Strange Birds (mix)

The central thematic piece in this mix is Christina Kubisch‘ “Tea Time (Autumn Leaves Mix)“, from Gruenrecorder’s “Autumn Leaves” – male singers communicating as if they were birds, twittering words like “Who’s awake?“, “Me Too!” and “Who cooks for you?“.

This spring-like chatter evokes a strange and hypnotic landscape sometimes unnerving, sometimes comforting.

This mix was created february – march 2008, together with “True“.  It was definitely an early spring that year!

Allegaar (mix)

According to my dictionary, ‘Allegaar‘ translates to ‘Hotchenpotch‘ – but I can imagine there may be a better word for that!?

Just like the previous mix (“Leftover Mix“), this 2008 mix has no special theme, it’s just a collection of tracks mixed together fairly randomly. But in their new context the tracks seem to start to tell their own new story!

The Leftover Mix (mix)


Leftovers (Photo by Muffet)

Though the title may give the impression that this mix consists of ‘second choice music’, that is definitely nót the case!

These tracks did not find their way to a 2007 Folio radio show, but were too good to stay unnoticed. So I used them in this ‘2007 end-of-year’ mix. It serves these tasty ‘leftovers’ as one uninterrupted delicate stew.

Ring (mix)


style4

“Ring” is the second part of the  two part auditive “guided fantasy” from 2006 (“Wave” being the first part). A mix of ambient music, soundscapes and other musical surprises, created in 2006.

The first of these four programs was a compilation of the (magnificent) album ‘Spellewauerynsherde‘ by Akira Rabelais, the fourth part was a compilation of music from Iceland. (Since these programs are not ‘ambient mixes’ they are not included in this collection).

The four parts were called “Spelle”, “Wave”, “Ring” and “Sharde”, which together is also the full title of Akira Rabelais’ “Spellewauerynsherde” album. Tracks and fragments of this album are present throughout all four programs. I’m very grateful to Akira for sharing some of the unreleased shardes from his magnificient Spellewauerynsherde project!

BTW – the pictures shown above are from Helga Kvam.
No one ever captured the mysterious Icelandic nature better than she does.

Wave (mix)


Frozen

“Wave” is the first of a two part an auditive “guided fantasy” (“Ring” being the second part).
A mix of ambient music, soundscapes and other musical surprises, created in 2006.
No track is played completely, but the interaction of the fragments creates a completely new structure…. Which, in fact, is true for all ambient mixes of course…

These two mixes were part of a 4-hour radio broadcast that were thematically related to Icelandic music. At least: the first and the last were mostly. The first of these four programs was a compilation of the (magnificent) album ‘Spellewauerynsherde‘ by Akira Rabelais, the fourth part was a compilation of music from Iceland.

I guess it’s safe to assume that this also probably is the first (and possibly single) ambient music collage containing Venetian Snares music!
(read more for complete paylist)

The Hum in the Room (mix)

“The Hum in the Room” the final part of the three-part mix dedicated to … the hum in your room

The buzz that you suddenly notice, that appears to have been there forever but unnoticed – until this moment.
The sound that will be there forever from now.
The hum that appears to come from the inside of your head, and that keeps changing when you turn your head or walk through the room.
The noise that can irritate as well as fascinate.

Or, to quote John Cage from a 1937 lecture: “Wherever we are, what we hear is mostly noise. When we ignore it, it disturbs us. When we listen to it, we find it fascinating. The sound of a truck at 50 m.p.h. Static between the stations. Rain. We want to capture and control these sounds, to use them, not as sound effects, but as musical instruments.

Acoustical Illusions (mix)

“Acoustical Illusions”, a part of the “Hum in the Room-trilogy” (2005), is dedicated to the environmental sounds that sound like distant choirs or orchestras.

Sometimes when you listen to sounds in your environmental background, they may vaguely sound like a full string orchestra, or like soft whispering voices.
An orchestra tuning? Cars passing on the highway?Sound that sound different from what they really are – Acoustical Illusions.

Like the other wo mixes in this set (“Mantra of Walls and Wiring” and “The Hum in the Room“) this is a very minimal, drone-oriented mix.

And probably, you’ll also hear some sounds that aren’t even in it!