Tag: Electronic Music

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Kaelin Bougneit – Geograph

After a few dark albums, I thought I would share something that, while also a bit darker than normal, shows shades of the Berlin School and rather gentle Industrial soundscapes.  Kaelin Bougneit is a composer and label owner (Subviolet Records) based out of Portland, Oregon, and this particular album has elements of not only classic ambient music, but of tones I tie to old TV programs like “In Search Of…” with Leonard Nimoy.  This triggered some pleasant memories for me, indeed.

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Various Artists – New State Of Flux

The second release from Raffaele Pezzella’s Unexplained Sounds Group’s latest acquisition, the magnificently dark Reverse Alignment record label.

This is a different affair from yesterday’s compilation, which was more extreme in sound.  New State of Flux doesn’t have the same reach in terms of geography, but it covers music which is more focused, more intense, and gives a feeling of being part of a film-noir soundtrack.  Of particular interest to me was the piece done by Vongoiva called Palovankka, which you can hear below. Well done, as always.

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Various Artists – Anthology Of Post Industrial Music From Balkan Region

The first of two releases related to our friend Raffaele Pezzella (who performs under the name Sonologyst) for today.

This release from Unexplained Sounds Group is part of a series of compilations of experimental and dark ambient music concentrated in different regions.  This one is particularly special to me as, though my birth city is Los Angeles, those who know me well know that the Balkans has served as a second home to me over the years.  Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Kosovo, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and Albania all seem to be well-represented, and musically, each track is up to Raffaele’s high standards.  This is a fine travelogue for the region’s best new talent.

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Yukihiro Takahashi – Saravah!

This album works on so many levels.  There is a blend of Italian romance, easy listening, French chanson, sophisticated City Pop, bossa nova, a touch of schmaltz, and electro-pop all rolled into one fine album.

Drummer Yukihiro Takahashi had just helped form the Yellow Magic Orchestra after leaving The Sadistic Mika Band at about the time this album came out (circa 1978), and his new bandmates, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Haruomi “Harry” Hosono, ably assisted him in arranging everything from synths and brass.  It’s an elegant album and would appeal greatly to those into everything from crooners like Al Bowlly and Bryan Ferry to synth-pop aficionados.  Compliments to the French specialty label We Want Sounds for such a beautifully done reissue.

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László Hortobágyi – The Amygdala Expedition

This is quite a momentous occasion for me, as áMARXE Records out of Galicia, Spain, release an album by Hungarian composer László Hortobágyi which has been shelved since 1989.  The album was programmed specifically for vinyl, and áMARXE are releasing a small edition of 250 copies, no doubt of high quality.

The story with László Hortobágyi is quite an interesting one, as I used to work many years ago as an A&R manager for Tone Casualties, a record label run by the animator Gábor Csupó, he of Klasky-Csupo, who released such cartoons as The Rugrats and Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, among others.  He was and is an avid collector of experimental music, and we had the change to work with his countryman, László.  During this time, I would contact magazines around the world seeing if we could promote our albums, and I had the pleasure of meeting Rafa Dorado, a fellow Galego and brother in music, then running Margen Magazine.  Thanks to the wonders of social media, we have been able to follow each other again, and it’s an absolute joy to see him releasing such amazing music.

The Amygdala Expedition is exactly what you would expect if you know of Hortobágyi’s work.  It is a combination of progressive rock, Kosmische Musik from a Hungarian slant, but imbued with ritualistic sounds, and bears a heavy influence from his exposure to music from various parts of India.  It is meditative and calming.

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Gadi Sassoon – Multiverse

Gadi Sassoon is an Italian sound designer and composer whose latest release comes from the venerable Los Angeles-based record label A Strangely Isolated Place.  I had only heard one track of his work before, this coming from ASIP’s 2020 Compilation.  Though impressive, it didn’t prepare me for one of the bleakest experiences I’ve had listening to ambient music I’ve had since, perhaps, mid-period Lustmord.  If you listen to this album on headphones, be forewarned: the sounds will reverberate in your bones for a while afterward, and I say this as a compliment.  The tracks swell and disperse in a way that reminded me of the final sequence in Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris.

If this is Gadi’s first album, I’m definitely planning on following up with future releases and reviewing them here.

