isolatedmix 40 – Arts Learning Community: Away

Do you remember hearing your first recorded mix? Like most people, the first mixes I got into were live set recordings, often poor quality with dodgy mixing. But because they reflected your weekend moments, tracks you’ve never heard and new music styles, they were cherished beyond words in 128kbps formats ripped off Soulseek. Off the back of these mixes, I started to buy CD mixes from some of the artists I enjoyed – programmed – although I didn’t always know it at the time. Mixes that come to mind immediately are the early Global Underground stuff, from Sasha, John Digweed and Nick Warren. The mixing was flawless, track selection was impeccable and for the first time I started to listen to journey’s instead of tracklists, manipulations instead of transitions, live instrumentation over tracks I thought couldn’t get any better, and overall feelings instead of isolated moments, and I realised that being a DJ isn’t about beat-matching or having the latest records, and that there were people out there mixing using more than just a turntable. It was a new type of ‘set’ that really started to break down the conventional DJ mix.

Apart from the notorious Global Underground mixes, there’s been a few on ASIP which really highlight this feeling and approach. Tripswitch’sisolatedmix comes to mind, as does Rob Dowell’s Figment Fragments and DJ Todos’ multiple Kilchurn Sessions. More recently, Andy Schneider’s ‘Home’ can be added to that list – a true journey.

Since that mix, Andy has continued to work with his musical partner Brian, developing their own productions as Arts Learning Community and in parallel, developing the follow-up mix to ‘Home’. Aptly named ‘Away’ for many reasons, including the duo’s separate locations (San Fran and Taipei) and the time committed to this mix – a commitment which actually resulted in Andy relocating to Taipei for a month. As you will read below in Andy and Brian’s introductions they have literally poured their life and soul into this mix, and never has such dedication been so apparent.

To revisit my earlier sentiment, this is one of those mixes which you need to dedicate hours to with no distractions. A true audiophile journey and one that you just know, took revision after revision, change after change and tweaks in there thousands. If, like me all those years ago, you’re just falling in love with DJ mixes, please take the time to absorb what’s about to follow. For these reasons, this is an utterly deserved isolatedmix and i’m pretty sure you’ll fall in love with the journey these guys have managed to conjure – a truly epic piece of work and a homage to the DJ mix.

Introductions by Andy and Brian below.

Andy:

“For a while, Brian and I had been talking about doing a follow up to Home – my first attempt at taking a progressive DJ approach to a genre-less mix, which I was honored to have featured here on ASIP last year. I never really planned a sequel nor a collaboration for something as personal and musically autobiographical as that mix, but the challenge (with Ryan’s encouragement) got the better of me. And with Brian being a sound designer and studio engineer by day, I wanted to hear how our extracurricular skills could work together in this format.

That’s how it started, with a plan to have it finished in a few months. What we didn’t expect was an onslaught of everything professional and personal life could throw at us, all at once. This pushed back the deadline almost a year, but along the way influenced what we were listening to, and eventually changed the goal of the mix. All of this ultimately shows up in the track list, with many of these songs feeling like little anthems for big life events, something I’m sure all music fans can relate to.

Putting these symbolic/amazing pieces of music into a unique, contextual narrative like this has been quite an incredible process. And now that we’re at the other end, it’s also unexpectedly cathartic. Which is nice, because it’s been one of the most consuming musical things we’ve ever done. Lots of special edits, layering, and massaging square pegs into round holes, all while trying to preserve the original spirit of the tracks. However many hundreds of hours later, it’s absolutely been worth it, even just for us. But, given how inspirational ASIP and the legendary isolatedmix series has been, I really hope you guys like it too.

Thanks to Ryan for his support (and patience) along the way. Thanks to each of these amazing artists we’ve featured and hope to expose to new ears. Thanks to our talented friends Julia Turner, Duser and Carly for contributing incredible, original visual interpretations of the mix. And finally, a special thank you to The Dead Sea and Pierce Fulton for personally providing us with lossless source material. Look out for our Arts Learning Community debut release soon. Until then, enjoy isolatedmix40!”

