Release data: Adelbert von Deyen – Painted Black CD-R, Private Release, 2006 Who remembers this Schulze “copy-cat” from the begin of the ’80? After several lp’s von Deyen decided to quit music in 1991 after the unfortunate death of his friend Dieter Schütz. Quite a surprise when he showed up on several music forums where he announced had released this…
Release data: Various Artists – Devil in the Detail CD, Interchill Records, 2007 “Devil in the Detail” is a downtempo breaks and bass compilation from the Canadian Interchill records, containing what the label describes as “a heavy dose of chunk, crunch and glitched out textures”. The disc has been carefully compiled by uk-based label dj/webmaster/graphic designer Nick Edell, who presents…
Release data: Max Corbacho & Bruno Sanfilippo – Indalo CD-R, ad21 Music, 2004 “Indalo” is the first full-length collaborative effort of these two musicians, who made their own music-business by starting ad21 Music. The concept-album is named after an old Andalusian symbol which still can be found in nowadays Spain. In 2001, Corbacho & Sanfilippo made a journey to a…
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 in eight tracks, in which transparent synthwashes slowly develop and dissolve. A certain comparison to the current ambient excursions and…
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 American Civil War. The compact, most tranquil and narrative cinematic landscapes of minor-key piano sketched out here fit in the…
Release data: Pan Electric – Conscious Pilot CD-R, Absolute Ambient, 2007 “Conscious Pilot”, which has been gestating for over three years, is the third album from the British label Absolute Ambient, made under the collective name Pan Electric. This release isn’t that quiet as the previous albums by producer/writer Matt Coldrick, but still offers a rather extraordinary bundle of chill…
Release data: Christian Welde – Fairytales CD, Private Release, 1998 This is a great cd filled with dreamy music in the best tradition, but not so soft that it runs into new age. This remarkable music is able to reflect the grandeur of nature surrounding the talented Norwegian musician Christian Welde, who takes you on a relaxing journey without things…
Release data: Wave World – The Falls of Varnal CD, One Records, 2004 This is not a new cd from the Dutch multimedia project. It’s a compilation album released by the Russian label One Records. They selected seven tracks of their formerly released albums for this purpose, which are generally known to be very visual. The cd opens with “Another…
Release data: Various Artists – Distant Friends CD-R, Ambient Circle Music, 2004 A while ago, Brannan Lane started the new label Ambient Circle Music. Its first release, “Distant Friends”, is a compilation of collaborations between Brannan and six of his kindred musical friends: Vidna Obmana, Zero Ohms, Amir Baghiri, Robert Carty, Biff Johnson and Silvercord. Overall, the music is floating,…
Release data: Steve Verity – TimeStar CD, Private Release, 2004 Some may have heard of this American musician, who released his debut album “Digital Planet” back in 1994. The cd begins with the 18 minute title track, a soft flowing miniature of airy textures and the sound of clocks ticking. The following four tracks are well-balanced pieces of space music,…
Release data: Glen Tarachow – Waterclock CD, Burning Water Rebellion, 2004 Glen Tarachow seems to be a well known guy in the US-commercial music industry as a composer for television. “Waterclock” is his first full-length instrumental ambient cd, one with quite an own voice in ambient space and relaxation music. Next to sounding relaxed and a bit mystic, it also…
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 has more kindred albums under his belt. The first impression of the music of “Amorphous Worlds” seems to head towards…
Release data: Jonn Serrie – Epiphany – Meditations on Sacred Hymns CD, Valley Entertainment, 2005 The subtitle of this cd didn’t make me that curious to liste to it. That is, something gave me the shivers this might be like his Christmas-albums. However, this cd proved to be better. In a previous e-mail Jonn already stated that this cd “sure…
Release data: Robert Rich – Echo of Small Things CD, Soundscape Productions, 2005 “Echo of Small Things” is a collection of sounds and image from a collaboration between ambient pioneer Robert Rich and his friend and photographer David Agasi. In over 60 minutes of music, Agasi’s sensual photography unites with Rich’s haunting, reflective soundscapes, both focussing on the beauty and…
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 film scoring. The album is now available in a remastered form, containing a new version of the fifth track which…
