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.
~

Siddhartha Barnhoorn - Pillars of Light

for his debut solo release, prolific film and television composer Siddhartha Barnhoorn presents Pillars of Light, a mini-album of deep cinematic spacemusic which could be the soundtrack for an as-yet unmade scifi thriller. as the music unfolds, images appear in the mind's eye of epic space battles above the horizon of a distant world, colliding planets, gigantic spacecraft soaring through burning nebulae, and maybe even a secret meeting of two alien lovers under a purple twilight sky of vibrant stars. highly recommended listening for fans of ambient music with a vastness measured in lightyears.

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.

Ergo Phizmiz & Friends - The Faust-Cycle

i interrupt this longer-than-expected pause of hiddenplace music posts to feature what is certainly the most astonishing piece of netaudio i have ever come across. "The Faust-Cycle or, The House of Dr Faustus" is definitively the ultimate piece of sound collage.
completed over a period of 3 years, with a playing time of more than 14 hours(!!), and featuring an long list of collaborators, voice actors and guest musicians, words like "epic" do not even begin to describe the mind-boggling expansiveness of this work.
i usually try to listen to a release several times through before writing a review, but i must admit in this case, i have not yet heard the entire piece all the way through. what i have heard so far consists of surreal, dream-like spoken word narratives, interspersed with even more bizarre sample-based "songs" enveloped in extended passages of sound collage and audio pastiche made from a dizzying array of identifiable and unidentifiable musical pieces and sound sources. the moods range from melancholic to nostalgic, insane to inane, dream-like to nightmarish, classical to common; all unfolding like an opium-induced phantasmagoria played through a dust-covered 1920s phonograph found in an eccentric retired circus performer's attic. this is probably the most inaccessible piece i have featured on hiddenplace music, but certainly a thrilling and epic(?) piece of audio art for hardcore fans of avant-garde sound design.

Heath Yonaites - Clouds of Six Directions

imagine if some artists from Windham Hill got together and formed an Explosions in the Sky cover band. it probably wouldnt sound much like Clouds of Six Directions, but for this fantastic album, audio and visual artist, multi-instrumentalist, writer, and New Mexico resident Heath Yonaites creates epic, emotional and brilliantly original acoustic instrumental music which defies genre descriptions. soaring and cinematic as the desert vistas of the american west yet delicate, intimate and lyrical.

Bernard Reeb - Lumina magica

on Lumina magica , french artist Bernard Reeb creates a really excellent album of pure ambient electronic spacemusic in the grand european tradition: deep, blissful, expansive and transporting. the album is available for free mp3 download on both the « les Cristaux Liquident » netlabel website and the artists personal site. and if you wish to support the artist, this album (and several others) are also available for purchase as lossless FLAC downloads from musiczeit .

hiddenplace music mix 5: macrocosm

Download mp3 (160kbps, 63MB)

a mix of a few of my favorite deep, spacious ambient tracks from 2008. warm synth waves by Altus, icy winter environments from Shiftless, spaced-out piano by Ben Woods, stunning vocal-based headphone candy by Tertium Auris, spectral desert ambience by Rudy Adrian...

playlist:
(00:22) Altus - Subspherical [Macro]
(03:39) Altus - Wood Grain [Macro]
(06:50) Shiftless - Icicles [ap3002]
(09:10) Coax - Quiet Minds reprise [ap3002]
(11:22) El Zoológico - Nada [pj002]
(12:58) Ben Woods - Realms of Detachment [OWL-33]
(19:12) Tertium Auris - Vox Auris I - III [DHS0040]
(38:21) The Dandelion Council - The Face of the Mountain [ah028]
(39:52) Rudy Adrian - Desert Realms
(47:34) Tone Ghost Ether - Gamelan Moon Landing [earman051]
...

