Release data: Pete Bardens – Seen One Earth CD/Lp, Capitol Records, 1987 Known as a founding member and keyboard player of symphonic/prog-rock band Camel, Pete Bardens released a few solo releases after he left. The 33-minute “Seen One Earth” is an accessible, moody, and overall mellow-sounding album with a clean electronic sound. I guess some might characterize the atmospheric as…
Release data: Ashra – Sauce Hollandaise CD, Manikin Records, 1997 Ok, please journey back with me to October 1997 when Ashra played at “KLEMdag 1997” in Nijmegen, a still memorable event. “Sauce Hollandaise” contains 3 lengthy tracks live on stage by the quartet Manuel Göttsching, Lutz Ulbrich, Harald Grosskopf, and Steve Baltes on that occasion. What’s featured here is a…
Release data: Altus – Symphony for the Sullen Digital Download, Private Release, 2025 With this release, Altus’s music swerves away from his usual “ambient” self: the 48-minute “Symphony for the Sullen” is a completely orchestral work inspired by 20th-century composers. Mike Carss actually composed it in the wake of Donald Trump’s inauguration. As Mike further comments, across nine pieces, its…
Release data: Sam KDC – Cycles of Perspective CD-r/Digital Download, Auxiliary, 2016 A rather sombre, dystopia-esque cover graces Samuel Woods’ second ambient release, “Cycles of Perspective”. Here, the listener awaits an 8-track/47-minute sonic canvas of different emotions all frozen in time. The opening track “Inflow Cycle” isn’t easy due to its grainy, clouded sound design, but this changes after the…
Release data: Optical Image – Back to Basics CD, SoundArt Productions, 1996 For “Back to Basics”, Dutch synthesist Tom Habes decided on a long piece of music lasting 55 minutes, in which he audibly looks back to his early style but also blends it with the spirit of his current musical style. The whole is divided into eight separate parts…
Release data: Psychetropic – 23 CD-r/Digital Download, Microrelease, 2025 Psychetropic is one of the projects of Arizona-based musician Todd Fletcher, in which he focuses on more ambient techno-style music. The main thing Mr Fletcher remembers about making that album was his 3 kids (all under 10 at the time) went nuts when he played the track “The Space Age”: they’d…
Release data: Symbian meets Venja – Floating Silence CD/Digital Download, IC/DigIt Music, 1996 Back in the day, Michael Weisser was a master at coming up with new concepts when he was working at the Innovative Communications label, and this release sure is one of them. For this 78-minute release, various appropriate tracks from the Symbian catalogue were selected, along with…
Release data: Numina & Stephen Philips – From within the Abyss CD-r/Digital Download, Dark Duck Records, 2002 This is the first collaborative project between label owner Philips and Jesse Sola (aka Numina). The duo presents a typical example of fluid ambient space music, in which the nine tracks (totalling around 73 minutes) remarkably do not flow into each other, as…
Release data: Syn – Sonus CD-r, SynGate Records, 2004 This album by self-taught, studio-based musician David T. Dewdney, aka Syn, consists (again) of older tracks all created through improvisation, applying mostly analogue equipment. Assorted vintage Berlin School electronics, sequences, and mellotron textures make up all six parts on the album, seeing the artist’s cosmic sound move between classic TD and…
Release data: Stefan Erbe – The Enemey Inside CD/Digital Download, Erbe Music, 2026 The aural, rather imaginary stories Stefan Erbe presents on the 10-track “The Enemy Inside” deal with and are inspired by the constant turmoil, multiple issues, and pressure points found in today’s world. The mostly rhythmic and beat-driven music, still carrying Mr Erbe’s signature style and some soft…
Release data: Deep Sky Divers – Incandescent CD/Digital Download, Any Robin Hood, 2004 This is the final CD of the duo Jon Short and David Jones from Northern England (of which Jon has written & performed most of the tracks), who still impresses me with their album “Highlands and Skylands”. The album kicks off with the beautiful, typical DSD-sounding “Skylander”,…
Release data: Ryuichi Sugimoto – The Arctic CD, Polydor Japan, 1989 Here’s another trip down memory lane. I personally recall that Wim van Putten played parts of it on his legendary “LP and CD show” on Dutch radio when the album hit the streets. “The Arctic” contains 37 minutes of elegant music composed by Japanese soundtrack composer and producer Ryuichi…