Release data: Numina & Caul – Inside the Hollow Realm CD, Gestalt Records, 2004 The first impression I got from this collaborative recording is that it seems to move in some of the same beautiful realms which made Numina’s solo-album “Sanctuary of Dreams” stand out. On the other hand, at times it also breathes a more clouded, darker, and foreboding…
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 album concept seems to deal with introspection and quietness as the music moves forward in the slow lane for 45…
Release data: David Parsons – Inner Places CD, Celestial Harmonies, 2005 The music of this album was made over two years ago, but by whatever reason shelved by the Celestial Harmonies label. The music is a counterpoint to the rhythmic, sampled tracks featured on “Vajra”, as it delves deep into the world of floating, meditative sound worlds, containing Parsons’ typical…
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 second release of which the introductory tracks “Mechanical Wood” and “Dark and Blue” are quite heavy, as they don’t bear…
Release data: Jon Jenkins – Beyond City Light CD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2005 “Beyond City Light”s the second cd of Jon Jenkins, who already made a favourable impression in the early days of the Spotted Peccary label with his album “Flow” and his collaborative album “Continuum” with Paul Lackey. The album opens with beautiful deep ambience by means of vast…
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 is performed by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Crouch End festival Chorus conducted by Nic Raine. On a…
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 through a vast space of textures and poly-rhythms, nicely followed by the wandering textures of “Sunrise at Sheep Pass” with…
Release data: Ishvara – Magik Square of the Sun CD-R, Private Release, 2005 Ishvara is the first of a series of limited edition releases of UK ambient composer Matt Hillier, also known as Ishq. They are released on Virtual, Ishq’s private label which plans to release more extra-ordinary, experimental and unusual deep ambient electronic works. The style “imaginary” is connected…
Release data: Ben Cox – On Water CD, Lotuspike, 2005 According to the press-information, ambient composer Ben Cox has been a musician for twenty-five years and a recording engineer for fifteen years. He’s also on of the founders of the Lotuspike label, which has released his debut cd “On Water”. The music is a blend of acoustic and electronic instruments,…
Release data: Darshan Ambient – Autumn´s Apple CD, Lotuspike, 2004 Until now, I’ve heard quite nice ambient music from Darshan Ambient, aka Micahel Allison. For example, listen to his last album “The Zen Master’s Diary”, from 2003. In 2004, he founded a new label called Lotuspike with some friends. “Autumn’s Apple” is their second release. Well, fans of his music…
Release data: Michael Diamond – Atlantis Rising CD-R, Private Release, 2004 I found this California-based musician on the independent music site CD Baby. Well, both cover and music match as this is what one could call positively new age oriented music. No room here for difficult roundabouts, as we enter a world of ethereal floating soundscapes, some guitar and tabla…
Release data: Continuum – Volume 1 CD, Soleilmoon, 2005 Continuum is the duo Vidna Obmana and Steve Wilson, of which “Volume 1” is the first in a series of limited edition releases scheduled for the coming years. Fans of freeform, rather depressive and at times eerie ambient music can eat their heart out, as this album features three tracks of…
Release data: Robert Carty – Oceanic Space CD-R, Private Release, 2005 I have been familiar with the music of this American ambient space musician for quite some years, and must say I enjoy most of it. Well, “Oceanic Space” won’t disappoint those who love to listen to relaxing, deep space textures, which Carty now has carefully implemented into the water…
Release data: Between Interval – Radio Silence CD-R, Private Release, 2004 After I heard his stunning album “Secret Observatory” a while ago, I thought it would be a good idea to also track down the debut-album of Stefan Jönsson aka Between Interval. The album features quite a lot of distorted radio sounds, which don’t always make that much sense to…
Release data: Various Artists – Ping Ambience 2 CD-R, Private Release, 2004 This is the second sampler of the Canadian Ambient Ping concert series, this time filled with 13 studio tracks from the same amount of musicians. The disc starts with a weak piece from dreamSTATE, but track two sounds much better with the beautiful textural soundscapes of Alpha Wave…
Release data: Wave World – The Winds of Laax CD, VFR Records, 2005 I must confess I absolutely enjoyed the first three albums of this remarkable band, but after that I got rather confused by the direction of their music, which appeared not to be that mind thrilling and visual at all when compared to their first output. First of…
