Zach Frizzell's Indianapolis (US) based label, Past Inside The Present, has been an incredible force in the last couple of years in the ambient community. So much so that when I was putting the finishing touches on my own album and thought about the best home for it, PITP sprang to mind first. You may think that I'm singing praises here as a result of that, but if you flip through its impressive catalogue, you will immediately notice the quality output from artists such as ASC, 36, bvdub, Lav, Wil Bolton, Pepo Galán, Slow Dancing Society, Celer, Purl, r beny, Endless Melancholy, From Overseas, and ... too many others to name here... and that's just in the last few years! Opening its doors in only 2018, this American imprint has established itself as one of the leading voices on the scene. It's almost hard to keep up! And I'm not even mentioning here Zach's offshoot for his own works, Zakè Drone Recordings, or a digital-only sub-label called Fallen Moon Recordings, or a sonic platform called Healing Sound Propagandist. The stellar creations that found themselves on Past Inside the Present have appeared numerous times in HC's End of the Year selections since the launch, so it's only fitting to have Zach showcase the upcoming output through this exclusive mix. Enjoy the journey, and as always, please support the label!

Sorry, zakè has concealed all artist names. Track titles and timestamps are available here: https://hcdi.gs/pitf

Mixes

Past Inside the Future Mix

zakè - Past Inside the Future Mix

Hot on the heels of their acclaimed second album, Iris, One Million Eyes unveil their latest work, Polaris. This new album is a rich tapestry of analog and instrumental elements, creating a vibrant and dynamic experience.

Formerly known as Tempelhof (where they collaborated with artists like Gigi Masin), Luciano Ermondi and Paolo Mazzacani created One Million Eyes upon the realizing they needed a new creative outlet to rekindle their passion for making music. This new project allowed them to approach their instruments and influences untethered to the body of work and inhibitions of their past. What results is a shimmering, energetic current of organic instrumentation and analog synthesizers that carries us on a meditative journey through interior landscapes.

Polaris

One Million Eyes - Koala

I Invite you to listen to this preview of my live set at Plex Athens on June 19th, presenting the "We Carry Eden" album. 

It starts with a loop from my Sakamoto Tribute live set at Mostra Barcelona (2023). You will hear samples from “Do not Stand at my Grave and Weep” (Mary Elizabeth Frye), read by Tom O'Bedlam. I added  vocal samples by Dunya Yunis. You might know her from the “My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts” album by Brian Eno and David Byrne. The fieldrecordings are from the Kallikatsou (Patmos) by Ioannis Nikolaou.

As always when i prepare a live set i make loops and collect samples. This time i sampled from some artists i connected to on instagram. The basic scape for the 2nd movement (3.00 min) comes from Eirini Zacharaki from Athens who sent me her 1st ever electronic noise experiment. I also added a rhythm loop from a track by an artist called Zebra (Alexis Georgopoulos). 

The direction and theme for this live set came (as usual) unexpected when i saw a post on instagram where Richard Gere reads the poem “Think Of Others” by the great Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish (scroll down for the complete text). These dark days we live in you wonder what you could actually do. The answer comes with this poem (taken from a live poetry reading of Darwish:

“As you think of others far away, think of yourself and say: If only I were a candle in the dark”.

At 5.30 min Omar Ka joins this preview. He does the Fulani storytelling (and chanting) on the We Carry Eden album. He also introduces the next piece (6.30 min). The music comes from a bonus track of the “Seven Years At The Chi Factory” CD i recently released. The vocal is by the American poet Robert Lax, who lived the 2nd part of his life on Patmos, Greece. He also opens the We Carry Eden album saying:

“You have to have the habit of working on the project all the time and then the good moments come along  by themselves, as happy surprises and as graces, but eh, so you put yourself in a eh, in a place where grace can flow to you”.

At 08.20 min we move into a preview of a new album i’m working on with Radboud Mens (to be released by Music From Memory in 2026 TBA). First Mahmoud Darwish returns with: “Say: If only I were a candle in the dark”.

