Niko Tzoukmanis

ASIP - Reflection on 2023

 

As with all past ‘Reflection’ year-end mixes, I start with a collection of albums, EPs, and compilations I have enjoyed over the past year. Through the process of compiling a mix, tracks are selected from this extensive collection. This ultimately means many of my favorite tracks and albums are often omitted in this process, due to the organic process of compiling a mix, things don’t fit, or fall by the wayside. There are many albums I had on high rotation missing from this mix, but I have to stop somewhere. As I say every year, this isn’t a definitive ‘best-of’ list, but a selection of *some* of my favorite music from the year in one listenable format. It’s the most enjoyable way for me to boil down the music I’ve loved from the year using these self-imposed restrictions, for you to enjoy and hopefully discover more, and for me to reflect on time and time again - like a photograph that captures the year in music.

I encourage you to use the mix to explore each artist, listen to the album in full, and explore each label (and check the Buy Music Club list at the bottom). If you want to see the majority of music I’ve been supporting this year, head over to my Bandcamp collection. For the ASIP year-end label compilation, see the feature and mix here.

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Yikes, I crossed the 3-hour mark! Well, that speaks volumes to the amount of great music that was released this year, and I’m already feeling guilty about omissions from this mix. But alas, it needs to stop somewhere, the Holiday’s are coming…

This edition marks the tenth year in succession (2010 was the first mix but I skipped doing this for two years for some reason) and it is an extremely enjoyable exercise I look forward to every year. Revisiting many of the albums I’ve purchased throughout the year, and records from my shelf, then taking the time to absorb more recent releases - the process is cathartic (after the slight anxiety that builds knowing I have a beast of a mix to tackle, and hard decisions to be made).

Looking back at previous Reflection mixes, I am evidently a creature of habit and seem to gravitate to certain artists more than most over the years (we all have our faves), but I also take a lot of time to dig for new artists and approaches to music in this realm, and this year’s edition is probably the most varied in music styles since the Reflection series began. Ambient, field recordings, drone (Power-ambient, even), big saxophones (the flute revival didn’t make it ;-), Japanese left-field pop, deep techno, chugging techno, modern classical, experimental, jungle, breaks, dub and more… as you might imagine, this is a 3hr mix that feels more like a showcase than a DJ mix in the traditional sense, as I’m focusing on creating chapters of different styles, but I hope makes for an attentive listen if you’ve got 3hrs to spare.

Am I going to write about all 42 tracks? Not this time, as I don’t think there’s much I can illustrate other than ‘go listen to that entire album!’ but I will make a few observations on themes that emerged as I was going through this process.

Firstly, the far corners of Bandcamp are very much alive, so for anyone looking for alternatives given all the talk with Bandcamp this year, please don’t hit the escape button and continue to support us- I continued to find so many new labels and artists, some of which are included here such as Liis Ring, Etüüd, ǝɯǝɐ, Azu Tiwaline and not to forget a kick-ass Jungle community throwing out some lovely 90’s infused comps. Bandcamp keeps small labels and artists alive right now (only two of these tracks were physical releases and not on Bandcamp - #19 & #42).

I spent a lot of time listening to music that would work for the two shows I played in Japan earlier this year, and for those who listened back to one of the sets I posted, you may notice a few similar tracks/artists appearing here again which I’ve held in high regard since their release, such as Jo Johnson, Field Lines Cartographer and Endurance. On reflection, there was a lot of deepness for me this year that came from preparing for and inspired by those sets, sitting on the edges of techno with lots of synthesizer/Berlin school projects (as well as a couple of artists I got to see in person whilst over there such as Yolabmi and Endurance).

There were a couple of glaring omissions from this mix (*checks Bandcamp app most played*) which I had on rotation so much this year that I still wanted to mention, such as Imaginary Softwoods, who was behind one of my favorite tracks of the year, ‘Diagrams of the Universe’. Along with Johnny Nash’s Point of Entry - a tranquil guitar-laden affair, both of which never left my turntable for long.

