I could see a ballet # choreographed to this.. beautiful intricate piece￼ of music 🙏🏼

Headphone Commute

My rescore of the Doctor Who episode 'Doomsday', which was originally released on September 7th, 2020.

Worlds Apart

Henrik has been an integral part of the Ambientologist family from the beginning, and it’s with great pride that his work be showcased as an early member of the label family, and more still in offering a rare full length album.

The album is now live! Without a doubt this will be the most fitting soundtrack to your winter.

Buy here: http://bit.ly/34mDmaE

Henrik Meierkord - Själ (Album Mini-Mix)

Reprise 214

Swedish pianist, Henrik Lindstrand is due to release his third solo album, and I've got an exclusive track premiere for you today! Nordhem is a finale in a trilogy of Leken (2017) and Nattresan (2019), released on One Little Indian Records. I suppose now is a good time to mention that the label's owner, Derek Birkett, has recently changed the imprint's name to One Little Independent in light of a fan letter that outlined why the name and the logo are offensive to the Indigenous People culture. So while OLI has recognized and adjusted its image, the music it spreads through the world is unchanged. The album, and indeed this single, conveys a very innocent and emotional message, through melancholy storytelling that rides the waves of sorrow and joy, mystery and honesty, minor and major chords. It's a beautiful short tune that carries its dialogue through a reticent melody, and I could even see myself playing it in the dark. "Lindstrand communicates emotions through a soothing and intimate universe that seamlessly blends genres into his own ecosystem of sounds from the piano. 'Stora Huset' uses exquisite and elegant simplicity to recall summers spent at a countryside mansion where his mother lived, decorated with moose antlers from a bygone era." I'd love to draw your attention to the entire new album [and the whole trilogy], but for now, here's the track!

Nordhem

TRACK PREMIERE : Henrik Lindstrand - Stora Huset

As most of the readers of Headphone Commute are musicians in their own right, they should already be familiar with the Berlin-based Martyn Heyne, who should be known to them as the owner of Lichte Studio, in which so many experimental, ambient, and modern classical albums have been recorded, mixed, mastered, and produced. These include some of the releases by Aukai, Tambour, Kelly James Wyse, Ceeys, Shida Shahabi, Tom Adams, Luke Howard, and Hecq, among the many others. But, of course, since I'm running this track premiere today, Heyne is also an outstanding composer, first appearing on my radar (and indeed these pages) with his 2017 release, Electric Intervals on 7k!. What may be surprising among all of this is that Heyne is also a fantastic guitar player, showcasing his favorite instrument on the upcoming solo album, titled Open Lines. Well, actually, he plays more than one instrument on the album. Among his performance on the electric, acoustic, 12-string, and classical guitar, Rhodes, bass, and piano, there's also the kalimba, bongos, and bells! Not to mention the appearance of the wonderful Anne Mülle on the cello on a couple of tracks, and the Finnish percussionist, Tatu Rönkkö on the drums, with whom Heyne has played live as Efterklang. The album traverses the boundaries of contemporary classical, krautrock, slow-shuffling jazz, and everything in between. The heart of the release, touching upon all of the above-mentioned aesthetics, and my favorite piece as well, is a track titled "Neuwerk." And that is precisely why I am happy to share it with you today.

Open Lines

TRACK PREMIERE : Martyn Heyne - Neuwerk

Kostas Katsikas returns with his fourth full-length LP to the German Denovali imprint. I am immensely excited to hear the continuous evolution of this Greek musician’s sound, whom I have followed first through the Tympanik debut Approach (2008), then to the Ad Noiseam sophomore release, No Land Called Home (2010), and lastly via the Denovali release of Foray (2015). Four years since Subheim offers nine delicious, moody tracks, that capture the shadowy crawl through a modern metropolis. The album is titled after the last segment of that word, metro + polis, or, rather correctly, from Greek, μήτηρ (“mother”) + πόλις (“city”), aiming to capture “the unspoken tension between longing to escape and being trapped in some kind of concrete stasis.” I know exactly what Katsikas means. Having lived in numerous concrete jungles, from Kyiv to New York to Chicago and London, and having visited his home city of Athens [er, why did I forget to reach out?] there is a certain grittiness to all this man-made beauty. Millions upon millions of conscious [and, well, not so conscious] minds, each with their own distinctive story, together, yet alone [and in this lockdown we’re alone together], reflecting on the lives we’ve built around us from the past. Subheim recognizes this concealing darkness, and he attempts to scratch it out with sound, which is at once grungy, with its great use of mild distortion, and cinematically alluring, with epic chords, towering organic progressions, and insistent beats. Today I am premiering a piece called “Vertigo”, which elegantly captures that overwhelming sense.

