is another solid statement of (classic) up-tempo Berlin…
Release data: Numina – The Haunting Silence CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, MP3.com/NuminaMusic, 2001/2005 Around 2000 at the start of his musical career, Jesse Sola (aka Numina) created a couple of albums featuring deep evolving and freeform ambient ranging from mysterious to ethereal…
Release data: Bluetech – Liquid Geometries CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2018 While sticking to his own sonic signature, Bluetech’s “Liquid Geometries” strays into the terrain of sequencer-driven vintage modular soundscapes with bits of Berlin School thrown in on occasion. Building slowly…
Release data: Lauge & Baba Gnohm – Langbortistan CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release/Altar Records, 2011 Four years previous to “Pusterum” the Danish duo Kalle Christensen and Henrik Laugesen released “Langbortistan”. The latter is a 7-tracks/72-minute release featuring gentle, slow unfolding down-tempo…
Release data: MANU – Sonic Landscapes DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2018 MANU is a project of Helsinki-based sound artist Mauno Tuominen from the band Sigma. His solo-debut “Sonic Landscapes” is an exploration of the interrelationship of landscape and soundscape as…
Release data: ASphäre Sechs – Particle Void CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Cryo Chamber, 2018 The third full-length release by Sphäre Sechs, aka Martin Stürtzer (Phelios) and Christian Stritzel, found an appropriate home at Simon Heath’s cinematic dark ambient label Cryo Chamber. “Particle…
Release data: Al Gromer Khan – Turya CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Tea Time Music, 2006 The music of Al Gromer Khan is one of contemplation and meditation. It is shaped of hypnotizing soundscapes, sitar and intimate electronic sound design which at times…
Release data: Carbon Entity – Within the Cosmic Void CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Zen Gate Music, 2019 Let’s spend some time in the timeless audio vacuum of the void created by Portland-based Gunter Platz, aka Carbon Entity, who uses hardware synths only…
Release data: Abbildung – At the Gates of Ouln CD, Winter-Light, 2019 Abbildung is a dark ambient project by Romanian sound artist Casian Stefan. Preceded by “All demons are horned” (2015, also on Winter-Light), “At the Gates of Ouln” is the…
Release data: Djen Ajakan Shean & Vidna Obmana – Parallel Flaming CD, Multimood Records, 1994 In the first half of the ‘90s quite some tribal-ambient releases saw the light of day. Steve Roach did a bunch, solo as well as together…
Release data: Gleisberg / Grassow / Seviroli – The Fall of the House of Usher DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2018 Released on the final day of 2018, “The Fall of the House of Usher” is the long-awaited follow-up of Nostalgia’s…
Release data: Proton Kinoun – Apeiron CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Omnitropic, 2009 I know there are quite some EM-fans out there who love to be catapulted and immerse into the wide expanse of the cosmos. For that purpose, skilled musicians such as…
Release data: Ran Kirlian – Distant Signals CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Altera Orbe, 2018 The first sketches of “Distant Signals” -planned as a personal soundtrack for a deep space exploration, both inner and outer, based on pure electronic atmospheres build on minimal…
Release data: Parallel Worlds – Tonal Paintings LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Lost in It Records, 2018 Travelling back to and investigating the early years of a musician is always something special, in my opinion at least. “Tonal Paintings” is a vinyl featuring unreleased…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Somnus CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2018 Alpha Wave Movement’s “Somnus” delivers a calming and overtly lush sonic canvas, a nice addition to Gregory’s already extensive discography. Drawn on the early ‘80s evolution of…
Release data: Andrew Forrest – Freefall (Source Quartet Volume 3) CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2018 A bit longer than expected Andrew Forrest hereby offers his listeners the third chapter of the Source Quartet trilogy. The 60-minute “Freefall”, a musical interpretation…
Release data: Telomere – Supergiant CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Evenfall, 2018 For synthesist Christopher Macdonald (aka Telomere), space music is and has always been about inspiring a transportive and meditative experience that is the product of the listener’s own imagination. To encourage this,…
Release data: Bruno Sanfilippo – InTRO (remastered & expanded) CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, ad21 Music, 2006/2018 In 2006, the beautiful designed “InTRO” marked a new chapter in the nice organic ambient music of Bruno Sanfilippo of which the impact seemed to grow…
Release data: Boreal Taiga – Greenland DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Wayfarer Records, 2017 The ambient music of this release was born out of the composer’s longtime fascination for the beauty and vastness of Greenland with the intent to reflect that in enchanting…
Release data: VelgeNaturlig – Kundalini CD, Winter-Light, 2018 On previous releases, soundscapist VelgeNaturlig (aka Ivo Santos) already took his listeners on a mesmerizing trip to far off places and worlds beyond. The brooding, intense and deep ambience featured on the…
Release data: Loneward – Protection DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2018 Loneward is a new side-project by Mike Carss (aka Altus) launched in August 2018. As the composer elaborates it will exist alongside Altus, however from this point on Loneward will…
Release data: Mon0 – Colliding Textures DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2012 Somehow I missed out on this album by German synthesist Andre Zufall, aka Mon0, containing four tracks -all clocking over 10 minutes- of imaginary, overtly dense drone tapestries. “Colliding Textures”…
Release data: Mooma – Herd Forming DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2006 Imagine dwelling in a spacious, celestial, slow evolving and dreamy world of freeform textures with an overall relaxing impact. It’s an appropriate description for the mesmerizing aural landscape covered on…
Release data: Bluetech – Dreaming into being CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Sounds True, 2013 “Dreaming into Being”, an exploration of expanded states of being, by Evan Bartholomew features seven tracks of pure, deep and spaced-out ambient soundscape bliss with embedded pulses and…
Release data: Pollard / Daniel / Booth – Eight CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Electronic Composers Outlet, 2018 UK-synthesists Brendan Pollard, Michael Daniel and Phil Booth are known for playing classic electronic music inspired by or reminiscent of mid 70’s TD using analogue gear…
Release data: Jeff Pearce – Follow the river home CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2016 The spacious music on the 7-track “Follow the River Home” continues in Jeff’s signature sound of pastel-coloured guitar ambient paintings. The calming aural impressionist art displayed…
Release data: Parallel Worlds & Dave Bessell – Dystopia CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2018 The title of the duos second distance collaboration already suggests dark electronics -a style Bakis Sirros (aka Parallel Worlds) and Dave Bessell both appreciate a lot- and that’s…
Release data: Biome – The Shores of Temenos CD-r/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2018 Biome is a new side project of accomplished synthesist Gregory Kyryluk (better known and successful as Alpha Wave Movement since many years) with a sound spectrum far…
Release data: Sayer – Interplanetary CD, Private Release, 2017 The sonic journey US-synthesist Sayer Seely undertook until now has brought the Em-community some interesting stuff. I’d even dare say any fan of melodic sequencing mixed with spiced-up electronics that hasn’t…
Release data: Syn – Fauni-Genus CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2017 What I got here is a mini-album/Ep by David T. Dewdney aka Syn delivering another very moody and at times dreamy tribute to the classic Berlin School sound of the…
Release data: Ogre – Murals DIGITAL DOWNLOAD/MC, Private Release, 2017 UK composer, producer and synthesist Robin Ogden, aka Ogre, performed and captured the 30-minutes of music on “Murals” all in one take. Imminent from the start is the imaginary soundtrack…
Release data: Brock Van Wey – White clouds drift on and on CD/Lp/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Echospace, 2009 Being an avid fan of emotional-driven ambient music it was just a matter of time before I would run into the postmodern minimalist ambient of…
Release data: Matthew Florianz – Onontgonnen DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2017 Many of the works of accomplished ambient composer and sound designer Matthew Florianz feature carefully moulded intrinsic and deep ambiences with an adventurous approach. “Onontgonnen” (a Dutch word meaning…
Release data: Three-Six (36) – Circuit Bloom MC/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, 3Six Recordings, 2018 Dennis Huddleston’s EP “Circuit Bloom” -serving as a companion to an upcoming full-length album to be released in the second half of 2018- contains six piano-based tape loops…
Release data: Arc – Arclight DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2015 Similar to bands like AirSculpture, ARC is at their best when they play live in front of a dedicated audience, busy delivering an outcome suitable for release. “Arclight” is another fine…
Release data: Aperus – Lie Symmetry CD, Geophonic Records, 2018 A strange but at the same time intruiging set of accidentally made landscape photographs by a cell phone grace the cover of “Lie Symmetry”, a title derived from the math…
Release data: Flames of Genesis – A Bridge to Further Realms CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Minotauro Records, 2017 Flames of Genesis is the name of a project by the same composer -also known as The Voyager- who’s producing music as Dreamfire. It…
Release data: Stefan Erbe – Genesys CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Erbe Music, 2017 With “Genesys” (subtitled: a journey of virtual spacedesign and artificial intelligence) German synthesist Stefan Erbe offers his listeners an album of fresh modern space music, contemporary melodic/rhythmic electronics inspired…
Release data: Chuck Van Zyl – Recitals 2 CD, Synkronos Music, 2018 “Recitals 2”, following in the footsteps of the previous volume, features a selection of live pieces recorded at two late 2017 performances. As happened on the previous volume,…
Release data: Free System Projekt & Terje Winther – Spoon Forest CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2018 At the start of the ‘70s Tangerine Dream created some impressive soundworlds and haunting atmospheres on “Phaedra” and “Rubycon”. A similar aural spirit is…
Release data: Steve Roach – Molecules of Motion CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2018 “Molecules of Music” sees Steve Roach venture into thoughtful, rather complex and minimal aural territory through a myriad of Berlin School-infused, carefully unfolding and evolving analogue lengthy…
Release data: Peter Challoner – Subsequence CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ambient Sound Projects, 2018 “Subsequence” was born out of the composer’s wish to do an album that was all sequencer composed tracks just to see if he could do it. This approach…
Release data: Node – Node Live CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2018 The rare concert that three of the original members of Node assisted by distinguished Hollywood film composer and ambient music designer Mel Wesson gave at London’s Royal College of Music…
Release data: Robert Rich – The Biode CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Soundscape Productions, 2018 Coined by the composer as a surrealist electronic journey through the microbiome, “The Biode” -featuring heavy use of modular synths and the Haken Continuum- harkens back to Robert’s…
Release data: Erren – Fleissig – Schöttler – Steffen – Tidal Shift CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2018 “Tidal Shift” by the German quartet Jörg Erren, Bert Fleißig, Jochen Schöttler and Christian Steffen appears a four year hiatus. As was the…
Release data: Patrick Kosmos – Monument CD/Digital Download, Groove Unlimited, 2018 “Monument”, part of the private-released “Chronicles” cd-r box set, sure will jog the memory and stir the appetite of Em-fans around the world, especially those in Europe who were…
Release data: Seifert & Steinbüchel – The CERN Concert DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Pleasure Sound Music, 2017 It’s not too farfetched to hear similarities of Schiller, Jarre, modern TD and some Ultimae-artists in Seifert & Steinbüchel’s straightforward, tight and high-tech electronics making…
Release data: Wanderwelle – Lost in a sea of trees LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Silent Season, 2017 Imagine a lone traveler entering a dark, ancient forest, being lured deep into the woods by something not of this world as he enters uncharted…
Release data: Numina – The Chroma Plateau CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2018 Numina’s “The Chroma Plateau” required a long-term recording process, taking US-composer Jesse Sola about two years to work on. Because of this lengthy process, there are a…
Release data: Jeff Pearce –From the Darker Seasons CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2017 Slow, deeper ambient worlds, ethereal synth beds and guitar-based atmospheric spacemusic with a highly emotive thread have graced the works of Jeff Pearce until now. “From the…
Release data: Kloob – Remarkable Events CD, Winter-Light, 2018 The origin of “Remarkable Events” happened in April 2016 as Barcelona-based synthesist Daniel Ferreira, aka Kloob, planned to assemble a mix of tracks in the same vein as featured on “Solid…
Release data: Kurtz Mindfields & Taj Mahal – Analogic Touch CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Electrik Dream, 2017 Subtitled “From Berlin School to Ambient Electronica”, this release by Kurtz Mindfields (aka Jean-Luc Briançon) and TajMahal (aka Stephane Gallay) looks like a fun project…
Release data: Hemisphere – Now CD, Groove Unlimited, 2001 Accessible, adventurous, darker and slightly unsettling moods all pass by on Ralph Knappe-Heinbockel’s and Thorsten Reinhardt’s fifth album “Now” that -compared to the previous albums- also sounds more contemporary. Besides the…
Release data: Forrest Fang – Scenes from a Ghost Train CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Project Records, 2018 Until now, the electronic creations by most talented multi-instrumentalist Forrest Fang have proved a surrealist blend of processed ethnic instruments and minimalist, ambient soundscapes. “Scenes…
Release data: Michael Neil – In the Stillness of Winter DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2018 “In the Stillness of Winter” is a related work to Michael Neil’s 1999 album “Ikons” in that it again takes Walter Leslie Wilmshurst’s poem “Nox…
Release data: Airwaves – Biomechanical CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Carpe Sonum Records, 2001/2018 Here’s an invitation for a trip out of the ordinary. “Biomechanical” is an archival recording from deceased Mexican synthesist Oscar Menzel, probably composed between 1999 and 2001. The sparkling,…
Release data: John Vorus – Foot of the Crow DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ambient Distillery, 2017 “Foot of the Crow”, released over 10 years after his fascinating debut “Transmuting Currents”, is a work of organic-rooted, electro-acoustic, cinematic and dark-tribal ambient assembled of…
Release data: Peter Challoner – Livescapes_5 Church of ambient sound DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ambient Sound Projects, 2017 “Livescapes_5” features a 63-minute soundscape created for the Church of Sound Ambient music events in Nottingham September and October 2016, comprising live performance and…
Release data: Johan Tronestam – Space Collection CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, TeamQuasar, 2017 “Space Collection” (mastered by Johan –Venja- Geens) features 10 accessible tracks of gentle pulsating sequences and lush melodic music with a strong cosmic vibe. Stylistically, quite some pieces carry…
Release data: Three-Six (36) – Further Rooms DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, A Strangely Isolated Place, 2016 What I got here is a hidden album offered initially to every customer who bought a vinyl copy of 36’s “The Infinity Room” which contained an…
Release data: Remy – The Return of Planet X CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Deserted Island Music, 2017 The outcome heard on “The Return of Planet X” was staged live in concert at a one-off event organised by Remy Stroomer and Ron Boots…
Release data: Gert Emmens – Stories from Floating Worlds Vol. 1: The Turbulent Years CD, Groove Unlimited, 2017 Already having a successful back catalogue of solo and collaborative releases, accomplished synthesist Gert Emmens hereby brings us the first chapter of…
Release data: Beyond Berlin – Fine Tunes CD, Groove Unlimited, 2017 “Fine Tunes” is the first factory-pressed release of Martin Peters and Rene de Bakker (aka Beyond Berlin) based on musical sketches mapped out during a jam session in November…
Release data: Phobos – Approaching Dark Space CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2017 Those familiar with Phobos well-crafted dark ambient will find out David Thompson stepped a bit further into the darker side on “Approaching Dark Space”. Simultaneously (and contrary to…
Release data: Bruno Sanfilippo – Lost & Found CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, ad 21 Music, 2017 “Lost & Found”, a 5-track/36-minute release with neo-classical piano music, throws new light on some past gems that were buried and lost in other collections but…
Release data: MoonSatellite – Dark Summer CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2017 It may just be me but I can’t say the gloomy, dark mood shown on the album’s cover matches with the accessible outcome of MoonSatellite’s 64-minute “Dark Summer” ,…
Release data: Vanderson – Beyond Time Structure CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mellowjet Records, 2017 Vanderson’s previous album “Vandisphere” sounded quite disappointing to my ears so it is good composer Maciej Wierzchowski is back with the consistent “Beyond Time Structure”. The latter contains…
Release data: Arc – Fleet CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2017 “Fleet” is another powerhouse live recording from Mark Shreeve & Ian Boddy featuring their set played at the E-Scape festival in May 2017 for an enthusiast audience. On their 7th concert…
Release data: Arcane – Live @ E-Day 2017 CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2017 There’s actually not much to tell about this fine release containing Paul Lawler’s 67-minute live set played at E-Day 2017 festival. At the occasion Lawler performed solid…
Release data: Sequentia Legenda – Ethereal CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2017 Laurent Schieber is one of the purveyors of classic Berlin School music (most notably late ‘70’s Schulze but without any soloing) executed through long, slow evolving and building tracks.…
Release data: Robert Schroeder – D.MO Vol. 4 Harmonic Decadence CD, Spheric Music, 2017 Some long-time and avid Em-fans may remember German synthesist Robert Schroeder once contributed a track called “Harmonic Decadence” to Inkey$ No. 2 cassette (1983). The track…
Release data: Michael Neil – Return to the Greenlands DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2017 It was Michael’s old friend and music colleague Clive Littlewood of Electronical Dreams fame who suggested a kind of commemorative release (“a revisit” in his words)…
Release data: Mathias Grassow – Divinations CD, Gterma, 2017 “Divinations”, an almost 80-minute recording featuring five haunting ambient tracks, is a new chapter in Mathias Grassow’s Alchemy Suite inspired by man’s quest for higher knowledge and his taking to mysticism…
Release data: M. Persson – Sounds: A New Time DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2016 Here’s another batch of smooth ambient and cinematic soundscapes from the Swedish west-coast by Mats Persson continuing where his previous music left us. It’s still an…
Release data: Ran Kirlian – Continuum DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Altera Orbe, 2012 Ambient space aficionados who love to travel into deeper zone worlds may find Ran Kirlian’s “Continuum” an interesting choice. Created from music composed between 2005 and 2010, the album…
Release data: Max Corbacho – Arte Magnetica DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, SilentSun , 2017 Extreme weather conditions have been a source of inspiration through the years for various ambient composers, just think of Robert Rich (“Calling down the Sky”) or Steve Roach…
Release data: ASC – No Stars without Darkness CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Silent Season , 2016 This is a fine recording working well when the weather starts growing colder and in wintertime. With “No Stars without Darkness” listeners enter a far-off world…
Release data: Chuck Van Zyl – Recitals CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Synkronos Music, 2016 What I got here is a 140-minute double album featuring sequencer-driven electronic music (extracted from five May 2016 performances) tapping in the pool of German vintage electronics bridged…
Release data: Zanov – Moebius 256301 (40th Anniversary edition) CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 1977/2017 Zanov, strongly influenced by his own scientific background, always attempted to connect some scientific concepts such as chaos theory, fractals and complexity theory with his music.…
Release data: Steve Roach – Nostalgia for the Future CD/MC/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Timeroom Edtions , 2017 “Nostalgia For the Future”, the companion release to “Long Thoughts”, is a calming reverie for the slow lane featuring a deep ambient flow of six…
Release data: Pyramid Peak – Roots CD, Manikin Records, 2017 “Roots” is a commemorative release celebrating the 30th anniversary of this successful German band who states the outcome is the essence of all previous albums. At the same time it…
Release data: Walter Christian Rothe – Alice (30th Anniversary edition) CD, Groove Unlimited, 1987/2017 In a way “Alice” could be considered a kind of forgotten work of Belgian synthesist Walter Christian Rothe. Initially released on vinyl in 1987 as a…
Release data: Chronotope Project – Ovum CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music , 2017 Chronotope Project’s seventh album “Ovum” had a long gestation period with seeds slowly starting to grow at the beginning of 2013. The process of (re)shaping, revising and…
Release data: Chuck van Zyl – Rituals CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Synkronos Music, 2014 Mr. Van Zyl’s love for and signature style of classic electronic music forms the core of the 57-minute “Rituals”, an album containing two long tracks. The 21-minute “Saturn”…
Release data: Yagya – Stars and Dust CD/LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Delsin Records, 2016 “Stars and Dust” is an album full off well-made, attractive and atmospheric down-tempo electronics encouraging the listener to get horizontal and feel at ease. This time around and…
Release data: Llyn Y Cwn – IV DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Manky Music , 2017 For his fourth Llyn Y Cwn release, musician Ben Powell created another set of freeform dark ambient tracks based around a field recording supposed to represent the…
Release data: Secondface – Transitions CD, Gterma , 2017 The music on this album had a long way coming as composer Frank Vilbæk Jensen lost quite some drafts due to two severe computer breakdowns as he only made a partial…
Release data: S1gns of L1fe – Pathways to Ascension CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Synphaera Records, 2017 “Pathways to Ascension”, cut from a 24bit-44.1 kHz master source, is a down-tempo/chill-out exercise by Chris Bryant (aka S1gns Of L1fe) who hails from California’s Bay…
Release data: VelgeNaturlig – Opalescent Pust CD, Winter-Light, 2017 Aficionados of haunting and profound organic ambient will find a lot to like on the longform “Opalescent Pust” by Portuguese soundscape artist VelgeNaturlig. It’s a liquid constellation of dark, slow morphing…
Release data: David Helpling – A Sea Without Memory (Ambient Guitar Works Vol. 1) DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2017 What I got here is a typical album of US textural guitar soundscape music using only electric guitar along a…
Release data: Pyramaxx – Move CD, Klangdesign-Records, 2017 On their debut album “Distance” Axel Stupplich, Andreas Morsch and Max Schiefele already presented a fine display of melodic-spiced, solid and mature electronic music. The result on their second endeavour “Move” fits…
Release data: Lauge – Pusterum DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Sibri29 Records, 2015 Now here’s another strong candidate of highly sophisticated, refined and beat-less ambient soundscape music. Its composer is Danish artist Henrik Laugesen whose 72-minute “Pusterum” (mastered by the capable Huby Sea)…
Release data: Siddhartha Barnhoorn – Structures of Light CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2017 What I got here is the second album by Dutch film/game composer and ambient-electronic artist Siddhartha Barnhoorn, who regards Steve Roach one of his heroes. Mainly composed…
Release data: Quaeschning & Schnauss – Synthwaves LP/CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Azure Vista Records, 2017 Presented as a homage to the electronic music masters of the past yet breathing fresh contemporary and enchanting vibes along an overall post-cosmic sound, Thorsten Quaeschning &…
Release data: Jeffrey Koepper –MantraSequent CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2017 As the title already suggest, “MantraSequent” is a series of Mantra-like meditative compositions that flow into each other creating a long sonic sculpture that lives and breathes. This time around,…
Release data: Nothing but Noise – eXistence Oscillation PrEsent CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Wool E-Discs, 2017 Whereas “eXistence Oscillation pAst” contained music created in the three years after the duo’s fine debut “Not Bleeding Red”, the 48-minute “eXistence Oscillation prEsent” offers all…
Release data: Mario Konrad – Spirit Cave CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2007 Mario Konrad’s second solo album “Spirit Cave” is a tribal-ambient recording that sounds like a light-version of Suspended Memories or a collaborative work by Steve Roach The 54-minute…
Release data: Ian Boddy – As Above So Below LP/CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2016 It seems to me things have come to rest and return to a harmonic state on the Ian Boddy’s rather neo-classical oriented, symphonic infused “As Above so…
Release data: Various Artists – Winter-Light … That First Season CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Winter-Light, 2017 What I got here is an ambient compilation released by Dutch Winter-Light containing 16 exclusive, unreleased tracks by skilled composers hailing from all corners of the…
Release data: ASC – Truth be Told CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Silent Season , 2014 The fully beatless “Truth be Told”, the follow-up to James Clements excellent effort “Time heals all”, builds and expands slightly upon the themes and ideas explored on…
Release data: Max Corbacho – Nocturnes CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Silentsun, 2017 “Nocturnes” (the debut release on Max’s own label Silentsun, created exclusively for his solo albums from now on) is the first episode of a trilogy with night landscapes as a…
Release data: Altus – Sleep Theory Volume 3 DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2017 This third installment in Altus’ Sleep Theory series (published about four years after the previous volume) contains the extended sessions 7, 8 and 9, all carefully molded…
Release data: Kevin Braheny – Lullaby for the Hearts of Space MC/CD, Hearts of Space/Valley Entertainment, 1980/1991 For the first time ever on cd, “Lullaby for the Hearts of Space” is commercially available for the first time since its cassette-release…
Release data: Three-Six (36) – Tomorrow’s Explorers EP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, 3Six Recordings, 2017 The four-track “Tomorrow’s Explorers”, the follow-up to 36’s 2015 Ep “Sine Dust”, again draws inspiration from the endless themes of space while giving a beautiful free form ambient…
Release data: Rudy Adrian – Sequencer Rarities CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2017 “Sequencer Rarities” is a collection of six lone and special tracks composed between 2000 and 2007 that (unfortunately) never made it to any of the albums released by…
Release data: Chris Russell – Labyrinth CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2017 Meant as an audio soundtrack for circling to the center of oneself, the spacious, slow evolving, subtle shapeshifting and overtly subdued soundscapes making up each of the six…
Release data: Gandalf – Visions 2001 CD, Sony Music , 2000 It was somewhere in the year 2000, Austrian sound magician and multi-instrumentalist Heinz Strobl (aka Gandalf) looked back on 20 years as a recording artist and decided to record…
Release data: John Kerr – Embracing the Inevitable CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2016 Facing a life-threatening disease and suffering from the severe physical and mental consequences of it has been what John Kerr’s life has been all about the last…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Cerulean Skies CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2017 From Gregory Kyryluk I learned the fundamentals and framework for “Cerulean Skies” were already laid out somewhere in the later 1990s. Most of the albums music,…
Release data: James Johnson & Stephen Philips – Lost at Dunn’s Lake CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Zero Music, 2001 Created for continuous playback, “Lost at Dunn’s Lake” contains one 62-minute ambient sojourn James Johnson made with Dark Duck label-owner Stephen Philips. It’s…
Release data: Javi Cánovas – Exile DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2016 The four-track “Exile” is a jolly nice and solid album full of spatial, multi-layered sequential electronics accompanied by vintage textures. The musics dynamic and lovely pulsating yet circular patterns…
Release data: James Johnson & Robert Scott Thompson – Forgotten Places CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Zero Music, 2001 Next to his solo releases, ambient composer James Johnson also collaborated with several other musicians (such as Vir Unis and Stephen Philips) which resulted…
Release data: Van Zyl, Gulch & Rath – The Sound Museum CD, Groove Unlimited , 2001 The classic electronic and Berlin School-based music featured on the 74-minute “The Sound Museum” hails back to the late ‘80’s when Chuck Van Zyl,…
Release data: James Johnson – Linger CD-R, Mp3.com/AtmoWorks, 2000 “Linger” contains the live performance of James Johnson as played at The Ambient Ping 2000. This purveyor of tranquil ambient performed some great mood music, taking the whole concept to a…
Release data: James Johnson – Unity CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Zero Music, 1998/2016 “Unity” is the debut album by ambient composer James Johnson, of which the music at the time of its initial release was compared with Steve Roach’s releases “Quiet Music”…
Release data: James Johnson – Surrender CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Zero Music, 1999 With his second album “Surrender”, ambient composer James Johnson presents an even smoother sound compared to his debut “Unity”. The outcome is a nice introspective album that combines elements…
Release data: Forrest Fang – Following the Ether Sun CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projektt, 2017 Besides synthesizer, violin and an assortment of hand-based percussion instruments, Chinese-American sound-sculptor Forrest Fang also plays some far lesser known and uncommon stringed instruments on “Following the…
Release data: Silentwave – Kilauea CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Hiss Noise Records, 2017 On the 31-minute dronescape “Kilauea” (the youngest and most active Hawaiian shield volcano), Yoshinori Noguchi expresses the beauty of nature in the first half while the second one reflects…
Release data: Tangerine Dream – Particles CD-EP, Eastgate, 2016 “Particles”, the third release in The Quantum Years series, contains two cupdiscs in cardboard sleeve featuring a mixture of previously unreleased studio (Muon; 52 minutes) and live material (Tau; 36 minutes).…
Release data: Gert Emmens & Ruud Heij – Urban Decay CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2014/2016 The six tracks Gert Emmens & Ruud Heij created for “Urban Decay” were mainly based on and inspired by their well-accomplished performance at the Dutch…
Release data: Boreal Taiga – Polar Reflections DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Wayfarer Records, 2016 Here’s (finally!) a very nice opportunity for all ambient fans out there get to know Norwegian’s Boreal Taiga’s sophisticated sound art whose work is dedicated or inspired by…
Release data: F.D. Project – Timeless II CD, Private Release, 2016 “Timeless II” (which actually has a loud sound level) saw the light of day exactly 10 years after the first album from 2006. This second chapter features a lot…
Release data: Brian Eno – Reflection CD/LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Warp Records, 2017 It’s time to submerge in some tranquil soundscapes again. Fans that enjoyed Mr Eno’s long form ambient bliss such as “Thursday Afternoon” and “Neroli” will encounter a similar aural…
Release data: Altus – Below the Root DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2017 Since I got to know the music of Altus it’s been evident for me many -if not all- of his releases feature a lovely cinematic, imaginary and deeper…
Release data: Steve Roach – Spiral Revelation CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2016 Since a couple of years I’ve found it very hard and too demanding to keep up with the high speed of Steve’s releases. Besides serious time constraints to…
Release data: Hecq – Night Falls CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Hymen/Ant-Zen, 2008/2016 This deep listening recording is not for the faint of heart. Nocturnal, neo-classical, semi-orchestral and dark cinematic mood music (including a passage with abstract/experimental hooks on “Dis”) is on the…
Release data: Steve Hauschildt – Strands LP/CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Kranky, 2016 With “Strands”, Cleveland-based composer Steve Hauschildt presents his listeners a fascinating analogue trip into spacey and surreal ambient landscapes without wandering in darker territory. The album is a song cycle…
Release data: Sverre Knut Johansen – Antarctica DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Origin Music, 2016 This is a concept album containing contemporary and quite joyous, at times even neo-classical-infused, electronic music dedicated to and inspired by the vulnerable Antarctic region that’s under attack…
Release data: Spyra/Lang – Achtundsechzig 24 (Live@Toskana-Therme) CD, Manikin Records, 2003 With this release the duo Spyra/Lang has come up with a fine work of long form, sequencer-driven and rather trancy Berlin School music carrying the spirit of both vintage…
Release data: Jim Ottaway – Timeless e-Motion CD, Groove Unlimited, 2009 The title of this album wants to reflect the ‘almost’ endless motion of life along some of the emotions that we experience as we go through life’s journey. As…
Release data: AirSculpture – Vanishing Point Volume Two CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2016 This follow-up to Volume 1 features the music played live in concert at The Gatherings 2011 concert in Philadelphia USA. What strikes quite a bit is the…
Release data: Nothing but Noise – eXistence Oscillation Past CD/DIGITAL DOWWNLOAD, Wool E-Discs, 2016 The Belgian Wool-E label has coined Belgian NeuMusik (Belgian ambient, Berlin School and other experimental-instrumental EM) to label Nothing but Noise’s album “eXistence Oscillation Past”, the…
Release data: Mathias Grassow – The Nightquest Sessions CD, Gterma, 1998/2016 Looking at the range of releases on Gterma its clear label owner John Rehn is an avid fan of the darkening ambient-drone works of German musician Mathias Grassow. This…
Release data: Ulrich Schnauss – No Further Ahead Than Today CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Scripted Realities, 2016 This album is a kind of journey down memory lane as the impact of the nine complex and emotive songs making up “No Further Ahead…
Release data: Various Artists – Spheric Music: Silver CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spheric Music, 2016 With the compilation album “Silver”, Lambert Ringlage’s label Spheric Music celebrates its 25th anniversary offering ten exclusive tracks by established and forthcoming artists on the label. The…
Release data: Bruno Sanfilippo – Piano Textures 4 CD/LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, AD21 Music, 2016 “Piano Textures 4” sees a continuation of Mr Sanfilippo’s journey through refined electro-acoustic aural realms. It contains nine narrative compositions of intense piano minimalism, treatments, field recordings…
Release data: Serge Devadder – Ganda CD, Groove Unlimited, 2016 At first glance, “Ganda” (Gent), of which the most part was recorded live in concert during Cosmic Nights in spring 2016 and taken straight from the mixing desk, seems to…
Release data: M. Persson – Sounds: Hydra DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2015 Some may know I’m an avid and long-time fan of well-made textural and ambient-space music. Back in 2007, I got to know the fine sound art of “Strange…
Release data: Nautic Depths – Submental Vol. 1 CD-R, Private Release, 2012 On their first chapter in the Submental series, ambient duo Thomas Weiss and Mathias Grassow take us on a minimal and deep journey inward. The 50-minute uninterrupted outcome…
Release data: Johannes Schmoelling – A Thousand Times part 2 CD, Viktoriapark, 2016 Six years after its initial release, Johannes Schmoelling (joined by Jonas Behrens on a few tracks) brings us a second batch offering a mix of styles but…
Release data: Vidna Obmana – Eternal Circulation DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 1993 I can be brief about the music on this release, referred to as a “soundtrack composed for a never-materialized art installation”. It was made in the period when…
Release data: Tom Eaton – IndeSterren (Into the Stars) CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, River Wise Records, 2016 Those music fans out there enjoying the intimate, emotive ambient musings of Jeff Pearce, Tim Story and Patrick O’Hearn should take notice here. Tom Eaton…
Release data: Arrocata – Moments of Grace CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Sonoran Winds Music, 2011 The sonic content of Arrocata’s “Moments of Grace” is a mix of atmospheric Roach-like desert ambience and reflective/melancholic aural paintings. In both, emotive currents and streams are…
Release data: Zanov – Green Ray CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 1976/2016 The mid seventies experienced the emergence of electronic music from the progressive soundscapes with those (short) keyboard solos or before unheard sound effects evolving into interesting full length albums.…
Release data: Remy – Fears CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Deserted Island Music, 2016 After five years, Dutch accomplished synthesist Remy Stroomer hereby presents us his new solo: the concept album “Fears”. Remy didn’t take the easy road for this one, expressing the…
Release data: Peter Baumann – Machines of Desire LP/CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Bureau B , 2016 I must confess I’m impressed the way Peter Baumann has been able to implement and continue the style of his fine 1979 classic “Trans Harmonic Nights”…
Release data: ASC – Fervent Dream CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Silent Season, 2015 A beautifully rendered and overtly tranquil soundscape journey through time and space is what’s found on ASC’s “Fervent Dream”. James Clements, aka ASC, has outdone himself another time by…
Release data: Rudy Adrian – Coastlines CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2016 “Coastlines” can be regarded as sister album to Rudy’s previous album “Atmospheres”. The range of reflective ambient soundscape music making it up are mainly works composed between 2000…
Release data: Seetyca – Nemeton CD, Winter-Light, 2015 Seetyca’s recording “Nemeton” is named after and/or inspired by a sacred space in ancient Celtic tradition, primarily situated in natural areas, often sacred groves of trees. It’s recommended to all who love…
Release data: Vangelis – Rosetta CD/LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Decca, 2016 With “Rosetta”, dedicated to ESA’s Rosetta probe Mission, Vangelis finally offers us an album fully made with synthesizers. Since 2014, three tracks presented through ESA’s YouTube channel had been floating around,…