Then ( at 9.20 min) you hear the voice of Richard Gere (who also used to live on Patmos) reciting an English translation of “Think Of Others”. 

Finally (at 10.40 min) we return to the Kallikatsou. The music comes from my album “The Kallikatsou Recordings”. The vocals are taken from a Youtube video by a young Palestinian girl Rahaf Nasser, using her passion for music to comfort the traumatized children on the streets of Gaza. 

It's all about being a "Candle In The Dark". The preview closes (again) with field recordings from The Kallikatsou, Patmos by Ioannis Nikolaou who run the Underflow Record Store in Athens the last years. Recently he sadly passed away, so this mix is also a tribute to him. The spoken word in the outro is by his good friend Spyro Papanastassiou.

All we can do is keep spreading love, peace, hope and comfort. To respect, protect and preserve truth and stand strong in unity. One love!

"Think of Others" by Mahmoud Darwish, translated by Mohammed Shaheen

As you prepare your breakfast, think of others
Do not forget the pigeon's food
As you conduct your wars, think of others
Do not forget those who seek peace
As you pay your water bill, think of others
Those who are nursed by clouds
As you return home, to your home, think of others
Do not forget the people of the camps
As you sleep and count the stars, think of others
Those who have nowhere to sleep
As you liberate yourself in metaphor, think of others
those who have lost the right to speak
As you think of others far away, think of yourself and say: 
If only I were a candle in the dark

Join us in Athens:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1813791775862552/
Listen to 'We Carry Eden'
https://chifactory.bandcamp.com/album/we-carry-eden-feat-omar-ka

A Candle In The Dark (preview of a live set)

Here is my dub techno track "Neon and Rain" that is part of my "Large Air" EP. I hope you Enjoy :) Would love to hear your thoughts ?

Large Air

Neon and Rain (ROHS! Records)

Xero Xerco Sonic Meditation: TOSKA
— Jin Invites Series #23 —

This DJ set was recorded live at Xero Xerco’s Sonic Meditation on January 18, 2025, at C-Lab Taipei. The event featured an immersive 49.4-channel speaker array and was curated by Jin Synth and CSSSS.

Mix Page:
www.jinsynth.com/toska

— Artist Intro —

@toska-tw

TOSKA is the DJ name of Wei Hsu. The inspiration comes from an indescribable emotional state, combining anxiety, psychological torment, and the abstract meaning of deep longing. Twelve years ago, he began exploring underground electronic music and gradually found his own voice within a diverse range of styles, including drum & bass, tribal, breakbeat, dark techno, dub techno, industrial, and minimal, among other avant-garde music genres. In this performance, he reinterpreted sound in an entirely ambient form, brought a new experience between the boundaries of emotion and atmosphere, allowing the audience to explore a deeper sonic context.

--------------------------------------------

Artwork Graphic: CSSSS
Layout: Jin Synth

#ambient #experimental #sonicmeditation #djset

Xero Xerco Sonic Meditation: TOSKA (18.01.25)

After decades of chasing, accumulating, and then sharing new music with you, I think I've hit some saturation point. I think I'm done spinning in the vortex of the "new", being pulled in all directions, catching up on all the "fresh" and "innovative" tracks. I'm not saying that I will stop covering new music. No. But I think I'll focus the virtual lens of my listening on a very narrow point, investing my time and attention over more extended periods. I think I will turn inwards... towards music and the artists that genuinely make me feel. This is the case with Rafael Anton Irisarri's A Fragile Geography, an album from 2015, which captured my attention then as it does now, triggering memories, triggering thoughts, and emotion. A decade ago, during a move between coasts, Rafael lost his possessions - stolen with the moving truck - along with all his audio archives, forcing him to rebuild his studio and sound from the ground up. The pain of this loss is reflected in almost every single track on the album. This music is slightly dark and melancholic. It's visceral, and it gets under your skin. And there it stays with you for ages. Becoming part of you, becoming part of your existence.

