... improvised chants, invented languages, feminist ambient, cold storage experimentalism, mystic organ, Casio liturgy, TV field recordings, pop tristesse, sun-liquified lovers rock, Amazon basin jazz/folk fusion, bread-faced lullabies, Renaissance electronica, LA piano-salon musique

Featuring Lili Boulanger, Ursula Le Guin, Svitlana Nianio, Meredith Monk, Su Tissue, Marianne Faithfull, Fairuz, Maximum Joy, Maria Marquez, Eurythmics, Ellen Arkbro, Rowen Johnson, Björk, T-world, Christiane F., Grouper, Blonde Redhead, Alban Berg, Dickie Landry, Wire, Satie, Anna Homler, Janaček, Dimitris Petsetakis, The Field Mice, Normil Hawaiians, Insides, Janet Jackson, Charles Ives and some more

... to get behind the secret

I went to the Garden of Love,
And saw what I never had seen:
A Chapel was built in the midst,
Where I used to play on the green.

And the gates of this Chapel were shut,
And Thou shalt not. writ over the door;
So I turn'd to the Garden of Love,
That so many sweet flowers bore.

And I saw it was filled with graves,
And tomb-stones where flowers should be:
And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds,
And binding with briars, my joys & desires.

Trackllist: https://snowsovgethen.com/hermetic-journals-vol-1-the-garden

Hermetic Journal Vol.1: The Garden

A white mist drifts across the shrouds,
A wild moon in this wintry sky
Gleams like an angry lion's eye
Out of a mane of tawny clouds.

The muffled steersman at the wheel
Is but a shadow in the gloom;--
And in the throbbing engine-room
Leap the long rods of polished steel.

The shattered storm has left its trace
Upon this huge and heaving dome,
For the thin threads of yellow foam
Float on the waves like ravelled lace.

Tracklist:

1	Yusuke Keida + Harris / English	•	A Poet's Sea / Cross
2	Kaija Saariaho + various field rec. & radio static (Conet)	•	Oltra Mar / Spanish counting + Radio drone(s)
3	Tibor Szemzo + various field rec. & radio static (Conet)	•	Water-Wonder / M3s & exotic rumbling
4	Annea Lockwood + Sjunne Fergers Exit	•	Water Gong / Romance
5	Alister Crowley + Beatriz Ferreyra	•	At Sea / Mer d'Azov
6	Arthur Russell + field recordings	•	Sunlit Water live 6_24-84 / waves
7	北村 昌士 [Masashi Kitamura], Phonogenix	•	ヴァリエイション･Ⅲ　Variation･Ⅲ
8	Gigi Masin + Björk + field recording	•	The Sea Of Sands /  Living by the ocean / beach
9	Akira Hanamoto, Masashi Kitamura, Haruhiko Tsuda + The Humble Bee	•	幻のアジア⋯⋯⋯1982年のサイキック･ドキュメント　The Final Autumn In Asia⋯⋯⋯psychic document for 1982 / A century of sea stories
10	The Gerogerigegege	•	02. Untitled
11	Grouper + Gagarin-Kombinaatti	•	Traveling Through a Sea / Polvella
12	Dick Mills + Takashi Kokubo (小久保隆)	•	Seascape / 小久保隆 - 海底の中の夢
13	John Ashbery + Deux Filles + Luc Ferrari	•	I love the Sea / The Sun On the Sea / Presque Rien
14	John Surman & Karin Krog	•	Seaside Postcard 1951
15	Colin Stetson + La Monte Young + This Mortal Coil	•	High Above a Grey Green Sea / Drift Study 14 VII 73 9:27:27-10:06:41 PM NYC / Barramundi
16	Donato Dozzy  + Tod Dockstader + Robert Turman	•	mqf intro / Harbor /Flux 6
17	Simon Fisher Turner & Derek Jarman + Robin Archer	•	Pearl fishers | In azure seas / Ocean Airwaves
18	Maurice Ravel + Mica Levi	•	Miroirs (1905) - III. Une barque sur l'océan / Drift
19	Richard Maxfield + Tor Lundvall	•	Sine Music (A Swarm of Butterflies Encountered Over the Ocean) / Angels At Sea
20	David Behrman + Ingram Marshall + Khlebnikov & Kirsanov	•	On The Other Ocean / Fog Tropes / The Sea
21	Michel Redolfi + Sam Mallet	•	Immersion Partielle / Sun Glints On The Ocean
22	Dominique Guiot	•	L'Univers de la mer
23	Anne Briggs	•	Tidewave
24	Pauline Oliveros + Dead Can Dance	•	Watertank software / Ocean
25	Saint Etienne	•	The Sea
26	Hermann Kopp, Monika M. & John Boy + Huerco S	•	Monika by the sea /  A Sea Of Love
27	Hiroshi Yoshimura 吉村弘 + Daphne Oram & Desmond Briscoe	•	Something Blue / The Ocean (Main Theme)
28	Haroldo de Campos + Toninho Horta	•	Multitudinous Seas / Moonstone
29	Marnie	•	Seashell Song
30	Goldie	•	Sea Of Tears
31	Laaraji + Loren Mazzacane Connors	•	I am the ocean / Voice Of The Ocean, "Despair Not!"
32	Krzysztof Komeda	•	Walk on the water
33	Charles Mingus	•	Mood indigo
34	Benoît Widemann	•	Tsunami
35	J.D. Emmanuel + Les Gabriel LaHeart	•	Moonrise Over the Atlantic / The Calm Sea
36	Rare Silk + Erik Wøllo + Sjunne Fergers Exit	•	Storm / Tide 2 / Candlelight (alt.)
37	Reload + Piero Milesi & Daniel Bacalov + field recordings + Coldcut	•	Le Soleil et la Mer / Acqua / boat rowing + sea shore / beats & pieces
38	Eduard Artemiev + Brian Eno	•	Solaris Ocean / Inland Sea
39	Dean Hurley	•	Interior Home by the Sea
40	Hiroki Okano + Hardijs Lediņš	•	Sea (m4, 1990) / I Am Swimming In The Sea Water
41	Andrew Chalk + field recordings (conet)	•	Leaving for the Ocean / fading signal
42	David Sylvian + field recordings (conet)	•	Where the Railroad Meets the Sea / m3s / radio static / seascapes

Hermetic Journal Vol.3:  Mer Indigo

To soundtrack the summer solstice weekend here are the mysterious sounds from obscure Belgian multi-instrumentalist Joël Vandroogenbroeck (famous for playing synths in a cult 1970s Swiss psych rock band Brainticket).
This podcast explores Joël’s vast library music output with focus on his records for Coloursound label (set up in 1979 by jazz musician Gunter Greffenius), which released all sort of amazing wacky music covering all types of soundtrack'y & jazz stuff, but frequently venturing out into ambient, new age and experimental electronica.The artworks for most of their records are beautiful art-nouveau(ish) illustrations by Waltraud Greffenius.
The aesthetic spectrum covered in this curation of Vandroogenbroeck’s music is pretty extensive: early music, computer games sounds, prog, proto-house, synth boogie etc. What unites all of it is Joël’s propensity to create enchanted, but always pastoral, warm-sounding atmospheres even in the most outlandishly experimental music.