Release data: Three-Six (36) & Duenn – Distance as Power Lp/Digital Download, Past Inside The Present, 2021 On lots of 36’s albums, a profound, melancholic, and highly emotive vibe is present to grace the listener’s ears. “Distance as Power”, created between April and May 2020 when our globe was under lockdown, sees Mr Huddleston team up with Japanese sound artist…
Release data: Bruno Sanfilippo – Colours Bloom Digital Download EP, ad21 Music, 2026 In a world full of turmoil, it’s nice to sit back, find ease, and contemplate a bit. T Bruno Sanfilippo’s neo-classical works from the last decade tick a lot of boxes for that, which also applies to the piano-based “Colours Bloom”. There’s a relaxed, positive vibe embedded…
Release data: Amin Bhatia – The Interstellar SuiteLP/MC/CD, Cinema-Capitol/Private Release, 1987/2003/2021 What I have here is a classic Em-release by Toronto-based composer Amin Bhatia, mixing classical styles with space and orchestral film music with obvious spacy effects on top. Its orchestral sound was created without the use of sound libraries or any sampled sounds, this as a gesture to…
Release data: Nautic Depths – Siberian Winter CD-r/Digital Download, Musical Philosophy, 2010 When it comes to deeper soundscape ambient, the duo Thomas Weiss and Mathias Grassow has something special to offer. “Siberian Winter” -deep winter emotions on land, a tribute to the ultimate force of nature- is a six-track sonic travelogue drawing us into the haunting environment of desolate, ghostly…
Release data: Däcker & Skoulaman – Saudade CD/Digital Download, Deserted Island Music, 2025 The last few years, Hans van Kroonenburg has been involved in various successful collaborations. “Saudade” -a selection of the best parts created during three days of recording sessions with the idea to make some music around the classic Yamaha CS-60- sees him join his fine talents with Peter…
Release data: Spacecraft – JVPD Night Skies Digital Download, Private Release, 2025 Due to time constraints, I had to skip quite a few previous releases by India-based composer Rishi Bhatia, aka Spacecraft. The 45-minute “JVPD Night Skies” is a(nother) release expressing his love for ambient-space music. It offers ten 4-minute soundscape tracks depicting the enchanting, gracious nature when looking up…
Release data: Distant Waves – Stones from the River CD-r, Private Release, 2003 “Stones from the River” is the second release by father Roger and his son Justin Foote. Essentially, it was created using MIDI, E4XT, Matrix 1000, Nord Lead, Nord Modular, FS1R, and other equipment, including a Mac G4 Graphite running Digital Performer 3.6 and Bias Peak. From the…
Release data: Davol – Open Book CD, Gira Sound & Audio, 2025 While strolling through the collection, I stumbled upon “Open Book”, the fourth release by Denver, Colorado-based musician Davol Tedder, whose intriguing album “Mystic Waters” I came across in the late ‘80s. This debut album was followed by “Paradox”(1991) and “Nature of the Beast” (1992) on the same Silver…
Release data: Audioasis – Audioasis CD, Private Release, 1995 Here’s another obscure CD I rediscovered in my collection recently. I remember I ran into it on James Johnson’s Zero Music website, which took care of distribution for it back in the day. Audioasis turns out to be the Australian duo Peter Beeby (synths and sax) and Shaun Pilkinton (guitar and…
Release data: David Michael Matuch – Masquerade CD, Infinite Monkey Productions, 1995 Debut album by this Illinois-based American with a beautiful art cover. David’s ambient music on this disc is largely interspersed with ethnic and xylophone-like sounds that are very reminiscent of Indonesia. A notable exception to this style is the 14-minute title track, which also serves as the album’s…
Release data: Tony Gerber – Blue Western Sky CD/Digital Download, Lektronik Soundscapes, 1994 Tony Gerber is an American who has been making music for years prior to this debut release. Among other things, he played keyboards on Giles Reaves’ great album, “Sea of Glass”, who in turn contributed to this album, along with a number of other electronic composers unknown…
Release data: Rüdiger Gleisberg – Elysium CD, Prudence, 1999 With “Elysium”, the likeable German ex-Solitaire musician Rüdiger Gleisberg has arrived at his fourth solo album, in which his typical classical background is once again audible. The hour-long album contains 13 pieces, in which the symphonic character is more prominent than before. In addition to the characteristic light minimalist structures from…
