The world has become bombastic. Ironically, even among the most minimalist and ambient communities. The labels trying to out-shout one another: “listen to meeee!” they proclaim, sometimes in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, with descriptions in press releases spanning multiple pages of concepts and tales. And I don’t really blame them for that – it’s impossible to stand out these days, to “capture” your attention (the most important currency we “pay”), and to turn that focus into plays [what comes after, is a whole other story]. And then there are artists (and labels) that seem to continue their modest and humble quest for the essence that we may extract from this wonder we call ‘music’. They come unexpecting to share the love. One of such imprints remains the Québec-based Moderna, which searches the globe for the next hidden gem. It has introduced me to many new and up-and-coming composers, which have remained on my playlists and Best of the Year lists. Their latest small gift comes in a form of a four-track EP from a Dutch musician Jeroen Dirrix (he’s put out some singles and appeared on Moderna’s compilations before). It’s a 20-minute glimpse into a place behind the space that occupies the concrete jungle of the cities where we dwell. In this particular case, it is his city of Rotterdam (which I find to be architecturally beautiful, by the way), that quietly yearns for the nature which has since receded in urban defeat.

"Jeroen Dirrix dreams up an imaginary escape from his urban studio centred around the acoustic piano, with the soothing sounds of analog synthesizers and field recordings weaving their way meditatively through the soundscape."

A Hidden Place

TRACK PREMIERE : Jeroen Dirrix - Call the Flood

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Niklas Paschburg - Insight

Pulse



Buy Infinity Pools EP: smarturl.it/buyipools

Debuted on Stereogum here: bit.ly/1DAC8ZQ

What does the future of peace and quiet look like? Is it possible for someone to find serenity in a world where population mushrooms and buildings continuously jockey for the best possible view? With Kael Smith’s (Mombi, Khale) Mute Forest this dichotomy is at the epicenter of his 'Infinity Pools EP' due April 7th via Lost Tribe Sound.

To coincide with visuals courtesy of Gregory Euclide (Bon Iver, Erased Tapes), Smith’s debut EP fuses acoustic sounds, mangled electronics and provocative lyrics across four meditative yet mesmerizing tracks.

Serving as a companion piece to his expansive and sonorous LP, 'Deforestation', due later this year, Smith’s 'Infinity Pools EP' was actually written as a reaction to that material but will be released first.“ 'Deforestation' will in a sense be a prequel to the EP,” explains Smith. “And for listeners who follow along, should provide an interesting reverse narrative,” he concludes.

“Crypt,” the EP’s opener, contains oscillating vinyl-sampled rhythms, chiming electric guitar and gently struck nylon guitar. Following that is the sparce and haunting “Volcanoes Flowing,” which traces a melancholy beat and slow, lovely piano crescendos to its heartbreaking conclusion.

Darker in tone, title track "Infinity Pools" has a commanding presence using ominous electronics and damaged samples of Le Creuset pots being struck. Heavily processed and featuring vocals from Smith’s longtime girlfriend Kelly O’Brien, the track unfurls into a hypnotic groove over the chilling words “You’ll feel like an ember trilling/out in space.”

Washing over the listener to conclude the EP, “Eat the Skin” originally started as an A Winged Victory for the Sullen remix of a song off of their recent LP, 'Atomos'. As the track progressed though, all of the layers performed by AWVFTS were eventually stripped leaving only acoustic guitar and Smith’s voice. “I like to pretend we wrote that song together, hopefully someday they will hear it” desires Smith. He uses the big, cavernous sound of acoustic guitar as base for unhurried, dulcet vocals and airy electronics. “I’ve always loved the big, acoustic sound of Seafood’s “Desert Stretched Before the Sun”“ explains Smith. “I really tried to emulate that deep resonate tone where the acoustic sounds like a tidal wave.”

All songs written, performed, recorded and mixed by Kael Smith (kaelsmithmusic.com)
Kelly O'Brien backing vocals on "Infinity Pools."
Mastering by Taylor Deupree at 12k Mastering
Production assistance on "Crypt" & "Volcanoes Flowing" by Matthew Herron

Original artwork by Gregory Euclide (gregoryeuclide.com)
Copyright 2015 Lost Tribe Sound (losttribesound.com)
Published by Settled Scores 2015 (ASCAP)


Mute Forest - Eat The Skin (from Infinity Pools EP)

Tribute to amazing Nils Frahm's "Tristana"..

Nils Frahm - Tristana (Daigo Hanada Rework)

Succeeding 2012’s critically lauded "Woven Tide," Aaron Martin and Dag Rosenqvist hone their combined clarity and depth into a raw strength matched by few of their contemporaries. A triumph of sparse destructive simplicity, "Into The Well" is an uncompromising and evocative tribute to sacrifice. Fluid Audio are proud to partner with From the Mouth of the Sun in a deluxe limited edition customized package.

Since 2005, Gothenburg based musician Dag Rosenqvist's work has graced imprints including Miasmah, Fang Bomb, Under The Spire, Lampse, Lidar, Slaapwel, Kning Disk, Dead Pilot Records, Lowpoint, and Rural Colors.

Since 2006, Kansas based composer Aaron Martin's work has found its rightful home on labels such as Preservation, Mobeer, Experimedia, Type, Under The Spire, and Sonic Meditations.

Credits:

Music and arrangements by Dag Rosenqvist and Aaron Martin.

Vocals on "Into the Well" arranged and performed by Dawn Smithson and Jerker Lund.