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Stijn Hüwels & Tomoyoshi Date – 遠き火、遠き雲’ ​(​A Distant Fire​,​ A Distant Cloud)

laaps Records is a French label releasing quality ambient music.  This one seems to be their latest, a calming wash of sounds composed by Belgian composer Stin Hüwels in collaboration with the Brazilian-Japanese composer and sound artist (and emergency room doctor!) Tomoyoshi Date.

The music is a mix of organic and electronic sounds, gentle plonking tones, and a very, very relaxed atmosphere.  This could be music to sleep to, and I mean this as a high compliment.

From their Bandcamp site:

遠き火、遠き雲 (Tōki Hi, Tōki Kumo / A Distant Fire, A Distant Cloud) is the second collaboration by Tomoyoshi Date and Stijn Hüwels.
The album was commissioned by Laaps.

Tomoyoshi Date and Stijn Hüwels met for the first time in 2015 in Tokyo, being introduced to each other by Chihei Hatakeyama. That same evening, they recorded what would later become Hochu-Ekki-Tou, their first album, released on Home Normal in 2019.
For “Tōki hi, tōki kumo”, they teamed up again to create a slow and bright album, using field recordings, processed guitar, piano and synth. The title refers to a poem by Tadahito Ichinoseko, recited by the poet on the album as well.

Tomoyoshi Date creates acoustic and organic sounds with a little touch of digital processing. He began to create electronic music in 1998. In 2003, he forms the group Opitope with Chihei Hatakeyama (released by SPEKK), in 2012 the group ILLUHA with Corey Fuller (released by 12k), and the group Melodia with Federico Durand (Home Normal). His solo albums were released from Flyrec (2009, Japan) and Own Records (2011, Luxembourg). Also he worked as emergency doctor until 2014, and started his ambient oriental medical clinic “Tsuyukusa Clinic” in Tokyo since 2014. Tomoyoshi currently resides in Narita, close to Tokyo.

Stijn Hüwels has a profound fascination for minimalism. He’s using mainly layers of processed guitar and field recordings. He released on Dauw, mAtter, Eilean Rec., Home Normal, White Paddy Mountain and Slowcraft/Lifelines. He released albums in collaboration with Chihei Hatakeyama, Norihito Suda, An Moku and Ian Hawgood. Together with James Murray he forms Silent Vigils. Stijn lives and works in Leuven and Brussels, Belgium. He’s also curating Slaapwel Records since 2014, a label dedicated to music to fall asleep with.

 

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Sailcloth – Woodcut

A pleasant find.  Alex Luquet, the aforementioned Sailcloth, is an American composer based in Pennsylvania who works with a double bass, synthesizers and guitar which, in turn, produce engaging drone-scapes.  The tones are rich, easy to get lost in (you might be picking up on a theme in that I really enjoy letting my mind wander to music – it is the best sort of music for me), and he’s joined by musicians who really seem to be in sync with his playing.  The personnel include:

Alex Luquet: upright bass, keyboards, synthesizers, guitars
Felicia Vee: drums on Red Woods, guitar on Wrens, synth on Grackles
Saher Khan: clarinets on Red Woods and Woodcut
Jasmine Woodson: harp on Red Woods
John Morgan Kimock: drums on Power Station Cinders

A very good Saturday morning listen.  Thanks to Ryan at Lost Tribe Sound for pointing this treasure out to me.  I’m indebted.

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Rami Moscovich – Capsules

As far as electronic music releases go, Rami Moscovich does a nice job straddling Eno-esque ambient with Berlin School vibes reminiscent of 70s-era Tangerine Dream.  The jewel of the crown of this release is the track My Grandmother’s Apartment, where it sounds like Rami’s grandmother is reminiscing about old times in what sounds like Hebrew.  Enjoyable.

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ISQ – Ode To Myself (Arthur Baker Remix)

ISQ are a band based out of London who have managed to carve out a rather nice niche in both the alternative jazz and house music worlds.  In this new release, their track, Ode To Myself, has been remixed by legendary producer Arthur Baker, who has worked his magic with bands like New Order and Afrika Bambaataa.  The vocals are smooth, the beats are warm.  This should make the rounds at all the summer dance hotspots.  If you prefer to hear this on Bandcamp, the song can be accessed here.  It sounds phenomenal as a FLAC file.