Release data: The Amnis Initiative – Other WorldsCD/Digital Download, Private Release, 2025 I missed out quite a bit on the music of Dutchman Dennis Lodewijks in the last few years. With “Other Worlds”, he shows he made a big step forward, still staying close to Vangelis’ sound and his way of composing. Over two hours of music make up…
Release data: Redshift – Toll CD/Digital Download, Distant Sun, 2006 I have no clue why Mark Shreeve waited almost two years to release this album, which contains the almost complete set they played live on stage at E-Live 2004 (an event) that, together with E-Day, proves electronic music is still alive and kicking to this very day. Redshift doesn’t need…
Release data: Rüdiger Gleisberg – Damiana CD, Prudence, 1997 It has been about four years since Rüdiger’s previous retrospective CD “Chronicle”, was released. With the concept album “Damiana” (Plant of Love), however, Rüdiger proves once again that he is in a class of his own within contemporary electronic music. The first string-like tracks have a slightly minimalist feel to them…
Release data: Dystopia – The Second Dawn CD/Digital Download, Origo Sound, 1998 Electronic music that addresses worldly/philosophical issues along with the status of science and technology in modern society, is usually something special. “Second Dawn” by Finnish duo Pertti Gronhölm and Ismo Virta, alias Dystopia. This politically charged concept album focuses on a sombre but no less interesting form of…
Release data: dreamSTATE – Between Realities CD, E-Space Recordings, 1998 What I got here is a long soundscape recording of smooth, ethereal electronic washes that’s part of my collection since it came out. “Between Realities” is a live-recorded deep ambient album by Canadian duo Scott McGregor Moore and Jamie Todd, alias dreamSTATE. It contains a 60-minute woven ambient soundscape (without…
Release data: Colin Rayment – Optical Perceptions CD/Digital Download, Groove Unlimited, 2025 When it comes to contemporary electronic music, the works of Colin Rayment fit in there for sure. The outcome found on “Optical Perceptions” is a thoughtfully made set of music with an occasional edge of modern Tangerine Dream, featuring some various nice pairs of interlocking, quite complex sequences…
Release data: Peter Mergener – Chip Meditation 2025 CD/Digital Download, Spheric Music, 2025 One might as well ask what the purpose of all those anniversary and special editions coming out of classic albums is, which also applies to our niche EM-genre. Does it contribute anything substantial? In this case, the answer to that is yes, as accomplished classic EM composer…
Release data: Redshift – Oblivion CD/Digital Download, Distant Sun, 2004 By the time Mark Shreeve started making up his mind for and shaping the outcome of the studio release “Oblivion”, the overall sound of the vintage Berlin School project had grown occasionally darker and more ominous. A pleasant organic flow can be discerned throughout the full album, which presents all…
Release data: Qeight – The Abyss of Loneliness Digital Download, Cosmic Leaf, 2023 Overtly serene, harmonic, and almost heavenly music comes your way on “The Abyss of Loneliness” by sound producer Eliam Weise, who founded Qeight back in 2015. The eight-track release, making up one hour of highly emotive as well as imaginary music, goes by like a slow, floating…
Release data: Galactic Sound Station – Music for the Mental Health of Astronauts (Volume 1) Digital Download, Private Release, 2025 Galactic Sound Station is an internationally oriented, UK-based space music collective that’s been in the works for several years. I heard about it in early 2023 through US-synthesist Terminus Void, one of the participants as well as co-producer of the…
Release data: Redshift – Faultline CD/Digtal Download, Distant Sun, 2004 Mark Shreeve and co established quite a live reputation since they started the project back in 1994. With “Faultline”, Redshift brings its third live recording to the table, this time documenting the exciting outcome of the four set pieces played at the Hampshire Jam 2 festival, Liphook, England, 9 November…
Release data: Loneward – Musings of Painted Sky Digital Download, Private Release, 2025 After producing “Gossamer Wings of Illusion”, Mike Carss continued writing tracks with a similar vibe – enough for another album: “Musings of a Painted Sky”. The 61-minute ambient work touches similar ground, offering an enchanting sonic canvas of calm, slow unfolding textural landscapes and quietening, cinema-esque soundscapes,…