Release data: The Elf Machine & Vir Unis – Tokyo Highway CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, AtmoWorks, 2004 Here’s a work that has affinity with the fractal groove releases of Steve Roach, Vir Unis and the collaborative works they did together. “Tokyo Highway”…
Release data: Baffo Banfi & Matteo Cantaluppi – Frontera CD, AMS Records, 2016 Some older EM-fans might have wondered whatever happened to Italian musician Giuseppe ‘Baffo’ Banfi, who’s also former keyboard player of the Italian progressive rock band “Un Biglietto…
Release data: Purl – Deep Ground CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Silent Season/Eternell, 2011/2014 What I got here is a minimalist ambient-dub release by Ludvig Cimbrelius, aka Purl, which I believe is his second album on the Canadian Silent Season label. “Deep Ground”…
Release data: Secondface – In the Distance DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2016 The five tracks making up “In the Distance” were played live in the studio with an organic approach in mind and only minimal editing to it afterwards. In…
Release data: Altus – Innerspace DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2016 Canadian ambient composer Mike Carss, aka Altus, started out on “Innerspace” with his mind set to write something very slow-moving, very ambient/ignorable in nature. It turned out a bit different…
Release data: Nostalgia – Beyond Horizon CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Practicing Nature/DataBloem, 2007 With Nostalgia’s third album “Beyond Horizon”, German composers Rüdiger Gleisberg and Mathias Grassow present a new, more differentiated chapter of slow morphing and evolving deep ethno-ambient music with occasional…
Release data: AirSculpture – Doom Bar CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2009 “Doom Bar”, recorded at a band retreat in Cornwall in the spring of 2008, is totally commited to abstract and more experimental ambient music lacking any of the band’s…
Release data: Vir Unis & James Johnson – Easting CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, AtmoWorks, 2004 “Easting” is another live-in-the-moment piece of long form ambient, featuring deep atmospherics and minimal organic-flavored drift textures. It was made in the heydays when both composers were…
Release data: Gert Emmens – The Last Alien CD, Groove Unlimited, 2016 To record the music of “The Last Alien”, Dutch synthesist Gert Emmens challenged his skills once more, this time selecting some old pre-MIDI synths only that are (and…
Release data: Frank Specht – Sebastian im Traum CD, Invisible Shadows, 2000 All familiar with the popular German band Rainbow Serpent will know Frank Specht is one half of it. Mr Specht first heard “Audentity” by Klaus Schulze in 1983,…
Release data: Lightwave – Nachtmusik CD, Erdenklang, 1990 It’s time for something special. After some privately released cassettes, French duo Christoph Harbonnier and Christian Wittmann (aka Lightwave) made their official debut in the electronic music scene with “Nachtmusik”. The latter…
Release data: Ascendant – Source Transmission CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 Some cool, contemporary and fresh downtempo electronics make up “Source Transmission”, the full-length debut of Chris Bryant and Don Tyler who both hail from California’s Bay Area. Their 73-minute,…
Release data: Spyra – Etherlands CD, Fax Records/Ambient World, 1999 “Etherlands”, dedicated to all pirate radio stations, is one of the well-made albums by German synthesist Wolfram Spyra. Its music merges elements of Berlin School and ambient-techno in a most…
Release data: Free System Projekt – Protoavis CD, Quantum Records, 2004 On “Protoavis”, Dutch trio Marcel Engels, Frank van der Wel & Ruud Heij (aka Free System Project), take the listener back to the vintage sound featured on TD’s classics…
Release data: Jacques Roman – Mélodie Boréale MC, Private Release, 1986 In 1986, Jacques Roman (co-founder and main synthesist of the French band Pulsar), released “Mélodie Boréale”, a cinematic, keyboard-based work of tranquil, harmonic-atmospheric and rather introspective-oriented music. It’s the…
Release data: Andy Pickford – Terraformer CD, Centaur Discs, 1994 In the mid ‘90’s, Andy Pickford was part of the league of talented and successful UK synthesists producing highly attractive and varied song-like, sequencer-based EM. It stood out for its…
Release data: Rick Miller – Starsong MC/CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Vital Body Marketing/Private Release, 1984 “Starsong” is a classic electronic spacemusic album by Canadian composer Rick Miller. Originally called “Limberlost” and initially only released privately on cassette, “Starsong” came about in or…
Release data: Steve Roach – Shadow of Time CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2016 The aural musings making up “Shadow of Time” mark another return to Roach’s style heard on his classic recordings “Structures from Silence” and “Quiet Music”. We’re talking…
Release data: Scann-Tec – Facial Memories CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Celestial Dragon Records, 2010 I agree the cover coming with this release is absolutely awfull and doesn’t match with the well crafted down-tempo music featured inside. It remains the only flaw though.…
Release data: Solar Fields – Reflective Frequencies CD, Ultimae Records, 2001 Vibrant, fresh and contemporary electronics with an overall deep sound that inspire ones imagination is what’s on the menu on “Reflective Frequencies”, the debut album of Solar Fields (aka…
Release data: Mathias Grassow – The Darklight Quest CD, Gterma, 1998/2016 Mr Grassow’s “The Darklight Quest” comes with an “explicit warning” printed on the backside of the booklet “Ambient Nocturnal Expanding Thought”. This line sums up most accurately what the…
Release data: Various Artists – Star’s End 30th anniversary (anthology cd) CD, Private Release, 2007 Fans (especially those living in the USA),loving atmospheric ambient and Berlin School inspired cosmic music may be familiar with Chuck van Zyl. The latter is…
Release data: Suzanne Ciani – Seven Waves LP/MC/CD, Finnadar/Victor/Seventh Wave, 1982 “Seven Waves”, expressing the composers love for and fascination with early electronic instruments along a mystically bonding to the sea, was Suzanne Ciani’s first commercial album. Not only took…
Release data: Peter Miller – The Violet Flame CD, Archon Music, 1993 Peter Miller is an Australian sound designer, musician and digital image artist whose sonic artistry at first reminded me of the abstract ambient paintings by Andrew Thomas Wilson…
Release data: Kurtz Mindfields – The Dreaming Void LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Nuage 7 Production, 2016 The 41-minute “The Dreaming Void” by Kurtz Mindfields (aka French synthesist Jean-Luc Briançon) is meant as homage to early Berlin School EM. The outcome sees him…
Release data: Detlef Keller – The Breakfast Event CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Manikin Records, 2016 This album contains the continuous 46-minute live set (and one of his rare solo concerts) performed by German synthesist Detlef Keller at the Schallwende EM-Breakfast in December…
Release data: Pollard/Daniel/Booth – Volume 7 DIGITAL DOWNLOAD/CD-R, English Electronic Music Company, 2016 This disc features two lengthy pieces: a studio take from March 2009 and the last concert Pollard/Daniel/Booth played at UK’s Awakenings festival in September 2010. The 24-minute…
Release data: Tim Story – Glass Green LP/CD/MC, Windham Hill Records, 1987 Painter of introspective sonic miniatures is a description that fits well to American composer Tim Story. The mood and feel of “Glass Green”, presenting a lovely interplay of…
Release data: Purl – Evighet DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Eternell, 2016 “Evighet” is an Ep by Purl, aka Swedish composer and producer Ludvig Cimbrelius. The four atmospheric, minimalist-ambient dub/techno tracks feature warm, fluid, light-melodic soundscapes set in motion by deep but calming…
Release data: Sine Amplitude – Hypnotized CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, BI-ZA Records, 2016 Sine Amplitude hails from Germany and is made up by Torsten M. Abel, aka TMA (synthesizer, sequencer and programming), Andreas Aulke (drums, cajon and percussion) and Martin Rohleder (acoustic-…
Release data: Altus – The Sun Will Rise Tomorrow (Singles Collection Vol. 3) DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2016 With this almost 80-minute compilation, Mike Carss comprises six tracks written between 2011 and 2015 that were contributions to various netlabel compilations…
Release data: Jos D’Almeida – Awaken CD, caPe Recordings, 2014 Jos d’Almeida is a musician hailing from Setúbal, Portugal, who studied at the Regional Music Conservatory in the same town. d’Almeida has always been driven to music for electronic environments…
Release data: The Gateless Gate – Oceans are moving from the Arctic to the south reflecting the light DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2016 Allister Thompson’s “Oceans are moving…” is a 65-minute atmospheric and serene ambient journey with tasty use of…
Release data: Shaded Explorer – Empatia CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Silent Season, 2016 Like in every subgenre of music, there are lots of mediocre recordings floating around. When it comes to electronic ambient-dub, Italian composer Emanuele Pertoldi (aka Shaded Explorer) is one…
Release data: Kurtz Mindfields – Journey Through the Analog Adventure CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Nuage 7 Production, 2015 Kurtz Mindfields is a vintage synth project by Lyon-based synthesist Jean-Luc Briançon who started out as a jazz player initially. Nowadays he works for…
Release data: Radiant Mind – Sense CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, The Periphery/Timeroom Digital, 2012 The title “Sense” is most appropriate to this debut release by US artist Radiant Mind, which no other than Steve Roach helped nurture into being with skilled production…
Release data: Sequentia Legenda – Amira CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2015 Sequentia Legenda (aka Laurent Schieber), hereby presents another Berlin School oriented work with lots of emotional currents and sensitivities at its core. “Amira” (a tribute to the composer’s future…
Release data: Sabled Sun – 2145 CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Cryo Chamber, 2012 Sabled Sun is a dark, post-apocalyptic and futuristic ambient endavour by Swedish composer Simon Heath (aka Atrium Carceri) started in 2012. The highly cinematic and expansive ambient-drone project features…
Release data: Jaja – Stellaris CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Cyan Music, 2016 With “Stellaris”, German synthesist Jana Rockstroh presents her first double album, once more featuring imaginary space music that (like all predecessors) was recorded live-in-the-moment. Next to the subtle female touch…
Release data: Various Artists – Musique Intemporel – Bernd Kistenmacher, Mario Schönwälder, Rolf Trostel LP/CD, Timeless Sounds/Titan, 1988 It’s time for another trip down memory lane. We’re back in the year 1988 when Bernd Kistenmacher made the decision to release…
Release data: John Kerr & Ron Boots – Juxtaposition CD, Groove Unlimited, 2015 “Juxtaposition” is the long-awaited follow-up to the duos most successful release “Offshore Islands”, a landmark made 25 years earlier. The highly accessible, neo-classical/symphonic and occasional even romantic…
Release data: Filter-Kaffee – 100 CD-EP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Manikin Records, 2016 From the start of the 45-minute “100”, which compiles tracks from 2009-2016, it is clear Frank Rothe and Mario Schönwälder stick to their trade mark of contemporary and overall moody…
Release data: Hemisphere – Beyond the Darkness CD, Cue Records NL, 1996 Most of Hemisphere’s recordings have a strong cinematic impact, and “Beyond the Darkness” by the combo Ralph Knappe-Heinbockel and Thorsten Reinhardt is no exception. Although kicking off with…
Release data: Radio Massacre International – Knutsford in May CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Centaur Records, 1997 “Knutsford in May” captures a concert of Goddard, Dinsdale and Houghton live on stage, the one they did in May 1996 at Jodrell Bank Space Research…
Release data: Radio Massacre International – Republic CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Centaur Records, 1996 The UK-trio that caused a blast with their debut “Frozen North” hereby presents another winner, lining up very nicely next to to TD’s “Phaedra”, “Ricochet” and “Encore”. In…
Release data: Vauxia Errante – Primigenia DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Altera Orbe, 2013 The 75-minute “Primigenia” is a highly-atmospheric piece of dark ambient art. It’s a continuous ride tapping deep in the primordial soup, in that respect connecting with Mr Errante’s “La…
Release data: Vauxia Errante – La Création du Monde DIGITAL DOWNLOAD EP, Altera Orbe, 2013 The 22-minute “La Création du Monde”, mastered by Ran Kirlian, is the third instalment in the Woomh EP series which involves Altera Orbe artists. The…
Release data: S1gns of L1fe – Branches in the Sky CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Arecibo Records, 2013 The emotive music of “Branches in the Sky” is a five track EP (40 minutes in length) picking up the sonic trail where the debut…
Release data: J. Arif Verner – From a Distant Horizon CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2005 The imaginative ambient magic of John Arif Verner has proved to be most satisfying on his previous albums “A Vision beyond Light” and “Through…
Release data: Perge – Aural Coefficients witin a Fractal Plane (The Secret Tapes Volume 1) CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2016 This time around, the duo Getty and Stringer (aka Perge) has focussed the almost 80 minute outcome on the sound…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Kinetic CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2016 Contrary to his previous soundscape and ambient efforts, AWM’s “Kinetic” sees a switch toward melodic, happy sequencing and more uptempo electronic excursions drawing on classic EM sound…
Release data: J. Arif Verner – A Vision beyond Light CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 1996 Multi-instrumentalist, J. (John) Arif Verner, one of the many accomplished musicians within the Spotted Peccary stall, published his debut album “Clear Colors” in 1988.…
Release data: Syn – The Glass Bridge DIGITAL DOWNLOAD/CD-R, Private Release/SynGate, 2001/2013 Syn’s album “The Glass Bridge” contains three long cosmic pieces from 2001, all featuring those lovely and captivating sounds that are characteristic for and so much appreciated from…
Release data: J. Arif Verner – Through the Timeless CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2000 “Through the Timeless” is the second album from this American ambient-composer turning out even better than his much acclaimed “A Vision beyond Light” also published…
Release data: Steve Roach & Robert Logan – Second Nature CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2016 “Second Nature”, a work of processed grand piano and synth textures, was released simultaneously with the duo’s “BioSonic”. Sonically, it’s a totally different story though…
Release data: Jim Ottaway – Southern Cross CD, Private Release, 2016 Jim Ottaway is a composer, producer and studio performer residing at the Gold Coast hinterland of Queensland, Australia who has have released 23 independent albums in his homeland. The…
Release data: Serge Devadder – Cambrian CD, Private Release, 2014 Spacious ambient textures, loops, minimalist patterns, subtle sequencing and some treated guitar are the elements making up “Cambrian”, the first full-length album by Belgium sound artist Serge Devadder, who now…
Release data: Vanderson – Anything can happen CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, SynGate, 2010 I can be brief about the set of cosmic music featured on “Anything can happen”, as the nine tracks are another example of Vanderson’s style where melodic contemporary electronics…
Release data: Transceive – Exit to Nowhere CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Alles Klar Productions, 2016 As far as I know, the previous Transceive-recording happened in 2011 when Steve Nelson released the digital ep “The Circe Complex”, of which the title track would…
Release data: Kloob – Solid Foundations CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Relaxed Machinery, 2016 Making ambient soundscape music is one thing, but giving it captivating impact and emotional depth is another matter. Kloob, an ambient project founded in 2010 by Spanish composer Daniel…
Release data: Michael Stearns – The Soft Touch of Morning Light DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Earth Turtle Music, 2015 While being absorbed in many movie and documentary projects around the globe in the last couple of the years, sound artist Michael Stearns…
Release data: Stratosphere – Rise CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Reecords, 2016 I must confess I was rather reluctant to check out this album as I knew Ronald Mariën was very into heavy, harsher sounding distorted guitar drone music and abstract sound…
Release data: E-Musikgruppe Lux Ohr – Tonwald MC/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Sea State, 2016 With this album, Finnish quartet E-Gruppe Lux Ohr started to document live performances of their Kosmische Musik inspired work. “Tonwald”, a C-90 tape which has the same content…
Release data: Three-Six (36) – Pulse Dive EP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, 3Six Records, 2015 The ambient work of Dennis Huddleston has always been intriguing to my ears, which again proves to be the case for his EP “Pulse Dive”. The title track…
Release data: Csillagköd – All the Time CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2016 “All the Time” sees a further extension and refinement of the nicely shaped cosmic and amorphous worlds explored on the Csillagköd-debut “Silent World”. To my ears, the…
Release data: Harald Grosskopf – Synthesist LP/CD, Sky Records, 1980 “Synthesist”, the debut by German composer Harald Grosskopf, is one of those cult releases from the golden synth era. It’s an accessible, melodic outing of early synth-pop songs with Mr…
Release data: Aes Dana (feat. Miktek) – Far & Off CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ultimae Records, 2016 This album contains all tracks of the three previously released EP’s “Cut”, “Alkaline” and “The Unexpected Hours”. It started to take shape after a long…
Release data: Heavenly Music Corporation – Consciousness III CD, Silent Records, 1994 Let’s journey back to the mid ‘90’s and the techno-ish/chill-out made then. On “Conciousness III”, composer Kim Cascone has found a way to blend chill-out with trance and…
Release data: Various Artists – Sounds of a Universe Overheard CD, Hypnos Recordings , 2007 The music released on the Hypnos label isn’t the usual cup of ambient, as it most often features rather abstract, psychedelic and experimental-angled works not…
Release data: Peter Challoner – Livescapes_3 Sono Luminarium CD-R, Ambient Sound Projects, 2015 The 60-minute composition making up “Livescapes_3 Sono Luminarium” is a commissioned piece for the “Arboria” Luminarium by the architects of air, Nottingham, May 2015. The outcome is…
Release data: Mike Griffin & Dave Fulton – The Most Distant Point Known CD, Hypnos Recordings, 2000 The 66-minute “The Most Distant Point Known” is an analogue/digital frenzy composed by Mike Griffin (founder of the Hypnos label and member of…
Release data: Hemisphere – Intruders CD, Cue Records NL, 1995 The first impressions of the cd artwork and the sonic content of “Intruders” are rather dark but not uninviting. The 70-minute instrumental journey features narrative compositions that address gothic flavoured…
Release data: Von Hallgath – Intersection CD-R EP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2013 German composers Jörg Erren and Jochen Schöttler founded von Hallgath in Spring 2013 as a side project next to Erren-Fleissig-Schöttler-Steffen for their live and improvised music. The 37-minute…
Release data: Schiller – Tal des Himmels CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Universal, 2016 While he stayed at Sky Valley, California, German musician Schiller composed an additional album for the Ultra-Deluxe-Edition of “Future”, which is inspired by and dedicated to the power of…
Release data: Zanov – Open Worlds CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Zanov Music, 2016 It is not unusual to put an idea or project on hold with the intent of returning, but when the gap is a three decades long musical hiatus there…
Release data: Steve Roach – Emotions Revealed CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt, 2016 The music on “Emotions Revealed” is actually “lost” music from the early ‘80s, made just prior to “Structures from Silence”. During that period, Mr Roach was still finding his…
Release data: Matthew Florianz –Nocturne – Soundtrack for science briefings DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 “Nocturne” is the first in a series of specials on science’s unsolved mysteries for which the composer remixed and re-sequenced the music from documentary soundtrack.…
Release data: Bouvetøya – Interstellarphonic CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, SynGate, 2014 From Ireland hails another aural vehicle inspired by vintage ‘70’s electronic music. Bouvetøya is the brainchild of one Michael Jones who says he creates his art live in the studio, working…
Release data: Andre Alvarez – Luna MC, Private Release, 1995 Music created in the moment using no computer, sequencer, tapes nor any form of Midi technology. All this applies to the debut album “Luna” of German composer Andre Alvarez, who…
Release data: Suzanne Ciani – The Velocity of Love LP/MC/CD, RCA/Private Music/Seventh Wave, 1986 Created during the formative years of adult contemporary instrumental music, Ciani’s second release “The Velocity Of Love” is a example of gentle melodic and classical arrangements…
Release data: John Sobocan – A Soft Circle CD, DataBloem, 2012 When talking about secluded, Eno-esque ambient soundscapes, John Sobocan’s “A Soft Circle” fits that description very well. The quiet and gently blended textural musings encountered on all 12 tracks…
Release data: Jaja – Sparkles CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Cyan Music, 2016 Jana Rockstroh’s 46-minute “Sparkles” sees a continuation of quiet and sensitive soundscapes inspired by the cosmos. The trail of mystery and wonder as well as the huge distances encountered in…
Release data: Heavenly Music Corporation – In the Garden of Eden CD, Silent Music, 1993 The rather transcendental music with organic undercurrent contained on “In the Garden of Eden” was created for the Space Age Lounge, a techno-mystical chill room…
Release data: Ascendant – New Land DIGITAL DOWNLOAD EP, Private Release, 2014 Ascendant is a project by US-based electronic music producers Chris Bryant (aka S1gns of L1fe) and mastering engineer Don Tyler (aka Phase47 / IO Mastering). Their debut Ep…
Release data: Liquid Mind – XI: Deep Sleep CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Real Music, 2016 Ten years earlier to this album, Liquid Mind’s album “Sleep” saw the light of day. At that time, and with any release following after that, Chuck Wild…
Release data: Simon Lomax – An Ember Glows DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Council of Nine, 2016 Since composer Simon Lomax started releasing music under his own name he has been able to refine his creations on levels of introspection and expansiveness. He…
Release data: Ishqamatics – Spacebound CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, …txt, 2013 Ishqamatics is Lee Anthony Norris (aka Metamatics, Autumn of Communion and owner of the …txt label) and Matt Hillier (aka Ishq). “Spacebound”, their third full-length effort, is a continuous 10-track ride…
Release data: S1gns of L1fe – Language of the Ancients CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2013 S1gns Of L1fe is Chris Bryant, a skilled ambient producer hailing from California’s Bay Area. He’s also one half of the ambient group Ascendant along…
Release data: Irezumi – Thirty CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2016 Seven years after his impressive debut “Endurance”, the Em-scene sees the return of Paris-based musician Manuel Mesdag, aka Irezumi. “Thirty” –dedicated to his late brother – collects nine most personal…
Release data: Cymphonic – Dimensionata CD, DataBloem, 2013 Since he started composing music, Dutchman Stanley Swinkels (aka Cymphonic) has found his own way in the genre of organic-spiced, minimal-flavoured and subtly moulded ambient music. The 11-track “Dimensionata” is a quieting…
Release data: Simon Wilkinson – Cryosleep Dreams DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2015 Simon Wilkinson is a UK-based composer for film, TV & documentary who composed a collection of atmospheric and imaginary space music for “Cryosleep Dream”. Being an avid fan…
Release data: Paul Ellis – Breathing Space DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 “Breathing Space” features two long form pieces (“Breathing” and “Space”) which were created after Mr Ellis finished “Wrapped In Silence”. They were shelved as they were both too…
Release data: Robert Schroeder – Floating Music LP/CD, Innovative Communications/Racket Records, 1980 The cosmic music that was released in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s has a special significance and flavor to many. German composer Robert Schroeder jumped on that wagon around…
Release data: Perge – Green Dessert CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 Where do you end up when you’re able to distil and do a re-interpretation of the essence of Tangerine Dream’s music laid down in the mid 70’s and early…
Release data: Chihei Hatakeyama & Dirk Serries – The Storm of Silence CD, Glacial Movements, 2016 “The Storm of Silence” is a soundscape recording by Chihei Hatakeyama, a Japanese sound artist and musician living on the outskirts of Tokyo, and…
Release data: Stefan Erbe & Steve Baltes – S-thetic CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Erbe Music, 2015 Intelligent, contemporary and energizing are the key words for “S-thetic”, a fine debut album by Stefan Erbe & Steve Baltes. The 70+ minute recording contains the…
Release data: Phobos – An October Evening CD-R/DVD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLO, Private Release, 2015 Since I’ve been following the nicely crafted atmospheric works of Phobos, David Thompson has been offered several opportunities to perform at UK’s Awakenings festival. If I’m not mistaken,…
Release data: Various Artists – Digiseeds CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ultimae Records, 2015 “Digiseeds” is the first in a series of conceptual compilations compiled by Czech artist Lubos Cvrk aka Ambientium. The outcome is a 66-minute dreamscape and playground which sees 11…
Release data: Kitaro – Daichi / (From the) Full Moon Story LP/CD, Zen/Polydor/Geffen, 1979 This album sees a further continuation of the cosmic space sound explored on the composer’s debut-release “Ten Kai/Astral Trip”. Present once more are tribal drums/percussion and…
Release data: Robert Schroeder – Dream Access CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spheric Music, 2015 With “Dream Access”, Robert Schroeder stays close to his signature sound, playing lush solos and creating melodic/moody spheres without getting the least complicated. It’s nice though to see…
Release data: Navigator – Northern Consequence CD, Invisible Shadows, 2000 What got here is the debut album by the band Navigator (aka Tony Anderson, Kent Eskildsen and Jens Peschke, presenting their brand of energetic and spiralling electronic music. The spicy…
Release data: The Roswell Incident – Adrift CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2015 This album is the start of a new series or trilogy featuring further highly atmospheric and cinematic music by the Belgium duo Koen and Jan Buytaert. The soundscape…
Release data: Paul Ellis – Wrapped in Silence DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2010 For “Wrapped In Silence”, containing one 58-minute piece, Paul Ellis set up all his keyboards with various string pad sounds and dialed in every sound to fit…
Release data: Numina – Dreamsleep CD-R, Private Release, 2000 The title of this album may suggest tranquil and relaxed music from start to end, but the start proves much more active and upfront sounding. “Dreamsleep” features 13 ambient tracks, kicking…
Release data: René van der Wouden – Stargazer CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, REWO Records, 2015 It’s been a while since I reviewed an album by Dutch synthesist René van der Wouden, so I’m glad to investigate one of his recent endeavours. “Stargazer”,…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Harmonic Currents CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2015 Travels to the coastlines of Southern Oregon and Northern California along the hypnagogic lure of the vast ocean were the inspiration for Gregory Kyryluk to create…
Release data: Altus – Komorebi DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2015 “Komorebi”, a Japanese word describing sunlight filtering through foliage, sees Altus return with another fine nature-inspired release for which he applied similar composition techniques from the Elements-series. The chosen concept…
Release data: Edgar Froese – Pinnacles LP/CD, Virgin Records, 1983 Being fascinated by the outback found in Western Australia, Edgar Froese named his fifth album after strange stone figures found in Western Australia, north of Perth. Sonically, “Pinnacles” lines up…
Release data: The Grey Encounter – State of Decay CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2015 Since 2013, The Grey Encounter (aka UK synthesists Xan Alexander and Phil Booth) starting building a nice collection of gloomy, spacious and dark sound collages, only…
Release data: Pyramaxx – Distance CD, Private Release, 2015 Well, what a surprise to see this joined project-release of Axel Stupplich and Andreas Morsch (aka Pyramid Peak) accompanied by Max Schiefele (Maxxess). All are known as respected, successful and talented…
Release data: Eddie Jobson – Theme of Secrets LP/CD, Private Music, 1985 When we have a look at ’80’s synth albums, Eddie Jobson’s “Theme of Secret” is a most interesting and creative one. The 40-minute release, composed solely on the…
Release data: Harold Budd – The Room LP/CD, Atlantic Records, 2000 The core inspiration for this quiet album was drawn from a painting of the same name LA-composer Harold Budd encountered in the late ’80s. “The Room” eventually ended up…
Release data: Steve Roach – Ultra Immersion Concert CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Timeroom Digital, 2007/2013 In the summer of 2007, Steve Roach performed a 12-hour nocturnal concert at his Epona Range for a selected audience. Of the full set, a 2,5 hour…
Release data: Simon Lomax – 5 Textures CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Council of Nine, 2015 Dissolving and immersion in the beckoning silence of a foggy world would be an appropriate description in a nutshell for Simon Lomax’s release “5 Textures”. The spacious,…
Release data: Kitaro – Ten Kai/Astral Trip/Astral Voyage P/CD, Zen/Polydor/Geffen Records, 1978 After having joined the progressive Far East Family band, Kitaro decided to pursue a solo trip, starting with the spiritual, heavily synth-based “Ten Kai/Astral Voyage”. The latter proves…
Release data: Deborah Martin – Eye of the Wizard CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2015 More than once I’ve felt US-composer Deborah Martin was the female sonic equivalent of Austrian multi-instrumentalist Gandalf in a certain way. “The Eye of the…
Release data: Urenga – Pacific Depths CD, Gterma, 2015 This album, assembled from various recordings made between 2011 and 2013, extends on Urenga’s album “Mu”. Andras Kiss delivers another dedication to the beauty and wonders of the water element while…
Release data: Michael Padilla – Atmospheres (Ambient Works Vol. One) LP + CD, Fruits de Mer Records/Strange Fish, 2016 What I got here is a beautiful designed 40-minute ambient album (strictly limited to 400 copies) by one Michael Padilla, who…
Release data: Bob Holroyd – Blueprint CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Real World Works, 2015 What I got here is a 46-minute album with 14 cyclical ambient tracks, in part inspired by work in therapy, and in part by the creative process itself.…
Release data: Matthew Florianz – Tauern DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2008/2015 When we look at imaginative and narrative ambient, the works of Matthew Florianz always stir a different pair of emotive strings for me that I find rather hard to…
Release data: Paul Ellis – Listen Silent DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 The words in the title of this release use the same letters as well as being descriptive of the overall mood the outcome generates. For “Listen Silent”, composer…
Release data: Jonn Serrie – Flightpath CD, Miramar, 1989 For his second album “Flightpath”, Jonn Serrie didn’t want to repeat the concept of his debut-album “And the Stars go with you”. Instead, being an experienced pilot himself, he decided to…
Release data: Jaja – Starlight CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Cyan, 2015 The signature sound wrapped up in expansive freeform soundscapes as known from Jana Rockstroh’s previous album “Stellamare” are only present on “Starlight” to a certain degree. In 70+ minutes and four…
Release data: Andrew Lahiff – Quiet Correlations DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Pocket Fields, 2012 Serene, lush and gently morphing are the keywords applying to the nature-inspired/related outcome featured on “Quiet Correlations”, coined by the label as high-level primeval innerspace deep ambient. The…
Release data: Bryan Carrigan – Fall into Winter CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Peonies Music, 2015 The winter season has already inspired many electronic musicians to compose music, those in the ambient genre especially. With his sixth album “Fall into Winter”, accomplished American…
Release data: Von Hallgath – Easterfield DIGITAL DOWNLOAD EP, Private Release, 2015 von Hallgath is a side project of Jörg Erren and Jochen Schöttler, both members of the fine German quartet Erren-Fleissig-Schöttler-Steffen. “Easterfield” is a four-track EP with mature, Berlin…
Release data: Schiller – Die Einlassmusik 10 CD, Sleepingroom Musik, 2013 Schiller’s “Die Einlassmusik 10” is an eight-track album featuring music Christopher von Deylen composed to entertain his audience before the actual concert during his 2013 “Neue Klangwelten” tour. Contrary…
Release data: Syn – Valles Marineris CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2015 Cosmic music in the tradition of the ‘70’s German/Berlin style has seen many followers and faces. Syn, aka synthesist David T. Dewdney, gives things a go in a very…
Release data: Scott Lawlor – Daedalus DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Earth Mantra, 2015 The works of Scott Taylor fit the bill most satisfactory if you’re into imaginary and long form spacemusic. “Daedalus” is the soundtrack for a probe that was never build/designed…
Release data: Mindglide – Down the Light DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Altera Orbe, 2007/2012 “Down the Light” is the debut-release of Spanish synthesist Rafael De Julián Garcia aka Mindglide, which has been re-released in extended and remastered form by the Altera Orbe…
Release data: Markus Reuter & Zero Ohms – From Worlds Unseen A Light Yet Streams A Sound Replete CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Relaxed Machinery, 2015 Being a longtime fan of ambient space music I got to know and reviewed quite a lot…
Release data: Colin Rayment – Abstract Dimensions CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Syngate, 2015 On previous albums, London-based composer Colin Rayment already offered electronic music fans a fine collection of fresh, melodic and sequencer-flavored electronics of high quality. What’s unfolding on “Abstract Dimensions”…
Release data: Andrew Lahiff – Inner Worlds Returning CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Relaxed Machinery, 2012 I’ve been following the soundscape music of Andrew Lahiff for many years, which fits in the league of Robert Carty, Altus, Thom Brennan and alike. “Inner Worlds…
Release data: Erik Wøllo – Echotides CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2015 The atmospheric/cinematic and overtly relaxed music which Mr Wøllo offers on the 43-minute EP “Echotides” will suit all who love Erik’s contemplative ambient style and expansive textural outings. The…
Release data: Audiometria – Submúltiplo CD-R, el Hombre Bala Records, 2015 The idea for this album emerged while Javi Cánovas and Miguel Justo were improvising at a couple of meetings. It made them realize they could actually record a full…
Release data: Various Artists – Enfold 01 DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ultimae Records, 2014 The free of charge compilation “Enfold”, a 24-bit studio master, celebrates the 15th anniversary of the Lyon-based Ultimae label, a collection of songs created with the idea of…
Release data: Solitaire – Nocturnes CD, Arya, 1997 “Noctures” sees a continuation of the minimal, tribal-infused ambient by the German duo Schulte/Gleisberg as known from previous works, but with a slightly livier vibe discernable between the Eastern-spiced drony tapestries and…
Release data: Justin Vanderberg – In Waking Moments CD-R, Hypnos Secret Sounds, 2007 My passion for gentle, well-rendered textural and highly emotive soundscape music made me track down this debut release by Justin Vanderberg, who left quite an impression on…
Release data: Arcane – Landers DIGITAL DOWNLOAD EP, Private Release, 2015 According to his Facebook page, a new synth and a good concept idea were the driving force for the 5 track/30 minute EP “Landers”, enabling Paul Lawler to finish…
Release data: Vir Unis – Stand still like the Hummingbird CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, AtmoWorks, 2009 The fractal groove creation, sophisticate percussive elements and progressive-atmospheric ambient sound design presented on “Stand still like the Hummingbird” all deliver a new chapter of imaginative,…
Release data: Bruno Sanfilippo – Upon Contact Reworked CD, ad21 Music, 2015 It has been done quite often, releasing an album containing reworked versions by other composers derived from an original composition. For “Upon Contact Reworked”, Bruno Sanfilippo invited Francesco…
Release data: Cosmic Ground – Cosmic Ground 2 CD/LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2015 From the start of this album it becomes clear this is a well rendered effort of and homage to TD’s signature sound from the “Ricochet”/ “Encore” era,…
Release data: Steve Roach – Etheric Imprints CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2015 After the analogue sequencer-outing “Skeletion Keys”, Steve Roach hereby returns to deeply expansive, emotive and contemplative electronic music comprised into four minimalist low volume tracks. Lots of reverb…
Release data: Carbon Based Lifeforms – World of Sleepers CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ultimae Records, 2006 Those in search for a piece of sonic magic have come to the right place with CBL’s second album “World of Sleepers”. In almost 80 minutes,…
Release data: Broekhuis, Keller & Schönwälder – Green CD, Manikin Records, 2015 “Green” sees a further continuation of the band’s “color-series”, featuring music played live in concert at their Repelen-venue and during rehearsals in 2015. The 73-minute release merges classic…
Release data: Numina – Through the Gate to Nowhere CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Relaxed Machinery, 2015 The continuous music contained on this evocative ambient recording is the culmination of material recorded over a two year timeframe, in which it was securely molded…
Release data: Optical Image – Moonchild CD, SoundArt Productions, 1998 “Moonchild” is an album continuing the signature sound of Dutch composer Tom Habes, aka Optical Image, has been developing of the years. The five pieces all have a positive air,…
Release data: Peter Challoner –Peter Challoner – Livescapes_Inception CD-R, Ambient Sound Projects, 2013 “Livescapes_Inception” contains two interconnected lengthy sonic innerscapes of 30 and 34 minutes each. Each ambient piece is a constellation of uninterrupted, slow morphing soundscapes that trigger the…
Release data: Three-Six (36) – Void Dance CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, 3Six Records, 2015 It’s time for change, as Dennis Huddleston (aka 36) has tried his hand on incorporating more melodic flavors and a slight song-like approach in the ambient and symphonic…
Release data: Steve Roach & Vidna Obmana – Well of Souls CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 1995 “Well of Souls”, actually the first fully-realized duo project by Steve Roach and Vidna Obmana (aka Belgium-based composer Dirk Serries), lines up perfectly when…
Release data: Stellardrone – Light Years DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Energostatic records, 2013 In my ongoing search for interesting ambient space music I ran into the music of Lithuanan composer Edgaras Žakevičius and his 6th album “Light Years”. On the menu are…
Release data: Vauxia Errante – Cambrian Spirits DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Altera Orbe, 2012 Vauxia Errante is a Spanish composer who was signed to the Altera Orbe label in the second half of 2012. His debut release “Cambrian Spirits” (on which he…