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 melancholy and the passing of time is imbedded in the emotional music of “Like rain through my hands”. There’s a…
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 the duo Danna/Clément, the other three by Stephen Bacchus (aka Grant Mackay). The wonderful 24-minute suite “To the Land beneath…
Release data: Alex Tiunaiev – Artificial Symphony CD-R, Ottersong Records, 2005 This album was released in March 2005 on the US-label Ottersong. Alex Tiuniaev is an ambient composer and electronic music artist from Moscow. On “Artificial Symphony” he combines the symphonic elements of neo-classical music with ethereal ambient atmospheres and soundscapes. “The Gray Wanderer” starts with gentle symphonic strings and…
Release data: Various Artists – Wilderness Mysterium CD, Earthaven, 2001 “Wilderness Mysterium” does the same thing as former concept album “Waterhaven”, but now focusses on the beauty and grandeur of the remote Canadian wilderness. Again there’s music of Stephen Bacchus, two tracks by Danna/Clément (“Ontario” and Summerland”) plus two solo-pieces (“Deserted Inlet” and “Wolfsong Night”) by Tim Clément. Although also…
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, meandering track by Carbon Based Lifeforms, before things move into the “Wishful Thinking”, a track by Between Interval with lots…
Release data: Brendan Pollard – Expansion CD, Private Release, 2005 “Expansion” is the debut cd of Brendan Pollard, one half of the vintage band Rogue Element, which released the much acclaimed album “Premonition” last year. In their music they use the original Tangerine Dream sound effects frame dating from 1975, which now also has been applied in a further improved…
Release data: Sonic Adventure Project – Exergonic CD, Starmill, 2004 For quite a while electronic chill-out music is around, to which we now also can add the band Sonic Adventure Project, alias the Austrian duo Peter Köllerer and Thomas Vieböck. They are co-producers of several new acts in the Austrian popscene and also made music for videogames and websites. “Exergonic”…
Release data: Charlie Case & Jonn Serrie – Out of the Blue DVD, Starchronicles, 2004 This is the second dvd by visual artist Charlie Case. “Out of the Blue” (subtitled “Music and visuals for the mind”) again uses previously released deep space music of Jonn Serrie. It follows in the footsteps of the first dvd as it features one long…
Release data: Exuviae – Response CD-R, Atmoworks, 2003 “Response” is Exuviae’s (aka Brooks Rongstad) third instalment in a trilogy of ethereal ambient releases, which takes us on a similar journey through aural landscapes as his former albums. The eight tracks consist of floating textural plains of sound, drifting by in almost liquid form. Intimate, lush and spacious synth washes and…
Release data: Alio Die & Jack or Jive – Mei Jyu CD, Projekt, 2005 “Mei-Jyu” is a concept album inspired by Zen practice, composed by Alio Die (aka Stefano Musso) and the Japanese duo Jack or Jive. The rather serene music consists of nine tracks of rather non-rhythmic, mystic/melancholical ambient of etheral voices (of which parts made me think of…
Release data: Cyclotimia – Wasteland CD, StateArt, 2002 Cyclotimia is the Russian duo Maks K. and Leonid M., who describe their cross-over soundscapes as “L’Electronique Mondial”. Experiencing the content of “Wasteland” is like entering a world of dark, cold atmospheric ambient soundscapes, where things turn into something quite disturbing and apocalyptic. The first three tracks step into the deep with…
Release data: Thom Brennan – Silver CD -R, Private Release, 2005 It took almost two years before Brennan’s long awaited ninth album “Silver” saw the light of day. The album offers music that nicely follows in the footsteps of predecessors like “Mist” and “Satori”, presenting another collection of slowly morphing textural space music. The title track is divided in six…
Release data: Dolores Castro – Fifth Dimension CD, Musea Records, 2005 As we know since a lot of years, female musicians form a minority in the world of electronic music. To them we can now add Dolores Castro from Spain, who has a background in music theory and piano, composing music based on her intuition. Her output is symphonic kindred…
Release data: Robert Carty & Gerard Geary – Mount Meru CD-R, Private Release, 2003 “Mount Meru” is a collaboration between space musician Robert Carty and Gerard Geary. The latter is reading four mystical poems with his deep voice (which reminds a bit of Vincent Price) on the album. Next to great expansive space textures, there’s also a dynamic angle to…
Release data: Dene De Benedictis – Salvaging the Past CD, Spotted Peccary Music, 2005 This album by ambient musician Dean de Benedictis was composed between 1992 and 2005. The sleeve notes on the concept album state the music is not only a homage to the electronic music of the past, but stretches its meaning to the present. Well, it offers…
