POSTS TAGGED : Ambient

Catching Flies – ‘New Gods ft. Jay Prince and Oscar Jerome’

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London producer Catching Flies is busy prepping the release of a new album and the first fruits of that labour come in the shape of new single, ‘New Gods’.

Joining forces with rapper Jay Prince and multi-instrumentalist Oscar Jerome, together the trio create ‘New Gods’; a warm aural feast of jazzy, soulful and slow-slung, hip-hop grooves. Sweeping electronic textures coalesce with soft drum rhythms, twinkling keys, flourishes of strings and bright flecks of guitar and are smoothly intertwined around the natural spoken rhythms of Jay Prince’s eloquent and thought provoking ponderings. An elegant, beautiful and dreamy blend of perfectly balance sounds, textures and pallets – ‘New Gods’ is a jazz-fueled hip hop lullaby.

That so far unnamed album is expected in late 2018 or early 2019 – for now feast your ears on the wonderful ‘New Gods’.

Alan Maguire – ‘Time is Tension’

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‘Time is Tension’ is the latest single from Dublin producer/musician Alan Maguire.

There is a touch of the epic, dramatic even, as ‘Time is Tension’ simultaneously exudes an aura of ethereal wonderment and suspense building tension. A beautifully crafted exploration, it endeavors to enthrall and captivate, winging your thoughts a million miles away from the dullness of daily drabness. Crisp neon beats, phasing guitars and synths, and deep groove are expertly employed by Maguire to bring about an atmospheric, spacey-disco adventure. Delivered with a deft touch, pin point accuracy and flair for the atmospheric; this is a broody, thought-and-emotion evoking and immersive listening experience. In short; ‘Time is Tension’ will dramatically improve your day, no doubt about it.

Listen to ‘Time is Tension’ below and if that is to your liking, there’s plenty more where that came from, over here.

HART – ‘Mantra’

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HART is a UK-based producer shrouded in mystery and mystique.

Described as an eclectic musical oddball, a dream cloud sweeper, anime come real life and galaxy music decoder from the futures past… little else in the way of information is forthcoming.

What’s lacking in background information is more than made up for by the sheer spectacular brilliance of new single, ‘Mantra’. ‘Mantra’ is a dreamy, cosmic concoction that flutters gracefully in an elegant space between subtly euphoric and vaguely ambient. Fusing euphoric and electronic progression of melodies with nostalgic samples, we are utterly captivated through repeated propulsive beats and swirls, sustained rhythm and tender-hook promise of a euphoric climax – and protracted moments of twinkling crystalline grandeur. ‘Mantra’ is magnificent and transfixing with its crisp frosty elegance that takes you through time and space with an ease and breeze. A hypnotic and chilled sound collage.

You can enjoy ‘Mantra’ below (and enjoy it you will). The Reflective EP is out now, tune in here.

Tomás Novoa – ‘Vuelta al Sol’

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Originally from Chile but currently resident in Berlin, Tomás Novoa has a penchant for heavy basslines, organic rhythms and emotive sounscapes.

Latest single ‘Vuelta al Sol’ is an unhurried aural pleasure, with a touch of a magical, dreamy quality to it. Propelled (dreamily) forward on a smoothed driving techno beat, an intricately woven blend of soothing, alluring and irresistible beats wash over you as a soft sweep of pitter-patter electronics and harmonies are almost hazily pushed to the periphery, as has the smoothed driving techno beat. It is patient, slow-building and reveals itself gradually, fluttering between subtly euphoric and vaguely ambient it promises something spectacular before retracting and inner calm returns. Subtle, soothing and seductive; ‘Vuelta al Sol’ is a delight!

‘Vuelta al Sol’ is lifted from the Berlin-based producer’s 2017 EP Raíces, which is also available for free download here – result, no?

Prepare to be seduced by ‘Vuelta al Sol’ below.

Introducing: Aircraft of Tomorrow

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Aircraft of Tomorrow is a creative collaboration between musician Paul Woodfull and visual designer Alastair Keady.

Paul composes electronic musical landscapes, exploring themes of melody and mood. Alastair independently responds to these musical compositions with visual interpretations.

What’s created is a gorgeous confection of ambient instrumental music that ebbs and flows through lush, atmospheric, cinematic drifts of retro futurism – of which the pair’s debut album entitled Alas Euphoric, boasts with stunning finesse. ‘Metro to Marco’ harnesses a deep, warm, winding synth, hypnotic chiming of keys and floaty atmospheric sounds to create a gripping, transportive and transfixing track, that will consume you. ‘Hundreds Of Eggs’ hypnotises as it pulses slowly and delicately through a gorgeous soft-focus of tick-tock percussion, ethereal synth and steady release of cloudy atmospherics. While ‘Pre & Post Redemption’ sounds like a cinematic soundtrack to a ‘70s BBC sci-fi drama. A gently building, moody and deeply atmospheric blend of ambient, cinematic retro futurism, Aircraft of Tomorrow’s debut record comes highly recommended.