Release data: Jaja – Stellamare CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, CYAN Music, 2015 “Stellamare” (Sea of Stars) is the first physical release by Jana Rockstroh, who put herself on the map as accomplished space music composer since a couple of years. Similar to…
Release data: Frore & Shane Morris – Blood Moon CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music , 2015 Next to Steve Roach, the US-duo Frore (aka Paul Casper) and Shane Morris were also attracted and inspired by the solar eclipse, which led…
Release data: Time Being – A Place to Belong CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2015 Launched as a theme-continuation from their previous album, the music featured on “A Place to Belong” takes the next step into deep exploration of ambient…
Release data: Bertrand Loreau – From Past to Past CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spheric Music, 2015 According to Mr Loreau’s liner notes in the booklet, the outcome of 60-minute “From Past to Past” is his best effort to date to express his…
Release data: Rene de Bakker – Returning Winds CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 On your search for well-tempered Berlin School music the works by Rene de Bakker will surely please quite an audience, as it is well composed and structured.…
Release data: Akikaze – Blue Sky Events CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Criminal Records, 2014 Dutch composer Pepijn Courant, aka Akikaze, has been around in the electronic music scene for a very long time, 25 years if I’m not mistaken. Some might even…
Release data: Michael Stearns – Spirits of the Voyage CD, Earth Turtle Music, 2000 “Spirits of the Voyage”, soundtrack music from the same-titled documentary, features exotic, at times slightly mysterious-infused ambient music weaving native island songs and navigator chants from…
Release data: Steve Roach & Elmar Schulte – Ritual Ground CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Silent/Relic/Projekt Archive, 1993/2000 The electro-acoustic alchemy that ended up on “Ritual Ground” (originally released on the Silent-label in 1993 under the nom-de-plum Solitaire) was created in the period…
Release data: Numina & Zero Ohms – Broken Stars Through Brilliant Clouds CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2015 “Broken Stars Through Brilliant Clouds” is the first full-length collaboration of Jesse Sola (aka Numina) and Richard J. Roberts (aka Zero Ohms)…
Release data: AirSculpture – Graveyard Shift CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2015 This music on this 64-minute album hails back to 2006 when AirSculpture were over the pond visiting Philadelphia to play at The Gatherings concert series. The recording found here…
Release data: Parallel Worlds & Self Oscillate – World Adapter CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2015 “World Adapter” contains 10 modular improvisations taking the experienced ambient listener into the lands of electronic futurism and mellow IDM with a dash of controlled experimentalism…
Release data: Filter-Kaffee – 102 CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Manikin Records, 2015 Filter-Kaffee’s second album “102” came out on E-Day 2015, on which the duo Frank Rothe and Mario Schönwälder also performed parts of it live in concert. The tasty but short…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Concept of Motion CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 1998 Although AWM’s third album opens much more energetic, rhythmic and sequencer-driven on the first two pieces, the sophisticate soundscape ambient style heard on his previous releases…
Release data: Gert Emmens & Ruud Heij – Echoes From Future Memories CD, Groove Unlimited, 2015 After their beautiful excursion into the textural domain on “Signs”, the Dutch duo Emmens/Heij shifts back to the analogue, sequencer-driven soundworlds on “Echoes from…
Release data: SiJ & Sergey Gabbasov – Zhang Zhung CD, Gterma, 2015 What I got here is a Himalayan-inspired, slow evolving and grand sounding soundscape meticulously put together by Ukraine composer Vladislav Sikach (aka SiJ) and ethnomusicologist Sergey Gabbasov. The…
Release data: Max Corbacho – Splendid Labyrinths CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, ad 21 music, 2015 Since he started out releasing music in 1999, accomplished composer Max Corbacho had delivered the ambient community a very nice and consistent collection of highly spherical ambiences.…
Release data: Jorge Reyes – Bajo El Sol Jaguar CD, Opcion Sonica/Mexican Records/No-CD Records/Musiqu, 1991 “Bajo El Sol Jaguar” (Under the Sun of the Jaguar) is a key ethno-ambient release by Mexican multi-instrumentalist Jorge Reyes, who later on would team…
Release data: John Christian – Sol Invictus CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2015 On his fourth album “Sol Invictus”, Airsculpture-member John Christian invites his listeners to join him on a trip that features a good bunch of heavy sequencers. In the…
Release data: Steve Roach – Skeleton Keys LP/CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2015 “Skeleton Keys” is a labour of love for the analogue synth domain and one Steve Roach has been attracted to since he started composing in the late ’70’s.…
Release data: Michael Stearns – Music for the Dome DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Earth Turtle Music, 2016 This release containing selections from planetarium scores recorded over the last several years, had a long time coming. The outcome, all written to picture initially,…
Release data: Under the Dome – The Heavens CD-R, Cochlear Vision Records, 1997 “The Heavens” was the first cd-r of synthesist Grant Middleton as Under the Dome. It was originally recorded in 1990 on a Fostex X-26 four-track cassette. “The…
Release data: Tim Story – Abridged (Selected Miniatures 1979-1988) CD, Hearts of Space, 1991 One of the goals set by Tim Story is to evoke things in the listener that connect them to their own imagery and emotion. His music…
Release data: Michael Stearns – The Middle of Time CD, Earth Turtle Music, 2000 Sound artist Michael Stearns is an expert in composing ambient soundscapes that imagine the travel through time and space. On the 49-minute “The Middle of Time”,…
Release data: Erik Wøllo – Blue Radiance CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2015 From the first notes on this recording its clear Erik’s characteristic sound design has stayed the same, lining up easily next to the emotive instrumental music of e-guitars,…
Release data: Vir Unis – Dreamers at the Edge of Decaying Light CD-R, Private Release, 2001 This is the first album on John Strate-Hootman’s own label In the Bubble comprising a collection of atmospheric and ethereal music made in the…
Release data: Steve Roach – The Dream Circle CD, Soundquest/Timeroom Editions, 1994 “The Dream Circle” is the first recording in an ongoing series of 70+ minutes recordings intended for infinite playback. According to Steve website, the music was first experienced…
Release data: Steve Roach & Michael Shrieve – The Leaving Time MC/LP/CD, RCA, 1988 In the same time Roach’s ambient masterpiece “Dreamtime Return” was released, the rather forgotten “The Leaving Time” (referring to Steve’s trip to Down Under) saw the…
Release data: Leila Abdul-Rauf – Insomnia CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Malignant/Antibody, 2015 Isolationist drone music comes in various forms, but receives an even different treatment on the environmental ambient effort “Insomnia” by San Francisco-based multi-instrumentalist Leila Abdul-Rauf. The latter incorporates her ethereal…
Release data: Forrest Fang – Gongland CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2000 Being an avid fan of ethereal ambient music, the smooth shifting atmospheres and exotic-flavored textures found on Forrest Fang’s classic album “Gongland” is still a release to cherish in…
Release data: Sphäre Sechs – Enceladus CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Malignant Records, 2015 It’s time for another stride through the galactic netherworld where the darker elements meet, one solely created on analogue gear without the use of computers. The continuous 53-minute aural…
Release data: Sayer – Time Travelers DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2015 For this album, Sayer Seely spent a lot of effort in creating a work covered with a range of retro sounds referring to different periods in time. “Time Travelers”…
Release data: The Gateless Gate – Landslag Norður Íslands (The Landscape of North Iceland) DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 Like many other ambient releases, this is an album trying to capture the feel, wonder and hidden power of the landscapes…
Release data: Ishq – Seascapes CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Virtual, 2014 Here’s another fine album meant for low-volume listening. For the 7-track album “Seascapes”, Matt Hillier (aka Ishq) has come up with a set of imaginative and textural soundscapes backed by subtle…
Release data: Sensory ++ – Planet CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 Sensory++ is a Belgium electronic music project by Joost Egelie, who releases various albums under his own name previously. “Planet” is a concept album about the fragile relationship between…
Release data: Valley Forge – Leaving to Nothing CD, Private Release, 1995 From time to time, there’s electronic music that sounds highly original and rather weird at the same time. In my view, the Valley Forge debut album “Leaving to…
Release data: Optical Image – Interference CD, Soundart Productions, 1994 The instrumental synth-orchestral music featured on Tom Habes second album as “Optical Image” shows the same sound signature as his debut album, but delivered in a more thoughtful and better…
Release data: Australis – Adrift CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Essential Noises, 2014 All Australis albums I’ve heard until now have been graced with many emotive components and a core that celebrates the wonders of life. “Adrift” though took shape in a period…
Release data: Howard Givens & Craig Padilla – Life Flows Water CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2015 “Life Flows Water” was performed one week after Craig Padilla gave several solo performances in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and Seattle, Washington. All these…
Release data: Simon Slator – Magellan DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 “Magellan” is a 30-minute concept album inspired by the Arthur C. Clarke’s book “The Songs of Distant Earth” and the album of the same name by Mike Oldfield (along…
Release data: Todd Fletcher – Star CD, Arya, 1996 A lot of quality stuff can be found in the genre of ambient soundscape music next to loads of mediocre and amateurish work. This 1996 release by Arizona-based composer Todd Fletcher…
Release data: Todd Fletcher – Byzantium CD/CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 1994/2002 “Byzantium” was originally put out as a real cd, and saw a re-release as the fourth cd-r album on the Mr Fletchers own Microrelease label (which appears defunct now).…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – System A CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2015 The beauty, mystery, grandness and awe of the solar system have been an inspiration for many albums by Gregory Kyryluk’s project Alpha Wave Movement, founded in…
Release data: Audiometria – Somewhere CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 Audiometría is the synth-duo Javi Cánovas and Miguel Justo. Both musicians already know each other since the mid ‘80s, but it took until spring 2014 before they founded Audiometria eventually.…
Release data: Alio Die & Parallel Worlds – Elusive Metaphor CD, Hic Sunt Leones, 2015 Compared to the duos previous recording “Circo Divino”, the listener will run into a much more ambient-oriented outcome on “Elusive Metaphor”. Then again, the sonic…
Release data: Johan Agebjörn – Notes LP/CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Paper Bag Records, 2015 Those who know the previous music of Johan Agebjörn (Swedish songwriter and producer of Sally Shapiro) will hear a different sound on “Notes”. The almost drumless 47-minute album,…
Release data: Dave Bessell – Black Horses Of The Sun CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2015 The title of Mr Bessell’s second album comes from a Navaho myth about the sun: each day the sun rides across the sky on a horse,…
Release data: Erren – Fleissig – Schöttler – Steffen – Ouddorp Tapes CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 This debut release of the German quartet started the journey of alchemy where good old Berlin School style was executed and graced with…
Release data: Phillip Wilkerson – Wondrous Encounters CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 “Wondrous Encounters” invites you to an imminent world of gentle sonic streams offering a collection of space music, atmospheres, and soundscapes suitable for stargazing, cosmic sightseeing or cloud…
Release data: Arcane – Revenants DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 Cinematic and progressive retro-power is just one of the thoughts that crossed my mind when I sat down and had a focused listen to the sonic narrative “Revenants”, Mr Lawler’s…
Release data: Javi Cánovas – Eunomia DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2015 Canary Islands based synthesist Javi Cánovas kicks off 2015 with a work of sonic art showing resemblances of his 2009 release “In this moment, in this place”. Four long…
Release data: Polaris – Way Out CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ricochet Dream, 2014 The 55-minute album “Way Out” contains tracks which aka Polaris (aka Polish synthesist Jakub Kmieć) recorded between 2009 and 2013. The energetic, in-your-face “Entrance” already makes a great kick-off…
Release data: Ian Boddy – Slide CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2008 The electronic music found on the upbeat, abstract-oriented “Slide” is pure and definitely of analogue origin, featuring the usual gear-suspects like the massive Roland 100-M and Doepfler A-100 systems. One…
Release data: Deborah Martin – Under the Moon CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 1995 Deborah Martin is one of the talents within the Spotted Peccary community who would create an atmospheric ambient world of her own in later years. Previous…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – The Edge of Infinity CD, Groove Unlimited, 1997 Thoughtful yet subtle ambient with a distinct mysterious angle would be a appropriate description in a nutshell for the music making up “The Edge of Infinity”,…
Release data: Simon Slator – The Lake DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 “The Lake” is the first brand new release by UK composer Simon Slator (who some might know as Cold Sun) after an 8-year break.The digital-only ambient release contains…
Release data: Brian Eno – The Shutov Assembly CD, Opal Records, 1992 Dedicated to Russian artist Sergei Shutov and his fine art installations, the outcome on this album hails back to Eno’s thoughtful ambient explorations from the mid ’70’s. On…
Release data: Hemisphere – Early Reflection 1980 – 1990 CD, Cue Records, 1997 This album of previously unreleased material came out in a period a lot of retrospective recordings by others saw the light of day. Still, I find it…
Release data: Andy Pickford & Paul Nagle – S.T.D.M. – Ramayana CD, Neu Harmony , 2002 UK’s Jodrell Bank Planetarium has been a venue where quite some electronic music live concerts have taken place in the last few decades. It’s…
Release data: Dedast – Banished From The Realm DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Cosmicleaf Records, 2013 “Banished From The Realm” is a relaxed trip into emotive ambient music, revealing a range of minimalist and neo-classical elements along cinematic farscapes.The contemporary, overtly transparent sound…
Release data: Tangerine Dream – Josephine the Mouse Singer CD-EP, Eastgate, 2014 I’m not a follower of the big names anymore since 1,5 decade or so, but now and then try to scratch the surface on a few releases here…
Release data: Jaja – Endless DIGITAL DOWNLOAD EP, CYAN Music, 2014 Jaja is Germany female synthesist Jana Rockstroh, who plays, arranges and records all her inspired ambient space music live in the moment. The outcome always consists of emotive sound…
Release data: Phillip Wilkerson & Chris Russell – Vague Traces CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2014 Harmonic and multi-dimensional music roaming gently through vaporous, tranquil spheres is an apt description for this album by synthesists Chris Russell and Phillip Wilkerson.…
Release data: Dweller at the Threshold – Full Boundary Condition CD, Quantum Records, 2004 All who missed out on the original DATT’s albums “No Boundary Condition” (1996) and “Generation-Transmission-Illumination” (1998) can simply catch up by buying the 3-cd set “Full…
Release data: Rene de Bakker – Rene de Bakker CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2012 Rene is a previous member of the band AKS and currently one half of the Dutch EM retro project Beyond Berlin. It won’t be a surprise…
Release data: Dweller at the Threshold – Generation – Transmission – Illumination CD, Eurock , 1998 On their debut album “No Boundary Condition”, Dweller at the Threshold (DATT) already proved they could expand very nicely on the classic analogue music…
Release data: Dilate – Octagon CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Hypnotic Records, 1997 Dilate’s fine space/ambient effort “Cyclos” already made quite an impression on me, so what a surprise to learn Victor Wulf was able to raise the quality bar even higher with…
Release data: Steve Roach & Jorge Reyes – The Ancestor Circle CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2014 Here’s a shamanic recording from the vaults using material recorded before Reyes’ death in 2009, sonically hailing back to the times of Suspended Memories,…
Release data: Rainbow Serpent – The 8th Nerve CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Manikin Records, 2005 For “The 8th Nerve”, Frank Specht and Gerd Wienekamp (aka Rainbow Serpent) have created a very fine sonic alchemy of exiting contemporary electronics, featuring a great pulse…
Release data: Dilate – Cyclos CD, Cleopatra Records, 1996 Dilate is an ambient project by musician and sound explorer Victor Wulf, who previously collaborated in the experimental/industrial project Vampire Rodents. His 77-minute debut “Cyclos” (quite a rare find these days)…
Release data: Asura – Radio Universe CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ultimae Records, 2014 According to Ultimae’s press release, the 78-minute “Radio Universe” is as a musical odyssey that presents a renewed vision of the seventies space music legacy. I agree to that,…
Release data: Skoulaman – Dreaming of the Future reflecting the Past CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 The aftermath of leaving the Dutch Berliner School-trio AKS was a very hard and frustrating period for Hans “Skoulaman” van Kroonenburg. Most importantly, he…
Release data: Javi Cánovas – Axiom DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 In the process of shaping and composing the music for “Axiom”, Javi Cánovas eventually ended up with 14 shorter pieces, all offering a variety of pads and sequencers spreading…
Release data: Erik Wøllo & Bernhard Wöstheinrich – Weltenuhr CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2014 This album is the duos second collaborative effort that contains lots of “Wøllo characteristics” if I may say so. The 11-track release offers mellow, groovy oriented music…
Release data: René Splinter – Frames CD, Groove Unlimited, 2014 After listening to “Frames”, I’m impressed by the confident attitude and the solid way this Dutch composer has accomplished this nice follow-up on his very strong and successful album “Modern…
Release data: Ashra – @shra & @shra vol. 2 CD, MG.Art, 2008 This double-cd features remastered versions of the original albums “@shra” (1998) and “@shra vol. 2” (2002). These contain the dynamic live performance by Manuel Göttsching and his trusted…
Release data: Rhea – November Stars CD-R, Rhea Music, 2006/2013 Here’s another archival recording of analogue-oriented harmonic cosmic music composed by Mark de Wit, which sonically lines up very nicely to his other releases despite its more rhythmic, pulsating character.…
Release data: Project Andrew Rotten – En Passant CD, Private Release, 2005 The musician behind Project Andrew Rotten (not an attractive name for a band if you ask me) is German synthesist Andreas Morsch, who some will know as one…
Release data: MorPheuSz – Tantalizing Thoughts at the Dawn of Dreams (Chapter Two) CD, Groove Unlimited, 2014 With their album “Tantalizing Thoughts at the Dawn of Dreams”, the four experienced musicians making up MorPheuSz have added a strong and upfront…
Release data: Steve Roach – Bloodmoon Rising DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 The online-exclusive “Bloodmoon Rising” consists of a series of new pieces specially created in the last few days leading up to the second lunar eclipse in 2014 on…
Release data: Seetyca – Lieder Zum Summen CD, Gterma, 2014 The ambient music I’ve heard so far from German soundartist Seetyca has always fitted in the darker, mysterious category, so what a surprise to see him explore the lighter, uplifting…
Release data: Vidna Obmana – Passage in Beauty CD, Decade/Relic, 1991/1995 “Passage in Beauty” is one of the privately released limited edition albums by Dirk Serries (aka vidnaObmana) that saw the light of day at the start of the ’90’s.…
Release data: Riechmann – Wunderbar LP/CD, Sky Records, 1978 “Wunderbar” is the one and only solo album of the late German synthesist Wolfgang Riechmann, who’s known best for his collaborations in the bands Phönix, Neu!, and Streetmark. Influences of the…
Release data: Phrozenlight – Starlight CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ambientlive Records, 2007 “Starlight” is my first encounter with the ambient music of Dutch composer Bert Hulshoff aka Phrozenlight, although the latter has established quite a lengthy catalogue by now, solo and in…
Release data: Scott Lawlor – Neptune DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, earthMANTRA, 2014 During the years, the fine earthMANTRA netlabel has already brought lots of interesting ambient/space artists to my attention. “Neptune”, subtitled “the Mystical Blue World”, is the second release on this…
Release data: Liquid Mind – Relaxing Rain & Ocean Mixes CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Real Music , 2014 Those of you out there familiar with the previous releases of Chuck Wild, aka Liquid Mind, know his output fits into the new age…
Release data: Mank – Gutta-Percha DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Manky Music, 2013 In the notes to 52-minute “Gutta-Percha”, composer Ben Powell (aka Mank) states the majority of the ambient music was written on a Canadian icebreaker on the Beaufort Sea north of…
Release data: Cousin Silas – The Sound of Silas CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, WAAG, 2014 Cousin Silas is the nom de plume of UK-composer, producer and self-proclaimed “sound alchemist” David Hughes. He has describes his music (which he has created since 1996)…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Horizons CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2014 According to the composer, the music on the contemporary instrumental album “Horizons” was recorded over a period of years and then assembled into a much more fluid…
Release data: Dan Pound – Life Giving CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, PoundSounds, 2014 “Life Giving” (coined as nocturnal space music by the composer) is a release filled with lush, tranquil, smooth soaring and drifting ambient music centred on the living spheres. The…
Release data: Bryan Carrigan – Inspired CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Peonies Music, 2014 The sonic trail running smoothly through Bryan Carrigan’s fifth album “Inspired” radiates a positive and uplifting message. The latter refers to finding inspiration in everyday life, go with the…
Release data: Phobos – Sector Four DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 Fans of the music of Phobos don’t have to worry about the character and mood of the music contained on his fifth album, as “Sector Four” sees a nice…
Release data: Vangelis – Rapsodies LP/CD, Polydor Greece, 1986 “Rapsodies” is the second full-length album by Vangelis and Greek actress Irene Papas, of which a large part of the music was recorded around 1982 in Vangelis’ famous Nemo (home) studio…
Release data: Vidna Obmana – The Spiritual Bonding CD, Extreme Records, 1994 As stated in the cd-booklet, the album title highlights the gathering and spiritual communication between the various musicians involved in the outcome: Steve Roach (who also did the…
Release data: Tuu – The Frozen Lands CD-EP, Amplexus, 1999 The 20-minute cd-ep “The Frozen Lands” contains a set of three solo pieces using gongs, metal instruments and electronic processing and sampling of their sounds. The 8-minute title track kicking…
Release data: Jason Sloan – To Cross the River of Light CD-R, Grey Area/Zero Music, 2001 I came to know this American ambient musician though the (now deceased?) Zero Music label of James Johnson. The packaging makes one think of…
Release data: Three-Six (36) – Dream Tempest CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, 3Six Records, 2014 The intrinsic drone world of textures and soundscapes found on the first half of 36’s sixth album “Dream Tempest” offers a lighter (or maybe brighter might suit better)…
Release data: Optical Image – Another Treasure Point CD, SoundArt Productions, 1997 With this album, Tom Habes reflects on the music of his successful debut “Treasure Point”, delivering a fine melodic outcome. While sticking close to and re-interpreting the original…
Release data: Matthew Florianz – Jaren CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, H/S Recordings, 2006 Here’s a fine ambient recording celebrating the beauty, momentum and special meaning of each of the four seasons taking place during the year cycle. “Jaren” was released in 2006…
Release data: Hemisphere – Outdoors CD, Cue Records, 1994 On his third album “Outdoors”, Ralph Knappe-Heinbockel (aka Hemisphere) presents both rhythmic-driven, melodic pieces along free form ambient compositions. Once again, I feel Ralph is at his best on his non-rhythmic…
Release data: Synaesthesia – Desideratum CD, Hypnotic/Cleopatra, 1995 What I got here is the second album of the duo Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber, aka Synaesthesia, offering a massive 140 minute work of sonic art. Although it starts out cool…
Release data: Robert Fox – Blue Mountains Suite CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Fx Music, 1993 The sweeping and majestic music making up “Blue Mountains Suite”, the third album by UK-synthesist Robert Fox, takes its inspiration from a three week journey to Australia…
Release data: Temps Perdu? – Earth Story CD, Amplexus, 2000 According to the electro-organic outcome of their previous albums “Athanor” and “Terra Incognita”, depicting the mysterious, the remote, the fascinating (and the even surreal) impact of desert ambiences has become…
Release data: Michael Stearns & Ron Sunsinger – Singing Stones CD, Hearts of Space/Fathom, 1994 Those having a knack for deep, organic and tribal ambient music will find much of their liking on “Singing Stones”, which has a way of…
Release data: Christopher Franke – The London Concert CD, Varese Sarabande/Sonic Images, 1993 “The London Concert” by ex-TD member Chris Franke features his one and only live performance after he left Tangerine Dream. On the occasion in October 1991, Mr…
Release data: Robert Rich & Lisa Moskow – Yearning CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Hearts of Space/Fathom, 1995 After her contribution to one track on “Propagation”, Robert Rich invited American sarod-player Lisa Moscow for his full-length “Yearning”. Most of the sounds on “Yearning”…
Release data: Nacht Plank – Echo Ark CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, …txt Recordings, 2014 Nacht Plank, one of the monikers of Lee Anthony Norris, explores the deeper end of the ambient genre. “Echo Arc” is a work of sonic art filled with…
Release data: Erik Wøllo – Tundra CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2014 The atmospheric music on the 5-track/30-minute EP “Tundra” lines up to the contemporary sounding outcome featured on Erik’s full-length “Timelines”. At the same time though, it incorporates traditional world…
Release data: Can Atilla – Concorde CD, Groove Unlimited, 2005 With the 79-minute “Concorde”, Turkish composer Can Atilla brings another fine collection of vibrant and melodic music. It’s inspired by the legendary Concorde airplane and the critically acclaimed contemporary works…
Release data: Simon Lomax – A Glimmer of Memory CD/LP, Txt Recordings/Private Release, 2014 First a few words of the composer on this ambient work of art, taken from his website/SoundCloud page: “I’ve often thought about the way that we…
Release data: Peter Challoner – Livescape_2 Alternating Frequencies CD-R, Ambient Sound Projects, 2014 The second installment in the Livescape series was recorded live in the studio in real time in February 2014 with no additional overdubs. The nine interlocking tracks,…
Release data: Robert Rich – Propagation CD, Hearts of Space, 1994 “Propagation” is a concept album about biology and the many elements of life, a sonic metaphor for “the miraculous process of living”, the spreading of genetic material across the…
Release data: Michael Stearns – Sacred Site CD/MC, Hearts of Space, 1993 Capturing the power, beauty and magic from all kind of inspiring places around the world into compelling music has always been the cornerstone of accomplished US-composer Michael Stearns.…
Release data: Pertti Grönholm – Winterplanet CD, Orogo Sound, 2013 “Winterplanet” is an intimate electro-acoustic and seasonal travelogue into the extreme cold weather conditions encountered in subarctic environments, in this case the homeland of Finnish composer Pertti Grönholm. Between 1997…
Release data: Steve Roach – The Delicate Forever CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2014 Composing ambient music depicting a desert environment is one of the specialties fitting under the belt of Steve Roach for many years. For “The Delicate Forever”, Roach…
Release data: Within Reason – Farshadow CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Periphery/Anodize, 2014 “Farshadow” will be last release for Gregory Kyruluk in 2014 after quite a list of releases under his monikers Within Reason or Alpha Wave Movement in recent times. His sonic…
Release data: Various Artists – Phra Rahu CD, Gterma , 2014 Due to the persistence of label owner Johan Rehn, the beautifully designed compilation album “Phra Rahu” (the mythical god of darkness) has made the light of day after quite…
Release data: Alpha Lyra & MoonSatellite – Live in Nancy 2013 CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, PWM Distribution, 2014 What I got here is a double album comprising two concerts that took place on March 9 and 10 2013 in Nancy, France, performed…
Release data: Rüdiger Gleisberg & Mathias Grassow – Ad Lucem CD, Gterma , 2014 German composers Rüdiger Gleisberg and Mathias Grassow have been friends for over 25 years. Besides having their own solo careers, they also joined forces in various…
Release data: Circular – Moon Pool CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ultimae Records, 2014 With “Moon Pool”, Circular (aka Bjarte Andreassen and Jostein Dahl Gjelsvik) have delivered another fine chilled-out ambient journey to please the ears. By the means of contemporary electronics and…
Release data: Urenga – Mu (The Lost Continent) CD, Gterma , 2014 “Mu” (dedicated to the great unknown of the Pacific Ocean, strongly refusing to be charted and explained) is a sonic travelogue by Andras Kiss (aka Urenga). It features…
Release data: Craig Padilla – Sonar LP, Fruits de Mer Records, 2014 “Sonar” is Craig Padilla’s the second album for the Fruit de Mer label, released as limited edition double LP colored vinyl. It’s a compilation of recordings by Craig…
Release data: Loren Nerell & Mark Seelig – Tree of Life CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2014 All who love in-depth ambient journeys through sound with a profound sense of world music will probably know some individual works of Loren Nerell…
Release data: Fanger & Schönwälder – Analog Overdose 5 CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Manikin Records, 2014 For the music on the 77-minute “Analog Overdose 5” (a kind of cityscapes caught in electronic music) the duo Fanger & Schönwälder has teamed up with…
Release data: Derelict Thoughts – Autumn Moon CD, Groove Unlimited, 2014 What I got here is the second full-length ambient project by Ron Boots after “Too Many Secrets”, but released under a new moniker: Derelict Thoughts. All who know Ron’s…
Release data: Enterphase – Solar Promenades CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, AD Music, 2004 When we talk about fine space music from the USA, we should now forget about the cosmic voyages undertaken by Fred Becker and Jeff Filbert, aka Enterphase. Ten years…
Release data: Earthstar – French Skyline LP/CD, Sky Records/MI Records, 1979 “French Skyline” is one of those EM classics that should not remain unmentioned on my site. It came out on the legendary Sky Records label but after twenty years…
Release data: Uwe Reckzeh – Mirror Images CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mellowjet Records, 2012 Since I discovered the music of German composer Uwe Reckzeh, I have come to the conclusion the sequencer-driven outcome of this talented musician is certainly worth a listen.…
Release data: Altus – Excursion Three DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Earth Mantra , 2014 This recording, originally planned for release in 2011, marks the final chapter in Mike Carss fine “Excursion”-series. “Excursion Three” contains three sonic journeys with lush, melodic, slowly moving…
Release data: Geoffrey Downes – The Light Program LP/CD, Geffen Records , 1986 Being a fan of quite some symphonic/rock music as well, I thought it a good idea to reflect a bit on this album, which the composer released…
Release data: Javi Cánovas – Hidden Path CD, Groove Unlimited, 2014 I for one think it great to see a Cánovas-album again as a factory-pressed cd after a large list of digital-download only and cd-r releases. On this 70-minute/six track…
Release data: Michel Genest – Crystal Fantasy LP/CD, Sona Gaia Productions, 1984 “Crystal Fantasy” is the first album by French-born musician Michel Genest (but living in the USA now), labelled as visionary synthesizer music. The 45-minute outcome is overall soothing,…
Release data: Simon Slator – Piano in the Rain DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Webbed Hand Records, 2014 “Piano in the Rain” is a long form piece based on a composition of the same name which the Simon Slator (known previously as Cold…
Release data: Gandalf – To Another Horizon LP/CD, WEA Records, 1982 For the music on the 48-minute release “To Another Horizon”, Heinz Strobl has assembled a fine selection of skilled musicians (on bass, drums, flute and grand piano/organ) to accompany…
Release data: Evan Marc – Emotional Ecology CD, Psybooty Records, 2007 “Emotional Ecology” is the debut by Evan Bartholomew using the Evan Marc moniker for this tech-house recording of melodic dub Its goal is to bring a sense of the…
Release data: Pete Namlook & Tetsu Inoue – Shades of Orion CD, Fax, 1993 “Shades of Orion” (which would see another two volumes) may be a good starting point when you’re in the mood of some trippy ambient electronics. The…
Release data: Ulrich Schnauss – A Strangely Isolated Place CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, City Centre Offices/Domino, 2003 This album is the follow-up to Ulrich’s excellent “Far Away Trains Passing By”. It’s a release with a bittersweat current of melancholy sweeping between the…
Release data: Terra Sancta – Exile CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Malignant Records, 2014 Terra Sancta is the alias of Australian dark ambient Greg Wood, who hereby delivers his second full-length album on Malignant Records after an eight year hiatus. The 58-minute freeform…
Release data: Under the Dome – Dome Roots Collection CD-R, Cochlear Vision Records, 2003 This special cd contains eight tracks of which five have already been released on the limited edition UTD cd-r “The Earth”. The focal point on this…
Release data: Far East Family Band – Parallel World LP/CD, Nippon Columbia, 1976 In the discography of this band, “Parallel World” is exceptional album, not only as Masanori Takahashi (aka Kitaro) was part of this psychedelic/prog band, but also due…
Release data: Tangerine Dream – Quinoa CD-EP, VOLT Records, 1992 “Quinoa” is a 28-minute Ep by Tangerine Dream that initially came out in 1992 on VOLT Records as a limited edition of 1000 copies issued by the TD International Fan…
Release data: Under the Dome – Bellerophon CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Neu Harmony, 2002 It would take four years after their stellar debut “The Demon Haunted World” before Under the Dome’s launched their second studio-album “Bellerophon” (Electronic Tonalities). The latter, launched on…
Release data: Bertrand Loreau – Spiral Lights CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spheric Music , 2014 The music compiled on “Spiral Lights” reflects on the so-called “Sequences” compositions which Bertrand Loreau used as musical background during live performances. Sonically, the eights nostalgic and…
Release data: Christopher Franke – Klemania CD, Sonic Images, 1993 All those that experienced a huge disappointment after hearing the soothing, new-age musings on Franke first solo-album “Pacific Coast Highway” can rest assured on what’s on “Klemania”. On the latter,…
Release data: The Gateless Gate – Near North DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 The sonic travelogue “Near North” is a 70-minute release by Ontario-based composers Allister Thompson and Teri-Lynn Janveau. The goal of the narrative music is to sonically express…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Archaic Frontiers CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2014 The cover of this album depicts a similar environment and sphere as the one Chad Kettering used for his last release. But when it comes down…
Release data: Ian Boddy & Erik Wøllo – EC12 DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2014 “EC12” is a download-only release containing the music played live at the Electronic Circus festival in the autumn of 2012. The album though starts out with three…
Release data: Vangelis – Antarctica OST LP/CD, Polydor , 1983 An impressive and emotive sonic painting of vast landscapes of snow and ice, that’s what found on the Vangelis recording “Antarctica”. The latter is the 45-minute soundtrack to the 1983…
Release data: Gandalf – Journey to an Imaginary Land LP/CD, WEA Records, 1980 Here’s another journey down memory lane. “Journey to an Imaginary Land” is the fine instrumental debut by Austrian multi-instrumentalist Heinz Strobl (aka Gandalf) that would kick-off a…
Release data: Richard Bone – Vertical Life CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Quirkwork Laboratories, 2014 Every album of Richard Bone is an adventure into new, ambient aural and out of the ordinary sound worlds and composing styles. “Vertical Life”, melodic surreal ambience for…
Release data: Ethernet – Tanuki Dreams CD, Gterma, 2014 Ethernet is a project by Portland-based sound designer Tim Gray. Most of the hypnotizing, atmospheric and spacious outcome of “Tanuki Dreams” has been collected from the best tracks that appeared previously…
Release data: Karl Bartos – Communication CD, Home Records, 2003 “Communication” is the debut solo album under his own name by ex. Kraftwerk-member Karl Bartos, although he released several albums using the moniker Elektric Music previously. Sonically, the synth-pop of…
Release data: Dan Pound – Eros Thanatos CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 The ambient sonic art displayed on Eros has maintained the improvements already notable on Dan’s previous album “Spherical”. According the press-info, the outcome on “Eros Thanatos” is based…
Release data: Steve Roach – Structures from Silence (30th Anniversary 3-CD) CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2014 Like the Roach-album “Quiet Music”, “Structures from Silence” is a classic for any listener who wants to submerge in a world of synthetic velvet…
Release data: Roger Eno – Between Tides LP/CD, Opal Records, 1988 The intimate moods found on Roger´s excellent debut “Voices” are continued on “Between Tides”, though it musically connects to contemporary chamber music simultaneously. While having Michael Brook producing the…
Release data: John Lyell – Reflection of Time CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 The fact that Minneapolis-based composer John Lyell has decided to devote more time to write and record ambient music has led to a rather quick follow-up to…
“The Fire and the Rose” is the second official album by Robert Fox, and a great follow-up to his highly acclaimed debut “Asfafa”. It’s a special album is many aspects, sonically and thematically, as it followed in the same year…
Release data: Bruno Sanfilippo – Clar0scuro CD, AD21 Music, 2014 Since quite some years, the piano has played an important part in the music of composer Bruno Sanfilippo. On “Clar0scuro”, he takes the next step in contemporary instrumental chamberrmusic, on…
Release data: Kitaro – Oasis CD, Pony Canon/Polydor/Domo Records, 1979 I’ve never been an avid Kitaro-fan, but have been quite fond of the releases Japanese composer Masanori Takahashi made at the end of the ‘70’s, “Oasis” being one of them.…
