Category Archives: Ambient
MOEBIUS STORY LEIDECKER-FAMILIAR.
Moebius Story Leidecker-Familiar. Label: Bureau B. It was in early 2012 when sound artist Jon Leidecker first phoned Dieter Moebius and Tim Story to invite the pair to visit him in a studio high in the mountains of Montana, where they would spend a week recording together. This was unusual because by 2012, most collaborations …
ERLAND DAHLEN-CLOCKS.
Erland Dahlen-Clocks. Label: Hubro Music. For the last three decades, forty-six year old drummer and percussionist Erland Dahlen has been regarded as one of Norway’s top drummers. He’s the drummer’s drummer, and the man who the great and good of Norwegian music go to when they’re looking for a drummer. As a result, Erland Dahlen …
YASUAKI SHIMIZU-MUSIC FOR COMMERCIALS: MADE TO MEASURE VOLUME 12.
Yasuaki Shimizu-Music For Commercials: Made To Measure Volume 12. Label: Crammed Discs. Thirty years ago, in 1987, Marc Hollander’s label, Crammed Discs, released an album that went on become one of their most sought after releases. This was Yasuaki Shimizu’s Music For Commercials, which featured a total of twenty-four tracks. Twenty-three of them were short …
OLAFUR ARNALDS-EULOGY FOR EVOLUTION.
Ólafur Arnalds-Eulogy For Evolution. Label: Erased Tapes Records. When most people reach the age of thirty, it’s a time when they take stock, and reflect on what they’ve achieved so far. When composer, multi-instrumentalist and BAFTA-award- winning producer Ólafur Arnalds looked back at the first thirty years of his life, there was much to celebrate. He …
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MUSICAL MAVERICK AND INNOVATOR HOLGER CZUKAY.
The Life and Times Of Musical Maverick and Innovator Holger Czukay. Although the word innovator is one of the most overused words in the English language nowadays, it perfectly describes Holger Czukay who cofounded Can in 1968. This was the start of a near fifty year career where Holger Czukay continued to make groundbreaking music, and push musical boundaries to their limits, and …
PHONOPHANI ANIMAL IMAGINATION.
Phonophani-Animal Imagination. Label: Hubro Music. Just like many other Norwegian musicians, Espen Sommer Eide has always divided his time between a variety of different projects. That has been the case throughout a career that has spanned three decades. It’s certainly been the case since 2010, when Phonophani, which is Espen Sommer Eide’s occasional musical moniker, …
BEN LUKAS BOYSEN AND SEBASTIAN PLANO-EVERYTHING.
Ben Lukas Boysen and Sebastian Plano-Everything. Label: Erased Tapes Records. Nowadays, not every musician dreams of embarking upon a career as a rock star, and leading a life where many people think that excess and debauchery are the norm. That used to be the case during the golden age of rock, when bands survived tours …
MOGWAI-EVERY COUNTRY’S SUN-INDIES ONLY VINYL EDITION.
Mogwai-Every Country’s Sun-Indies Only Vinyl Edition. Label:Rock Action Records. It’s safe to say that 2017 hasn’t been a vintage year for Scottish music. Instead, much of the music released during the first nine months of the year has been mediocre at best. That comes as no surprise, as there was a similar problem last year. …
DIETER MOEBIUS-KRAM AND DING.
Dieter Moebius-Kram and Ding. Label: Bureau B. Ten years after Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius formed Cluster in 1971, the first chapter in the Cluster story drew to a close 1981, after the release of their seventh studio album, Curiosum. Hans-Joachim Roedelius said: “Cluster had run its course. We decided to concentrate on other projects. …
GALACTIC EXPLORERS-EPITAPH FOR VENUS.
Galactic Explorers-Epitaph For Venus. Label: Mental Experience. In October of 2016, Mental Experience, an imprint of Guerssen Records released Cologne Curiosities-The Unknown Krautrock Underground 1972-1976, which featured seven tracks from the Pyramid Records’ vaults. The compilation was a musical amuse-bouche, that allowed music fans to experience a tantalising taste of the music that Pyramid Records’ …
MAGNETBAND-EXPERIMENTELLER ELEKTRONIK-UNDERGROUND DDR 1984-1989.
Magnetband-Experimenteller Elektronik-Underground DDR 1984-1989. Label: Bureau B. Between 1984 and 1989, a new D. I. Y. scene sprung up on both sides of the Berlin Wall. This new scene was inspired by both punk and post punk, and saw the participants in East and West Germany distribute their music on cassette. It was the ideal …
MOGWAI-THIRTEEN NOT OUT.
Mogwai-Thirteen Not Out. As Scottish post rock pioneers Mogwai prepare for the release of their ninth studio album Every Country’s Sun, on their own Rock Action Record, on ‘1st’ of September 2017, it’s hard to believe that twenty-two years have passed since they released their debut single. Since then, Mogwai have released eight, soon to be nine studio albums, four soundtracks. …
MIKI YUI-DUAL (HOLLOW).
Miki Yui-Dual (Hollow). Label: Soft Error. For the best part of fifty years, Scotland has had a vibrant music scene, that has produced many successful artists and bands. They’ve enjoyed success both at home, and abroad. However, to make a breakthrough, many artists and bands had to move to London, which was where the major labels …
THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF MICHAEL ROTHER.
The Life and Music Of Michael Rother. During the early seventies, the German music scene was thriving, and was one of the most vibrant in Europe. Some of the most influential and innovative music was being accorded released by German bands. This included the holy trinity of Can, Kraftwerk and Neu!. Along with Amon Düül II, Ashra, …
ESMARK-MARA I AND MARA II.
Esmark-Māra I and Māra II. Label: Bureau B. On the ‘27th’ of July 2017, Esmark, the collaboration between sound architect Nikolai von Sallwitz and experimental artist Alsen Rau will join what is one of the most exclusive clubs in music. Its members include musical luminaries like Frank Zappa, Tom Waits, Guns N’ Roses, Bruce Springsteen …
SCHNEIDER KACIREK-RADIUS WALK.
Schneider Kacirek-Radius Walk. Label: Bureau B. As 2015 dawned, a new musical partnership prepared to release their debut album. This new partnership featured two experienced, talented and pioneering musicians, who were, and still are, among the leading lights of Germany’s thriving music scene. Stefan Schneider was based in Düsseldorf, while Sven Kacirek called Hamburg home. …
SPACE, ENERGY AND LIGHT-EXPERIMENTAL ELECTRONIC AND ACOUSTIC SOUNDSCAPES 1961-88.
Space, Energy and Light-Experimental Electronic and Acoustic Soundscapes 1961-88. Label: Soul Jazz Records One of the most eagerly awaited compilations of recent months is a collection of soundscapes from Soul Jazz Records entitled Space, Energy and Light-Experimental Electronic and Acoustic Soundscapes 1961-88. These fourteen soundscapes were all created by musical pioneers. The story starts in …
CAN-THE SINGLES.
Can-The Singles. After releasing eleven albums in eleven years, Can called time on their career in 1979. By then, Can were rightly regarded by critics as one of the most important, influential and innovative bands of the Krautrock era. However, like many of the Krautrock bands, Can hadn’t enjoyed the commercial success that their music …
Katharina Grosse and Stefan Schneider-Tiergarten.
Katharina Grosse and Stefan Schneider-Tiergarten. Label: TAL. Nowadays, musical collaborations are much more commonplace than ever before. Partly, that is because of the new musical technology that is available to artists. This has totally transformed the way that albums are now recorded. It’s now possible to record an album on a laptop using just a …
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