Horns on "Into the Well" performed by Henrik Munkeby Nørstebø (trombone) and Jenny Olsson (French horn).

Recorded in Gothenburg, Sweden and Topeka, Kansas.

Mixed by Dag Rosenqvist at The 63rd Link in Gothenburg.

Mastered by Taylor Deupree at 12K Mastering.

Aaron Martin:

Cello, bass, roll up piano, voice, vinyl, singing bowls, banjo, lap steel

Dag Rosenqvist:

Piano, pump organ, Fender Rhodes, various organs and synthesizers, acoustic and electric guitars, glockenspiel, voice and field recordings 

Path for Air (From the Mouth of the Sun)

Bonus Track from the album 'The Journey Tapes' (Moderna Records, 2016).

Written by Ed Carlsen for Piano Day 2016

Hundrede Træer (Piano Day 2016)

Fund/preorder here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/alex-kozobolis-weightless#/

Weightless is an EP of intricate original piano compositions by UK artist Alex Kozobolis. With a series of solo releases over the past few years and collaborations with artists such as Lee Chapman, Harry Edwards, and Anna Rose Carter, Weightless represents Alex's unique approach to composition and melody. 

His touch on the piano is light and fluid; moving between dense sustained runs, which evaporate as soon as they are heard, to spaciously plotted notes. Weightless is the sound of weight itself lifting, of the earthly effect of gravity removed and allowing the listener to be suspended within mid-air, uninterrupted by pressures and restrains of the physical world. Coursing with energy, and running to take flight.

Each of the four tracks have been remixed by Siavash Amini, Tom Adams, Trnspt and Hedia, with very different, but cohesive results, expanding the tone of the EP into new areas.  

Weightless will be available on limited clear vinyl, digipack CD and digital editions.

Tracklist 

Side A
1. Unravel
2. Closure
3. And Find Yourself
4. Weightless

Side B
1. Weightless (Tom Adams Remix)
2. And Find Yourself (Siavash Amini Remix)
3. Closure (Hedia Remix)
4. Unravel (Transept Remix)

Closure by Alex Kozobolis

Arranged and Produced by Madeleine Cocolas
Artwork by Lucille Clerc
Mastered by Ben Wiffen

Bandcamp: https://bigoandtwigetti.bandcamp.com/album/the-exquisite-corpse
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/6BGukvyyYZakaNCSlCprsS
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/stalactite/id1171077226?i=1171077248

We’re pleased to announce the first track from our new album  ‘The Exquisite Corpse’, created in collaboration with artists from one of our favourite record labels ‘Moderna Records’ and based on the surrealist game.

Taking Leah Kardos ‘Little Phase’ from our Summer Compilation as its starting point, the piece will be reworked by a series of composers and producers to create an album of tracks which continually evolve as each new version is passed from one artist to another, adding to and transforming material from the original piece. We’ll be releasing a new track from the album every 2-3 weeks so keep an eye on our social media for updates!

The Exquisite Corpse

Stalactite

Madeleine Cocolas - Stalactite

The Lost

Otto A Totland - Vates

from 'Glam Tear Stain' [CD|LP|DIGITAL]
Denovali Records · den322
available on all formats at http://denovali.com/davidnorland

David Norland is an Emmy-nominated English composer living and working in Los Angeles. Most recently he composed the score to the current HBO film “My Dinner With Herve” (HBO 2018) starring Peter Dinklage and Jamie Dornan.

His work with Emmy-winning director Sacha Gervasi includes the award-winning documentary "Anvil! The Story Of Anvil", (which won the IDA Best Feature award, an Emmy award, the Indie Spirit Best Doc award, and numerous other best doc awards around the world) as well as the score for “November Criminals” (Sony 2017) starring Chloe Moretz and Ansel Elgort. David Norland was also the music supervisor for the movie "Hitchcock" featuring Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren & Scarlett Johansson.

Since 2010 he has composed much of the music for US broadcasting giant ABC’s primetime news documentaries. His work for ABC is broadcast in the US and around the world on a daily basis.

Having been a chorister from an early age, singing daily in Westminster Abbey, and a boy treble in The Elizabethan Consort of Voices, a touring choral group of the time, he also composes choral music. His electronic band Solar Twins was signed by Madonna to Maverick Records, and rode high on the US dance charts, and his record writing, production and mixing work with Jamaican legends Sly and Robbie has been nominated for a Grammy.

"Glam Tear Stain" is the first real solo full length of David Norland. It combines electronic influences, elements of his film scoring work and more intimate, minimalistic piano and string arrangements.

"The music I want to make has changed over time - from imitation baroque pieces as an 11 year old chorister, through guitar pop with my first teenage bands, experimental sonic works with my first rudimentary recording equipment in my early 20s, through electronics, drum and bass, and reggae, leading finally to piano, choral, and string music informed by my film scoring work.”

"Glam Tear Stain" is simple melodic and tonal music for for piano and strings, filtered through the electronic, spatial, and experimental lens of Norland's earlier musical endeavors - and on a personal level was made over a time of profound sadness, change, and acceptance. It’s more unapologetically emotional than other music in the broad neoclassical field, and often stranger, too, drawing from influences as diverse as Future Sound Of London and 16th century English choral music.

"Glam Tear Stain" is the first album of a series of further solo works that David Norland will be releasing via Denovali over the next years.

Glam Tear Stain

David Norland - Agate Or Barium

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 : Jeroen Dirrix - Call the Flood

Headphone Commute

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