'See the World Anew Vol. 1'
Steve Hadfield
See Blue Audio SBA 023

1. Moonlight
2. Ascension
3. Mesosphere
4. Detached
5. Orbit
6. Gravity

Release date: 27 August 2021

lnk.to/SBA023

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

2021 is turning into a transformative year for Steve Hadfield. The changes in his personal life have been mirrored by the changes on a global scale that are affecting us all. This process has caused him to look at the world around him with fresh eyes, and it has become the inspiration for a new series of music, 'See the World Anew', the first volume of which will be his fifth collection for See Blue Audio and the twenty-third release on the label.

This year is also proving to be one of his most prolific as an artist. Releases like 'Bangers and Mash' for the Bricolage imprint, 'The Silly Baby LP' on Disintegration State, and, most recently, the 'Industrial Chillout Complex' album on Werra Foxma Records have seen Steve explore different musical territories and rediscover earlier influences, including techno, IDM, industrial, drum & bass and breakbeat. 'See the World Anew' is a return to the other side of his musical character, which has found a home at See Blue Audio, and his distinctive fusion of ambient/modern classical and glitchy electronics.

Accompanying these audio explorations has been the growth of his daughter from a baby to a young child with an increasing awareness and fascination for the world that surrounds her. In fact, his parental experiences are a thread that runs throughout Steve's music, and 'See the World Anew Vol. 1' captures this new phase of discovery and enchantment. As we falteringly emerge from the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic, people are, quite literally, reacquainting themselves with the outside world, an experience full of wonder for the nature that is all around us and, in particular, the night sky. This experience is surely shared by millions of other inhabitants of this planet, who can once again glimpse the sky above us with the thrilling delight of a child. As adults, we have an added dimension of uncertainty – the so-called new normality – but for now we can immerse ourselves in the moment.

All these different but converging forces have found expression over the six succinct but diverse tracks that make up 'See the World Anew Vol. 1'. Light and shadow, day and night, calm and chaos, joy and apprehension, and the random fragments that make up the substance of our world. Tiny specks in the distance noticed by a child long before the adults buried in their own thoughts; garden gates, familiar paths, shadows dancing on walls, wispy clouds, and above them all, the moon. The companionship of warm summer nights become a spiritual refuge even as they inevitably fade, but somehow the magic of moon remains with its constant rhythm of waxing and waning. It's this allure of the moon and an imagined journey into the silence of space that forms the creative basis of the music. What great powers must it surely take to escape the pull of the Earth's atmosphere.

The opening track, 'Moonlight', references the earlier 'Gaze of the Moon' from 'Displacement Activity Vol. 1' released in January 2020, and from there we follow a path through different moods and atmospheres that soundtrack his fascination with the moon. Beatless soundscapes are juxtaposed with bleeps and irregular pulses; the electronic effervescence of 'Mesosphere' is followed by the mercurial beats and snatches of voice on 'Detached'. Finally, 'Gravity', as the title implies, drag us back to earth with its lo-fi, almost metallic, ghostly sonic landscape.

As he has experienced in real life, Steve Hadfield invites us to look at the world in a new light with this music. Relive that wonder of childlike discovery, even if it is fleeting and the gravitational forces of life pull us down again.

Photography: R.Cleveland Aaron.

See the World Anew Vol. 1

'See the World Anew Vol. 1' (preview) – Steve Hadfield (See Blue Audio SBA #023)

'Ultraviolence'
Violet Mist
See Blue Audio SBA 026

1. Ultraviolence
2. Ultrazukunft

Release date: 22 October 2021

lnk.to/SBA026

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

Following the release of 'First Vows' by Sulk Rooms, the new drone-style project from Thomas Ragsdale, See Blue Audio welcomes another much respected figure in electronic music to its roster for the second in a series of releases from artists new to the label. This project goes by the name of Violet Mist with 'Ultraviolence' featuring two tracks of what its creator has dubbed cyberwave for the twenty-six release on See Blue Audio.

Violet Mist is an alias of Manchester-based DJ and producer Jozef K, who will surely need little in the way of introduction to anyone who has followed dance music over the last decade. As a DJ, he has played across the globe alongside summer residencies in Ibiza; as a producer, his records have been supported by a wide range of DJs, and Sasha's Last Night On Earth and Lossless are just two of the many labels on which he has released. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that his productions can take many different turns and assume many different guises, and Violet Mist is the most recent of these.

The Violet Mist adventure began in 2020 with the release of the 'Glimmer' album, followed by 'Prophecy 2096' in April 2021. Both albums came out on the Disintegration State label, close associates of See Blue Audio and co-founded by Steve Hadfield. 'Ultraviolence' is an expansion of the musical ideas expressed on 'Prophecy 2096' with its shadowy synthwave and multiple textures of sound.

At the heart of Violet Mist lies a futuristic world, but a dystopian one. This is a broken future where the bright lights and vivid glare of ever-advancing technology disguise the gloom and conflict within. This imagery is also present in the cover artwork for all Violet Mist releases, and, as the name Violet Mist suggests, rich colours and obscured vision can co-exist. The word cyberwave conjures up many images too: 'A Clockwork Orange', 'Blade Runner', electro-punks and synth hackers, alien video games, sinister technology, and visionary explorers of time and space.

Within this swirl of imagery, many contradictions can be found, which also provide a playful edge, and these are present in the music of 'Ultraviolence'. Nothing is quite what it seems on the title track: luscious sweeps of oscillating effects interplaying with delicate and sombre melodies; birdsong and the harmonies of nature meshing with the sound of sirens; and a hypnotic ambience that is soothing while also warning of a strange and foreboding future. Nature replaced by dark energy.

'Ultraviolence' is complemented and contrasted by 'Ultrazukunft' – a reference to the German word 'zukunft' meaning future – where the beatless soundscape of the title track is punctured by shuddering beats, and the sense of foreboding reaches another level. With their intricate layers of shifting sound, both tracks are a truly immersive listening experience that reveal more with every play.

Imagine walking alone through rain-washed late night/early morning city streets, brightly illuminated but eerily quiet, where danger from unknown forces could approach at any moment. This is the cinematic ambience of 'Ultraviolence' and cyberwave imagination of Violet Mist in full effect.

Mastered by Thomas Ragsdale.

Photography: Harrison Qi.

Ultraviolence

'Ultraviolence' (preview) – Violet Mist (See Blue Audio SBA #026)

'Superlunar Lounge'
Night Sky Pulse
See Blue Audio SBA 033

1. Zelda Zonk
2. Heat
3. Chekhov's Gun
4. Things Heard
5. Overgrowth
6. Coastal Ritual
7. Thin Air
8. Resorts and Clinics
9. Vacuum-Packed Hero
10. All the Answers
11. Superlunar Lounge Continuous DJ Mix

Release date: 15 April 2022

lnk.to/SBA033

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

Back in March 2021, the first See Blue Audio compilation, 'Shade Rather Than Light: Anthology | One', was followed by a leftfield turn in musical direction with Bagaski's 'Final' album. Continuing this theme, the recent 'Shade Rather Than Light: Anthology | Two', representing the last year of releases and second cycle of See Blue Audio, is followed by something different again. Night Sky Pulse returns to the label with a new album that provides a contrast to the otherworldly ambience that suffuses the second compilation. Twisted beats, breaks and basslines are at the forefront of the thirty-third release on See Blue Audio… welcome to the Superlunar Lounge!

Night Sky Pulse is one of several aliases of Brussels-based producer John Sellekaers, and his 'These Possible Lives' album, released on See Blue Audio in June 2021, is a contemplative ten-track collection of imaginary soundtracks, cosmic short stories and musical microcosms. It also formed part of a particularly prolific period in John's musical portfolio with releases in a wide range of styles as Feral Cities, Xingu Hill, Meeple and under his own name. After a short break to recharge, he’s back with Night Sky Pulse and 'Superlunar Lounge'.

This new album is different to 'These Possible Lives', but they both embody a dreamlike quality that is an essential aspect of the Night Sky Pulse ethos. Whereas the first album was cinematic and futuristic, 'Superlunar Lounge' has more of a retro vibe; rawer in quality, charged with electro, and inspired by the sounds of easy listening and exotica, all fused together with a special twist. John intentionally went in a different direction with this album; simpler and more direct, and based around manipulating collages of sound, and experimenting with samples and broken beats. As always, his flawless studio techniques are evident throughout, and, as with its predecessor, he favours shorter tracks for maximum impact.

A possible analogy is a neglected, overgrown sonic garden that John has somehow put into order without losing its playful, chaotic quality. This is also captured in the striking image created by Easton for the cover artwork. Another analogy is a homage to science fiction, an influence that can be found in much of John's work. Imagine a shady bar on the frontier of a distant galaxy, a place where weary space travellers decompress after their adventures. This might well be the soundtrack you would hear in such a far-flung bar with refreshment served in the form of psychoactive cocktails. To further recreate this atmosphere, John has constructed a continuous DJ mix of the album that puts you right there.

Each track has its own special qualities, of course, from the trippy jazz undertones of 'Zelda Zonk' to the heavy dub style of 'Overgrowth', while the overall effect is one of entering a dreamstate, where night and day, time and space, fiction and reality, and different worlds all become one.

