A collection of tracks exclusively premiered on Headphone Commute

Exclusive Track Premieres

Ambient 2017-2018

Classical

Ana's Flavourites vol. 41

Headphone Commute

talesh

I seem to be able to find some quiet time on Sundays to record more piano...

Mike Lazarev - Impromptu 03.09

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Press the 'R' and 'L' key for more of that Cherry Blossom magic~

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Premiered on UKF: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyZFJrwpNow

Free Download: http://click.dj/apexrise/cherryblossomtrees

Apex Rise - Cherry Blossom Trees, released with Trap City's very own label: Slimkat Records!

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Apex Rise - Cherry Blossom Trees

This piece has been donated to a Hibernate Recordings benefit compilation, titled "Dayalu / for Nepal" to raise money for the victims of the earthquake disaster in Nepal. This very first official HC release is appearing alongside my all-time favorite artists, such as Machinefabriek, Clem Leek, Autistici, Field Rotation, Isnaj Dui, Antonymes, Olan Mill and many others, so I couldn't be more happier to contribute to this wonderful cause. 

I hope that you support this compilation (digital + 2xCD edition), and of course, dig my humble composition. Pre-order your copy at the below link, with many more musicians to be announced soon!!!

http://hcdi.gs/Dayalu

Accidental (03.01.15)

Mike Lazarev - Accidental (04.26.15)

Hi friends i made this track back to home after a trip, hope you'll like it, feel free to share the love, and feel free to follow https://soundcloud.com/emberisland who give me the chance to use a little part of her acap. <3

Free DL

Memories

free download

Oh Wonder - Lose It (Jerry Folk Remix)

From your nightmares straight into your dreams

Download Full Version here: http://get.tndn.io/l/7unpuek98z

[Shifty Rhythms] [Master: Neo Fresco]

DL FULL VERSION

Sweet Dreams (Instrumental)

For over two decades, the Osnabrück duo of Stephan Otten and Oliver Klemm has inhabited the sacred intersection of Krautrock's motorik pulse, ambient's expansive consciousness, and contemporary electronica's limitless possibility. Their approach to composition mirrors the architectural precision I've celebrated in my previous coverage on HC, where each element serves both structural and emotional purposes. In the liminal hours between consciousness and dream, Sankt Otten crafts sonic territories that feel both ancient and impossibly futuristic. "Die Gute Fee War Schon Da" (The Good Fairy Was Already There) emerges from their forthcoming album Tote Winkel like a meditation on synthetic breath. Long sighs and deep breathing from a machine that carries an undercurrent of foreboding beauty. This particular piece unfolds with the hypnotic inevitability of oncoming headlights—mesmerizing yet tinged with existential unease. Recorded predominantly live with Martin Schmeing spontaneously contributing DX7 textures, the track embodies Sankt Otten's evolution toward more organic creation methods. The fairy tale reference in the title suggests narrative completion. As their fourteenth album approaches on Denovali, Sankt Otten continues to prove that the most profound electronic music emerges not from technological innovation alone, but from the spaces where human vulnerability meets synthetic precision. Fans of synth-based explorations of future-retro sound will agree.

TRACK PREMIERE : Sankt Otten - Die Gute Fee War Schon Da

I don't think I will ever forget the first time I heard m.=addiction. I can also confirm that every time I played out that record, folks waltzed over to me to find out the name. Something mystical and enigmatic brought them over to music, making me feel like I was a snake charmer enchanting a cobra with the sounds of a pungi. The music of Dictaphone often evoked hazy spaces, full of jazzy smoke, lo-fi textures, and noir voices, occupying those distant corners of your memory where you felt glamorous comfort, charming enchantment, and warming delight. Since the 2002 debut, the Berlin-based duo of Oliver Doerell and Roger Döring released five more albums, all of which I think I have covered on Headphone Commute. And, in my humble opinion, their latest upcoming release is the closest to that special aura I felt nearly two decades ago. Unstable is Dictaphone's 6th full-length, where Doerel and Döring are also joined by Alexander Stoze (on violin) to mesmerise us with that special scent of future-retro nostalgia that seems to drift in the air like thick incense in a temple of soporific ghosts.

