todos - Cold Shoulders

After twelve Kilchurn Sessions, you can only imagine how many tracks todos has selected, filtered, tried and ultimately cut from the bunch. It's what makes a mix so time consuming - you can come up with a 'playlist' but most of the time, these tracks wont blend together well, don't flow well, or just don't belong. I personally have a list of tracks which never really fit well in a mix despite my ongoing efforts - it includes some of my favourite music ever, but some tracks just don't work well as  part of a larger mix.

In Cold Shoulders, todos, has  managed to conjure a solid journey out of the many tracks he has left behind over the past few Kilchurn Sessions. Despite its connotations, this is as attractive a mix as any of the Kilchurn Sessions, and may just be the greatest reject mix you've ever heard.

"The previous 3 Kilchurn Sessions have seen many great tracks dashed aside, either they didn’t fit the mix, the mood or the feeling at the time. At the end of the day, they didn’t make the cut! Here, I have put many of them together, in a mix of their own. It’s not an official Kilchurn but takes a similar approach. Less time was taken with it, hardly any edits done or pain staking samples tweaked and added.  It is a collection of great “rejects”. Hence the name ‘Cold Shoulders’ I hope you enjoy" - todos.

Download.

Tracklist:

01. Steinbrüchel - ’08’
02. Swartz Et - ‘Yours Mine Ours’ / Brooke Blair and Will Blair - ‘Lights Out’
03. Christopher Willits - ’Now’
04. Gacha Bakradze - ‘Mississipi’
05. Need a Name - ‘Road to Berlin’
06. Theodore Shapiro, José González & Mark Graham - ‘Quintessence’
07. Turtle - ‘Us’
08. Christopher Willits - ‘Wide’
09. The Field - ‘No. No…’
10. Taiga - ‘East Breeze’
11. Burstbot - ‘Inherited’
12. Tom Raybould - ‘The End’
13. Seekae - ‘Another’
14. I Break Horses - ‘Heart To Know’
15. Rival Consoles - ‘Haunt’

isolatedmix 54 - Ozy

When you think of Iceland and the music that's originated from this spectacular land-mass, your mind will probably wonder to the likes of Ólafur Arnalds, maybe experimental band Múm, maybe Kompakt's tech-pop legends Gus Gus, and more than likely, our very own-dub-techno master-mind Yagya. Dig a little deeper and you'll soon realise that despite his unique and pioneering style, Yagya's dub-techno wasn't the first to leave The North Shore. 

In the mid '90's Thule Records was releasing dub-inspired techno music from artists such as Sanasol, Exos, Thor, Octal and the man in question, Örnólfur Thorlacius aka Ozy.

Some of these artists, including Ozy, went on to wider international fame with records on the notorious Force Inc, the original home of Mille Plateaux, Yagya's debut album Rhythm of Snow and Ozy's second album Tokei in 2002. 

Now, nearly 13 years later, Ozy returns with a new album on the Nothings66 label, titled Distant Present, it reminds us how far he has come since we last heard his music. Rooted in techno, but straying far outside any given boundaries he may have previously associated with, Distant Present floats between the ambient tides of Glace, the autonomic breaks of Clockage, the Yagya-esque dubby dwellings in Scaphoid and the glitchy-electronics in Chrome-dip. Try fitting in the rumbling bass and garage vocal formations of Arcane, and a bubbling electronica take from Laurel Halo on Black To The Future, and you've got yourself one-hell of an album (available here).

Given Ozy's early productions and where he's landed with his latest album, it was always a tough call to see where he would land with his isolatedmix. Ozy's inspiration for varying production techniques and instrumentalism are evident, alongside an appreciation for composition, and the incessant journey ideation that's always a winner within mixes. He talks progression, evolution and layering whilst combining 22 tracks from the likes of Tim Hecker, Neel, OPN and Andy Stott - a beautiful addition to the series from one of Iceland's finest.