Release data: Pascal Languirand – De Harmonia Universalia LP, Minos/Polydor, 1980 I personally feel “De Harmonia Universalia” is still the best album by Canadian/French composer Pascal Languirand before he would be drawn into New Age territory and wrapped-up in the…
Release data: Djen Ajakan Shean – Crows Heading For Point Blank CD-SINGLE, Amplexus, 1995 Djen Ajakan Shean is the pseudonym of a Belgium artist who contributed to the album “Parallel Flaming” of vidnaObmana (aka Dirk Serries), but who fell off…
Release data: David Tollefson – New Eyes on the Universe CD, Hypnos Recordings, 1998 US-based ambient guitarist, David Tollefson is one half of Viridian Sun, a project he started in the ‘90’s with Hypnos label-owner Mike Griffin. On his first…
Release data: Rudy Adrian – Atmospheres CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2014 It’s been about four years since the previous cd of New Zealand-based ambient composer Rudy Adrian was released. Those fond of his earlier textural releases “Desert Realms” or…
Release data: Diatonis – Landscape of a Dream CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2003 Hypnotic, subtle, evocative and deeply meditative soundscape music is what “Landscape of a Dream” is all about. Stuart Kelley White, aka Diatonic, composed the music between 1984…
Release data: Phillip Wilkerson – Ways of Forgetting DIGITAL DOWNLOAD EP, Private Release, 2014 Slow, introspective soundscapes seem to have become the trademark of Phillip Wilkerson, who has work hard the last few years to further define and sculpture his…
Release data: Brendan Pollard & More – Collection Volume Three CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Acoustic Wave Records, 2013 The range of music found on this album is quite similar to those on “Collection Volume Two”. Again, the lengthier pieces on it are…
Release data: Suspended Memories – Earth Island CD, Hearts of Space/Fathom, 1994 “Earth Island” is the second and also last release by the trio Roach,Reyes and Saiz, which sonically complements its predecessor with another 50 minutes of dreamy and overall…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Celestial Chronicles CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2014 Despite a high speed schedule of new releases in recent years under various aliases, Mr Kyryluk always established to secure quality in there. “Celestial Chronicles” takes…
Release data: Erik Wøllo – Timelines CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2014 More than on any of his latest albums, Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Erik Wøllo here attempts to combine acoustic elements with electronic elements sophisticatedly, while arranging the outcome in a cinematic,…
Release data: Ash Ra Tempel – Friendship CD, Manikin Records, 2000 In the year 2000, Manikin label-owner Mario Schönwälder released this fine, fully instrumental album. Klaus Schulze and his Ashra Tempel band mate Manuel Göttsching go back a long way,…
Release data: Vidna Obmana – Echoing Delight CD, Extreme, 1993 For this ambient recording, released on the Australian Extreme label, we have to travel back to the first half of the ’90’s, to 1993 to exact. What still strikes me…
Release data: Brendan Pollard & More – Collection Volume Two CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Acoustic Wave Records, 2013 This is the second instalment on which Mr Pollard has assembled loose tracks which appeared in previous years on various samplers (such as the…
Release data: Red Planet Orchestra – We Breathe Together DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Path of Action Productions, 2014 Those familiar with the gentle and immersive cosmic music on the albums “Aurora Symphony” and “Secrets of Eternity” by the UK-project Red Planet Orchestra…
Release data: Patrick O´Hearn – Trust CD, Deep Cave Records, 1995 Patrick O’Hearn’s album “Trust” followed after a four-year absence of solo album recording, a period in which he moved from California to North Carolina and was wrapped-up in composing…
Release data: Otarion – Out of Eden CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mellowjet Records, 2013 After a break of nearly 10 years, synthesist Reiner Klein (aka Otarion) resurfaces with “Out of Eden”, his fifth release to date. Compared to his previous music the…
Release data: Krusseldorf – Fractal World DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2014 If you like to try something out of the ordinary within the ambient genre, try digging the profound and overtly peculiar psychedelic ambient musings making up the fourth album…
Release data: Vanderson – Another Day in Future CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mellowjet Records, 2013 Until now, none of the solo-releases by Polish synthesist Vanderson has been the least disappointing, which also goes for “Another Day in Future”. Mr Wierzchowski’s evolving vintage…
Release data: Secondface – Changes DIGITAL DOWNLOAD EP, Cold Fiction, 2014 Fans of dub-style ambient will be much pleased with this second EP of Frank Vilbæk Jensen aka SecondFace, released as free download on the Cold Fiction netlabel. The four…
Release data: Boreal Taiga – Glacia Form DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Wayfarer Records, 2014 Compared to his previous releases, JimDe hereby presents of his deeper ambient endeavors, taking his listeners into the icy splendor of slow moving glaciers. The concept album was…
Release data: Liveform – Take One, Volume 2 DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2013 Here’s the second chapter of archival recordings, nicely complementing the previously released volume 1. From the first track on it is clear the band’s melodic/sequenced music (still…
Release data: Beyond Berlin – Music for Cosmic Nights 2013 CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2013 Beyond Berlin is Martin Peters (on YouTube known as KeesVangelis) and Rene de Bakker (aka Attorks), who previously formed the Dutch trio AKS with a…
Release data: Brendan Pollard & More – Collection Volume One CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Acoustic Wave Records, 2013 British synthesist Brendan Pollard did quite some efforts looking through music that had been shelved for the last decade by whatever reason. This is…
Release data: Can Atilla – Hi Story CD, Groove Unlimited, 2011 I don’t know that many albums by Turkish musician Can Atilla, but I found out this one came out about six years after “Concorde”, his previous album on Groove…
Release data: Steve Roach – At the Edge of Everything CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2014 The live-album “At the Edge of Everything” travels back to the Dutch E-Live festival 2000, where Steve Roach performed (what he likes to refer to…
Release data: Vanderson & Rudź – Remote Sessions CD, Generator.Pl, 2014 Many who love the school of classic electronic music will probably be familiar with the highly attractive and successful works of Polish synthesist Vanderson (aka Maciej Wierzchowski), which is…
Release data: Ran Kirlian & Jaja – Cosmos Vol. 1 CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Altera Orbe, 2013 “Cosmos Vol. 1” (the first album in a series of electronic space-ambient dedicated to the magnificence of the universe and one of its biggest explorers:…
Release data: Rhea – The True Color of Titan’s Lakes CD-R, Rhea Music, 2008/2013 One’s at the right spot here if you’re an avid fan of ambient space music like I. A few decades ago, synthesist Mark de Wit already…
Release data: Alexander Saykov – Cold Front DIGITAL DOWNLOAD EP, Spaceal Orbeats Records, 2013 I received word about Mr Saykov’s EP “Cold Front” through the Gterma weblog, and was more than keen too investigate it as his album “Mistral” made…
Release data: Uwe Reckzeh – Virtual Minds CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mellowjet Records, 2013 On the 78-minute recording “Virtual Minds”, talented German composer Uwe Reckzeh moves closer to TD’s melodic, sequencer-driven music from the ‘80’s. His Berliner-School spiced album also features lots…
Release data: Pollard/Daniel/Booth – Six CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, English Electronic Music Company, 2013 The Berliner School music on “Six” is compiled from various studio sessions in 2009 and 2010, which saw the trio Pollard/Daniel/Booth having lots of fun with the large…
Release data: Phobos – One Moment Live DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2013 Like the previous Phobos-release, “One Moment Live” a live album recorded at UK’s Awakenings all dayer festival, but now the 12th October 2013 edition. This time though it’s…
Release data: Bryan Carrigan – Below Zero CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Peonies Music, 2013 Listening and reviewing music is all about discovery and (re)interpretation. With his fourth album “Below Zero”, accomplished US-composer Bryan Carrigan takes his instrumental eclectic/hybrid music into the territory…
Release data: David Parsons – Stupa CD, Gterma , 2013 It’s almost four years since the EM-community saw the last album of New-Zealand based composer David Parsons, which was due to circumstances at his former label. In the meantime, David…
Release data: Venja – Mode Zen CD/Digital Download, B-Wave, 2013 After a long break, 2013 saw the tenth release of Belgium-based composer Venja, aka Johan Geens, also the first album on the newly founded B-Wave label. The music (recorded between…
Release data: Ashen Simian – Spinal Staircase CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Retroduction, 2013 This second solo-instalment by Ami Hassinen is a very nice surprise, introducing its listeners to more rhythmic-oriented music with more sparse arrangements than heard from his band Nemesis. Presented…
Release data: Steve Roach – Spiral Meditations CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2013 The title of this release implies an introspective journey into ambient music, and that’s exactly what the listener receives: a sequencer-based, slow morphing and highly minimal long form…
Release data: Altus – Sleep Theory Volume 2 DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2013 After a break of about a year, Canadian musician Mike Carss returns with the second volume in the Sleep Theory series, bringing his listeners another chapter of…
Release data: Alpha Lyra – From Berlin to Paris CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, PWM Distribution, 2013 Alpha Lyra is an electronic music project by French composer Christian Piednoir, who performs at concerts in France next to MoonSatellite. At first, the opening piece…
Release data: Robert Rich – Morphology CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Anodize, 2013 “Morphology” is a live album recorded during Darren Bergstein’s home concert series One Thousand Pulses on May 15, 2010. It’s been a while since I listened or reviewed any live…
Release data: MoonSatellite – Low Life CD-R, PWM Distribution, 2013 With the album “Low Life”, presented as one overture and six parts, we enter a vibrant world of classic electronic music for 65-minutes. While still echoing some of the vintage…
Release data: Mathias Grassow – Tamanoshima CD, Gterma, 2013 The almost 80-minute “Tamanoshima” follows in the footsteps of Mathias previous releases on Gterma, again travelling into deep, uncharted but still lengthy sonic environment. The meticulously crafted continuous waves and drone…
Release data: Pollard/Daniel/Booth – 5 CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, English Electronic Music Company, 2013 What I got here is another analogue extravaganza containing the three-part “Sphere of Influence” along the 9-minute encore from the trio’s live-gig at “E-Live 2009” (which didn’t fit…
Release data: Synthex – Mirrorland CD, Groove Unlimited, 2013 In my opinion, it was just a matter of time before this youngster would come up with his first mature, factory-pressed release, having heard his remarkable first steps that made up…
Release data: F.D. Project – Moments of Life CD, Private Release, 2013 One of the many things that always fascinated me on the accessible releases of Frank Dorittke, aka F.D. project, are its freshness and vibrant feel paired with a…
Release data: Picture Palace Music – Somnambulistic Tunes CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Manikin Records, 2004/2007 For this release, Thorsten Quaeschning has chosen to compose a neo/classical work of cinematic music, all inspired by Robert Wienes (over 80 years old) silent vintage movie…
Release data: Pyramid Peak – Anatomy CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2013 With their album “Anatomy”, the trio Pyramid Peak (aka Axel Stüpplich, Andreas Morsch & Uwe Denzer) show cast once more they still belong to Germany’s headliners of today’s contemporary…
Release data: Chronotope Project – Event Horizon CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Relaxed Machinery, 2013 On the previous two albums of Chronotope Project, aka composer Jeffrey Ericson Allen, I already discovered some beautifully crafted ambient art work. The 58-minute “Event Horizon” is by…
Release data: Rhea – Crescent CD-R/LP, Rhea Music, 2013 Rhea is a project of Belgian synthesist Mark de Wit, who some might know as one half of Purfoze or as one of the founding members of B-Wave, the Belgian electronic…
Release data: Steve Smith & The Tylas Cyndrome – Pools of Diversity CD, Groove Unlimited, 2013 This trio gave a very nice act-de-presence at E-Live 2013, being part of the ViTaL concert (ViTaL is VoLt including Tylas Cyndrome and Lamp),…
Release data: Narcosis – Narcosis CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Fairy Nuff Music, 2007 What I got here is a kind of forgotten but worthy album in the EM-genre. Narcosis is Steve Jenkins, a technical/stage manager for the UK Hampshire Jam series of…
Release data: Coral Cave – The 4th (live) CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2013 It may sound strange, but this is my first encounter with the music of the German band Coral Cave, which was founded at the end of the…
Release data: Javi Cánovas – Cracks in the Air DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2013 With his album “Cracks in the Air”, Javi Cánovas attempts to express feelings about very abstracts things that are hard to describe, along reflections about the…
Release data: Jerome Froese –Far Side of the Face CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Moonpop, 2012 On the minimalist designed digipack release “Far Side of the Face”, Edgar’s son Jerome adds a new chapter to his existing catalogue of “guitartronica”. I find slightly…
Release data: Schiller – Horizon CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Panorama/Deutsche Gramaphone, 2013 This is a bit of an unusual review, as it focusses on the album “Horizon” only, which is part of Schiller’s expensive and limited “Opus” Limited Ultra Deluxe Edition, (a…
Release data: Mirrored Meridian – Heliolatry CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Meridian Music, 2013 “Heliolatry” is referred to as a soundtrack for an imaginary science-fantasy story sandwiched between two space-ambient tracks. The overall music though has a different impact and mindset compared to…
Release data: Within Reason – Substrate: Collected Elements CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2013 In his press-notes, US-composer Gregory Kyryluk (aka Within Reason) refers to “Substrate: Collected Elements” as a body of collected Within Reason tracks created prior to “Subtle…
Release data: Troika – Goddess CD, Enso Records, 1996 At first glance, the visuals of Troika’s debut album already evoke a dreamy, fairy-tale like feeling, something also found in the beautiful art and design gracing the albums of e.g. Amethystium…
Release data: Steve Roach & Vir Unis – Blood Machine CD, Greenhouse Music, 2001 “Blood Machine” is the follow-up to “Body Electric”, and would also be the last full-length collaborative album of Steve Roach and John Strate-Hootman (aka Vir Unis).…
Release data: Vidna Obmana & Sam Rosenthal – Terrace of Memories CD, Projekt Records, 1992 Terrace of Memories is a collaborative ambient effort between Sam Rosenthal (owner and founder of Projekt Records) and vidnaObmana (aka Dirk Serries). The five free…
Release data: Three-Six (36) – Shadowplay CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, 3Six Records, 2013 “Shadowplay” harkens back to the days when 36’s (pronounced three-six) debut “Hypersona” (2008) saw the light of day, made in a period when Dennis Huddleston was just having fun…
Release data: Various Artists – Oxycanta III CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ultimae Records, 2013 After two years of hard work, label manager and dj Mahiane (aka Sandrine Gryson) finally compiled a third volume in the fine, but still rather unknown “Oxycanta”-series (named…
Release data: Frank Van Bogaert – Geographic CD, Groove Unlimited, 1999 With his second album “Geographic”, Belgium synthesist Frank van Bogaert takes his listeners on a journey to far-off places, a tasty melting pot of electronics, assorted world (percussion) instruments…
Release data: Alex Farhoud – Nosso Nosso LP/CD, Racket Records/Rubicon Records, 1988/1992 In the fast days of modern society, we sometimes need some music to slide back to the slow lane of things. At the end of the ‘80’s/start of…
Release data: Ran Kirlian – Formations CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Altera Orbe, 2012 “Formations” is an ambient album by Ran Kirlian that merges elements of the organic subgenre with more traditional free form styles. According the composer, the outcome defines a journey…
Release data: Saul Stokes – Washed in Mercury CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Hypnos Recordings, 1997 For its time, “Washed in Mercury” (the first cd-release on Mike Griffin’s newly founded label Hypnos Recordings back in the ‘90’s) offered an innovative, progressive sound in…
Release data: Benn Jordan – Pale Blue Dot (A Tribute To Carl Sagan) CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, AlphaBasic, 2008 Benn Jordan is a Chicago-based musician/producer who seems to be known under various other aliases (e.g. The Flashbulb) and for other types of…
Release data: Janneh – Solarization CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Hanhisoundit, 2013 “Solarization” is a concept album of Finnish composer Janne Hanhisuanto about solar power and its significance through the history of mankind. Sonically, it combines the ambient flavors of Erik Wollo with…
Release data: Horizontal Excursions – Symphonica Helvetica DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2013 A colleague at work pointed me to the music of Horizontal Excursions, a project by Dutch electronic DJ/dance-producer Roger Martinez that aspires to reach out to and touch…
Release data: Jonteknik – The Satellites Of Substance CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Jonteknik Music, 2013 “The Satellites of Substance” is a concept-album by Jonteknik, aka Brighton-based musician Jon Russell, about and inspired by communications and satellite technology. From the press-sheet I learned…
Release data: Max Van Richter – Portal DIGITAL DOWNLOAD EP, Private Release, 2011 Max van Richter, aka Paul Lawler aka “deceased” member of Arcane, once again rides the fine edge of vintage electronics with the music of his EP “Portal”.…
Release data: Constance Demby – Æterna CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Hearts of Space, 1995 When we are talking about majestic and rich symphonic space music, the name of Constance Demby comes to mind. The contemporary orchestral style executed on the highly emotive…
Release data: Forrest Fang – The Wolf at the Ruins / Migration CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2013 The last couple of years, quite some re-releases of older out-of-print albums have seen the light of day. This happened as single or…
Release data: Arc – Octane CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Something Else Productions, 1998 “Octane” is the remarkable debut album by UK synth-giants Ian Boddy and Mark Shreeve, who know each other already since the start of the ’80’s. When the two founded…
Release data: Liveform – Take One Volume 1 DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2013 Around the end of the ’90’s, preliminary to the formation of the band Remotion, Arjan Arjan Steenbergen and Richard Stuij briefly formed the band Liveform with Menno…
Release data: Martin Solós – Coro de las Estrellas (Chorus of the Stars) DIGITAL EP, Private Release, 2013 This release is one of the many unsolicited albums I receive on a regular basis, made by Birmingham-based composer Martin Solós. “Coro…
Release data: Steve Roach – Live Transmission CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2013 The music that landed on the double album “Live Transmission” was created, recorded and broadcasted live at the studio of internet radio station SomaFm, San Francisco, May 7…
Release data: Pete Namlook – Air CD, FAX, 1998 “Air” is the first solo-album and one of the many projects by the prolific German artist Pete Namlook, aka Peter Kuhlmann. It presents an inventive way of merging neoclassical, contemporary and…
Release data: Steve Roach – Early Man CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Manifold/Projekt Records, 2000/2001 “Early Man”, on Steve’s site described as primeval innerspace deep ambient, is a profound organic and highly atmospheric piece of sonic art, a 74-minute journey through excavated memories…
Release data: Frank Van Bogaert – Colours CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ace Studio Editions/Groove Unlimited, 1998/2004 “Colours” is the remarkable debut album by Belgium composer/synthesist Frank Van Bogaert, also owner of the notable Ace-studio in Artselaar. From the liner notes we learn…
Release data: Ashtoreth’s Gate – Ashtoreth’s Gate CD, Gterma, 2013 Ashtoreth’s Gate (named after the goddess of love and war) is Lee Norris and Craig Murphy. Both have previously worked together as Solipsism & Nacht Plank, and sonically they firmly…
Release data: Zodiac – I.C. CD, Cue Records, 1995 Let’s make a trip back in time to the period in the first half of the ‘90’s when Ron Boots ran the Dutch part of Cue Records. In 1991, Ron already…
Release data: Phillip Wilkerson – Sojourner CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2013 With “Sojourner”, US-synthesist Phillip Wilkerson brings his listener a musical odyssey for inner travel and pure relaxation for which he used the Yamaha XS6, Virus Access and Polar synthesizers.…
Release data: O Yuki Conjugate – Undercurrents (In Dark Water) CD, Staalplaat, 1992 “Undercurrents” is a classic (and nowadays very hard to get) ambient release by the UK-collective O Yuki Conjugate that even musicians like Steve Roach have added to…
Release data: Ran Kirlian & Landru – Waterfront CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Altera Orbe, 2012 “Waterfront” is the debut collaborative work of Spanish ambient composers Ran Kirlian and Landru (aka Patxi Hernández), both co-owners of the online ambient label Altera Orbe. About…
Release data: Amir Baghiri – Light Textures CD-R, Attenuation Circuit, 2013 , 2013 Amir Baghiri’s “Light Textures” is a concept album made available as a very limited, hand-numbered cd-r of only 55 copies. Like its predecessor, it again comes in…
Release data: VelgeNaturlig – Húmus CD, Gterma, 2013 VelgeNaturlig is a Portuguese field/audio/soundscape project by Ivo Santos, who initially privately released “Húmus” on cd-r in 2004 Ambient treasure seeker Mr Rehn hereby re-issues the fully remastered album on factory-pressed cd,…
Release data: Craig Padilla/Sendelica – Strange Fish 1 LP, Fruits de Mer Records, 2013 The shared release Strange Fish 1 is a very limited edition coloured vinyl record, part of the 6-lp set “Strange Fish”. The latter is a series…
Release data: Red Planet Orchestra – Secrets of Eternity DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Path of Action Productions, 2013 “Secrets of Eternity” is the follow-up to “Aurora Symphony”, again with Vincent Rees and Pete Smith at the helm, but this time also featuring…
Release data: Frozen Thoughts – Calm Before The Storm CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Glacial Movements, 2013 This is a typical album of slow morphing, non-rhythmic textural ambient, featuring five drifting movements clocking between 9 and 13 minutes. Biosphere’s “Substrata” comes to mind,…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Architexture of Silence CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2013 On an irregular basis, I absolutely love to listen to some sophisticated ambient music in the final hours of the day or in early night…
Release data: Tonefloat:Ikon – Streams of Consciousness (Series) LP, Tonefloat:Ikon, 2013 Only recently, Belgium-based sound forger Dirk Serries (better known as vidnaObmana, fear falls burning) has made the return to the highly textural and most successful music he once created…
Release data: Soundician – Soundician – Insects CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2013 The UK-duo Soundician have tried something new on their concept-album “Insects”, a 28-minute Ep with nine interweaving pieces tracks dedicated to invertebrates carrying wings. The continuous track, meant…
Release data: Shane Morris & Mystified – Emergence CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2013 What I got here is the second installment of the “Inspired Evolution” , a triple concept-release about prehistoric time and evolution. As can be expected, the…
Release data: Chronotope Project – Solar Winds CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2013 “Solar Winds” is the second installment of sensuous ambient music by Jeffrey Ericson Allen, aka Chronotope Project, this time aiming for deep space territory. The 52-minute emotive outcome…
Release data: Remy & My Breath My Music – Sessions 2012 CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Deserted Island Music, 2013 “Sessions 2012” is a special music session Remy Stroomer did together with four students from the “My Breath My Music” foundation in fall…
Release data: Graham Getty – The Sound of the Cloud CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2012 I can be brief about this release as it, like its predecessors, has full-focus on the vintage ’70’s music of TD. Assembled from random fragments…
Release data: Ron Boots – Signs in the Sand CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Groove Unlimited, 2012 Those who missed out on the concert Ron Boots gave in May in the St. Bavo Church in Haarlem hereby find the opportunity to hear it…
Release data: Ian Boddy – Liverdelphia CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2013 At first glance, I agree this is an odd name for an album, but it makes more sense when one knows this cd comprises parts of Ian’s live performances in…
Release data: Mathias Grassow – Uttarakuru CD, Gterma, 1999/2012 “Uttarakuru” (the Sanskrit name for a continent in ancient Hindu and Buddhist mythology) is a double-album containing minimal ambient drone music and occasional flute recorded in April 1999 by Mathias Grassow.…
Release data: Aes Dana – Aftermath 2.0 Archives of Peace DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ultimae Records, 2003/2013 What I got here is a digital-only re-release of the second album by Aes Dana, aka Vincent Villuis, that originally saw the light of day…
Release data: Within Reason – Transient Broadcasts CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Periphery/Anodize, 2013 With his first recording “Subtle Shift”, Gregory Kyryluk (aka Within Reason) already delivered an excellent effort that expands on the fine sounds and impact of some Basic Channel releases.…
Release data: Graham Getty – The Lattice CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Retrochet Records, 2010 All those out there who love massive sequencing and TD’s vintage style from the mid ’70’s will surely like to grab this fine dynamic release. The 50-minute “The…
Release data: Wellenfeld – Pandemie CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mellowjet Records, 2013 “Pandemie” is a concept album filled with sequenced, pulsative electronic music, despite its quiet opening track. During the intense sonic ride, the Wuppertal-based German duo Braun/Dominizcak pairs grand orchestral/symphonic outings…
Release data: Schiller – Die Einlassmusik 8 & 9 CD, Sleepingroom Musik, 2012 The year 2012 has been very busy for Christopher von Deylen, aka Schiller. So it’s even more surprising he found time to compose not one, but two…
Release data: Erik Wøllo – Celestia DIGITAL DOWNLOAD EP, Projekt Records, 2013 “Celestia” is a digital-only ep by most-talented Norwegian composer Erik Wøllo, containing an instrumental atmospheric suite in four continuous parts. For this work, Erik extensively used a 1976…
Release data: The Glimmer Room – Tomorrow’s Tuesday CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Neu Harmony, 2002 “Tomorrow’s Tuesday” is the fine debut-release of UK-based synthesist Andy Condon, aka The Glimmer Room. The album contains 13 instrumental tracks (plus one vocal piece) of rhythmic,…
Release data: Steve Roach – Future Flows CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2013 “Future Flows” is the second part in a triptych that kicked-off with “Soul Tones” at the end of 2012. If you´re looking for any significant change in sound…
Release data: E-Musikgruppe Lux Ohr – Kometenbahn LP, Svart Records, 2013 E-Musikgruppe Lux Ohr is a cosmic music collective from Finland comprising the talents of Pertti Grönholm (synthesizers, sequencers and samplers), Jaakko Penttinen (synthesizers and sequencers), Kimi Kärki,(guitar, e-bow and…
Release data: moonbooter – Zeitenwende CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mellowjet Records, 2013 For the music of his album “Zeitenwende” (that again premiered live in concert at a planetarium in Germany) Bernd Scholl started sketching out ideas behind the piano. Whilst transferring the…
Release data: Joost Egelie – Particles DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2013 Joost Egelie is a Berlin-school inspired electronic composer living in Belgium, who derives much inspiration from the electronic music that surfaced between 1973 and 1975. “Particles”, his fourth full-length…
Release data: Paul Lawler – Lost EP, Private Release, 2012 With “Lost”, Paul Lawler delivers an Ep with three tracks, sonically depicting the final resting places of three failed Mars probes. No sequencers here, but freeform minimal ambient with a…
Release data: Mark Isham – Songs my children taught me CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Windham Hill, 1991 “Songs my children taught me” is an album by trumpeter, synthesist and (soundtrack) composer Mark Isham containing a set of four neo-classical suites, each intended…
Release data: Dan Pound – Spherical CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Pound Sounds, 2013 More than once, the music of Dan Pound has shown similarities to the sonic art of Steve Roach. The 74-minute “Spherical” reveals many improvements in that direction, as it…
Release data: Paul Lawler – Opus DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2013 The 61-minute “Opus” is an a instrumental space/rock/EM album by Paul Lawler, starring Zlatko Perica (of TD-fame) and guitarist Paul Speer as guest-musicians to add some melodic prog-rock hooks…
Release data: Schiller – Sonne Live CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Universal Domestic, 2013 The double-cd “Sonne Live” by Schiller, aka Christopher von Deylen, contains the full performance played at Berlins O2 World in December 2012. As on previous live-albums, Schiller and band…
Release data: Boreal Taiga – At Gutú DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Wayfarer Records, 2013 “At Gutú” (“woods” or “forest” in Tlingit-language) is Boreal Taiga’s fifth ambient release with Wayfarer records. It’s is a concept ambient album influenced by the expansive forest-environments found…
Release data: Altus – The Sidereal Cycle 4 DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Free Floating Music, 2013 This album marks the last chapter in Altus’ “Sidereal Cycle” series, rounding out the earth’s annual cycle with one more piece of immersive, highly contemplative ambient…
Release data: Schiller – Sonnenwelten CD, Universal Domestic, 2012 Schiller’s album “Sonnenwelten”, only available in the Limited Ultra Deluxe package of “Sonne”, can be regarded as a kind of Einlassmusik-release. It’s a fully instrumental release featuring tranquil music that fits…
Release data: Richard Bone – Anthology DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, AD Music, 2013 Through the many years of reviewing electronic music, I’ve been able to get to know a fair share of the music created by US-based ambient composer Richard Bone, also…
Release data: Goldmund – The Malady of Elegance CD/LP, Type Recordings, 2008 For as long as I review electronic and strongly related music, I always have had a fascination for intimate soundscape worlds that breath a soft mourning, sadening and…
Release data: Ulrich Schnauss – Quicksand Memory EP, Independiente Music/Domino, 2007 By whatever reason I seem to have missed this EP of Mr Schnauss when it came out, but I’m happy it came on my way after all. “Quicksand Memory”…
Release data: Eyes Cast Down – The Separate Ones CD-R, Kalindi Music, 2013 The sole musician behind Eyes Cast Down is US-based ambient/electronic composer, musician and writer Greg Moorcroft. “The Separate Ones” (that demanded seven years of hard work to…
Release data: Mathias Grassow – Bloodmoon CD, Gterma , 2012 German drone-King Mathias Grassow is well-known for his extensive and deep textural music, and the exactly 76-minute “Bloodmoon” (compiled from various projects recorded in the autumn and winter of 2009…
Release data: Johan Tronestam – Roots and Legends from the North CD, TeamQuasar, 2013 During the creation of the album “Roots and Legends from the North”, composer Johan Tronestam ended up in what he refers to as quite a turbulent…
Release data: Stephan Whitlan – Inertial Moments CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 1997 “Inertial Moments” is actually a live (and also pretty rare) album by Irish synthesist Stephan Whitlan. It contains a recording of a concert performed at The Flowerpot, Derby…
Release data: Skoulaman – Synthesizer Mood CD-R, Private Release, 2012 Skoulaman, aka Dutch synthesist Hans van Kroonenburg, is part of the Berliner School-trio AKS, that some might know from the fine concerts played at the upper room on E-Live 2012.…
Release data: Asymmetric – From Nowhere Came CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Asymmetric Records, 1999 “From Nowhere came” is the only release to date by the UK-duo Peter Challoner and Paul Smith, aka Asymmetric. If you’re fond of melodic and nicely sequenced contemporary…
Release data: Phobos – Darkness Within CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, AmbientLive Records, 2009 Fans of lengthy but inspired drone ambient are at the right spot when it comes to the output of synthesist and sound sculpture David Thompson, aka Phobos. The 76-minute…
Release data: Ethereal 77 – Landscapes CD, Basedaddy, 1999 Before composer Ulrich Schnauss started releasing music under his own name, he made one full-length album and an Ep under the alias Ethereal 77. “Landscapes” is the highly melodic and crisp…
Release data: Ulrich Schnauss – A Long Way to Fall CD, Scripted Realities, 2013 In his own words, Mr Schnauss describes his fourth release “A Long Way to Fall” as an album that would celebrate the synthesizer as the very…
Release data: Bertrand Loreau – Nostalgic Steps CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spheric Music, 2013 On “Nostalgic Steps”, French synthesist Berrand Loreau offers another collection of vintage electronic music, paying tribute to the big names of the Berliner School and their recognizable sequencer…
Release data: Cell – Phonic Peace CD, Indica Music, 2005 I ran into this album by accident, not aware that Cell (aka Alex Scheffer) had released another full-length album before his “Hanging Masses” release on Ultimae Records and a whole…
Release data: Amir Baghiri – The Serenity CD, DataBloem, 2013 German/Iran synthesist Amir Baghiri already started work on “The Serenity” in 2009, but as Amir got further involved in the film music industry and had to deal with many deadlines…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Yasumu CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2013 “Yasumu” is music Alpha Wave Movement (aka Massachusetts-based composer Gregory Kyryluk) composed for quiet contemplation, meditation as well as a subtle removal from more frantic rhythmic music.…
Release data: Telomere – Lux Primordia CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Evenfall , 2012 In the early stages of recording his fourth album “Lux Primordia”, California-based space music composer Chris Macdonald (aka Telomere) was interested in pursuing a more drone-influenced style. But at…
Release data: Resonant Drift – Full Circle CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Flow Space Music, 2012 This album is entitled “Full Circle” because of various thoughts and ideas the duo Bill Olien and Gary Johnson had about returning, coming back and so on,…
Release data: Ian Boddy – Sepulchre DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2012 “Sepulchre” contains the set that Ian Boddy performed live on air for the Stars End radio show in Philadelphia, USA on October 14th 2012. The 64-minute outcome of Ian’s concert…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Exiled Particles Vol. I Archive 1997-2005 CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2012 With “Exiled Particles”, skilled American ambient composer Gregory Kyryluk (aka Alpha Wave Movement) brings us the first volume in a series of…
Release data: Last Industrial Estate – Last Industrial Estates CD, Gterma, 2012 Extensive and sinister drone ambient is the game at play on the concept album “Last Industrial Estates”, an ode to the remnants of the industrial era. It’s one…
Release data: Steve Roach & Byron Metcalf – Tales from the Ultra Tribe CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2012v During his musical career, ambient master Steve Roach once in a while always kept returning to the fusion of electronics with tribal/organic…
Release data: Mathias Grassow – Dämmerung CD, Gterma, 2012 Those familiar with the extensive discography by German multi-instrumentalist Mathias Grassow will be acquainted to his vast and deep-listening type of music. “Dämmerung”, depicted as one long flowing epos dedicated to…
Patterns of the Sky is a soundscape ambient project by Texas-based musician Glenn Matson that was originally founded in 2005 as an outlet for lush and old-style trance. Mr Matson designed it as well for refining sounds of pure bliss…
Release data: As if – Faraway Trees Standing Still CD, Gterma, 2012 As If is the magical soundworld project of Danish composer and visual artist Kenneth Werner (Jensen), which focuses on low-tempo, soundscape and the ambient/dub end of electronic music.…
Release data: Otarion – Creator CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Neu Harmony, 2002 About a decade ago, German composer Reiner Klein, aka Otarion, made his third and also last album “Creator”. Until today, I regard it as a solid release featuring powerful, rhythmic…
Release data: Gert Emmens & Cadenced Haven – Mystic Dawn CD, Groove Unlimited, 2012 If you’re looking for a moody, melodic and nicely sequenced music, one in general can’t go wrong with the music by successful Dutch synthesist Gert Emmens.…
Release data: Brian Eno – Lux CD/LP/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Warp Records, 2012 “Lux” is a pastoral work by Brian Eno, marking a return to his earlier focus on ambient sound collage, while also being his first solo album since 2005’s “Another…
Release data: Aes Dana – Pollen CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ultimae Records, 2012 In the last month of 2012, the French Ultimae label treats its fans with another fine down-tempo release. It comes on the account of Vincent Villuis, aka Aes Dana,…
Release data: Robert Schroeder – Ferro Oxid CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Spheric Music, 2012 On his 28th album “Ferro Oxid”, Robert Schroeder pairs authentic sounds and the feel of nostalgic EM with nowadays contemporary music and technology in a beautiful manner. In…
Release data: Celer – Without Retrospect, the Morning CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Glacial Movements, 2012 Celer is an ambient/soundscape project by Will Long, who has an extensive list of releases under his belt made as Celer and various other monikers. The 52-minute…
Release data: Darshan Ambient – Falling Light CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, LotusPike, 2012 I remember the early music by multi-instrumentalist Michael Allison, aka Darshan Ambient, as pastoral and quiet textural synth music. Since a few years though, his musical approach has started…
Release data: moonbooter – Cosmophonica CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mellowjet Records, 2012 With “Cosmophonica”, German synthesist Bernd Scholl, aka Moonbooter, brings his fans another highly accessible and melodic release that I’m sure will appeal to many. While taking his audience on a…
Release data: Schiller – Sonne (DeLuxe Edition) CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Universal Domestic, 2012 The album “Sonne” adds a new chapter to the growing music catalogue of most successful Berlin-based composer Christopher von Deylen, aka Schiller. If you’re expecting something new though,…
Release data: Sylvain Carel – Caravansaray CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, AD Music, 2012 Melodic, cinematic and symphonic music with strong ethnic/oriental spheres, samples and vocal textures. These are the ingredients found in the detailed and transparent sounding music of Sylvain Carel’s “Caravansary”,…