Inna Breeze - Stairway to Heaven

i'm always quite pleased to discover a netaudio release that stands out from the usual electronica and experimental music. the ironically named russian netlabel top40 has already set a precedent of releasing live performances of works by modern classical composers such as Steve Reich and George Crumb. yet even among such distinctive releases, Stairway to Heaven stands out as the first symphony in their catalogue (and most likely the first new symphony to be released on a netlabel).
this amazing work, performed live by a full orchestra with organ, is a melodic and lyrical symphonic tone poem stylistically rooted in the program music of the romantic era, the americana jazz influences of the early 20th century and even modern film scores. brilliantly composed, performed and recorded, Stairway to Heaven is a must-hear for fans of classical music and film soundtracks (btw- the piece certainly has nothing musically to do with the Led Zepplin song of the same name! in the words of the composer, "In my youth I, of course, heard the beautiful Led Zeppelin's song of the same name. But «Stairway to Heaven» is dedicated not to this song nor my youth. I'm implying the different, almost literal meaning to this words nowadays: it's an ascension. The ascension of a whole life. We are all moving «there», one way or another...")

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.

hiddenplace music mix 3: pontchartrain

Download mp3 (160kbps, 75MB)
*this mix is currently unavailable for download. contact me if you want to hear it!

this time, an eclectic mix of darker music for autumn and winter..
i've been putting off posting this mix for a while, partly because i hadn't found time to record VOs. so i decided to just post it without any talking, since it seems many people prefer just music anyway.
this mix features some quiet indie rock, some downtempo & triphop sounds, and even some jazzy acoustic pop. something a little different form the electronic music i usually feature...
enjoy!

playlist:
[00:21] Emily Haines - Reading In Bed
[03:06] Kira Lynn Cain - White as a Dove
[06:39] Anna Ternheim - Lover's Dream
[10:32] Björk - I've Seen It All (feat. Thom Yorke)
[15:46] Mika Nakashima - Hitori (endroll ver.)
[20:44] Goldfrapp - Pilots
[25:09] Elsiane - Vaporus
[28:44] Karen Matheson - The Dreaming Sea
[33:19] Jars of Clay - Frail
[40:11] L'altra - There Is No
[44:08] Ida - Moves Through The Air
[49:27] The Cinematic Orchestra - Breathe (live on KEXP)
[54:29] My Brightest Diamond - Goodbye Forever
[58:19] Vienna Teng - Pontchartrain


...

hiddenplace music mp3 mix #1

Download mp3 (160kbps, 54MB)

things have been a little quiet around here lately because the wizards at hiddenplace music have been preparing something really special: the first official hiddenplace music mix.

sometimes simply listening to the music is the best way to discover and share it. i find a lot of my favorite music through podcasts and dj mixes, plus i really enjoy putting together playlists and 'mixtapes.' i hesitate to call this a 'podcast' because that implies that i plan on doing this at a semi-regular basis. unfortunately time and my obsessive-compulsive tendencies dont permit that, but i have several mixes in the works and i plan on putting them out here as often as possible (ie whenever i feel like it).

at hiddenplace music we like free music, so nearly all of the tracks featured on this mix can be downloaded cost- and guilt-free at the links provided. each release represented is full of excellent music and is most definitely worth your time. enjoy the music!

tracklist:

(00:00) hiddenplace intro
(00:19) Makunouchi Bento - Two Mechanical Snowghosts [pj001]
(02:01) My First Trumpet - Takt Short Takt [aer009]
(03:56) Endlos - Ich bin Dur [1bit028] +welcome
(09:31) The Lymbyc Systym - Astrology Days [live 18 Apr 2007]
(14:01) Re'sequence - Interview [es28]
(17:55) Implosion Quintet - For Sesselja [diginet011]
(21:40) Mr Moods - Variations [DBR005]
(25:24) The Incognito Traveller - Chaleur [konfort016]
(29:42) Owltree - Head Swirlin' [lokw-010]
(32:57) Jah Free - beatcontest (amuses-bouches complete album download)
(37:58) Sel/Reechad - Masterplan [iD.037]
(42:01) Saine - Absent Minds [Imagine This] +tracklist