"Despite the album being born out of a feeling of alienation from one’s surroundings, it’s impossible to ignore the sense of hope that runs through this LP. In ΠΟΛΙΣ, we hear an arrival at a deeper understanding of oneself, an inner peace amidst the decay and cautious optimism that comes from someone who just happens to feel most at home in darkness."

The album is a perfect soundtrack to your reclusive walks, preferably through dark and dingy alleys, abandoned subways, and corroded ducts. There’s even an appearance by Ben Lukas Boysen, as Hecq on a piece called “Daughter,” which is a fantastic collaboration showcasing both of these composer’s talents – melodically harmonious and lush. ΠΟΛΙΣ is out on October 30th, available from Denovali on digital, CD, and black 12″. Highly recommended for these confusing times! A perfect candidate for my selections in “Music For Crawling Through Abandoned Cities.” I’m sure we’ll see it there soon!

ΠΟΛΙΣ

TRACK PREMIERE : Subheim - Vertigo

I’ve got a brand new name to introduce you to today. Well, perhaps a new name to our “music scene,” with this debut self-release, titled 2 Years Stranger, but not necessarily a new name to music composition. This Bristol-based classical electronic musician has been working on film scores [see, for example, the soundtrack to Douglas King‘s dark comedy, Do No Harm; and the score to Alexander Klaus‘ indie drama, STATIC], documentaries, operas, stage and dance pieces. Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres even studied continuous music for piano with Lubomyr Melnyk and has performed at music festivals alongside artists such as Talvin Singh, Gabríel Ólafs, and Throwing Snow. Listening to her compositions on the debut confirms her well-deserved spot on these pages – if anything, I’m surprised we haven’t heard her of her before. Perhaps the reasons for this introspective, somber, and melancholy first release lie in the events surrounding the last two years of her life. “In 2017, much like so many of us in 2020, Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres found herself in limbo. Her dad had fallen ill with ARDS, a severe type of respiratory failure, and sepsis. As a result, he was induced into a coma, to arrest the immediate failure of his organs. Alexandra found herself alone in her family home, her dad suspended in a state between life and death in France, surrounded by his possessions and a lot of time to ruminate on the fragility of life.” The resulting rollercoaster of feelings was poured into the album, where pure emotion is expressed through a medium devoid of words. 

Today I am premiering a track called “Dance,” which captures an interplay between organic piano keys and synthetic atmospheric treatments, “telling the story of the freedom Alexandra found through reconnecting with her passion for contemporary dance, after being encouraged by her friends to join them for a show.”

“Movement relieves the inner tension,” says Alexandra.  “Focusing on your body makes your mind feel free. You reconnect with yourself and through that connect with other people”.

2 Years Stranger

Dance

TRACK PREMIERE : Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres  - Dance

Yes, I know that I had just had an exclusive track premiere a day ago, but I've got another one for you, kids, and this one is worth celebrating! As you have already read in the title of this writeup, today, I am sharing a track by Sebastian Plano and Maarten Vos who have paired for a self-release they simply titled "&." Although I can already see how the title will bring the duo unforeseen trouble [electronic media unfriendly to ampersands or HTML escape codes will struggle with the name!], the music will bring trouble to your unprotected heart, piercing its walls with the emotive, sensitive, and poignant. Argentinian cellist, composer, and producer, Sebastian Plano, is, of course, no stranger to my ears. I was very much impressed with his collaboration on Everything (Erased Tapes, 2017) with Ben Lukas Boysen; and mesmerized with his Merkury KX release of Verve in 2019. Dutch Maarten Vos is also a cellist, composer, and producer, whom I have only heard of via his collaboration with Michel Banabila on Home (Tapu, 2017). For their collaborative debut, the duo put together seven pieces after a week-long recording session, "which transcends from cello duos to counterposed piano melodies, synthesizers, and electronics." This beautifully stammering piece resolves into a liquid bliss.