Release data: Amir Baghiri & Nimh – Entities CD-R, Silentes, 2003 I discovered this collaborative release through a link on Amir Baghiri’s website, which referred to the site of the Italian ambient composer Nimh (aka Giuseppe Verticchio). “Entities” contains four extended tracks, making up over 70 minutes of ritual-ambient atmospherics spiced with ethnic influences. The drifting textures and dronescapes also…
The Spotted Peccary label already proved to have a good nose for fine ambient music. But this time they really have done a great job by releasing an album by Between Interval, aka the Swedish musician Stefan Jönsson. “Secret Observatory” is Jönsson’s second album, who also handles two other music projects in the techno/trance genre. This album features four extended…
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” features 45 minutes of accessible, melodic instrumental songs which feel both emotional and visual at the same time. In a…
Release data: The Amaranth Signal – Penumbra CD-R, Private Release, 2004 Although I’m quite familiar with bands and musicians who operate in the ambient-space genre, I hadn’t heard of The Amaranth Signal. The band hails from Tennessee and consists of Mark Mahoney, Roger Hausmann and Michael D. Peck. “Penumbra” is their second album, containing five tracks (in all 50 minutes).…
Release data: A Produce – Black Sands CD-R, Private Release, 2005 The last couple of years, quite a lot of vault and retrospective recordings have been shown up and released by various e-musicians. The three disc set “Black Sands”, the second release of A Produce’s own Trance Port Special Editions, is a nicely packaged retrospective work exploring the ambient/trance music…
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 Tapes” is not an album filled with leftovers. It captures various tracks from the “Leaving to nothing” concerts and studio…
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” and “Ad Libitum”. The album opener “The Nobles come back” is an intimate, medieval-like track with lots of grandeur. The…
Release data: Stephen Philips – Dagboken CD-R, Hypnos Recordings, 2005 The album “Dagboken” (the word is Swedish for “diary”) is the first release by Stephen Philips and the Hypnos-label. Philips is owner of the ambient label Dark Duck Records and also initiator of the Drone Download project which is linked to it. Well, the album consists of one uninterrupted piece,…
Release data: Remanence – A Strange Constellation of Events CD-R, Mpath Records, 2005 Remanence is the ambient duo John Phipps and Brian McWilliams, who’s new album comes in a beautiful, special designed cd box. “A Strange Constellation…” assembles a long series of musical experiments which began in 1997 soon after their release “Apparitions”. It contains ten deep ambient excursions which…
Release data: Luis Alberto Naranjo – Total Eclipse CD, At-Mooss Records, 2004 Luis Alberto Naranjo hails from Murcia, the south of Spain. He started making his own music in 1993, which led to seven demo releases, so far. Nowadays he also makes music for radio shows and local TV. “Total Eclipse” is his first official solo-release, a concept-album dedicated to…
Release data: Nunc Stans – The Cerulean Suite CD-R, DataObscura, 2005 Nunc Stans, (translation: “The Eternal Now”) hails from the Canadian arctic circle. The album features four extended tracks which range between 11 and 17 minutes, creating an relaxing atmosphere of free form ambient wanderings. The music’s impact is overtly introspective with its nice flow of transparent but complex textural…
Release data: Philippe Emmanuel Gueble – Fire & Remembrance CD-R, Underwater Music, 2003 The album “Fire & Remembrance” by the French composer P.E. Gueble is a perfect example of quiet minimal music. Its smooth freeform soundscapes breath introspection and contemplation as they subtly shapeshift between darker and lighter shades, sometimes combining electronic with acoustic instruments. Not that I’m that fond…
Release data: Tom Heasley – Desert Triptych CD, Farfield Records, 2005 This cd carries the subtitle “three meditations for didgeridoo, voice and electronics”. It contains three live recorded extended soundscapes from 2003, all mixed by Robert Rich. It indeed is quite deep stuff, at times even psychedelic with its slow morphing organic textures, treated vocal sounds and overtone singing. These…
Release data: Global Communication – 76:14 CD, Discotheque, 2005/1994 I thought it might a good idea to focus, again, on this album (originally released in June 1994) as an expanded, remastered version of this classic album came out a short while ago, including a bonus cd. Since its release, “76:14” has always been described as some kind of soundtrack, one…