It's in this dreamstate that the clear parallels to 'These Possible Lives' can be heard and why this new album is its natural, or supernatural, companion. Take a deep breath and enter the Superlunar Lounge.

Image: Easton.

Superlunar Lounge

'Superlunar Lounge' (preview) – Night Sky Pulse (See Blue Audio SBA #033)

'Micro Wanders'
Lyli J
See Blue Audio SBA 035

1. A Song for T (Cicadas)
2. Onsen
3. Ossicles
4. Agave
5. Artemis
6. Anahata
7. Lucarne
8. Lueur

Release date: 20 May 2022

lnk.to/SBA035

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

See Blue Audio continues its exploration of new musical territories with the addition of Lyli J to its roster. Continuing the theme of leftfield turns in direction following the twisted beats, breaks and basslines of the 'Superlunar Lounge' album by Night Sky Pulse (John Sellekaers), and the longform exploration of tonality in 'La Mer' by Tanti Aglaia, the third release in this series of new musical horizons is from an artist who incorporates organic electronic, esoteric chillout, ambient textures, elements of IDM and trip hop, and folk and indie sensibilities into her music. For the thirty-fifth release on See Blue Audio, Lyli J presents 'Micro Wanders', an album suffused with warm atmospherics and a rich emotional tapestry perfectly suited to springtime and the reawakening energy of the sun.

Lyli J is the name by which French American instrumentalist, singer and electronic producer Lily Jordy releases music. Her story is one of a nomadic life – ten countries in three decades – with a classical background in the cello, guitar and composition. It was in Montreal in 2011 when she first discovered electronic music and the way in which it could allow her to truly express ideas. Since then, Lily has put out a series of releases that have gained critical acclaim and captivated the electronic community.

Now based in Grenoble in France, she is fully immersed in music with festival dates scheduled over the summer, radio play, and her work as a sound designer for audio software company Arturia. Tracks from 'Micro Wanders', meanwhile, are also included in her recent live performance at SynthFest France, a streaming event available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/vlb8b9cQBVc

'Micro Wanders' features eight tracks that bring together the many elements that make up Lily's unique musical universe: meandering layers of mystical vocals, Celtic melodies, MicroFreak '90s synth emulations, amped-up acoustic guitars, gamelan and natural element percussion, and field recordings. All the tracks come together to evoke a feeling of daydreaming and the resurgence of memories. As the title 'Micro Wanders' suggests, the technological and the spiritual play an equal role in the aesthetic of Lyli J.

The introduction of vocal, song-based compositions, including 'A Song for T (Cicadas)' and 'Anahata', and the folk sensitivities of 'Lucarne' and 'Lueur' have added a welcome new dimension to the sound of See Blue Audio. Beatless soundscapes, meanwhile, also form part of the musical landscape of 'Micro Wanders'.

This is an album to immerse yourself in; organic and rooted in the natural world, while also contemplative and, at times, transcendental. Lyli J may well be on a personal quest with 'Micro Wanders', but it's also one that we can all join and share with her.

Mastered by Thomas Ragsdale.

Photography: R.Cleveland Aaron.

Micro Wanders

'Micro Wanders' (preview) – Lyli J (See Blue Audio SBA #035)

'A Matter of Light and Depth'
f5point6
See Blue Audio SBA 038

1. Synthesis of Internal Matter
2. A Matter of Light and Depth
3. TerraForming
4. Twelve.Three.Three.Three.
5. Chronophotography
6. Forever.Decreasing.Circles.
7. In Order to Funktion
8. In Pursuit of Efficiency
9. The Prometheus Project
10. Shifting Perspectives
11. Message from a Distant Future
12. [Outro – Memoirs from My Inner Voice]

Release date: 23 September 2022

lnk.to/SBA038

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

As the previous release from f5point6 revealed, this is a project in constant flux and evolution. 'The Shuttle Leaves at Midnight' towards the end of 2021 was the first chapter in a new musical quest exploring different directions and unknown territories. It also demonstrated enhancements in sound creation as synthesizer composition, jazz influences and experimentation were added to the artist's audio palette. Now f5point6 returns with a full-length album that picks up from where its predecessor left off, and then transports us to new destinations once again. 'A Matter of Light and Depth' is the seventh collection of cinematic music from f5point6, the thirty-eight release on See Blue Audio, and a finely sculpted, while also intensely personal, way to mark the end of summer's respite and re-examine the world around us.

f5point6 is the musical guise of multidisciplinary artist R.Cleveland Aaron, but it also operates as a form of storytelling; part of his internal enquiry to try to make some sense of all that surrounds him, including what came before and what will come in the future. As the earlier 'KaleidoSound' series depicted the different stages of evolution on our planet, and then 'The Shuttle Leaves at Midnight' saw us seek out new worlds and parallel universes, so onto 'A Matter of Light and Depth' and something distinct again. A deeply rooted love of science fiction is ever-present in Cleveland's work, but here it's fused with a reflection on where humanity is right now: post-pandemic, environmentally destructive, politically and socially divided, and filled with identity anxiety and fear for the future. On 'A Matter of Light and Depth' he's not afraid to get serious and ask us to think about the growing need for liberty and justice – the Black Lives Matter movement is just one example – and the crisis around mental health. How do you see the future?

As the title suggests, the music across the twelve tracks of this album moves through multiple shades, moods and tones. The twisting and turning opening track, 'Synthesis of Internal Matter' is one of several beatless soundscapes, and the title track follows with its contrasting phases of dark electronic depths and moments of rippling elation. These emotional highs and lows are a recurring motif, and it's clear that Cleveland has poured his heart and soul into this album. Open and honest, sometimes confused and at others angry, but always questioning the technology and narratives we're fed.

As we travel through 'A Matter of Light and Depth' and reach 'Message from a Distant Future', a sense of hope rises; our signals sent out into the universe have finally been detected and returned. "Come" is the only word revealed in the decryption process; the rest is in our hands. The closing track, '[Outro – Memoirs from My Inner Voice]', softens the mood as the artist tries to listen to his own inner voice away from all the clamour around him.

Welcome to the world of f5point6 and 'A Matter of Light and Depth'. Elegantly crafted this album most certainly is, but also suffused with raw emotions and smouldering energy. As with all of Cleveland's music, it travels through space and time, but on this occasion, he pauses, reflects and plants an anchor firmly in the here and now. As such, it represents his finest work to date.

Mastered by Thomas Ragsdale.

Artwork and photography: R.Cleveland Aaron.

A Matter of Light and Depth

'A Matter of Light and Depth' (preview) – f5point6 (See Blue Audio SBA #038)

'Blue Roofs'
NRV
See Blue Audio SBA 039

1. Blue Roofs
2. Sombra

Release date: 14 October 2022

lnk.to/SBA039

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

Following the cinematic ambience of the f5point6 album, 'A Matter of Light and Depth', See Blue Audio heads deeper into ambient territory with its next release. It also sees a new addition to the roster as NRV from Japan presents 'Blue Roofs', the thirty-ninth release on the label featuring two extended sonic sketches based around everyday life.

NRV is the drone/ambient project from Sendai-based electronic musician Nerve, best known as the producer behind the trip hop, dub and electro-pop band antennasia featuring the captivating vocals of San. Several albums on labels such as Double Life Records and Lemongrassmusic in Germany has propelled antennasia onto the global scene, while there have also been NRV releases on the FOIL imprint from New York and Tabula Rasa Records in San Francisco. Now it's the turn on See Blue Audio and the artist's musical philosophy of soft simplicity; finding inspiration in everyday life and locations, which in turn give rise to emotional spaces.

As always in life, there is a backstory to this project, and it began during the global lockdown of 2020. This period of enforced isolation enabled NRV to take his time in trying out different approaches and musical experiments, which ultimately led to the forging of a new sonic identity. Going back further in time, it's important to note that Sendai, the capital city of the Miyagi Prefecture, was one of the parts of Japan worst hit by the earthquake and tsunami of 2011. After the earthquake, many houses were covered with blue sheets in place of roofs, and the title is a reference to that. Since then, things have changed rapidly in Japan, but also little by little; even things that look the same as before do not feel the same.

Time can move in strange and mysterious ways, and this is reflected in the musical path of 'Blue Roofs'. The 20-minute title track is sublimely graceful, a slow-moving beatless river punctuated by fragments of field recordings and microscopic glitches. Changes in the course of this river seem almost imperceptible, and yet we land in a different place, swept along by the ebb and flow of musical currents suffused with a deep emotional energy and tinged with sweet melancholy.

The accompanying track, 'Sombra', is a little shorter in length, and complements and contrasts its partner with a more pastoral, optimistic feel. Based on field recordings made on the tree-lined Jozenji-dori Avenue, one of the most iconic places in Sendai, time is replaced by light on this track. On the day when these recordings were made, the contrast between the shadows of the trees and the blue sky above was a thing of rare beauty, a familiar scene but also fleeting.

