Tag: atmospheric

The Insiders of the In-Between, by Noria Lilt

Quick Picks

Intriguing and intricate experimental breaks from Noria Lilt.

Brought to us by Swiss imprint Strecke records, The Insiders of the In-Between explores the more atmospheric and interpretive side of jungle music.

The word *deconstructed* comes to mind, but I am not sure if that’s quite appropriate. When applied to club music concepts, it often leaves the rhythm fragmented in favor of an exploration of sounds.

Lots of focus turns to textures, as synths and loops flourish over breaks and hardcore bass. Hazy and energetic, sometimes approaching recklessness, only to be grounded once again by intoxicating syncopation of fuzzy percussion against sharp, smacking snares.

Perhaps if we called this *deconstructed rave* it will be passable – because although Noria Lilt takes some truly experimental liberties with the genre, it never gets to the point of fragmentation beyond the groove.

Complete with remixes from Atrice and MSJY for further reinterpretation of the sounds, this record is actually much bigger than it appears. Taking into consideration the very appealing physical package as well, this one should be on your radar if not already in your headphones….

Fresh Batch – June 2021

Fresh Batch

Hello, sweet lovers of music!



Last month had some seriously wonderful drops, and the beat goes on!

The amount of music that is created, released and distributed nowadays can be as breathtaking as it is overwhelming. It’s a constant challenge to keep an open eye, ear and heart for new voices in sound.

Whenever I get overwhelmed, I always remind myself of the days when I was younger and it was much more difficult to discover new music. Scraping the various tags and underbellies of websites like myspace and purevolume – to find people pursuing their creative goals with a DIY spirit…

Fast forward! We really are in an amazing era with incredible tools to create, curate and share to a massive audience, which is inspiring in itself! It’s casual thoughts like this that propel me forward.

Anyway, I have rambled enough! Without further delay, enjoy this months FRESH BATCH!

Continue reading “Fresh Batch – June 2021” →

Pessoa, by Distant Animals

Quick Picks

I use the word “satisfying” often when writing about music to help describe a fulfilling feeling without necessarily having a genre or emotion to assign. Yet again I return to that old well to tell you that Pessoa by Distant Animals is a truly satisfying listen.

Pessoa is a longform textural drone composition – a dense and hearty soundscape, populated with peculiar residents. Over the nearly 40 minute track, the listener traverses this alien world, gravitating towards and floating away from points of interest as they crest the horizon.

Hyperbole aside, it’s a carefully thought-out piece of atmospheric ambience. Sometimes dark, occasionally harsh, but overall presenting a mysterious atmosphere of agoraphobia and anticipation. Perfect for adding texture to your immediate atmosphere, or throw on the headphones and lose yourself in a vast expanse of sound.

You can grab the digital version of this one now from Fallen Moon Recordings!

Fresh Batch – May 2021

Fresh Batch

Hello, gorgeous music-loving folks!



It is that time again….

April brought us a wealth of excellent new sounds.

Things tended to trend on the “Cozy” side this past month – whether grounded in ambience, bedroom pop or some other genre – producers and musicians found themselves harnessing the pleasant rather than the problematic.

Without further delay, enjoy this months FRESH BATCH!

Continue reading “Fresh Batch – May 2021” →

Cause Without Effect, by Information For The Blind

Quick Picks

Raw and wandering post-industrial ambient techno from Information For The Blind (SeisMoGraph).

Cause Without Effect is a beefy 2-track project that certainly feels more like a full EP given the breadth of sonic exploration occurring within the 16-17 minutes of music.

The title track – nearly 10 minutes in length – bounces between dark ambience and experimental electronics with ease, guided by interesting vocals and vocoders. Structures and built up and deconstructed, chugging along to a dark and ominous end.

Meander Patterns offers a more unified vision, opting to solidify itself in a single atmosphere – rhythms and accents swirling around to provide steady progression.

Certainly an interesting listen that you may find yourself returning to. Stream it now on bandcamp or take advantage of the name-your-own-price download.