Tracklist:
1	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Meditation 02"
2	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Chipland Liquids"
3	Eric Vann	"Alien Cityship"
4	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Energetics"
5	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Cascades"
6	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Mutation"
7	Eric Vann	"Slap Chap"
8	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Software Jungle"
9	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"In Praise Of Ra"
10	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Wayang"
11	Eric Vann	"Gulfstream"
12	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Prelude A L'Aube"
13	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"El Camino Real"
14	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Scoop The Pool"
15	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Crazy Flute"
16	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Mouse Runner"
17	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Sunrise In Cairo"
18	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Assembly Room"
19	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Genetic Manipulation"
20	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Hobbits"
21	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Lost Continent"
22	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Sensazione Fisiologica"
23	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Sand 'n' Wind"
24	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Icon"
25	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Land And Sea"
26	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Campanes"
27	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Technoforce"
28	Joel Vandroogenbroeck	"Dancing Electrons"

Library Music: Joël Vandroogenbroeck Special

Straight up Applied Rhythmic Technology (ART) blissings. Any questions? I thought so…
Well here’re some tedious details:
Coinciding with the proliferation of acid house in the UK ART became one of the first publishers to license early gems by one Mr. Carl Craig. Back when he did some fine musiques instead of (dis)gracing DJ tents of Red Bull corporate events disguised as “raves” for geriatric millennials. Re-contextualising his then dreamy’n’jazzy Detroit sound with local talent.
In 92 - the momentous year of Warp’s Artificial Intelligence - ART became entangled (business-only) with pre-MTV Richard D. James and his Rephlex to unleash “The Philosophy Of Sound And Machine”, a comp which “underlined aesthetic continuity” of “Detroit-UK axis” (whatever it might be) while pointing to distinctly British brand of armchaired electronica. Angrily remembered under the imbecile tag of IDM. IDM and Twinnings, the best British imports of the 1990s. 
There is simply too much amazing stuff in ART back-catalogue to fit into one blissed hour, so the focus is primarily on the most honeyed of their ‘90s features. Expect the expected and keep it chastity caged. Will you?

Tracklist:
1	Ross 154  "Hybrids Iii"
2	Photek / Blue Calx "T'raenon / Blue Calx"
3	Phenomyna "Earthfall (Explained By Nuron)"
4	Roberto Bosco "State Of Mind 3 (With Fabio Petrosino)"
5	Paul W. Teebrooke "Nova"
6	Ross 154 "Mayflower"
7	The 4th Wave "Attention Please"
8	As One "Moon Over The Moab"
9	Phenomyna 	• Got The Urge
10	Paul W. Teebrooke "Bush Re-Bushed"
11	Redcell "Infinite Lites"
12	Phenomyna "From Afar"
13	Stefan Vincent "Paranal One"
14	Kirk Degiorgio "Many Thodes To Travel"
15	Balil "Nort Route Remix"
16	Neuro Politique "Artemis"
17	Bfc "Chicken Noodle Soup"
18	Future-Past "Nebula Variation"
19	Ross 154 "Hybrids Iii"
20	Cmetric "Debris"

Applied Rhythmic Technology (ART | Op-ART) Special

This year I had to write a research paper on British jazz. Specifically the timeframe of late 1950s and 1960s when certain cultural, social and aesthetic shifts helped UK-based jazz musicians (including expats and immigrants) to assume a certain level of independence from the domineering US sound and synthesize typically British strain of jazz through hybridization of American cool, hard bop, and modal sound with a peculiarly pastoral, folk-based direction on the one hand, and musical influences derived from London neighbourhoods populated by ex-colonial diasporas (most importantly Indian and Caribbean) on the other. 

While doing my research I came across a really great book by Duncan Heining "Trad Dads, Dirty Boppers and Free Fusioneers", which became one of the main sources for the paper and inspired me to dig further past the temporal scope of my academic project. This mix is an aural version of my research expanded to include some of the later music covered in Heining's writing.

The show is somewhat heavy on John Surman’s stuff (I can’t seem help it) who is arguably one of the key players in post-50s UK jazz developments. Also technically Karin Krog is Norwegian, but her music was always associated with Britain through frequent collaborations with UK musicians (including the aforementioned John Surman, who is also her husband). Otherwise I like to think that this podcast gives a good variety of strains and styles covering an overall trajectory of postwar British jazz aesthetic. In this way we have free jazz of Evan Parker, big band pomp of Mike Taylor, modal stylings of Carr / Rendell 5ntet, ECM ambient jazz of Azimuth, jazz rock of Nucleus and Soft Machine, avant jazz of Henry Cow and soundtrack atmospheres of Basil Kirchin. Hope you enjoy it!

Tracklist:
01. Robert Sorrels "Intro (Suite)"
02. John Surman, Barre Phillips & Stu Martin "Incantation"
03. Mike Taylor "Half Blue / Pendulum"
04. Evan Parker "Haine's Last Tape"
05. John Taylor + Kenny Wheeler + Norma Winstone "Azimuth"
06. Barre Phillips "Mountainscape 2"
07. Don Rendell Ian Carr Quintet "Blue Mosque"
08. John Surman "Edges Of Illusion"
09. Harry Beckett feat. Nigel Morris, Daryl Runswick, Ray Russell, Brian Miller, Martin David "Changes Are Still Happening"
10. The Soft Machine "Virtually, Part 4"
11. Kenny Graham "Soho At Dawn"
12. Joe Harriott Quintet "Morning Blue"
13. Bird Curtis Quintet "10.15"
14. Nucleus "Changing Times"
15. Basil Kirchin "A New Day (Main Title)"
16. The Mike Westbrook Concert Band "Pastoral"
17. Johnny Dyani Quartet "Song for Biko"
18. Don Rendell Ian Carr Quintet "Garrison '64"
19. Dave Holland "Interception"
20. John Surman "Tintagel"
21. Don Rendell Quintet "The Street Called Straight"
22. John Taylor + John Surman + Stan Sulzmann + Chris Laurence + Tony Levin + Norma Winstone "And Think Again"
23. Harry Beckett feat. Nigel Morris, Daryl Runswick, Ray Russell, Brian Miller, Martin David "Not Just Tomorrow"
24. Karin Krog + John Surman "Just Holding On"
25. Neil Ardley, Ian Carr & Don Rendell "Siren's Song"
26. John Surman & Jack DeJohnette "Part III: Kentish Hunting"
27. Robert Sorrels "Polynesian Suite"
28. Buddy Collette Septet "Taboo"
29. Henry Cow "Amygdala"
30. John Surman "Polperro"

British Jazz Special

This month Hermetic Journals has a guest mix by X.Y.R. (né Vladimir Karpov, resident of Saint Petersburg). His beautiful, mysterious take on ambient music is distinguished by the unique timbres of Soviet era synthesizers and was released by such great labels as Not Not Fun, Constellation Tatsu, Quiet Time Tapes and 12th Isle. His latest album “Anciente” came out this past September on Swedish imprint Possible Motive.

For this episode of Hermetic Journals X.Y.R. explores the dark pulsations of classic and contemporary komische and ambient cuts including his evocative, compilation-only track “Hidden Cave”. The show features music by X.Y.R., Global Communication, Steve Hauschildt, D.K., Arp, H. Takahashi, Saphileaum and Air. Enjoy!

Tracklist:

01. X.Y.R. “Hidden Cave” 2019 Radio.syg.ma 
02. D.K. “Untitled 1” 2020 12th Isle
03. Saphileaum “Sagzali” 2020 Constellation Tatsu
04. Canada Effervescent “Ridin’ America” 2017 	Constellation Tatsu
05. Johan Tronestam “Arthur’s Journey Continues” 2017 Self-released
06. Logic Moon “The Wanderer” 2019 Grenzwellen
07. Brain Machine “Eclipse Predictions (Ronny & Renzo Remix)” 2017 Emotional Response
08. Air “Land Me” 2013 EMI
09. DSR Lines “Rotor” 2016 Ultra Eczma
10. Cliffsides “Crystal Gaze” 2014 Tranquility Tapes
11. Arp “Parallelism” 2018 Mexican Summer
12. Global Communication “5 23” 1994 Dedicated
13. Steve Hauschildt “Vicinities” 2015 Kranky
14. H. Takahashi “Warp” 2018 Not Not Fun
15. Mike Nigro & Andrew Osterhoudt  “Passing Through” 2018 Constellation Tatsu

Links (X.Y.R.):
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/XYR
Bandcamp: https://xyrmusic.bandcamp.com/music
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/x-y-r?ref=clipboard&p=i&c=1
Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/3162853-XYR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xram_yedinennogo_razmuwlenuja/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/2muchachos

LInks (Snows Ov Gethen):
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/snowsovgethen
Internet Public Radio show: https://internetpublicradio.live/shows/hermetic-journals
Mixcloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/snows_ov_gethen/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snows_ov_gethen/

Hermetic Journals/w X.Y.R. @ La Face B Radio lafaceb.live (October 2021)

My Carpathian Music Special is featured on David G. Balasch’s amazing show The Invisible Shelter on Noods Radio (Broadcasted on Sun, Jan 16 2022).