Dense & Density

TRACK PREMIERE : Sebastian Plano & Maarten Vos - Dense & Density

Well... you've heard the news already. The UK is going into another lockdown in just a few days, for about a month [more like six months, really], that is if the insanity which is actively scheduled to explode in the divided states tomorrow, does not leak its vile venom into the rest of the world [which, of course, it will]. Meanwhile, everyone on this side of the pond is preparing [sort of speak] to go into a house arrest. At least we've got the toilet paper, and the books, and the newly arrived synthesizers [mine is the Waldorf Iridium, which should keep me busy]. And of course, most importantly, we've got this music. "In a moment in which traveling has become a little more complicated, we have curated a collection of songs that encourage you to wander with the mind, aided by the exploratory sounds of ambient music." On December 4th, the German label group !K7 will release a 20-track compilation from artists around the world on its 7K! imprint. This is in line with their previous thematic collections, such as String Layers and Piano Layers, designed to showcase the amazing talent defining their respective genres. Ambient Layers compiles some of the top names from the scene, including Adam Wiltzie, Ryan Teague, Robert Lippok, Michel Banabila & Machinefabriek, Pjusk, and many others [I've got another surprise for you before the release date]. Today, however, I'm excited to premiere the opening piece by Roger Goula, titled "Ontology Of Things."

"Even if for a short period of time during lockdown, Nature started to breathe and to find its own balance again, thanks to human inactivity. Drawing on Timothy Morton’s theories, “Ontology of Things” is a reflection on how humans and non-humans interact. The acoustic strings sit on analogue electronics written using a probability algorithm, creating a quasi-dysfunctional symbiosis between them, simultaneously attracting and resisting each other." --Roger Goula

album, Overview Effect, was released in 2016 on Cognitive Shift (in partnership with One Little Independent imprint). His further credits include film scores and soundtracks for Shock Head Soul (2012), Make Us Dream (2018), and Versus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach (2020). So it would be of no surprise if you connect the cinematic atmospherics with the acoustic treatments on this piece. It’s a beautiful opener for the subsequent nineteen pieces, and there are many more new artists to explore! Stay tuned for more reveals!

Ambient Layers

Ontology Of Things

TRACK PREMIERE : Roger Goula - Ontology Of Things

Those who have been following my musings through the years surely have already read these words before. It is slightly awkward to employ my self-built platform as a tool to plug and self-promote. But self-promote I must, because how else will I inform you all, my friends, of my creations, that in part I’ve made for you to share with. Such is the case with my only second-ever collaboration, this time with a musician whom I now call a friend. James Murray and I met many years ago, virtually at first, and then in person, when I moved to London from New York. We’ve shared many musical moments [and even played together at an impromptu jamming session one late evening at his home], until one day, one thing led to another, and we’ve put out a short but sweet release [see “Living Treasure“]. And yet, Suññatā is something else entirely. Composed in complete partnership with this amazing artist, Suññatā follows a path of introspection to find a space where the self completely ceases to exist. This meditation in sound follows an arch designed to take you deeper into the nature of being until, at the end of this journey, you melt into nothingness. It may be a frightful experience at first, but it is also truly liberating and sublime. Today, I’d like to premiere the final piece on this same-titled album, which is out tomorrow, on the ever-glowing label that is Home Normal.

"Suññatā is the experience of encountering the non-self, of a sound and its reflection meeting in empty space, found here in the remarkable combined resonance of emotive piano and uniquely reactive sound design."

The album was beautifully mastered by Ian Hawgood on his miraculous analog gear and is available on a compact disc and as a digital release on all of your favorite streaming platforms. Preview a few more tracks and pre-order your copy via the label’s Bandcamp.

