In September 2015, I got swept away by the sonic tapestry of modular synthesis, deep textures, and fluid dynamics (the sonic composition, not the discipline of physics and engineering) coming out from a mysterious Serbian composer calling himself Abul Mogard. The story was that this Belgrade-based retired metal factory worker, with no previous music background, picked up a vintage Farfisa organ and self-build modular synthesizer and began recreating the sounds surrounding him for many years.  It was a great story, but I didn't buy it because the production quality was simply top-notch, and I knew that it would have come from an experienced electronic musician. I wasn't wrong, and years later, we learned that it was an alter ego of an Italian Guido Zen. "Great story, Mike, but what does it have to do with today's track premiere?" Well, as far as I know, Jan Nemeček _is_ from Belgrade, and he does indeed build rich layers of sound from "raw tonalities of partially defunct digital synthesizers." In this organic meets digital sound-generating chain of "neural" synth network, Nemeček reveals lovely hidden depths with low sub-bass, drony mutations, and granulated particles, which slowly evolve on this subtle horizon. It's an absolutely delectable track, which would keep many sound designers entranced with its tasty details. And yes, albeit I enjoyed that fable of Mogard, I am indeed delighted that Jan Nemeček is real. Lovinly mastered by Stephan Mathieu!

Dissolved

On Subtle Horizon

TRACK PREMIERE : Jan Nemeček - On Subtle Horizon

Bersarin Quartett is not exactly comprised of a group of four people but is actually a project of a single mind that is of a  German electronic musician Thomas Bücker. I have been a huge fan of Bücker’s gorgeous compositions since his 2008 self-titled debut, which he released on Lidar. Four years later, he was picked up by the beloved Denovali Records, which has consistently appeared on these pages with their unique aesthetic that spans a variety of genres. And so I covered and praised this follow-up simply titled II, and then, in 2015, III, and then, in 2019, [finally] with a more memorable name, Methoden Und Maschinen. Suffice it to say that every single one of these releases ended up on my respective Best of the Year selections. So it should be of no surprise that I’m excited about Bersarin Quartett’s newly announced 5th album, coming out on December 15th [hey, journalists and bloggers, hit that pause on the publication of your favourites of the year!] titled Systeme. I’ve listened to the album many times now, and I can tell you that as an entire package, it brings together all my favourite elements of this particular contemporary genre and, of course, that of Bersarin Quartett’s. “While it still sounds popularly symphonic here and there, there are also many soundscapes that have an observing, almost unmasking effect.” This is particularly fascinating in Bücker’s more than successful attempt at electronic bass music, where he joins the ranks of another favourite musician of mine, Ben Lukas Boysen, seemingly blending neo-classical with neo-electronic styles, as will be evident in today’s exclusive track premiere.

Systeme

Neuronen

TRACK PREMIERE : Bersarin Quartett - Neuronen

Written and Produced by Mark Findlay and Agustín Mena
Special thanks to Richard ‘the captain’ van den Broekand Jachtwerf Staverno
Mastered at Artefacts Mastering
Photography Alexander Kopatz
www.go70north.com

Fionnlagh & Warmth - Where Shadows Cross

More often than not, a respected label introduces me to a new artist or a project. Sometimes, a rare instance occurs in reverse, where a favourite artist appears on a previously unknown [to me] label. This is the case with the Philadelphia-based Andrew Tasselmyer, whom I’ve been a fan of for his solo ambient releases on imprints such as Shimmering Moods, Constellation Tatsu, Polar Seas, Eilean, Home Normal, and laaps, among the many, but also as a member of Hotel Neon, which I’ve been following via Past Inside the Present, Thesis, Archives, Sound in Silence, and Fluid Audio. All of those are very familiar to me – in fact, you can find most of them in my Labels Directory, but the Las Vegas-based Mystery Circles is definitely new, and I only recognise a few names on its roster. So, more for me to hear! Now, back to the release! Titled Where Substance Meets Emptiness, this 8-piece album features more than just Tasselmyer’s beautiful ambience, with some piano keys and field recordings. There are lots of sparkling and shuffling beats and percussive elements reminiscent of the early IDM era, where harmony met rhythm. The track I am premiering for you today, “Flowers in a Storm”, reminds me of those days when I would listen to Arovane, Dabrye, Metamatics, Deaf Center, and Secede. This makes me want to revisit my very own liftmuziek sessions!

