Category: exclusives

Isolate (Mix)


Muttley profile picture

Isolate is the first mix published on ambientblog.net created by a guest.

Muttley (Michael Buckingham) is actively maintaining the Subvert Central weblog (hosting 60+ mixes now!), and also contributed some mixes to the Low Light Mixes weblog that I’m sure you are all familiar with.

Isolate is a continuous mixtape focussing on drone tracks. It’s a great mix to listen to at night (and falling asleep to).

Paul Sharma – Embers

Paul Sharma‘s Embers is a beautiful electronic composition based on the Indian midnight raga Malkauns, and thus is very suitable for midnight listening (The Raga Guide indicates Late Night: 12 – 3).

“Malkauns is a serious, meditative raga, and is developed mostly in the lower octave (mandra saptak) and in a slow tempo (vilambit laya).”
(Wikipedia)

On this version the vocals are more in the middle octave as that suits Rajesh’s voice, but there are instruments at the lower (and sub-lower) to compensate. The vocal piece starts with an alap (free or rhythmless tempo) and then a slow tempo vocal.

“It is a majestic and somewhat introverted pentatonic raga, which seems to have undergone quite a transformation over the centuries. Superstitious musicians describe it as a raga with supernatural powers, and some believe that it can attract evil spirits.”
(The Raga Guide)


Machinefabriek – Ax / Still


http://www.machinefabriek.nu
 

‘The Hardest Working Man in Showbusiness’.
Usually this refers to Funk Godfather James Brown, but if anyone else deserves this credit it would be Rutger ‘Machinefabriek‘ Zuydervelt.

From 2004, he has been releasing a steady stream of music, most of them self-released (often on 3-inch CDR’s with handcrafted artwork). 

Though in itself his work is quite uncompromising, it did not stay unnoticed for long. Machinefabriek soon became one of Europe’s most important and acclaimed electronic artists.

Sounds of Spellborn – Alternate (mix)

‘The Chronicles of Spellborn‘ came with so much interesting soundscapes, that I decided to create a second mix, an alternate version to the first one published last week.

Basically, the ingredients and the atmosphere are the same, but different tracks and samples are chosen.
In fact, both of these mixes can be played together and be listened to as one (two-hour) mix.

Read the information in the previous podcast entry for more details about this mix and about the Chronicles of Spellborn game.

Sounds of Spellborn (mix)

If you have listened to previous mixes on this weblog, you may have grown accustomed to the kind of format that they share. This one has a different approach.

I noticed that a lot of people are unfamiliar with ambient music, but still get exposed to it more than ever: in movie soundtracks, and even more: when playing games. It may not be recognised as ‘music’ at all, but more as sounds to create/enhance an environment – but still: that’s what ambient music is about, isn’t it?

When The Chronicles of Spellborn was released early 2009, I decided to create a special mix from a selection of the sound and music that comes with it.

Akira Rabelais’ Christmas Gift

Akira Logo

**Please note: **
This remix was intended as a special 2009 Christmas gift from Akira Rabelais.
It is now no longer available to download

Right from the very first time I heard the “Spellewauerynsherde” album by Akira Rabelais (released in 2004 by David Sylvian’s Samadhisound label) this album has been one of my absolute favourites. 
And now, 5 years since the original release, it still is a sound unheard neither before nor since.
 
Spellewauerynshere is built from found sounds, field recordings of traditional Icelandic accapella lament songs that were recorded in the late 1960s or early 1970s. The recordings are heavily (and sometimes less heavily) treated and manipulated by Rabelais’ custom built music software, Argeïphontes Lyre.
You can check back on ambientblog to read my review from 2005:
“It’s as if a voice coming from the middle ages haunts you in your deepest sleep. It’s beautiful, heavenlike. But at the same time it’s distorted and confusing, scary even.”

Now, Akira created a complete new mix from the same source material, and decided to present it as a Christmas gift.
It has the same haunting atmosphere, so if you want to have some ‘slightly’ different christmas music at home this year, this gift is for you. You’ll have to act quick, since the links and podcast will be removed after christmas day.

"Friederich Remixed" by Banabila


radiolines

In december 2008, dutch musicians Frans Friederich and Michel Banabila met each other performing on the ‘RadioLines’ performance, organised by the (now almost deceased) radio programs Folio and Supplement.

Three musicians performing simultaneously, while live-mixed by one of the radio-makers. The musicians had no influence on the resulting mix in any way (there even was a possibility they were playing their parts without it being heard at all).
(The musicians brave enough to take this risk were Michel Banabila, Frans Friederich and Floris van Bergeijk – the resulting music can be found and downloaded [here].)

For edition “P” of Frans Friederich‘s Recyclopedia, a series of 26 multi-styled CD’s (one for every single letter of the alphabet), Michel Banabila created a beautiful remix, inviting dutch trumpet player Eric Vloeimans to play the additional trumpet part.
This track is unclassifiable: it’s jazz, pop, electronic, fourth world and maybe even more.
It is also a perfect example of what can happen when open-minded musicians work together for the sake of music, not caring about whatever expectations there may be!

Hilary Jeffery & Lysn – Katendrecht Spaceport

Katendrecht is a typical area in Rotterdam where you can expect to find a lot of things.
But the last thing to expect to find there is a spaceport where you can take a direct flight to Jupiter.

Still, a small venue called De Player created the exciting opportunity to embark on a spectacular journey to outer (inner) space on march 22, 2008. The journey was guided by Lysn, consisting of Hilary Jeffery (on trombone and tromboscillator), Chris Long (accordion and electronics), and Anne Wellmer (analogue electronics and harmonium).

This evening was presented as part # 3 in a series called Com.Post (‘Prancing around on the post-digital compost heap of contemporary music’).

I wasn’t there, that evening. And hearing the recording of this event that was recently released, that’s something to regret!

Michael Fahres – The Tubes featuring Jon Hassell

Michael Fahres - The Tubes

Cold Blue Music, a Californian record label that everyone enjoying contemporary ambient/electronic/minimalism should follow closely, is about to release a cd called “The Tubes” by Michael Fahres.

On the title track of this fascinating album, Fahres recorded the acoustic effect of the rock tube formations on El Hierro: a breathing sound created by waves forcing air through the volcanic rocks. Mixed with Jon Hassell’s breathy trumpet playing and Mark Atkins’ haunting didgeridoo, this piece is an ode to the breath of life itself…