Another month, another beautiful guest mix, this time care of an artist we've been obsessing over for the past few months, r beny (@rbeny). His ambient works are created in large part on his modular synthesis setup, which you can experience in a deeply personal way by heading over to his Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5hhwOVY0lxIn4ELd5ZP1Bw). We asked Austin a few questions about this mix, and the relationship between modular synthesis and the natural world:
 
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Where and when did you put this mix together? 
 
This mix was mostly put together during a couple of sleepless nights at home. Those nights where you just can’t shut off your brain. Not even anything in particular heavily weighing on your mind, just rudimentary thoughts. Those nights where you feel like you are counting each breath and heartbeat. This mix is sort of a reflection of that. Soft tones and hushed drones as the night passes you by. Filmic textures enveloping everything as your mind starts to wander. Memories start to weave in and out as you start to drift out. Are you still in the confines of your bed or are you out driving in the mountains? The mix gets a little more emotional as it proceeds. Maybe some of those memories were just a little too painful.

You do a wonderful job of blending the digital and the natural with your music; what is it about modular synthesis that seems to draw that out in you?

Nature is very important to me and is something that I am inspired and humbled by. I try to put those feelings into my music and they end up there in both obvious and subtle ways. I think the open-ended nature of modular has something to do with it. Modular has allowed me to build out an instrument tailored to my workflow. It’s an instrument that equally allows and rewards expression and spontaneity. Sometimes patching reminds me of gardening.

What is your favourite season, and what are you looking forward to in the months to come?
 
I love the colder seasons. Fall is probably my favorite. It’s amazing to watch the landscape change during these transitional seasons. If Spring is for renewal, then Fall is for letting go. I find comfort in that. For some reason I just seem to get so much more done in the Fall and Winter. Maybe it has something to do with the air being crisper. Gloomy days seem to match my artistic and emotional sensibility. In the coming months I am looking forward to finishing a new release for the label Dauw (represented twice in this mix in Twincities’ “ The Story of the World Unbinding” and Lambert’s “It Might Be a Feeling”), catching up on my reading list, drinking a lot of tea, and making a lot of soup in my slow cooker.

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Thank you again to Austin for contributing such a beautiful mix, and for the thoughtful answers. His newest release, "Eistla" (http://rbeny.bandcamp.com/album/eistla) is a perfect soundtrack to this colder season we find ourselves in. If you're new to his work, head back into his discography and we swear you won't be disappointed. He makes the kind of music that's so easy to just put on repeat, and have playing throughout the day.

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Tracklist:
Will Samson - Electric Parade
Lau Nau - Maininki
Sigbjørn Apeland - Lite
Twincities - The Story of the World Unbinding
Taylor Deupree & Marcus Fischer - Lowlands
Deru - Three Cheers for Existence (Remix)
Florist - Dust Inside the Light
Ian William Craig - Innermost
Benoît Pioulard - Sixth Hour Bloom
Duster - Constellations
Set Fire to Flames - Fading Lights Are Fading / Reign Rebuilder [Tail Out]
Leandro Fresco & Rafael Anton Irisarri - Un Horizonte en Llamas
Rauelsson - Marbles
Julia Kent - Frost and Furrow
Dmitry Evgrafov - Unasked Questions
Mick Turner - Rosa I
Ant'lrd - Lawn Tactics
Lambert - It Might Be a Feeling
Songs: Ohia - The Big Game Is Every Night (Demo)
Kyson - Outro / If Our Love Was a Movie

FLORA / radio 4 ~ guest mix from r beny

Sounds and visions from the depths of the Fraser Valley, in Beautiful British Columbia.

All inquiries: hello.flora.sounds[at]gmail.com

Ville Granroth - vocals
Mika Minkkinen - sampler
Jukka Laine - sampler, drums
Pekka Parviainen - bass
Olli Haveri - bouzouki, violin, flute