Winter Solstice 2 (Mix)

Winter Solstice 2

Music For Long Winter Nights

On the longest night of 2019, Dutch radio station Concertzender Nederland presented an 8-hour long uninterrupted ambient music night: a collaboration of radio hosts Roel Janssen, Harrold Roeland, Bob Rusche, and myself. For those that could not stay awake the full night, the full broadcast remained available online (and it still is!).

To celebrate the longest night in this (remarkably dark) year, we decided to repeat this ‘Solstice Celebration’. But, for practical purposes, not on the longest night itself but one night earlier since that is the more convenient night from Saturday into Sunday.
This time, too, the full (7-hour) set will remain available online, but here on ambientblog I present my own contribution – the two hours that closed this special ambient night.

When compiling this set, I tried to keep in mind that this was intended to be listened to in the deepest and darkest of the night. But it is not a ‘sleep set’, due to the variety of moods and atmospheres. It’s a celebration of the dark of night that can be enjoyed at any time – every time you’re in the mood for a moment (or 2 hours) of unhurried immersiveness.

Don’t despair: the days will get longer – and 2021 will get better!

As usual, and of course exclusive to ambientblog, these 2 hours are also available in a DTS-surround version for even more enhanced immersiveness!

PART 1: 05:00-06:00: “EVER FALLING DOWN”

Winter Solstice 2020 - Pt 1 Sequence

(Note: first time is start time, second time is fragment length)

  • 00:00 4:54 Dr. Jeffrey Thompson – Rings Of Uranus
    NASA Voyager I & II Space Probe Recordings, 1992, Brain/Mind Research
  • 02:54 2:28 Geneva Skeen – The Double Bind
    Double Bind, 2020, Room40
  • 04:44 3:27 Hannes Kretzer – Juno Had A Sad Dream
    Ambient Layers, 2020, 7K! Records
  • 07:41 1:42 Zona – Silent City
    Silent City, 2020, Shimmering Moods Records
  • 08:32 4:14 Ana Roxanne – A Study In Vastness
    Because of a Flower, 2020, Kranky
  • 12:04 3:04 Simon Scott – Apart F
    Apart, 2020, 12K
  • 14:20 1:50 Hildur Gudnadottir, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Rutger Hoedemaekers – The Curse
    Trapped (OST), 2019, Milan Records
  • 16:07 3:18 Sam Rosenthal & Projekt Artists – Frail Filament Of Light
    Tim, Where Are You Now?, 2020, Projekt
  • 19:19 3:15 Galya Bisengalieva – Kantubek
    Aralkum, 2020, One Little Independent Records
  • 22:10 4:19 Max Richter – Murmuration (voiceless mix)
    Voices, 2020, Decca
  • 25:57 2:47 Berangere Maximin – A Kind Of Night Ritual
    Land Of Waves, 2020, Karl Records
  • 27:24 7:35 Sleep Research Facility – Unrest
    From Here To Tranquility Vol. 12 (Horizonte Aeternitatis), 2020, Silent Records
  • 33:41 2:16 Ian Fleming – Approaching A Dead Planet
    Necros, 2020, self-released
  • 35:00 2:25 Emil Friis – Home Is Where The Head Is
    Songs From The Deep, 2020, self-released
  • 36:51 1:32 Rutger Zuydervelt – Entry Drone
    Porcelain (OST), 2020, self-released
  • 38:00 3:09 Mathieu Karsenti – Time To Go
    Bygones, 2020, Slowcraft Records
  • 40:42 3:08 Tapani Rinne – Polar
    Foghornia, 2020, Signature Dark
  • 43:15 2:26 Angad Berar – Shh.. Tele’s Zzz
    A Broadcast, Underwater, 2020, self-released
  • 44:41 3:04 Sjunde Inseglet – Satariel (Instrumental)
    De Kliffotiska Ritualpoemen (Extended Instrumentals), 2020, Dragon Rouge
  • 46:47 2:31 Echoflex – B Phrygian
    Piano Net, 2020, SeeHear
  • 48:26 3:01 Halvknaegten – Stumme Byger
    Imens Vi Stadig Findes, 2020, Fusem
  • 50:00 2:38 Kamila Govorcin – Animas
    Anima, 2020, Clang
  • 51:53 1:56 Alphaxone, Protou, Onasander – Dusk Wings
    Shadows Of Forgotten Legends, 2020, Cryochamber
  • 53:09 2:50 Snorri Hallgrímsson – Ekkert Hefur Gerst Nem Detta
    Landbrot I, 2020, Moderna Records
  • 54:57 4:59 Dr Jeffrey Thompson – Saturn’s Rings
    NASA Voyager I & II Space Probe Recordings, 1992, Brain/Mind Research

PART 2: 06:00 – 07:00: “IMPRESSIONS FROM ANOTHER TIME”