Time, place, form and movement: all are in constant flux in the musical tapestry of NRV, even if it passes by almost unnoticed. It's within this world of soft simplicity that beauty can flourish, memories cherished, emotions expressed, and the imagination set free. Sonic sketches of landscapes that are thought of as all too ordinary perhaps, but as 'Blue Roofs' immaculately captures, nothing is truly ordinary, and everything has its rightful place in the universe and beyond.

Photography: Manabu Ito.

Blue Roofs

'Blue Roofs' (preview) – NRV (See Blue Audio SBA #039)

'You Cannot Cheat the Muse'
Kuma
See Blue Audio SBA 040

1. The Antidote Was Always in the Poison
2. Scribes of the Rabbit God
3. Ecclesiastic Geology
4. Written Are the Stars
5. The Body Is a Good Indicator
6. Of Great Acuity
7. Haunted Blue Ant
8. Headless Cargo
9. The Likeness of Prophetic Being
10. River House
11. Your Eyes as Lodestars

Release date: 18 November 2022

lnk.to/SBA040

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

Travellers through the alternative electronic music scene with surely be acquainted with the name Kuma. For the fortieth release on See Blue Audio, the label's exploration of the outer reaches of ambience continues with 'You Cannot Cheat the Muse', an album from Kuma that draws on his myriad musical influences as he celebrates the mystical, the ceremonial and, at times, the transcendental power of the world that surrounds us all. This is a space where the zen and the cosmic collide and harmonise, and where new tools for living are created.

Bristol-born and Vancouver-based, Kuma has been destroying old worlds and building new ones for over two decades, stamping his curatorial fingerprint on the Canadian dance scene as a DJ, promoter, label owner and radio presenter. The long-running and respected weekly Art of Beatz show co-hosted with Motomasa on Vancouver's Co-op Radio is the city's home for electronic music of all shapes, sizes and speeds, everything from gentle ambience to tearin' drum & bass and all points in-between.

Kuma has also established his credentials as a producer and remixer, and his most recent releases include albums on labels like Waxing Crescent Records, Fallen Moon Recordings, and Thomas Ragsdale's Frosti and Soundtracking the Void imprints. Now it's the turn of See Blue Audio, and his first release for the label is arguably his fullest statement of intent to date; this is Kuma sounding the only way he knows how.

"Cheat your landlord if you can and must, but do not try to shortchange the Muse. It cannot be done. You can’t fake quality any more than you can fake a good meal." It was this quote from William S. Burroughs that led to the creation of 'You Cannot Cheat the Muse'. As a student of the Japanese tea ceremony, Kuma took up the act whilst living in Japan because it made art out of something everyday like the making and serving of tea. Now with this 11-track album, he's created a series of sonic overtures that rise and fall with everything we do. 

Recorded at the Little Black Rain Cloud studio in Vancouver, the sound palette on 'You Cannot Cheat the Muse' is forever shifting. A series of improvised recordings based around his own vocal looping system were then chopped up and turned inside out. Tapes, synths, field recordings and the human voice are all intertwined into a series of rolling waves buffeted by orchestral overtones. Beatless soundscapes are underpinned by dub-infused pulses, and the influences of early alternative electronica can be heard trickling through. The curious and the eerie merge with the physical, the spiritual and the sometimes supernatural with the end result an ever-morphing array of musical structures designed for all things and all times.

It's impossible to single out individual tracks on 'You Cannot Cheat the Muse'; instead, this album demands to be listened to as a whole. It's a collection of music for making magic out of the mundane and making ritual out of anything you please. Put it on in the background and let the detail seep in ever so gently, or turn up the volume and transcend time. Whatever works for you.

Artwork and photography: Kuma.

You Cannot Cheat the Muse

'You Cannot Cheat the Muse' (preview) – Kuma (See Blue Audio SBA #040)

'Animal Carnival'
Tanti Aglaia
See Blue Audio SBA 044

1. Animal Carnival

Release date: 21 July 2023

lnk.to/SBA044

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

Following on from the cinematic soundscapes of 'Clinical Trials' by f5point6, the next release on See Blue Audio is something different again with 'Animal Carnival'. This is the second release on the label from Tanti Aglaia and like its predecessor, 'La Mer', released in May 2022, it's a standalone longform track. Here the similarities end, however, and 'Animal Carnival' takes on strange, beautiful, hypnotic and mysterious qualities of its own for the forty-fourth release on See Blue Audio.

'Animal Carnival' is another sonic passage through time and tempo from Gili Mocanu, an accomplished Romanian painter born in the historic city of Constanța beside the Black Sea. Employing his characteristic atypical synth sounds, spectralist techniques, and asymmetrical or non-rhythmic elements, Gili's music travels through minimalist and experimental, industrial, and ambient drone territory, but with a unique character all of its own.

Tonality and repetition are prominent elements explored in Gili's artistic endeavours as Tanti Aglaia, a name inspired by a Romanian comic character of the same name from the early '80s. In the context of a narrative framework, these aspects create an interplay of rhythmic notes that evoke a dialogue-like quality. This can be likened to a kind of logical connectivity where inquiry, response and reaction link together to become integral components.

In the latter part of the piece, an electric guitar takes centre stage, illustrating the rhythmic progression with a solo performance. This creates a poignant atmosphere, evoking a bittersweet longing as if yearning for a long-lost companion. As the music unfolds, serendipity intervenes: the partner reappears, leading to a reunion.

To put it another way, the overarching theme of 'Animal Carnival' can be understood through two distinct rhythmic motifs. One embodies a feminine essence, elongated and graceful, while the other represents masculinity, concise and percussive. This entire interplay revolves around relationships, intertwining rhythm with harmony. Whether this dialogue exists in real human connections or on a conceptual and metaphysical level remains open to interpretation. In broader terms, it mirrors the workings of nature and the animal kingdom, reflecting their pattern of impulse and response to external influences.

In contrast to this, the Tanti Aglaia aesthetic also embraces paradoxes. While 'Animal Carnival' finds its backdrop in repetition and logic, the title itself implies a sense of curiosity and wonder. After all, a carnival is an explosion of sound and colour, where the boundaries blur and a touch of madness lingers. In this realm, we are reminded of our primal instincts, tapping into our animalistic nature.

40 minutes in length, 'Animal Carnivai' is another deeply immersive creation by Gili, even when it exudes an intriguing transience, and See Blue Audio is honoured to be able to present this new piece alongside 'La Mer' as part of its catalogue.

Project management by MMercury.

Photography: Gili Mocanu.

Animal Carnival

'Animal Carnival' (preview) – Tanti Aglaia (See Blue Audio SBA #044)

'I the Storm'
Simon McCorry
See Blue Audio SBA 045

1. The Earth's Sorrow for All Things That Pass
2. Misericordia
3. These Scalding Tears
4. The Ever-Evolving Reflecting Mirror

Release date: 22 September 2023

lnk.to/SBA045

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

As summer fades and the nights draw in, our collective consciousness can take a turn towards the melancholic. We may feel this cyclical change at both a micro, individual level and as part of a greater cosmic dimension, but its presence is undeniable. We can find ourselves in the eye of a storm, and that storm could well be within us. This is the theme of the forty-fifth release on See Blue Audio: 'I the Storm' by Simon McCorry.

Mixed ethnicity, part-British, part-Indian, and "cellist sound-sculptor of ambiguous environments", this is Simon's third release on See Blue Audio. It follows a prolific couple of years of releases on respected labels on the ambient music scene like Oscarson, Shimmering Moods, Whitelabrecs, Hidden Vibes, Rusted Tone Recordings and Polar Seas. As with Simon's first release on See Blue Audio, the 'Nature in Nature' EP from 2021, where the title track was created for a short film featuring Japanese contemporary dance artist Satoko Fukuda, so 'I the Storm' began its life in the theatre. All four compositions were written while collaborating with choreographer Travis Clausen-Knight on 'I the Storm', part of the Fabula Collective production 'Momentum'. Although not originally intended for the show, they ended up using 'These Scalding Tears' in its entirety alongside other original music from Simon, with 'Momentum' receiving its premiere at Sadlers Wells Theatre in London in September 2022.

Another important component in the backstory to 'I the Storm' is the serious health issues and periods in hospital Simon experienced at the end of 2021. As disharmony in the body can also lead to disharmony in the mind, this became a time of deep personal confusion for the artist. Seeking spiritual answers, 'I the Storm' is largely influenced and indebted to the sacred music of the 12th century Benedictine writer and visionary Hildegard von Bingen, even though it has a veneer of contemporary sonic landscapes.

'I the Storm' consists of four beatless compositions of varying length based around asynchronous live looping with the cello, a method Simon has been experimenting with for a number of years. This new work takes the process in another direction as all the loops remain 'open' in overdub mode. Five loops of five different lengths always recording and adding new material as the older material slowly fades away on each repeat. Sounds cascade and circle around each other in a network of loop and delay; sometimes like a call and response, sometimes like reverb or an audio smudge, or a choir of cellos, or dense string orchestration and harmonisation. There are moments where the music is on the edge of going out of control and tipping into chaos; a tightrope is being walked.

All the tracks on 'I the Storm' were played and recorded in one sitting. The chaotic nature of the method means this is the only way, but each piece also exists as its own dramatic whole, while contained within are smaller sections or movements travelling through different emotional states and spaces.