TRACK PREMIERE : Dictaphone - Desplendor

Jason van Wyk is a Cape Town (South Africa) based electronic music producer whose music I often wish could have been my own. From cinematic soundscapes to soft piano keys and mesmerising passages, the elements of his pieces are all the necessary ingredients that I often try to combine in my music. And that is basically the highest sort of praise that I could give. There are many incredible ambient musicians who truly inspire me with their ability to create and transport me to their fantastic sonic worlds. And plenty have contributed to my growth as a musician - I am permanently indebted to many of them, whom I am honoured to call friends. But in my soul, I am a pianist, and the instrument [or its echoes] inevitably make it into my tracks. And this is what I love about Jason's music. His most recent release on the beloved n5MD, Inherent, is a more upbeat, forward-driven progression, combining his skills of crafting dance-oriented grooves with atmospheric soundtracks. For his upcoming EP, Jason reworked three tracks into pure ambient pieces. To truly appreciate the transformation, start by hearing the original track, followed by this alternative version. If you want to dig deeper into the process behind the composition (including the details of the actual effects chain used, like the Space Echo, etc.), you can read up on Headphone Community, where Jason revealed it all when he was a featured artist for the entire month of July [the content is still up there!]. Deep listening and focus are essential to truly appreciate the textures here...

https://www.patreon.com/HeadphoneCommunity







TRACK PREMIERE : Jason van Wyk - Inner (Horizon)

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)

I may not trust the intarwebs, but I will surely trust my label. When it comes to discovering new music (to pop me out of my echo chamber and insistent feedback loop), it’s easy to get lost among the new releases. There’s just too much of everything, and it’s only getting harder to discern. Anyone can share their latest content. And anyone can upload with a click. There’s a reason for that. The companies that host it all have made it easy for a reason: to monetize your music. To turn your content into cash. On the flip side, the labels take their time. They are, in turn, investing in the artist. So when you buy into the label, you buy into their world. Past Inside The Present has been curating my journey since 2018, and I have learned to trust Zach’s choice in music. So when he backs North Carolina-based vocalist Angela Winter for her slightly avant-garde solo debut release for the label, I’m all ears. I write “solo” because in 2024, we’ve already heard her voice on a collaboration with the label boss himself, titled Mid Sky. Together, the duo navigated “a realm between the terrestrial and cosmic with organic drones and ethereal vocals“. In August, Angela returns with a full-length titled Forbidden Questions In Space, centered around ambient and drone improvisations, and of course, her voice, for a koan-inspired drift into the endless cosmos. If you’ve been following Headphone Commute, you know that I tend to focus on mostly instrumental music, often with a darker tint of sonic experimentation. Today, I select one of those pieces from her upcoming album to give you a taste.

TRACK PREMIERE : Angela Winter - Saturn, lightly

Taken from Markus Guentner's new album, Theia - now available on double vinyl and digital: http://asip.me/asipv004

There was chaos and violence, a collision of dark matter and heat. 
In the maelstrom, a legacy was created and a new moon born. 
She left something here forever.
But amongst infinite black depths,
Theia rages on. 

Depicting the legendary impact of the planet Theia, Pop Ambient pioneer Markus Guentner returns to vinyl, with a highly anticipated full-length LP.  

Markus Guentner - Magnetar (ASIPV004)

COUROS
https://soundcloud.com/couros
https://www.facebook.com/couros/
https://twitter.com/couros/

Artwork by Louis Coyle
https://dribbble.com/louiscoyle

Sheepy on Spotify
http://bit.ly/MrSuicideSheepSpotify

Download

Couros - Turning

This is the first track from my second collaborations collection (Out 11th March) and features the amazing Yuri Kono.  

I have many talented friends and I love to work with people. After a few years I found I had a small collection of music that I wanted to share so started this Collaborations series. I am very lucky to work with such talented people. 


LUCY CLAIRE - Kawaita Tsuki / The Barren Moon Ft. Yuri Kono

Another Sunday piece, when everything is shimmering and still... If you like this, check out my mini-album on  1631 Recordings, titled "Unhinged" : https://1631recordings.bandcamp.com/album/unhinged

Mike Lazarev - Sunday

Kai Engel - Chapter Three - Warm - 07 August (Summer Nights)

Kai Engel - Chapter Three - Warm - 02 June

● Download on BandCamp ▸ http://hyperurl.co/MabinogionBANDCAMP
● Stream on Spotify ▸ http://hyperurl.co/MabinogionSPOTIFY
● Download on Itunes ▸ http://hyperurl.co/MabinogionAPPLEMUSIC

● My merch is available here ▸ https://teespring.com/stores/michaelfk
● Support me on Patreon:  www.patreon.com/michaelfk

Mabinogion EP, with G.Strizzolo is out now on @ambientmusicalgenre. We spent around 2-3 months working on this and i honestly couldn't be happier to finally release it. Thank you to everybody who has shown support over the years, it means the world to me!