This episode is a meditation on the traditional music of Carpathian countries including my native Ukraine as well as Poland, Hungary, Serbia, Romania and Slovak Republic. This is not necessarily a Bartókian focus on the rich melodic vocabulary of the region. Rather I am interested in the textural aspects of this music: drone, microtonality and Middle Eastern style ornamentation.

In addition I was keen to include some contemporary pieces by the experimental musicians from Eastern Europe that appear to be influenced by this folk heritage. Roughly half of this show is dedicated to Carpathian music echoes in post-minimalist, ambient and avant classical composition of such artists as Henryk Górecki, Lubomyr Melnyk, Księżyc, Svitlana Nianio, Iury Lech, Valentina Goncharova and others.

Artwork by Andrew Elvish
Listen to more episodes and read more at: https://snowsovgethen.com/


Tracklist:
01.	Iury Lech "Ukraïna" 2011 Hyades Arts
02.	Outtake from Sergei Parajanov's 'Shadows Of Forgotten Ancestors' "Gutsul Melodies" 1991 Unreleased
03.	Unknown ”Bocet" 1983 (Folk Music Of Rumania) Ethnic Folkways
04.	Miroslav Skorik "Remember Me Ivanko, At Least Twice a Day.  I Remember You Seven Times and Hour" 1976 (from Sergei Parajanov's 'Shadows Of Forgotten Ancestors') Unreleased
05.	Unknown ”Din Zori De Zi Si Joc Batrinesc" 1982 (Roumanie - La Vraie Tradition de Transylvanie) Ocora
06.	Unknown “Marche" 1978 (Pologne. Instruments Populaires) Ocora
07.	Henryk Górecki "Muzyka Staropolska, Op. 24" 1984 Argo
08.	Lubomyr Melnyk "KMH - Part I" 2015 Music Gallery Editions
09.	Rex Ilusivii "Moon Cage I" 1978 Offen Music
10.	Valentina Goncharova "Dance" 2020 Leo
11.	Oleska Suyhodolyak "Gutsul Kolomyika (Dance Song)" 1987 (Folk Music Of The Ukraine (Historic 'In The Field' Recordings) Ethnic Folkways
12.	Ion Papuc "Braul" 2018 (Folk Music Of Rumania) Ethnic Folkways
13.	Unknown ”Melodie De Bergers" 2009 (Pologne. Instruments Populaires) Ocora
14.	Unknown ”Szerelem, Szerelem / O Love, O Love" 1997 (Folk Music Of Hungary) Ethnic Folkways
15.	Julian Kytasty "Black Sea Winds" 1988 November Music
16.	Unknown "Bate Vint De La Oradea" 1983 (Roumanie - La Vraie Tradition de Transylvanie) Ocora
17.	Ihor Tsymbrovsky "By The Sea" 2001 Koka / Offen Music
18.	Księżyc "Zakopana" 2019 OBUH
19.	Unknown "Tarina De La Gaina" 1974 (Roumanie - La Vraie Tradition de Transylvanie) Ocora
20.	Svitlana Nianio "Near The Forest" 1994 Koka
21.	Zoltan Juhász "Melodies From Somogy" 1998 (Hongrie: Le Dernier Passage) Ocora 
22.	Plavna "Zorile" 1995 (Yougoslavie: Serbie Orentiale - Les Bougies Du Paradis) Ocora
23.	Márta Sebestyén "Jézus az asztalnál" 1991 Hungaroton Classic

Carpathian Music Special (Jan 2022 issue of The Invisible Shelter on Noods Radio)

Exploring the spectres of early electronic music. Full tracklist and more episodes at https://snowsovgethen.com

Tracklist: 

Part 01

Eugeniusz Rudnik "Dixi" 1967 Turnabout
Meredith Monk "Facing North: Northern Lights 2" 1992 ECM
Ivo Malec "Dahovi" 1961 Philips
David Hykes "Multiplying Voices At The Heart Of The Body Of sound" 1983 Ocora

Part 02

Jean-Claude Risset "Mutations" 1969 INA-GRM
Yoshi Wada "Off The Wall I" 1985 FMP
Buedi Siebert "Wal-Hall-A" 1984 Eigelstein Musikproduktion Ingram Marshall "Fog Tropes" 1984 New Albion

Part 03

John Chowning "Sabelithe" 1966 Wergo
Laurie Spiegel "Finding Voice" 1991 Unseen Worlds
Aphex Twin "I" 1992 Apollo
Jorge Antunes "Fluxo Luminoso Para Sons Brancos" 1993 Academia Brasileira de Música

Part 04

Barry Truax "Riverrun" 1987 Cambridge Street / Wergo
Charlemagne Palestine "Strumming Music" 1974 Shandor

Part 05

Pauline Oliveros "Bye Bye Butterfly" 1965 Paradigm Discs
Zoviet France "Smocking Erde" 1988 Red Rhino
Tetsu Inoue "Holy Dance" 1994 Fax +49-69/450464

Part 06

Ercolino Ferretti "Pipe And Drum" 1963 Wergo
Morton Feldman "Palais De Mari (for Francesco Clemente) [1968] (performed by Marianne Schroeder)" 1994 Another Timbre
Don Cherry "North Brazilian Ceremonial Hymn" 1973 Caprice

Part 07

Pril Smiley "Eclipse" 1967 Turnabout
David Behrman "On The Other Ocean" 1977 Lovely Music
Raymond Moore "Trip Through The Milky Way" 1969 Turnabout

Part 08

Reginaldo Carvalho "Caleidoscópio IV - II. Cleta" 2010 Sociedade Brasileira De Música Eletroacústica
Randall Mcclellan "Sirius" 2014 Sun Ark / Aguirre
T.H. O'Beirne "Enneadic Selections" 1968 ICA

Part 09

Michael Snow "W In The D" 1975 Chatham Square Productions
Ruth Anderson "Sum" 2020 Opus One / Arc Light Editions
Catherine Christer Hennix "Equal Temperament Fender Mix" 2018 Empty Editions Kenneth Gaburo "Lemon Drops" 1965 Pogus Productions
Guy Reibel "I) Langages Imaginaires" 2000 INA-GRM

Part 10

Tom Dissevelt "Gamelan" 1963 Philips
Jaap Vink "En Dehors" 1985 Recollection GRM

Part 11

Toshiro Mayuzumi "1967" 1967 Naxos
Ruth White "Lovers/World" 1969 Limelight
Luc Ferrari "Labyrinthe De Violence" 2021 Alga Marghen

Part 12

Else Marie Pade "Faust Suite: Prolog I Himlen" 2015 Important
Frits Weiland "Studie In Lagen Impulsen" 1978 Composers' Voice

Sonology Episode #03 w/ Snows Ov Gethen • live on Camp Radio (FR)

Speech songs, Dada poetry, phonetics, lucid dreams, hockets, green madrigals, astral collapse and brown rice…

Tracklist:
Reinhold Weber "Schöpfung" 2022 Sub Rosa
Robert Ashley "Personal" 1993 Lovely Music
Laurie Anderson "New York Social Life" 1977 1750 Arch
Maurice Lemaitre "Vilanelle A L'Oiseau (1963)" 2014 Alga Marghen
Anton Bruhin "Rotomotor" 2001 Alga Marghen
Arv & Miljö "Side A" 2021 Discreet Music
Paul DeMarinis "Fonetica Francese" 1989 Lovely Music
Richard Jobson "The Return To England" 1984 Les Disques Du Crepuscule
John McGuire "A Cappella" 2002 Edition Michael Frauenlob Bauer
Meredith Monk "Facing North: Hocket" 1992 ECM
Alison Knowles "Sounds from the Book of Bean" 2021 Recital
Mary Jane Leach & The New York Treble Singers "Green Mountain Madrigal" 1993 Experimental Intermedia Foundation
Angus MacLise "Smothered Under Astral Collapse" 2003 Quakebasket • Locust Music
Group 180 "László Melis - Mulomedicina Chironis" 1989 Hungaropop
Maurice Lemaitre "Tout Est Dans La Nuance (1964)" 2014 Alga Marghen
Don Cherry "Brown Rice" 1975 EMI
Joel Chadabe "Heav'n Heav'n" 1984 Lovely Music
Morgan Fisher "Track 5 Index 1-6" 1980 Pipe
Steve Lacy & Brion Gysin "Permutations: Kick that habit man" 1981 Hat Hut
Dieter Moebius, Tim Story "Hoppe Hoppe Reiter" 2021 Curious Music
Paul DeMarinis "If God Were Alive (& He Is) You Could Reach Him By Telephone" 2021 Black Truffle
Lucid Dreams "Lucidity" 1996 em:t
Meredith Monk "Recent Ruins: Boat Song" 1992 ECM