'I the Storm' was not conceived or executed as background ambience; this is not linear or gentle listening. Nothing is hidden, all emotions are raw, and it was designed to be experienced by the listener as such. As the track titles show, ours is a world of tumult and turmoil, of agitation and upheaval, and where the storm that's within us all ebbs and flows throughout life.

Mastered by Taylor Deupree at 12k Mastering.

Image: the Sound Camp.

I the Storm

'I the Storm' (preview) – Simon McCorry (See Blue Audio SBA #045)

'The Spirit of the Young Poets'
D-Fried
See Blue Audio SBA 046

1. The Spirit of the Young Poets

Release date: 20 October 2023

lnk.to/SBA046

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

Following the experimental and improvisational nature of the previous release on See Blue Audio, 'I the Storm' by Simon McCorry, the label continues its exploration of sonic landscapes with 'The Spirit of the Young Poets'. Taking the form of a longform track, Barcelona's D-Fried has created a multi-textured composition free from constraints of form or duration, while still maintaining a bold narrative that flows through many twists and turns. As the forty-sixth release on See Blue Audio, it also marks the first contribution to the label by an artist from Catalonia.

D-Fried is Jordi Saludes, a producer, musician and DJ from Barcelona, who has been releasing music since 2006 on a wide variety of labels in Europe, the USA and Japan. This is complemented by his work for short films, documentaries, performance, audiovisual installations, websites and commercials, all of which have constructed an eclectic career within electronic music that goes from intricate IDM to evocative ambience, or as Jordi himself defines it: "digital soundtracks for urban travellers". Both as a live act and a DJ, he has also performed at major electronic festivals like Sónar, Mutek, MIRA and others.

His most recent release prior to 'The Spirit of the Young Poets' was 'Butō [part 1]' for the French label Kalamine Records with 'Butō [part 2]' to follow. Jordi has also recently remixed tracks from the new album by antennasia from Japan, one half of whom, NRV, released ambient music on See Blue Audio with 'Blue Roofs'. Returning to 'The Spirit of the Young Poets', its freestyle nature doesn't tell the full story; in fact, it's inspired by real events and real people where serendipity played a crucial role.

The concept behind 'The Spirit of the Young Poets' arose after Jordi met up with an old friend who he made music with as teenagers. With a perspective drawn from the intervening years, a yearning for artistic expression filled them, drawing on moments of rich intensity, feelings of deep fascination, and above all, innocence, which provided both infinite and unfathomable motivation.

A few days later, serendipity revealed itself: after reading one of her books, Jordi found himself watching an interview with the poet and writer Sylvia Plath. Suddenly, she was talking about the same ideas that he and his friend had been talking about just days before. At that moment, the ideas for 'The Spirit of the Young Poets' crystallised; of making a piece without defined format, neither in shape nor duration, and in which all those mixed feelings could be captured. Something that would reflect all the multitude of contradictions, achievements, losses, fears and pleasures of the artists during the creative process, and also in the trajectories of their lives that followed. Parts of the interview ended up being incorporated into the music, and they can also be heard towards the end of 'The Spirit of the Young Poets'.

Another element in the creative process behind this 22-minute piece is that as critics consider Plath to be a 'landscape poet', so Jordi thought this composition should have the qualities of 'landscape music'. This quest to evoke the sensation of landscapes in the form of sound is something that he has achieved with startling results.

As the title suggests, the artistry of the poet inhabits the meandering musical river of 'The Spirit of the Young Poets'. From beatless textures to wistful melodies, and from deep ambient pools to gentle swathes of sound that raise the spirits, this is a sensitive and emotional listening experience that borders on the devotional. Embrace and be reminded of the power of words and imagination.

Mastered by Simon McCorry.

Photography: R.Cleveland Aaron.

The Spirit of the Young Poets

'The Spirit of the Young Poets' (preview) – D-Fried (See Blue Audio SBA #046)

'Together'
Gigi D’Amico
See Blue Audio SBA 049

1. Isolated Heart
2. Harmonic Dreamscape
3. Whispering Nebula
4. Time for Things
5. Floating through Evolution
6. Warm Tomorrow
7. Pink Tears in a Joyful Sunshine
8. Forget About Your Climax
9. Nature of Capitalism

Release date: 9 February 2024

lnk.to/SBA049

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

As is customary with See Blue Audio, once a cycle of releases is complete, we start again with something different. The first release of 2024 was also the label's third compilation, 'Shade Rather Than Light: Anthology | Three', which covered the previous 15 releases, many of which were of a more experimental nature. For the next release of 2024, we welcome a new artist to the roster, Gigi D'Amico, and our second from Barcelona following D-Fried's longform track, 'The Spirit of the Young Poets', released in October 2023. Here the similarities end as Gigi's 'Together' project takes the label in a new direction with a curved ball of raw electronic energy. As the forty-ninth release on See Blue Audio, it represents a musical tangent as well as drawing attention to one of the most pressing, and at times tragic, issues of our time.

To those who know the underground music scene in Barcelona, Gigi D'Amico will be a familiar name. The Sicilian-born musician, producer, sound engineer and DJ has always blazed his own trail. He also works as a shoe designer and photographer, and manages Raval Music, a recording studio, radio station, record label and DJ school based in Raval, the historic area in the heart of Barcelona where immigrants and those from marginalised groups often make their home. Raval Music and Gigi's creative work are infused with the nervous tension and bristling atmosphere of this neighbourhood.

In 2023, shocked by the images of people crossing and sometimes perishing in the Mediterranean Sea, Gigi was driven to create the 'Together' art project. Powered by direct human contact in real time, this multimedia installation, including video and live music, triggers dynamic sounds of hope and cry as a tribute to the emigrants risking their lives. It acts as a call for people to give a hand to help others.

The nine-track 'Together' album is an expansion of the soundtrack to the project. As Gigi explains, "My creative process all starts in my head based around my social and political perspectives, filtered through my experiences as a Buddhist practitioner and Sicilian, now living in the 'ghetto' of Raval. I could picture the installation in my mind; the mood was there and so was the soundtrack, permeating the message and sonically activates feelings of oneness and wholeness in the face of pain. To keep it real and raw, everything was recorded live."

This intensity and passion can be clearly heard throughout the music, produced using a minimal studio setup and analogue equipment. It also draws on Gigi's many influences, often more visual than musical, including analogue photography and black and white cinema, notably Italian neorealism and post-neorealism. The sounds and beats can be jagged and discordant reflecting the strong emotions underlying them, but these are complemented by additional tracks, including 'Isolated Heart' and 'Whispering Nebula', specially commissioned to reflect the ambient and beatless sensibilities of See Blue Audio. They add a trace of nuanced melancholy to the surrounding electronic defiance, and, as the title of the closing track, 'Nature of Capitalism', suggests, we all remain at the mercy of powerful dark forces.

This may sometimes make for uneasy listening, but these are uneasy times. As such, the 'Together’ project and its accompanying album are a vital testimony demanding and deserving of our attention.

'Together' video presentation: https://youtu.be/Rgtw90zxqiw

Photography: Ketevan Gvinepadze.

Together

'Together' (preview) – Gigi D’Amico (See Blue Audio SBA #049)

'Majjie'
Lyli J
See Blue Audio SBA 050

1. Particles of You
2. Tide
3. See
4. Within
5. Lily's Groove
6. Chaconne
7. Vision
8. Ouh
9. Fountain of You
10. Tide (Arovane Remix)
11. Tide (Rhombus Index Remix)
12. Within (cole's Fear of Drowning Mix)

Release date: 15 March 2024

lnk.to/SBA050

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

See Blue Audio reaches its landmark fiftieth release with the welcome return of Lyli J and her album 'Majjie'. This will be the fourth full-length album of her career and the second for See Blue Audio following 'Micro Wanders' released in May 2022. Nearly two years on, 'Majjie' builds and expands on the ideas of its predecessor and creates a musical tapestry that evokes the power of mountains, mystery and magic, and heralds the arrival of spring, while also remaining deeply personal and heartfelt in the way Lyli J brings to all her music. The album is a complete entity in its own right, of course, but the addition of three remixes from kindred artists bring further dimensions of audio expression and emotional energy and to the project.

Lily Jordy is a French American instrumentalist, singer, sound designer and electronic producer who releases under the name Lyli J. With a classically trained background to accompany her love for electronic music, she has crafted a very particular musical sensibility that draws on organic, esoteric and ambient textures as well as influences from IDM, trip hop, folk and indie. All this allows Lily to give full reign to her creativity, and this can be heard throughout 'Majjie' where a multitude of sounds complement, contrast and cascade around us.

'Majjie' is her own creative phonetic spelling of 'magie' – the word for magic in French – and it is dedicated to the breathtaking landscapes of the Alps and how hyperreal they can appear to the naked eye (she lives in the French countryside outside Grenoble). This nine-track collection takes the form of a stream of consciousness and was born in summer of 2022 while preparing for a live show at the Hadra Trance Festival. Some tracks, such as 'Tide' and 'Ouh', Lily imagined as being performed in a hot desert-like setting with just a guitar; then as autumn and the colder months arrived, she added a serene, calming glue to these more extroverted tracks with deep soundscapes like 'Chaconne' and 'Fountain of You'.