Brian:

“I’m quite honestly ashamed for having spent so long on a single mix, although for the reasons Andy mentioned, and considering our satisfaction with resulting material, it all feels worthwhile. Bouncing the final mix was both a moment of victory and of substantial relief.

Listening back, events in the mix evoke vivid associations, and the piece in its entirety documents a significant breadth of emotions for me. I truly hope it resonates with you too, and that you connect with the narrative in some way.

Special thanks to:

Sean Costello of ValhallaDSP for his outstanding reverberation algorithms, used extensively throughout this mix. Bootsy (H.L. Goldberg) ofVariety of Sound for his wonderful free contributions to the audio community. Everyone who encouraged and supported me during the process, and Andy for staying excited and continuing to help me move forward after finishing a pretty amazing draft – and eventually flying to Taiwan to remove the 6000+ mile and 16 hour time difference encumbrances from our collaboration.

Ryan, for his supremely potent online ambient music dosing center, and of course, all the immensely talented people who were involved with the creation of the selected songs.

Caffeine, for maintaining a respectable level of efficacy even after such dramatic periods of abuse, and for conveniently existing within delicious beans. You, for reading this and taking the time to listen.”

Download
For a HQ download please visit the Arts Learning Community Facebook Page

Tracklist:

0:00:00 Nils Frahm – live improvisation @ la route du rock 2/22/11
0:03:00 Working for a Nuclear Free City – je suis le vent
0:04:37 Infusion – we follow. i fly.
0:05:52 Roxy Music – in every dream home a heartache
0:07:24 Rosetta – deneb
0:09:39 The Boxer Rebellion – semi-automatic (acoustic)
0:10:24 Luomo – visitor
0:11:40 Max Jasper Mezzowave – valaam and the angel
0:12:02 Pelican – ataraxia
0:13:11 Smashing Pumpkins – daydream
0:15:57 Hammock – winter light
0:19:08 Alt J – blood flood
0:23:13 Alt J – intro
0:24:14 DJ Khaled feat. Drake, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross – i’m on one
0:25:20 Everything But the Girl – before today
0:29:34 Prefuse 73 – no special bed
0:30:00 Amiina – bláskjár
0:30:20 Prefuse 73 – awakening to a…
0:31:23 Tiki Obmar – deru (remix)
0:32:27 Worm is Green – love will tear us apart
0:36:46 Working for a Nuclear Free City – pixelated birds
0:37:56 Oliver Blank – balloon suite prelude
0:40:43 Oliver Blank – you can call me x
0:42:18 How To Destroy Angels – the sleep of reason produces monsters
0:44:58 Rosetta – cleansing undertones of wake_life 1
0:46:25 Tool – useful idiot
0:46:30 Michael Stearns + Monks of the Dip Tse Chok Lin + Brother Hamish Richardson – broken vows (a prayer of kala rupa – an daorac)
0:47:26 Max Jasper Mezzowave – initiation
0:48:16 Ulf Lohmann – kristall
0:50:22 PJ Harvey – horses in my dreams
0:55:40 FC Kahuna – fear of guitars
0:56:56 Michael Stearns – organics
0:59:01 Pierce Fulton – 10 / 6 (that should do it)
1:02:36 Pink Floyd – a new machine (part 1)
1:04:30 The Dead Sea – banquet
1:05:39 Dead Can Dance – host of seraphim
1:11:28 Prefuse 73 – if they died and they were yours
1:12:08 Chairlift – i belong in your arms
1:15:18 Junius – spirit guidance
1:16:42 Voyager One – out and over
1:17:42 Eluvium – everything to come
1:18:46 Mogwai – kids will be skeletons
1:23:29 The Dead Sea – nulla desiderata
1:25:37 Explosions in the Sky – the birth and death of the day (jesu mix)
1:33:24 Jesu – weightless and horizontal
1:38:55 Good Weather for an Airstrike – rescue
1:39:46 Sasha – cut me down
1:45:38 Junius – eidolon & perispirit
1:49:35 Matt Lange – rift (Kerry Leva undo)
1:52:31 The Cinematic Orchestra – that home feat. patrick watson
1:54:13 Death Cab for Cutie – brothers on a hotel bed (bachelors of science mix)