Release data: David Wright – Connected CD/DIGITAL DOWNOAD, AD Music, 2012 UK-composer David Wright is well-known for his accessible electronic music that balances between strong melodic and more spacious oriented outings. “Connected”, his 24th release to date, is another appealing…
Release data: Spiraleye – Ramelion CD-R, Private Release, 2011 “Ramelion” is the third release by Spiraleye, a project of contemporary improvised electronic music by UK-musicians Peter Challoner (synths) and ambient guitarist Neale Haddon. The 70-minute album contains eight spontaneous crafted…
Release data: Dave Luxton – Music From The Firmament DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Wayfarer Records, 2011 In the last couple of years, I’ve reviewed quite a few cosmic albums by US-ambient composer Dave Luxton, who’s also the owner of the Wayfarer Records…
Release data: Various Artists – Gyalpo CD, Gterma, 2012 “Gyalpo” (“King” in Tibetan mythology) is a 77-minute concept album with deep atmospheric ambient music dedicated to the great protectors of our realm, a tributary to the Four Heavenly Kings, Caturmaharajika.…
Release data: Altus – The Sidereal Cycle 2 DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Free Floating Music, 2012 “The Sidereal Cycle 2” is the second installment of cinematic music on time and the change of the seasons by Canadian ambient composer Mike Carss. The…
Release data: Javi Cánovas – Psychedelic Voyage DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2012 “Psychedelic Voyage”, inspired by psychedelic images, movies and sounds, sees a continuation of Javi Cánovas’ classic electronic music style for which he applied his usual gear such as…
Release data: Parallel Worlds & Dave Bessell – Morphogenic CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2012 “Morphogenic” is another example of fine vintage electronics shining energetically and vibrantly, that this time sees Parallel Worlds (aka Greek synthesist Bakis Sirros) team up with analogue…
Release data: Phobos – Darker CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2012 Phobos album “Darker”, his third private release to date, is another treat for ambient fans who love longform, overtly dark and intense soundscape music meant for headphone listening. With four…
Release data: Liquid Mind – X: Meditation CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Real Music, 2012 “Meditation” is the twelfth album release by Chuck Wild, aka Liquid Mind, and another fine addition to Liquid Mind’s ongoing series of ultimate stress-relief and relaxation music. This…
Release data: Phillip Wilkerson – Complex Silence 23 DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Tree Trunk, 2012 Mr Wilkerson states the outcome found on “Complex Silence 23” was born out of extreme emotional pain along a kaleidoscope of personal experiences of life and ruminations…
Release data: Seetyca –Seetyca – The Luminous Deep CD, Gterma, 2012 “The Luminous Deep” is my second encounter with the ambient/space music of German composer Seetyca. Three long, uninterrupted pieces make up the 80-minute album, that was conceived as a…
Release data: Bryan Carrigan – Focus CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Peonies Music, 2011 The 34-minute “Focus” is the second release by US-synthesist Bryan Carrigan, and almost seems an Ep to me. Like its predecessor “Passing Lights”, it contains ten emotive tracks of…
Release data: Sphäre Sechs – Tiefschlaf CD, Malignant Records, 2012 “Tiefschlaf”, containing the music performed live during a sleep concert in Wuppertal, Germany in September 2011, marks the formal debut of Sphäre Sechs, aka German ambient composers Martin Stürtzer’s (also…
Release data: Numina – The Deception of Reality CD, Hypnos Recordings, 2012 From the labels notes on Jesse Sola’s concept release “The Deception of Reality” I learned it’s about introspective escapism while balancing light and dark themes, with the music…
Release data: Boreal Taiga – yg:drasil DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Wayfarer Records, 2012 “yg:drasil”, subtitled “Modern Interpretation of Northern Sounds”, is Boreal Taiga’s fourth release with Wayfarer Records and also his first double album. The recording, clocking over 2,5 hours, features ambient…
Release data: Mathias Grassow – Wisdom of Fate CD, Gterma, 2012 For over two decades, German composer Mathias Grassow is known as one of the strong purveyors of deep and immersive ambient music in the genre. Not only for his…
Release data: Bryan Carrigan – Passing Lights CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Peonies Music, 2011 “Passing Lights” is the debut album by US-synthesist Bryan Carrigan, who’s also a most experienced synth programmer, sound designer, remixer, engineer and producer with extensive experience in records…
Release data: Phillip Wilkerson – Highlands DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Free Floating Music, 2012 “Highlands”, mastered by Ben Cox (one of the guys behind the Lotus Pike label), is a 66-minute narrative soundscape journey into higher and peaceful spheres, split in four…
Release data: Stephan Whitlan – Travelling Light DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Fairy Nuff Music, 2010 “Travelling Light” contains the live concert by Irish/UK synthesist Stephan Whitlan performed on October 17 at E-Live 2009 in Oirschot, The Netherlands. Those who saw him as…
Release data: Steven Grace – Flow DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 Steve Grace’s release “Flow” is an ambient album made with the Avatar ST software synthesizer only. Mr Grace recorded it during four sessions in March 2011 mostly through improvisation,…
Release data: Jack Hertz – Time DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Free Floating Music, 2012 Ambient minimalism and (the impact of) the slow passing of time are core elements that mark the quiet and immersive music on the 76-minute “Time”. The longform and…
Release data: Project Earth – Tak Ze CD/12INCH, MFS, 1994 “Tak Ze” by Martin Stark and Christopher Hausmann, aka Projekt Earth, contains 36 minutes of overall mellow, spherical and highly textural spacemusic. Nowadays we would call these almost non-rhythmic, slow…
Release data: Gustavo Jobim – In Search of Berlin DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 Gustavo Jobim’s “In Search of Berlin”, part of an ongoing project of archival releases, contains 78 minutes of improvised music composed between 2003 and 2009. In…
Release data: Nostalgia – Arcana Publicata Vilescunt CD, Relapse Records, 2002 Rich, gothic-like drone tapestries, tribal percussion and symphonic synth textures grace the intoxicating and rather dramatic music of “Arcana Publicata Vilescunt”, the debut release of the German project Nostalgia…
Release data: Juta Takahashi – Angel CD, Lunisolar Records, 2012 After a hiatus of nearly two years, Japanese composer brings us his ninth album “Angel”. The recording is a 65-minute soundscape journey spread out over four lengthy tracks that once…
Release data: Gert Emmens – An Artist’s Stroke CD, Groove Unlimited, 2012 For the concept album “An Artist’s Stroke”, inspired by the life and works of the late Russian painter Yuri Pugachov, Dutch synthesist Gert Emmens has composed some vintage…
Release data: John Stanford – TimeScapes (Official Soundtrack) CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, SouthWest Light Ltd, 2012 Now, 13 years after his debut “Deep Space”, New Zealand based composer (Nigel) John Stanford releases his second album “TimeScapes”. The latter contains the synthesizer soundtrack…
Release data: MoonSatellite – Unendlich Sequenzer, Sequenzer Vol. 2 CD-R, PWM Distribution, 2010 Here’s another fine batch of classic-inspired, melancholic sounding EM from French composer MoonSatellite. It is strange though the track durations of the music are totally different from…
Release data: Peter Challoner – More than can be heard CD-R, Ambient Sound Projects, 2012 With “More than can be heard”, UK-synthesist Peter Challoner adds his 13th ambient soundscape to his music catalogue. In almost 62 minutes, Peter’s quiet and…
Release data: Altus – The Sidereal Cycle 1 DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Free Floating Music, 2012 According to Mike Carss, aka Altus, this series is something that he should have done years ago, and has been suggested by a number of his…
Release data: Nothing but Noise – Not Bleeding Red CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Future Noise Music, 2012 Nothing but Noise is a project of Front 242 founder Daniel Bressanutti assisted by former Front 242 member Dirk Bergen and Erwin Jadot. Don’t be…
Release data: Sync24 – Comfortable Void CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ultimae Records, 2012 “Comfortable Void” is the second solo-release by Swedish musician Daniel Segerstad, also one half of the project Carbon Based Lifeforms. Back in 2007, he released his critically acclaimed debut…
Release data: Loren Nerell – Slow Dream CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt Records, 2012 As some may know, the music of Los Angeles-based composer Loren Nerell always had firm roots in the music from Indonesia, especially when it concerns sounds that were…
Release data: Odyssey – Music for Subway (Symphony for Analogues) CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Generator.Pl, 2012 The last couple of years have seen a large amount of recordings that are referring to or highly inspired by vintage electronic music and their classics.…
Release data: Phobos – Live on Earth (Live at Awakenings) CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2012 This is my first encounter with the music of Phobos, aka UK-composer David Thompson. He previously had been creating music using his own name in…
Release data: Steve Roach & Dirk Serries – Low Volume Music CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt, 2012 This year, it’s about 10 years ago Steve Roach and vidnaObmana did their last collaborative work. With “Low Volume Music”, Dirk Serries returns to re-energize…
Release data: Bruno Sanfilippo – Urbs CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Hypnos Recordings, 2012 On “Urbs”, Bruno Sanfilippo introduces the listener in the amazing world of city soundscapes and its vast array of noises. Bruno tried to merge this mysterious alchemy from a…
Release data: Michael Meara – Contemplation 1: Void in Form DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 As one can imagine with such a title, this is an album of overall quiet and calming soundscape musings. It’s also the first in an…
Release data: Rigel Centaurus – Area of Habitat DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, United Studios Corp., 2012 What we got here is deep space music from Russia. “Area of Habitat” is the debut album by Andrey Hlybov, aka Rigel Centaurus, who has been…
Release data: Sleepresearch_Facility – Stealth CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Cold Spring, 2012 “Stealth”, a project commissioned for Cold Spring-label, is the long overdue project by UK sound sculpture Kevin Doherty, aka SleepResearch_Facility. It’s another deep ambient journey committed to the exploration of…
Release data: Somnarium – The Fourth Presence DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Dark Winter, 2009 Somnarium’s 50-minute “The Fourth Presence”, inspired by the works of Dante and Lustmord, takes its listeners on an otherworldly trip into dense and darker spaces. The outcome are…
Release data: MoonSatellite – Earth Gravity CD-R, Private Release, 2010 Fans of spherical and unhurried electronic music will be delighted to listen to “Earth Gravity”, another fine work by Marc Perbal, aka MoonSatellite. The album subtitle is Sequencer Prelude, and…
Release data: Pyramid Peak – Evolution CD, Private Release, 2007 With the studio-album “Evolution”, the German trio Andreas Morsch, Axel Stupplich, Uwe Denzer (aka Pyramid Peak) has composed another fine melodic and Berliner School inspired release. The distinct style of…
Release data: Undara – Traveller CD, Gterma, 2012 Undara (the name is derived from a track by Steve Roach & David Hudson that refers to the lava tubes of Undara, Australia) is a Portugese organic-ambient project founded in 2008 by…
Release data: Urenga – Seafloor DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Entropy Records, 2011 “Seafloor” is an ambient work of art by Hungarian composer Andras Kiss, aka Urenga. The project draws inspiration from nature and projects an aural sensation of a living, breathing world…
Release data: Pjusk – Tele CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Glacial Movements Records, 2012 Pjusk is a deep ambient project by Rune Sagevik and Jostein Dahl Gjelsvik, both residing on the Norwegian west coast. The music of “Tele” (which is also Norwegian for…
Release data: Peter Challoner – Optimum CD-R, Private Release, 2011 With “Optimum”, UK synthesist Peter Challoner presents a 75-minute ambient ride revealing a progressive, more dynamic style compared to his previous works. It starts out in a contemplative manner on…
Release data: Havdis – Clouds into Sea DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mixgalaxy records, 2011 “Clouds into Sea” is the debut album by Norwegian composer Odd Jensen, aka Havdis. Mr Jensen, an ordinary fisherman in daily life, started dabbling with some new and…
Release data: Seren Ffordd & Oöphoi – The Martian Chronicles CD, Hypnos Recordings, 2011 “The Martian Chronicles” is a 74-minute longform album inspired by Ray Bradbury’s short science fiction story by the same name. It is the first collaborative album…
Release data: Parikrama – The Silent Bōn CD, GTerma, 2011 Parikrama can be translated as “the path surrounding a holy place”. It’s a collaborative project by German composers Seetyca (who has been doing experimental music since 1992) and his regular…
Release data: AirSculpture – Burn CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2008 “Burn” is a vibrant and atmospheric live album by the energetic trio AirSculpture, aka John Christian, Adrian Beasley and Peter Ruczynski. The outcome was recorded at the UK’s second Hampshire…
Release data: Robert Schroeder – TimeWaves CD, Racket Records/daMusic, 1986 “TimesWaves”, Robert’s eight release, is considered a worthy album within the Schroeder discography by many. It leads the German musician in a contemporary instrumental style in which new digital technology…
Release data: Kebu – To Jupiter and Back CD, Private Release, 2012 “To Jupiter and Back” is the debut album by Finnish musician Sebastian “Kebu” Teir. As a matter of fact, it made quite a surprising and succesful entrance at…
Release data: Ron Boots & MorPheuSz – From the forgotten rooms of a lonely house CD, Groove Unlimited, 2011 “From the forgotten rooms of a lonely house” is a limited edition album of only 400 copies, offered as a free…
Release data: Gandalf – Gallery Of Dreams • plus live! CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, BSC/Prudence, 2012 “Gallery Of Dreams • plus live!” is the anniversary edition of the classic album by Austrian multi-instrumentalist Heinz Strobl, aka Gandalf, that first came out in…
Release data: Solar Fields – Random Friday CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ultimae Records, 2012 AWith “Random Friday”, Mr Solar Fields Magnus Birgersson brings us an energetic album with music that continues where his 2007-release “[Earthshine]” left us. Although it opens atmospheric and…
Release data: Mon0 – Monolog DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 The journey into vast and sombre textural landscapes continues on Mon0’s album “Monolog”. This time, Mon0 (aka German composer Andre Zufall) has created an even deeper chill-out/dubtech release: repetitive bass…
Release data: Richard Burmer – On the Third Extreme CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, American Gramaphone, 1988 This album is another example of Richard Burmer’s visual mood music. There are some great pieces “On the Third Extreme”, such as the spine-shivering opener “Magellan”,…
Release data: Richard Burmer – Mosaic CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, American Gramaphone, 1984 “Mosaic” is the debut release by American synth-wizard Richard Burmer, who sadly passed away in September 2006. Considered a sparkling New Age release in his homeland, the almost 48-minute…
Release data: Bill Vermette – Galaxies IV CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Horizon Music, 2012 “Galaxies IV” is a double album of cosmic and at times sequenced electronics by Chicago-based synthesist Bil Vermette. Bil has been playing electronic music for 30 years or…
Release data: Vanderson – Earth Moving CD-R, SynGate, 2009 “Earth Moving” is a live album by Polish synthesist Maciej Wierzchowski, aka Vanderson. The cd contains two lengthy pieces of 25 and 23 minutes, recorded in August and September 2008 respectively.…
Release data: Robert Schroeder – Computer Voice CD, DA Music, 1994 The music on Mr Schroeder’s “Computer Voice” is a good example of still fresh sounding contemporary electronic music blending themes of space and earth into a lush and transparent…
Release data: Lamp – The Three Towers CD, Groove Unlimited, 2012 Lamp is a collaboration of Michael Shipway (also known as one half of VoLt) with guitarist/friend Garth Jones. Michael and Garth are actually former work colleagues and after a…
Release data: Javi Cánovas –Transfiguration DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2012 The music on Javi Cánovas’ 2012-release “Transfiguration” sees a return to the comfortable realm of the classic Berliner School style. The spatial (sometimes even restless and smoothly pumping) sequencing on…
Release data: Three-Six (36) – Lithea CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, 3Six Records, 2012 “Lithea” is the third and final part of the triptych that 36 (aka UK-based ambient/experimental composer Dennis Huddleston) kicked-off with “Hypersona” and “Hollow” previously. The 77-minute album is an…
Release data: John Stanford – Deep Space CD, White Cloud Records, 1999 “Deep Space” is an ambient-dub album by New-Zealand based composer John (Nigel) Stanford, released on Jon Mark’s small White Cloud-label (part of the Naxos classic brand). It contains…
Release data: Wellenfeld – The Big Bang CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mellowjet Records, 2011 The 66-minute “The Big Bang” is the sixth album by Wellenfeld, aka the German duo Andreas Braun and Detlef Dominizcak. The melodic and highly accessible music comprised on…
Release data: Chronos – When Mars Meets Venus CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Altar Records, 2012 Chronos is a project by Moscow-based musician Nick Klimenko who used analog gear and hardware synthesizers exclusively for this recording. Nick’s fifth album “When Mars Meets Venus”…
Release data: moonbooter – World of Apes 2 CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mellowjet Records, 2011 The second chapter of “World of Apes” (subtitled The Madness Continues) offers 75 minutes of fresh, contemporary and at times even danceable Em. Featuring less sampled sounds…
Release data: MoonSatellite – Sequenzer I CD-R, Private Release, 2009 “Sequencer I” is an earlier work of Nancy-based composer Marc Perbal (aka MoonSatellite) where he shows he’s very fond and/or profoundly influenced by the classic electronic music as produced in…
Release data: Robert Schroeder – D.MO Vol. 3 (Original Unreleased Recordings from the 80´s) CD, Spheric Music, 2011 More archival and shelved recordings are presented on Mr Schroeder’s “D.MO Vol. 3”, revisiting his typical and so much appreciated sonic excursions…
Release data: Various Artists – Greenosophy CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ultimae Records, 2012 “Greenosophy” (inspired by two outdoor Greenosophy parties in 2009 and 2010) is a mixed ambient compilation collected Mizoo (aka Swiss dj Cyril Miserez). It takes off gently and smooth,…
Release data: Michael Neil & Graham Getty – Retrochet III CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 With the third chapter in the “Retrochet”-series, the duo Getty and Neil continues their journey into the future of the past with another selection of…
Release data: Janne Hanhisuanto – Quiet Places CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2012 “Quiet places”, inspired by nature and people, contains 11 tracks that take the listener into a world of emotion and stillness. In an attempt to give a voice…
Release data: Brendan Pollard – Live in Concert 2006 part 1 & 2 and more CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Acoustic Wave, 2012 Since his most convincing live performing at “E-Live 2006”, Brendan had been asked multiple times when the recording of it…
Release data: Altus – Complex Silence 22 DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Treetrunk, 2012 As usual, Mike Carss (aka Altus) had not much to say about the music on “Complex Silence 22”, a release in a series of albums of enigmatic atmospheres &…
Release data: Void – Avoidance CD, VOID Records, 2011 Some might know the music of Void, aka Dutch musician Danyo Romijn, from his recent contribution to the EM-sampler “Dutch Masters”, although he made his first album back in 1997. The…
Release data: René van der Wouden – Fixus Naturalis CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, REWO Records, 2011 The music found on Mr van der Wouden’s release “Fixus Naturalis” came into being during November/December 2009, a period in which René was very busy completing…
Release data: Kevin Kendle – Light from Andromeda (Deep Skies 4) CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Eventide Music, 2012 Still hugely inspired by the mysteries and spectacular of deep space, UK-artist Kevin Kendle brings his listeners “Light from Andromeda”, his fourth installment in…
Release data: Phillip Wilkerson – The Stars and Afterward CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2012 Fans of Philip Wilkerson’s music may have had the impression that this musician was going to persue a different musical direction after “Ten to Eleven”. This…
Release data: Johan Agebjörn – Music with Less Electricity DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Husmus Media, 2006/2012 “Music With Less Electricity” is an album with piano music by Gothenburg-based Swedish producer Johan Agebjörn, influenced by Satie, Debussy, Swedish folk music, ambient and jazz.…
Release data: Ron Boots – Ante Oculos CD, Groove Unlimited, 2011 The album “Ante Oculos” (“For Eyes”) was released on the occasion of the Bochum planetarium concert by Ron Boots and friends in December 2011. The six tracks offers a…
Release data: Uwe Reckzeh – Subsesizer CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mellowjet Records, 201 Uwe Reckzeh already proved on his previous releases he’s most talented, and the music of the 77-minute “Subsesizer”, released about two years after “Unnatural Light”, again confirms this. Uwe…
Release data: Michael Neil & Graham Getty – Retrochet II CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2010 “Retrochet II” is the second album by Michael Neil and Graham Getty, smoothly hitting the electronic avenue with two tasty 30-minute tracks (“Cascade Effect Part…
Release data: Bernd Kistenmacher – Antimatter CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mellowjet Records, 2012 It was great to see Berliner-based composer Bernd Kistenmacher re-emerge in the electronic music scene a couple of years back with “Celestial Movements”, followed by “Beyond the Deep”. With…
Release data: David Wright – In Search of Silence CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, AD Music, 2011 For “In Search of Silence”, David Wright put everything he’d accumulated over 25 years into practice, both musically and technically, plus more of an awareness of…
Release data: Boris Lelong – Everyday Flower DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2012 With the music of his album “Everyday Flower”, US-composer Boris Lelong offers a freeform ambient soundscape in five “Movements”, meant as “a sweet and sour electronic requiem dealing…
Release data: Rüdiger Gleisberg – Symphonic Arts CD, BSC/Prudence, 2012 For long, German composer Rüdiger Gleisberg had the wish to once make a production with a full orchestra or with a few orchestral members. With “Symphonic Arts”, that dream has…
Release data: Robert Jíša – Pět Tibeťanů (Five Tibetans) CD, LK/Nextera, 2006/2011 In 2006, Tjech-based composer Robert Jíša was asked to compose a simple, rather monotone album for relaxing and meditative purposes, that later appeared to sell over a 100.00…
Release data: Various Artists – Euphony 1 CD, WWUH 91.3 FM, 2008 “Euphony 1” is an electronic ambient release compiled by Susan Mullis of the US-based radio station WWUH, a public radio station broadcasting alternative programming from the University of…
Release data: Synth.nl – Apollo CD, Groove Unlimited, 2011 After a beautiful and well-rendered sonic journey into the sea, Synth.Nl (aka Michel van Osenbruggen) takes his listeners into the fascinating aura and wonders of space with his fourth album “Apollo”,…
Release data: Matthew Florianz – Los DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 As Mr Florianz explains in some notes to “Los”, story and abstraction were and always will be reoccurring themes in his music: not in their pure sense, but more…
Release data: Wave World – Hieroglyphs CD, Virtual Factory Records, 2011 After a five-year period of silence, the Dutch multimedia project Wave World resurfaced in the fall of 2011 with two new albums, “Hieroglyphs” being one the them. The cd…
Release data: Vanderson – Visions CD, Generator.pl, 2011 If I’m not mistaken, “Visions” is the very first factory-pressed cd by Polish composer Vanderson, aka Maciej Wierzchowski. This cosmic album pairs the classic sound of Germany’s vintage EM-years with nowadays modern…
Release data: Gert Emmens & Ruud Heij – The Sculpture Garden CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 I won’t spend many words on this concept album, inspired by the Sculpture Garden of the Dutch Kröller-Müller Museum, as the experienced duo Emmens/Heij…
Release data: Wassonic – Wassonic CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Disappearing Music, 2011 Fans of soundscape ambient might already know the music by Canadian composer Terry O’Brien, aka Anomalous Disturbances. For the collaborative project “Wassonic”, Terry has joined forces with his old friend…
Release data: Amir Baghiri – Live Long and Prosper CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Bluebox, 2011 After an absence of five years, German/Iran ambient composer Amir Baghiri fortunately re-enters the electronic space music scene with “Live Long and Proper”. The 76-minute release, dedicated…
Release data: MoonSatellite – Missing Time CD, Dreaming/Musea Records, 2011 As far as I know, this is the first factory-pressed album by French composer Marc Perbal, aka Moonsatellite, beyond a series of privately-released, home-brewed cd-r’s. The music on the 65-minute…
Release data: F.D. Project – Water and Earth CD, Private Release, 2011 Since several years, German composer Frank Dorittke (aka F.D. Project) is quite succesfull in his efforts to fuse melodic contemporary styles and vintage electronics with some poignant and…
Release data: René van der Wouden – Zeppelins! There they Go CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, REWO Records, 2011 On the 78-minute “Zeppelins! There they go”, Dutch musician René van der Wouden offers his listeners five lengthy pieces and one shorter trip. The…
Release data: Stormloop – Snowbound* CD, Glacial Movements, 2011 “Stormloop” is an ambient project by one Kev Spence who hails from Leeds, England. “Snowbound*” (which found a home on Alessandro Tedeschi’s Italian label Glacial Movements) is a winter ambient release…
Release data: Yagya – Rhythm of Snow CD, Force Inc. Music Works, 2002 The creative mind behind Yagya is Islandic producer Aalsteinn Gumundsson. His debut release “Rhythm of Snow” is a 78-minute deep house/ambient kaleidoscope. It reflects the ice cold…
Release data: Triple S – Poles CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Pleasure Sound Music, 2011 Triple S is a new German electronic music project bringing three established musicians together: Max Schiefele (aka Maxxess), Erik Seifert and Cologne-based Joseph Steinbuechel. With Erik Seifert at…
Release data: Janne Hanhisuanto – Circles in 3D CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Auraltone Music, 2011 The creative mind behind “Circles in 3d” is Finnish musician Janne Hanhisuanto. From the press-sheet I learned “Circles in 3d” was inspired by the beauty of circles.…
Release data: Awenson – Beyond the Galaxies CD-R, Private Release, 2009 On “Beyond the Galaxies”, Bordeaux-based composer Joël Bernard (aka Awenson) takes the listener on a more atmospheric oriented sonic journey. Still roaming in the cosmic sounds of the vintage…
Release data: Javi Cánovas – Strange Vision CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2007 Mr Canovas is most famous for his genious blend of vintage electronic sounds and sequencers with contemporary technology, bringing the listener the best of both worlds. On his…
Release data: Van Zyl & Gulch – Regeneration Mode CD, Synkronos Music, 1994 “Regeneration Mode” is an album by the duo Chuck van Zyl and Peter D. Gulch (both known from the project The Nightcrawlers) filled with vintage, but most…
Release data: Various Artists – Ambrosia CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Ultimae Records, 2011 “Ambrosia” is a compilation album by the Lyon-based Ultimae label, selected and compiled by Fishimself (aka Haris Papadimitriou), deejay and the driving force behind IT records and Freeze Magazine.…
Release data: Remy – The Great Church Trilogy CD, Deserted Island Music, 2011 This 75-minute album, the second factory-pressed release on Deserted Island Records, comprises music performed during three different concerts by Remy (aka remy Stroomer) in 2007, 2008 and…
Release data: Altus – Ecotone DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 Many may know the music of Mike Carss, aka Altus, as vast textural and out-of-this-world music. Sonically, “Ecotone” though opens a new, vibrant chapter in his already extensive discography. The…
Release data: Pyramid Peak – 5Vor12 CD, Private Release, 2011 Pyramid Peak’s album “5vor12” (named after the bands habit to finish a project or concert preparation just in time) was released on November 22, 2011 when the band played their…
Release data: Robert Rich – Medicine Box CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Soundscape Productions, 2011 Referred to as “a sonic tincture of shamanic energy, at once ecstatic and shadowy, fragile and surreal, fluid and psychedelic”, to me the ancient meets the modern while…
Release data: Chad Hoefler – Twilight in the Offing CD, Hypnos Recordings, 2004 “Twilight in the Offing” (mastered by Robert Rich) is the debut album of US-synthesist Chad Hoeffler. According to the composer, it’s a concept album on inevitability, the…
Release data: Sam Rosenthal – The Passage CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Projekt, 2011 “The Passage” is a foray into the realms of pure textural ambient from Black Tape For A Blue Girl founder/songwriter Sam Rosenthal, also known as owner of the Projekt…
Release data: Picture Palace Music – Metropolis Poetry CD, Eastgate, 2010 “Metropolis Poetry” is another cinematic concept album by Thorsten Quaeschning, inspired by Frits Lang’s classic non-verbal movie “Metropolis”, realized in 2005, 2008 and 2011. Once more, their electronic-post-rock stays…
Release data: Exuviae – Intrinsic Luminance DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2009 With “Intrinsic Luminance”, Exuviae (aka Minnesota-based ambient composer Brooks Rongstad), finally brings us another chapter of textural and highly atmospheric pieces that contine where the gentle ambiences of “Echoes…
Release data: Mazmoneth – Music by Mirrors CD, DiN, 2011 Mazmoneth is a new name in both the DiN catalogue and in the Em-genre. It’s a project in search of new sonic horizons without borders initiated by Nigel Mullaney and…
Release data: Broken Harbour – Gramophone Transmissions CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 “Gramophone Transmissions” is the second album by Broken Harbour, aka Canadian ambient composer Blake Gibson, made without any use of synthetic sources. Recorded between July and October 2009,…
Release data: Phillip Wilkerson – Ten to Eleven CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 “Ten to Eleven” is a 42-minute freeform soundscape ambient/space album by US-musician Phillip Wilkerson, offering eight pieces of highly spherical music. From his website I learned its…
Release data: Tangerine Dream – The Endless Season CD, Eastgate, 2010 “The Endless Season” is the fifth (and final) part of the Five Atomic Seasons album series. Quite some of the overall mellow music on the album remembers me of…
Release data: Patrick O’Hearn – Transitions CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 According to Patrick O’Hearn, the music of “Transitions” intentionally hails back to the sounds of his first Private Music albums, sticking to the formulae of simple melody, harmony and…
Release data: Polaris & Krzysztof Horn – Collision CD, Ricochet Dream, 2011 “Collision” contains 52-minutes of improvised live music played by Jakub Kmieć (aka Polaris) and Krzysztof Horn at The Richochet Gatherings event 2011, that took place in Berlin. Spherical…
Release data: Mon0 – Monolith DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 Mon0’s “Monolith” invites us into a dark and mysterious ambient world with occasional minimal dub-techno beats, in which a strong sense of dynamic is embedded in the slow shifting and…
Release data: Steven Grace – Cobalt Blue DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2010 The 62-minute “Cobalt Blue” is an album fully composed with only one piece of gear: Leslie Sanford’s Cobalt synthesizer. The composer of it is Steven Grace, also known…
Release data: Al Gromer Khan – Music from an Eastern Rosegarden CD, Aquamarin Verlag, 1989 “Music from an Eastern Rosegarden” by Al Gromer Kahn is a highly spiritual piece of sonic art that will appeal to ambient music fans who…
Release data: Carbon Based Lifeforms – Twentythree CD, Ultimae Records, 2011 For this album, the duo Segerstad/Hedberg have chosen to turn the wheel and head into a different music direction, away from the down-tempo stuff of their previous releases. The…
Release data: Transceive – The Circe Complex DIGITAL DOWNLOAD EP, Alles Klar Productions, 2011 “The Circe Complex” is a 3-track/20 minute EP containing the first new tracks by Steve Nelson, aka Transceive, in five years and is meant as an…
Release data: Numina – Subterranean Landscapes CD, Numina Music, 2011 Jesse Sola’s “Subterranean Landscapes” (inspired by the alien landscapes of the American desert Southwest) is a project of dark-oriented and longform ambient dronescapes, presented in seven imaginative tracks. While ambient…
Release data: Nebulæ – The Path of White Clouds CD, Hypnos Recordings, 2003/2011 “The Path of White Clouds” is the second release of Nebulae, an Italian/German ambient project lead by Oöphoi, aka Gianluigi Gasparetti. The version reviewed here is a…
Release data: Bob Holroyd – Afterglow CD, Private Release, 2011 “Afterglow” (also the featured album on the Bowers & Wilkins Society of Sound website during July 2011) is the seventh album by UK musician Bob Holroyd, musically turning away from…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Myriad Stars DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2011 With “Myriad Stars”, Gregory Kyryluk aka Alpha Wave Movement brings us a nice and colourful addition to his existing catalogue of space music, and especially his…
Release data: Michael Brückner – Endless Mind Portal DIGITAL DOWNLOAD/CD-R, Private Release, 2011 For fans of atmospheric ambient and cosmic music, the album “Endless Mind Portal” (released as a download in early August 2011) by German composer Michael Brückner may…
Release data: Robert Scott Thompson – The Silent Shore CD, Oasis/Mirage, 1996 “The Silent Shore” is an album of US-composer Robert Scott Thompson, who is associate professor at Georgia State University, School of Music. His electro-acoustic music, split in three…
Release data: You – Laserscape LP/CD, Cue Records, 1986 “Laserscape” is the fourth and last album by You, aka the German duo Albin Meskes and Udo Hanten, from the ‘80’s period. Initially released on vinyl in 1986, only few copies…
Release data: Michael Shipway – Voyage to Venus CD, MSL Music, 2011 Most fans of electronic music will probably know Michael Shipway as one half of the successful UK project VoLt. Since their last album “HJVI” they both have spend…
Release data: Dave Luxton – Dreams Ghosts and Parallel Universes CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Wayfarer Records, 2011 With “Dreams Ghosts and Parallel Universes”, US synthesist Dave Luxton brings us an album offering twelve atmospheric space music tracks, making up almost an hour…
Release data: Erik Wøllo – Silent Currents (Live at Star’s End) CD, Projekt Records, 2011 Those who have seen Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Erik Wøllo perform live know that he is able to create impressive and highly cinematic spheres with a symphonic/prog-rock…
Release data: Bernard Weadling – Out of Time CD, Private Release, 2009 French artist Bernard Weadling started playing electronic music at the age of 14, using a Korg MS 10 as his first synthesizer. When he was 16 years old,…
Release data: A Produce & Loren Nerell – Intangible CD, Hypnos Recordings, 2011 “Intangible” is the outcome of a collaboration between Barry Craig (aka A Produce) and Loren Nerell, both known as skilled ambient composers for many years. Composed between…
Release data: Paul Ellis – From Out Of The Vast Comes Nearness CD, LotusPike, 2011 About two years after his last hard-copy release “Last Hiding Place of Beauty”, synthesist Paul Ellis brings us the 74-minute “From Out Of The Vast…
Release data: Numina – Dawn of Obscurity CD, Numina Music, 2011 After being absent for a while in the electronic music scene due to personal circumstances, Colorado-based musician Jesse Sola (aka Numina) fortunately brings us not one but two brand…
Release data: Tuu – Mesh CD, Hearts of Space/Fathom, 1997 For “Mesh”, the UK-band TUU consisted of Martin Franklin, Mykl O’Dempsey and Nick Parkin along two guest stars. The band were able to get their album released in the flow…
Release data: Rüdiger Gleisberg – Baktun CD, Musique Intemporelle, 1993 “Baktun” by German synthesist Rüdiger Gleisberg musically follows a classical approach. Here, Gleisberg displays a nice range of dynamic, overall creative sonic creations that mix classic strings and orchestrations with…
Release data: Emmanuel Tuts-Schiemsky – Rust voor de Stilte CD, Arya, 1996 Belgian musician Emmanuel Tuts-Schiemsky was part of the range of ambient musicians who were offered the possibility to release their music on the Italian Amplexus-sublabel Arya. “Rust voor…
Release data: Enterphase – Phase One CD, AD Music, 1994 On “Phase One”, Enterphase is an electronic space project made up by the American duo Fred Becker and Jeff Filbert. The duo came with the group of import electronic music…
Release data: Nebulous – Synthetica III CD, Private Release, 2000 “Synthetica III” is -according to the musicians site- the official (and final) cd release of Synthetica material, created by the Canadian musician Jared (Nebulous) Brookes. For years, the latter designed…
Release data: Harold Budd – The Serpent (In Quicksilver) / Abandoned Cities CD, Opal, 1991 This cd-release comprises two albums made in 1981 (“The Serpent”) and 1984 (“Abandoned Cities”) respectively. “The Serpent” is actually a 20-minute Ep containing six short…
Release data: Tom Habes – Sudden Exposure CD, Optical Image Records, 1995 Tom Habes is a Dutch composer who started making music in the middle of the ‘80’s. Many may know him as as the guy behind the Optical Image…
Release data: Paul Sauvanet – Time Dreaming CD, Les Volies Dór/Oreus, 1991 Recorded at the Centre International de Recherche Musicale in Nice, “Time Dreaming” (officially entitled “Le Songe Du Temps”), offers two lengthy tracks and one short piece of reflective…
Release data: Harmonics of Frequency Modulation – Vibe’s CD, Katharsis, 1997 The musician behind Harmonics of Frequency Modulation is the Island-based musician Marteinn Bjarnar Thordarson. He writes the music of “Vibe’s”, which is dedicated to the human spirit, should not…
Release data: Satsuma Nightmare – Plugged CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2003 Well, the cover image of “Plugged” isn’t very appealing, but the music on it will be appreciated by those who cling to the stuff TD played at the beginning…
Release data: Jerome Froese –Nightshade Family (live) CD, Moonpop, 2011 “Nightshade Family” is a release put out by the Moonpop label after a long period of popular demand for a live document, here presented as a complete live set with…
Release data: Jeff Pearce –The Hidden Rift CD, Ancient Sun Music, 1996 When you talk about quiet, atmospheric ambient music, the name of Indiana-based space-guitarist Jeff Pearce most certainly should be mentioned. Having previously collaborated with the Vidna Obmana on…
Release data: Vanderson – From The Bottom Of Space CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, SynGate, 2010 A few years back I was impressed by the music featured on Vanderson’s album “Echoes of Darkness”. “From the Bottom of Space” (composed between 2008 and 2009)…
Release data: Wellenfeld – Sunshine CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mellowjet Records, 2008 “Sunshine” contains nine well-composed and executed studio tracks recorded by Wellenfeld (aka the German duo Detlef Dominiczak and Andreas Braun) between April 2006 and February 2008. The outcome is accessible…