Alas Euphoric is out now & you can stream it here; to get you in the mood, there are a few choice cuts below:

Torin Bell – ‘Rain’

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Rain is the brand new EP from producer Torin Bell; a collection of three dreamy, fluid and tranquil instrumental jams.

Title-track ‘Rain’ captures the essence of what makes this EP such a joy. Shifting along at its own unhurried pace, this fluid piece of off-beat, ambient downtempo electronica floats along, leaving behind it a woozy sense of dreaminess. Joyful, refreshing and oozing of tranquillity with playful melodies, glistening strings providing a faux shower effect, it is the warped synths which are the pièce de résistance on offer here. ‘Rain’, and the rest of the EP, provide a soothing atmosphere of peace and dreamy respite from the trails and tribulations of modernity. And what’s the harm in that? Absolutely none.

No excuses either for not checking Bell’s work. Listen to ‘Rain’ below and the entire Ambient/Downtempo EP is out via Netlabel Electrolyt now. Listen to it here.

Introducing: Little Glass Men

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Little Glass Men is the moniker of San Francisco-based musician/producer Ryan Claus.

Describing his sound as a blend of sampling and synthesis, with live instrumentation, echoing the likes of Mt. Kimbie, Bonobo and Flying Lotus, Claus creates beautiful sound palettes that gently washes over you with ease, leaving you feeling all the better for it. ‘Be So Love’ is both beautiful and tranquil as gently dripping, liquid sounds, dreamily twinkling keys, shimmering synths, flickering clutches of angelic vocal and stuttering percussion that will transport you into the very depths of chill. The beautifully compelling ‘Crystal’ meanwhile, does much the same, transfixing with harmonically rich soundscapes, encapsulating rhythms but with a selection of heavier-hitting beats; this is music that whisks you away, to a place to inspire peace-of-mind. Beautiful, slick and tranquil: ‘Be So Love’ and ‘Cycles’ are both taken from the recent Until It’s Gone EP and demonstrates Little Glass Men’s prowess for world’s of absorbing and relaxing electronic sound.

Check out the two aforementioned tracks below. The EP can be found here.

 

Micronism – ‘Engaging Causeless Mercy’

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‘Engaging Causeless Mercy’ is the second single from the re-mastered re-release Inside A Quiet Mind by New Zealand artist & producer, Micronism.

Apparently dating from 1998 (though entirely new to me) the album was created over two years in bedrooms in Morningside, Kingsland, Mt Eden (NZ) & Brisbane (Australia). Now, almost 20 years later, Micronism (aka Denver McCarthy) is re-releasing a re-mastered version of the album. The tracks are synth dominated, with a sound that falls somewhere between electro/synth, minimal-techno and chilled ambient. Everything with ‘Engaging Causeless Mercy’is head-noddingly mellow, yet transfixing as sounds wash over you waves, in a rather warm and mildly euphoric way. Very pleased to become acquainted with this record, albeit two decades later, it still sounds fantastic!

Check out ‘Engaging Causeless Mercy’ below. The album meanwhile, Inside A Quiet Mind will be released digitally & on Double LP, July 21, 2017. Order it here.

Introducing: Gadget and the Cloud

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Gadget and the Cloud is the moniker of Cork-based producer Kelly Doherty.

The Cork native has a clear preference for the experimental, pushing electronic sounds into ever more interesting settings. Despite the relatively youthful age of the project, the diversity of sound on display from her releases to date, is rather breathtaking. This is the sound of after hours and early mornings; peaceful, reflective and sombre. Doherty’s latest effort ‘And I Told You Something True’, is a jittery, fluttery and angular listen that is both serene and spectral – and ultimately entirely hypnotic. Debut track ‘3600 Seconds’ is just over two minutes of sinister ambience, floaty synth stabs that render the track both disturbing yet upbeat, with its bright hooks and ravey undertones subverted by a general awkwardness. While equally as captivating, ‘You Asked Me Who I Was’ is more in the instrumental hip hop vein. Plenty of quality to delve into here and hopefully plenty more to come soon.

You can check out some choice experimental sounds below. Gadget and the Cloud is playing Open Ear Festival on the June Bank holiday on Sherkin Island – tickets/details here.

Kelly Lee Owens Announces Debut Album, Shares Lead Single ‘Anx’ with Jenny Hval

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Kelly Lee Owens is someone who has been on our radar for some time, with her affecting and continually brilliant creations oscillating somewhere between the avant-garde, pop, techno and almost everything in between.

Needless to say, news that the Welsh-born, London-based artist’s self-titled debut album shall be released on March 24th, is a rather big and exciting deal. Alongside this auspicious news, is entrancing lead single ‘Anx’, featuring Jenny Hval on vocals. This is club music slowed to a slither, with murky electronics, ambient synths, melodic groove and muffled, echoing pulses of bass and broached by Hval’s echoing, ghostly vocals, cascading in an entrancing hypnotic haze. Divine.

Kelly Lee Owen’s self-titled debut is out via Smalltown Supersound on March 24th. You can check ‘Anx’ out below.