Arts Leaning Community on Web | Soundcloud | Facebook

isolatedmix 39 - Billow Observatory

The Billow Observatory’s self-titled album released last year was both highly anticipated (six years in the making) and hugely rewarding for many of us shoegaze inspired ambient listeners. The combination of Jonas Munk (who you should be familiar with already on ASIP withisolatedmix 21) and Auburn Lull guitarist Jason Kolb was a tantalising recipe and it turned out to be one of the best records of the year.

Almost exclusively analog, and painstakingly crafted into a world of textures through numerous amps, mics and further treatments, Billow Observatory nailed a soft, euphoric sound that struck many-a-chord and heartstring of us all. Kolb’s ambient guitar work, and Jonas’ wealth of experience as a producer in his own right resulted in a sound that is hard to withdraw from – an all engrossing world of warm guitars and atmospheres.

Jonas and Jason met in the summer of 2004 after Jonas was introduced to Jason’s work as Auburn Lull, and it’s obvious the warm hazy days have had a lasting effect on both their sound and inspiration. With a brilliant introduction by Jason and extensive accompanying track notes, I needn’t say any more apart from a big thank you to them both for soundtracking what looks to be an amazing summer.

Billow Observatory’s self-titled LP is available here or on Jonas’ bandcamp here.

Introduction (by Jason Kolb from Billow Observatory):

I’m almost psychotically seasonal with my listening habits. There are songs/records that I strongly associate with certain times of year, almost down to the month and time of day. The first time I listen to a record or hear a new song is typically the time of year I always end up associating with that record. I have a very hard time listening to things “out of season” and this feeling is strongest in summer. To me, “summer songs” hit the hardest because I tend to associate a lot of them with the euphoria of long, lazy warm days spent outdoors, the nostalgia of childhood summer vacations, and generally trying to maximize what always feels like the shortest time of the year. The tracks I picked for this mix are those which instantly transport me back to summers past.
-Jason

Download.

Tracklist:
01. Lovesliescrushing – Halo
02. Slowdive – Moussaka Chaos
03. Landing – Migration
04. Waterwheel – Jejune
05. Auburn Lull – Gunpowderbluedragon (Kiln rebuild of ‘Arc of an Outsider’)
06. Fennesz – A Year in a Minute
07. JD Emmanuel – Part V, At-One-Ment
08. Tape – Root Tattoo
09. Boards of Canada – Ataronchronon
10. The Verve – A Beautiful Mind
11. To Rococo Rot – Die Dinge Das Lebens

Track notes:

1. Lovesliescrushing – Halo
A good friend of mine came home from the record store one summer day in ’94 or ’95 with a copy of ‘bloweyelashwish’ and said something really mundane like, “this is supposedly some cool guitar stuff made by some local guy”, which was a funny understatement. Lovesliescrushing was a really interesting product of mid-Michigan in the 90s formed by Scott Cortez. Dense, lush, and formless without being thoughtless, this record came into my life just as I thought droning, blissful guitar sounds were dying out. -Jason

2. Slowdive – Moussaka Chaos 
‘Souvlaki’ came out as an import in the US in late Spring of ’93. As a teenager who had recently just gotten a license to drive and was about to be on summer break from school, this record was truly a soundtrack for those hazy days of a teenage summer. “Souvlaki Space Station” was the track that really hit me initially. For this mix, I included the alternate version from the ‘Outside Your Room’ EP. -Jason

3. Landing – Migration
Landing is an incredible band from Connectitut that has always seemed to remain in obscurity despite releasing one fantastic album after another. Their music has a kind of rural American atmosphere that I love (which actually can be said about a number of artists on this mix) – even though most of their influences, such as krautrock and shoegaze, are of European origin. Their music spans a wide range of genres but there’s a unique sense of drift that runs through all of their work. This blissful track is from their latest, self-titled album, released last summer.-Jonas