On September 19th, the album will be reissued, beautifully remastered by Stephan Mathieu at his Schwebung studio, along with a limited edition cassette of remixes by the most renowned artists, handpicked by Rafael. "This record has always been about letting go of one life and rebuilding another", says Irisarri, "It feels fitting to return to it now - ten years later, in a different country, a different world." These reworks are worthy of your precious awareness as well. I know that there are more than a few in the pipeline (at least six), which will be revealed one at a time. As of this writing, there is already a gorgeous rework by the one and only William Basinski, with his version of "Secretly Wishing For Rain" with Gary Thomas Wright, which incorporates field recordings of Reseda rain and birds captured by Basinski himself. You can check out a digital stream of that track here. *BUT!* Today, I am premiering for you a second rework by Abul Mogard! This piece bears not only the original elements of "Persistence" but, of course, Guido's extremely personal touch that breathes new life into this sound.

Head over to headphonecommute.com to read more about this release, including a quote from Abul Mogard on the rework.

TRACK PREMIERE : Rafael Anton Irisarri - Persistence (Abul Mogard rework)

isolatedmix60 - https://soundcloud.com/poryahatami

For more info and download visit: http://asip.me/isolatedmix60

01. Shuttle358 - Frame  (Frame) [12k]
02. Modul - Kkun I  (Isol) [Raster Noton]
03. SND - 00039 d.6  (Stdio) [Mille Plateaux]
04. Robert Lippok - Open (Open Close Open) [Raster Noton]
05. Farben - Bayreuth (Textstar) [Klang Electronik]
06. Porya Hatami - White Forest (Purl remix)  (Shallow Remixes) [Dewtone]
07. Markus Guentner - Der Wustenplanet  (1981) [Kompakt]
08. Porya Hatami - After the rain (The Green Kingdom Remix)  (Shallow Remixes) [Dewtone]
09. Gas - Königsforst 04  (Königsforst) [Mille Plateaux]
10. Gramm - Type Eins (Personal Rock) [Source Records]
11. Jan Jelinek - Tendency (Loop Finding Jazz records) [~scape]

Download

isolatedmix 60 - Porya Hatami

Title track from "Open To The Sea" by ENRICO CONIGLIO & MATTEO UGGERI 

Out on Jylu 7th on Dronarivm
available for pre-order here: https://dronarivm.bandcamp.com/album/open-to-the-sea

Guest vocal by Lau Nau.

“Open To The Sea” is the result of fruitful email conversation between two italian artists Enrico Coniglio and Matteo Uggeri. Sweet and minimal melodies on piano, organ and guitar of Enrico meet the efforts on trumpet and drums by Matteo, whose electronics treatment and delicate beats provide the solid ground to a music that seems a perfect match, unusual and at times brilliant, of the two artists’ sensibility. “Open To The Sea” explores a variety of merging organic sounds where the calm and intimate feel of the album is disrupt by incursions of gentle noises and sometimes curious juxtapositions. The contribution of several guests, including vocals by Comaneci, Lau Nau, Violeta Päivänkakkara and British actor John Guilor, enrich the acoustic palettes of the record. Drops of additional brass by Fabio Ricci (Vonneumann), electronics by Giulio Aldinucci and Stella Riva (Satan Is My Brother), along with James Plotkin accurate mastering are the final details to the frame of “Open To The Sea”.

Buy CD / DL

ENRICO CONIGLIO & MATTEO UGGERI - Open To The Sea

Episode 02. mixed by: Warmth

A journey influenced by the sound of the Shaman.

Many thanks to the artists and labels below for the incredible tracks.

