Rion – Fireflies

Ian Hawgood will probably be a familiar name to most: apart from making ambient music he’s also running the well-respected Home Normal label. Ryo Nakata’s name might not immediately ring a bell, but he may be better knows as Ryonkt.

With Fireflies“, released on the Hibernate label, the duo works together for the first time as Rion.

Fireflies is “inspired by the magic of low light periods and the quietude of a summer spent in the countryside.”

While this description may sound like an introduction to any average drone-ambient album, the result of this collaboration is remarkably different from most others.

Antonymes – There Can Be No True Beauty Without Decay

To celebrate its 50th release since 2009, Hibernate Records could hardly have chosen any better release than Antonymes “There Can Be No True Beauty Without Decay”.

Not only because Ian ‘Antonymes’ Hazeldine’s music seems to represent all the things the label stands for (“both abstract and melodic but always with a hint of melancholy.”), but also because the inspiration for this album came from his debut album “Beauty Becomes the Enemy of the Future”, which was originally released in the same year, 2009.

Ian Hawgood & Friends – Wolven (A Modern Reinterpretation)


Wolven

In its relatively short existence (almost 4 years), the Hibernate label has presented us with many beautiful releases and positioned themselves as one of the most important independent labels at the very centre of the ‘ambient’ music scene. Or – since it’s increasingly difficult to use the word ‘ambient’ as a genre definition: music “both abstract and melodic but always with a hint of melancholy.”

The Hibernate label kicked off in 2009 with a release that set a high standard immediately: Wolfskin“, by Ian Hawgood – well-known for his own music as well as from the labels he curates: Home Normal and Koen Music.

Hibernate and Koen Music (KoMu) now present a 2-CD set revisiting the original “Wolfskin” release, called Wolven – A Modern Reinterpretation”.

Various Artists – Festive Greetings…


Festive Greetings

Okay: Christmas and New Year’s Holiday are rapidly approaching – you’ve probably already had your share of the End-Of-Year Top 2000 lists (full of unsurprisingly position shifts of headliners like The Eagles and Queen) – Your “Last Christmas” and “Imagine”  singles are totally worn out – as has Phil Spector’s Christmas Album“? Even the ZE Christmas Record (featuring Suicide!) is not surprising anymore?  

Well, maybe it’s time for a slightly different approach ….

Enter: “Festive Greetings from Hibernate and Home Normal”  – and be prepared for some surprises!

Postcards from Hibernate!

The Hibernate recordings label continues to release a steady stream of great music.

One of their project series is the ‘Postcard Series’ – beautiful music on EP albums (about 20 minutes each), attached to limited edition numbered postcards.

One thing you’ll have to get used to, however, is that the physical editions sell out at the speed of light!
But, luckily, download versions of the releases stay available when the physical releases have run out!

[Check the links below for full streams of the album tracks]

Danny Saul – Kinison-Goldthwait


Kinison - Goldthwait

The cover image and title of Kinison – Goldthwait may raise some questions, especially for those not living in America. From the website notes, we learn that “Saul is taking some form of inspiration from the well documented public feud between the American stand up comedians Sam Kinison (foul mouthed ranter), and Bobcat Goldthwait (Zed from the Police Academy films). The dispute (supposedly over who stole whose act) came to a head on U.S. ‘shock-jock’ Howard Stern’s radio show, when a boozy sounding Kinison called up Goldthwait live on air, leading to a rather fiery showdown.”

From what I read and heard about this incident, to me this just sounds like a pitiful, embarrasing moment of horrible, (so-called) shock-radio. So it’s fascinating to find that this particular incident is the source of inspiration of this new Danny Saul album.
As Saul says about this: “The track titles may provide something of an ‘ambiguous narrative’ which the listener can take or leave.”

On second thought, there is a remarkable resemblance between this album and the radio incident it was inspired by.

Wil Bolton – Time Lapse

Time Lapseis the first album released under his own name, but Wil Bolton is no stranger to music.
Since 2004, he has been recording as Cheju, but a he also created quite a lot of fascinating site-specific works.
Some beautiful examples can he heard on Bolton’s website (I strongly suggest you take your time to listen to all sound samples provided there!)

Although “Time Lapse is labeled as Bolton’s debut release, every single track (of which there are nine) demonstrates his experience in music and sound design. 
And the power of restraint.

Porzellan – The Fourth Level of Comprehension

The Hibernate Sampler did a fine job: I was so impressed by the quality of the music that I ordered a batch of albums from the label. All of them were interesting enough to be reviewed here (and maybe I will).

But as much I enjoyed them, Porzellan‘s The Fourth Level of Comprehension was the one I played most repeatedly.

Porzellan is Francis Cazal. Classically trained composer and baroque violinist. The latter may be a bit confusing, since none of the music is very ‘baroque-as-we-know-it’.
But, firmly rooted in classical composition techniques, Cazal obviously knows how to create a compelling composition.