Introduction from Ozy:

"The overall approach to the mix was to use the selected tracks almost as instruments in a composition, gradually layering each track on top of the other. As I wanted to create a mix both pleasant and interesting, I tried to select a healthy mixture of ambient and drone music (from labels such as PAN, Kranky, 12k and Tri Angle records), while being mindful of not creating too much tension in the mix.

One of my favorite moments in the mix is when the sounds of the euphonium in “Time away” by Andy Stott are allowed to gradually appear within the picturesque Call Super track “Dovetail” – then to be faded out subsequently over the distilled atmosphere of Margaret Dygas’ “Country way of life”. Another favorite is when Muhammad‘s chello instrumentation “Sakrifis” slowly evolves over Allessandro Cortini’s analog sounds in “Passatempo”, adding depth and nuance to an already resonant track - then to slowly exit and make way for the brilliant Function & Vatican Shadow production “A year has passed.

The mix was recorded during a quiet winter evening at a friend‘s house in central Reykjavik".

Download.

Tracklist:

01. Arca - Held apart 
02. Willits + Sakamoto - I don't want to understand     
03. Call super - Dovetail      
04. Andy Stott - Time away
05. Margaret Dygas - Country way of life
06. Oneothrix Point Never - Ships without meaning
07. Visionist - Can't forget
08. Ozy - Glace
09. No Ufo's - Hydro at 14th and Alder    
10. Neel - Travelling On Kepler Dorsum
11. Rainer Veil  - Slow
12. Allessandro Cortini - Passatempo     
13. Muhammad - Sakrifisis     
14. Function and Vatican Shadow - A year has passed
15. Janek Schaefer - 102 FM 
16. Logos - Surface area
17. FIS - Her third eye       
18. Lee Gamble - Head model
19. Objekt - Cataracts
20. Ozy - Maqybe
21. Lawrence English - Graceless hunter   
22. Tim Hecker - Sketch 7  

Ozy on Facebook | Soundcloud

Artwork photo by André Fromont

isolatedmix 53 - Anders Ilar

Anders first appeared on ASIP in 2012 with isolatedmix 34 and now returns to the series with another superb journey, diving deep into the depth of winters past and the varied sounds that have influenced him from the season.

You may be forgiven for thinking Anders hasn't released any music since his last isolatedmix, but the newly relocated Ludvika resident has been busy with colabs the likes of Yard. As Anders describes "Since my last album Elva on Shitkatapult in 2012 I focused on completing the first album of Our Loving Sun. A project between me and Chris Jones aka Yard, and a few invited friends on vocals, bass and guitar. We started working on the album in January 2011, so it has been a long time to finalize it. A 4-track EP was released on vinyl in October 2013 on swiss label Mina Records with a remix by Ripperton, and the Album was finally released on Bandcamp in October 2014"

During this time he also collaborated with Mina Records founder Claudia Ayala aka Masaya on a track called Stars where he provided the vocals and some additional production, set to be released in May 2015. Next-up Anders is going exactly where we want him to and producing a new ambient album titled Inuti. 

“At the start of 2015 I started working on a new ambient album. It will be called Inuti (Swedish for inside, or within). It’s soundtrack sounding with lots of piano. I’ve invited a few guests to provide some additional instrumentation, such as saxophone and other woodwinds, and bass, guitar and vocals on one or two of the tracks. I’ve also been collecting field recordings this winter - it’s all coming together nicely. ”

— Anders Ilar

Anders' isolatedmix is a segue of ambient musical styles and the perfect precursor to his new project, spanning multiple acoustic approaches from the likes of OPN and Bibio, alongside older-hats such as Tangerine Dream The Legendary Pink Dots and Dead Can Dance.

"This mix was created in late 2014, for the darkest time of the year as a sort of soundtrack to the winter months. The music was selected with great care to create a perfect theme for the darker days and long nights of winter. Elements of Strings, Piano, Horns and woodwinds co-existing with digital and acoustic rhythms, and desolate synthesizers. Bringing the mind to a calm bliss. Music that has inspired me recently and in the past". - Anders Ilar.

Skip below for Anders' narration to this perfectly curated isolatedmix. 

Download.