Release data: Remotion – Beyond Reality DIGITAL EP, Private Release, 2013 Back in 2001, the Dutch duo Remotion (aka Richard Stuij and Arjan Steenbergen) released their album “Between Fiction and Reality” on Groove Unlimited, a fine album that still works…
Release data: René Splinter – Transit Realities CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mellowjet Records, 1992-2010 “Transit Realities” offers 10 tracks of sequencer-based melodic music dealing with journeys through both the real world and the virtual equivalent. Recorded in 1992 and 1993, the music…
Release data: Schönwälder & Rothe – Filter-Kaffee 101 CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, SynGate, 2011 “Filter-Kaffee 101” is the first collaborative project by Mario Schönwälder & Frank Rothe, who composed the music for this album between 2007 and 2011. The 66-minute outcome, presented…
Release data: Hashtronaut – Bottle Universe CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Flightlog Restricted Recordings, 2006 “Bottle Universe” is the second album of by Michael Daniel, who goes by the name of Hashtronaut. Well, this guy knows what he’s doing as his attractive Berlin…
Release data: Frederick Rousseau – Abyss CD, Origins, 1997 After two concept albums about woods, the French composer Frédérick Frederick Rousseau now turns to the mysteries and isolation of the ocean deeps. Regarding the content of “Abyss”, Rousseau refers to…
Release data: Leonardo Rosado – Opaque Glitter CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, FeedbackLoop, 2011 With “Opaque Glitter”, derived from approximately 1h30 of source music, experimental artist Leonardo Rosado has created a textural drone album with an assortment of lost and found sounds. Beside…
Release data: Max Corbacho – Lost Links DIGITAL DOWNLOAD/CD-R, Relaxed Machinery, 2011 For “Lost Links”, the first volume in a series, Max Corbacho assembled a collection of tracks which were shelved in his archive although they were initially composed to…
Release data: Various Artists – Fahrenheit Project Part Seven CD, Ultimae Records, 2011 The French Ultimae-label brings the Fahrenheit Project Collection to an end with the 76-minute “Fahrenheit Project part seven”, offering a last bunch of fresh, contemporary and progressive…
Release data: Robert Carty – Photonic Movements DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 All EM-fans out there looking for a nice addition to their ambient space music collection, make sure to check out Robert Carty’s offering “Photonic Movements”. Kicking off with…
Release data: Hashtronaut – The Lambda Variant CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Flightlog Restricted Recordings, 2006 Hashtronaut is the artist name of UK-based synthesist/guitarist Michael Daniel. His fifth album “The Lambda Variant” comprises two lengthy pieces of 26 and 24 minutes each, both…
Release data: Bas B. Broekhuis – The Escher Drawings CD, Synteam/Groove Unlimited, 1991/2004 Bas Broekhuis belongs to the Eindhovense School of electronic musicians such as Ron Boots, Eric van der Heijden, Niko Olofsen and Ad van Gerven. Together with Ron…
Release data: Memory Geist – Benthos DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DiN, 2011 DiN’s ninth download-only album “Benthos”, which took about four years to complete, is the second release by Memory Geist, a collaborative project of Steve Law (of Zen Paradox, Starseed Transmission…
Release data: Rising Star – Cosmic WorksRising Star – Cosmic Works CD-R, Private Release, 2001 From the backcover of this cd I learned “Cosmic Works” is a live-in-concert recording made in Chico, CA, USA on 01-27-2001. Marc Handschuh, aka Rising…
Release data: Steve Rose – The Diminishing Day CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 The completion of the dreamy ambient release “The Diminishing Day”, very nicely mastered by the capable Robert Rich, took Steve (Austin) Rose over two years. The outcome,…
Release data: Brain Laughter – In the Land of Power CD, Spotted Peccary Music, 1989 The focus of the Brain Laughter-project, started by label owner Howard Givens, was to create a “grand collaboration” of artists from the Spotted Peccary label…
Release data: René van der Wouden – Panorama CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, REWO Records, 2011 It is my impression Dutch synthesist René van der Wouden has evolved to a skilled painter of sonic landscapes on the 77-minute “Panorama”. The recording, of which…
Release data: David Parsons – Yatra CD, Fortuna records, 1990 The double album “Yatra” is due to Mr Parsons’ ongoing passion for India and his personal interest in the physics of sound creation, which he was able to transform into…
Release data: David Parsons – Tibetan Plateau + Sounds of the Mothership CD, Fortuna records, 1980/1982 This 74-minute cd release from 1991 comprises the music from the cassette releases “Tibetan Plateau” and “Sounds of the Mothership” (only the 27-minute track…
Release data: David Parsons – Himalaya CD, Fortuna records, 1989 The ethno-electronic music on “Himalaya” reflects the beauty and impact of Indian and Tibetan culture music. As the previous albums, it was inspired by David’s ongoing contact and extensive stays…
Release data: Various Artists – Electronic Music For Life CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Mellowjet Records, 2011 Due to the devastating earthquake, followed by a tsumani and a nuclear disaster that hit Japan in March 2011, the seed was planted to produce a…
Release data: Glyn Lloyd-Jones – Chaotic Attraction DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 Mr Lloyd Jones is able to surprise me with every new album he comes up with, and “Chaotic Attraction” is no exception to that. Beside the modern classical…
Release data: Mychael Danna – Sirens CD, Hearts of Space Records, 1991 The debut album “Sirens”, initially only released as cassette, offers a 46-minute collection of minimal orchestral/symphonic electronics by Canadian Mychael Danna, who later on established himself as a…
Release data: John Broaddus – Afield DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Parnassusnump Records, 2011 After seven years of silence, US ambient composer John Broaddus brings us “Afield”, which offers an adventurous journey into sound processing within the concept of minimal ambient. The seeds…
Release data: Danna & Clément – The Best of Danna & Clément CD-R, Earthaven/Mirage, 2005 This is a 70-minute compilation album by the Canadian duo Danna & Clément who made several ambient releases together which all have been unavailable for…
Release data: The Black Dog – Radio Scarecrow CD, Soma Recordings Limited, 2008 The Black Dog is a techno-ambient project from the UK consisting of Ken Downie and the brothers Martin and Richard Dust. The output of “Radio Scarecrow”, mixed…
Release data: Mychael Danna – Skys CD, Hearts of Space, 1992 “Skys” is a concept album by Mychael Danna, inspired by the big cold Canadian skyscapes through the year. The rich electro-acoustic music, by Mr Danna describes as orchestral romantic-minimalism,…
Release data: Przemysław Rudź – Cerulean Legacy CD, Generator.pl, 2011 After finishing his previous trilogy, Polish synthesist Przemysław Rudź brings us a new concept album of progressive electronics, in which the technology theme remains a core element. At first the…
Release data: Somnarium – Frost DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 With the album “Frost”, composer Michael Meara brings us another fine release of smooth ambient sonics, this time inspired by profound cold weather conditions. The five expansive vistas offer subtle,…
Release data: Ishq – Skyspaces CD, Virtual Light, 2011 “Skyspaces” is the first album on Virtual Light, a new series adapted by Ishq (aka Matt Hillier), of which all releases will have an emphasis on space, light and minimalism rather…
Release data: Steve Roach & Erik Wøllo – The Road Eternal CD, Projekt, 2011 “The Road Eternal” is the second collaborative album by Steve Roach and Erik Wøllo, following up their 2009-release “Stream of Thought”. The framework and fundament of…
Release data: Gert Emmens – Metamorphosis CD, Groove Unlimited, 2010 Marking his tenth release on the established Dutch Groove Unlimited label, Gert Emmens decided to stick to the use of old vintage gear without MIDI for the 73-minute “Metamorphosis”. For…
Release data: Remy – I-dentity CD, Deserted Island Music, 2011 I personally find it interesting Remy Stroomer has chosen the titel “I-dentity” for his latest release, as I always found that this musician created his own realm of identity and…
Release data: Eric G – Conclusion CD, Elmuced Records, 2001 Many musicians have been influenced by the classic electronic music of the Berlin school. The music contained on Eric G’s “Conclusion” features compositions made between 1978 and 1999, and shows…
Release data: Altus – Sleep Theory Volume 1 DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2011 With “Sleep Theory Volume One”, Mike Carrs adds another fine chapter to his already extensive catalogue of soothing and highly textural ambient music. Quite similar to the…
Release data: Elektronische Maschine – Kampf CD, IntraPop, 2010 After seven years of work, the Dutch band Elektronische Maschine (by many associated with Kraftwerk) managed to put out their fifth album “Kampf “ (mastered by Eroc) at the end of…
Release data: Anthony Paul Kerby & Tomass Weiss – Distant Shadows CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DataObscura/Construct, 2011 Canadian composer Anthony Paul Kerby (APK) has produces many ambient recordings under the names Lammergeyer, Nunc Stans, and The Circular Ruins. Sonic architect Tomas Weiss…
Release data: Resonant Drift – Passages CD, Flow Space Music, 2011 Bill Olien and Gary Johnson, aka Resonant Drift, nicely follow up to their previous album “The Call”, bringing more inspiring desert soundscape music to us. “Passages” features sophisticated ambient…
Release data: Time Being – A Dimension Reflected CD, LotusPike, 2011 Ambient composers Jourdan Laik and Philip Wilkerson have joined forces using the musical moniker Time Being. With “A Dimension Reflected” they deliver their first tour-de-force release of ethereal and…
Release data: Steve Roach – Immersion Five: Circadian Rhythms CD, Timeroom Editions, 2011 Meant to explore a new direction for the immersion experience, “Immersion Five – Circadian Rhythms” nicely continues the series with two long form tracks of 73 minutes…
Release data: Forrest Fang – Forrest Fang’s Sans Serif: Unbound CD, Projekt, 2011 “Unbound” is the second release of Sans Serif, aka Forrest Fang, of which the ambient music was assembled from an assortment of lost and found microscopic sounds…
Release data: Peter Davidson – Green Moss Trail CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Otherworld/PeterDavidsonmusic, 2011 Hailing from the Swedish Western coastline, multi-instrumentalist Peter Davidson brings us an instrumental album described by the composer as “an ambient journey down the wormhole”. “Green Moss Trail”…
Release data: Bruno Sanfilippo – Subliminal Pulse CD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2011 “Sometimes, the poetic language of music reveals what cannot be seen. It shows a reality that has nothing to do with words. With my electronic instruments I take…
Release data: Blutiger Fluss – Rings Of Saturn CD-R, Sleep on the Floor Records, 2011 “Rings of Saturn” is the fourth release by the Des Moines, Iowa-based duo Jeff Hutchison and Jim Duede, and their third concept album surrounding a…
Release data: Meg Bowles – A Quiet Light CD, Kumatone Records, 2011 I had the idea classically-trained female synthesist fell of the radar about a decade or so ago, after she had composed some very nice cosmic albums. So what…
Release data: Biff Johnson – Mirage at the Crossroads CD, Broad Vista Music, 1999 On his second album “Mirage at the Crossroads”, Sacramento-based composer Biff Johnson has decided to follow a bit of a new musical direction for his ambient…
Release data: Vir Unis & James Johnson – Perimeter CD-R, Atmoworks, 2001 “Perimeter” is a double cd-r release which sees fractal-groove king Vir Unis (aka John Strate-Hootman) collaborate with ambient composer James Johnson. The disc of 60 and 70 minutes…
Release data: James Johnson – Environment 1: Chinatown – New York CD-R, Atmoworks, 2003 “Environment 1” is the first cd-ep from James Johnson environmental soundscapes series. This 28-minute cd-r carries the subtitle Chinatown – New York, and depicts a rather…
Release data: Richard Bone – The Ghosts of Hanton Village CD-R, Quirkwork Laboratory Discs, 2009 “The Ghosts of Hanton Village” marks the 25th release on Mr Bone’s label Quirkwork Laboratory Discs. It contains ten ambient/experimental compositions that have been inspired…
Release data: Aes Dana – Perimeters CD, Ultimae Records, 2011 First of all, “Perimeters” sees a departure of the cd packaging and cover artwork known from all previous Ultimae releases. Musically, Vincent Villuis has taken the opportunity to thoroughly reinvestigate…
Release data: Remanence – Lamkhyer 3-INCH CD-R, mPath Records, 2002 This is the third, again very nice and originally packed release of Remanence, aka the ambient-duo Brian McWilliams and John Phipps. Both who have been abled to take a prolific…
Release data: Darshan Ambient – The Zen Master’s Diary CD-R, Private Release, 2003 The initial idea for “The Zen Master’s Diary” by Darshan Ambient (aka Michael Allison) was born after the musician read A Buddist Bible by Dwight Goddard, a…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Soniq Variants CD-R, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2011 As Gregory Kyryluk explains in the liner notes, the music of “Soniq Variants” is made on a few Ensoniq hardware synthesizers with slight computer assistance for compositional…
Release data: moonbooter – Cosmologica CD, Mellowjet Records, 2010 Like “Cosmoclimax”, “Cosmologica” is another energetic release by Bernd Scholl, (aka Moonbooter) but the latter one offers a handful of very nice Jarre elements and effects thrown in the Moonbooter mix…
Release data: Synthetic Block – Synthetic Block CD, Mindspore Records, 1998 What we got here is an interesting debut-cd that shouldn’t be missed by any serious listener of progressive electronic ambient music produced today. American musician Jonathan Block (who seems…
Release data: Robert Carty – Ethereal Deserts CD-R, Private Release, 2003 Utah-based Robert Carty has come up with a another atmospheric work called “Ethereal Deserts”. The album features seven longform tracks in which a delicate blend of soundscapes and textures…
Release data: Steve Roach – Texture Maps CD, Timeroom Editions, 2003 “Texture Maps” presents volume 3 in the “Lost Pieces”-series. This time (as the title suggests) we take a dive into vast textural landscapes which –by whatever reason- were shelved…
Release data: John Broaddus – 4 at 18 CD, Parnassusnump Records, 2003 I had the privilege to have been a demo-listener for this recording while it was in progress. The music then had some hard edges and coulduse some more…
Release data: Thom Brennan – Signals in Moonlight CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Raingarden Music, 2003 It took well-respected ambient musician Thom Brennan quite some time to solve some troubles regarding the album “Signals in Moonlight” and the distribution of it after its…
Release data: Cold Sun – Four Patterns CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2003 “Four Patterns” is the 3rd cd of UK-based musician Simon Slator which smoothly follows the path taken by his predecessors “6am” and “Antarctica”. The outcome (a non-generative ambient…
Release data: Deep Sky Divers – The New Fast Lane CD, Any Robinhood, 2003 An album filled with exactly 60 minutes of chill-out music, the soundtrack for a life less hectic. This description comes from the UK-duo Jon Short and…
Release data: Constance Demby – Set Free CD, Hearts of Space, 1989 One of the accomplishments of female synthesist Constance Demby has been to merge electronic space music with the New Age genre. Did she leave an unforgettable footprint with…
Release data: Michael Stearns – Within – The Nine Dimensions CD, Earth Turtle Music, 2000 Mr Stearns always had a great ability to connect the celestial with the real world experience through his sophisticated ambient music. “Within”, graced with beautiful…
Release data: Ian Boddy – Aurora CD, DiN, 2002 Since Ian Boddy started his own DiN-label, he always looked for ways to extend his electronic sound by e.g. mixing his beloved vintage analogues with software synths and other creative sound…
Release data: 33 Tetragammon & Human Metronome – Universal Ripples CD-R, Private Release, 2010 “Universal Ripples” is the third collaboration between Dutch musicians Human Metronome (aka Eelke van Hoof) and 33 Tetragammon (aka Wasili Papadopoulos). According to the musicians, the…
Release data: TM Solver – Axon DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Syngate, 2010 TM Solver is an electronic music project by Berlin resident Thomas Meier. His third album album “Axon” features four long tracks which in their own way pay tribute to the…
Release data: Altus & TRX – Crossroads DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2010 The album “Crossroads” fulfills a wish Mike Carss (aka Altus) had for years: to compose a beat-oriented album in the style as he wrote them in the 90s,…
Release data: Australis – Sentient Genus CD, Essential Noises, 2010 Toward the end of 2010, Oscar Aguayo brings us his third release, “Sentient Genus”, of which the composer mentions in the press sheet it explores some of humanity’s many levels…
Release data: Walter Christian Rothe – Alice DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 1987/2010 This “definitive” edition of “Alice” is again due to the kind help and huge efforts of an electronic music enthusiast and collector from Down Under. Not only did…
Release data: Mank – Awen DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Manky Music, 2010 “Awen” (a Welsh word for “poetic inspiration”) was released on March 1st 2010, and sees Ben Powell (aka Mank) deliver another fine work of inspired ambient electronic music. As Ben…
Release data: Juta Takahashi – Silence CD, Lunisolar Records, 2010 Fans of calming and immersive textural ambient will find lots of their liking in the music of Jutaro Takahashi. On his release “Silence”, Juta has further improved the quality of…
Release data: Schiller – Lichtblick (Ltd. Super Deluxe Edition) DVD & CD, Universal Domestic, 2010 In Spring of 2010, Christopher von Deylen (aka Schiller) released “Atemlos”, the follow-up to his highly succesful album “Sehnsucht” (“Desire”). Like most of his previous…
Release data: Herion – Out and About CD, Hypnos Recordings, 2010 “Out and About” is the debut release of the Italian trio Herion, and at the same time also marks the first release in digipak format on the Hypnos label.…
Release data: Axess – Fusion CD, Spheric Music, 2010 On “Fusion”, German synthesist Axel Stupplich (who many will also know as member of Pyramid Peak) continues his quest of composing energetic and exciting Berlin School inspired music. Nonetheless, the music…
Release data: Boreal Taiga – Isopectic Isotac CD-R, Wayfarer Records, 2010 Ambient musician JimDe, who currently resides in Norway, is the ambient musician who initiated the down-tempo project Boreal Taiga around 1999. The electronic music found on “Isopectic Isotac” is…
Release data: Przemysław Rudź – Self-Replicating Intelligent Spawn CD, Generator.Pl, 2010 Przemysław Rudź album “Self-Replicating Intelligent Spawn” is the final chapter of a trilogy (which started with “Summa Technologiae“), which tells the story of mankind in the 21st century. The…
Release data: Dreamstate – A Decade Dreaming CD-R, e-Space Editions, 2010 The Canadian duo ScotM2 (aka Scott McGregor Moore) and Jamie Todd, aka Dreamstate, are purveyors of deep ambient music. “A decade dreaming” is a collection of live pieces selected…
Release data: The Nexion Project – Land of Dreams CD, Private Release, 2000/2010 The Nexion Project is Zoltán Török, a Hungarian composer who’s a skilled guitarist and pianist. Until now, he has released several works in different genres ranging from…
Release data: Jerome Froese –Preventive Medicine EP, Moonpop, 2010 ““Preventive Medicine” is a 4-track EP which is meant to be a follow-up to the 2007 release “Precooked Munchies”. The opening piece “Inner Canon Of The Yellow Emperor” (Stimulant), which has…
Release data: Asura – 360 CD, Ultimae Records, 2011 Asura is a one-man project by Charles Farewell who continues his quest in the genre of down-tempo electronics with his fourth album “360”. The typical Asura-style is almost immediately present, blending…
Release data: Delerium – Epiphany DVD, MVD Visual, 2010 “Bill Leeb’s project Delirium finally sees a dvd-release which features a vibrant and fresh sounding live performance which surely will please a lot of fans of the band worldwide, as it…
Release data: Ron Boots & Synth.nl – Refuge en Verre CD, Groove Unlimited, 2010 The foundation of the music heard on this release was laid down as Ron Boots and Michel van Osenbruggen (aka Synth.nl) and their families had a…
Tripswitch is a down-tempo project by English composer Nick Brennan. The press sheet revealed “Geometry” is the long-awaited follow-up of his 2005-release “Circuit Breaker”. “Geometry” offers fresh, overall moody, airy and above all intricate electronic compositions with a great flow.…
Release data: Vanderson – Echoes Of Darkness CD-R, SynG@te, 2007 Vanderson is a project of Polish musician Maciej Wierzchowski. The four lengthy tracks on this release sound like a homage to TD’s sequencer-infused music and sound of the ‘80s, as…
Release data: Picture Palace Music – Midsummer CD, Groove Unlimited, 2010 All who attended the band’s concert at “E-Live 2010” could hear a good portion of this album, which was played enthusiastically, very loud and in high-rocking mode. At that…
Release data: Nattefrost – Dying Sun / Scarlet Moon CD, Groove Unlimited, 2010 The fine electronics Bjørn Jeppesen aka Nattefrost presents on “Dying Sun/Scarlet Moon” album are of a groovy but also spatial nature. The album offers a nice assemblage…
Release data: MorPheuSz – Days of Delerium & Nocturnal Nightmares (Chapter One) CD, Groove Unlimited, 2010 MorPheuSz is the Dutch/German music collective Ron Boots, Eric and Harold van der Heijden and Frank Dorittke (aka FD Project). “Days of Delerium &…
Release data: Mark Jenkins – iPaDream CD-R, Private Release, 2010 With “iPaDream”, London-based musician Mark Jenkins released a full electronic music album created entirely on a 64GB 3G Apple iPad. Those who saw him perform on E-Live 2010 saw him…
Release data: Amongst Myselves – Fragments CD, Private Release, 2010 Previous to the release of “Fragments”, Steve Roberts aka Amongst Myselves did a good portion of experimentation with his synths, e-guitars and electronics between March 2008 and April 2010 with…
Release data: Matthew Florianz – Koude Handen CD-R, Private Release, 2010 “Koude Handen”, recorded in December and January of 2009/2010, sees Dutch composer Matthew Florianz continue on the sonic path of atmospheric landscape ambient as explored on his album “Maalbeek”.…
Release data: David Parsons – Akash CD, Celestial Harmonies, 2010 With “Akash” (meaning sky or ether in the Sanskrit language), New-Zealand based musician David Parsons returns to highly spherical and overall quiet sound worlds, trying to evoke “an expansive sky-like…
Release data: Peter Challoner – Indefinite Duration CD-R, Private Release, 2010 On “Indefinite Duration”, Mr Challoner continues the path of slow flowing textural music as explored on his previous releases. The almost 80-minute album offers an uninterrupted sonic canvas of…
Release data: Peter Challoner – Ambient Archive CD-R, Private Release, 2010 Ambient music fans who haven’t had the chance to investigate the output of the talented musician Peter Challoner now have a great opportunity with the double album “Ambient Archive”.…
Release data: Michael Neil & Graham Getty – Retrochet CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2010 For this album, composers Michael Neil and Graham Getty used the latest collaborative opportunities the internet has to offer to assemble a fine synthesis of vintage…
Release data: Dream Jungle – Lucid CD, Third Ear, 2007 Dream Jungle is an electronic-ambient-groove project founded by North Bay Area artist and musician Dwight Loop. The latter invited vocalist Taressa Bell to join him on the band’s debut album…
Release data: Michael Neil – Ikons CD-R, Private Release, 1999 For the album “Ikons”, Michael Neil was is inspired by the philosophical themes embedded in classic poetry and literary works by e.g. Andrew Marvell, W. B. Yeats, and S.T. Coleridge,…
Release data: Arrocata – Desert Electric CD-R, Sonoran Winds Music, 2009 Some of the atmospheric soundscape tracks which Robert Straub aka Arrocata creates on “Desert Electric” are based on locations, legends and natural occurances that are indigeneous to the America’s…
Release data: Pascal Savy – The Endless Seasons CD-R, Field Noise Records, 2010 “The Endless Seasons”, available as a digital download Ep, is an experimental ambient project by Pascal Savy and Toshikatsu (whose also head of the Field Noise Records).…
Release data: Mystical Sun – Primordial Atmospheres CD, Private Release, 1996 “Primordial Atmospheres” is a classic ambient debut album by Mystical Sun, aka Richard Plom, of which the beautiful designed cd-booklet doesn’t provide any further information. The cd contains a…
Release data: Michael Neil – Tapestries CD-R, Private Release, 2010 The 90-minute “Tapestries” is an epic work inspired by Berlin and the electronic music that inspired Michael Neil to become a composer. The album’s music incorporates instruments familiar to the…
Release data: Greg Klamt – Fluxus Quo CD, Spotted Peccary Music, 1997 On his second album “Fluxus Quo”, American synthesist Greg Klamt takes things to a higher plan with a fine combination of symphonic-flavoured electronic music with a neo-classical touch.…
Release data: Michael Neil – In Extremis CD-R, Private Release, 2000 “In Extremis” is a neo-classical work by Michael Neil for which he used quotes from Virgil’s “Aeneid” and Pindar’s “Pythagoras” for the track titles, which helped to distance the…
Release data: Michael Neil – Maisema CD, Private Release, 2008 The album “Maisema” (the Finnish word for landscape) is a project conveying Michael Neil’s experience of living in Finland for almost a year, which affected him enormously. The 55-minute album…
Release data: Martin/Klamt/Rownd – Convergence CD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2002 “Convergence” is the imaginative outcome of live concert performances of three accomplished musicians who all release their music through Spotted Peccary Music: Deborah Martin, Greg Klamt and Mark Rownd. The…
Release data: Ishq – Fluid Earth CD-R, Virtualworld, 2010 Back in 2001, the Interchill/Dakini-label released Ishq’s album “Orchid” as a double cd limited edition in Japan and throughout Asia. As many people are still unaware of the second cd of…
Release data: Pollard/Daniel/Booth – 3 CD-R, English Electronic Music Company, 2010 “3” contains the multi-track recording of the dynamic vintage set played by the trio Brendan Pollard, Michael Daniel and Phil Booth during E-Live 2009, only missing the encore (which…
Release data: Various Artists – Joint Efforts – The Album CD, EM Productions, 2010 Joint Efforts- “The Album” is the outcome of an idea born several years ago on the EM forum emportal.info. I’m personally not a fan of compilation-albums,…
Release data: Three-Six (36) – Hollow CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, 3six Recordings, 2010 “Hollow” is the second studio album by 36, also marking the second part of a trilogy (as the cd cover states Part 2 of 3) which was started by…
Release data: Kinesis – Beyond the Galaxy CD, Morningstar/Geomagnetic Records, 2010 Kinesis is a Psy-Trance project by Salvador, aka Dj Salva, an artist of Spanish origin who initiated the project in 2005. “Beyond the Galaxy” is his second release, and…
Release data: David Michael Matuch – Before Reality CD, Infinite Monkey Productions, 1997 “Before Reality” is David’s second album, bearing the well-chosen subtitle “Mind Movie Music and other Ambient Electronic Experiments”. And yes, cinematic electronic dreamscapes we sure get on…
Release data: Mike Andrews – Time & Science CD, Neu Harmony, 2002 “Time and Science” is one of the only two factory pressed cds by synthesist Mike Andrews, who currently seems to reside in The Netherlands. The release actually contains…
Release data: Megabyte – Powerplay CD, Innovative Communications, 1987 This is, in my opinion, one of the most peculiar electronic releases put out in the second half of the ’80s. Megabyte is Billy Byte and Amanda Mega, but the actual…
Release data: Yanni – Keys To Imagination CD, Private Music, 1986 This instrumental album is the debut release of Greek-born American musician Yanni (aka Yiannis Hrysomallis) on Peter Baumann’s Private music label. Although clocking at only 38 minutes, the cd…
Release data: Robert Schroeder – Galaxie Cygnus-A LP, Innovative Communications, 1982 In my opinion, the cosmic symphony “Galaxie Cygnus-A” is the most remarklable project German synthesist Robert Schroeder did in the ‘80’s. In it, visual artist Michael Weisser (who later…
Release data: Greg Klamt – Fulcrum CD, Spotted Peccary Music, 1993 “Fulcrum” is the debut album of American synthesist and visual artist Greg Klamt, which offers a rich blend of symphonic-flavoured, cinematic music with occasional powerful percussive elements. Created from…
Release data: Parallel Worlds – Far Away Light CD-R, Shima Records, 2005 For fans of vintage analogues, the music of Bakis Sirros (aka Parallel Worlds) is something special. His output is retro music with a modern twitch, for which he…
Release data: Schiller – Atemlose Klangwelten CD, Universal Domestic, 2010 “Atemlose Klangwelten” is the bonus album which comes only with the Limited Ultra Deluxe Edition of Schiller’s “Atemlos”, and in a way you might compare it with the “Einlass” cd-series…
Release data: Dave Luxton – Portal CD-R, Wayfarer Records, 2010 With this release, Mr Luxton brings us an ambient album with an overall lush and harmonic cosmic music, this time taking a more cinematic approach. Drawing from his experience as…
Release data: Tangerine Dream – Winter in Hiroshima CD, Eastgate, 2009 This cd marks part four in the five atomic seasons, and musically sees a continuation of the Nagasaki/Hiroshima story of Mr. H.T. Solely composed and played by Edgar, the…
Release data: Stephan Whitlan –Stephan Whitlan – Map Reference CD, Fairy Nuff Records, 1996 With “Map Reference”, Irish synthesist Stephan Whitlan delivered his debut album on his private Fairy Nuff label back in 1996. Looking back, it’s a great example…
Release data: Michael Neil – Silent Light CD-R, Private Release, 2010 The album “Silent Light” began life as part of an ongoing series of works around the theme of Memory, Migration, and Mortality, which was set in motion with Michael…
Release data: Robert Beau Michaels – Zero Point – Music to Disappear In CD-R, Private Release, 2010 Listening to “Zero Point –Music to Disappear in”– is as entering a slow and harmonic world, an escape from the busy life most…
Release data: Spyra – ADSR Remixed CD MAXI, Ricochet Dream, 2010 This 25-minute EP (a limited edition of 500 copies) contains the track “ADSR” in four different mixes. Three are by Spyra, the other is done by Ashra’s Steve Baltes.…
Release data: Daniel Bloom – Event Horizon CD, Ricochet Dream, 2010 Daniel Bloom is a Polish synthesist who has been joining Vic Rek’s Ricochet Gathering meetings since a few years, and he also showed up on the “Keep On” tribute…
Release data: Spyra/Lang – SeQuest CD, Ricochet Dream, 2010 “SeQuest” is a 66-minute album by Chris Lang and Spyra assembling four lengthy live tracks played on different occasions. The outcome though follows nicely in the footsteps of Spyra’s latest releases,…
Release data: Ricochet Gathering – Keep On CD, Ricochet Dream, 2010 “Keep on” is a limited edition release featuring a live and improvised recording in Transylvania on 11 November 2008, marking the Silver Anniversary celebration of Michael Mann’s cult-movie “The…
Release data: Gert Emmens – The Nearest Faraway Place Vol. 3 CD, Groove Unlimited, 2010 This final chapter of the “Nearest Faraway Place” trilogy is brought to an end in a fashionable, but also expected manner. For many years, Gert’s…
Release data: Cosmic Hoffmann – Astral Journey CD-R, Heart & Mind, 2010 Here we got another archival release, Volume 4 in the Vintage Rarities from the 70’s-series, entitled “Astral Journey”, which also marks the final part of this series. No…
Release data: Johannes Schmoelling – Early Beginnings CD, Viktoriapark Records, 2008 The anthology “Early Beginnings” comprises a range of previously unreleased recordings, rough drafts and demo’s Johannes Schmoelling recorded between 1979-1985, giving a nice insight in the musician’s process on…
Release data: Irezumi – Endurance CD, Snowblod, 2008 This album has been on my wish-list for quite some time, as I just knew it would be right up my alley. Irezumi is a project by the young French composer Manuel…
Release data: A Light Beacon – Music for the Patient CD, Private Release, 2002 The cd-booklet of this album “Music for the Patient” contains five slightly abstract artworks made by the artist Ian Helwig who gave them to the musician…
Release data: Stephen Parsick – Cambrium – music for protozoa CD, Private Release, 2009 No, this is not the same album as the one previously released as a limited edition of only 25 numbered copies. Stephen was offered the opportunity…
Release data: Phillip Wilkerson – Sun Tracer CD-R, Private Release, 2010 With the music of “Sun Tracer”, Phillip Wilkerson has brought us an fine album of uplifting, positive, enlightening, even thrilling ambient electronics which radiates a strong sense of Berlin…
Release data: Robert Beau Michaels – The Wasteland – music of an apocalyptic world CD-R, Private Release, 2010 Robert Beau Michaels is an American expat who currently resides in Prague, Czech Republic. He initially tried to pursue a career as…
Release data: Nemesis – 1:4:9 CD-R, Retroduction, 2010 “1:4:9” is a digital download-only release by the Finnish trio Nemesis (the cd-version is a limited edition of 100 copies reserved for an art exhibition held in Finland in February 2010). The…
Release data: Stu Jenks – West of the Fire (Soundtracks for Photographs Vol. 2) CD, Fizziweg Music, 2005 In comparison to his beautiful debut album “The Three Surrenders”, the ambient music on “West of the Fire” (Soundtracks for Photographs, Volume…
Release data: Pascal Savy – The Silent Watcher CD-R, Audiomoves, 2010 Pascal Savy is a London-based electronic music composer who started experimenting with sequencers and synthesizers in the late nineties. Being influenced by the Detroit techno scene, he started making…
Release data: Robert Carty – Starlight Volume 3 CD-R, Deep Sky Music, 2010 With this album, Robert Carty launches the third and last chapter in a trilogy of albums inspired by nights of star gazing. Like the previous releases, the…
Release data: Stu Jenks – The Three Surrenders (Soundtracks for Photographs) CD, Fizziweg Music, 2003/2010 “The Three Surrenders” (Soundtracks for Photographs, Volume One) is the debut album of Tucson-based photographer Stu Jenks, who composed the music as a sonic backdrop…
Release data: Bruno Sanfilippo & Mathias Grassow – Cromo – piano & drones CD, ad21music, 2010 For this work of art, Mr Sanfilippo and Mr Grassow have teamed up a second time, together creating a smooth and quiet sonic soundscape…
“One Night in Paris” is a studio recording made by Walter Christian Rothe back in 1993. This recording, portraying some of the many Parisian landmarks, finds Mr Rothe in good spirits, excelling in offering a melange of lively, emotional and…
Release data: Phelios – Astral Unity CD, Malignant Records, 2010 Phelios is a dark ambient project by German musician Martin Stürtzer, who’s an acquaintance of Stephen Parsick. With the latter, Martin collaborated on “It always rains in Wuppertal”. “Astral Unity”,…
Release data: Clifford White – The Healing Touch (Ascension II) CD, MG Music, 2010 “The Healing Touch” is the follow-up to Clifford White’s new-age album “Ascension”, a landmark release in the genre of new age music back in 1985. Clifford…
Release data: Steve Rose – Twin Earth: Collected Ambient Works CD-R, Private Release, 2009 “Twin Earth: Collected Ambient Works” is a 62-minute compilation of lush ambient/space tracks by Canadian musician Steve (Austin) Rose, with pieces dating back to 1994. The…
Release data: Byron Metcalf, Dashmesh Khalsa & Steve Roach – Dream Tracker CD, Dr Bam\’s Music, 2010 The organic music of “Dreamtracker” is a culmination of high spirits, contemporary and ancient trance-induced shamanic rituals and groovy world music, or in…
Release data: Altus – Black Trees Among Amber Skies DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2010 With his release “Black Trees Among Amber Skies”, Canadian musician Mike Carss (aka Altus) returns to his classic free form style of music, who describes the…
Release data: Walter Christian Rothe & Friends – Two for Green: Bulgaria DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 1996/2010 “Two for Green – Bulgaria” is an album in a series of collaborations between Walter Christian Rothe and Herwig Duchateaux (ex-Scooter drummer). The…
Release data: moonbooter – World of Apes 1 CD, Mellowjet Records, 2010 “World of Apes 1” is a very personal and thought-provoking concept album by Bernd Scholl, aka Moonbooter, addressing the nuclear treat, cold war activities and related themes which…
Release data: Llyn Y Cwn – Llyn Y Cwn DIGITAL DOWNLOAD EP, Manky Music, 2009 Llyn Y Cwn is a dark ambient project of Ben Powell, also known as Mank. Those familiar with the deep and dense ambient soundscaping heard…
Release data: Ambientium – Fractal Philosophy CD-R, Private Release, 2009 Ambientium is the Czech-duo Lubomir and Lucie Cyrk, who have devoted their project Ambientium to their fascination for the world, universe, nature, beauty and love which inspires them to create…
Release data: Javi Cánovas – Behind the Shadows CD-R, Private Release, 2010 For “Behind the Shadows”, Mr Canovas decided to try something different musically, as the sonic content on this album heads into ambient spaces. The twelve non-rhythmic tracks, ranging…
Release data: Arc – Rise CD-R, DiNDDL, 2010 The vintage powerhouse duo Mark Shreeve and Ian Boddy, aka Arc, made a trip to the USA in November 2009 to play their debut concert at Chuck van Zyl’s famous Gatherings Concert…
Release data: The Tangent Project – Surface CD-R, Private Release, 2009 Tangent Project is the American duo Jeff Coulter (synths) and Harrison McKay (guitars), both based in the Philadelphia suburbs. On several occasions, they had the honour to play live…
Release data: Remy – Exhibition of Dreams (10th anniversary edition) CD, AKH Records, 2010 With the release of “Exhibition of Dreams”, fans of Remy Stroomer’s music are given the opportunity to hear the remarkable musical development this Dutch musician and…
Release data: Erik Seifert – Core CD, PleasureSoundMusic, 2009 “Core” is a concept album on the Large Hadron Collider (a huge particle accelerator in Switzerland used for high-energy physics research), which took Erik Seifert three years of work to complete.…
Release data: Interconnected – Current Flow CD-R, VU-US, 2010 Those of your who like vintage electronics with an abstract edge while taking things out of the ordinary, should check out the sonic worlds of Interconnected. It’s a a collaborative electronica/…
Release data: Mon0 – Proficisci CD-R, Kreislauf, 2009 “Proficisci”, is not a full mon0-album, but an Ep containing two high-atmospheric tracks. As known from his previous work, Andre has come up with some thick, expansive, multi-layered soundscape textures which gently…
Release data: Fripp & Eno – Evening Star CD, EG Records, 1975/2008 “Evening Star”, the second album by the duo Robert Fripp and Brian Eno, can nowadays be regarded a classic album in the genre of minimal drone ambient. The…
Release data: Walter Christian Rothe & Friends – Centillion 303 CD, Groove Unlimited, 2009 In June 2006, when I and some collegues were producing E-dition magazine, I did an interview with Walter Rothe and his Pillion partner Guy2D. Then, the…
Release data: René van der Wouden – Numerus Fixus CD, ReWo Records, 2009 “Numerus Fixus” by Gouda-based electronic musician Rene van der Wouden, is a concept album dedicated to the various interlinked ecosystems on our blue planet. The fact that…
Release data: Shaped Signs – Nature’s Odyssey CD, Invisible Shadows, 2004 “Nature’s Odyssey” is the debut-album of the German duo Volker Kaufmann and Ron Grahnert. Some rumours shortly after the release spoke of instrumental Mike Oldfield-like music. Well, what we…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Cosmic Mandala CD-R, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2009 In contrast to what I thought, “Cosmic Mandala” is not a full length release but a 32 minute Ep (although Mr Kyryluk informed me a full length…
Release data: Jon Jenkins & Paul Laekey – Continuum CD, Spotted Peccary Music, 1995 “Continuum”, the only album to date by Jon Jenkins and Paul Leakey, comes in a stunningly beautiful fantasy cd-cover. Shortly after its release, Dream’s Word magazine…
Release data: Sayer – 1st Encounter CD, Invisible Shadows, 2003 “1st Encounter” is the first commercially released and factory pressed cd of US-musician Sayer, who’s also dealing with various other dance, techno and other electronica projects (such as Dream Quest).…
Release data: John Flomer – Mysterious Motions of Memory CD, Spotted Peccary Music, 1996 “Mysterious Motions of Memory”, a concept album on genetic memory, is the debut-release of Minneapolis-based “visual musician” John Flomer on the prestigious Spotted Peccary label. To…
