Categories
Ambient Drone Experimental Minimal Musique Concrète Synth

Luke Sanger prepares new LP ‘Languid Gongue’ on Balmat

Balmat – Release: August 13th 2021

Balmat’s first release comes from Luke Sanger, a Norwich, UK-based artist whose two decades of electronic music-making have encompassed a range of tools and techniques, from MaxMSP to modular synthesis. Along the way he has built an extensive catalog encompassing ambient atmospheres, abstract soundscaping, and more. With Languid Gongue, he puts multiple approaches into play. Experiments in microtonal composition balance out pieces in standard tunings, while esoteric electronic machines merge with familiar acoustic treatments and microphone techniques. 

The result is a constellation of his signature sounds: freeform new-age fantasia; spring-loaded toytronic arpeggios; quartz-driven braindance clockworks. Drifting between consonant, almost lyrical compositions and shape-shifting textural sketches, the album drifts with the nonchalance of a sky-high cirrus cloud, and it glows as if illuminated from within. When we heard the material, we knew that it was the perfect choice to launch the label. To us, it sounds like a roadmap for points unknown.

Pre-order now via Balmat

Categories
Ambient Experimental Musique Concrète Radio

LUKE SANGER – MUTANT RADIO 19/5/21

Mutant Radio · Luke Sanger [Flatland Frequencies] [19.05.2021]

Playlist:

Vanessa Valencia RamosPlantas Medicinales Contra el Patriarcado
白水 BaishuiStranded
Ishmael CormackCritter
José Alfredo Rodríguezvistiendo a un hombre muerto
Ishmael CormackDandelion
Fiorella16Laura En Su Laberinto
XylitolPopcone
#DMTh5XXXX XXXX XXX XXX
Luke SangerYour Session Has Ended
XylitolBusiness Direct
孫瑋 Sun WeiElectromagnetic wave and vibration in Wetland Park
李帶菓 Li DaiguoChengdu Tuberculosis Hospital
Ali WadeDemons
Vavabond胎藏
Malanai Ascending (Seahawks Remix)Private Agenda
Categories
Ambient Drone Experimental Review Synth

Storming Heaven / Demons – The Transcendence Orchestra / Ali Wade

Frequency Domain – June 2021

Split cassette featuring two long form jams from drone duo The Transcendance Orchestra (aka Daniel Bean and Anthony Child) and label owner Ali Wade.

The A-Side features five melded movements: entrance, acceleration, abstraction, revelation and obliteration. Which range from contemplative tones, to hyper spatial widescreen drones. Flipping for Demon’s and Wade goes on an off-grid excursion, visiting some varied and impeccably produced textures, from clean and shiny, to the soft and clouded.

Looks like this is already sold out, that was quick. Digi still available on their Bandcamp.

Categories
Ambient Experimental Review Synth

Woodford Halse – Upcoming Cassette and CD Drops!

It’s hard to keep up with all the amazing DIY labels these days. Woodford Halse is one particularly prolific outfit, releasing a couple of tapes and CDs every month. Here’s a quick round up of what to expect in June/July 2021.

As usual, lots of music from the label features in our monthly radio show. Pick of the bunch for me is the Xylitol tape ‘Inside a Stone of Cream there is a Language’, with bubbling resonant synth tracks like Popcorn evoking some serious Raymond Scott vibes and mellow library-esque moments with Business Direct.

Consider this post a heads up, as generally these releases sell out on pre-orders, so stay frosty people and keep an eye on their Bandcamp.

Artist – Giants of Discovery (UK)
Title – Orpheus
Label – Woodford Halse
Catalogue Number – WF 32
Format – Cassette album with multi layered artwork (die cut outer sleeve, die cut j card and ‘cigarette card’ insert). 
Pre Orders – 4th June
Genre – Electronic, Ambient, Soundscape
Artist – Ffion (UK)
Title – Sessile
Label – Woodford Halse
Catalogue Number – WF 29
Format – Cassette album with multi layered artwork (die cut outer sleeve, die cut j card and ‘cigarette card’ insert). 
Pre Orders – 4th June
Genre – Electronic, Techno, Ambient
Artist – Quiet Clapping (Cork, Ireland)
Title – The Abbey of the Black Hag
Label – Woodford Halse
Catalogue Number – WF 41
Format – CD album with multi layered artwork (die cut outer sleeve, ‘cigarette card’ insert and booklet). 
Pre Orders – 2nd July
Genre – Ambient, Drone, Experimental, Minimalism, Post Rock
Artist – Xylitol (Brighton, UK)
Title – Inside a Stone of Cream there is a Language
Label – Woodford Halse
Catalogue Number – WF 30
Format – Cassette album with multi layered artwork (die cut outer sleeve, die cut j card and ‘cigarette card’ insert). 
Pre Orders – 2nd July
Genre – Electronic, Lo-Fi, Minimal Synth, NDW
Artist – Salvatore Mercatante (New York)
Title – Tre Sfere
Label – Woodford Halse
Catalogue Number – WF 26
Format – Cassette album with multi layered artwork (die cut outer sleeve, die cut j card and ‘cigarette card’ insert). 
Pre Orders – 4th June
Genre – Electronic, Techno