"Everything naturally came together as a reflection," Lily explains "as a closing of that year." This sense of long exploration leading to some kind of peace is a strand running throughout the music and gives the album its wonderful sense of identity. Whether with guitar and voice, dub-infused beats or beatless landscapes, every track has its special role in creating the aura of wonder that permeating throughout 'Majjie'.

Turning to the remixes that come with the album, German composer and sound designer Arovane strips 'Tide' down to its core elements to construct a vignette of ghostly ambience. Rhombus Index from the See Blue Audio roster also recreates 'Tide', but in his distinctive pastoral electronic style so evocative of the Yorkshire countryside. To complete 'Majjie', emptyvessel, the acclaimed electronic composer and musician from New Zealand, assumes his cole name for the shapeshifting and orchestral 'Fear of Drowning' reimagining of 'Within'. The result is a fervent invocation that hints at some kind of divine power.

As with 'Micro Wanders', this is an album to immerse yourself in; it's a space where nature, magic and inner reflection exist side by side in the awe-inspiring presence of mountains. 'Majjie' is a celebration of their embrace.

Mastered by Thomas Ragsdale.

Photography: Lily Jordy.

Majjie

'Majjie' (preview) – Lyli J (See Blue Audio SBA #050)

'Seasons Beyond the Ashes'
NRV
See Blue Audio SBA 051

1. Harugasumi (Spring Haze)
2. Rice Fields in May
3. Painless Morning
4. This Rain Announces the Next Season
5. Moon Garden
6. Sokyokusen
7. And the First Snow Touches Your Cheek
8. Endless Snow... or Ashes

Release date: 3 May 2024

lnk.to/SBA051

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

Following the label's landmark fiftieth release, the 'Majjie' album from Lyli J, the next release on See Blue Audio continues the theme of the wonders of the natural world expressed through music. As 'Majjie' evoked the power of mountains, mystery and magic, and heralded the arrival of spring, so 'Seasons Beyond the Ashes' by NRV takes its inspiration from the four seasons and the healing properties of nature. This is the second release from NRV on See Blue Audio, and it follows the widely acclaimed 'Blue Roofs' in 2022. 'Seasons Beyond the Ashes' also examines the relationship between nature and modern society, and the fifty-first release on See Blue Audio is timed to reflect the passage of spring into summer.

NRV is the drone/ambient project from Japanese electronic musician, producer and radio host Nerve, who is based in the city of Sendai and best known as one half of the trip hop, dub and electro-pop band antennasia. 2023 saw the release of their eighth album, 'Warped Lucky'. After its completion, Nerve found himself drawn to making ambient music again and created the first sketches that went on to become 'Seasons Beyond the Ashes'.

'Blue Roofs' features two extended sonic rivers of soft simplicity. Its successor inhabits similar musical territory, but instead takes the form of eight short tracks dedicated to the eternal cycle of spring, summer, autumn and winter with two for each season. They were all designed to soothe and create harmony, even when some of the sounds used have a noisy or abrasive edge.

A thread that runs through both releases is the continuing effects of the earthquake and tsunami, and subsequent nuclear accident, that hit Japan in 2011. Nature may continue to soothe the artist through all its seasons, just as it did when he was a child, but even landscapes that seem the same as they did before the disaster somehow look different now. Perhaps this reflects his own state of mind, the influence of something that has changed in Japan since the catastrophe, or the continuing destruction and tragic events happening in many parts of the world; whatever the case, it's as if a layer of noise, dust and ash has formed between his eyes and the landscape. This is the meaning of the album's title, and what the noise and disturbance heard during the music represents.

Before he began working on the album, Nerve got hold of a small cassette recorder and recorded many synthesizer patterns onto tape. The tapes were old and with irregular wow and flutter, but they felt intensely real and became a 'sound effect' utilised in the music. In this way, the past and the present are symbolically connected, and a kind of reconciliation can begin.

The tracks may be shorter, but each has its own distinct character and mood. At times beatless and as light as a feather, at others with a harder edge to reflect our industrial age. Mournful strings and floating synths, a delicate piano line reminiscent of Ryuichi Sakamoto, and field recordings from the ever-moving world of insects, frogs and plants, but always with a rich undercurrent of energy that comes from our interaction with nature.

See Blue Audio is honoured to present this subtle and sublime musical meditation on the continuous flow of the seasons, and how they can bring comfort and contrast to the fast-paced modern world. 'Seasons Beyond the Ashes' is both a beacon of hope for the artist and those of us who share his concerns, sensitivities and dreams.

Mastered by Simon McCorry.

Photography: Manabu Ito.

Seasons Beyond the Ashes

'Seasons Beyond the Ashes' (preview) – NRV (See Blue Audio SBA #051)

'A World Within Our World'
f5point6
See Blue Audio SBA 052

1. Konis_
2. Clarity in the Dark
3. A World Within Our World
4. Fertile Ground
5. L'Artico Blu

Release date: 14 June 2024

lnk.to/SBA052

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

A year down the line from the last f5point6 release on See Blue Audio, multidisciplinary artist R.Cleveland Aaron returns with the first in a series of three releases which include a collaboration with another mainstay of the label’s roster, Rhombus Index. During this relatively quiet period, the artist has been working to push his sound forward and outwards, and 'A World Within Our World' reveals a deepening technical maturity as well as a growing confidence in his ability to truly express his ideas and emotions through music. As the fifty-second release on See Blue Audio, this is both a departure from what has gone before and a journey into other worlds.

If the previous release on See Blue Audio, NRV's 'Seasons Beyond the Ashes', took its inspiration from the four seasons and the healing properties of nature, 'A World Within Our World' is concerned with the resilience of nature against human intervention and the wanderings of the imagination. This sense of departure also applies to the existing body of work from f5point6 which has had storytelling at its heart. This reached a peak on 'Clinical Trials', an audio chronicle of one person's struggle to survive in a dystopian world, but with this new collection the emphasis has shifted to individual compositions that stand in their own space and time.

'A World Within Our World' comprises five sonic landscapes with their own unique concepts, but still held together through common musical threads of precise attention to detail, shifting subtleties of sound, and a pervasive sense of unease. It’s almost as if the contrast has been turned up to the maximum, but within this sensory overload emerging new forms can be glimpsed. There are times when the effect can border on the claustrophobic but listen closely and shafts of pale light emerge just as the first rays of dawn pierce the darkness of night.

The opening track, 'Konis_', is based around a continuous process of layers of sound that build up, clear and then start again. Over 16 minutes in length, it sets the scene for what's to come as musical particles float and then disappear from view. Taken from the ancient Greek word 'xóviç' meaning dust, it creeps into our consciousness in a way that's reminiscent of 'Loop-Finding-Jazz-Records', the seminal Jan Jelinek album.

'Clarity in the Dark' follows where fear of the unknown is heightened by exaggerated sounds that have been stretched and amplified by space and the absence of light. The title track, meanwhile, is based around a collection of imagined sounds crafted from their proximity to everyday objects. Throughout these musical landscapes, whether beatless or underpinned by clicks, glitches and pulses, other sounds drift in and out. Seemingly random but also placed with precise attention, they provide points of sharp focus as they glide past.

The unceasing will of nature to survive is imagined on 'Fertile Ground', starting with the soil that supports the growth of flora, onto the first signs of shoots, and ending with a reminder of its power. To conclude, 'L'Artico Blu' is another extended composition of over 12 minutes with an accompanying short film, and a ghostly soundtrack to the melting of the Arctic icecaps expressed through the duality of beauty and danger.

f5point6 has returned but the script has been flipped. Common themes remain – cinematic ambience with enigmatic melodies, a nod towards the more experimental side of jazz, and a passion for sci-fi culture – but everything has moved forward with a sense of urgency reflecting the artist's misgivings about the future of our planet.

Artwork and photography: R.Cleveland Aaron.

A World Within Our World

'A World Within Our World' (preview) – f5point6 (See Blue Audio SBA #052)

'Mutual Expression'
Rhombus Index + f5point6
See Blue Audio SBA 053

1. Soft Plane
2. Phase Six
3. Tea Six
4. Floam
5. One Journey
6. Lorentz Force
7. Astra
8. Phase 14
9. Return to

Release date: 12 July 2024

lnk.to/SBA053

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

For the second in the series of three f5point6 releases, R.Cleveland Aaron joins forces with Rhombus Index, another mainstay of the See Blue Audio roster. It closely follows on from ‘A World Within Our World’, and, as the title of their collaboration, ‘Mutual Expression’, suggests, this is a project based around shared methodologies and ideas, while still retaining their individual aesthetics; a reciprocal knowledge and passion for music in its myriad forms; and respect for each other’s perceptions of the world. As the fifty-third release on See Blue Audio, its radiant musical eloquence is also the perfect way to embrace the arrival of summer.