Flow State, by Zvrra

Quick Picks

The recent EP, Flow State by Illinois based techno producer Zvrra brings us minimalist, driving techno that instantly puts us into the state of, well, flow promised.

The opener, the eponymous Flow State, is crisp, punchy and brittle in equal measure. We’re night-driving through a deserted strip-lighted tunnel in search of some warehouse rave that will never emerge.

Flow State II follows, taking things to an even more minimal place with subtly skittering beats and a menacing bass riff slowly-but-insistently driving us forwards.

Track 3, The Gift of Dexterity, sees a glimmer of albeit-still-quite-icy synths breaking cover over the sparse horizon. The track’s title hints at Zvrra’s ability to deftly introduce new elements to their compositions that keep us hooked whilst never breaking us out of the titular flow state we’re locked into. 

This EP’s closer, The Curse of Dexterity, flips the tone of the first three pieces, introducing a harder, more submerged soundscape with a rapid bass kick and the future-kitsch chirruping of computer systems fluttering in the background.

Zvrra’s ability to keep techno fresh and exciting whilst staying true to its minimalist hypnotic essence makes their music an essential addition to your sonic world.

Opera Mauve, by Tektra

Reviews
Opera Mauve by Tektra Album Artwork

Somber atmospheric lo-fi from Tektra, brought to us by No Agreements as part of their Digital Series.

The tracks are tasteful and unique – claiming to have been produced entirely in one weekend, there is a cohesive energy that flows throughout the project. Despite touching all over the electronic music spectrum, Tektra manages to keep grip on the reins, taming the sounds to suit their needs.

Continue reading “Opera Mauve, by Tektra” →

Walking, by Docetism

Quick Picks

Classic and satisfying dub-techno sounds from Docetism, brought to us by the amazing Nichts records of Poland. Walking is a 5-track EP with each track taking aim at a different angle of dub-techno sound. Perhaps you could call it a master-class in this genre, just because the style and essence is boiled down appropriately from track to track. Deep pulsing sub-bass, echoing and pulsing plucks, all wrapped up in lush crispy atmospherics. It’s a clever little collection of tracks, and will find a nice home in any collection…

Dream Mediations, by Covolux

Quick Picks

Somewhere inbetween the tops of clouds and the beginning of the starry sky exists “Dream Mediations” – an album by Covolux released by Earthrid Records.

Beautiful ambient-drone compositions with a big emotional injection. Often such ethereal productions can lean in one direction or the other, being steeped in nostalgic melancholy or otherwise totally void of humanity opting for a more studious view – here in Dream Mediations I find a wonderful balance of the two.

With the bulk of the sounds being triumphant and compassionate, Covolux lulls the listener into a comfortable state – the perfect de-arming to swoop in and take control of our minds, steering us around the landscape and showing us personal highlights. Atmospheric turns into a too-good descriptor, as I found each composition instilling me with a sense of flight, as if I were in a waking dream – able to launch off and glide above my surroundings at any moment…

Overall the album is a very relaxing listen, and would be quite at home during a personal meditation session or calm rainy mornings. Blissful drones give way to more energy and movement in tracks such as “Acts of Kindness”, which fully embraces the orchestral instrumentation of the project and steers head-on into modern classical territory – while slightly out of place with the rest of the tracks, it’s turned into one of my favorites!

You can download and stream the album for free or name-your-own-price via Earthrid’s Bandcamp page!

Ileus, by Daniel[i]

Quick Picks

Lowless Records presents us with this lovely dub techno 4-track EP by Daniel[i]. Lush and vibrant while maintaining a nice relaxed atmosphere, Ileus is a hypnotically atmospheric project with satisfying depth.

Exploring different corners of deep techno and soundscape electronics, Daniel[i] builds off foundations of soft rhythmic elements, layered meticulously with luscious pads and synths sprinkled around. A wonderful balance of light and dark – that subtle melancholy vibe I adore so much.

Unfortunately the Vinyl has already sold out – but you can stream the release and purchase the digital version still via bandcamp!