Suññatā

TRACK PREMIERE : James Murray & Mike Lazarev - Suññata

Earlier this morning I hinted at a little surprise, and, well, here it is. Not just one track premiere today, but two! The good news is that they are both from the very same compilation by 7K! imprint, titled Ambient Layers, which is scheduled to be released tomorrow, December 4th. So it's not like I'm forcing you to spend more of your money - there will be plenty of time for that with my "end of year" lists, which come in January. I promise! Anyway... I really wanted to give both of these stellar pieces their separate space [instead of lumping them into a single article], as they present two different aspects of the modern ambiance as showcased in this 20-track release. Tilman Robinson is an Australian composer, producer, and sound designer, for whom I've sung my praises more than a few times before, first with his debut, Deer Heart (2016) and then with Culturecide (2020) just earlier this year. Now, Robinson does not exactly tinker in the soft and washed out areas of the beloved genre. His cinematic, texture-rich, and sonically saturated swells often push the boundaries of the dynamics, at times more felt than heard. And yet, with this exclusive track, his music tends to perfectly fit in. It's an exciting time for this exciting genre.

‘The Mind Scans and Maps the World Behind’ is a relentless crescendo. Like the genesis of a star, it coalesces with ever increasing frisson until its eventual ignition. The whole piece was made in a day, beginning its life on a creaky old detuned harmonium played live through a series of outboard effects units. At the time, I was trying desperately to feel optimistic about fresh Covid related restrictions in my hometown of Melbourne and thus the piece tells of new beginnings. The title, “The Mind Scans and Maps the World Behind”, was taken from the poem “A Disembodied Franchise. II.” by Priya Namana.

This compilation is currently available for pre-order, and from the tracklisting alone, you can see that it’s an impressive roster of artists coming together to showcase the genre. Among the featured artists on the release, my favorites include Ryan Teague, Adam Wiltzie, Robert Lippok, Michel Banabila & Machinefabriek, Pjusk, and Midori Hirano, and plenty others to discover along the way. This could be a beautiful opener for those just getting into all that is ‘ambient’ or a wonderful treat for those in the know at the end of this year.

The Mind Scans And Maps The World Behind

TRACK PREMIERE : Tilman Robinson - The Mind Scans And Maps The World Behind

This morning I am spending some time in the company of Pleq (that’s Bartosz Dziadosz) and Hakobune (Takahiro Yorifuji). Their 2012 album, titled Adrift, was originally released by the Nomadic Kids Republic sublabel of Home Normal, and now, eight years later, it’s not only remastered [and textured] by Ian Hawgood but also complemented with reworks by Olan Mill, Polar M, and the remix I am premiering for you today, by Jason Corder, aka offthesky. So yeah, a bunch of characters on this one. Adrift is an album of organic ambiance, warm texture, and minuscule glitch that sounds as gorgeous and regal as it did back when it was first released. Well, maybe a little more regal. For this edition, Ian has painstakingly reworked the pieces “from the original masters to reel-to-reel for a wholly new, more open and nuanced experience.” All that expensive analog gear put to good use there, eh? The result is a showcase of modern ambiance that still sounds fresh and new, with Corder’s remix adding in a touch of sub-particle-sized arrangement in subtle sonics and reminiscent din. The whole package is rounded off with brand new cover art by Giulio Aldinucci, which is too beautiful not to include here in its larger form. Thank heavens for Home Normal.

Adrift (Remastered + Remixed)

Horizon Line

TRACK PREMIERE : Pleq & Hakobune - Adrift (offthesky Remix feat. Silverness)

Tracklist

01. Ian Hawgood - Fractural
02. Rhucle - Scape
03. Valotihkuu - Song Of The Rain
04. Morimoto Naoki -  Reo
05. Asuna + Tomoyoshi Date + Federico Durand - Lunch before farewell at the soba house
06. Federico Durand - Té de jazmín
07. Green House - Parlor Palm
08. Andrew Lang - Stark Light
09. Andrew Tasselmyer - In Passing
10. Sachi Kobayashi -  Waiting For The Wind To Blow
11. Forest Robots - Sustenance Comes From The Roots, Not The Height
12. James Osland - I Wanted You To See Me, That's Why I Shine Like This 
13. Melodía - Luna (en el hotel Am Bad, Tübingen)

213. Sleep Sunday Podcast (Elm Records)

some original solo piano pieces...  some mixes from my podcast... some exclusive track premieres...  and some tracks from the albums I review for Headphone Commute... Enjoy!

TRACK PREMIERE : Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres - Dance

Headphone Commute

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TRACK PREMIERE : Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres - Dance

Headphone Commute

Recent comments

Ryan Leds Music

Dimitris Palantzas

✨🙏🏼✨

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