Hermetic Journals : Speech Songs & Green Madrigals @ Internet Public Radio

For this episode of Sonology we are dusting off our Italian 🇮🇹 avantgarde, minimalism and prog records. Mostly the stuff from the 1970s with some notable exceptions. I absolutely 💚 this music and era. It is lush, organic and dreamy, but not without bite. Some of the proggier selections groove pretty hard. Anyhow, we think this is perfect for the springtime. Hope you'll find it as enjoyable as we do. Find the full tracklist below. For more episodes visit: https://snowsovgethen.com

Tracklist:
01.	Michele Fedrigotti & Danilo Lorenzini "Fiori Mistici" 1979 Cramps
02.	Francesco Messina "Prati Bagnati Del Monte Analogo" 1979 Cramps
03.	Arturo Stàlteri "From Ajanta to Lhasa" 1979 Soave
04.	Sensations Fix "Moving Particles" 1977 Polydor
05.	Giusto Pio "Motore Immobile" 1979 Cramps
06.	Ricardo Sinigaglia "01 Riflessi " 1985 Paesaggi Sonori
07.	Opus Avantra "Les Plaisirs Sont Doux - Nel Piccolo Giardino" 1974 Trident
08.	Nascita Della Sfera "Pianeta Terra" 1978 Self-Released
09.	Living Music "Off On" 1973 RCA Italiana
10.	Futuro Antico "Eco Raga" 1980 Casal Gajardo / Black Sweat
11.	Aktuala "Miña" 1974 Bla Bla
12.	Spirale "Cabral" 1974 King / Dialogo
13.	St. Tropez "Luna in Vergine" 1977 Ortica Studios
14.	Riccardo Zappa "Celestion" 1977 Divergo
15.	Dedalus "Santiago" 1973 Trident
16.	Albergo Intergalattico Spaziale " 4 Tracce" 1978 Lugilo
17.	Franco Battiato "I Cancelli Della Memoria" 1974 Island
18.	Pier Paolo Pasolini "Il Canto Popolare" 1962 Not On Label
19.	Francesco Messina "Reflex" 1979 
20.	Roberto Cacciapaglia "5th movement" 1975 PDU / Die Kosmischen Kuriere 
21.	Sensations Fix "Cold Nose Story (Naso Fredo Alt Mix)" 1978 Polydor

Sonology Episode #04 w/ Snows Ov Gethen • live on Camp Radio (FR)

Music for when you ate too much Dakos… Here is the mini-adventure into the fascinating world of Greek music. A bit of rebetiko, some ancient folk tunes, Byzantine music and whirling tsabouna escapades. On the modern side - bits and pieces of jazz, humid synthscapes, balearic disco spritzers and a chilling soupçon of electroacoustics. Dressed up with the ‘field ambiences’ captured in Athens and Crete. Specifically designed to enhance Greek wine tastings. My friendly suggestion is something assyrtiko-based from Santorini. 🥂 More episodes at https://snowsovgethen.com

Tracklist:

Field Recording 01 “Athens waking up / Street musicians playing rebetika at Πλάκα”
01. Κώστας Χατζόπουλος • Kostas Hatzopoulos “Τοτέμ”
02. Don Stavrinos / Meating For Business “MFB 1-1” / “MFB 1-2”
Field Recording 02 “School Graduation in Χαροκόπου”
03. Νικηφόρος Ρώτας • Nikiforos Rotas “Τα Βήματα”
04. Trance Mediterranea • Ecstatic Greece “Tape 1 – Side A: Panigiria Field Recordings (Excerpt)” (recorded by Alyssa Moxley)
Field Recording 03 “Street Noises at Κυνοσάργους”
05. Iasos “The Winds Of Olympus”
06. Vangelis “Let It Happen”
07. Dimitris Petsetakis “Pythia's Dance”
08. L'Ensemble Vocal du Chantre Theodore Vassilikos “Echromenos o kyrios (Lorsque le Seigneur allait souffrir)” on Ocora
09. Ianis Xenakis “Achorripsis” (excerpt) / Νικηφόρος Ρώτας “Μεγάλη Αντιφωνία” (excerpt)
10. Λένα Πλάτωνος • Lena Platonos “Sanctuary In Ionian Rhythm”
11. Βαγγέλης Κατσούλης • Vangelis Katsoulis “The Eternal Return”
Field Recording 04 “Radio broadcast on the way to Φαλάσαρνα”
12. Λένα Πλάτωνος “Αιμάτινες Σκιές Από Απόσταση”
Field Recording 05 “Playing video games at the beach bar of Σαμαριά”
13. Ειρήνη Παπά • Irene Papas “Χορός Της Φωτιάς • Dance Of Fire”
14. Akis “Biofields (feat. D. Spaneas)”
15. Dimitris Petsetakis “Clearance (Part II)”
16. Ευαγόρας Καραγιώργης • Evagoras Karageorgis “Moiroloyia”
17. Μίμης Πλέσσας • Mimis Plessas “Λεμονάκι (Πελοποννησιακός Χορός) • Lemonaki (Peloponesian Dance)”
Field Recording 06 “Tsabouna playing in Χανιά”
18. Εν Χορδαίς • En Chordais “Διπλόχορδο ταξίμι”
19. Λένα Πλάτωνος, Μαριανίνα Κριεζή, Σαβίνα Γιαννάτου “Τα Μαγικά Μπλου Τζην”
20. Demis Roussos “I Dig You”

Hermetic Journals : Hellenica • Greek Music Special(July 2022) @ Noods Radio

More African and afro-inspired tunes coming your way to celebrate the last days of summer. Second in the series. A bit more uptempo this time - from the 1970s funk and jazz sounds and onto afrobeat, dub and some early house tracks. Stay tuned for the final part.
Find more episodes at: https://snowsovgethen.com/

Tracklist:
01.	Harold McKinney "Ode To Africa" 1974 Tribe
02.	Fax The Fax "African Vacation" 1984 Sensation
03.	Soul II Soul "African Dance" 1989 Virgin
04.	Dionisio Maio "Dia Ja Manche" 1984 Carlita Cox
05.	King Sunny Ade "Gboromiro" 1984 Island
06.	New Grooves "Africa" 1989 Nu Groove
07.	Admas "Bahta's Highlife" 1984 African Heritage
08.	Fela Kuti & EGYPT 80 "O.D.O.O. (Edit Version)" 1989 Kalakuta
09.	Afro 70 "Week End" 1975 RCA
10.	The Pyramids "My Africa" 1974 Pyramid
11.	Ariel Kalma "Bakafrica" 1975 Astral Muse Production
12.	Okay Temiz & Johnny Dyani "Moriva" 1976 Yonca / Matsuli
13.	Cymande "Bra" 1972 Janus
14.	Dur Dur Band feat. Sahra Dawo "Gorof (Elixir)" 2017 Ostinato
15.	Nahawa Doumbia "Djina Mousso" 1987 Syllart
16.	African Head Charge "Some Bizarre" 1985 On-U Sound
17.	Massive Sounds "Free South Africa [Wds. Of Truth Mix]" 1989 Nu Groove
18.	Nacho Patrol "Africaspaceprogram" 2009 Strange Life
19.	Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus & Max Roach "Fleurette Africaine (African Flower)" 1962 United Artists Jazz
20.	Admas "Kalatashe Waga" 1984 African Heritage
21.	Akira Ishikawa "Animals (Mnyama)" 1971 DAN
22.	Bookworms "African Rhythms" 2012 L.I.E.S.