Winter Solstice Pt 2 06:00-07:00
  • 59:21 7:17 Joachim Spieth – Sparsha
    Ousia, 2020, Affin Records (rel 01-2021)
  • 1:06:12 3:24 Daina Dieva – Liūtis Remias Siena Į Virpantį Vandenį (Shortmix)
    Note Lithuania, 2019, Music Information Centre Lithuania
  • 1:08:27 4:05 Monolake – Phaenon Ono
    Archaeopteryx, 2020, Imbalance Computer Music
  • 1:11:51 2:09 Mary Jane Leach – Dowland’s Tears (For Solo Flute And Nine Accompanying Flutes)
    (F)Lute Songs, 2018, Modern Love
  • 1:13:47 3:12 Fovea Hex – Trisamma
    The Salt Garden III, 2019, Headphone Dust/Die Stadt
  • 1:16:40 1:21 Biosphere – Bjorvika
    The Senja Recordings, 2019, Biophon Records
  • 1:16:55 2:12 Reinier van Houdt – Midnight Rohrschach
    Igitur Carbon Copies, 2018, Hallow Ground
  • 1:18:02 3:28 Max Richter – Space 25 (Epicardium)
    Sleep, 2015, Deutsche Grammophon
  • 1:19:24 3:05 Max Richter – Space 2 (Slow Waves)
    Sleep, 2015, Deutsche Grammophon
  • 1:21:21 6:48 Max Richter – Path 17 (Before The Ending Of Daylight)
    Sleep, 2015, Deutsche Grammophon
  • 1:26:04 3:34 Don Hill – Chinook Winds On Sleeping Buffalo
    Sonic Journeys [Vol. 1], 2010, Music Is Medicine
  • 1:28:08 4:42 Stars Of The Lid – Even If You’re Awake (Deuxième)
    And Their Refinement Of The Decline, 2007, Kranky
  • 1:31:26 4:49 Joost van Duppen – Suomenlinna
    Kaamos, 2019, Self-released
  • 1:34:44 3:42 Jackson Greenberg – First Light
    First Light, 2020, Ravello Records
  • 1:37:33 2:28 Joshua van Tassel – Eternal Turtle
    Dance Music volume II: More Songs for Slow Motion, 2020, Backward Music
  • 1:39:26 2:22 Toto Tobass – Zwischen Flüsternden Wassergeistern
    Communal Music Vol. 5, 2020, AEMC
  • 1:41:14 2:06 Coen Oscar Polack – Een Diepnoodlottig Neergelaten Wenkbrauw
    Haarlemmerhout, 2020, Moving Furniture Records
  • 1:42:02 2:59 Andrew Sherwell – Balcony Views 3AM
    Home Diaries 004, 2020, Whitelabrecs
  • 1:44:11 2:10 Kemper Norton – Halan 2
    Brunton Calciner, 2019, Self-Released
  • 1:46:04 2:49 Library Tapes – It Wasn’t Always Like This
    The Quiet City, 2020, 1631 Recordings
  • 1:48:26 2:19 Cousin Silas – Empty Coastline
    Adrift Off The Islets Of Langerhans, 2010, self-released
  • 1:50:21 4:59 Dronny Darko – Rotten Orchestra
    Spira Igneus, 2016, Cryo Chamber
  • 1:54:48 2:32 Alva Noto & Ryuichi Sakamoto – By This River
    Summvs, 2011, Raster-Noton
  • 1:57:13 2:04 Brian Eno – By This River
    Before & After Science, 1977, Polydor / Virgin EMI
Download Winter Solstice 2 Now 273Mb (01:59:16 min.)

 

[Alternative download from Archive.org]
[Surround-version (DTS.wav or *.wma) here]


OR: Listen on Mixcloud, Spotify or iTunes:

Play Ambientblog Mixes on Spotify

add to iTunes

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

13 Comments

  1. Jp Boudreau (via Mixcloud)

    I think I’ve listened to all of Ambientblogs mixes now and each one was as good as the last. Thank you for the pleasant and sometimes disturbing sonic voyage on these musical collages.

  2. Music-Led Dance (via Mixcloud)

    Thank you. That is an impressive tracklist that you wove together! Congratulations.
    (I made my own Solstice mix but went in a different direction to accommodate those dancing outside in a field! )

  3. yathedigo (via Mixcloud)

    why Winter solstice ? everywhere it s Know as Navidad, Noel, Christmas…. and the other hand , your mix is excellent (comme d’habitude). Gracie mille. Saludos desde España.

    1. PvC

      Hi. Glad you enjoyed the mix! Those are not the same: Christmas, Noel etc. are religious celebrations, but Winter Solstice is the exact moment when Winter begins; also the longest night. It occurs twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern). So it was not my intention to create a ‘Christmas’ mix, but a mix to enjoy in long dark nights. (But of course you can play it whenever you want)

      1. yathedigo (via Mixcloud)

        Perfect, I don’t know what is celebrated on the solstice … (A long night?) Curiously, this date is recognized for celebrating Christmas … As you say, I can listen to your mix at any time, not with Christmas music. Merry Christmas.. look at this :

        Este domingo 20 de diciembre, Radio Clásica ofrecerá en directo el Día Especial Música de Navidad de la Unión Europea de Radio-Televisión. Esta programación, que ya es un clásico de Euroradio y cuya primera edición tuvo lugar en 1995, comenzará su recorrido musical a las 10 h (CET) desde la Barbican Hall de Londres y lo finalizará en el Teatro Príncipe Regente de Múnich, sobre las 00 h (CET).