4. Waterwheel – Jejune 
Waterwheel is a splinter project off of the Kiln/Fibreforms tree. The ‘Panchroma’ LP came out in ’97 and was hugely influential on me. There were a lot of interesting people doing interesting things locally (mid-Michigan) at the time, but this (along with Kiln’s ‘Holo’ LP) just seemed to come from another planet altogether. This particular track always reminds me of walking around my practically deserted home town in the summer, seemingly having the whole place to myself. -Jason

5. Auburn Lull – Gunpowderbluedragon (Kiln rebuild of ‘Arc of an Outsider’)
It feels a little awkward to include a track from the other project I’m in (Auburn Lull), but this is a very unique and special cut that I particularly enjoy at dusk during “peak summer”, around mid-July. We asked Kiln to remix tracks from our last record and ended up with two absolutely stunning ‘rebuilds’, of which this was the first. It would be unfair to call this merely a “remix” because they completely overhauled the original track and re-shaped it into something entirely fresh and new. I prefer this to the original version and wish everything could turn out this way.
-Jason

6. Fennesz – A Year in a Minute 
I was very late to the ‘Endless Summer’ party and I don’t really know why. It took years after the release before I finally heard it. It’s really hard to find something original to say about a record so hyped and highly lauded. The funniest thing is that I bought the record because it had the word “summer” in the title. The first time I listened to it was on an oppressively hot day – one of those days where you almost can’t move. I just sat there and listened intently, wondering why this record came into my life so long after its release. -Jason

7. JD Emmanuel – Part V, At-One-Ment
JD Emmanuel is a pretty obscure artist from Texas who has been doing hypnotic synthesizer music since the late 1970s. This track is from his 1982 album Wizards, which is a perfect crystalization of his vision. This stuff is really timeless and holds up well today. You can hear the minimalists (expecially Terry Riley) in this stuff, which gives the music a distinctive American flavour that sets it apart from most of the synthesizer music of the period. -Jonas

8. Tape – Root Tattoo
Tape is an extremely underrated trio from Sweden. I discovered them by accident nine years ago when I was invited to play at a small summer festival way out in the Swedish countryside. One night after hanging out at a bonfire with some of the other artists (and a local didgeridoo player) drinking cheap wine and chatting, I decided to go back inside an check out whoever was playing and I walked into Tape’s set. It was completely mesmerizing, and looking back on it this was probably the perfect place and circumstance to see these guys. They really capture the unique serenity of open skies, trees, wildlife and summertime in Scandinavia. Every summer I listen to Tape’s albums. -Jonas

9. Boards of Canada – Ataronchronon
The Campfire Headphase propably is my favourite Boards of Canada album. It has a laid-back, breezy and otherworldly vibe to it. This little piece is truly gorgeous. -Jonas

10. Verve – Beautiful Mind 
This is (The)Verve at their creative peak, right before going horribly downhill in my opinion. Everything they put out up to and including ‘A Storm in Heaven’ was incredible and influenced me profoundly. Picking one song was really tough, but I’ve probably listened to this track more than any. Incidentally, this record came out only a month or so after ‘Souvlaki’ in the summer of ’93. -Jason

11. To Rococo Rot – Die Dinge des Lebens
To Rococo Rot’s The Amateur View is one of my alltime favourite electronic releases. I bought this album in June 1999, a few months after it was released and it still has vibes from that summer all over it. It’s one of those albums I keep coming back to, every June, year after year. And this piece is just perfect. And it’s based on a sample from a Gigi Mason track from the 1980s by the way. -Jonas

Billow Observatory Bandcamp | Soundcloud | Boomkat

Leandro Fresco – Sgustok Magazine Podcast 040

In lead up to his eagerly anticipated Places Series release (coming very soon) the Argentinian ambient legend treats us to a superb mix for the similarly legendary Sgustok Magazine Podcast.