Hermetic Journals  The Roads To Alkebulan Pt.2 (September 2022) @ Internet Public Radio

Here is the introductory mini-guide (or as they say ‘special’) to the film music of the iconic Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu (武満 徹, 1930-1996).

Takemitsu’s soundtracks are as plentiful as his vast catalogue of orchestral and chamber music, so many hours would be required to make it justice. Instead of being exhaustive, chronological or stylistically homogenous this audio-primer is focused on showcasing Takemitsu’s gift of compositional versatility. Be it jazz, Japanese traditional music, postserialism, symphonic grandeur or drone music I tried to include all of this composer’s aesthetical facets.

In order to render this eclecticism in a coherent way I’ve chosen the method of ‘audio-tapestry’ or sound collage.  Extensive details on the particular works that have been selected as well as very long tracklist are featured at the link below. I hope this mini-guide will spark some listener’s interest for a deeper exploration on their own time.

https://snowsovgethen.com/journal/snows-ov-gethen-hermetic-journals-toru-takemitsu-film-music-special-november-2022

Hermetic Journals: Toru Takemitsu Film Music Special (October 2022)

The month of Saturnalia is upon us. So here is an aural accompaniment for decorating the tree, sipping Glühwein and being festive.
I'm angling towards choral and early music with this one.  So there is a certain focus on Medieval and Renaissance aesthetic. Both, the original surviving sacred and secular works reinterpreted by modern ensembles as well as pieces by the contemporary composers and recording artists inspired by early music form and techniques. Some folk and jazz deviations are also included to keep things fun.

The show is bookended by the recitation of the extract from Virgil's Eclogue 4 having to do with Saturnalia and his prediction of 'forthcoming birth and a new golden age'. The text is in Latin and was considered prophetic among people in the early Middle Ages as foretelling of the birth of Christ. I'm not at all religious, but such facts and conjectures are very fascinating.


More info & episodes at: 
https://snowsovgethen.com

Tracklist:
01.	Virgil  "Virgil’s Eclogue 4, lines 1-17 (Part 1)" 39–38 BC Pantheon Poets
02.	Atrium Musicae • Gregorio Paniagua  "Gentle Robin [1530]" 1976 Erato
03.	Tom Johnson "First Bell" 1982 India Navigation
04.	Norma Winstone "Enjoy this Day" 1972 Argo
05.	Morton Feldman, Joan La Barbara "Snow Falls" 1989 New Albion
06.	Meredith Monk "Astronaut Anthem" 1987 ECM
07.	Arvo Pärt "Alleluia-Tropus" 2016 ECM
08.	Mirka Křivánková, Jiří Stivín & Co. Jazz System "Minimální doteky / Minimal Contacts" 1985 Supraphon
09.	Women Of The Voices Of Ascension, Hildegard von Bingen "O virga ac diadema" 1997 Delos
10.	Krzysztof Penderecki "Sanctus" 2009 Hyperion
11.	Michel Doneda "Le Passeur D'Étoiles" 1985 Nato
12.	R. Murray Schafer / Vancouver Chamber Choir "Snowforms" 1986 Grouse
13.	Tibor Szemző "Methuselah Soft" 2021 Fodderbasis
14.	Capilla Musical Y Escolanía De Santa Cruz Del Valle De Los Caídos, Atrium Musicae "Secuencia ''Potestati Magni'' (Monasterio Scala Dei de Tarragona)" 1968 Hispavox
15.	Meredith Monk "Travelling" 1981 ECM
16.	Zeit "In Cerchio" 1981 Materiali Sonori
17.	Hans Kotter "Spanieler" 1980 BIS
18.	Unknown "Parnell's March  (pipe)" 1978 Ocora
19.	John Surman & Jack DeJohnette  "Kentish Hunting" 1981 ECM
20.	Eduardo Paniagua "En Santa Maria" 1968 Hispavox
21.	Marcel Pérès & Ensemble Organum "Prière eucharistique: Prêtre "Introibo ad altare Dei"" 1995 Harmonia Mundi
22.	Lucia Bosé & Gregorio Paniagua "Io Pomodoro - Io Non Attendo" 1981 CBS
23.	Mirka Křivánková, Jiří Stivín & Co. Jazz System "Mlhavé doteky / Misty Contacts" 1985 Supraphon
24.	Dead Can Dance "The End Of Words" 1990 4AD
25.	John Surman "Caithness to Kerry" 1979 ECM
26.	Atrium Musicae • Gregorio Paniagua  "Allemande tripla  [Banchetto Musicale, 1617]" 1976 Erato
27.	Márta Sebestyén "Zúgadoz Az Erdő" 1992 Hannibal
28.	Virgil  "Virgil’s Eclogue 4, lines 1-17 (Part 2)" 39–38 BC Pantheon Poets
29.	Dead Can Dance "Fortune Presents Gifts Not According To The Book" 1990 4AD

Hermetic Journals: Saturnalia Special (December 2022)

Collaging Egisto Macchi this month.

This is my long planned audio-primer and I’d even say a love letter to the greatest Italian library music composer that ever lived. 1+ hour of succulent library grooves, piquant string sections, singing woodwinds, mysterious electroacoustica and violent onslaughts of percussion. No shortage of drama! What a legend! A close associate of Morricone, member of high-profile improv band Gruppo di Improvvisazione di Nuova Consonanza, Italy’s most tireless champion of experimental concert music and overall maestro of sound alchemy.

As usual I was more interested in capturing the mood of the composer’s catalogue rather than faithfully playing out a few of my favourite tracks. So, a lot of bits, pieces, juxtapositions and layers. A list of fragments used in their very approximate sequence can be found on my website:

https://snowsovgethen.com/journal/snows-ov-gethen-hermetic-journals-egisto-macchi-special-january-2023

Hermetic Journals: Egisto Macchi Special (January 2023)

What REALLY happened to agent Dana Scully when she was abducted by aliens? This question haunted me for the longest time… I was secretly hoping X-Files big boss Chris Carter would take cues from David Lynch and create some sort of bizarre Black Lodge stream-of-consciousness episode about it. You know, a sci-fi take on dancing midgets, people talking backwards and malicious doppelgängers. Perhaps something along the lines of final sequence in "2001: A Space Odyssey"?!
 
Alas, Carter was less risk-taking than Lynch or Kubrick, so it never happened. I can’t make a TV episode, but I can imagine how it would have sounded. And here is the result. I’ll call it Agent Scully’s Abduction Hallucinations. A jumble of Mark Snow's X-Files cues mangled, reassembled, and fused with contemporary (and not so contemporary) electronica and percussion music.
 
Full tracklist at: https://snowsovgethen.com/journal/snows-ov-gethen-hermetic-journals-agent-scullys-abduction-hallucinations-april-2023

Featuring music by: Mark Snow, Alva Noto, Nurse With Wound, OPN, Anthony Manning, Donato Dozzy, Demdike Stare, Keith Fullerton Whitman, Shackleton, Valentina Magaletti & more

Hermetic Journals: Agent Scully's Abduction Hallucinations (April 2023)

Heading back to my beloved Crete. Hence the theme. This time made a point to drive to Knossos. To see the remnants of hypothetic Daedalus labyrinth. Some historians think these were dancing grounds where the chosen Athenian youths - King Minos's sacrificial tributes for the Minotaur - were offered their final chance to shine through plastic arts. How morbid! A few scholars suggest that the labyrinth itself was built as a system of dancefloors. Supposedly implied by the outline of the palace's ruins. Proto-Ibiza? Bull dances and geranos (crane dance) would be the types performed.

In this double-decked issue I'm suggesting the imaginary repertoire of such recitals. Actual Greek/Cretan dance tunes (Kritikos, Hellispontos) as well as recreations based on surviving Ancient Greek musical notation (Atrium Musicae's transcription of Æschylus' Ajax) are included. Plus, detours into Mediterranean avant jazz (Sakis Papadimitriou); rebetika and Hellenic electronics (Lena Platonos, Dimitris Petsetakis & Vangelis Katsoulis). The rest is music inspired by the Greek mythology. Including Haruomi Hosono's drift on the Aegean Sea; Photek taming the Minotaur; The Black Dog's visions of Sparta; Neil Ardley jazzing Greek Variations and Donato Dozzy exiting the Acropolis. There's even Gail Laughton's harp fantasias conjuring Crete circa 1400 B.C. It will suffice for a 2hr-drive from Chania to Heraklion. 