Tracklist:

1. Erik Truffaz & Murcof - Human Being
2. The Legendary Pink Dots - Premonition 13
3. Dictaphone - Jarszewko
4. Oneohtrix Point Never - Ruined Lives
5. The Legendary Pink Dots - Ballerina On a Rice Paper Leaf
6. Bohren & der Club of Gore - Midnight Walker
7. Bibio - Kaini Industries
8. Dictaphone - A Bout The Souffle
9. Anders Ilar - The Inner Workings
10. The Legendary Pink Dots - Pendulum
11. Shrubbn! - Echo 5|2
12. Bear McCreary - Refugees Return
13. Dead Can Dance - Windfall
14. Tangerine Dream - Sequent C
15. Wunder - Strings Of Clouds
16. The Legendary Pink Dots - Two Steps Beyond

Words about some of the artists/tracks from Anders:

Erik Truffaz & Murcof - Human Being
I first heard of Murcof after reading the name in a review of my own album Everdom from 2003. This track is from his recent album Human Being with Eric Truffaz on Trumpet. Fantastic stuff as always from Murcof.

The Legendary Pink Dots - Premonition 13
Legendary Pink Dots started in 1980 and has been in my aural input for about 30 years now, and these guys keep churning out great experimental  music to this day. For many years I almost forgot about them, but the voice of Edward Ka-Spel haunts me to great affect. Much respect. Included in this mix is four tracks spanning four decades, proving that music is the only way to live. Sing while you may!

Dictaphone - Jarszewko
Dictaphone, another great example of a successful marriage of electronics and acoustics. 

Bohren & der Club of Gore - Midnight Walker
Bohren & der Club of Gore play jazz as slow and deep you can get. I simply love their music, relaxing and soothing. And it even inspired me to start a collaboration with a saxophonist. I found one (Benny Morrison) and we are currently working on some tracks for a new album. Hopefully it will be finished this year.

Bear McCreary - Refugees Return
Bear McCreary has made some of the most excellent scores to date. TV-shows like The Walking Dead and Battlestar Galactica are blessed with his music.

Dead Can Dance - Windfall
Dead Can Dance are one of my all-time favourite bands and inspirations. Beyond words and beyond worlds! 'Within the Realm of a Dying Sun' is possibly the most beautiful music ever created. 

Tangerine Dream - Sequent C
Tangerine Dream (RIP Edgar Froese) are one of my earliest electronic heroes. This track from 1974 album Phaedra had to be slowed down severely to harmonize within the mix.
 

Anders Ilar | Web | Soundcloud | Facebook | 

ASIP - Cathedrals

This mix was inspired by my recent trip to Kauai, and the dramatic Napali Coastline.  As you leave the lush-green tropics by air, you descend into the Waimea Canyon, before hitting the coastline and witnessing these angular cliffs that rise 4000ft above the Pacific Ocean.

Flying over these monumental land-forms, was a truly unforgettable experience.

The mix features old and new music, and includes a sneak-preview of a track from the next ASIP release by Arovane and Hior Chronik (listen to two tracks from the album in our interview with Arovane and Hior here)

Download

Tracklist:

01. Horizontal Excursions - Into The Mariana Trench (Horizontal Excursions)
02. Arovane & Hior Chronik - A Winterday (Forthcoming / A Strangely Isolated Place)
03. Seraphim Rytm - Nastir Sina (Silent Season)
04. Peter Van Hoesen - Heliotrope (Mindgames)
05. Scuba - Drift (Hotflush)
06. Sebastian Mullaert & Eitan Reiter - Ash Layla (Mule Musiq)
07. Holger Zilske - A Preciso Acreditar (John Tejada Remix) (Acid Test)
08. Luigi Tozzi - Jormungandr (Hypnus)
09. Donato Dozzy - Fazah (Dozzy Records)
10. HTRK - Give It Up (Ghostly)
11. Donato Dozzy - Vaporware 07 (Spectrum Spools)
12. Aphex Twin - 101 Rainbows (Ambient mix) (Rephlex)
13. Donnacha Costello - Dry Retch (Mille Plateaux)

Rob Dowell - All Of The Sudden

Rob Dowell has featured on here a few times with his mixes. Also known as the collective Warm Art, the name becomes self-explanatory where style is brought into question. Every DJ knows the warm-up is the hardest set to nail, but Rob has proved on numerous occasions he takes it in his stride.