Release data: Three-Six (36) – A Warm Static Sphere CD/Digital Download, Quiet Details, 2025 What I got here is some introspective ambient created by UK’s Dennis Huddleston, aka 36. The nine-part sonic journey sketches out a vast, highly immersive textural landscape that proves deeply meditative and emotive as well as full of subtle movement, sequenced parts, and swirling, subdued energy…
Release data: Cosmic Ground – Aftermath CD/Digital Download, Private Release, 2025 Those familiar with the releases in recent years by this German musician will have found a more experimental/industrial approach merged with early ’70s EM soundscapes. The 60-minute “Aftermath”, which demanded a longer period to finalize compared to previous albums as well as involving a lengthier list of gear, doesn’t…
Release data: Redshift – Down Time CD/Digital Download, Champagne Lake Productions,1999 Redshift’s third album, “Down Time” -an entire studio production- was presented and performed live in April 1999 during the Alpha Centauri Festival in Huizen, The Netherlands. It comes in an elaborate sleeve that once again contains very little information apart from a few scribbled track titles. Musically, Mark once…
Release data: Rudy Adrian – Along the Coppermine Ridge CD/Digital Download, Spotted Peccary Music, 2025 It’s taken more than four years for Rudy Adrian to shape and complete this release, aimed at having a nice collection of tracks that give the feel of walking in the countryside. With this album, the New Zealand composer also says he tried to explore…
Release data: Irezumi – Downfall CD/Lp/Digital Download, Brique Rouge, 2025 Compared to Manuel’s previous recordings, I’d say the outcome of Irezumi’s “Downfall” makes a much heavier and intense listen: it reflects the fractures of a mind in crisis and the process of psychological fragmentation, as such, taking a different approach. Made up of dark ambient, semi-stark, and psychedelic-ish soundscapes, it’s…
Release data: Maria Warner – Dark Matter CD-r/Digital Download, Neu Harmony, 2024 On “Dark Matter”, Michael Neil takes his listeners on an accessible galactic journey wherein lots of Berlin School retro elements are present. The sound design mirrors depth and vastness that’s even more impressive when the music and many sound effects are cherished through a good pair of headphones.…
Release data: Chris Meyer’s Alias Zone – Paradise Lost CD/Digital Download, Private Release, 2025 Aficionados of highly cinematic, lavishly colored, and textured electro-acoustic music made with modulars should pay attention here. “Paradise Lost” is Chris Meyer’s richly rhythmically infused release with an overall exotic edge. As before, each track on the release started life as a live performance and was…
Release data: Redshift – Redshift CD/Digital Download, Champagne Lake Productions, 1998 The year 1994 saw the birth of Mark Shreeve’s exciting project Redshift, for whom music had already been a full-time job for some 20 years at that time. Initially a solo effort, additional members such as James Goddard, Julian Shreeve, Rob Jenkins, and Ian Boddy would join on and…
Release data: 猫 シ Corp. – Hiraeth The Ambient Works CD/Lp/Mc/Digital Download, Hiraeth Records, 2025 Until now, every recording I’ve heard so far from music producer Jornt Elzing, aka Cat System Corp., has been an above-interesting sound trip into an alternate reality. With “Hiraeth the Ambient Works”, he harkens back and reflects on his ambient works compiled from various past…
Release data: Mathias Grassow – The Fountain of Remembrance CD/Digital Download, Aurora, 1998 Those familiar with the works of this German musical philosopher, who sadly passed away in August 2025, will know of his massive discography, both solo and in various collaborations. The nine-part “The Fountain of Remembrance” comprises minimal drone music Mathias created between 1996 and 1998 using synths,…
Release data: Steve Roach – Portals and SpiralsCD/LP/Digital Download, OtherSide, 2025 The vast amount of releases varying in quality Mr Roach put out in the last two decades didn’t make me want to keep up with that. There are still a few in there that deserve attention, “Portals and Spirals” being one of them. The recording consists of two…
Release data: Johan Agebjön – Southern Forest Mc/Digital Download, Constellation Tatsu, 2025 Mr Agebjörn’s “Southern Forest” is a concept release inspired by the Swedish forests. The nature-themed sonic narrative blends ambient, downtempo, sampled voices, and gentle electro into something transportive and cohesive. The 10 contemporary ambient tracks (featuring collaborations with Dr. Atmo, Cate Brooks, NINA, Miranda Magdalena, Mikael Ögren) create…