Follow Michael FK
● FB  ▸ www.facebook.com/MichaelFKMusic
● BC  ▸ michaelfk.bandcamp.com/music
● VK  ▸ vk.com/michaelfkmusic
● SF  ▸ https://spoti.fi/3fqCw46

Follow G. Strizzolo: 
● FB ▸ www.facebook.com/DJGuillermoStrizzolo 
● SC ▸ @guillermostrizzolo 
● BC ▸ www.gstrizzolo.bandcamp.com

Photo by:
● FB ▸ www.facebook.com/NightTrafficCity 
● SC ▸ @nighttrafficcity 
● personal FB ▸ www.facebook.com/livingston.campos

Mabinogion EP

Download & Stream

Michael FK & G. Strizzolo - Branwen

On this mix, originally appearing on Headphone Commute podcast in May of 2017, we celebrate some of the pioneers of early electronic ambient music, with the help of a long-time contributor, Fingers in the Noise. Here are all of the first explorations into the then unnamed genre, sometimes referred to as avant-garde, new-music, or simply electronic music. Pictured for the cover art of this mix is Laurie Spiegel, an American composer, who, while working in Bell Laboratories in the early 70s, composed with analog synthesizers using interactive software she wrote herself. Some of this music is hard to come by, with the early experiments a bit difficult to digest, so I thank Laurent Bisch for his wonderful selection of tracks for this very special tribute.

Full track listing and more details on the mix can be found here:
http://hcdi.gs/PioneersTribute

And as always, please enjoy responsibly and support the featured artists!

Mixes

Fingers In The Noise - A Tribute to the Pioneers of Electronic Ambient Music

Mourners Matinée

www.1631recordings.bandcamp.com
www.pianoday.org

Tim Linghaus -  We Will Never Come Back Here Again (Lament)

download link : http://www.mediafire.com/download/ypxazccpbd6p0yf/Moslem_Rasouli_-_Derya_Tofanieh.mp3

Mim Rasouli - Darya Toufan (Rock Version)

Piano Works is the second installment of Lucy Claire’s ‘Works’ series. It is an eclectic take on what piano music can be. Featuring cellist Ren Ford (Keaton Henson’s Romantic Works) and violinist Marie Schreer (The Royal Northern Sinfonia) and surrounded in atmospheric binaural soundscapes, the piano is far from lonely. The work features a collection of pianos from grands and uprights, to electric keyboards, toy and thumb pianos. It is grounded in the real world but hints strongly at the magical and supernatural, it absorbs, transports, then delivers you back to reality with new perspective.

Sage Ft. Ren Ford

Grouper, side a from her limited edition tour single for Room40

AU tour dates:

7/10 - Brisbane Powerhouse - w/ Nadja, Lawrence English

UK tour dates:

4/11 - Islington Mills, Manchester - w/ Rafael Anton Irisarri
5/11 - Cafe OTO, London - w/ Lawrence English, Rafael Anton Irisarri
6/11 - Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol - w/ Lawrence English, Rafael Anton Irisarri, Andrea Belfi
8/11 - Venue TBC, Glasgow - w/ Lawrence English, Rafael Anton Irisarri






Grouper - Hold

Full Bloom

London-based Matt Emery is mostly known for his solo piano pieces, which are delicate, nostalgic, and a little bit sad. Last year (right about this time), Emery released his debut on Injazero Records, titled Empire, which immediately shot up to my top piano records, and inevitably made it on the Best of the Year lists, in the "Music For Watching The Snow Slowly Fall In The Moonlight" entry. Emery also shared his selections with us on his Eternal Bliss mix, put together exclusively for the Headphone Commute Podcast. This Friday, September 7th, the composer returns with a new single, titled “I Put a Flame in Your Heart”. I’ll leave the full band version and the edit for you to discover in all due time, but today I wanted to share this very special Vessels remix, premiering on these pages alone.

As you can hear from this piece (and the remix itself), we’re now in a more gritty territory, with percussive and electronic treatments to the track that puts it more alongside Jon Hopkins, Kiasmos, and Moderat, rather than the softer side of Nils Frahm, and even with the up-front expedient vocals, the track ticks all of the right boxes for this fan and follower. Speaking of which, I’ve witnessed Emery sing during his sold-out live performance (on the very last track) and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of his voice [which you will hear clearly on the “Vocal Edit” of the release], and that’s a rare event for me notice, as I’m mostly an instrumental kind of fiend.