Categories
Ambient Art Drone Experimental Musique Concrète Review Synth

CHINA Sound Mapping: Anthology Of Experimental Music From CHINA

Unexplained Sounds: May 2021

Since free market reforms and opening up to foreign trade in the late 1970s, China has been among the world’s fastest-growing economies. Along with pulling 800 million people out of poverty, it has also become the world’s largest economy and with it a growing cultural and arts scene.

China’s experimental music and sound art scene began to take shape in the post-Tiananmen era in the late 1990s. A few musicians from the mainland’s underground music scene started to experiment with new ways of making music while the music industry co-opted the once revolutionary and independent rock music scene.

This particular collection of pieces runs the gamut of experimental styles, from music concrete to drones, arpeggiated synth pieces to field recordings. All achieved in a pure and focused dedication to the sound. A really stunning anthology musically and excellent curation from the label.

Recommended.

Categories
Ambient Live

Polypores – Live @ The Ferret

New livestream from Polypores online, check it:

Categories
Ambient Dub Radio

Jeran Portis – Mutant Radio 14/4/21

Aura Minimum – Structural Lines (Ambience) [Space Of Variants]

Liuos – Gravimetric Analysis [Insectorama]

Schulz Audio – Perseverance [Insectorama]

Natur & Substak – Fusion Dub III [ODrex]

Altone – Touch [Insectorama]

DeepChord – DC14 (A1) [DeepChord]

Heavenchord – The Way I See It [Greyscale]

Fluxion – Waves [Echocord]

Monolake – Occam [Chain Reaction]

23.4 – Initial Ratio [Insectorama]

Mikkel Metal – Frico [Echocord]

Categories
Ambient Article Experimental House Synth Techno

Bandcamp Friday Roundup

In case you’ve been living under a virtual rock, ‘Bandcamp Friday’ is where the website waives their commision fees for a day each month.

On one hand, this results in every artist with an instagram account shouting further into the void. But on the other, labels and artists are now planning their release schedule around this day, to capitalise on releasing and pre-releasing new music. So it is certainly worth a dig!

Here’s our top picks from yesterdays busy, yet fruitful Bandcamp Friday (2nd April 2021).

Polypores – Shpongos

Black Girl / White Girl – Hyper Reality

Benge – Syndrones and Syntones

Apologist – Air Foundry

Ben Pest – On The Three

Dexorcist – Body Clock EP

Categories
Ambient Experimental Industrial Minimal Wave Radio Synth

Sseagulls – Mutant Radio 13/3/21

Mutant Radio · Sseagulls [Flatland Frequencies] [13.03.2021]
Zoe De Souza Clearwater
Nick IngmanLazy River 1
Tim BurnessTouch Together
Duncan MacKay Gin Sing
Cath BaxterCanon in D
Wolfgang KaferSpellbound
Orchestra ArcanaLife Class
Jimi BazookaCountryman Pt 2
Anaalivaihe0.11.2012 (Gatto Fritto Edit)
Dane CloseJohnny Hatez Jizz
Soft RocksThe Crazy Frog
Tarjei NygardSuratkorps (Target’s Handarbeidsversjon)
Klaus KrugerMetallic
John Cooper Clarke(I Married A) Monster From Outer Space
Man from UranusAeroplane to Australia
The MetronomesSex I
Tombo no YuMineral
Ash Black BuffloGo ‘way Old Ghosts
Lewis HunterBye Then
Categories
Ambient Electro Experimental Radio Synth

Luke Sanger – Mutant Radio 13/3/21

Mutant Radio · Luke Sanger [Flatland Frequencies] [13.03.2021]
Gareth E Rees & PolyporesEverything is Interesting
Lewis HunterBuilds Ago Ekei
ApologistNo Closer Than The Moon
Passepartout DuoEpigram III
Me Lost MeNightingale (accapella)
Dead LegA Series of Embrasures
Andrew TuttleAscending Spring Clean
Passepartout DuoEpigram V
Lewis Hunter Bye Then
ApotekAwake
LampeoDying Energy
ApologistSignals
Controlled WeirdnessDrifting Through The Streets
Gareth E Rees & PolyporesDream Motion Trip