The ever-expanding ASIP roster of artists, both alumni and current, had an extremely busy year evidently (I try to restrict their inclusions in this mix where I can otherwise it could be an entire ASIP promo show… hey that’s an idea…). bvdub released about ~10 masterpieces, as only he can, flaunting all possible peripherals in his deep arsenal (along with rounding out the Earth House Hold project with us of course). ASC was crazy busy with his quality retro Spatial DnB releases (one of them made it in here). For those who enjoyed Alex Albrecht’s debut with us, don’t miss his earlier 2023 release. Deepchild released another great textured follow-up to his ASIP debut for those wanting more. 36 continued some rave-esque ambient no doubt inspired by his 9128 recording a few years back. Markus Guentner began an exciting collab project with Joachim Spieth (and also appeared in several other collaborations). RAI kept things relatively reflective with a few Bandcamp specials and recordings from his live tour. Benoit Pîoulard made a beautiful return to Morr Music, and Christian Kleine rounded out the year with a limited vinyl press. Those needing more from our 2023 new signing Mikkel Rev, can check out his earlier album released in January this year. James Bernard had a busy year alongside his wife as Awakened Souls, and found more 90’s DAT goodness among many other projects. Mick Chillage released a superb sleeper IDM album in the form of Initial Programs. Dr Atmo’s throwback to his early sounds saw a rebirth of one of his most enjoyed albums alongside new remixes. Wanderwelle made their second full-length odyssey for Important Records and Yagya continued to explore uncharted new takes on his sound through his new label imprint. Scanner’s innovative repertoire continued to expand and one of my faves of his came in the form of this collab. Hior Chronik published a couple of unreleased gems. And lastly, Ludvig Cimbrelius aka Purl/Illuvia and Arovane managed to sneak onto this mix with a couple of their releases…

Two labels who hit home runs for me this year with the majority of their releases. Illian Tape had some extremely great (and varied) electronic releases. And while Mysteries of the Deep’s output was relatively choice (quality over quantity), 3 out of the 4 releases made it onto the mix!

There are a couple of tracks in the mix from albums that align with what seems to be, the common consensus on some of the ‘best’ electronic releases from the year (one of the advantages of my waiting until mid-December to finish this mix is I see what other people are rating highly or what I might’ve missed) such as James Holden’s psychedelic return, and Purelink’s amphibious dub LP. But other than those two, I think everyone should find something new among the twists and turns across the 3 hours and 42 tracks.

For the mix artwork this year, and after last year’s terribly basic AI take (it’s come a long way in a year!), I toyed with creating another AI attempt on a “A Strangely Isolated Place” prompt, but you have to spend time to get quality back out of these lil’ work gnomes. Every image I created from that prompt ended up being a stereotypical lonely hiker (with 4 fingers I’m sure) strolling through a highly conceptual colorful future universe. Either that or a decrepit shed…

So instead, I opted for an image that means much more to me… a wall. Not just any wall though, it’s the wall outside of Spread nightclub in Tokyo where I had the pleasure of playing an ambient set this year, meeting new friends, and making some amazing memories.

Thanks to all of the artists and labels included here who have soundtracked my year in more ways than one, and the many more I didn’t manage to include this time around. Be sure to check the previous year’s Reflection mixes for more of the same.

Hope you enjoy the listen back at a great year of music.

Listen on Soundcloud the ASIP Podcast or the 9128.live iOS and Android app

Download MP3

Tracklist:

01. Sleep D - Hector (Dreaming) (Butter Sessions)
02. Liis Ring - after-image IV: abborresjön (Breton Cassette)
03. William Selman - Leaky Paradise (Mysteries of the Deep)
04. Etüüd - Õhtute kollane tolm (Self released)
05. TU M' - Monochrome #26 (Line Imprint)
06. Arovane - ypaal (Quiet Details)
07. Field Lines Cartographer - Mountain Icicles (Castles in Space)
08. Dream Dolphin - Gaia (Ethereal Fantasy) (Music from Memory)
09. Salamanda - Nostalgia (Wisdom Teeth)
10. Endurance - Crest v2 (Muzan Editions)
11. Suzanne Ciani & Jonathan Fitoussi - Coral Reef (Transversales)
12. Alex Israel - Vacua (Somnambulant Drift)
13. The Black Dog - The Mundane (Dust Science)
14. Locust - Miriam (Mysteries of the Deep)
15. Niko Tzoukmanis - Way Home (Libreville Records)
16. Jo Johnson - Transience (Mysteries of the Deep)
17. Dasha Rush - Dubby Doo (Raster Noton)
18. ǝɯǝɐ - Andrei Rublev (Secuencias Temporales)
19. Gigi Masin & Rod Modell - Red Hair Girl At The Boat Shop (13)
20. Toki Fuko - Part Two (Astral Industries)
21. shedir - Deer Fluent in the Wind (n5MD)
22. Ayaavaaki & Purl - Distant Lights (Ovum III) (LILA)
23. Bana Haffar - Sit Still (Touch)
24. Mike Lazarev - Tonality Number Two (PITP)
25. Claire Deak - In Defiance of Time (Lost Tribe Sound)
26. Lord of the Isles feat. Ellen Renton - Don't You Ache (AD93)
27. nthng - Unlimited (I) (Self released)
28. Donato Dozzy & Sabla - Flusso III (Gang of Ducks)
29. Sindh - Spyres (Sindh)
30. James Holden - In The End You'll Know (Border Community)
31. Andrea - Audieze (Ilian Tape)
32. ASC & Aural Imbalance - Overcast Skies (Auxiliary)
33. Accelio - The Garden (Sawteeth)
34. Yolabmi - Liquidity (29 Speedway)
35. MPU101 - nurMKS30 (Ilian Tape)
36. Ylia - Ame Agari (Balmat)
37. Azu Tiwaline - Antenna Opening (I.O.T Records)
38. Purelink - We Should Keep Going (Peak Oil)
39. Priori - Top Soil (Rhythm Büro)
40. Hysterical Love Project - Ionian Sea (Motion Ward)
41. Om Unit + TM404 - Microdose Mondays (Acid Test)
42. David - Daybreak (Simpler Times)

Buy Music Club List (all tracks available digitally on Bandcamp other than #19 (here) + # 42 (here)

 

ASIP - Tranquility

 

Inspired by the greatest years. Tranquility of the highest order.

A mix of music taken from, and inspired by the most influential years of electronic and ambient music - the 90’s.

01. MLO - Shadows of Life and Thought (2021)
02. Merrin Karras - unreleased
03. Stryke - Introspection Part 1 (1994)
04. Glide - Space Van (1997)
05. Solar Quest - Save The Whale (1994)
06. Namlook & Montana - Path VII (2010)
07. Young American Primitive - Sunrise (1993)
08. Beaumont Hannant - Vague (1994)
09. B12 - Void/Comm (1996)
10. Perishing Thirst - Sacred Agency (2018)
11. Speedy J - Pepper (1994)
12. A Positive Life - The Calling (Loved'Ub Remix) (1993)
13. Global Communication - 8:07 (1994)
14. Moby - Myopia (1993)
15. Geir Jenssen & Pete Namlook - In Heaven (1993)
16. Mick Chillage - Hypersleep (2022 mix) (2022)
17. Niko Tzoukmanis - Fallen Angel (2023)
18. Spooky - Orange Colored Liquid (1993)
19. Omicron - Tranquility Base (1994)

 

ASIP - Reflection on 2021

 

As with all past ‘Reflection’ year-end mixes, I start with a collection of albums I have enjoyed over the year. Through the process of compiling a mix that flows well, songs are whittled down and selected from this collection. This means many of my favorite tracks and albums are often omitted in the process, due to the need for them to fit in a mix that comes together as organically as possible. As I say every year, this isn’t a definitive ‘best-of’ list, but a selection of just some of my favorite music from the year in one easily listenable format. It’s the most enjoyable way for me to boil down the music I’ve loved from the year using these self-imposed restrictions, for you to then enjoy and discover more. I encourage you to use the mix to jump off and explore each artist, listen to the album in full and see what else is on the label (and check the Buy Music Club list). Of course, releases or aliases a part of our own label/s are not considered (head over here for our label-specific 2021 showcase).