The single features a piano-only original of the piece, alongside a more post-rock[y] epic edit, which showcases the versatility of this UK artist. “The full band version sees Emery’s music swell with frantic drums, throbbing synths and a full choir culminating in an expansive interpretation, more aggressive in comparison to his gentle and intricate modern classical piano and string repertoire.” A very nice rework of the original, with the “Vessels Remix”, definitely hitting the spot.

Once again, the single is out this Friday, September 7th, 2018, on Injazero Records, available on all of your favourite digital platforms.

I Put A Flame In Your Heart

TRACK PREMIERE : Matt Emery - I Put A Flame In Your Heart (Vessels Remix)

Following widespread critical acclaim for their debut album Yes I Jan upon its release in February and subsequent appearances at festivals this summer including Green Man and End of the Road, London experimental post-punk trio Bas Jan return with the Instant Nostalgia EP. Set for release on November 23, 2018 on 10” vinyl and digital download, it’s another smart, refreshing, surprising and laugh-out-loud funny set of joyously unvarnished songs in the extraordinary and distinctive idiom of multi-instrumentalist and composer Serafina Steer. The first track from the EP, ‘Profile Picture’ – a discoid response to digitised humanity, a swirling electronic pop satire – is available to stream and share now.

BAS JAN LIVE:

SAT, SEP 8 @ LOST MAP’S STRANGE INVITATION 5TH BIRTHDAY ALL-DAYER,
ST PETER’S HALL, EDINBURGH

FRI, SEP 21 @ TOM THUMB THEATRE, MARGATE

SUN, NOV 4 @ SOUTHBANK CLUB, BRISTOL* (SUPPORTING DRINKS) 

MON, NOV 5 @ BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB, LEEDS (SUPPORTING DRINKS)

TUE, NOV 6 @ OSLO, LONDON (SUPPORTING DRINKS)

SAT, NOV 10 @ BOILER SHOP, NEWCASTLE (SUPPORTING BRITISH SEA POWER)

Bas Jan - 'Profile Picture'

Conductor: Michel Bessler
Recorded Live by Eduardo Monteiro & Defra, Igreja da Candelária, Apr 15, 2012
Mixed & Mastered by Defra

(2012) Vivaldi 4 Seasons Live (SUmvt3 - Presto)_OSB-Ópera & Repertório_mix & master by Defra

From "Gravity" LP
Stream / Listen: http://smarturl.it/skence-gravity

Follow Skence : 
@skence
facebook.com/skencema
twitter.com/Skencema
instagram.com/skence

Follow Nowadays Records :
@nowadays-records
www.facebook.com/nowadaysrecords
www.nowadaysrecords.com

Twisted Mind

Fools

Title track from the forthcoming Instant Nostalgia EP, released on Lost Map on Friday 23rd November 2018, on 10" vinyl and digital download.  Available to pre-order from the Lost Map website: https://www.lostmap.com/products/bas-jan-instant-nostalgia

Buy 10" EP

Bas Jan - 'Instant Nostalgia'

Tom Hodge & Franz Kirmann pair up once more to work on a gorgeous soundtrack for a documentary about the most popular musical star in Tunisian history. Being a work about a man and his music, the choice for a film score is carefully made, not just by the composers, but by the producers who chose to invite Hodge and Kirmann into their very personal work - British-Tunisian filmmaker Claire Belhassine’s feature The Man Behind The Microphone revolves around her discovery in her 30s that it is her grandfather, Heidi Jouini, who is a worshipped superstar in her home country, known as the "Frank Sinatra of Tunisia". Headphone Commute, in partnership with 1631 Recordings, on which this OST will be released, is proud to premiere the opening track.

The Man Behind The Microphone OST

TRACK PREMIERE : Tom Hodge & Franz Kirmann - The Man Behind The Microphone Part 1

1 Battlemix is a my composition dance hip hop track that mix some drums with a voices battle between afemale opera voice and a male flamenco voice
2 Flamorocco Mix is a track where I mix a barocco voice singing vivaldi with bulgarian voices and flamenco copla
3 Russian Mix is a my  old mix creation . In 2005 I mixed and recorded live in analogic a vinyl of Romeo and Juliet  by Tchaikovsky with a vintage electronic drums. In 2010 I add some foosball sounds
4)Senegal mix is a live analogic remix played and recorded live with a cd and a vintage electronic drum. After i recorded up a violin line.

Battlemix.WAV

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