Rhombus Index is an experimental electronic musician from West Yorkshire, who draws inspiration and solace from the natural world. Multidisciplinary artist R.Cleveland Aaron, meanwhile, is a true Londoner, whose prolific portfolio in music, photography and video includes nine releases on See Blue Audio so far. The two first came into contact on 'Kernel Phase', the last Rhombus Index album, and as part of a reimaging of previous releases, f5point6 contributed two remixes of 'Leptosol' from the 'Planar' EP. The spark had been ignited and 'Mutual Expression' is the result of a shared wish to bring together their musical visions. The result is most certainly that and a whole lot more; the whole is assuredly greater than the sum of the parts. 

The partnership was proposed by f5point6 following the release of 'Kernel Phase'. The idea was to expand their creative relationship and build a full album of tracks and artwork in a collaborative manner. It's worth noting that the cover artwork and video for 'Floam' were also produced together. Work began on the release in spring 2023, and there are some intriguing contrasts that accompany the creation of this nine-track album: light and dark, city and country, industrial and esoteric, glitchy atmospherics and pastoral electronica. Too much should not be made of these, but they do provide a touch of intrigue. 

Their creative process began by sending outlines of tracks and fragments of sounds to each other. Stems were exchanged to build upon the material selected. The results were then sent back and forth to advance further as desired, and with some tracks this process was iterated several times to guide and develop a new and cohesive sound. Various creative tools were employed during the production process from generative sequencers and rompler synthesisers to field recordings and library sounds, while aficionados of Detroit techno and early IDM will also find much to appreciate within the intricacies of 'Mutual Expression'.

As with both artists' solo output, beats of multiple variations provide the foundation of the album. Layered above are a swirling maze of sonic textures, sometimes with almost wafer-thin delicacy, at others with the emotionally charged energy of the dancefloor. To reflect the beatless ethos of See Blue Audio and close 'Mutual Expression', 'Return To' was created as a cerebral ambient track which plays back echoes of the other tracks as it progresses.

The artwork and video were created in the same collaborative vein. f5point6 provided photography work that Rhombus Index used as samples in building the artwork, while Rhombus Index supplied an audio reactive geometry to f5point6 who constructed the final video.

The results are spectacular in every aspect and a tribute to the power of respect and trust. See Blue Audio is privileged to have been able to provide the channel that helped bring 'Mutual Expression' into life.

Artwork and photography: Loui Binns and R.Cleveland Aaron.

Mutual Expression

'Mutual Expression' (preview) – Rhombus Index + f5point6 (See Blue Audio SBA #053)

'A Random Sequence of Events'
f5point6
See Blue Audio SBA 054

1. Flowing with the Phagocytes
2. Endogenesis
3. I Never Got to Say
4. Grey Clouds over Ramsgate
5. Phase Eleven
6. Prelude to the Inevitable
7. And In Came Eddy
8. Un momento pensieroso
9. To Illustrate Her with Sound
10. Midnight Carousel
11. A Random Sequence of Events

Release date: 20 September 2024

lnk.to/SBA054

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

For the third and final instalment in a series of f5point6 releases, multidisciplinary artist R.Cleveland Aaron presents a new full-length album, 'A Random Sequence of Events'. It also represents another side of his musical personality and while radically different in many aspects from the other two releases in this trilogy – 'A World Within Our World' and 'Mutual Expression' in collaboration with Rhombus Index – a line of continuity remains. As the fifty-fourth release on See Blue Audio and the eleventh from f5point6, it's also a timely reminder that, at his core, R.Cleveland Aaron is a visual artist, so as a producer of music, his aim is to create visual sounds. Reflecting their symbiotic relationship, a new solo album from Rhombus Index, ‘hycean’, will also be released on the same day.

There's a clear statement of intent behind this new album: at this stage in his career, Cleveland felt compelled to reveal more of his musical palate. As the title of the second track, 'Endogenesis' – meaning biological growth from within – suggests, the music comes from his imagination, originating from within his conscious and unconscious mind. On previous releases, the approach has always been to express opposing forces, almost like symbiosis, and apply this to a single genre throughout the project. With 'A Random Sequence of Events', however, Cleveland chose to challenge himself and delve into these forces across a mixture of genres. Followers of f5point6 will already know that his sound is all about light and shadow, colour and contrast, and the juxtaposition of ideas – another reflection of his work as a photographer and video artist.

This process is taken to another level on 'A Random Sequence of Events', and it can be considered as the first true f5point6 artist album. Work began in February 2023 with 'Phase Eleven'. Experimenting with looser arrangements but also intricate patterns, it became a welcome opportunity for Cleveland to tap into his jazz roots. Serendipitously, the more experimental title track is also the eleventh track on the eleventh f5point6 release on See Blue Audio.

The last track made for the album was 'Un momento pensieroso' – translated from the Italian as "a moment of reflection or a pensive moment" – in May 2024. This follows on from 'And in Came Eddy' featuring trumpet playing from Eddy Gray-Aragoneses, which is significant in another respect as it was Cleveland's first experience of recording a live instrument. The results are as elegant as they are almost celestial in quality.

Another departure from previous releases is the absence of field recordings; instead, Cleveland opted to explore and utilise a wide variety of plugins. The beatless aesthetic of See Blue Audio is also heard on tracks like 'Flowing with the Phagocytes' and 'Grey Clouds Over Ramsgate'.

Is this album really a random sequence of events or a reflection of the underlying patterns of the universe? The artist makes no claim to have the answer, but he poses the question through an exploration and personal interpretation of jazz, Detroit techno and ambient electronica set against the backdrop of a cinematic musical landscape. As a listening experience, ‘A Random Sequence of Events’ is as dynamic as it is immersive. Like the drifting sands of an endless desert, or calm water lapping against the shores of the deepest lake, this is music to lose yourself in, suspend time and pause for thought.

Artwork and photography: R.Cleveland Aaron.

A Random Sequence of Events

'A Random Sequence of Events' (preview) – f5point6 (See Blue Audio SBA #054)

'hycean'
Rhombus Index
See Blue Audio SBA 055

1. Elytron
2. Giiflora
3. Digital Anemone
4. Polyeme
5. Tine
6. Flotsam
7. Coastal Curve

Release date: 20 September 2024

lnk.to/SBA055

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

Following 'Mutual Expression', his recent collaborative project with f5point6, Rhombus Index returns with a solo album, 'hycean'. This will be his fourth release on See Blue Audio and represents a further step in the artist's musical evolution; this is a world where the interplay between the organic and the digital takes centre stage, and it has a special resonance in these days of artificial intelligence and machine learning. 'hycean' is the fifty-fifth release on See Blue Audio and, reflecting their symbiotic relationship, a new solo album from f5point6, 'A Random Sequence of Events', will also be released on the same day. An art booklet of images generated during the creation of 'hycean' is included with the album.

As an electronic artist from West Yorkshire, Rhombus Index inhabits a geographical and historical space where modern, industrial society and the power of nature collide. It's only logical, therefore, that these contradictory forces come out in his music. 'hycean' is an exploration of sounds that evoke images of organically grown digital creatures and objects. The typically enigmatic track titles, artwork and video for 'Digital Anemone' serve as a guide for the listener: imagine a future evolution of organic beings merging with digital inorganic entities to form a new kind of life.

The production tools used on 'hycean' include generative sequencers, field recordings, wavetable synthesis and rompler synthesisers, while the closing track, 'Coastal Curve', was developed using sonification of coastal path measurement data. These techniques and references to areas like video game technology are a constant thread in the work of Rhombus Index, and the natural and digital worlds are ever crashing into each other in a kind of dance.

Over the seven tracks of 'hycean', the pastoral electronic sound of Rhombus Index is in full effect. The embrace of washes of warm synth chords, beats fall like smatterings of spring rain, and that playful elegance abundantly found in nature. Faster tempos on tracks like 'Flotsam' add another dimension, while remaining essentially ambient. The artist has always drawn influences from the dancefloor and rave culture, and 'Digital Anemone' captures the kind of Balearic aura that is the essence of dance music. The beatless aesthetic of See Blue Audio is also represented on 'Elytron' and 'Polyeme'.

'Digital Anemone' was created in reverse with the video elements made first and then the music written to fit the video. The sounds of digital anemone creatures are heard in the opening minute as high pitch synth warbles. Once the track was completed, it was then fed back into the video to make it audio reactive.

The accompanying eight-page, full colour booklet contains conceptual images that were created using a generative process applied during developing the image for the cover artwork. These images could be seen as depicting the new digital flora and fauna that has evolved alongside the music. The booklet also contains fragments of data, but what these data sets mean and how they relate to the images is for the listener to figure out should they wish.

A gentle harmony runs throughout 'hycean', but this harmony is not without contrast and conflict. The album is a personal reflection on the fusing of organic and digital realities, and the journey of discovery that the introduction of generative artificial intelligence has brought into our lives. We have little idea how it will end. With its lightness of touch and moments of rare beauty, 'hycean' thoroughly deserves to be enjoyed and recognised as a richly insightful piece of work.

