Category: Experimental

Hainbach – Schwebungssummer

Post author By Luke Sanger
Post date January 20, 2021

Misc. – Release: Jan 18th

Hainback grows some ripe and juicy waveforms, ready for the picking.

Most synth nerds will know Hainbach from the internets. He makes consistently interesting videos on youtube involving esoteric, hard-to-find and rare electronic devices and instruments. Unlike many synth ‘youtubers’, he actually makes decent tracks as well!

‘Schwebungssummer’ is a 6 track EP based on primitive, revolving techno-esque pulses and some quite dark, discordant pads underpinning them. Quite unlike his previous releases and sounding much more musically distinct. The raw synths are sequenced (or triggered?!) in a organic and pulsating way, that reminds me of Luke Abbott’s first LP ‘Holkham Drones’. Based on the album art, at least some of the sounds are likely to be generated from some of his obscure audio test equipment. The heavy synth theme continues throughout, with only some piano(?) motifs rising out from the squelch in the final ‘It Will Stay Dark’.

I’ve ordered the vinyl and I’m holding off listening to the digital too much, so I can enjoy this in all it’s properly mastered glory.

Order now at bandcamp

Ambient Experimental Review

Asher Levitas & Hannah Archambault – Nous N’étions Jamais Vraiment Là

Post author By Luke Sanger
Post date January 7, 2021

Line Explorations – 22nd Jan 2021

As we adapt to new ways of existence, projects and collaborations need to evolve alongside. Remote working is not a necessity confined to people working office jobs, but artists and musicians too.

Experimental Review

Tyler Neidermayer – This Isn’t You

Post author By Luke Sanger
Post date December 8, 2020

Self-release 4/12/20

Vibrant electro-acoustic bass clarinet works from Tyler Neidermayer. Varied tones, textures and injections of noise to be found here, with a frankly outrageous opening 01:36 minutes to the EP.

In his words “I compose all my music through ableton live. In my studio space I’ll usually start off recording some improvisations on my clarinets and cut up samples to stretch, manipulate and make new instruments with, and from there build up the form of how I want the piece to flow. As I write I’m always thinking about how these pieces will work in live contexts and how to make these studio productions into performances. I use mics on my clarinets live along with midi controllers (push, softstep) to either capture the sound and build as I would in the studio, or to take what I’ve already made and play that fixed sound as a live instrument. This Isn’t You allowed me to explore this boundary of what is or isn’t a clarinet and place myself and my sound into new identities.”

Grab the EP and follow his future releases on band camp.

Ambient Beats Experimental Premiere

PREMIERE: Grey Skies – Heavy Burden

Post author By Luke Sanger
Post date November 24, 2020
1 Comment on PREMIERE: Grey Skies – Heavy Burden

Flatland Frequencies · PREMIERE: Grey Skies – Heavy Burden

Here we have an exclusive premiere of ‘Heavy Burden’, from Greek musician Elias Smilios. Taken from his upcoming release as Grey Skies – Year is an album that creates wonderfully bent landscapes of mysterious worlds. More to come from this producer and this special album, soon on the blog. In the meantime, let this piece soundtrack the Autumn as it rolls in.

Ambient Experimental Review Synth

Miracle Pond – December Doubles!

Post author By Luke Sanger
Post date November 16, 2020

ADVANCE WARNING: Miracle Pond are dropping two new cassettes on 4th December:

Plastic Moonrise (aka Catherine Norris) – ‘Party of Dreamers‘

Time Attendant and Dolly Dolly (aka Paul Snowdon and David Yates) – ‘Subtle Bodies’

As with all their releases, these things sell fast, so stay frosty and don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Ambient Experimental Review

Various – The Quietened Dream Palace

Post author By Luke Sanger
Post date November 16, 2020
1 Comment on Various – The Quietened Dream Palace

A Year In The Country – Release: 17th Nov 2020

One of the UK’s most intriguing labels, A Year In The Country releases albums with both regularity and mystery. Conceptually the label appears to exist in an intersection between music, folklore and science fiction. With amazingly produced products that go beyond the music itself. However this isn’t style over substance, or an after attempt to attach more meaning to a piece of music, as the themes are intrinsically linked between both audio and visual elements.

The Quietened Dream Palace their latest offering and teh last of 2020 for the label. It focuses on the an exploration of closed down cinemas, including those which have been abandoned, become derelict, reopened as something new or demolished and there is little or no trace of any more.

In their words:

Experimental Review

Loula Yorke – Crowd Control Vol 2

Post author By Luke Sanger
Post date November 16, 2020

Tigerforce Records – Release: 4/12/20

Having recently scooped up an Oram award, presented by PRS Foundation and The New BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Loula Yorke follows up on the improvised Crowd Control V0l.1 with a more considered studio selection of bustling drones, noise, algorithmic generation and granular processing.

Keep an eye on her bandcamp for details on ordering.

Ambient Experimental Review

Benge – Loop Series (One: BUCHLA 100)

Post author By Luke Sanger
Post date November 9, 2020
1 Comment on Benge – Loop Series (One: BUCHLA 100)

Randomly stumbled on a tweet recommending this release from a few years ago, made entirely on a 1960’s Buchla 100 system. Glad I did, as it’s very very nice indeed! Pure tones and drones, without any overzealous reverbs masking those tasty analogue waveforms!

Check it out here (and chuck em a few quid)

Ambient Beats Experimental Review

Bass Clef – Maze Greys

Post author By Luke Sanger
Post date November 9, 2020

Four tracks of long form, linear compositions. There’s something quite modern and ‘techno’ about the sound design in these tracks, very up-front and clean, with the structure powering through from A to B. Quite refreshing for fairly long tracks to have the feeling of propulsion, without any tendency for meandering off the track.

Grab is now on the Frequency Domain bandcamp

Art Experimental Review

Loula Yorke – Crowd Control Vol.1

Post author By Luke Sanger
Post date October 7, 2020

Tigerforce Records – Oct 10th 2020

Crowd Control Vol.1 is a more thematic and focused offering from Suffolk based sound artist Loula Yorke, in comparison to her more techno-orientated output in ‘Ldols’.

The topic of surveillance capitalism covers the use of digital products such as social media, as a means of surveillance and corporate influence. The term was coined by the work of Harvard professor Shoshana Zuboff and is also regularly covered by Silicon Valley commentator Jaron Larnier.