Free Sounds - 2010

[D_Davis]

Don't know how much you're into the whole bit-pop sound, but I recently discovered Rymdkraft, and his tunes are just so catchy and fun. His music is available to download for free through http://www.rymdkraft.com/

Nice. Never heard of this guy. I'm not a huge fan of all of the chip-tunes stuff, but I like some of it. I'll check this out.

[Russ]

An absolutely brilliant minimal release. This is micro music taken to the extreme. Rather than explain the process in my own words, here is the description from the netlabel:



Very, very cool.

Derek and Russ, I think you will both dig the hell out of this one.

This sounds remarkably similar to early Stefan Betke's Pole albums (which happens to be some of my favorite stuff ever). As a matter of fact, just add Betke's dubby basslines and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Hmph. As if I needed yet another reason to rep you.

[Derek]

Yeah, I hear a bit of Fennesz in there too - really great stuff.

[D_Davis]

This sounds remarkably similar to early Stefan Betke's Pole albums (which happens to be some of my favorite stuff ever). As a matter of fact, just add Betke's dubby basslines and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Hmph. As if I needed yet another reason to rep you.

Never heard of that guy before. Funny you mentioned bass though, because I was thinking that that album needed some. One of my main problems with a lot of the modern ambient/noise is that it lacks low end. A lot of the newer artists seem to run everything through a high-pass filter, and they completely forget about the mid and low-range. One thing I try to do is work with all the ranges.

[Derek]

Never heard of that guy before. Funny you mentioned bass though, because I was thinking that that album needed some. One of my main problems with a lot of the modern ambient/noise is that it lacks low end. A lot of the newer artists seem to run everything through a high-pass filter, and they completely forget about the mid and low-range. One thing I try to do is work with all the ranges.

I was thinking the same thing, though it's a minor complaint for an album that unique. One of the reason's I love the self-titled Doyeq track is the bass and drum-kicks.

Pole is awesome. I first got into him with Steingarten from a couple years ago, but recently got around to 1, 2 & 3, all of which were equally good and even more stark and minimalist. Put him high on your list of artists to get to when 2011 hits, you'll love him.

[Russ]

Pole is awesome. I first got into him with Steingarten from a couple years ago, but recently got around to 1, 2 & 3, all of which were equally good and even more stark and minimalist. Put him high on your list of artists to get to when 2011 hits, you'll love him.

Derek, I highly recommend Pole's 2001 release, R, as it's very much in line with 1, 2 & 3 (I actually like it quite a bit more than 3). It's out-of-print, but you can still pick it up off Amazon for around $8 and some change.

I also see that they've recently re-packaged the first three albums as a 3-disc set, reasonable priced. Daniel, you need this stuff..

[D_Davis]

Cool. I'll definitely check his stuff out next year. Actually, maybe he's got some stuff streaming on Last FM, or Pandora.

Thanks for the rec!

[Russ]

Apologies for this final thread derailment, but here ya go:

From Pole 1

[youtube]v1vTZ_r94PQ[/youtube]

Also from Pole 1

[youtube]-fQyArWK1A8[/youtube]

From Pole 3

[youtube]cRvj1aSatDw[/youtube]

[D_Davis]

Oh man, that Pole 3 track is sticky! Definitely like that. I've been wanting to do some stuff that is a little more dub orientated, and this is some great inspiration. Just don't tell anyone who I ripped off.

[D_Davis]

Actually, I might contact Denshi and see about doing a remix album. Denshi vs. Carl Sagan's Ghost, in dub or something.

[Russ]

Actually, I might contact Denshi and see about doing a remix album. Denshi vs. Carl Sagan's Ghost, in dub or something.

That sounds like an excellent idea.

[D_Davis]

Diving With Digital Dolphins



A free Mix.