Full tracklist at:
https://snowsovgethen.com/journal/snows-ov-gethen-hermetic-journals-into-the-labyrinth-sacrificial-dances-of-knossos

Hermetic Journals: Into The Labyrinth (Sacrificial Dances Of Knossos)(May-June 2023)

In the mood for dance music as of late. Goes well with the relentless heat, which is seemingly everywhere I go. So, here's something apropos - the Heatwave mix. I'll call it Radiation Ruling The Nation (the Mad Professor reference).So yes, I was a bit nostalgic for old-school beatmatching I guess, so it's a fully mixed thingy. Like in the olden days. As well as silly samples and homemade mashups. No other rules, but to keep it as unserious and silly as possible. The first part is in sexy Balearic booty-swaying tempo - works well with the rosé and bubbles, second is a bouncy house hour, so you'll need something stronger. Without further ado hereby I present the approximation of the tracklist cause the thing has many bits and pieces. More episodes at https://snowsovgethen.com/

Kerri Chandler "The Bar (Intro)"
Resonating Vogue Pads
Eurythmics "This City Never Sleeps"
Astralasia "Strange Celestial Dream"
Ingleton Falls "Mind Yer Head"
The Black Dog "Utopian Dream"
Mad Professor vs. Massive Attack "Protection" (Dub)
Yukihiro Fukutomi "Open Your Eyes"
Roxy Music "Avalon" (Lindstrom & Prins Thomas Mix)
Reagenz "Ä"
Enigma "Principles Of Lust" (Everlasting Lust Mix)
Wally Badarou "Mambo"
"Sometimes My Arms Bend Back" (Laura Palmer edit)
Sinead O'Connor "I Am Stretched On Your Grave" (Night Until Morning Dub - Earthapella)
Cocteau Twins "Feet Like Fins" (Mark Clifford Mix)
Big Hard Excellent Fish "Imperfect List" (Weatherall Ambient 2)
Art Of Noise "Paranoimia"
Cabaret Voltaire "Yashar" (Loop)
Cabaret Voltaire "What Is Real (Virtual Reality Mix)
Ron Trent "Morning Factory" (12" edit)
Fingers Inc. "Never No More Lonely"
Mr. Fingers "Closer" (Deep Down Basement Mix)
Kerry Chandler "The Bar"
Grace Jones "Private Life" (Post Dub)
Radioslave "Ego Trippin'"
Anne Waldeman bits
Masters At Work + India "I Can't Get No Sleep" (Dreamin' Acapella)
Underground Resistance "Transition"
Chameleon Project "Feel" (Spooky mix Part 1)
The Martian "Sex In Zero Gravity"
Robert Hood "Minus"
Gus Gus "Anthem"
Ability II "Pressure Dub"
June "Lost Area" (Sprinkles' Lost Dancefloor Mix)
Jam & Spoon "Stella" (Barracuda Mix)
3MB feat. Magic Juan Atkins "Die Kosmischen Kuriere" (Moritz Von Oswald + Thomas Fehlmann Mix)

Hermetic Journals: Radiation Ruling The Nation (The Heatwave Edition)(July-August 2023)

This month attempting to "capture glamour without falling into it". This is my loving tribute to the great Canadian conceptual art pranksters General Idea. Recently I dreamt I was attending their Miss General Idea Pageant of 1971. As far as I know there are no full video renderings of the event apart from a few grainy clips and staged photographs. Neither there is footage of the one they planned for 1984 in the imaginary ziggurat-shaped Miss General Idea Pavilion. Basically, I'm trying to resound the event by grafting the music (narratively, if you will) onto General Idea's various TV cues, forgeries, and mystifications. Or "framing devices" in the trio's own wording. 

Includes sounds, words and music by:
General Idea, Terre Thaemlitz, William Basinski, Graham Lambkin, The Caretaker, Svitlana Nianio, Su Tissue, Kraftwerk, Hype Williams, Anne Waldman, Einsturzende Neubauten, Laurence Crane, John Celona, Tom Recchion, Brigitte Fontaine, Jacqueline Humbert, Ellen Zweig and others.

Full tracklist at: https://snowsovgethen.com/journal/snows-ov-gethen-hermetic-journals-the-miss-general-idea-pageant-a-surrogate-soundtrack

Hermetic Journals: The Miss General Idea Pageant (A Surrogate Soundtrack)

Feeling like 3 hours of American gamelan? I got you covered.

In the last few months, I had an immersion into the 'genre'. A story of how deeply personal obsession of Canadian composer Colin McPhee (and later his American counterpart Lou Harrison) resulted in the unlikely transplant of traditional Indonesian music culture into the ivied towers of American academia. A story somewhat related, but very different from musicological cliché about Exposition Universelle 1889, French musical impressionists and tiresome litanies about cultural colonialism.

While I was going through the written history, I also started to amass the recordings. In stark contrast to the abundance of bibliography - McPhee alone wrote three books - I was surprised to find that audio renderings are few and far between. Most of it out-of-print or released by tiny avant classical or uni-adjacent imprints. It took a while to source and process it. Most of what I encountered is gorgeous. Depressingly, obscure to anyone but people purposely researching the subject. Midway through this process I realized I should systematize the findings into a sort of digestible genre survey. I find it's a good way to remember things. And since not many people in their right mind would undertake similar deep-dive I decided to share it. The 'programme' is a lengthy one due to the nature of the material. So, I split it in 2 parts.

The timespan is from the 1930s (McPhee's brilliant proto-Reichian orchestral stylisation Tabuh-tabuhan) via postwar music by Harrison and minimalist gamelan by the 1970s downtown cohort (Barbara Benary, Philip Corner) + their West Coast counterparts (Daniel Schmidt, Daniel Lentz). With healthy dose of recent'ish pieces by Brian Baumbusch, Bill Alves and Michael Tenzer. I also included some sonorically sympathetic works by Partch and Cage which influenced all the above. There're also odder bits by Robert Turman, John L.Adams, Maggi Payne and R. Murray Schafer to keep things quirky. Now I don't know who would be interested in 3 hours of gamelan, but it's up there for the taking.

Full tracklist here:
https://snowsovgethen.com/journal/snows-ov-gethen-hermetic-journals-american-gamelan-part-i-ii

Hermetic Journals: American Gamelan Part I

What would Medieval Solstice Discothèque sound like? Saltarello, estampie, pavane, galliards... A few motets, tientos, virelais, conductuses, canons? This one is holidays decoration aid, a mini-survey of early music substrata of Gerd Berg's gorgeous Reflexe Series and a celebration of Winter Solstice (hence the title). All for the price of one! Mind you, it's ninety minutes of Medieval, Renaissance and a pinch of Baroque musics. All of it pre-equal temperament, pre-standardized notation and pre-tonal music setup. There's no neat set of major/minor scales, standard chord progressions or artificial symmetry. Many of these tunes and compositions are in rather fanciful renditions. Most of it done in the second half of the twentieth century by musicians and researchers raised on hardcore musical modernism. No wonder many arcane techniques (hocket, canon, Ars Nova's isorhythms) were so thoroughly appropriated in post-WWII musical avantgarde.