Release data: Michael Stearns – Ancient Leaves CD, Earth Turtle Music/Groove Unlimited, 1977/1999 “Ancient Leaves” is Michael’s first self published vinyl release and fits into what’s nowadays called drone music with an experimental edge. The foundation for the music was…
Release data: Deepspace – World Ocean Atlas CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2009 With this album, Mirko Ruckels aka Deepspace invites us on a trip through the “World Ocean Atlas”. The outcome is proof of a further refining, deepening and shaping…
Release data: Arcane – Tomorrow’s Wasteland CD-R, Private Release, 2009 The end of 2009 sees another grand release in the genre of retro-inspired electronics, made by no other than Paul Lawler, aka Arcane. The well composed and constructed “Tomorrow’s Wasteland”…
Release data: Redshift – Wild 3 CD, Distant Sun Production, 2009 With “Wild 3”, Mark Shreeve shares another fine bunch of Redshift exclusives with the fans, kicking off with “Redshift 08”. On this excellent live track, Ian Boddy joins Mark…
Release data: Altus – Coma Cluster DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2009 After some more challenging and adventurous releases such as “Macro” and “City of Ashes”, Canadian ambient musician Mike Carss now returns to his “common”, accessible style: “Coma Cluster” offers…
Release data: Stephan Whitlan – Triangulation CD, Fairy Nuff Music, 2009 Irish musician Stephen Whitlan joined John Dyson & co. on E-Day 2009, for which he performed a short solo concert as an introduction. Shortly after the show he was…
Release data: [‘ramp] Debris CD, Private Release, 2009 “Debris” is a deep, strong organic flavoured ambient journey coming in four sections. It’s composed solely by Stephen Parsick, as he and Frank Makowski parted ways a while ago. As Stephen explains,…
Release data: John Christian – Susbarbatus CD-R, Private Release, 2009 John Christian is one of the members of the English band Air Sculpture. For “Susbarbatus”, he wanted to extend and further explore the ideas he had come up with on…
Release data: Steve Roach – Afterlight CD, Timeroom Editions, 2009 “Afterlight” is a companion work which ambient musician Steve Roach composed in the Spring of 2009, in addition to the long-form releases “Destination Horizon” and “Immersion: Four”. Again, we find…
Release data: Jeff Greinke –Virga CD, Lotuspike, 2009 “Virga” is the 18th release by Jeff Greinke, and his second one on the LotusPike/Spotted Peccary. The character and shape of the music sees Greinke return to an ambient and textural approach…
Release data: Robert Rich – Michael Somoroff’s Illumination CD, Soundscape Music, 2007 The music on this concept cd is the sonic companion to Michael Somoroff’s multimedia installation “Illumination”. The seven tracks, acting as a background soundtrack, weave an expansive tapestry…
Release data: Pollard/Daniel/Booth – September 2009 jams CD-R, Private Release, 2009 “September 2009 jams” is a limited edition of 100 copies containing only two tracks. It again makes me wonder what fun these guys must have had as this and…
Release data: Richard Burmer – Invention CD, American Grammophone, 1992 In a way, the music on “Invention” continues in the style Richard Burner displayed on his previous three albums. He still uses lots of warm and intimate synth textures, although…
Release data: Remy – EoD CD, AKH Records, 2009 As Remy explains, “EoD” is the first part of the 10th anniversary of his debut release “Exhibition of Dreams”, containing newly recorded versions of a selection of the original tracks from…
Release data: Jeffrey Koepper –Quadranteon CD, Air Space Records, 2009 “Quandranteon”, by analogue synth-wizzard Jeffrey Koepper, contains four extended parts in which he succeeds in stretching the boundaries of his vintage gearand their lovely, warm sounds a bit further. Not…
Release data: Rainbow Serpent / Fanger & Schönwälder – Elektrik Cowboys CD, Ricochet Dream, 2009 “Elektrik Cowboys” comprises live improvised music, recorded live during the Ricochet Gathering in Montana in August 2007. The 63-minute album is nicely kicked off by…
Release data: Mank – Isbjorn CD-R, Manky Music, 2008 Mank is an ambient project by North Wales based musician Ben Powell. For “Isbjorn”, his eight release, Ben spend five weeks on a polar research ship in September and October 2007…
Release data: David Parsons – Jyoti CD, Celestial Harmonies, 2009 David Parsons’ release “Jyoti” (which is, like all of his music, inspired by Indian music) is basically the “sister” album to “Earthlight”, although slightly darker sound wise. David recalls in…
Release data: Jon Jenkins – Flow CD, Spotted Peccary, 1998 “Flow” is the second release by synthesist Jon Jenkins, which sees him use the metaphor of water to create an introspective ambient world of beauty wonder. The outcome is a…
Release data: Soundician – L.S. CD-R, Private Release, 2009 After a bit longer hiatus than normal, September 14 saw the release of “L.S.”, the seventh album by Kit and Odette Johnson, aka Soundician. Based on the work of painter L.S.…
Release data: Broken Harbour – Broken Harbour CD-R, Consouling Records, 2009 Broken Harbour is the alias of Blake Gibson, a Canadian musician who focuses on deep and minimal ambient drone-based music, for which he applies synthetic sources, assorted samples, and…
Release data: Steve Roach – Destination Beyond CD, Projekt, 2009 With “Destination Beyond”, Steve Roach brings us another longform journey of expansive, beautifully rendered sonic vistas. It’s not as quiet as one might initially suspect, as Steve somewhat heads in…
Release data: Anomalous Disturbances – Archive Two CD-R, Disappearing Music, 2009 After a hiatus of five years, Anomalous Disturbances (aka the Vancouver-based ambient artist Terry O’Brien) finally brings us a second batch of “shelved” recordings. “Archive Two”, a double cd-r,…
Release data: Deborah Martin & Erik Wøllo – Between Worlds CD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2009 “Between Worlds” is a collaboration album of American musician Deborah Martin and the talented Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Erik Wøllo, which let us hear the voices of…
Release data: F.D. Project – T & Y CD, Private Release, 2009 With “T & Y” (Today & Yesterday), Frank Dorittke continues his path along the avenue of melodic instrumental EM, which seems to contain pieces and ideas going back…
Release data: Blüchel & von Deylen – Mare Stellaris CD, Sony Bmg, 2004 “Mare Stellaris” is the debut album of the German musicians/producers Christopher von Deylen (better known as Schiller) and Harald Blüchel (aka Cosmic Baby). Although the openings tracks…
Release data: Michael Stearns – Morning Jewel CD, Groove Unlimited, 1979/2000 “Morning Jewel” is a digitally remastered and optimized re-release of Michael’s original 1979-album “Jewel”. Containing two extended ambient pieces of 27 and 23 minutes, it’s also Michael’s first work…
Release data: O-Head – Steps Across the Cortex CD, Centaur Discs, 2005 “Steps across the Cortex” is the second album by English musician David Hendry, who hereby steps forward with a nice album of powerful contemporary electronics complimented with a…
Release data: Alex Theory & Daniel Pinchbeck – Emergence 2012 CD, Sounds True, 2009 “Emergence 2012” is a rather peculiar ambient release by San Francisco-based ambient-sound technician/sound healing visionary Alex Theory and philosopher-journalist Daniel Pinchbeck. Inspired by Baktuns, the cycles…
Release data: David Lange – Return of the Comet CD, Hearts of Space, 1985/1988 David Lange is a California-based independent filmmaker whose album “Return to the Comet”, created in the early days of digital recording, is generally regarded classic electronic…
Release data: Raphael – Angels of the Deep CD, Hearts of Space, 1995 “Angels of the Deep” is the third album by Raphael, an Hawaiian-based spiritual teacher and musician. The uplifting, smooth atmospheres and themes captured on the 62-minute “Angels…
Release data: Steve Roach & Robert Rich – SoMa CD, Hearts of Space, 1991 “SoMa” is the follow-up to the duo’s strong debut “Strata”, offering another 57-minute blend of fine tribal ambient music. A gentle wash of organic and shamanic…
Release data: Mako – Forms of Life CD, Seagull Music, 1991 Mako’s third album “Forms of Life”, which took him three years to finish, is the only release of this Austrian musician that made it onto cd until now. This…
Release data: Serge Laporte – Sea of a Thousand Stories CD, Edge Music/Rubicon, 1996 Serge Laporte is recognized as one of Canada’s foremost composers, next to being a renowned guitarist, producer and sound engineer. The 47-minute “Sea of a Thousand…
Release data: Vincent Clarke & Martyn Ware – Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle CD, Mute Records, 2001 The cover of this cd is pure white with a bar code right in the middle of it, which is actually the spectrum mentioned in…
Release data: Altus – City of Ashes DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Music, 2009 On the audio/visual concept project “City of Ashes”, Canadian musician Mike Carss pairs his orchestral-oriented and minimal/fluid ambient work with the extraordinary photography of Shawn Sintzel. Well, listening…
Release data: Bob Holroyd – Fluidity & Structure CD, Soundscape Music, 1993 “Fluidity and Structure”, of which the sonic content has been inspired by travels to Africa and Asia, was originally the soundtrack to an audio visual art exhibition Bob…
Release data: Yarek – Organix CD, Generator.Pl, 2009 Jaroslaw Degórski , aka Yarek, did leave a good impression on me with his previous recording “Noc Na Zamku”, and it’s great to see him continue the same path on “Organix”. The…
Release data: Solitaire – Plains and Skies CD, Musique Intemporelle, 1992 On their second album “Plains and Skies”, Solitaire is reduced to German duo Elmar Schulte who heads for a sonic, tribal-flavoured journey into barren, desolate and desert landscapes (something…
Release data: Mako – In Other Regions LP, Seagull Music, 1986 Mako’s second album “In Other Regions” sees a continuation of the compelling symphonic tone poems as heard on his debut “Meeting with the Sea“. This time, the 42 minutes…
Release data: Tangram – Tepidarium CD-R, Private Release, 2009 Tangram is a Berliner School project started by Hungarian musician Péter Fabók in 2005, who very nicely shows his admiration for the ’80’s style of Tangerine Dream. The outcome on “Tepidarium”…
Release data: Mako – Meeting with the Sea LP, Seagull Music, 1984 Mako is the alias of the Austrian musician Manfred Batko, who used the first and last two letters of his real name for his artist-name. The concept album…
Release data: Tangerine Dream – Views from a Red Train CD, Eastgate, 2008 It seems “Views from a Red Train” has been announced for a couple of years as a solo-album of Edgar Froese, but now has seen the light…
Release data: Robert Carty – Starlight Volume 2 CD-R, Private Release, 2009 “Starlight Volume 2” is Robert’s second release in a trilogy of cds, which are inspired by the magical experiences of star gazing in the death of night. It…
Release data: Andrew Lahiff – Somewhere under the Sky CD-R, Private Release, 2008 Australian musician Andrew Lahiff has released quite a list of atmospheric ambient music during the last decade (of which parts where available as free download through his…
Release data: Aes Dana – Leylines CD, Ultimae Records, 2009 “Leylines”, the fourth release by Vincent Villuis, presents ten ambient downtempo tracks of “luminous darkness”. The music of the 78-minute concept album, named after the invisible lines of forces that…
Release data: Mon0 – Multifidus CD-R, Test Tube netlabel, 2009 “Multifidus” is the first full-length ambient release of the German musician mon0, aka Andre Zufall. The albums offers five extended pieces, making up 85 minutes of overall textural music with…
Release data: Rüdiger Gleisberg – Chronicle 1986 – 93 CD, Ardema Musik, 1994 “Chronicle 1986-1993” is a limited edition, numbered and autographed release by classically trained German synthesist Rüdiger Gleisberg (known as one half of the ambient project Solitaire). It’s…
Release data: Robert Haig Coxon – The Silent Path CD, R.H.C. Productions, 1995 Robert Haig Coxon hails from Canada, and gained quite an international reputation with the “Cristal Silence” trilogy, produced by Steve Roach. “The Silent Path” is a musical…
Release data: Ron Boots – Beyond the Boundaries of Twilight CD, Groove Unlimited, 2009 Musician Ron Boots did several planetarium concerts in the past seven years or so, but it never came to a cd-release. “Beyond the Boundaries of Twilight”,…
Release data: Frank Van Bogaert – Air Machine CD, ACE Studio Editions, 2009 “Air Machine” by Belgian composer, producer and musician Frank Van Bogaert is a privately released cd, which sees him collaborate with Erik Wøllo on a few tracks,…
Release data: F.D. Project – Mountainway CD, Private Release, 2005 Since he started out making and releasing music as F.D. Project, Frank Dorittke has gained quite a large amount of fans worldwide, which isn’t that hard to understand when one…
Release data: Nautic Depths – North Passage CD-R, Musical Philosophy, 2008 Nautic Depths is a collaboration between Tomas Weiss and Mathias Grassow, whose concept album “North Passage” (their second release if I’m not mistaken) is a tribute to the adventurous…
Release data: Free System Projekt – British Aisles CD-R, Private Release, 2008 “British Aisles” is a double cd-r containing the concert the duo Engels & Heij performed at St John’s The Baptist Church in Leicester on May 17th 2008. The…
Release data: Circulum Musicum – Phases CD-R, Thar Records, 2008 Circulum Musicum is an atmospheric ambient project of which I haven’t been able to track down the composer behind it, although I suspect it’s one Tomas Weiss. The 71-minutes of…
Release data: Gert Emmens – The Nearest Faraway Place Vol. 2 CD, Groove Unlimited, 2009 The second chapter of this concept cd, which was released and played live at “E-Day 2009”, continues the musical road with analogue, romantic flavoured electronics,…
Release data: Kettel – Myam James 2 CD, Sending Orbs, 2009 This is the second and last chapter of the “Myam James” concept by laptop musician Reimer Eising. Presented as a far cry of the first part, the moody cd…
Release data: Resonant Drift – The Call CD, Private Release, 2009 After meeting each other in 2008, original solo-member Bill Olien has invited multi-instrumentalist Gary Johnson to join him in his project Resonant Drift. Together, they developed a natural synergy…
Release data: Three-Six (36) – Hypersona CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, 3six Recordings, 2008 “Hypersona”, produced over a span of three years, is an ambient soundscape work by an English independent musician who prefers to stay anonymous, being part one of a trilogy.…
Release data: Tangerine Dream – Booster CD, Eastgate, 2007 The ongoing list of new contemporary electronic music and re-released/reworked cds put out by Edgar Froese under the Tangerine Dream-moniker has increased rapidly over the last five years or so. Sadly…
Release data: Robert Rich – Trances / Drones CD, Extreme Special Editions, 1983 At the start of the ‘80’s, while graduating in psychology at Stanford University, Robert Rich had a special interest in microtonality and the effects of music on…
Release data: 33 Tetragammon & Human Metronome – Resonating Earth CD, Private Release, 2009 33 Tetragammon (aka Wasili Papadopoulos) and Human Metronome (aka Eelke van Hoof) are two composers hailing from Eindhoven, The Netherlands, who played several live sets during…
Release data: Circular – Substans CD, Ultimae Records, 2009 With “Substans” (which as all Ultimae releases comes with expert photo footage in the cd-booklet), the Norwegian duo Bjarte Andreassen and Jostein Dahl Gjelsvik aka Circular, deliver their long awaited fourth…
Release data: Airwaves – Second Shift CD, Opcion Sonica, 1995 This album is the second and (last?) release by Oscar Menzel, aka Airwaves. Having enjoyed his first one, “Ambient Tracks”, it’s nice to hear Mr Menzel has further explored his…
Release data: F.D. Project – Timeless CD, Private Release, 2006 F.D. Project is a project of the German musician Frank Dorittke, whose accessible instrumental music has proven to be quite a success until now. “Timeless”, his fourth release if I’m…
Release data: Uwe Reckzeh – Unnatural Light CD, Mellowjet Records, 2009 The accessible music of Uwe Reckzeh’s “Unnatural Light” (of which all tracks were composed and arranged between 2007 and 2009) is still firmly rooted in the style of the…
Release data: Nemesis – Trajectory of Sound (Live Archive Vol. 3) CD-R, Retroduction, 2007 “Trajectory of Sound” (Live Archive Vol. 3) is the last third and final part of the Nemesis live archive trilogy (focussing on the more recent years…
Release data: Juta Takahashi – Moonlit Flowers CD-R, Lunisolar Records, 2008 Three long ambient tracks fill Juta(ro) Takahashi’s fourth release “Moonlit Flowers”. “Sadder Shore” starts out with nice drifting analogue and soaring textures and a more pronounced synth lead, to…
Release data: Phillip Wilkerson – Early Works CD-R, Private Release, 2009 As the title already suggests, this is a compilation album of archival tracks originally composed between 2005 and 2007, representing Phillip’s first successful steps in creating ambient/space music. The…
Release data: Airwaves – Ambient Tracks CD, Opcion Sonica, 1994 Due to the kind gesture of Gregory Kyryluk I was able to get to know this album of quiet ambient/space music, which was composed by the (Mexican?) composer Oscar Menzel,…
Release data: Jeffrey Koepper –Radiate CD, Ricochet Dream, 2009 “Radiate” is the first live cd of “AnalogueJeff” Koepper, documenting the concert he did at The Gatherings on 14th April, 2008 in Philadelphia. Well, the outcome is an 71-minute energetic, analogue…
Release data: Stephen Parsick feat. Cosmic Hoffmann – Blasters of the Universe CD-R, Private Release, 2008 “Blasters of the Universe” is a compilation of eight live and improvised tracks from the vaults of Mr Parsick from the period 1999-2001, in…
Release data: Juta Takahashi – Seabound CD-R, Lunisolar Records, 2009 “Sea Bound”, released at the beginning of March 2009, is the fifth album by Japanese ambient composer Juta Takahashi. Juta himself describes the sonic content as “tunes from the ocean,…
Release data: Altus – Excursion Two DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2009 As one might expect, the music of “Excursion two” nicely continues where the first one left us. Again, Mike Carss offers a beautiful sonic painting that breaths total relaxation…
Release data: Stephen Parsick – Rhizophora -music for mangroves- CD-R, Private Release, 2009 “Rhizophora” is another atmospheric and overall deep ambient recording by Stephen Parsick, again released as a very limited edition. From his notes I learned the music was…
Release data: Ashen Simian – Omicron in Ostrobothnian Finsternis CD-R, Retroduction, 2009 This cd is actually the first solo effort of Nemesis-member Ami Hassinen, who decided to use the pseudonym and anagram Ashen Simian for this purpose. The release compiles…
Release data: Parallel Worlds – Shade CD, DiN, 2009 “Shade” is the fifth release of Greek electronic musician Bakis Sirros, aka Parallel Worlds, which is the studio follow-up to the album “Obsessive Surrealism”. Bakis himself considers the outcome as his…
Release data: Stephen Parsick – Cambrium – music for protozoa CD-R, Private Release, 2009 The biggest part of the dark dronescape music on “Cambrium” was played live by Stephen Parsick during a concert at Bochum planetarium on December, 13th, 2008,…
Release data: Various Artists – Soundscape Gallery 2 CD, Lektronik Soundscapes, 1998 This is the second instalment of the small American Lektronik label, which nicely follows in the footsteps of its predecessor. The outcome is a well-balanced collection of ambient/space…
Release data: Steve Roach – On this Planet CD, Hearts of Space/Fathom, 1997 After several collaborative albums, “On this Planet” is a solo-release by Steve Roach, whose goal it was to capture the live-spirit and “on-the-edge concert explorations” in the…
Release data: Peter Challoner – Deconstructing Silence CD-R, Private Release, 2009 Peter’s short line about the album on his website says “live studio recordings of improvisations. Chilled ambient textural layers of sound”. As one can imagine with such a title,…
Release data: Ian Boddy & Bernhard Wöstheinrich – Hemispheres CD-R, DiNDDL, 2009 On invitation of the German Schallwende Club, 27th September 2008 saw Ian Boddy & Bernhard Wöstheinrich perform together for the first time at the Bochum Planetarium, Bochum, Germany.…
Release data: Polaris – Background Stories CD, Ricochet Dream, 2008 Polaris hails from Poland, and is an electronic music studio project by Jakub Kmieć. The accessible and overall energetic music of his fourth album “Background Stories”, which is released as…
Release data: Don Slepian – Sea of Bliss CD-R, Private release, 1980 This in fact is a fully remastered version of the classic album Don Slepian made at the start of the ‘80s. At that time, it created quite a…
Release data: Slow Dancing Society – Priest Lake Circa ’88 CD, Hidden Shoal Recordings, 2008 Slow Dancing Society is a project of Washington-based musician and producer Drew Sullivan, who’s music is released through the Australian independent music label Hidden Shoal…
Release data: Robert Carty – Starlight Volume 1 CD-R, Deep Sky Music, 2008 Ambient/space musician Robert Carty has started a new series of musical explorations under the moniker Starlight, which (as he writes) began with an attempt to create a…
Release data: Steve Roach – Darkest before Dawn CD, Timeroom Editions, 2002 The press-sheet described this music as a “minimal, immersive sound environment” and “a deep zoneworld of glacial movement and magma-like flow”. In my opinion it most of all…
Release data: Monolake – Hongkong CD, Chain Reaction, 1997 In the middle of the ‘90’s, Monolake (aka the German duo Robert Henke Gerhard Behles) released the album “HongKong”, which had been out of print for quite a while. Put out…
Release data: Steve Roach & Vidna Obmana – Spirit Dome / Live Archive CD, Projekt, 2009 This value-priced double album is a re-release of two recordings which have been unavailable for quite a while. “Live Archive” was originally released in…
Release data: Solar Fields – Movements CD, Ultimae Records, 2009 Swedish producer Magnus Birgersson, aka Solar Fields, wrote his sixth album “Movements” in the same period when he was composing a score for the interactive in-game score for Electronic Arts…
Release data: Mind over Matter – Indian Meditation II CD, da Music, 2006 As the first album “Indian Meditation” was a big seller for the label, a second album under the same moniker was compiled Klaus Hoffmann-Hoock. Apart from one…
Release data: Mind over Matter – Indian Meditation CD, da Music, 2005 The music of Mind over Matter, aka Klaus Hoffmann-Hoock, has always been heavenly influenced by the music from India, a country he travelled a lot. “Indian Meditation” offers…
Release data: Javi Cánovas – Eigenspaces CD-R, Neu Harmony, 2008 I can be brief about this release, as the music and overall approach of “Eigenspaces” doesn’t differ that much from what is found on his previous albums. Still firmly rooted…
Release data: Jeffrey Koepper – Luminosity CD, Air Space Records, 2009 On the threshold of the new year, I received the fourth album of “AnalogueJeff” Koepper which is due for mid-January 2009. With “Luminosity”, Jeffrey Koepper wanted to explore ambient…
Release data: Axess – Voices of Dawn CD, Spheric Music, 2008 If I’m right, “Voices of Dawn” is the fourth album by German synthesist Axel Stupplich, aka Axess, who’s also known as a member of the band Pyramid Peak. The…
Release data: Ran Kirlian – Sleeper CD-R, Private Release, 2003 The album “Sleeper” was born from two large floating sessions the Spanish ambientmusician Ran Kirlian recorded in the summer of 2003. Both are based on pure improvisation, with some treated…
Release data: Ran Kirlian – Melting Point CD-R, Private Release, 2001 Ran Kirlian is a Spanish ambientmusician who I came across surfing the site of Max Corbacho. Kirlian started loving ambient at the start of the ’90’s after he heard…
Release data: Numina & Stephen Philips – Descent of The Falcon CD-R, Dark Duck Records, 2008 “Descent of the Falcon”, listed as part one of two releases, is a recording taken out of massive six hour live collaborative jam in…
Release data: Australis – The Gates of Reality CD, Essential Noises, 2008 It took Australis, aka Oscar Aguayo, three years to compose a follow-up to his debut-album “Lifegiving”. For the new project, Oscar collaborated with young poet Virginia Luna, Andean…
Release data: David Parsons – Earthlight CD, Celestial Harmonies, 2008 About “Earthlight”, David states there’s nothing particularly special about the music, as its just a continuing evolution of what he does. He had, of late, preferred to use synthesisers almost…
Release data: Steve Roach & Erik Wøllo – Stream of Thought CD, Projekt, 2009 “Stream of Thought” is the long-awaited outcome of these two skilled musicians, of which the first drafts were already put down in 2007. Spanning exactly 70…
Release data: Tomasz Zawadzinski – Follow Me CD, Generator.Pl, 2008 The Polish Generator PL label must have a lot of faith in the music of Thomasz Zawadzinski as “Follow Me” is the musician’s second release this year. On the other…
Release data: David Helpling & Jon Jenkins – Treasure CD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2007 “Treasure” took over six years in the making, but is certainly worth the wait as it offers the best of both worlds from these skilled musicians.…
Release data: David Helpling & Jon Jenkins – Beyond Words CD, Deep Exile Music, 2008 “Beyond Words” -subtitled “rare live treasures”– contains six tracks originally from the duo’s 2007 release “Treasure”, but now recorded at a live concert on August…
Release data: Acheloo Sirens CD-R, AD Music, 2008 “Carlo Luzi is an Italian musician who started playing instrumental music around 1980. He founded the band “Terra della Sera” with Paolo de Gregori (Kaj Norrijus) and the project “SeraSidereA”, again with…
Release data: Klaus Schulze & Lisa Gerrard – Rheingold DVD, Synthetic Symphony/SPV, 2008 After their surprising strong album “Farscape”, Klaus Schulze and Lisa Gerrard did a live concert on July 18th, 2008 at the “Night of the Prog III” on…
Release data: ModularWhite – Canada CD-R, Private Release, 2007 For the concept album (Four Visions of) “Canada”, the four members of the Dutch electronica band ModularWhite decided to present musical ambiences which would transfer their own feelings, visions and ideas…
Release data: Gert Emmens & Ruud Heij – Journey CD, Groove Unlimited, 2007 The sound of the duo’s previous two vintage albums continues on the follow-up “Journey”, nicely venturing in more interesting corners of the Berliner School style. The 8-minute…
Release data: Glyn Lloyd-Jones – From Time to Time DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2008 Many years after his last release, Glyn Lloyd Jones (who now resides in Italy) surprises us with his new release “From Time to Time”. The biggest…
Release data: Vir Unis – Mercury and Plastic CD-R, AtmoWorks, 2002 Vir Unis, aka John Strate-Hootman, is known for his interesting new approaches in the field of ambient music. The ten tracks, making up a total of 76 minutes of…
Release data: AirSculpture – TranceAtlantic CD, Neu Harmony, 2005 After “Fjord Transit” and “Quark Soup”, the English trio Adrian Beasley, Peter Ruczynski and John Christian aka AirSculpture treats its fans with another live album. “TranceAtlantic” documents two different live appearances…
Release data: John Lakveet – The Last Nine Convoys from Magoria Station CD-R, ad21 Music, 2008 This release –celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Spanish label- is a live album containing a concert Spanish musician John Lakveet played in Barcelona-based…
Release data: Byron Metcalf, Mark Seelig & Steve Roach –Nada Terma CD, Projekt, 2008 “Nada Terma” is the second collaborative effort between Byron Metcalf, Mark Selig & Steve Roach after their successful album “Mantram” (2006). “Nada Terma” (meaning: the world…
Release data: Robert Rich & Faryus – Zerkalo CD, Faria Records, 2008 “Tangential glimpses remotely echoed, untethered from touch. No time nor place, no past nor future, internal, external. Sculpting from energy, clouded motion vaguely slipping. Evanescent vibration, without meaning…
Release data: Broekhuis, Keller & Schönwälder – Live @ Dorfkirche Repelen 2 CD, Manikin Records, 2008 This release by the well-known trio Bas Broekhuis, Detled Keller and Mario Schönwälder is a double live album, which sees the musicians play with…
Release data: Gert Emmens & Ruud Heij – Silent Witnesses of Industrial Landscapes CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2008 This is the fourth release of the duo Emmens & Heij, which was officially released on September 20th, 2008 at Electronic Circus…
Release data: Synth.nl – AtmoSphere CD, Groove Unlimited, 2008 October 11th, 2008 saw the release of the second album of Dutch synthesist Synth.nl, aka Michel van Osenbruggen, a concept-cd inspired by the layers of air in the atmosphere surrounding our…
Release data: Cosmic Hoffmann – Outerspace Gems CD, Manikin Records, 2008 This is the second release of vintage rarity recordings (1978-1985) from Klaus Hoffmann-Hoock, aka Cosmic Hoffmann, now put out as a pressed cd on the established Berliner-based Manikin label.…
Release data: Craig Padilla – Vostok CD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2002 I remember playing and reviewing this album at the time it came out in 2002. At that time, I was kind of disappointed by its outcome, finding it rather…
Release data: Emanuele Errante – Humus CD, Somnia, 2008 Emanuele Errante is a Napoli-based Italian ambient composer, of which “Humus” is his second album. The cd contains 11 tracks, forming a slowly unfolding symphony of quiet soundscapes and carefully crafted…
Release data: Near the Parenthesis – L’Eixample CD, n5MD, 2008 Near the Parenthesis is the musical (dis)guise of San Francisco-based musician Tim Arndt, of which “L’Eixample” is his third full length release. Arndt himself describes his compositional style as “melancholic…
Release data: Johan Agebjörn – Mossebo CD, LotusPike, 2008 The album title “Mossebo” is named after the house where the actual music was composed and recorded. Composed and played by Swedish electronica producer Johan Agebjörn, it marks his ambient debut,…
Release data: Gandalf & Friends – Live in Vienna CD & DVD, BSC/Prudence, 2008 The material contained on this release celebrates the 20th anniversary of Austrian multi-instrumentalist Heinz Strobl, aka Gandalf, as a performing artist. The nicely designed and documented…
Release data: Thom Brennan – Stories from the Forest CD, TMB Soundworks, 2008 “Stories from the Forest”, is the long awaited tenth release of Thom Brennan, which was delayed as material was not hitting the mark Thom had envisioned. As…
Release data: Steve Roach – Empetus CD, Projekt, 1986/2008 This is the long awaited re-release of the classic album from 1986, which now comes as a collector’s edition double cd with brand new artwork. The first disc contains the original,…
Release data: Ruben Garcia – Colors in Motion CD, Close Tolerance Music, 1992 “Colors in Motion” is the debut album of New Mexico-based minimalist composer, self-taught pianist, engineer, and producer Ruben Garcia, whose also a close friend of A Produce.…
Release data: Exuviae – Setting Density CD-R, AtmoWorks, 2003 Exuviae is actually Brooks Rongstad, one of the guys who participated in the now defunct Greenhouse label. In fact, “Settling Density” goes on where his debut-cd “Echoes in the Emptiness” (2000)…
Release data: Ishq – Timelapse in Mercury CD, Virtual, 2001/2007 “Timelapse in Mercury” is the fourth release on the UK-based Virtual-label and the first in a new deeper series called “Virtual Space” which is all about deeper and more outer…
Release data: Resonant Drift – Flow Mingled Down CD, Private Release, 2006 Resonant Drift is a music project of the USA-based musician Bill Olien, who mentions in the cd-booklet he was inspired by Steve Roach, Robert Rich, Jonn Serrie, Paul…
Release data: Marconi Union – A Lost Connection CD-R, MU Transmissions, 2008 Marconi Union are the Manchester-based duo Richard Talbot and James Crossley. “A Lost Connection” is their third release, the outcome being a concept album shaped around themes of…
Release data: Robert Jíša – Signs of the Zodiac CD, NextEra, 2007 Musician Robert Jíša, a graduate from Berklee College of Music, hails from Prague, Chech Republic, and has established himself as a mature soundtrack composer for the last couple…
Release data: David Wright – Momentum CD, AD Music, 2008 Next to being one of the driving forces behind the successful project Code: Indigo, Suffolk-based musician David Wright is also pursuing a solo-career since 20 years. “Momentum” contains a studio…
Release data: Steve Brand – Bridge to Nowhere CD-R, Hypnos Secret Sounds, 2008 Steve Brand is an US-based musician who previously released music in the experimental genre using the name Augur. Brand considers music not only a way of looking…
Release data: Jon Mark – A Celtic Story CD, White Cloud, 1995 “A Celtic Story” is Jon Mark’s fourth album, this time released on his own White Cloud label. In just an hour, the listener is taken on a sonic…
Release data: Jon Mark – Land of Merlin CD, Kuckuck Schallplatten/Celestial Harmonies, 1992 Paying another tribute to his English heritage, Jon Mark’s “Land of Merlin” descends a level deeper, exploring the “time” of his stunning debut album “The Standing Stones…
Release data: Jon Mark – Alhambra CD, Kuckuck Schallplatten/Celestial Harmonies, 1992 Concept wise, this third album by New Zealand-based musician Jon Mark, takes a different direction compared to the previous two concept albums “Standing Stones of Callanish” and “Land of…
Release data: Paul Haslinger – Planetary Traveler OST CD, Third Planet Entertainment, 1998 This is the original soundtrack album former TD-member Paul Haslinger composed for “Planetary Traveler”, the brainchild of two-time Emmy award winning director/producer Jan C. Nickman, noted for…
Release data: Synco – Evolution of Events CD, Cue Records, 1991 The Berliner band Synco (short for SYNthesizer COoperation) was founded in 1984 by Frank Klare and Mirko Lüthge. In 1985 Werner Brandt (nickname Chaos) joined them. “Evolution of Events”…
Release data: Logic Gate – Voyages DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2008 “Voyages”, a musical tribute to human exploration, is the second album by Steve Grace (aka Logic Gate), who describes it as dreamy ambient old school electronica. The 48-minute release…
Release data: Charles Crevier, Francois Kiraly & Jean-Francois Crevier – Music from the Sky CD, Disque Rubicon, 1987 This is the debut album of the trio Charles Crevier , Francois Kiraly, and Jean-Francois Crevier, all hailing from the Canadian Quebec-area.…
Release data: Max Corbacho – The Resonant Memory of Earth CD, Space for Music, 2002 After a long search, the talented Max Corbacho has found a new home at the US-label Space for Music. “The Resonant Memory of Earth”, of…
Release data: Max Corbacho – Far Beyond The Immobile Point CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2000/2011 This is the second release of Spanish composer Max Corbacho, presenting a collection of seven non-rhythmic, highly atmospheric ambient space tracks, so taking a different…
Release data: Hagen – Logos CD, Private Release, 1993 “In my opinion, this privately released recording by Bonn-based German musician Hagen is a remarkable one. The cd itself contains very little additional info, stating that ARP, Hohner, JEM, MFB Moog,…
Release data: Rob Essers – A Lizards Walk CD, Cue Records NL, 1997 Those familiar with Rob’s very nice debut album “Raincolors” know TD’s music from 1973-1985 holds a special place in his heart. The linear note on the cd-sleeve…
Release data: Max Corbacho – Vestiges CD, Free Records, 1999 “Vestiges” is the beautiful debut album by Spanish ambient musician Max Corbaxo, who later would start his own label ad21Music with his friend Bruno Sanfilippo. More than once, he has…
Release data: Catalin – First Breath CD, AD Music, 1999 “First Breath” is the debut album by Catalin Marin, of which the overall sound carries distinct flavours of Vangelis. The nice booklet contains several Biblical phrases, which lends a certain…
Release data: AirSculpture – Fjord Transit CD, Neu Harmony Records, 1999 “Fjord Transit” came out rather unexpectedly at E-Live ’99. It contains the music the English trio played at the second Eurosonic Festival on the Swedish island Valo. In all,…
Release data: Yarek – Noc Na Zamku CD, Generator.pl, 2008 “Noc Na Zamku” (which can be translated as “A Night in the Castle”) by Yarek, aka Jarek Degorski, is the fourth release of the Polish Generator-label. This seems to be…
Release data: Mathias Grassow – The Lanzarote Concert CD, NO-CD Records, 1995 The double cd “The Lanzarote Concert” is a live recording with basic–tracks from DAT, documenting Mathias’ live performance in the “Cueva de los Verdes”, Lanzarote, on October 18th,…
Release data: Konrad Kucz – Railroad Paths CD, Generator.pl, 2008 “Railroad Paths” contains lots of beautifully rendered vintage sounds and choir textures, fx’s and sequences, which almost immediately made my mind wander back to the great analogue days of the…
Release data: Deepspace – Another Empty Galaxy CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2008 Deepspace is the moniker of the Australian musician Mirko Ruckels, who has established himself as a mature composer of well-rendered electronic space music in a short period of…
Release data: Stephen Parsick – Planetary Music CD-R, Private Release, 2008 This cd-r contains the one hour concert Stephen Parsick performed in front of a small audience in the Planetarium of Osnabrück on March 29, 2008. Musically it continues in…
Release data: Stephen Parsick – Traces of the Past redux CD, Private Release, 1998/2007 This version of “Traces of the Past” is a reworked, improved version of the album that originally came out in 1998 on Spheric music. It comprises…
Release data: Natural Frequencies – Tranquility in Motion CD, Ozella Music, 2007 Natural Frequencies is an ambient/chill-out project from the late Andreas Leifeld, who sadly passed away on February 1st 2006, only 50 years old. The music on “Tranquillity in…
Release data: Paul Hartzog – Faces CD, Cydonia Records, 1996 Only recently someone pointed my attention to this “forgotten” recording from American musician Paul Hartzog, which has remained the only one until now. The impressionistic idea Paul Hartzog wanted to…
Release data: Picture Palace Music – Symphony for Vampires CD, Manikin Records, 2008 Picture Palace Music is a project by Berlin/Vienna based keyboarder Thorsten Quaeschning, who joins Edgar Froese in Tangerine Dream very often. His band’s goal is to reproduce…
Release data: Kevin Kendle – Light of the Pleiades (Deep Skies 3) CD, Eventide Music, 2008 “Light of the Pleiades” is the third instalment in Kevin’s Deep Skies series, on which he attempts to capture the vast spaces, nebulae and…
Release data: Bryan El – Out Of This World CD-R, AMAdea Records, 2008 Bryan El is a young musician hailing from Roeselare, West Flanders, who states the music of Amethystium, Vangelis, Ryan Farish, ERA, Tiësto and Armin van Buuren are…
Release data: [‘ramp] Looking Back in Anger – a decade of misfits CD, Doombient, 2006 The Doombient-release “Looking Back in Anger” is 78-minute retrospective compilation by the duo Stephen Parsick and Frank Makowski. It provides an overview of nine rare…
Release data: Gert Emmens – The Nearest Faraway Place Vol. 1 CD, Groove Unlimited, 2008 This cd, the first part of a trilogy, contains the music Gert composed for the Gasometer concert-gig on November 10th, 2007 in Germany. The outcome…
Release data: Rainbow Serpent – Live @ Liphook 2007 CD, Manikin Records, 2008 I lost sight of the interesting German band Rainbow Serpent, aka Frank Specht and Gerd Wienekamp, after Arndt Maschinski’s label Ardema Music (which released their music) discontinued…
Release data: Various Artists – Texture -A Compilation of Minimal Ambient Guitar- CD-R, SloBor Media, 2003 “Texture” -A Compilation of Minimal Ambient Guitar- was the debut album of the SloBor media label, started by Matt Borghi and Jason Sloan in…
Release data: W.A.dePhul – When aliens meet a drop of water CD, Manikin Records, 2008 Some might remember this musician from the short period he worked with Tangerine Dream back in the late eighties. Ralf, who nowadays works as freelance…
Release data: Craig Padilla & Skip Murphy – Analog Destination CD, Groove Unlimited, 2008 “Analog Destination” is a actually a live album, which finds the two American musicians in excellent musical shape. The cd, described by the duo as “a…
Release data: Nattefrost – Transformation CD, Groove Unlimited, 2008 “Transformation” is the third album on Groove Unlimited by Danish musician Bjørn Jeppesen aka Nattefrost. Clocking at exactly 56 minutes, it offers ten melodic, up-tempo sequencer tracks, with Robert Schröder collaborating…
Release data: Ron Boots – See Beyond Times, Look Beyond Words CD, Groove Unlimited, 2008 After the impressive as haunting concept album “Acoustic Shadows”, Ron Boots returns with a “lighter” cd. It was inspired by his love for books and…
Release data: Spyra – Gasoline 91 Octane CD, Manikin Records, 2008 Wolfram “Der” Spyra” continues his successful Berliner-School inspired sonic explorations with “Gasoline 91 Octane”, released April 4th 2008, which contains six wonderful electronic compositions. The almost 63-minute album is…