PLAYLIST

Astrowind - Wind Playing Far [Resting Bell restingbell.net]
Electricwest - Foxfire (Hecca Rmx) [Archaic Horizon archaichorizon.com]
2% - Virga [Archaic Horizon archaichorizon.com]
Klitbeats - Gemeinsam [Budabeats]
Electricwest - Vicious Cycle [Archaic Horizon archaichorizon.com]
D-Fried - Weird-o [Phonocake phonocake.org]
Electricwest - The Earth Mother (Electricwest Rmx) [Archaic Horizon archaichorizon.com]
2% - Leeward (Tricia Cline Resculpt mix) [Archaic Horizon archaichorizon.com]
D-Fried - Filbster [Phonocake phonocake.org]
2% - Front [Archaic Horizon archaichorizon.com]
Electricwest - Vicious Cycle (Cheju Rmx) [Archaic Horizon]
Crabnebula - Bids [Bushmen netlabel.co.za]
2% - Tops [Archaic Horizon archaichorizon.com]
D-Fried - Deck [Phonocake phonocake.org]
wAgAwAgA - Nagoya [Acroplane acroplane.org]
Electricwest - Choke [Archaic Horizon archaichorizon.com]
D-Fried - Clouds in Motion [Phonocake phonocake.org]
D-Fried - Constance [Phonocake phonocake.org]
Maps and Diagrams - Shuffel [Yuki Yaki yukiyaki.org]
Humeka - Cycle Cycle [Yuki Yaki yukiyaki.org]
Anri - Transparent [Zimmer www.zimmer-records.org]
Electricwest - Never Enough [Archaic Horizon archaichorizon.com]
wAgAwAgA - Calm East [Acroplane acroplane.org]
Sinkfield - Rainbow Patch [Archaic Horizon archaichorizon.com]
Electricwest - Locus Ceruleus (Drexon Field Rmx) [Archaic Horizon archaichorizon.com]
2% - Neaps [Archaic Horizon archaichorizon.com]
Electricwest - At this Depth (Counterspark Rmx) [Archaic Horizon archaichorizon.com]
Electricwest - Scarlet (Coppice Halifax Rmx) [Archaic Horizon archaichorizon.com]
D-Fried - Vacuum [Phonocake phonocake.org]
Carl Sagans Ghost - The Patience of a Saint (i) [Softphase softphase.org]
Carl Sagans Ghost - The Patience of a Saint (ii) [Softphase softphase.org]
Carl Sagans Ghost - The Patience of a Saint (iii) [Softphase softphase.org]
Carl Sagans Ghost - Take a Moment [Softphase softphase.org]

[D_Davis]

Wormhole Presents... A New Plague of Diseased Language Cocoons Vol. 1 and Vol. 2





A two volume compilation of some of the best underground hip hop I've ever heard. Each volume contains more than a handful of drop-dead amazing tunes, and enough interesting things peppered through out to make the entire compilation totally worthy of your time. A lot of this stuff is dark and noise, ala cLOUDDEAD and Dalek, but there are also some tracks with killer beats and hooks.

This is why free music was invented.

[D_Davis]

Bezdna Radio Essentials 016



A new mix of ambient tunes and minimal electronica from the folks over at the Silent Flow Netlabel. Some really nice stuff on here, including a Carl Sagan's Track from At the End of it All. These kinds of compilations are a great way to introduce yourself to a number of CC Licensed artists.

Track Listing:

1. Isma Serrano – Processing [Automatic Behaviour LP, antiritmo #041]
2. Adverb – Efemer [VA - Electronica 2.0, e20]
3. Hoax – Thursday Evening [The Insomnia EP, qnb009]
4. 2% – Leeward [Nowcast, ah035]
5. Stanislav Rubyteno – The Indigo Message [Flight of Imaginations, ave012]
6. Einmusik – Tisuca (Playone and Griboedoff remix) [VA - Second Dive, dplm17]
7. Microfly – Synthetic Rain [format brain:\, candl13]
8. Adamaned.age – Invisible Divider [Whiteout, ps013]
9. [Ur:Neon:Ono] + The Threshold People – Deja-Vu: caustic_RMX [The Tales from the Dead Sun Remixes, plague032]
10. Ernaem – Muddy October [Perceptions, limrec097]
11. Mphm – Magick of Yore [Dominion, y.036]
12. Joe Frawley Ensemble – False Memory [Daughters of Industry, ca330]
13. Maps and Diagrams – Shuffel [The Giant Woods, ykyk019]
14. Silence Drift – Thousand Peaks [Landscapes Through the Viewfinder, ca344]
15. Carl Sagan’s Ghost – The Patience of a Saint III [At the End of it All, sfp10]

[D_Davis]

Hoax - The Insomnia EP



Not a 2010 release....but still....

This is minimal electronica taken to the extreme; it's totally hypnotic and murky, the compositions just kind of seep into your psyche as the steady kick drum and dense textures wash over you. The compositions here might make those on The Field's From Here We Go Sublime seem overly-complex and busy. And that's saying something.