extra: hiddenplace music on solipsistic NATION

Algol - Deep Thoughts About Universe

one of the greatest pleasures of internet audio 'crate digging' is finding an obscure netlabel, downloading a few releases with low expectations, and being surprised with some really good quality music.
one of my recent discoveries, Enough Records presents a dauntingly long list of releases by artists nearly all previously unknown to me, but 'Deep Thoughts About Universe' immediately caught my eye because of my endless obsession with space and space music. Siberian composer Danil Kazantsev creates deep, expansive electronic spacemusic which incorporates a myriad of influences, yet never sounds derivative. longform tracks with endless layers of electronic sounds and effects are expertly mixed, constantly shifting and changing, always holding the listener in rapt attention, even through 10 minute+ long tracks. Deep Thoughts would make a perfect soundtrack to a retro chic sci-fi film, a brilliantly composed modern take on classic electronic spacemusic.
the full release can be downloaded on scene.org, or archive.org.

Josh Elliott - These Stars, Our Flame

Josh Elliott writes music for the explosive climax of the next psychological thriller film; epic and cinematic are the key words here. Josh plays guitar in the emo/screamo band April Dead, so its no wonder that his recent full-length, These Stars, Our Flame is replete with non-stop blistering emotion. one is sometimes left exhausted, wishing for a few more moments of calm amongst the endless soaring climaxes, but the intricate song structures and excellent production values make for a thrilling 30 minute's listen.
for a shorter trip through more keyboard and guitar-laden soundscapes, dont miss Josh's debut on Lost Children, In Light Passing.

Francesco Lettera

normally i really cant stand sequenced orchestral music, but in the case of music by Francesco Lettera, the composition is of such quality that i can forgive the occasionally cheesy sounds (although, on the whole, the sequencing sounds quite good). the digital orchestral sometimes lacks the 'punch' of a live performance, but the composer has done a very admirable job of infusing the music with a great deal of evocative expression and lively capriciousness. Mr Lettra has two quality releases on the somewhat enigmatic netlabel dharmasound: Vertigini, and The wizard of OZ. drawing on a wide range of influences- most notably Danny Elfman, perhaps along with a few cut scenes of Mahler, a flashback to Vaughn Williams, a tiny reference to Prokofiev or Stravinsky- these releases should appeal to fans of music with a grand, panoramic quality.
thanks to the Machtdose podcast for turning me on to these releases.

Xurba - Music from the Clear Channel

here at hiddenplace music, we tend to feature music which comes free of charge, so when a commercial release recommendation comes a long, you know it must be something special. this release from Kahvi Commercial certainly fits into that category. it may seem presumptuous in the netlabel world of free downloads for a new-comer to restrict his release to paid downloads, but to be honest, every one of the artists i've featured on this blog deserves some support for the excellent music they create. the intricately detailed ambient idm cinematics of the full-length release 'Music from the Clear Channel' by Xurba is certainly a work of audio art created with copious care and attention.
admittedly, this is not music for everyone. the melodies are very abstract-- atonal, even. the beats are fractured, constantly shifting and and heavily processed; the atmospheres lush, deep, yet claustrophobic- and at times unsettling. but fans of intelligent experimental electronica will find much to explore here, and those with adventurous ears will be delighted at the precise mixing and incredible attention to detail. i particularly enjoyed the abrupt shifts in mood between tracks, as if the film editor has made a sudden jump cut to the next scene. even though the music drifts along at an unhurried pace, the constant twists and turns create a feeling of movement, as if we are being hurried to an unknown destination. throughout the trip, we are constantly held in rapt attention; even at the nearly one-hour playing time, the textures are combined in an endless variety-- never repetitive, always providing more to explore and enjoy. at the abrupt end of the LP, we awake from the dream and realise that the meaning was not in the destination, but the never-ending landscapes experienced along the journey.
Music from the Clear Channel will be available for purchase as high-quality mp3 downloads from Beatport on 1 december, and on iTunes in february. expect a little reminder from this blog when it becomes available.