Mix roundup - end of summer 2011

As posts here have once again gotten scarce, here is a short selection of dj mixes and podcasts I've particularly enjoyed during the last few months

Futexture - Energetic Substrate Mix Fall 2011
A short but wonderful mix of Philip Glass, glitchy idm tracks and a well-placed Alan Watts sample

Rox - Plant Chants
A multi-cultural mix of shamanic music to expand your awareness (lots of other great psychill & trance mixes on his site too)

Radio BSOTS #116
thoughtful spoken word about the spiritual walk and eclectic soulful music

Pingipung Podcast #12 - Please be quiet I am thinking
Absolutely gorgeous electro-acoustic modern classical/soundtrack music mixed by the owner of the wonderful Aerotone-netlabel

Nova - Mondlicht
any mix featuring Telefon Tel Aviv, HUVA Network and Solar Fields is pretty much guaranteed to be excellent. deep idm/psychill atmospheres..

Expand Your Musical Horizons #78
a fine selection of downtempo and chillout tracks

DF Tram and DJ Rich-Ears present Lunar Fizz
An epic and eclectic mix with lots of interesting and entertaining sound clips thrown in

phalanx live at zajkert - modem debrecen 2011.09.09
another excellent mix by phalanx. as always, expect nothing less than top-notch ambient, chill, and glitchy idm grooves

WOZ – CALL THE AMBIENCE, AGAIN! (OKTOBER 2011)
a very atmospheric blend of chill, ambient, and drum n bass.
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Tetarise – Through the Silent Void

I previously featured Tetarise's excellent LP k.a.m.a. so it goes without saying that anything by this artist is well worth hearing. His latest release on Silent Flow netlabel is another excellent work not to be missed.
Wide open spaces, delicate atmospheres, crunchy beats, deep basses and soaring leads sometimes reminiscent of hiddenplace favorite Planet Boelex make for another thrilling journey through auditory headspace, with a few unexpected twists along the way. Once again, a brilliantly produced album of cinematic idm which will definitely be spending a lot of time on my iPod.

aKido - Gamechanger

In the process of writing the reviews for this blog, I've discovered that often the best music is incredibly hard to describe. Gamechanger is just such an album. As I listen to it, any attempt to define it or make comparisons seems insufficient. I just know it's good. aKido combines intricately sequenced idm-esque beats, electro melodies and a smattering of ethereal vocals with rhythmic guitars and post-rock elements, but in such a way that it transcends any attempt to attribute genres or influences. Brilliantly composed and produced, this album is a must-have for fans of melancholy, emotive electronic music.

Planet Boelex - Raja

its become somewhat of a hiddenplace music tradition- planet boelex puts out a new release and hiddenplace music lauds it as the best release of the year. with Raja, planet b gives us no reason to break this tradition. in fact, he produces such consistently high-quality music that its no longer a surprise when a new album is a brilliantly-produced stunning masterpiece of subtle beauty.
Raja continues and develops the more stripped-down style which marked Little World, incorporating some of the same sounds and textures, but expanding it into (almost) purely instrumental territory. all our favorite planet boelex touches are still there- deep gliding basses, lush ambient atmospheres, soaring leads and the most precisely edited percussive elements ive ever heard. extra elements come in the form of beautiful vocals by Lisa's Antenna, acoustic guitar by Mosaik and additional production help from Mikael Fyrek. the stylistic similarity makes it an excellent companion piece to Little World, together forming an hour of blissful, dreamy soundtracks for times of quiet reverie.

Tetarise – k.a.m.a.

k.a.m.a. is a thrilling journey made of ambient/downtempo/idm infused with an epic soundtrack style. inspired by blurred memories of the past, the music is melancholy, euphoric, contemplative, frantic, moody and filled with emotion. quiet moments of gentle ambience contrast starkly with glitchy beat-driven passages, soaring leads and rasor-sharp synths.
"Unsaid words, unfinished deeds, hopelessly lost time - all of it is like an echo with a delay fading into compressed and distorted reverberation"

Brioskj - Mirror

full-length idm LPs are somewhat of a rarity in the netaudio world, but for those craving a little more than the usual 20-30 minutes of idm goodness, Mirror by Brioskj, the most recent commercial release from Kahvi is a very highly recommended purchase. 59 minutes of the finest kahvi-style ambient idm: beautiful sunny synth melodies, refreshing chillout atmospheres, light fluttering beats, and plenty of "that extra sparkle that Kahvi is famous for." perfect positive moods for bright summer weather.
the album is currently available on iTunes, emusic, Amazon and Rhapsody.

