Instrumentalists Dou Wei and Chao Jian are names I came across last year thanks to my former student Ben, who did me the honor of pointing me to their new album. The record features two long instrumental pieces that sound like ethno-ambient music and like what you would have found Continue Reading
Ambient
Toshiyuki Tsuchitori & Ryuichi Sakamoto – Disappointment / Hateruma
The void left by Ryuichi Sakamoto’s passing is far too immense to ever be filled. One can hope for a reissue here and there, for some lost studio and live recordings to resurface, and for some demos and live tracks to pop up. However, this month, we’re graced with a little Continue Reading
Subverge – Triox Rudna
Perhaps it’s because I am watching a lot of snow fall here in Bakuriani, but today feels like a dark ambient day. This is my first time hearing Subverge, an act based in Minnesota, and their music is bleak yet somehow pleasant to the ear. There is a sense of Continue Reading
Daniel Menche – Sleeping Ink
Daniel Menche is one of America’s finest noise composers. This, however, sounds like a work of art. It is frighteningly dark, far darker than much of the black ambient music composed today—sumptuous listening.
Abul Mogard – In a Few Places Along the River
Italian sound sculptor Abul Mogard has reissued a vinyl-only release for digital consumption. In A Few Places Along The River was originally released in 2022 and was limited to 500 copies.
Various Artists – Unexplained Sounds Group: The Third Mind. A Sonic Tribute to the Dreamachine
As someone who once owned a homemade dream machine, it’s nice to see this old relic get a sonic reassessment. Our dear friends at Unexplained Sounds Group start the year off with yet another brilliant experimental music compilation. From the label’s Bandcamp site: “The Dreamachine, conceived by Brion Gysin with Continue Reading
Aidan Baker with Felipe Salazar – At Komma
From Aidan’s Bandcamp site: Five track album (one streaming sample) recorded live at Komma in Esslingen, Germany in February 2014. Live sound and mastering by Ralv Milberg, released on limited CD by Tokyo Jupiter Records.
Cousin Silas & the Glove of Bones – Petrichor In Abundance
From the press release at Submarine Broadcasting Company’s Bandcamp site: “Our new release and the last for 2025 is a return for Cousin Silas & the Glove of Bones. “This is either the seventh or eighth CS & GoB collaboration over the last 10 years. The last one being 2022 Continue Reading
Various Artists – taâlem: Homework – Year 9
Belgium’s taâlem Records is one of Belgium’s most venerable labels and one of the world’s best for experimental music in general. This is their ninth edition of tracks collected for the year, and this one has 71 pieces to go through.
Ken Clinger – KC.60
Ken Clinger is one of those Bandcamp artists who release a ton of stuff, but he has quite a few gems in this catalog. This one reminds me of artists like Visage and Gary Numan.