TL:
01 @paleowolf - "Mooncall" // @paleowolf
02 @condensedutopia - "The Veil of Hatred" // @systolicrecords
03 s.soo ( @ssoosistal ) - "Totem B" // @iivii-label
04 @ancestralvoices - "Selva" // @samuraimusicgroup
05 Skóll ( @skoll218 ) - "V" // @accentsrecords
06 @paleowolf - "Paleoforest" // @paleowolf
07 @doctrinanatura - "Dream VI - Spirit Levitation" // @alexandarsound
08 @ancestralvoices - "Jadian Sun" // @horolabel
09 @blakkharbor - "Moondrone" // @blakkharbor
10 @blakkharbor - "Ancient Landmarks" // @blakkharbor
11 Vâyu ( @v-a-y-u ) - "Bathyscaphe Imme" // @yellowsign
12 @ancestralvoices - "Arachnae" // @samuraimusicgroup
13 @epsilon10 x @mtrl_audio - "Hera I" // @iorecs
14 @valentinomora - "Resist Fixity" // @dement3d
15 Vako Pachulia ( @vako0 ) - "Reliefbelief" // @solid-shape-records
16 @simonebauer - "Ambra" // @accentsrecords
17 Olorun ( @oloruna ) - "Moruroa" // @idorecords
18 Daniel[i] ( @danieli_whs ) - "L.Oneiroi (Medita)" // @nferee
19 s.soo ( @ssoosistal ) - "Totem A" // @iivii-label
20 @hydrangeamusic - "Unexpected Paths" // @accentsrecords

Shaman

Coppice Halifax ~ Deepwoods Mixture + BWV-UE0001 [1.6]

Deepwoods Mixture is a Coppice Halifax "DJ set" performed live in studio at the White Pillar Workshop in February 2020 using a minimal configuration of hardware (Akai S2800, Boss RC20, Moog MF-101, Korg MS-20, Grass S10CTCMA, Pioneer SR202W) and software/automation (FL Studio 20) routed through the veins of an Optimus SSM-1750 mixing board. It adapts and reconstitutes specific sections of six previously issued longform CH recordings into a new and seamless listening experience, set over subtle field recordings conducted in the overgrown ravine behind the Workshop. Intended for both low-level, intimate bedroom playback as well as hi-fi presence on loudspeaker/club systems, Deepwoods Mixture has been fashioned as an invitation to the Analog Botany of Coppice Halifax for newcomers and seasoned visitors alike.

Following the Deepwoods Mixture is a new hour-long recording, premiering on Deep Breakfast, for/from a series of works titled 'Halifaxian Cantos'. As the title might imply, these pieces represent the wordless prose of the Halifaxian continent, intimate and minimalistic devotionals sung to the seasons, the sea and the stars beyond them. Coppice Halifax has long maintained an ethos of acting as Aquarius the water-bearer, bringing forth decorative vessels of elemental splendor for both sustenance and reflection, and these cantos have taken shape via this same approach, using a near-generative process that deifies and transmutes orchestral provenance into the almost infinite. A microcosmic study in ambient techno, drone music and process-driven synthesis, Halifaxian Cantos further explore and christen the unmapped lands of the Halifaxian landscape, offering a recorded output that is both tranquil and evocative in their wake. Longtime CH listeners will appreciate noticeable references to Verdant Acre, Reflector, Ferrolog, Dripping Earth and the now-numerous Arborist's Excavations in these works.

~ DB054 by Coppice Halifax ~

Tracklist:

1. Electric Fields [Vibrance] https://coppicehalifax.bandcamp.com/album/electric-fields
2. Gentlerain https://drippingearth.bandcamp.com/album/10-24-gentlerain
3. Cedar Mastodon [Passage IV] https://coppicehalifax.bandcamp.com/album/cedar-mastodon-2
4. Violetfoam https://coppicehalifax.bandcamp.com/album/valleyfoam
5. Tetrachromatisol [Hour II] https://coppicehalifax.bandcamp.com/album/tetrachromatisol
6. Downtune Lux https://coppicehalifax.bandcamp.com/album/winterthaw
7. BWV-UE0001 [1.6] (Previously Unreleased)

Have a good listening.

Support his label

Deep Breakfast 054 - Coppice Halifax

Dutch independent label focused on contemporary ambient / modern classical music.