Deciphering rhythmic notation with is fairly problematic for a large swathe of this repertoire. So don't think about these interpretations in terms of precision. One of the charms of early music is that each time one and the same composition is performed it will likely sound very different. But some early music ensembles managed to piece together their own recognizable style, despite foggy research and disparate sources. In this set we have Studio Der Frühen Music; The Hilliard Ensemble; Ricercare-Ensemble Für Alte Musik, Zürich; Jordi Savall and his Hespèrion XX; Das Linde Consort. Those were all brilliant and lucky enough to be active when the recording industry was awash with money and could throw big budgets at niche projects. Reflexe Series being one of the finest. These 1.5 hours is a quick parkours of my personal favourites, but there're many others. Perhaps for another time. I hope it could be the gateway for someone who only start their exploration or just a temporary festive companion. Happy start to the holidays run-up!
Tracklist here:
https://snowsovgethen.com/journal/snows-ov-gethen-hermetic-journals-reflexiones-solstitii-medieval-renaissance-baroque-early-music-solstice-special

Hermetic Journals: Reflexiones Solstitii

In the mists, on an overgrown path. Paraphrasing Leoš Janáček - the musical poet of Bohemia. I included one murky impressionistic fragment from his "V mlháh", but otherwise this Czech-centric issue is aimed at the country's late 20th century experimentalism. Roughly 1970-99. Basically, the last 20 years of weakening Soviet grip in liberalizing Czechoslovakia and subsequent decade of newly democratic Czech Republic post-Velvet Revolution. The story that's painfully familiar to me being a fellow Slav and looking (remotely) at similar events unfolding in tragic slow-motion in my native Ukraine.

But politics aside, this is about the music. I got interested in this repertoire about 10 years ago. Following a deep dive into the avant folk of Irena and Vojtěch Havlovi and then contemporary Finders Keepers' excavation of the '70s film scores by Luboš Fišer and Zdeněk Liška. Following the thread with Havlovi I then discovered guitarist Oldřich Janota. Who's a sort of binding agent of Prague's experimental circuit circa late 1980s and on. Including bands Jiná Rychlost Času and Richter Band, jazz vocalists Iva Bittová and Mirka Křivánková, experimental-leaning instrumentalists Jaroslav Kořán and Zdeněk Konopásek. And then there's jazz reedist Jiří Stivín who was another key facilitator. Navigating from prog to avant jazz and collaborating with Pierre Favre, John Surman and Barre Phillips among others. As well as producing aforementioned Křivánková and Hungarian folk siren Márta Sebestyén.

While the overall aesthetics are roughly in line with the trends of the era - including, but not limited to avant jazz, Medieval-tinged folk revivalism, free improv, minimalism, drone, neopsychedelia, ambient, even post-rock - all the above comes out sounding utterly unique. Familiar stylistic signatures rendered oddly out of focus. As if following surreal, dreamlike logic of Czech New Wave films or some haunted, woodsy fairytale. Echoing in the empty halls of Sleeping Beauty's kingdom where the awakening kiss never arrives. For those who are interested and perhaps willing to venture further the tracklist is here:
https://snowsovgethen.com

Hermetic Journals: In The Mists (On The Overgrown Paths Of Czech Musical Avantgarde 1970 - 1999)

Here's to celebrate incoming total solar eclipse. They say once in a lifetime experience. Although apparently there are obsessives who travel around the globe to capture the celestial veiling like those two surfers chasing their big wave in "The Endless Summer". Here in Montréal we are in the path of "totality". Meaning there's going to be the nocturnal effect, temperature drop and stellar corona. How amazing is that? I thought it's worth commemorating with some topical musical accompaniment. I'll call it "Songs To The Black Sun".

There's the contemplative part and the fun part. The former is the first half which I decided is for celestial bodies alignments. Cosmogonic experimentalism, solar-winded overtone singing, stormy pagan folk (on cello), lopsided minimalisms (pleasingly non-American), celestial gamelan and spacey ambiances. I think I describe it correctly.

The second half is post-alignment entertaintments. With refrescados of your choice. Crowdpleasers include pre-startdom My Bloody Valentine with fabulously entitled "Kiss The Eclipse"; etherealized goth theatrics by Dead Can Dance, Einsturzende Neubauten and Coil; endearingly silly early 90s bleep house and jazzy vapours by Mr. Robert Wyatt. All painstakingly topical. And to prove it I hereby attach the tracklist. If anyone feels like joining in the watching and listening party the link's in bio. Happy celestial viewings! Just don't forget to put on your ISO Certified Eclipse Glasses.

Tracklist at:
https://snowsovgethen.com/journal/snows-ov-gethen-hermetic-journals-songs-to-the-black-sun-total-solar-eclipse-special

Hermetic Journals: Songs To The Black Sun (Total Solar Eclipse Special)

The third in the Holy TrinTity of issues focusing on Hellenic mythologies. Really can’t promise it won’t become Tetralogy next year. But yeah, it became a tradition to do Grecian olive-hued melange before heading to Crete each June.

This season won’t be an exception. There’s always a moment during a rather long flight to Greece when you can no longer binge on unwatched TV, impersonate working on your laptop or solve puzzles. These selecciones are for that moment. As well as for subsequent imbibing of tsikoudia while taking in Aegean vistas and car rides to the ancient Aptera or one of the Lefka Ori’s gorges.

This time around I was triggered by the story that one Heraklion-dwelling historian once told me. A hypothesis that the myth of Atlantis might have been inspired by the catastrophic volcano eruption and subsequent tsunami around 1500 BC. The one that destroyed most of the cities and villages on Crete and Ancient Thera (modern Santorini). Effectively precipitating the decline of the Minoan civilization.

Long story short, that's a tiny fraction of diverse music that has to do with lost islands/continents, sea-bound mythology, civilization-destroying natural cataclysms and yes, the ever-terrifying story of Atlantis.

I said diverse, but what does it mean? Well, there’s some authentic traditional Greek music (actually Cretan one); some less authentic approximation of the ancient one (Paniagua’s reconstruction of the ‘Hymn to the Sun’); a few thematic extractions from Robert Ashley’s ouvres; some sun-lit jazz-adjacencies (Sun Ra, Hasell, Hosono, Vallon); a bit of olden synthy/proggy library music (Benoît Widemann, Joel Vandroogenbroek); a pinch of avantgarde (George Crumb); a drop of disco and vintage popular fare (John Forde); a dollop of aquatic new age (Toshifumi Hinata, J.D. Emmanuel)… Something like that. I think it worked out ok. Should pair nicely with watermelon and raki.

Full tracklist at:
https://snowsovgethen.com/journal/snows-ov-gethen-hermetic-journals-let-me-take-you-to-atlantis

Hermetic Journals: Let Me Take You To Atlantis

Here’s a film music-angled guest mixology for the great late Chambre Noire series. A sprawling and tentacled collaged focus on music and sound design for cinematic experiences. My concentration is on art films, 1970-80s horror (American, Euro as well as Asiatique), cult flicks, animation and documentaries. 

Although tracklist features some big-name film composers who ended up co-opted into Hollywood death-machine (Morricone, Howard Shore, Pino Donaggio, Badalamenti) I tried to focus on their odder early efforts instead.

Includes momentous creations by Popol Vuh, Third Ear Band, Sonic Youth, Toru Takemitsu, David Lynch, John Lurie, Haruomi Hosono, Fabio Frizzi, RZA, Riz Ortolani, Komeda, Coil, Messiaen, Simon Fisher Turner, Stereolab, Eduard Artemiev, Michael Nyman, Klaus Schulze, Brian Eno, Wendy Carlos, Tangerine Dream, our lady Meredith Monk and a bunch of other greats, both, directors and musicians. Full tracklist with movie titles and directors (see link below). Eye-pleasing digital collage by Bunzinelli

Full tracklist with the list of flicks and directors is here:
https://snowsovgethen.com/journal/snows-ov-gethen-chambre-noire-58-art-house-and-horror-soundtracks-special

Short tracklist below (a lot of tracks are in the collage-like combination, so the sequence is approximate and based on the time-code of entry):