Featuring many of his own productions alongside some classics by Autechre, Boards of Canada, ISAN, Donnacha Costello and Arovane this is another essential listen just like his isolatedmix we experienced last January.

You can stream the mix and look up the rest of the Sgustok Mix series here (make sure you listen to Markus Guentner’s contribution).

Download.

Tracklist:
01. Marcel Duchamp + Leandro Fresco — Conversacion
02. Autechre — Kalpol Introl
03. Arovane — Good Bye Forever
04. Popnoname — Deutz Air
05. Pass Into Silence — Sakura
06. Leandro Fresco — Nido De Halcones
07. ISAN — Seven Mile Marker
08. Boards Of Canada — Olson
09. ISAN — Immoral Architecture
10. Leandro Fresco — Lo No Perceptible
11. Daniel Melero — Sin Respuesta (Leandro Fresco Remix)
12. Leandro Fresco — Mientras Tanto En Wimbledon
13. Donnacha Costello — Dry Retch
14. Leandro Fresco — Cuando El Sol Grita La Mañana
15. Jürgen Paape — 864m
16. Daniel Melero — Presagio
17. Curd Duka — Traces
18. Michael Mayer — Sully
19. Gustavo Cerati — Alma

isolatedmix 38 - Bulb

My first introduction to Bulb was his track, ‘Tenderness‘, one of the most atmospheric and emotional pieces of music I have had the pleasure of discovering. Since then, i’ve stayed close to Daniil Vavilov’s music, both his more beat-orientated electronica as Bulb and his ambient alias, ‘Fill’.

Daniil’s ‘Into The Deep‘ podcast has been my guiding source when searching for new electronic music, sometimes filed under ‘170 bpm electronica’ or ‘autonomic sound‘ – a unique blend of ambient, electronica and drum’n bass styles, that the likes of ASC, Synkro and dBridge have been associated with. When artists like these push the boundaries of genres, opening up new names, new mixes and new styles, I have nothing but appreciation for the people responsible.

Daniil’s ambient work is also pretty special, as previously featured on ASIP ‘Scenes‘ for example. But as Daniil notes below, his two alias’s are increasingly merging together and his latest ‘Insider EP‘ is a great example that I recommend checking out.

For his isolatedmix, Daniil has paid tribute to the many styles described above and his emerging convergence of ‘Bulb’ and ‘Fill’, putting together a very personal journey. Slithers of light and melody cut through this deep and emotional mix – another sublime addition to the series and a genuine insight into one of my favourite producers of late.

Introduction to the mix and track notes by Bulb.

Stereogamia is a reflection of my current state, that’s how I feel now. You can plunge into my world for a hour and look at it through my eyes in some way. I don’t know anything that would have a stronger impact on me than the music. It is my guide. It’s the first time i’m not using my alias ‘Fill’ for this kind of sound. It can be said that this division is disappearing now.

The first track by Accelra is similar to birth and growing up. Something perfect, a beautiful face with the cruel reality of trying to keep to your original self. I see something familiar to me in this, so I can feel it deeply.

Second track called “For” borders with a question: “For what?”. At the end of the track we seemingly near the answer but the conclusion takes us back to the beginning leaving the listener wondering exactly that.

The third track by Jacaszek portrays loneliness through its piano and chords. In addition – rustling, crackling, vocal and strings stir the memories.

For me “Eos” is about the fact that everything is cyclical and everything has its end. I love that low voice in the track. Someone says that I have one too.

‘Hunted Twice’ by Deaf Center reminds me of a chase or a hunting scene. I like how the very stressful and dangerous atmosphere at the beginning changes to a soft and warm sound. It feels like the light on the horizon.

‘Hover’ is a very strong track. I love this song, particularly the evolution in the middle. Sounds like something well hidden trying to break out. Perfect arrangement and effects.

The seventh track by ‘Allez Allez’ is the longest track in the mix. I think there’s an epic progression here. For me, this is not the kind of track that you should unwind in the middle. The transitions helps you float away.