Release data: Tim Story – In Another Country CD, Eurock, 1982/1995 This album, the second full-length release by Ohio-based musician Tim Story, originally only came available on cassette, a year later followed by a vinyl release (for which two tracks…
Release data: Numina – Shift to the Ghost CD, Hypnos Recordings, 2006 With “Shift to the Ghost”, Numina, aka Jesse Sola, brings us a one long form piece of carefully shaped and sculptured ambient music, which is subdivided in seven…
Release data: Javi Cánovas – Light Echoes CD, Neu Harmony, 2006 Although the title might suggest something different, the sonic content of “Light Echoes” is a spiralling, high-energy drive of vintage electronics. Like his previous recording “Impasse”, the 66-minute “Light…
Release data: Jerome Froese – Precooked Munchies EP, Moonpop, 2007 “Precooked Munchies” is a limited edition Ep containing 34 minutes/five tracks of music. The first two tracks are taken from his forthcoming second album “Shiver me Timbres”, and like on…
Release data: Brainwork – Ten CD, Cue Records, 2008 “Ten” is the tenth studio album by Cologne-based musician Uwe Saher, which he totally dedicated to the Berliner School. It was this style that ruled the genre when Uwe started off…
Release data: Jeffrey Koepper – Sequentaria CD, Air Space Records, 2008 As the title suggests, the listener undergoes a sequencer-ride through vintage electronic music, for which skilled hands combined a whole bunch analogue gear with some modern instruments of today.…
Release data: Carboneids – Synthsyg CD, Mellowjet Records, 2007 “Synthsyg” is Carboneids’ debut album on the German Mellowjet label, but it’s actually a re-release of the same album that already came out on HZ-Records in 2005. Carboneids are the Danish…
Release data: Arrocata – In the Distance CD, Sonoran Winds Music, 2006 Arrocata is a project from Arizona-based musician Robert Straub, a long time resident of the Sonoran Desert. “In the Distance”, which draws inspiration from the expansive open spaces…
Release data: Altus – Rapid Eye Movements DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2008 Mike Carss, aka Altus, explains that this album is not meant as a sleeping aid, but as a sonic voyage through one’s dreams and the secrets they can…
Release data: Kwook – Skywave CD, Blue Oasis/DataObscura, 2008 Kwook is an ambient project of the Australian musician Simon Bennett. Where his previous album UFO was quite outer-space themed, Bennett’s second album “Skywave” is a musical survey of shortwave radio.…
Release data: Konrad Kucz – Vita Contemplativa – Litania – CD, Generator.pl, 2008 This is the first release of the Polish Generator-label, and as the title already suggests, it’s a nice contemplative affair into symphonic ambient music. I got the…
Release data: Craig Padilla – Below The Mountain CD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2008 “Below the Mountain” is a beautiful ambient and deep space offering by skilled electronic musician Craig Padilla. Created on analogue synthesizers for the most biggest part, the…
Release data: Evan Bartholomew – Secret Entries into Darkness CD, Somnia, 2008 “Secret Entries into Darkness” is the second sonic storytelling by Portland based musician Evan Bartholomew (aka Bluetech) on his newly founded Somnia-label. Like it predecessor, it’s a limited…
Release data: Bruno Sanfilippo & Mathias Grassow – Ambessence – piano & drones CD, ad21 Music, 2008 After his introspective solo album “Piano Textures”, Spanish composer Bruno Sanfilippo collaborated with German ambient musician Mathias Grassow to create the transparent, sedate…
Release data: Robert Schroeder – D.MO Vol. 2 CD, Spheric Music, 2008 Back in 1998, Cue Records released volume 1 in this series of unreleased original recordings 1978-1982, and I remember that one sounded and looked rather amateurish. February 2008…
Release data: Gulan – Sphere CD-R, Private Release, 2005 Since a while I’m familiar with the nice ambient space music by Gulan, aka Andrei Gulaikin, who seems to compile albums from various tracks of the same name. “Sphere”, which comes…
Release data: Michael Stearns – The Storm CD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2001 The content of this album by ambient master Michael Stearns is not as new as one might think. In fact, half of the twelve tracks on the album…
Release data: Jeff Pearce –Bleed CD, Hypnos Recordings, 2002 With “Bleed”, his seventh album on Hypnos recordings, ambient guitarist Jeff Pearce present us a very personal piece of work. Inspired by recently-revisited entries to his teen-age journal, the outcome represents…
Release data: Jeff Pearce – Vestiges CD, Private Release, 1998 “Vestiges”, the third album of the skilled American ambient musician Jeff Pearce, comes in the typical trademark cover of Hypnos recordings. Pearce composed and recorded all music at night with…
Release data: Galactic Anthems – Galactic Anthems CD, Private Release, 2002 The musician behind Galactic Anthems is Glenn Adams. He attended Berklee College of music for several years and later on graduated in music composition at California State University. This…
Release data: Force Majeure – Total Eclipse CD, Periferic Records, 1999 Force Majeure, aka Laszlo Kovacs and Zsolt Vidovenyecz, hails from Hungary. “Total Eclipse” is their debut cd, dedicated to the solar eclipse of August 11, 1999. The music shows…
Release data: Stephen Parsick – Cryotainer – music for gasometers CD-R, Private Release, 2007 As the titled already suggests, the 64 minutes of long form music found on “Cryotainer” is of a frosty and cold nature. It is in fact…
Release data: Dan Pound – Return to Other Worlds CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, PoundSounds, 2012 “Return to Other Worlds” is a commemorative retrospective double-album by US-composer Dan Pound, and also his third re-master project based on older material . This package covers…
Release data: Numina – Evolving Visions CD-R, Private Release, 2001 “Evolving Visions” is an adventurous audio-excursion which ambient composer Jesse Sola, aka Numina, has put together. In my opinion, the outcome doesn’t disappointed at all. Imagine you take a dive…
Release data: Cyber Zen Sound Engine & Matt Borghi – The Intercepted Transmissions CD, N-Light Records, 2001 For their second cd, the duo CZSE have successfully worked together with Houston-based ambient composer and writer Matt Borghi. The overall music gives…
Release data: Paul Avgerinos – Words Touch CD, Round Sky Music, 2001 “Words Touch” is the follow-up to Paul’s album “Sky of Grace”, which again blends soft-symphonic and tribal-kindred ingredients. It’s done in a keen way, as things stay overall…
Release data: Stephen Parsick – Deltaplan – muziek voor polders CD-R, Private Release, 2006 Stephen states in the press sheet that the music (he actually calls it his “water album”) for this cd began to take shape as he was…
Release data: Erik Seifert – Aotearoa CD-R, Syngate, 2006 I think I’m one of the many who were impressed by Seifert’s album “Trust Avis”, and listening to his new concept album “Aotearoa” even gives me more thrills. It’s a well…
Release data: Erik Seifert – Astronomical Unit CD, Spheric Music, 2008 “Astronomical Unit”, Erik Seifert’s fourth album (but his first on Spheric Music), was officially released February 8th 2008, and actually is a live album. The music of the concept…
Release data: Various Artists – The Other World CD, Hypnos Recordings, 1998 Hypnos owner Mike Griffin again has succeeded in a great effort: he managed to select an extraordinary cast out of today’s best ambient- composers, who contribute to this…
Release data: Erik Wøllo – Guitar Nova CD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2000 “Guitar Nova” came out in the middle of October 2000 and is the first release of the Norwegian musician Erik Wollo on Spotted Peccary’s sublabel Wanderings. As the…
Release data: Thom Brennan – Vibrant Water CD-R, Private Release, 2001 “Vibrant Water” is Thom’s next album after “Mist”, and again is a beautiful sound and listening experience. The disc contains three extended soundscapes, all filled with transparent, slow drifting…
Release data: Thom Brennan – Shimmer CD-R, Private Release, 2001 On “Shimmer”, Thom Brennan continues his quest for nature-inspired music. It kicks off with the short piece “Radiant Ice”, which returns at the end of album in a longer version.…
Release data: Thom Brennan – Satori CD-R, Private Release, 2002 “Satori”, originally released on James Johnson’s Zero Music-label, contains music in line of what is featured on “Mist”. “Satori” (which is Japanese for Spiritual Enlightment) is part of Thom Brennan’s…
Release data: John Lakveet – Epikus CD, Groove Unlimited, 2003 The Spanish musician John Lakveet is one of the members of the band At-Moos, who decided to pursue a solo career like his band companion musician Dom F. Scab. “Epikus”…
Release data: Zero Ohms & Brannan Lane – Soundfall To The Infinite CD-R, Space for Music, 2002 “Soundfall to the Infinite” is a well composed ambient space album, divided in three parts. It originated from the Space for Music festival…
Release data: Various Artists – Fahrenheit Project Part 3 CD, Ultimae Records, 2002 This is the third compilation from the small French label Ultimae, which continues releasing some fine “panoramic music for panoramic people”. The cd contains “a selection of…
Release data: The Nightcrawlers – Traveling Backwards CD, Manikin Records, 1997 The Nightcrawlers was a US-band from New Jersey, consisting of Peter and Steve Gulch and David Lunt, who by now are regarded as composers of classic electronic music. The…
Release data: The Speed of Dark – The “Dark Water” Edition CD-R, Private Release, 2007 Frank Makowksi started The Speed of Dark project after [´ramp] (the dark ambient project with Stephen Parsick) had reached a dead point from an artist…
Release data: Robert Fox – Touching the Serpent’s Tail CD, AD Music, 2007 By whatever reason, I lost touch of the music by the English musician Robert Fox after his third release or so, although I liked his music quite…
Release data: Sleepresearch_Facility – Nostromo CD, Cold Spring, 2007 “Nostromo” is actually a re-release of an album by Sleep Research Facility, aka Kevin Doherty, which was already put out in 2001. It’s a concept album inspired by the spaceship Nostromo…
Release data: Solar Fields – EarthShine CD, Ultimae Records, 2007 November 2007 saw the the release of the fifth Solar Fields album “EarthShine”. This time, the Swedish composer Magnus Birgersson presents eight lenghty tracks which are firmly rooted in atmospheric…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Terra DVD-R, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2006 The audiovisual production “Terra” is a journey into the hidden natural landscapes of New Zealand, which comes with an exclusive ambient soundtrack by Alpha Wave Movement. The dvd…
Release data: Various Artists –Various Artists – The Collective, Vol. 2 CD-R, SynGate, 2006 “The Collective Vol. 2” is actually the 100th cd-r of the German SynGate label, a double-disc release with 24 different (often unreleased) pieces of music from…
Release data: Michael Meara – The Last Days of Autumn CD-R, Private Release, 2007 Michael Meara’s “The last days of autumn” is an ep of 25 minutes, containing one uninterrupted free form ambient track. The album starts out with warm…
Release data: Eric van der Heijden – Cosmic Flight No. 3 CD, Groove Unlimited, 2003 “Cosmic Flight no. 3” is Eric’s third album, which was released five years after his great cd “Da Capo”. It actually premiered on E-Live 2003,…
Release data: Thomas Ronkin – Within; Distance CD, Tristissima Records, 1997 Thomas Ronkin hails from Manhattan Beach, California, who’s music was recommended to me by “Mr A Produce” Barry Craig. Thomas, who seems to have worked with Steve Roach at…
Release data: Hypnosphere – Magnetism CD, Spheric Music, 2007 This is my first encounter with the music of the German project Hypnosphere, aka Lambert Ringlage (electronic musician and owner of Spheric Music) and Wolfgang Barkowski (aka Alien Nature). The duo…
Release data: Robert Carty – Skyhearts CD-R, Private Release, 1994 According to his website, ambient musician Robert Carty seems to have around 30 albums under his belt, of which the biggest part was released on cd-r. “Skyhearts”, subtitled “deep native…
Release data: Kevin Braheny – Galaxies (Original Soundtrack Music) CD/MC, Hearts of Space, 1988 Kevin Braheny composed this soundtrack for the Hansen Planetarium-show. “Galaxies” offers some great floating space music which a lot of fans of the genre will like.…
Release data: Ron Boots – 80’s Box CD, Groove Unlimited, 2000 This six cd-box “80’s Box”, which comes with an extended booklet with lots of information and photo’s. It contains five long out-of-print cassette albums by Dutch musician Ron Boots,…
Release data: Ron Boots – Area Movement CD, Groove Unlimited, 2003 The music of the 2003-album “Area Movement” is the outcome of 1,5 year of hard work. Again, it was assembled, composed and produced in Ron’s own Dreamscape Studio, although…
Release data: Ron Boots – Of Desolate Places And Urban Jungles CD-SINGLE, Amplexus, 1997 Early 1997, Ron Boots was asked to contributed some music to a special project on the Italian Amplexus-label, run by Stefano Gentile. The label released a…
Release data: Ron Boots – Detachment of Worldly Affairs CD, Cue Records NL/ Groove Unlimited, 1994/1999 For Dutch musician Ron Boots, the album “Detachment Of Worldly Affairs” is a very personal one. The origins of the music go back to…
Release data: Ron Boots – Ghost of a Mist CD, Cue Records NL/Groove Unlimited, 1991/2002 After the tremendous success of Ron’s debut cd “Dreamscapes”, lots of fans had been eagerly waiting for his next album. “Ghost of a Mist” inhabits…
Release data: Ron Boots – Kees Aerts – Harold van der Heijden – BAH! Live in Sweden CD-R, Groove Unlimited, 1998 “BAH!” is an individually numbered cd-r, containing the original live music (no overdubs, no sound adding) the trio Ron…
Release data: John Kerr & Ron Boots – Offshore Islands CD, Synteam/New World Artists Music / Groove Unlimited, 1990/1998 “Offshore Islands” is a classic album released on Synteam/New World Artists Music in August 1990. On this concept cd, the classic/symphonic…
Release data: Bernd Kistenmacher – Un viaggio attraverso l’Italia CD, BSC/Prudence, 2001 “Un Viaggio attraverso l’Italia” is the outcome of several visits Bernd Kistenmacher made to Italy during spring and summer 2000. The album contains his performance, which at first…
Release data: Ron Boots –Ron Boots – Current CD, Cue Records NL / Groove Unlimited, 1997 The album “Current” was presented at the “Truth or Dare” concert of Ron Boots and friends on September 13, 1997 in Eindhoven. The cover…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – Transcendence CD, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 1995/2007 “Transcendence” is actually the first cd by Gregory Kyryluk, aka Alpha Wave Movement. It contains 50 minutes of beautiful, well composed, sculptured and refined electronic music which journeys…
Release data: Project Two Point One – Hydrythmix CD, Groove Unlimited, 1996/2004 The two musicians behind Project TWO Point ONE are no other than Ron Boots and Bas Broekhuis. This first cd-version of the same titled double mc from 1989,…
Release data: Richard Bone – Infinite Plastic Creation CD, Quirkworks Laboratory Discs, 2007 September 10th 2007 saw the release of “Infinite Plastic Creation”, which comes with a beautiful designed cd booklet. The press–release describes it as an exquisite new work…
Release data: Alpha Wave Movement – The Regions Between CD-R, Harmonic Resonance Recordings, 2007 Gregory Kyryluk, aka Alpha Wave Movement, also started digging his back catalogue, of which this disc is the nice outcome. “The Regions Between” is a 48-minute…
Release data: Dan Pound – Dream Spaces CD-R, Private Release, 2007 Dan Pound is an American, classically trained musician hailing from Santa Rosa, California. The last couple of years he specialized to composing ambient electronic and new age like music,…
Release data: Mark Biehl – Landscapes CD, Acuity Soundworks, 1999 “Landscapes” is the debut cd from the American composer/multi-instrumentalist Mark Biehl. It embraces the mind travel theme, which serves to take listeners on an invigorating musical journey to distant lands…
Release data: Ron Boots – Screaming Whispers CD, Cue Records NL, 1996 The music on the album “Screaming Whispers” marks a change in the style of music Ron Boots has followed until now. The overall sound is more daring, adventurous…
Release data: Michael Thomas Berkley – Arctic CD, Numinous Records, 2000 This is the second cd by Mr Berkley, who’s debut album “Images from Earth” impressed me a lot. “Arctic” is a concept album inspired by the Canadian Ellesmere islands,…
Release data: Ashera – Ambient Selections CD, Private Release, 1997 Ashera is the artist name of the Australian musician Antonio Asher Wright. “Ambient Selections” is his great looking debut album, a double cd, which comes as a digipack. It contains…
Release data: Tangerine Dream – DM 2.1 CD, Moonpop, 2007 Jerome Froese was responsible for the production of all ten tracks on “DM 2.1”, the first ever compilation of the “Dream Mixes” series. This part, mine is a special edition…
Release data: Vincent Gabriel Antonini – Unforeseen CD-R, Under The Eave, 2002 Listening to the music on the very atmospheric album “Unforeseen” feels like visual introspection. Mr. Antonini’s sophisticated blend of electronic and acoustic sounds create a very dense atmosphere…
Release data: Alemis – The Music of Alemis Vol. 1 CD-R, Private Release, 2002 “The Music of Alemis Vol. 1” is a collection of eight soundscape miniatures by ambient musician Peter Salemi. The first four have an emotive yet slight…
Release data: AirSculpture – Quark Soup CD, Neu Harmony, 2001 This is a double cd from the English trio Airsculpture, which only contains live material. What they acchieve live-on-stage is always something surprising, as their Berliner School inspired music relies…
Release data: Amir Baghiri – Dreamresources CD, Neuronium Records, 2002 On “Dreamresources”, released on Michel Huygen’s (aka Neuronium) Spanish label Neuronium records, Amir Baghiri tried to melt relaxing, rather strange and mystic natural (re)sources of sound into a kind of…
Release data: Amir Baghiri – Time CD, Arya-Amplexus, 1998 “Time” is the second solo cd from Amir Baghiri. Again, the outcome is an interesting one, proving he’s not a one-day fly. His tribal ambient music is often compared to the…
Release data: Amir Baghiri – Bluebox Collection CD, Arya-Amplexus, 2000 “Bluebox Collection” is the long-awaited cd box from the sympathetic German/Iran ambient musician Amir Baghiri. It contains four cds, all clocking over 70 minutes, which all reflect their own character…
Release data: Amir Baghiri – Winterscape CD, NO-CD, 1999 For “Winterscape”, Amir again has chosen the ambient-oriented path in which he succeeded in reminding me of some tribal/soundscape material of Steve Roach’s “Dreamtime Return” in some parts. “Winterscape” has an…
Release data: Michael Thomas Berkley – Images from Earth CD, Numinous Records, 1998 To me, the 26- year old Michael Thomas Berkley who hails from Oregon, is a new name in the genre of contemporary instrumental and electronic music. It…
Release data: Rudy Adrian – Kinetic Flow (Sequencer Sketches Vol. 1) CD, Groove Unlimited, 2000 Rudy’s two sequencer pieces on his previous overall atmospheric album “Twilight” must have made quite an impression at Groove Unlimited , as they have released…
Release data: Rudy Adrian – Twilight (Atmospheric Works Vol. 2) CD-R, Private Release, 1998 David Parsons was kind to get me in touch with this musician hailing from New Zealand’s south island, whose full name actually is Rudy Adrian Hueting.…
Release data: Nathan Youngblood – Asunder CD, SteveRoach.com, 2007 This the second cd in Steve Roach’s series devoted to bringing high-quality essential cd releases from the deep end of the soundcurrent. It is composed by one Nathan Youngblood, who got…
Release data: A Produce & M. Griffin – Altara CD, Hypnos Recordings, 1999 After quite a period of radio silence, Barry Craig (aka A Produce) re-enters the ambient stage with “Altara”, a collaborative project with Hypnos owner Mike Griffin. Well,…
Release data: Cosmic Hoffmann – Space Gems CD-R, Heart and Mind, 2007 As vintage electronic music is very popular the last couple of years, several musicians and band have released stuff from their archives. Well, the same goes for Klaus…
Release data: A Produce – White Sands CD, Private Release, 1995 This cd bears the subtitle “An Anthology 1988-1994”. It contains a nice selection of tracks taken from his previous four albums, to which five unreleased and slightly changed pieces…
Release data: A Produce – Smile on the Void CD, Hypnos Recordings, 2000 This is the first solo release from Barry Craig, aka A Produce, since four years (his previous album “Inscape and Landscape” came out in ’96), although 1999…
Release data: A Produce – Inscape and Landscape CD, Private Release, 1996 First of all, the “post-processing & digital preparation” of “Inscape and Landscape” was in the capable hands of no other than Robert Rich. A Produce’s chosen concept for…
Release data: Create – Space Time Continuum CD, Groove Unlimited, 2007 Stephen Humphries, aka Create, explains in the booklet he found it time to release an album of shorter tracks as the previous two cds contained only very long tracks.…
Release data: Rising Star – Totally Space CD-R, Private Release, 2001 “Totally Space” is one of the quite remarkable creations of American musician Marc Handschuh aka (Marc) Rising Star. The last twelve years he has been focussing to implement serenity,…
Release data: Steve Roach & Vir Unis – Body Electric CD, Projekt, 1999 With the cd “Body Electric”, a new chapter was opened in the ongoing list of co-operations Steve Roach has done with various kindred musicians through the years.…
Release data: Ian Boddy – Ron Boots – Harold van der Heijden – Phase 3 CD, Cue Records / Something Else Records, 1997 “Phase 3” (of which the actual working title was “Bad Boys”) is a live recording of over…
Release data: Mark Mercury – Music from the Cycles of Spheres CD, Private Release, 2001 This album is actually a rebuilt version of the “Deep Spaces” album that space and planetarium composer Mark Mercury had in the works for quite…
Release data: Redshift – Last CD, Distant Sun, 2007 “Last” features music which Redshift played live on Hampshire Jam 5 in October 2006. For this concert, Redshift performed as a trio, as no other than Ian Boddy joined Mark and…
Release data: Laudanum – Laudanum CD-EP, ArcHana, 2001 “Laudanum” is a cd-ep by the German duo Amir Baghiri and Rüdiger Gleisberg, aka Laudanum, which was released on ArcHana, a sublabel of Stefano Gentile’s Amplexus-label. Rüdiger already had the idea for…
Release data: William Linton – Traveler’s Tales CD-R, Private Release, 1986/2002 “Traveler’s Tales” should be the first cd of William Linton, if I’m well informed. It carries the subtitle “music for inner travel”, which aptly describes what Mr Linton is…
Release data: Klangwelt – Weltweit CD, Spheric Music, 2002 Weltweit” is the debut cd of the near Hamburg residing German musician Gerald Arend a.k.a. Klangwelt, who puts forward a both intriguing as attractive album. The album offers 77 minutes of…
Release data: H.U.V.A. Network – Distances CD, Ultimae Records, 2004 H.U.V.A. Network is the “North-South collaboration” of Sweden’s Magnus Birgersson (aka Solar Fields) and Vincent Villuis (aka Aes Dana) from France, resulting in 78 minutes of downtempo-ambient. Within eleven tracks,…
Release data: Matt Coldrick – Music for a Busy Head CD/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Absolute Ambient, 2002 Matt Coldrick has established to taking a turn in his career after being founder of a trance band. Next to composing for film and Tv,…
Release data: Ashera – Enviro CD, Private Release, 2001 “Enviro” is the fifth album of Anthony Asher Wright aka Ashera. It continues where his former albums already took him. In addition to his former albums, this one features the Hammond…
Release data: Kraftwerk – Trans Europe Express CD, EMI, 1977 In the period between the pioneering “Autobahn” and the band’s breakthrough-album “The Man Machine”, Kraftwerk road the edge with the cool avant-garde album “Trans-Europe Express”. The lyrics on this album…
Release data: Synthetic Block – Sonic Approach CD, Hypnos Recordings, 2003 There has been quite a gap between the release of Jonathan’s second release “The Opposite of Staring into Space” and this one. Nevertheless, “Sonic Approach” (eight tracks, almost 60…
Release data: Liquid Mind – VI: Spirit CD, Private Release, 2003 Like its predecessors, the sixth Liquid Mind-album “Spirit” sounds very relaxing and well-balanced. It is typical music that turns you inward within a few minutes. Warm, encompassing textures surround…
Release data: UK Heights – Ambients CD, Private Release, 2002 UK Heights (also on the cd written as U. Kay Hytz) is a UK-based band of three musicians whom have been making music since 1991. “Ambients” as such is the…
Release data: Remote Spaces – Silos CD-R, Requiem Records, 2004 “Silos” is a release of the Polish band Remote Spaces (aka Konrad Jakrzewski and Krzysztof Rzeznicki) which is nicely packaged in a dvd-box. It features six extended tracks of contemporary…
Release data: John Luttrell – A Sense of Impending Levitation CD-R, Private Release, 2003 This seems to be the second cd of multi-instrumentalist John Luttrell, also founder of his own label Ottersong Records. Next to composing ambient music he’s also…
Release data: Paul Lawler – Bronx Shadows CD-R, Ricochet Dream, 2004 “Bronx Shadows” is a live album from 1997, containing a recording of Lawler’s “Electric Cafe” concert in Derby, UK. The version reviewed here is not the original version featured…
Release data: Ruben Garcia – Maybe Forgotten Forever CD-R, Trance Port Special Editions, 2003 The last decade or so I’ve collected all five solo cds of American ambient musician Ruben Garcia, of which the reviews have been published the demised…
Release data: The Glimmer Room – Grey Mirrors CD, A-Frame Media, 2004 If I’m correct, “Grey Mirrors” is the second release of Andy Condon, who calls himself “a bedroom recording artist, keyboard fetishist and convicted technophile”. As I had never…
Release data: Terra Ambient – The Gate CD, Lotuspike, 2004 “The Gate” is the second cd of Jeff Kowal aka Terra Ambient, which took him over two years to complete. In the meanwhile Jeff also established the brand new label…
Release data: A Produce – A Smooth Surface (Special Edition) CD-R, Private Release, 2004 This release is a special edition of the original ep which Barry Craig put out in 1994, now containing the full 24 minute version of the…
Release data: Solar Fields – Blue Moon Station CD, Ultimae Records, 2003 I hadn’t heard before of Solar Fields aka the Swedish ambient soundsculpter Magnus Birgersson, of which “Blue Moon Station” is his second album. Well, this one is impressive,…
Release data: Steve Roach – Places Beyond: The Lost Pieces 4 CD, Timeroom Editions, 2004 This is the fourth collection from Roach’s Timeroom-cavern, offering a nice cross-over collection of fractal and organic groove music next to deep end atmospheric and…
Release data: Logic Gate – From the Silence CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2003 Vintage electronic music has been made by quite some musicians, and to this list we now can add the output of Logic Gate. The guy behind this…
Release data: Matthew Florianz – The Tone T(h)ree CD, H/S Recordings, 2004 “Jack This is the first cd from this Dutch ambient musician, whose music I hadn’t heard until now. “The Tone T(h)ree” is a collection of older tracks recorded…
Release data: Max Corbacho – Nocturnal Emanations CD-R, Private Release, 2004 “Nocturnal Emanations” is the fourth album of the Spanish ambient composer Max Corbacho, which again is worth the long wait. It features typical quiet long form ambient-space music divided…
Release data: Goldmund – Corduroy Road LP/CD, Type Recordings, 2005 “Corduroy Road” is the debut album of Keith Kenniff, aka Goldmund, featuring a collection of 13 most pastoral, intimate piano-based miniatures and a slice of acoustic guitar inspired by the…
Release data: Phillip Wilkerson – Amorphous Worlds CD-R, Private Release, 2007 I came across American musician Phillip Wilkerson while visiting the cd outlet CD-Baby. Mr Wilkerson is a composer of free form textural ambient, of which his site learned he…
Release data: Alby Potts – Dreaming for Real CD, Private Release, 1999/2004 “Dreaming for Real” is the debut album of one Alby Potts, an American composer and pianist who works in many musical genres including musical theater, chamber music and…
Release data: Patrick O´Hearn – Slow Time CD, Private Release, 2005 On his completely self-crafted release “Slow Time”, Patrick O’Hearn turns his heals towards relaxed ambient, at the same time also leaving behind some of his typical sound. The overall…
Release data: Parallel Worlds – Insight CD-R, Shima Records, 2003 Parallel Worlds is the Greek ambient musician Bakis Siros, who has collected a vast assortment of vintage equipment, such as huge analogue modulars and analogue step sequencers. “Insights” is his…
Release data: The Symphonic Jean Michel Jarre – The Symphonic Jean Michel Jarre CD, Tadlow Music, 2006 October 2nd 2006 saw the release of this double cd featuring the Jarre’s major works presented in a classically, orchestral setting. All music…
Release data: Galactic Anthems – Abstract Circuitry CD-R, Private Release, 2003 This is the second cd of Glenn Adams, who again surprises us with a nice blend of progressive and melodic EM. Taking off with the title-track, Glenn sets course…
Release data: Michael Whalen – Like Rain Through My Hands CD, Alchemy Records, 2004 I already knew Mr Whalen’s music from his very nice ambient album “Nightscenes”, which was re-released by the same label in 2004. A strong feeling of…
Release data: Various Artists – Waterhaven CD, Earthaven, 2001 The Canadian concept-album “Waterhaven” is a kind of celebration of the water element. Relaxing ocean sounds and seascape environmentals meet with quiet electronic compositions on five tracks. Two tracks are by…
Release data: Various Artists – Albedo CD, Ultimae Records, 2005 “Albedo” is another beautifully packaged concept-cd of the French Ultimae-label featuring “11 ambient refractions and kaleidoscopic grooves” by the same number of bands. he cd starts of with a quiet,…
Release data: Australis – Lifegiving CD, Private Release, 2005 Australis is a project of Oscar Aguayo, established in the middle of 2004, which is described as the natural expression of the human heart beyond languages, cultures and distances. Well, “Lifegiving”…
Release data: Valley Forge – Live and Session Tapes CD-R, Syngate, 2005 On this album, Valley Forge is Thomas Bechholds, Michael Seitz, Jurgen Winter accompanied by guest musician Bernd Kistemann. Although the title might suggest something else, “Live and Session…
Release data: Bruno Sanfilippo – Anthology CD, Neuronium Records, 2005 Bruno Sanfilippo’s “Anthology” comprises previously released tracks composed between 1991 and 2004. The tracks are taken from the albums “Sons of the Light”, “The New Kingdom”, “Solemnis”, “Suite Patagonia”, “Visualia”…
Release data: Peter Challoner – The Other Side of Time CD-R, Private Release, 2004 I formerly reviewed three other cd’s of the sympathetic UK-based ambient composer Peter Challoner, who’s intriguing soundscape music I cherish a lot. “The Other Side of…
Release data: Amir Baghiri – Exosphere CD, Bluebox / Databloem, 2005 “Exosphere” was created between January 2003 and June 2005. The album was already announced years ago by Amir Baghiri, but I guess he couldn’t find any proper label which…
Release data: Amir Baghiri – Rooms CD, Arya, 2001 “Rooms” is a cd-box from this sympathetic German/Iran-based ambient musician, filled with 3 cds, and released in a strictly limited edition of 500 copies. The first pieces and ideas of this…
Release data: Solar Fields – Extended CD, Ultimae Records, 2005 The album “Extended” is actually a limited edition companion to “Leaving Home”. It’s an almost 80 minute atmospheric extension coming close to space music. The three tracks were used at…
Release data: Robert Rich – Electric Ladder CD, Soundscape Productions, 2006 The music on “Electric Ladder” is a smooth and sophisticated blend of vintage analogue synthesizers and acoustic tonalities. The latter are created on lap steel guitar, flutes, bassoon, soprano…
Release data: D Loop – Mystery´s River CD, Ear Waves, 2004 D Loop, aka Dwight Loop, hails from Sausalito and has been performing electronic music since the late 70s in both solo and ensemble settings. Dwight is also a long-time…
Release data: Cosmic Hoffmann – Electric Trick CD, Heart and Mind, 2005 The album “Electric Trick” is the sixth cd of Klaus Hoffmann-Hoock aka Cosmic Hoffmann. It features recordings made between 1978 and 2003. Stephen Parsick joins him on several…
Release data: Tim Gerwing – Being to Being CD, Lascaux21, 2002 “Being to Being” is the debut album of the Canadian autodidact musician Tim Gerwing who’s cd offers a simple but very nice looking cover, stating that the musical content…
Release data: Steve Roach – Immersion One CD, Projekt, 2006 “Immersion: One” is the first of an ongoing series of infinite playback recordings from Steve’s Timeroom studios intended to be played at low volume. The press-info describes it as steady…
Release data: Kevin Kendle – Lagoon of Eternity (Deep Skies 2) CD, Eventide Music, 2004 This is the second cd from Kevin’s Deep Skies series, on which he attempts to create unique sound landscapes that reflect this feeling of swirling…
Release data: Peter Challoner – Abstract Ambient Form CD-R, Private Release, 2005 I previously reviewed an ambient trilogy of this English composer, who’s freeform music I like a lot. “Abstract Ambient Form” contains six “Formations” featuring an ongoing flow of…
Release data: Solitaire – Altered States CD, Musique Intemporelle, 1990 Solitaire is the brainchild of German synthesist Elmar Schulte, a project devoted to ambient/electronic music. For some albums and Solitaire’s debut “Altered States”, Schulte collaborated with the classically trained composer/musician…
Release data: Jeffrey Koepper – Momentium CD, Air Space Records, 2006 “Momentium” is the second release of Jeffrey Koepper, who’s beautiful release “Etherea” was quite a success a couple of years ago. Koepper’s musical adagio was and still is “to…
Release data: Amir Baghiri – Planet X CD, Bluebox, 2006 The cd “Planet X” (inspired by the exotic astrophysical phenomena of the 10th planet) is Baghiri’s second privately released cd on his own Bluebox-label. His former album “Exophere” was a…
Release data: Liquid Mind – Relax – A Liquid Mind Experience CD, Real Music, 2007 The sales of the floating stress relief music of Chuck Wild, aka Liquid Mind, surely will receive another boost as Real Music has decided to…
Release data: Ti-Cal – Coriolis CD, Council of Nine, 2002 Coriolis is the third cd on the small UK-based ambient-label COFN, and it’s another gem to look out for. Tarl Broad-Ashman, aka Ti-Cal, formerly one half of the duo Innerise,…
Release data: Christian Høy Knudsen – Hav CD, Council of Nine, 2000 “Hav” is the second release of the UK –based ambient label Council of Nine, run by Simon Lomax. Its composer is the Norwegian Christian Høy Knudsen, who spent…
Release data: Steve Roach – Storm Surge – live at Nearfest CD, Nearfest records, 2006 “Dreamsurge” contains an unedited live recording of the concert Steve Roach performed at NEARfest on July 9, 2005. The 46 minutes of passionate, tribal-flavoured ambient…
Release data: Kelly David – Broken Voyage CD, Rocky Mountain records, 2001 “Broken Voyage” is the debut cd of the talented, Colorado-based synthesist Kelly David, which finds the listener in an overall adventurous landscape where you journey into unknown &…
Release data: Kelly David – Angkor CD, Rocky Mountain Records, 2006 Like Jeffrey Koepper, Kelly David also reelased his second cd in 2006. Same as Koepper, Kelly only uses analogue instruments for his music, which resulted in deep, darkening soundings…
Release data: Robert Carty – Suntales CD-R, Private Release, 2006 For years, Robert Carty is known for his highly atmospheric, moody and even spacy ambient music. Well, “Sun Tales” adds a nice chapter to his long list of releases. “Light…
Release data: Robert Rich – Calling Down the Sky CD, Soundscape Productions, 2003 “Calling Down the Sky” is a live-cd by Robert Rich, clocking at exactly 74 minutes, offering all new atmospheric music. While heavy weather conditions followed Robert Rich…
Release data: Dene De Benedictis – A Lone Reply CD, Fateless Records, 2001 Dean is also known as the musician behind Surface 10, but the music on “A Lone Reply” is something completely different from the rather experimental output on…
Release data: Mark Dwane – 2012 CD, Trondant/Orbian Music, 2007 I must confess I lost interest in Mark Dwane’s music after his first few albums (which in my opinion started to repeat itself more and more after his second and…
Release data: John Lyell & Brent A. Reiland – Synthetic Universe CD, Private release, 2002 “Synthetic Universe” is the second cd of this Minneapolis-based duo that made quite an impression in the scene with their debut-cd “Wormholes” in 1998. This…
Release data: Sonic Metro – Six Dregrees of Separation CD-R, Private Release, 2007 “Six Degrees in Seperation” is the debut album of Sonic Metro, aka the Dutch musician Peter Leijdsman. He formerly played guitar, drums and piano bit before he…
Release data: Parallel Worlds – Obsessive Surrealism CD, DiN, 2007 “Obsessive Surrealism” is the fourth full-length release of musician Bakis Sirros aka Parallel Worlds, one continuing the path of innovative dreamy atmospheric electronics since he started his music project in…
Release data: Projekt Erde – Mysterious Vibrations CD, CMS/4U, 1992 Musician and sound specialist Christoph Hausmann had a 24-track studio in the late 80s and early 90s. It had nearly all of the state-of-the-art synthesizers available at that time such…
Release data: Peter Challoner – Interpolation CD-R, Private Release, 2007 “Interpolation” is the fifth album by the skilled British ambient composer Peter Challoner, bearing the subtitle “Music in Ambient remix”. It contains six extended tracks all breathing a relaxed but…
Release data: Steve Roach – Immersion Two CD, Projekt, 2006 This is the second chapter in the Steve’s Immersion-series, aptly subtitled “Artifact Ghost”. As with all former infinite playback recording, the disc features one uninterrupted track of over 70 minutes.…
Release data: Anomalous Disturbances – HovR CD-R, Private Release, 2003 This is the second long awaited release of the Canadian musician Terry O’Brien who already surprised me with his engaging album “The Spirit Molecule”. Well, Hovr features lots of delicately…
Release data: Lisa Walker – Grooved Whale CD, Private Release, 2001 Canadian-born musician Lisa Walker has a peculiar fascination for humpback whales and their natural environment. So she made lots of recordings with a hydrophone, capturing the amatizing, broad repertoire…
Release data: Geodesium – A Gentle Rain of Starlight CD, Loch Ness Productions, 2007 I must confess that although I’m a long-time space music fan I’ve never laid my hands on nor have I heard any music of Geodesium aka…
Release data: Amethystium – Evermind CD, Neurodisc, 2004 With his third album “Evermind”, Amethystium a.k.a. Øystein Ramfjord continues his tradition of accessible, ethnic infused fairy-tale music. For the new album, the third instalment in the “Dragonfly Trilogy”, he invited a…
Release data: Jeffrey Koepper – Etherea CD, Air Space Records, 2006 Jeffrey Koepper has been making electronic music since 1985 and has played in two groups, Pure Gamma and Immortal respectively, before starting this solo-effort. During these years he has…
Release data: A Produce & Ruben Garcia – Early Sessions CD-R, Trance Port Special Editions, 2003 After many years of absence a brand new cd-r has been released on Barry Craig’s own label, Trance Port Special Editions. It features music…
Release data: Various Artists – Chasing the Dawn [Ultima Thule Ambient] CD, Ultima Thule Media, 2006 After a very long delay of over three years this long-awaited sampler finally saw the light of day in the middle of 2006. The…
Release data: Peter Challoner – Beneath the Ice Flow CD-R, Private Release, 2007 I received this ambient release together with his remix-album “Interpolation”, so I expected something in the same manner. “Beneath the Ice Flow” visualizes a sub aquatic journey…
Release data: Amongst Myselves – Auburn Silhouette CD, Private Release, 2007 Amongst Myselves is Australian ambient musician Steve Roberts who’s “Auburn Silhouette” (released April 10th 2007) is his fourth album. Like his former album, it’s accompanied by a dvd featuring…
Release data: Numina – Sanctuary of Dreams CD, Hypnos Recordings, 2003 The music of Jesse Sola aka Numina has always been special to me, and with his album “Sanctuary of Dreams” he again doesn’t disappoint at all. As the title…
Release data: AuReality – Sense CD-R, Private Release, 2003 The man behind Aureality is the Dutch ambient composer Paul Swennenhuis, of which “Sense” is his second album. On this cd he uses the Alesis QuadraSynth, Emu Morpheus en de NI…
Release data: Ashera & Brannan Lane – Sextant CD, Private Release, 2003 Anthony Wright and Brannan Lane join forces on this disc, offering 69 minutes of exquisite and delightful ambient music. “Sextant” offers five extended tracks of slowly morphing freeform…
Release data: Aperus – Hinterland EP, Mpath Records / Geophonic Records / Resonant Effec, 2004 “Hinterland” is a multimode EP which contains four alternative versions of tracks which appeared on the formerly released cd “Tumbleweed obfuscated by camera failure” plus…