Release data: Uni Sphere – OpUS Tria CD/Digital Download, Groove Unlimited, 2025 René Splinter and Eric van der Heijden are both known as accomplished and successful solo artists, but when they decided to join forces as Uni Sphere in 2015, a special sonic chemistry was born. From there on, they started to expand on their signature sound made up of…
Release data: David Helpling & Eric “the” Taylor – The Precious Dark CD/Digital Download, Spotted Peccary Music, 2025 The end of April 2025 saw the release of the seven-track “The Precious Dark”, an electronic ambient release constructed and shaped by accomplished, cinematic sound-maestro guitarist Mr Helpling and soundscaping synthesist Eric “the” Taylor (who both are also a member of the…
Release data: Matt Goodluck – Portals CD/Digital Download, Private Release, 2025 “Portals” is the follow-up release to the artist’s 2024 release “Inner Cosmos”, at first glance taking the cinematic prog rock avenue at the opening, aside from displaying a more structured, rhythmic-driven sonic approach overall. This time around, Matt is joined by various guest musicians on e-guitar, bass guitar, and…
Release data: Phobos – Phenomenon CD-r/Digital Download, Private Release, 2025 Darker, haunting, and often slightly ominous atmospheres continue to be the core and sonic footprint of Phobos’ music, aka UK artist David Thompson, who hereby presents his audience with another live recording, this time made at the Awakenings festival in May 2025. Mysterious semblances and dense soundwaves already creep in…
Release data: Brendan Pollard – The Coils Suite CD/Digital Download, Acoustic Wave Records, 2025 With “The Coils Suite”, the composer’s second release in 2025, Brendan Pollard puts an end to an impressive list of retro-electronic music, whether solo or together with other kindred soulmates. Or in Brendan’s own words, “this old dinosaur is kind of retiring and enjoys the studio…
Release data: Rhea – Soon, everything will be a memory CD, Private Release, 2025 Over two hours of Belgian cosmic music, best enjoyed through quality headphones, is presented on the double album “Soon, everything will be a memory”. It comprises music played live in concert at various stages in Belgium and the United Kingdom. Listening to Rhea’s output is an…
Release data: Redshift – Ether CD/Digital Download, Champagne Lake Productions, 1998 The content of “Ether” sees Mark Shreeve (now accompanied by his brother Julian Shreeve and James Goddard) continue where they left us with the strong debut album (that was essentially a Mark Shreeve solo recording). Here we find two live tracks done at the Jodrell Bank Planetarium in 1996,…
Release data: Radio Massacre International – Organ Harvest CD/Digital Download, Centaur Records, 1997 Since they started out, the recordings by UK-trio Radio Massacre International defy categorization as their music is, first and foremost, improvisational. “Organ Harvest” hit the streets at the band’s most prestigious performance back to date, the Dutch KLEM dag festival 1997. Same as on their previous recordings,…
Release data: Open Canvas – Nomadic Impressions CD/Digital Download, Groove Unlimited/Waveform Records, 1998 Groove Unlimited’s last album release from 1997 is credited to Open Canvas, about whom the (admittedly beautiful) CD cover provides no information. Enquiries, back then, at Groove HQ revealed that none other than Mr. Alpha Wave Movement is behind it. And if you listen to the CD,…
Release data: Boreal Taiga – Drift Live 2024Digital Download, Polar Magnet Records, 2025 What I got here is a sudden release by Boreal Taiga on his own private label. Only recently, he received the music from a live recording of a set he performed in summer 2024 at the outdoor Monad Drift Gathering. It’s a lovely ambient set of…
Release data: Constance Demby – Spirit Trance CD/Digital Download, Valley Entertainment, 2004 Refined symphonic new age/space music is still the core and backbone of Constance Demby’s work. “Spirit Trance” is a nearly 57-minute recording containing eight captivating, gentle sweeping and melodic tracks that build on Demby’s signature style. “Legend” (part of a soundtrack about film hero James Dean) opens beautifully…
Release data: Beyond Berlin – Meandering TearCD/Digital Download, Groove Unlimited, 2025 Too often, I have the feeling I’m rather late in reviewing certain albums that have been sitting on the ever-existing stack of music. With their previous releases, Beyond Berlin has shown they are something special in the electronic music scene and celebrate the Berlin School style in particular.…