Image: Loui Binns.

hycean

'hycean' (preview) – Rhombus Index (See Blue Audio SBA #055)

'hycean revisited'
Rhombus Index
See Blue Audio SBA 057

1. Digital Anemone (NRV Remix)
2. Digital Anemone (Rhombus Index Ambient Mix)
3. Digital Anemone (Lyli J Remix)
4. Digital Anemone (Bagaski's 'Eve' Mix)
5. Digital Anemone (f5point6 Remix)
6. Digital Anemone (Darbinyan Remix)
7. Digital Anemone (Electric Supply Station Reimagination)
8. Polyeme (RoboCrafting Material Remix)
9. Polyeme (Kuma's 'Train to Todmorden' Mix)

Release date: 29 November 2024

lnk.to/SBA057

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

2024 has seen a flurry of activity from Rhombus Index on See Blue Audio. The year started with his remix of Lyli J's 'Tide' from her 'Majjie' album, then came 'Mutual Expression', his collaborative project with f5point6, and finally 'hycean', his fourth release on See Blue Audio and representation of a further step in the electronic artist’s musical evolution. This seven-track solo album is a personal reflection on the fusing of organic and digital realities, and it embraces the full range of the signature Rhombus Index pastoral electronica aesthetic. Two tracks, in particular, express the spark of club culture that runs through his music, and these were selected for 'hycean revisited', a remix collection and the fifty-seventh release on See Blue Audio.

Rhombus Index, a West Yorkshire-based experimental producer and sound designer, is known for favouring of relatively short tracks, understated perhaps but always with an ephemeral charm. Musical ideas quickly come into view, their essence hangs in the air, and then they dissolve into the ether. This has always made them perfect candidates for remixing, and so the idea for 'hycean revisited' was born. 'Digital Anemone', the beating heart of the original album with its Balearic aura, was an obvious choice, but also 'Polyeme' which despite being essentially beatless, is a glorious invocation of the natural world. An international cast from the See Blue Audio roster were then invited to rework, reinterpret and reimagine as they wished.

This isn't the first Rhombus Index release to feature remixes; 'Kernel Phase' at the end of 2022 included several from his back catalogue. 'hycean revisited' takes this one step further with seven new versions of 'Digital Anemone'. As the most uptempo track on the album, it provided a base that could be turned and twisted into myriad shapes. Drone/ambient producer NRV strips the track back and adds subtle melodic touches to create a hypnotic reverie, while Lyli J expands the original into an eight-minute odyssey, rich and warm with a hint of a retro chillout vibe. By contrast, Bagaski's 'Eve' mix is a swirling, atonal reinterpretation in his characteristic vaporwave style.

f5point6 takes 'Digital Anemone' deep into his cinematic world, while Barcelona-based Darbinyan, a newcomer to See Blue Audio, morphs the beats into a dub heavy, spaced out version. In conclusion, the Electric Supply Station Reimagination is an extended narrative where elements of the original are rearranged and interspersed with new sounds and dynamics. Rhombus Index has also created his own slowed down ambient version which allows the melodies to take centre stage. This is one for early Sunday morning as you ease yourself back into life.

A pause for breath follows before Gabriel Slick takes hold of 'Polyeme' and heads dark and techy with his RoboCrafting Material alias. To round things off, Kuma's 'Train to Todmorden' mix goes a little strange and shadowy forces are unleashed. It's the perfect epilogue to this return visit to 'hycean' and embrace of its multiple dimensions.

See Blue Audio is all about light rather than shade, contrast and contradiction, energy and calm, and 'hycean revisited' captures this essence. It's a fine and sometimes darker companion to the original album, and a fitting epitaph for 2024.

Mastered by Loui Binns.

Image: Loui Binns.

hycean revisited

'hycean revisited' (preview) – Rhombus Index (See Blue Audio SBA #057)

'Vestige'
Leit Motif
See Blue Audio SBA 058

1. Aonaran
2. Seva
3. Before You and I Were Us
4. Roots and the Tree of Life
5. Welcome Home
6. Sweven
7. Anam Cara
8. Veni Vidi Amavi

Release date: 31 January 2025

https://lnk.to/SBA058

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

For the opening release of 2025, See Blue Audio sees the welcome return of one its artists, but with a little twist. Glaswegian electronic producer Fragile X contributed three EPs in his characteristically dramatic and atmospheric style to the early days of the label, and his musical themes of journey and inner discovery fitted perfectly within the See Blue Audio ethos. Now he assumes his Leit Motif guise with a new eight-track album, 'Vestige', that expands on earlier releases under this name to create a fully formed and immersive sonic world for the fifty-eighth release on See Blue Audio.

In fact, this is the second appearance of Leit Motif on the label; his 'Dawn Chorus' remix of Bagaski's 'Spring Prayer' was an exclusive track on the 'Shade Rather Than Light: Anthology | Two' compilation and a joyous celebration of nature. So where does Fragile X end and Leit Motif begin? It's no secret that they are one and the same artist, but to think of Leit Motif as the more ambient side of the coin would be misleading, even though it was originally conceived as a mix series, 'Microsleep', studying the relationship between music and sleep. Rather consider Leit Motif to be one branch of the musical tree that is producer, remixer, Bricolage label head and radio show host Fragile X.

The word vestige is rich in nuanced meaning: a trace, a reminder, a residue, a fragment or relic of something that has been left behind, an echo from the past perhaps. There's a time-stretching quality to this idea and things may not always be as they seem in the moment. As the artist explains, "This album is influenced by the many thousands of connections we have with so many people throughout our lives, big and small. These connections may be ephemeral and transient, or they may be long lasting and fulfilling. That all depends on the nature of the relationships we create and sustain throughout life, but either way we display a bit of ourselves in each interaction we have and leave behind a trace. A remnant. A vestige."

Across its eight tracks, this concept is explored and imagined in musical form to superb effect. The trademark Fragile X production techniques of swirling and enveloping swathes of sound punctuated by moments of calm for reflection are fully utilised to create a powerful, at times almost theatrical, depiction of our journey through life. Waves crash against the rocks, the shoreline is weather beaten and battered, but then the heavens open and the light pours down.

There's something timeless and mysterious, even mystical, about the audio landscapes of 'Vestige' as there is with life itself. This is also reflected in the track titles. At times the mood can be brooding – 'Anam Cara', for example – while at others tingling with excitement as on 'Welcome Home'. The beatless aesthetic of See Blue Audio is also well represented on tracks live 'Seva' and 'Roots and the Tree of Life'. As 'Veni Vidi Amavi' closes the album, we're left with a sense of the wonder of life and how we are all just microscopic parts in the grand cosmos of existence.

The meaning of 'leitmotif' is a recurring theme in artistic composition and one that could be associated with a particular person, place, idea or situation. This is a pulsating vein that runs throughout the body of 'Vestige', but what it refers to we can leave to our own imagination and individual life stories. As a musical offering, this album also suits the mood as we enter a new year, and one that may well be riven with change, turmoil and dissent. May it give you a little respite.

Photography: R.Cleveland Aaron.

Vestige

'Vestige' (preview) – Leit Motif (See Blue Audio SBA #058)

'Silent Observers' EP
Substak
See Blue Audio SBA 059

1. Voyage Beyond
2. Orbiting Dreams
3. Aurora
4. Nebula Drift
5. Silent Observers

Release date: 14 March 2025

https://lnk.to/SBA059

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

If the opening release of 2025 on See Blue Audio, 'Vestige' by Leit Motif, was an audio journey into the nature of what it is to be human in the chaos that surrounds us, its successor takes a trip into the outer reaches of space and our imagination. It also welcomes a new artist to the label in the shape of Athens-based electronic artist Substak. With the 'Silent Observers' EP, the fifty-ninth release on See Blue Audio, he invites us into his world where sound operates as a form of language.

Kostas Staikos, otherwise known as Substak, began his passion for music as a means of escape from everyday life with a commitment to creative freedom and expression. Since then, he has released on myriad labels from many countries, including Nomadism Records, Drone Works International, Secret Domain, hello strange, Adventurous Music, Pertin-nce, Secuencias Temporales, Recycled Plastics, ODrex Music, Apnea, Hypnotic Landscapes, insectorama, Kopoc, Sea of Clouds and others, creating an impressive portfolio of work. Setting himself no limits and with an artistic vision transcending conventional boundaries, his musical compass points in many directions from dub and techno to ambient and drone soundscapes. On 'Silent Observers', his sound takes another evolutionary step with sonic explorations that plunge into the depths of drone and space ambience.

Across five short but perfectly succinct tracks, Kostas brings his ideas into being with exquisite clarity. Beatless, shrouded in static and radio interference, and with subtle melodies that seem to almost crawl into life, the effect is soothing and dreamlike, but still demanding of our attention. At times it can be unsettling, but such is the nature of the great, mysterious universe that hovers above us. As the titles suggest, the cosmos is the central theme on 'Silent Observers' and the listener quickly becomes immersed in the Substak interpretation of travelling through endless space to unknown galaxies.

The closing title track hints at a possible alternative view: perhaps we are the observed and not the observers; it's they who are looking at us from afar and wondering who and what we are. This is their radio transmission and at times it's almost as if the signal is breaking up.

