solipsistic NATION guest mix

for part 1 of my own 'best of 2008' series, i did another guest mix for one of my favorite podcasts, solipsistic NATION. the mix features tracks from some of my favorite chilled ambient/idm netaudio releases which came out in 2008. full track listing plus links to download all the tracks are available on solipsisticnation.com

as a special bonus for my blog readers, check out michael hoffmann's band comfort zone's myspace site for a video of their live performance in mannheim, germany which i mentioned in the show. for on-the-go listening, you can also check out another live performance which they put up for free download here.

hiddenplace music mix 4: lessening

Download mp3 (160kbps, 81MB)
*this mix is currently unavailable for download. contact me if you want to hear it!

i almost didnt post this mix because the VOs ended up a bit noisy & i forgot to mention a couple things, but i decided to put it up anyway because the music really deserves to be heard and i didnt want to keep delaying it.
i actually put together this mix and Pontchartrain at the same time; there was simply too much good music to fit into just one mix. but this is definitely not the 'b-sides' mix, its more of a continuation of the same mood and atmosphere as the previous mix-- dark, quiet, and intensely thoughtful music for the colder days of winter...

playlist:
(00:16) L'Altra - Sleepless Night
(05:45) Nanang Tatang - On Me Forever
(10:14) Mar - Patience
(15:49) Weigl/Hoffmann - Country Lane [apl048]
(22:43) Caroline - Sunrise
(26:32) immanu el - Panda [The Silent Ballet vol. 5]
(33:75) A Northern Chorus - This Open Heart
(42:06) Barzin - Past All Concerns
(47:56) stockfinster. - two great lines of light
(52:55) Cibelle - Phoenix
(58:46) Elysian Fields - Narcosmicoma
(64:09) Gregor Samsa - Lessening
...

The American Dollar - A Memory Stream

on my evening commute home on the day of the inauguration of the next US president, it only seemed appropriate to listen to some music by an american band. i found that i have surprisingly little american music in my collection, but thankfully i had loaded my mp3 player with the 2008 album "A Memory Stream" by NY band The American Dollar. this was actually a reader submission- the band sent me the album out of a the blue a few months ago and asked me what i thought of it.
i was really blown away by their work; it is a shining example of cinematic, electronica-tinged instrumental postrock. the duo fuses processed drums, spacious keyboards and powerful organ swells with electric guitar and bass, creating deep sonic textures while maintaining the passion and energy of a live band. the swirling soundscapes build and swell, punctuated by glitchy beats, breathing and expanding into crashing guitars and soaring leads: precisely constructed symphonies for a new era.
unlike most of the music i feature on hiddenplace music, this album is not available for free download, but this excellent music is absolutely worth purchasing- The Memory Stream is most certainly on my "best of 2008" list.

sleepmakeswaves - In Today Already Walks Tomorrow

although its only a few weeks in, 2009 has already provided an impressive list of very promising new music. one of the first releases i downloaded this year was "In Today Already Walks Tomorrow"by by australian band sleepmakeswaves on the Lost Children netlabel. they already put out a fantastic two-song demo and since then i have been looking forward to hearing what this band would do next.
on "In Today..." they continue the epic keyboard-infused postrock sound they established in the demo but this time the production values have been upped significantly, adding even more dynamic complex song structures and a more sharp and polished sound. in the true postrock tradition where the songs have pretentiously long poetic titles, the moods vary from breathlessly quiet contemplative guitar harmonies to blistering explosions of sound. one standout track is certainly "One Day You Will Teach Me To Let Go Of My Fears" which was featured on the demo. this time they have expanded the song to new heights- a tense driving rhythm punctuated by heavy guitars slowly builds into a rapturous climax of soraing violins and crashing cymbals.
this excellently produced ep is an absolute must-have for any connoisseur of the finest epic, cinematic postrock.

sleepy town manufacture - Hello & Goodbye EP

russian collective sleepy town manufacture's classic ep 'latatoo' on monotonik was probably one of the first netaudio, indeed one of the first ambient electronic releases that i really fell in love with, and i still count it among my all-time favorite eps.
stm has been releasing music sporadically since then but has not put out a solo ep in quite some time. with 'hello and goodbye' stm returns to monotonik with a beautifully produced ep of classy ambient idm. precisely sequenced percussion, soft, spacious synths, sparkling textures, and a gorgeous 7-minute environmental ambient closing track-- what more could you ask?