"Beyond the edge of the world there’s a space where emptiness and substance neatly overlap, where past and future form a continuous, endless loop. And, hovering about, there are signs no one has ever read, chords no one has ever heard.
— Haruki Murakami (Kafka on the Shore)

Taking in the magical surrealism of the celebrated Japanese author, Tasselmyer composes music that fades in and out of reality, bridging the atmospheric world of dreams and the present moment, where we find ourselves floating and merging with all the beautiful vibrations. Featuring some sonic postcards from his friends (Steven Kemner, Dave Mantel, and Sean Galloway), Tesselymyer paints a new world to traverse – one that is as imaginary as it is real, where “ordinary methods and immediate results are ditched along with their traditional maps in order to reach uncharted places of the imagination.” It’s an absolute pleasure to wander within this open space, and I find myself pleasantly lost among its many turns and expansive pastures.

The full album is out tomorrow, January 30th, 2024, on Mystery Circles. Mastered by Taylor Deupree, it is available as a digital, CD, or cassette edition. Beautiful album cover by his brother, Michael.

Where Substance Meets Emptiness

Flowers in a Storm

TRACK PREMIERE : Andrew Tasselmyer - Flowers in a Storm

Good morning, friends. I’m finally taking a little break and going away for a couple of weeks, reflecting on the last year [and all the gorgeous music, of course], but before I leave, I wanted to share with you this beautiful piece by ILUITEQ + Lorenzo Montanà who came together for a new collaborative album, KATÀ MÉTRON, scheduled to be released on the always forward pushing n5MD this March. The Greek expression “katà métron” means “according to the right measure”, which is all about balance, harmony and the right attitude towards everything around us. “More often than not, the dominant model is to go beyond our limits and have a “sense of measure” is not capitalistically profitable as we must nourish our constant desire to always wish for more, not caring for the consequences of such a “bulimic” attitude.” With this theme in mind, the group created a rich and textural ambient sound, underscored with rhythmic and percussive elements to drive the storyline forward, expanding outwards like a vaporous blanket of mist. There are ethos (and echoes) of the classic ambient passages traversed by Montanà, who is undoubtedly familiar with this sonic geography via his work on labels such as FAX with Pete Namlook (check out the Labyrinth series). Here, the Italian ambient duo of Sergio Calzoni and Andrea Bellucci, whom I profiled before as ILUITEQ, apply a modern electronic twist to what becomes a perfect fit for Mike Cadoo’s meticulously curated label. Check out this track, as well as the accompanying video (published on the site), which captures the movement.

Katà Métron

Noesi

TRACK PREMIERE : ILUITEQ + Lorenzo Montanà - Noesi

Warmth - Ocaso

Sometimes, the music matches my mood. And this Monday morning I wake up a little distressed. Perhaps some remnants of a previous night's nightmare have spilt into this world and left me slightly edgy. Reality can surely shape one's dreams, but can it also be impacted in reverse I wonder. I haven't followed the deep catalogue of twelve-inchers from the Glasgow-based duo of Jonnie Wilkes and James Savage releasing under the Naum Gabo project name over the last 15 years, but I am happy to land on their first proper full-length album, titled F. Lux. This is a proto-techno meets industrial meets dark ambient apocalyptic dream score, encompassed in compelling rhythm, distorted soundscapes, and wicked moods. I hear a bit of Demdike Stare, Raime, Vatican Shadow, and The Haxan Cloak, and if this rope of names means anything to you at all, I reckon you'll connect with Naum Gabo. "A consistent source of fascination for us are sounds that sit with some difficulty beside one another, but once heard, just have to be. A perversion, misapplication, accident, call it what you will, but we see this inelegance as ok." I think there is pure beauty in this darkness, and its existence is a must. How else are we to tell the difference in contrast if every single moment feels the same? For today's track premiere, I select a less rhythmic piece that opens up the album - I want it to be just a prelude for your trip. And for the rest, you'll have to take the plunge.