Planet Boelex & Lisa's Antenna - Little world [remastered]

my favorite release of 2008 has just been tweaked and professionally remastered, giving it an even more lush and refined sound. a perfect excuse to re-visit this stunningly beautiful album of ambient dream pop.
for more information, visit the official press release on the soft phase label page, or planet boelex's myspace blog entry.

Polar Lights - Platforma EP

More stylishly polished music from electronicalabel.ru-- the Platforma EP occupies a pleasant space between minimal tech house, chillout and idm moods. subtle grooves, smooth atmospheres and glittering clicks n cuts. perfect for a warm, relaxed spring afternoon.

Renzu - Across the Threshold

well-sequenced beats and synths, plenty of atmospheric reverb and a few japanese-flavored voice and instrument samples make up an excellent downtempo idm LP from the (apparently) videogame and anime-obsessed 3d animator Renzu. rhythmic and groovy yet smooth and chilled. more detailed info on the artist and tracks, as well as some very nice CG artwork, are available on the release page at bumpfoot netlabel.

Imachi Akira - Lycoris radiata EP

i have mentioned that quiet ambient music is very fitting to the cold dark days of winter. i have also discovered that sometimes other styles of music are equally appropriate for those rare sunnier winter days when the sun glitters off the snow and ice. the Lycoris radiata EP put out on the electronica netlabel certainly evokes such and atomsphere.
Imachi Akira skillfully blends a myriad of sounds and styles into a beautifully cohesive whole. icy ambient atmospheres, subtle filtered idm-esque rhythms, dubby echoes, acoustic jazz guitar, delicate piano malodies and airy field recordings blend together to form a perfect soundtrack to a beautiful winter's day spend in a snow-covered valley, on the shores of a frozen river bed or walking on a glacier.

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.

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?

Motionfield - absolute zero

sometimes some of the best albums are hidden away as buried treasures, released in relative obscurity on an artist's own website. one such treasure is 'absolute zero' which is presented on an unassuming page in motionfield's homepage without even a tracklist or description.
motionfield has already released several brilliant albums on stadtgruen, test tube, and autoplate, as well as an especially excellent commercial release (available for full streaming and for purchase on somnia records) , creating some of the best quiet, introspective ambient idm you're likely to hear. 'absolute zero' is no exception. desolate soundscapes of spacious pads peppered with subtle, indistinct environmental sounds and delicate, glitchy percussion grow and evolve with a sensuous, breath-like rhythm. fractured, wandering piano melodies float in and out on gentle digital breezes. supremely chilled organic electronica for thoughtful moments...
EDIT: it seems the download link has been removed. but hiddenplace music has heard from an inside source that this album is slated to be released on thinner some time in the near future. stay tuned!

Meso - Island Versus City

i made a realisation lately- the meaning and impact of music can dramatically change depending on the environment in which it is listened to. this realisation may seem self-evident, but i find that certain music really comes alive when listened to in the right surroundings.
Island Versus City by Meso is perfect music to listen to while walking through empty city streets at night. the subtle, contemplative ambient idm moods are strongly enhanced by an environment of deep shadows, distant sounds and glowing lights...

Northcape - Some Bright Valley

another treat for those who enjoyed the lush, delicate atmospheres of the last features: the Some Bright Valley ep by UK artist Northcape, put out by the monotonik netlabel. like a pleasant summer's walk through nature, a variety of sensations float through the air, stimulating your senses and relaxing your mind. a bed of long pad and string notes mixed with subtle environmental sounds is accented by almost organic-sounding synth leads, and held together by smooth basses and steady grooves. the short playing time is cause for repeated listening; drifting away on the sound, into a world of light filtered through leaves, gentle rain, and deep reflective pools.
the warmth of summer is not yet completely gone, and Northcape helps it to hold on a little longer...

Planet Boelex & Lisa's Antenna - Little world

my vote for best netaudio release of this year goes to the first release from a humble new netlabel called soft phase: an ep entitled 'Little world' produced by none other than finnish artist planet boelex. last year, planet boelex released a brilliant extended ep called 'suunta' which i gushed about in an earlier post, also lauding it as the best release of that year. that release contained a collaboration with swedish vocalist Krister Linder, and this time, mr boelex works with another swedish singer/songwriter known as Lisa's Antenna. and he has outdone himself once again, creating exquisite, beautifully sequenced soundscapes around Lisa's lovely vocals and and minimal piano chords.
the usual planet boelex elements are here: infinitely reverberating pads, precisely filtered percussion and thick basses.. but planet b has scaled back the sequencing dramatically, providing a subtle, evocative backdrop for lisa's delicate vocals to soar over. truly good vocals and song writing are unfortunately rare in the world of netaudio, but this collaboration finds a rare gem in Lisa's entrancing songs. from time-suspending stillness, building to rapturous crescendos, and fading back into contemplative silence, this beautifully formed Little world provides the perfect peaceful refreshing escape from our own hectic and stressful world.