‘Metallic Monks’, is great. It’s the soundtrack of the game of my childhood – ‘Fallout’. The first time I saw this game I was like “What a load of crap”. But shortly I realised it was the greatest game I had ever played and it definitely changed me. There was a huge, complex, exciting and truly post-apocalyptic world. Mark Morgan was responsible for some genius soundtracks.

‘Mistake’ is from my Syktyvkar friend – Volor Flex. I think this is one of his unreleased tracks that he sent to me. You should listen to his first album called “Tramp”.

‘Gravity Jump’, another soundtrack from “Limbo”. It’s a very deep and beautiful game. Yeah, I really love atmospheric games with great sound design…

‘Alpha’ is the atmosphere of inner tension, erupting through melody and sharp fragments of sounds, which refutes the illusion of serenity. The high and distorted guitar in this track is the peak of emotions.

The last one is by my Slovakian friend Keosz. I hear the striking lyricism, tragedy and beauty at the same time in this track. Is this the end of it all? Of the mix maybe…

Download.

Tracklist:

01. Accelra – Three Suns [Futuresequence]
02. Nils Frahm – For [Erased Tapes]
03. Jacaszek – Zal [Miasmah]
04. Ulver – Eos [The End]
05. Deaf Center – Hunted Twice [Type]
06. Ferrein – Hover [Farver]
07. Allez Allez – Defeatist (Somfay ‘Doubled Up Foldable Iona Rarity’ Remix) [free]
08. Mark Morgan – Metallic Monks [Fallout OST]
09. Volor Flex – Mistake [dub]
10. Martin Stig Andersen – Gravity Jump [Limbo OST]
11. Talvihorros – Alpha [Hibernate]
12. Keosz – Desire [dub]

Bulb on Soundcloud | Facebook | Podcast | Twitter

ASIP – SpacesFM Guestmix

SpacesFM is one of my guaranteed audio stop-overs for ambient and cinematic music and has been for several years now, ever since I found a mix by the site’s curator, Latty. Featuring many exclusive mixes, interviews and features such as ‘The Composer Series’ as well as home to the Cinematics radio show which also airs on Frisky Radio (home to Nick Warren’s Soundgarden show no less). If you haven’t explored SpacesFM yet then there’s a backlog waiting for you, and now an additional bonus mix from me. It features some of my all-time favourite tracks from Autechre, AFX(Aphex Twin) and Alva Noto, man of the moment, Segue and the first preview of 36‘s forthcoming Places Series track, ‘Heather Spa’.

For more information and a little additional introduction, see SpacesFM. The mix will be aired daily at 8PM and 2AM GMT and you can alsostream and download here. The mix is also available to stream and download through the ASIP iPhone app.

Big thank you to Latty for the opportunity to feature.

Tracklist:
01. Floex – Zorya Polunochnaya (ASIP looping edit) [Minority Records, 2011]
02. Biosphere – As The Sun Kissed The Horizon [Touch, 1997]
03. Alva Noto – Is Otto Roessler Right [Unseen Records, 2011]
04. Alva Noto – Xerox Monophaser II [Raster Norton, 2009]
05. Loess – Retinue [Toytronic, 2003]
06. Heathered Pearls – Ringing Temple (Decreased Version) [Ghostly, 2012]
07. Jon Hopkins – Abandon Window [Unseen Records, 2011]
08. Nils Frahm – More [Erased Tapes, 2011]
09. Autechre – Autriche [Warp Records, 1993]
10. AFX – Analogue Bubblebath [Mighty Force, 1991]
11. Segue – Parchment [Silent Season, 2013]
12. bvdub – I Would Have Waited [Distant Noise, 2011]
13. Leandro Fresco – El Cruce Imposible [Kompakt 2013]
14. 36 – Heather Spa [astrangelyisolatedplace, forthcoming on The Places Series 2013]
15. Ólafur Arnalds & Nils Frahm – a1 [Erased Tapes, 2012]