[D_Davis]

Two new releases from Luxus-Arctica today:

Collaboration No. 1 - At Dawn's Harbor



Featuring new tracks from Carl Sagan's Ghost, Saffron Slumber, Specta Ciera, and Ehrler Vogel. Very dense and atmospheric. Basically, if you like the album art, I think you'll like the music.

And then a new EP from Specta Ciera. This guy is quickly becoming one of my favorite artists, as well as being a friend and collaborator.

Specta Ciera - Wind Shift

[D_Davis]

Analog Workshop - Emporium of Broken Toys




Another wonderfully creative and evocative release from the Test Tube netlabel. A times this reminds me of some stuff off of Ghostly International, namely Tycho, but it definitely has a unique voice all of its own. A great mix of electronics, samples, and some live guitar playing (I think). What ever the source of the sounds, the final album is is an accomplishment of electronic composition.

[D_Davis]

Yeah - the Analog Workshop album = epic win.

[D_Davis]

Carl Sagan's Ghost - Especially For Them



New Carl Sagan's Ghost album. I think this is my best work yet. A four-part composition of deep, melodic ambient music.

[D_Davis]

Success!

Especially for Them is already at over a thousand downloads. That is awesome. BIG thanks to everyone who downloaded and listened.

[D_Davis]

Haven't had a lot of time this month to discover many new releases, but here's one that is quite good:

Aless - 'i'mmobile



The netlabel mentions that the artist is a classically trained pianist and violinist. Why, I don't really know. I often hear this phrase as if it is supposed to elevate my appreciation for the music. It doesn't. I like the music to speak for itself, and this debut album is full of brilliant sounds. And from what I can tell it doesn't have any real piano or violin. It is, instead, an album of haunting electronic landscapes, punctuated by slowly evolving melodies and moods.

[D_Davis]

Aitanna77 - The Last Summer Days EP



The Last Summer Days is a great little lo-fi, indie EP. Some of it reminds me of the Jesus and Mary Chain's album Darklands, or maybe even some of Opal's recordings, in the way it focuses more on atmosphere and mood than it does on complex compositions. It's dreamy and pretty, but not overly twee or precious, playful but overly coy and saccharine.

[D_Davis]

Monokle - Brittle



Well, you guessed it - another absolutely gorgeous release from the Passage netlabel. These cats can do no wrong when it comes to ambient and minimal techno. Brittle is a four-track EP of stunning beauty. Soft, washed-out drones mingle with gently ambling melodies and synthesized environmental sounds, creating soundscapes that are simultaneously inviting and mysterious. A perfect album for a peaceful night in bed after a long, hot day.

[Dillard]

DJ Schmolli - Robyn vs. ACDC - Dancing on my own all night long

[D_Davis]

A really great review of The Colonial Spa EP was recently posted:

[

Show Spoiler

Talk about an appropriate title. The half hour or so it takes to listen to the most recent release from Carl Sagan’s Ghost, Colonial Spa, is likely to be one of the most laid-back and soothing stretches of time you’ll spend. This is space-lounge cool at its finest, a gravity-free mind-massage while beat-pulse engines ease you into orbit around a planet made of 100 percent chill. And, of course, someone hands you a complimentary and suitably spacey cocktail in the middle of it all.

Well-meant metaphor aside, Colonial Spa is, for a relatively short offering, a real pleasure to get lost in. Daniel Davis pulls together his several downtempo grooves, folds in subtle hints of dub, smooths it all out with soft washes and airy pads and carefully places effectively infectious rhythms, all without a bump or harsh edge to be found. Everything moves with the grace of Davis’ conceptual “low-orbiting satellite spacestation where beings from around the galaxy gather to relax, trade, and converse” spinning quietly in space. He smartly leads many of the tracks here with sounds that have a round, soft feel: the muted vibraphone-like tones that bounce around “Meccahnomad” and the pizzicato-esque backdrop and repeating three-note phrase in “A Place to Kill Some Time” are solid examples. Crisp microtonal sounds flecked throughout the mix add texture and secondary percussive elements, and Davis’ own attention to the depth of his sounds brings a richness to the already soothing character of his tracks.


I know that I’ll be booking more–and more frequent–flights to Colonial Spa. It’s a relaxing place and you can’t beat the view, especially from the spinward side. Join me there sometime. First icy Jovian cocktail’s on me. Colonial Spa is a Hypnagogue Highly Recommended CD.

]

http://hypnagoguereviews.wordpress.com/