Kahvi Collective - Robot Dreams

the kahvi collective, still one of my top netlabels, has put out another excellent commercial release. as i have written before, all the artists i feature on this blog deserve your support for their hard work, and this is a perfect opportunity to 'show some love.'
Robot Dreams, released as part of kahvi's 10-year anniversary(!) celebration, is a massive compilation with 23 tracks in all. nearly all the kahvi all-stars are here, along with some artists who i am not familiar with, and they have all submitted great music. i found it actually quite difficult to pick favorite tracks, because each piece is really excellent. even a couple artists whose previous releases i wasn't particularly fond of surprised me with some really nice submissions (i wont name any names here, but lets just leave it that its an excellent compilation all around)
the tracks are naturally held together by the signature kahvi sound: bright, glittery electronics with a penchant for wide, expansive soundscapes. the mood ranges from delicate and chilled to intense and cinematic, some tracks are more beat-oriented, some less.
one standout track is certainly KiloWatts' Foothold Herald's Summit View, an epic 12-minute journey through thick, frantic, idm-esque beats and bloops (which is practically a mini-ep on its own). also for the idm-heads, there is the vocoder funk of brioskj's oxegen, the furious, pulsing, lead-driven Beneath a Steel Sky by kahvi curator 4T-Thieves, and the glitchy chimes and cruchy beats of AngelFace by Aaron Jansinski.
those in a more chillout/ambient mood should certainly check out the quiet piano+nature atmospheres of Moon Kiss by Acrillic Colors, the scifi spacemusic of the title track by coax, or the warmly pleasant go inwards by general fuzz.
other standout tracks include WindsOfNeptune by introspective, workbench's euphoric track ascent, and the densely layered Summer's Gold by Xurba.
as of this posting, the compilation is available only beatport.com for 1,99€ per track (perhaps rather unfortunate for my american readers, but still worth purchasing at least a few tracks, imho..) it should be available on other digital outlets shortly. appropriate purchase links, along with info about all the artists are available here.
*edit: Robot Dreams now available on emusic!

iqtu - embarrassing triangle

a little something more for those who enjoyed the previously reviewed release by kaneel- the 'embarrassing triangle' LP by iqtu. this time the sound is a little more straightforward and less abstract, but still containing plentiful cheerful 8bit melodies, grooving cutup beats, and glitchy, glittery chiptune-esque soundscapes.
this release comes from a netlabel called II, another music portal with a charming 8bit aesthetic. often i find that such lo-fi, heavily processed music lacks the creativity and variety to sustain a full-length album (or it just becomes annoying after a while) but iqtu infuses the sound with a lush and organic feel that is wonderfully listenable and immensely enjoyable. i will definitely be coming back to it for more repeated listens...

Kaneel - I've sketched it a while ago

french artist kaneel, curator of the petite&jolie netlabel (and owner of a particularly fetching website), has released a fascinating and original work on the super-exclusive Apegenine Recordings. entitled I've sketched it a while ago, this album is particularly remarkable in the post-techno electronic music world because it features almost no bass frequencies at all! besides this curious fact, it contains a plethora of clicks and cuts, skittering frenetic beats, and chimey chiptune-style melodies. admittedly, its not music for everyone-- the endlessly frantic pace can sometimes become a bit of a sensory overload-- but connoisseurs of post-chiptune music, and those who appreciate music of the playfully weird and wacky variety will find the album this album very charming and unique.

with plentiful high frequencies and carefully-constructed details, this sort of music is certainly best enjoyed at full uncompressed cd-quality. and so, this album may be purchased at the aforementioned Apegenine Recordings shop (worldwide shipping available).

as a preview, a fitting music video for a track from the album can be seen here:

Solipsistic NATION guest mix

hiddenplacemusic is very proud to present an hour-long guest mix and short interview on an excellent podcast, Solipsistic NATION (episode 79). full playlist with links available on the SN homepage. artists include hiddenplace favorites such as planet boelex, muxu, iambic², lé mepris and nest, as well as some excellent artists who i havent had a chance to review yet.

a very warm welcome to listeners of SN who have taken the time to check out the blog. i have some great releases lined up to review in the coming weeks, but in the mean time, feel free to check out the archives or the 'in the queue' list to the right. enjoy the music!