Substak has created something very special here and it's a glorious addition to the See Blue Audio catalogue. The 'Silent Observers' EP evokes a sense of reflection and is ideally suited for relaxation and meditation while still retaining a questioning tone. To paraphrase the line from a famous science fiction movie, "In space no one can hear anything at all."

Silent Observers EP

'Silent Observers' EP (preview) – Substak (See Blue Audio SBA #059)

'En mis sueños' EP
Khuenzz
See Blue Audio SBA 003

1. En mi alma
2. En mis sueños
3. En tu memoria
4. Estoy aquí

Release date: 6 December 2019

lnk.to/SBA003

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

See Blue Audio closes 2019 with its third release: the 'En mis sueños' EP from Khuenzz. Little is known about the identity of the enigmatic Khuenzz, although the name was allegedly inspired by the sound of a robot's voice. The track titles may be in Spanish, but that's probably a smokescreen too. All we know about Khuenzz is that there was an earlier release this year, the 'Leviathan' EP on SLiCK Records.

Over its four tracks, 'En mis sueños' heads deep into the dubbier side of ambient electronica, where hypnotic rhythms, spooky synths and effects, and distorted voices create a mysterious musical landscape. The opening track, 'En mi alma', is built around rolling percussion and a simple piano refrain, which is interspersed with a manipulated vocal sample and layers of electronic crackle. The effect is intriguing and haunting in equal measure.

The title track is next, and it represents the beatless contribution that is part of every release on See Blue Audio. 'En mis sueños' is a short story of drifting ambience punctuated by moments of dramatic tension. As the title suggests, it has a dreamlike quality, like slowly falling through space, but then being hit by bursts of hyperreality.

'En tu memoria' has a lighter quality but is still infused with the same heavy dub textures and vocal manipulation as 'En mi alma'. It’s also feels like a reawakening after the deep dreams of 'En mis sueños'. Completing the EP is 'Estoy aquí', which continues the lighter mood with a swaying rhythm providing the foundation for gentle synth melodies and glitch-style effects.

What's most remarkable about 'En mis sueños' is the way in which it tells a musical story in relatively short chapters. There's a strong narrative throughout of sleeping and waking, falling and rising, and travelling into the unknown.

En mis sueños EP

'En mis sueños' EP (preview) – Khuenzz (See Blue Audio SBA #003)

'KaleidoSound: An Introduction'
f5point6
See Blue Audio SBA 005

1. Nova
2. 432 Hz
3. Altocumulus
4. Flow
5. Apotica
6. Sun Fire

Release date: 24 April 2020

lnk.to/SBA005

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

See Blue Audio turns its sights onto a new artist for our next release as we welcome f5point6 to the label. 'KaleidoSound: An Introduction', as the title suggests, is the inaugural release from f5point6, and both the artist's name and the release title convey a strong sense of cinematography. This is intentional as the visual image is central to all the creativity output of R.Cleveland Aaron, also known as f5point6.

Cleveland's successful career as a professional photographer has taken him into many areas, including architecture, interiors, fashion, music and advertising, as well as earning him the role as a mentor with Olympus Digital UK. Born and still based in east London, his natural love for music and club culture was enhanced by regular commissions from several of the UK's electronic music magazines. His global travels exposed him to many different styles, which formed the basis of his own sonic explorations even when his photographic work headed in different directions. In particular, Cleveland immersed himself in the world of ambient music, where his visual philosophy based on light, shape and space found much in common.

The KaleidoSound project is the result of these studio explorations, meticulously crafted and often using original field recordings as source material, as well as utilising Cleveland's passion for retro synths and analogue sounds. The six tracks of 'KaleidoSound: An Introduction' develop into a collection of musical short stories, mostly beatless, and based on the natural world around us with his keen visual sensibility evident throughout.

The titles of the tracks reflect key elements on this planet and beyond. Commencing with 'Nova', delicate notes and soft swathes of sound represent the evolving light of a new star, while '423 Hz', the frequency of pure white light, resonates with slow motion energy. Coming up for air, 'Altocumulus' embraces the sky with its spacey tones and sounds captured from the living world.

'Flow' harnesses the power of nature's winds and currents; they surround our bodies with eerie sounds, and we become lost in their movement. 'Apotica', the Italian word meaning the aphotic zone of the ocean where little or no light penetrates, is a return to darker, submerged audio with strange effects flitting in and out. By way of transformation and the bringing of hope, 'Sun Fire' concludes the debut KaleidoSound project as we return to solid ground soothed by rich textures and the crackle of fire.

Welcome to f5point6, KaleidoSound and the first of many auditory adventures from R.Cleveland Aaron.

Photography: R.Cleveland Aaron.

KaleidoSound: An Introduction

'KaleidoSound: An Introduction' (preview) – f5point6 (See Blue Audio SBA #005)

'Glass and Lasers'
Mink Freud
See Blue Audio SBA 007

1. Glass and Lasers

Release date: 12 June 2020

lnk.to/SBA007

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

See Blue Audio is pleased to welcome Mink Freud to the label for its seventh release. 'Glass and Lasers' is the first in a series of new recordings from the north Londoner, and a welcome return for an artist who hasn’t released in a while. This doesn't mean she hasn’t been busy writing and making music, of course, and 'Glass and Lasers' is indicative of a subtle and graceful change in direction.

The name of Mink Freud gained attention with the release of her debut album, 'Gelatinous', on Domestic Records in 2011. Its nine tracks were rich in texture and changing moods, ranging from lo-fi beats to ambient soundscapes, and 'Gelatinous' was favourably reviewed on The Quietus website. The cinematic quality of her work also led to collaborations with the visual artist Lazyoptics.

'Glass and Lasers' retains much of the original Mink Freud sound, but it has morphed into something different, perhaps reflecting the changing world the artist sees around her. Cascading chime-like beats, natural and supernatural effects, droplets of sound; over eight minutes of sonic reflection that ebb and flow. In keeping with her eclectic and wide-ranging tastes, as well as the impact of living in the huge metropolis that is London, traces of grime and other city-based influences can also be heard.

'Glass and Lasers' is simultaneously alluring and enigmatic, and it deserves to be released as a standalone track. Next up from Mink Freud on See Blue Audio is the 'In Isolation' EP, which includes the shadowy ambience of 'Hawksmoor'.

Photography: R.Cleveland Aaron.

Glass and Lasers

'Glass and Lasers' (preview) – Mink Freud (See Blue Audio SBA #007)

'Maps for the Lost'
Fragile X
See Blue Audio SBA 009

1. Departure from Nowhere
2. Wayfarer
3. Maps for the Lost
4. Passing the Ley Lines
5. Full Circle (True North)

Release date: 17 July 2020

lnk.to/SBA009

See Blue Audio: ambient / electronic / beatless / cinematic / downtempo / eclectic / introspective… Shade rather than light...

For the label's ninth release, See Blue Audio heads over to Glasgow with 'Maps for the Lost' from the accomplished and prolific electronic artist Fragile X. With a sound described as "drifting somewhere in the audio void between the chaos and the calm", Fragile X moves freely between ambient and techno, taking in IDM, breaks, electro, glitch and drone, and experimental electronica along the way.

As well as being the founder, label manager and one of the principal producers on the respected Bricolage imprint, Fragile X has recently released and remixed for labels like Disintegration State, Triplicate Records and Light At The End under his Leit Motif guise. He's also known for his expansive, genre-crossing DJ mixes and podcasts. Now it's the turn of See Blue Audio with 'Maps for the Lost', a collection that reveals what is perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Fragile X: he is a sonic storyteller with the enquiring mind of an adventurer. These stories may take the form of underground electronic music, but they are essentially stories, nonetheless.

Over the five tracks of 'Maps for the Lost', the listener is taken on an audio journey where the music flows together using field recordings, spoken word samples, beatless soundscapes and sound design techniques. This goes far beyond being a sequence of tracks as this feeling of transportation is an inherent narrative throughout the music, starting with the wide-open spaces and sense of mystery radiating from 'Departure from Nowhere'.

'Wayfarer' follows with the music taking a subtle shift, almost as if it has been exposed to light and a sense of purpose created. The use of glitch effects heightens this sensation of stepping into the unknown. Next up is the title track, and 'Maps for the Lost' begins with a delicate melody before being consumed by drums and a bassline to dramatic effect. It's knowing the right moment to add these elements that really allows the music to breathe and build the narrative; lost we may be but moving forward with wonder.

On 'Passing the Ley Lines', our feet are planted back on the earth, but as with the concept of ley lines, nothing is quite what it seems. Rich textures of ambient sound shift and realign like the ground beneath our feet, and some kind of equilibrium is established. The conclusion of 'Full Circle (True North)' is exactly as the title suggests: all things must return to their source for harmony to be restored. Based around a simple piano refrain, true north is found again, and we can rest from our travels.

It's as much about the journey as the destination: this may be a well over-used concept, but with 'Maps for the Lost' it feels right. With this release, Fragile X has created a musical travelogue that is far more than just a metaphor. Be transported.

Mastered by Richard Jones at Dark Fidelity Hi Fi Studios.

Photography: R.Cleveland Aaron.

Maps for the Lost

'Maps for the Lost' (preview / continuous DJ mix) – Fragile X (See Blue Audio SBA #009)

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