1.	Popol Vuh "Great Ecstacy Of The Woodcarver Steiner" 
2.	Stan Brakhage "The Test Of Time #18 - K.A.I.R. Radio the University of Colorado's campus radio station (1982)" 
3.	Haruomi Hosono "Rajyoumon" 
4.	Toru Takemitsu "Kwaidan (Ghost Stories, 1964)" 
5.	Riz Ortolani "Adulteress' Punishment"
6.	Mark Reeder "Monika By The Sea" 
7.	RZA "Ghost Dog Theme (W/ Dogs & Efx)" 
8.	Joe Delia "Fashion Beat" 
9.	Fabio Frizzi "Sequenza Ritmica E Tema" 
10.	Ryuichi Sakamoto "Bathroom" 
11.	John Lurie "Ahhh Fishing" 
12.	Apinya Unphanlam "Destiny" 
13.	David Motion and Sally Potter "Broken Ice" 
14.	James Horner "The Name Of The Rose - Main Titles" 
15.	Ronald Frangipane & Don Cherry "Pissed and Passed Out" 
16.	Pino Donaggio "Telescope" 
17.	Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr "Dawn of Boonmee" 
18.	John Lurie "Tuesday Night In Memphis - Suite" 
19.	Angelo Badalamenti "Dark Mood Woods/The Red Room" 
20.	Marek Zebrowski "Polish Night Music No. 1”
21.	Songs of The Humpback Whale "Solo Whale" 
22.	Charles Wain "The Last Wave" 
23.	Almeda Riddle "My Little Rooster (Cockadoodledoo)" 
24.	Krzysztof Komeda "Two Man And The Wardrobe" 
25.	Krzysztof Komeda "Nóż w wodzie 2" 
26.	Parker Tyler "The Test Of Time #18 - K.A.I.R. Radio the University of Colorado's campus radio station (1982)" 
27.	Sonic Youth "Slambiant Desire" 
28.	Howard Shore "Main Title - Public Scanning" 
29.	Ennio Morricone "Il Corvo Professore" 
30.	Mike Ratledge "Riddles Of The Sphinx Sequence 2" 
31.	Vladimir Cosma "Promenade Sentimentale" 
32.	Jean-Claude Vannier / Serge Gainsbourg "Jane Et Olivier" 
33.	Simon Fisher Turner "How Blue Sky Was" 
34.	Olivier Messiaen "La Nativité du Seigneur: Les Bergers" 
35.	Coil "Exploding Frogs" 
36.	Gray "So Far From Real" 
37.	Rick Ulfik "Viper Theme" 
38.	J. Spacemen/Sun City Girls "Blues 1" 
39.	Third Ear Band "Court Dance" 
40.	Michael Nyman "Chasing Sheep Is Best Left To" 
41.	George Dunning "Zodiac Blues" 
42.	Howard Shore "Crash" 
43.	Edward Artemiev "Stalker - Meditation" 
44.	Luboš Fišer "17 - in flames" 
45.	Wendy Carlos "The Rocky Mountains" 
46.	Jocelyn Pook "Masked Ball" 
47.	Brian Eno "Prophecy Theme" 
48.	Klaus Schulze "Freeze" 
49.	Tangerine Dream "Grind" 
50.	Graeme Miller & Steve Shill "Creepers" 
51.	Stereolab "Blue Milk [Edit]" 
52.	Meredith Monk "Travellers 4, Churchyard Enter" 
53.	Luis Bacalov "Snaporaz's Trip" 
54.	Joe Delia "The Party/The Massacre" 
55.	Coati Mundi Hernandez "K Pasa" 
56.	Roberto Donati "Eaten Alive!" 
57.	Michel Magne "Theme De Fantômas" 
58.	Bruce Langhorne "Ending"

Chambre Noire Mix No. 58 • Film Music Special: Demimonde Art House, Horror And Midnight Flicks

Psychotropic acid trances melting in the summer heatwaves. Wait for the night. Put on yer tie-dyes. Start a car. Head to the nearest beach. There you'll find a tribe ov Psychic Warriors and Stardivers. Stomping out their rituals in the dusty sands. Join them. Never look back.

https://snowsovgethen.com

Hermetic Journal: Journey Of Acid Dragoons (Live At Trancecentral)

Fat and sloppy tunamelt megadump ov Tellus Audio Zines. Rough and hot from the air fryer. Will it take you on a journey? Does it ask right questions? Might it have a story to tell? Oh honey, it’s got goddamn storytelling so aplenty you wouldn’t know what to do with yourself. While at it I suggest some eye-rolling exercises, to prevent those crow’s feet from spreading. If you have questions write a letter or, better yet, ask artificial intelligences. They are there to make you a better person.

I'm sure there's not many who will seek a tracklist, but for those who do it shall be momentously featured at the following address:
https://snowsovgethen.com/journal/snows-ov-gethen-hermetic-journals-tellus-art-mart-smarts-the-malfunction-of-art-in-the-age-of-ai-reproduction

For those with mild interest but rapidly disappearing attention span I'll mention that the issue features artworks by the following artistes:
Lydia Lunch, Takehisa Kosugi, Pauline Oliveros, James Tenney, Ellen Fullman, Glenn Branca, Paul DeMarinis, Ben Johnston, Elliot Sharp, Elodie Lauten, Paul Dresher, Sussan Deihim, Laetitia Sonami, Hearn Gadbois, David Hykes and many others.

So what are you waiting for? Hit that goddamn play button.

Hermetic Journals: Tellus Art Mart Smarts • The Malfunction Of Art In The Age Of AI Reproduction

It's great weather in Buda. Raining again in Pest. There’re people in Új Zenei Stúdió. They are arguing while imbibing amber-coloured tokay. Tibor et László vont en bateau. Rivette and Tarr have lively discussion about why Eastern European nouvelle vague was such a hit and miss. Also, why cinéma vérité only rarely works out with critics and almost never with the audience. Krasznohorkai can’t stand any of this, so he cooks Hortobágyi palacsinta in the kitchen. Why not put away those worn oblique strategies and I Ching and calculate your moves with Rubik’s cube instead? And if you take one step too far there’s always Mulomedicina Chironis. Sátán can tangó? Ah ya.


Cut-ups of  Hungarotronics. Mit:
Zoltán Jeney, Péter Eötvös, Tibor Szemzõ, László Sáry, László Hortobágyi, Iván Patachich, László Dubrovay, Group180, László Melis, István Mártha, Makam és Kolinda. Zoltán Pongrácz, Róbert Mandel, Muzsikás, Béla Bartók, György Kurtág, Ákos Rózmann… And more? Yes, and more.

HJ#43: Sátán Can Tangó - The invisible stories of Hungarotronics

Summoning the nurturing juices of Ēostre. Gathering the stones. Raking sanded geometries. Decanting nectars. What are these mysterious objects at noon? Are those the forested-over remnants of the failed emperor's invisible castle? They might as well be. Half-forgotten, half-remembered. Stillness is not all, but it's not nothing.
Summoning the nurturing juices of Ēostre. Gathering the stones. Raking sanded geometries. Decanting nectars. What are these mysterious objects at noon? Are those the forested-over remnants of the failed emperor's invisible castle? They might as well be. Half-forgotten, half-remembered. Stillness is not all, but it's not nothing.


More >> https://snowsovgethen.com/journal/hermetic-journals-no-44-mysterious-objects-at-noon-variations-on-i-remember

HJ#44: Mysterious objects at noon. Variations on 'I remember'

“Like the sugar in the tea”. I think some sort of romantic idiom in Arabic? Heard it in one Syrian song. Where was I? Ah right, so the other day my huzbin goes on and on about how we don’t have anything fun to listen to? Like overdriven pre-revolutionary 1970s Middle Eastern femme-disco realness extended into eternity… But without the tedium of YouTube algorithm. So I obliged and hereby sharing. And sharing is caring!
In the end the thing is around 90 mins, but with attention spans of the TikTok era it’s practically an unfathomable abyss. And it’s an all-women deal. Why? I felt like it. Expect lotta swelling strings, fiery microtonally-adjusted synths, berserk percs and endless melismas on “habibi”. Tunes as dulce as the sweetest rose-water pakhlava. I’m inclined to call it māqāmat disco (in the honour of the region’s modal system). What’s the region? From Turkey to Azerbaijan. Out of Egypt and onto Iran. Not to exclude mesmeric Sirens of Levant. Should be groovy for summery plane rides.

Incl. Fairouz, Umm Kulthum, Googoosh, Leila Forouhar, Shohreh Solati, Mahasti, Azita, Pooran, Belkis Hanim, Zohra, Douaa, Vagif Mustafa Zadeh and more more more ...

More at:
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HJ#45: Like The Sugar In The Tea • Sirens Of Disco-Māqāmat

Transmissions to the aether • des bruits colorés
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Snows ov Gethen

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