Another crazy year in the books (or is this the new normal?). Looking back, it’s been a tough year personally and one that in theory should have left me with more time to listen and absorb music but somehow did the opposite. This mix, as it does every year, serves as a great way for me to dedicate time listening to albums again, and I’m realizing this has become a yearly sort of musical therapy for me. The fact that people actually listen and await the mix, is a lovely bonus.

It’s been interesting to see the pendulum of music move across various online listening platforms during strict lockdowns this past year, and what seemed like an onslaught of output as artists buckled down inside. At one point, I am sure we were all left feeling truly spoiled with music choices and online events, despite not being able to attend physical events until the past few months. I know from my own experience, that many artists have albums in the locker and the labels are now struggling to keep up with the present vinyl production bottle-neck.

On the ASIP label front, we finally managed to launch our 9128.live sister label, producing physical and digital editions from notable live performances, with many more planned for 2022. Despite ACL recently commenting that ASIP seemingly “so far has seemed immune to the vinyl shortage”, we have been massively impacted and have only been able to keep somewhat of a cadence this year because we had so much in the pipeline. Next year, we may see bigger gaps between releases and different formats as we look to work with new plants and basically turn our production flow on its head. Numerous times this year I have questioned whether to continue with our current approach, and I am sure many other labels have felt the same.

On the listening front, and upon reflection, I have definitely been drawn to the more electronic-driven side of ambient music this year. Slightly darker and edgier perhaps for obvious reasons, with less instrumental, gentle, or orchestral sounds in my library overall it seems. The Reflection mix, as it does every year, ends up moving through several different stages and captures many of the different styles of music that have been on high rotation.

This year’s mix, begins with some more tranquil pieces (Hopkins, KMRU, Arian Shafiee), then takes a dive into the deep, dynamic elements (ASC, Inhmost, Sciama, AES DANA, Ulla, Bana Haffar), to then slowly emerge into melody just before the hour with Christina Chatfield. Things become more storied, as pieces are overlapped and looped, presenting the powerful drones of Christina Giannone, and more fluid, energetic beat-driven pieces from Ground Tactics, Whylie, nthng and Skee Mask - most of which made me crave the (out of bounds) dance floor. Beats then become crunched, textured and irregular, with the likes of new discoveries in, Hoavi, Vivan Koch, and Amandra X Matthies. The mix then begins to draw in, as more melodic moments take over from some (old but new) music from Niko Tzoukmanis and CiM, before the final chapter draws in with more organic and spiritual elements from Saphileaum, Alex Albrecht, ending on a positive curtain closer from Wau Wau Collectif. Ending the mix on something more optimistic seems to be a requirement after the journey of this past year.

Thank you to everyone listening and supporting what we do, and I hope you can find a new artist or album to support on Bandcamp with this mix - all this year’s inclusions are below in the Buy Music Club list. For a more extensive list of what I have supported and listened to this year, head over to my Bandcamp collection.

Listen on Soundcloud, Mixcloud, or the ASIP Podcast.

Download

Tracklist:

000.00. Jon Hopkins - Tayos Caves, Ecuador I (Domino)
006.20. KMRU & Echium - Unending (Self-released)
009.10. Bolivian Fireships - Quiet Room, Locked Door (Hream)
012.50. Arian Shafiee - Wembley (Constellation Tatsu)
018.00. Ab uno - Adonai (Mahorka)
019.30. ASC & Inhmost - Sunrise on Titan (Auxiliary)
026.10. Sciama - Periphery (Auxiliary)
029.00. AES DANA - Foreword (Ultimae)
031.40. Ulla - Shelter (Motion Ward)
033.30. Bana Haffar - Totally Alive and Totally Invisible (Self-released)
039.50. Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement - Flying Fish Ambience (Hospital)
043.20. Nadia Struiwigh - Organic (Nous’klaer)
047.15. Op Zee - Muziekkamer (Stroom.tv)
050.00. Christina Chatfield - Concatenate II (Mysteries of the Deep)
057.10. Nigel Mullaney - The Well Of Sleeping (Behind The Sky Music)
059.00. Avsluta - Meditation 16 [Notes on Iridescence] (e2-e8)
1.00.30 Marine Eyes - On this Fresh Morning (Stereoscenic)
1.03.30. Christina Giannone - Realms II (Past Inside The Present)
1.09.00. Milieu - Terpentine Xylophone (Milieu Music)
1.10.05. Ground Tactics - New Earth (Self-released)
1.16.10. Whylie - JGL24-04 (Lith Dolina)
1.19.40. nthng - Energy Reloading (Lobster Sleep Sequence)
1.25.58. Skee Mask - LFO (Ilian Tape)
1.29.15. Ocoeur - Breaking The Circle (n5MD)
1.32.57. Hoavi - Tessera (Peak Oil)
1.36.17. Vivian Koch - Closed (AD93)
1.39.20. Amandra X Matthies - Cornemuse (Nous’klaer)
1.43.30. Warrington-Runcorn Newtown Development Plan - Part of the Union (CIS)
1.47.35. Akira Sileas - Cliff Cooling (Rusted Tone)
1.52.10. Niko Tzoukmanis - Raindrops (Libreville)
1.57.15. Uf0 - Yeh Premoh (Self-released)
1.59.50. CiM - Metric (Delsin)
2.02.10. Sofie Birch & Johan Carøe - Portal of (Stroom.tv)
2.03.10. Saphileaum - Savar (Good Morning Tapes)
2.07.50. Alex Albrecht - Forest from the Trees, w. Sean La’Brooy (Analogue Attic)
2.12.00. Wau Wau Collectif - Yaral Sal Doom (Sahel Sounds)

 

ASIP - (Live vinyl mix on 9128.live, 9/25/2021)

 
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It's hard to dedicate good amounts of time to listening to physical records, so when I had a few hours this weekend, I decided to play some of my most recent records that have been piling up on my "un-filed" shelf (everyone has one of those, right? just-in, unorganized, unplayed, etc?!)

I hit the record button without any destination in mind and ported it into 9128.live (as I often do in these ad-hoc instances) and set forth with no agenda.

It starts a little unsure in style, as I try to feel out where I want to take it, and a few dodgy transitions for not knowing the records too well yet, but the universe quickly pushes me into an IDM/synth-heavy world.

I rarely post mixes off the cuff, as I normally obsess over the details and let the moment be the moment, but figured this one might be a good one to explore given the amount of recent LP material on Bandcamp. So here we are, warts-and-all. Enjoy!

Listen on Soundcloud, Mixcloud, or the ASIP Podcast.

Download

Tracklist (by album/LP) + Bandcamp links (where possible)

1. Mu tate - Let Me Put Myself Together [Bandcamp]
2. Tapes - Silence Please [Bandcamp]
3. Anatolian Weapons - Mantili EP [Bandcamp]
4. Saphileaum - Transpersonal Experience [Bandcamp]
5. Niko Tzoukmanis - Hope Is The Sister Of Despair [Bandcamp]
6. Still In My Arms: Compiled by Bayu and Moopie (Boc Scadet - Sel Alterat) [Bandcamp]
7. Loess - Totems [Bandcamp]
8. Joe McBride & Jack Lever ‎– 21.12 / 30.03 [Discogs]
9. James Bernard/Influx - Reminiscence [Bandcamp]
10. Brabuhr Q-ih (Whylie - RDM17-05) [Bandcamp]
11. Helium - The Works E.P. [Bandcamp]
12. Niko Tzoukmanis - Hope Is The Sister Of Despair [Bandcamp]
13. Brabuhr Q-ih (Whylie - ABT22-01 [Bandcamp]
14. Ochre - An Eye to Windward [Bandcamp]
15. Nadia Struiwigh - Pax Aurora [Bandcamp]
16. Jo Johnson - Weaving [Bandcamp]
17. Anatolian Weapons / Hector Zazou with Laurie Anderson - An Afterthought / Into Your Dreams [Bandcamp]
18. Anushka Chkheidze - Halfie [Bandcamp]