November 20, 2016
Fantastic compilation of 1980s library music, compiled By Ed Macfarlane. It features a number of elusive pieces including 'Shining Ice' (1986) by Paul Williams & Andrew Grossart. It was famously sampled by The Future Sound Of London on their album, ISDN.
The compilation is available from Lo Recordings.
November 19, 2016
The shadowy Phono Ghosts drifts back to the forefront of abstract electronica with a richly detailed album on the newly minted and self-operated Fonolith imprint.
Having dropped some of the best Skam releases as Phono Ghosts and under the rather tasty name Meat Bingo (a tribute perhaps to the infamous meat raffles that are a traditional Northern pub feature) Phono commits his own brand of chop 'n' drop synth sounds to wax and the fan fave format cassette. Clocking in at fifteen tracks, Solar Dream Reel perfectly mixes the disco fun(k) of Kerrier District with a strong sensibility that should see him aligned with the new wave sounds of Bok Bok's last EP but matched with the cloak and dagger approach of the best out-on-the-edge 0161 tracks.
Having been rinsing this over recent weeks, our fave's have to be the rotational swerve of Megacycles, or the VSnares going mad in the classic house racks of Iron Tones. Adding depth and variance, pieces like Mystery Lingers As A Branch Of Heaven blend atmospheric synth work with unknown sample sources of gurgling vox and film dialogue. Hands down though, the absolute highlight has to be the album closer Saturation Valley. A low-fi piece that verges on synth-pop, but executed with a rain-sodden sensibility that could easily find its way into the sets of Blackest Ever Black or Optimo.
November 18, 2016
Beautiful new album from long-established American ambient artist. There is a 24Bit edition on his bandcamp page. Robert Rich constructs beautiful worlds once again.
Adrift on slack tide, trending out into the vestiges of fading light. The night that dawns knows nothing of this passing thought. Quietly slipping past the buoys, ever farther from shore's embrace.
November 15, 2016
Brian Eno is due to release a new ambient album on 1st January 2017. You can pre-order it from Bleep and other places.
Brian Eno presents Reflection, his new album on Warp Records.
Reflection follows in the lineage of Brian Eno's long-running collection of 'Ambient' recordings that started with his 1973 collaboration with Robert Fripp, (No Pussyfooting) and 1975's Discreet Music.
Consisting entirely of one long form composition, Reflection mirrors perfectly Brian Eno's idea that 'Ambient' music is a term "to distinguish it from pieces of music that have fixed duration and rhythmically connected, locked together elements".
Due for release on January 1st, Reflection promises to be a much-needed catharsis at the start of a brand new year.
November 13, 2016
Fantastic electro-pop from 1985 produced and engineered by Michael Cretu. The album is a kind of cross between Madonna and Eighth Wonder.