Whilst this particular set is themed as a reminder of how quickly things can change, it still represents a tantalising start to a long night ahead with some our favourite artists.

Tracklist:

Lusine ICL - Scheming (Hecq Remix)
No Accident In Paradise - Taniec
Koan - Circes Touch (Krusseldorf Remix)
Gidge - Fauna Pt 1
Scuba - Before (After)
Koan - Underwater Moonlight (Blue Mix)
Solar Fields - Air Song (Remastered Remix)
Mono Electric Orchestra - Low Ball
Mooryc - Open It
John Hopkins - Open Eye Signal (Asleep Version)
Dawn Golden - Discoloration
Downliners Sekt - Hors Phase
Tripswitch - Deer Park
Koan - Adore (Non Fiction Mix)
Midnight Pulse - Mirror Lake

Below, you'll find Rob's mixes from the archive, previously featured on ASIP .

Rob Dowell - Holding Patterns

“Experiments in pitch bending, best heard on a cold and cloudy day” – a perfectly short and sweet intro for Rob Dowell’s latest mix. Robs last featured mix, ‘Figment Fragments’ was massively popular and ‘Holding Patterns’ reinforces Rob’s ability to craft mind-bending sets with amazing attention to detail alongside creative mixing techniques. This mix goes up a notch in the creative department and as the intro mentions, pitch bending plays a major part. Moderat may have been slowed, but think of it as an extended intro to the brilliant ‘Taeuschnungs Blume’…

Download.

Tracklist:
01. Hecq – Dis
02. Chillout – Cold
03. Kettel – Halt Them
04. Hecq – Never Leave
05. Solar Fields – When The Worlds Collide
06. Naono – Healing Process
07. The Field – Then It’s White
08. Marina And The Diamonds – Obsessions (Ooooo Remix)
09. Alexandre Navarro – My Life In Exctasy
10. Lykke Li – I Follow Rivers (The Lost Sessions Vol. 1)
11. Naono – Aether Talk
12. Worm Is Green – Synthia (Exos Laidback Mix)
13. Appaloosa – Patchwork (Bostro Pesopeo Remix)
14. M83 – Fountains
15. Moderat – Rusty Nails
16. Hammock – Cruel Sparks
17. Dominik Eulberg – Taeuschnungs Blume
18. Secede – Memory Table Pt. 2

Rob Dowell - Figment Fragments

Rob’s set is said to be inspired by several of the isolatedmix’s which have been featured on ASIP over the past few months, evident by the inclusion of Solar Fields, the Winterlight remix of Bitcrush (featured in isolatedmix14) and of course, Tripswitch‘s ‘Strange Parallel’s’. But don’t let the familiarity put you off; Rob keeps a really nice solid run to this set, with big atmospheric downtempo tracks all tidily blended together and some recognisable favourites including the classic, Gorecki by Lamb and that brilliant track by Rocket Empire. Rob also has quite a few more downtempo mixes to keep you busy, should this leave you craving for more.

Download.

Tracklist:
Solar Fields – Reborn
Liquid Stranger – Mutants
Bitcrush – Every Sunday (Winterlight Remix)
Krusselfdorf – Verticulate
Sami Halinen – Tripper
Koan – Matariki
Rocket Empire Feat. Minna Fedora – Burr Dub
Tj Kong & Nuno Dos Santos Feat. Jemeni – Once Upon A Rhyme (Jozif Remix)
Le Vinyl – Buscando A Ari Victor
Skeptical – Idimmer
Alexkid – I Think (Dorfmeister And Alexkid Remix)
Lamb – Gorecki (Instrumental And Original Mixes)
Tripswitch – Strange Parallels
The Free Association – Shanghai

http://warmartmusic.com
http://soundcloud.com/robdowell