F. Lux

Aora

TRACK PREMIERE : Naum Gabo - Aora

The other day, I was discussing with my good old friend the constant fluctuation of the music release pendulum that I follow, oscillating between my absolutely favourite artists and labels [where sometimes it can feel like I am inside an echo chamber] and chasing the latest and new [where sometimes I am guided by marketing trends of PR]. As usual, the sweet spot is somewhere in the middle, and I will still chart my own course. Today is an immensely gorgeous example of the former, where I am eagerly celebrating a brand new release from my favourite artist – Ben Chatwin. And this is a perfect model of balance, where Chatwin does not simply sharpen his skills but projects them another leap forward, creating another new style that one day, I’m sure, will stand out as prime. If you peruse these pages you’ll be sure to find nearly every release from Ben Chatwin going back to 2015, and then, once again, even further in time, to 2008, when he was recording under another named project. But with his latest releases on Village Green, the last of which was The Hum (2020), Chatwin managed to evoke the voice of the inorganic, blending melodic beauty with intense sonics and tense, edgy rhythms. “Obsessed with the physicality of sound, Chatwin utilises modular synthesis to imbue life and instability into the recordings. Pushing his exploration of analogue textures, audio is passed through an arsenal of compressors and saturators to build layers of grit and grime around this new set of tactile compositions.” So yes, I’m a massive fan of his compositions, and yes, I have even secured a coveted remix of his for an upcoming single I intend to release any day now [more on that later!]. For his new album, titled Verdigris, Chatwin set up his own imprint, Disinter, to take us down his forward-thinking evolution of sound.

Verdigris

Dolmen

TRACK PREMIERE : Ben Chatwin - Dolmen

In the fall of last year, I was asked to participate in Bigo & Twigetti's fifth volume of the Perceptions compilation series, which explores various approaches to piano music. Complimenting the sound of the solo piano, these compositions also utilise nominal processing, sound effects, synthesis, and binaural recording techniques, all aiming to create an immersive listening experience while still showcasing my beloved instrument. As the clock ticked away and the deadline approached, I realised I hadn't found time to compose my contribution. For a few weeks, I've experienced a gnawing feeling of self-imposed pressure, mixed with anxiety and procrastination, that looped on itself and left me fatigued. I'm sure plenty of composers who are reading these words, especially those working on a deadline (like film soundtracks), know what I'm talking about. This, in itself, gave me a taste of this process at work. I learned that I simply cannot try and force things or make them appear. For me, music, as Victor Hugo once said, "expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent…" I needed to have something special to say...

As the end of the year approached, I found myself in that "usual space" of December, where the dark and the cold seemed to mix with my mood, and I recount the days and the moments of passing. There's always reflection on what I've achieved, and of course, I look back at my favourite albums of the year. Somewhere around this time, I arrive at the acceptance of failure, preparing to message the label and withdraw from the project. I think I'm too busy with "all other stuff". Perhaps I'll start over as the new year turns. Perhaps I'll become a bit more organised or not commit myself to the deadlines. In the very last days of the year, I find myself investing time in consoling my friend whose mother has passed away. As always, besides the grief for another, we find ourselves reflecting on our own mortality... and the meaning of it all... As the clock strikes midnight, I am deep asleep. But the morning comes, as it does every morning. And we're at it again, starting fresh and anew. The windows open, and we breathe in and out. Maybe this time, it will be slightly different. Maybe this time we have learned... On the morning of January 1st, I find myself sitting at the piano and playing this simple melody. I hope that you'll hear what I'm saying in music...

Perceptions Vol​​​.​​​5

Morning, January 1st

Mike Lazarev - Morning, January 1st

Born out of mere chance performance, the new collaborative record between Abul Mogard and Rafael Anton Irisarri is almost an inevitable outcome of their long-lived sonic relationship, and yet I’m still excited and jumping up with glee. It’s not often that I witness two of my favourite musicians come together to create something very special, so when they do, I approach it with a deep appreciation and focused regard. I’ve sung high praises for these two alone throughout the early years of their very successful musical careers: Raf, of course, and his 2009 debut on Miasmah (which I’m still listening to, by the way, as well as The Sight Below output), along with his continuous friendship and support, as well as partnership in curating Headphone Commute’s For Ukraine compilation; and Guido, whom I detected to be an amazing synthesist [rather than a retired factory worker from Belgrade] very early on, and who became an inspiration for my own modular journey and then, again, a friend. Search these pages, and you will discover plenty of coverage [written by a genuine human, may I add – should I use that tagline instead of “honest words on honest music”?]. So yes, I am all over this amazing piece [slightly shortened for this “premiere” feature], which is taken from their upcoming two-long-playing-track release on Irisarri’s own Black Knoll Editions, recorded between London, Rome and New York [the second piece is taken from their live performance at Centro de Cultura Contemporánea Condeduque in Madrid].

Impossibly distant, impossibly close

Place of Forever (AM Radio Edit)

TRACK PREMIERE : Abul Mogard & Rafael Anton Irisarri - Place of Forever (AM Radio Edit)

Yam Rats

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 : ILUITEQ + Lorenzo Montanà - Noesi

Headphone Commute

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