isolatedmix 68 - Christoph Berg

An understated producer and renowned collaborator, Christoph Berg has appeared under his Field Rotation moniker across many significant projects in recent years, with several noted here on ASIP. He featured on Hior Chronik's album Taking The Veil, and provided remixes for Benoit Pioulard's Hymnal, and Ocoeur, for example, but as well as being a go-to collaborator for many of the genre's best, Christoph is a sublime composer and producer in his own right. 

His last album under his own name, Paraphrases was a collection of chamber music compositions, embracing an enigmatic modern-classical vibe that veered on the edge of the most intriguing, experimental soundtracks. To quote from the release notes, "Christoph scores the history of eight narrow worlds, carved only from wood - violin, piano and double bass", and we've been waiting a full four years for the follow-up. In a fitting tribute to Christoph's instrumental prowess, the brilliant Berlin-based label Sonic Pieces (home to releases by Deaf Center, Nils Frahm, Otto A Totland) is set to release Conversations at the end of this month, affording Christoph the stature he deserves, as one of the most exciting composers around. 

It's been a busy month for Christoph. Not only did he spend weeks putting this beautiful vinyl-only mix together, finessing it based on permissions like a true gentlemen, but we've also been treated to a collaboration with pianist Henning Schmiedt for bei, released on Tokyo-based imprint flau records just last week. 

For his isolatedmix, Christoph has picked one of my favorite pieces of his to start (featured on the Reflection on 2016 mix); a beautiful rework of the dramatic Night Falls by Hecq. What follows, are carefully curated pieces that highlight the intricacies of Christoph's work and passion for complex, intriguing, yet romantic compositions. Fellow renowned instrumentalists Jacaszek, Celer, and Deaf Center make appearances, and a track from Christoph's new album provides the perfect curtain closer.

"It's been ages since I released my last record. And it's been a while since I created my last mixtape. Now, since I am proudly adding my second solo album Conversations to my discography this month, I have taken this opportunity to rummage through my record collection, select a couple of incredibly inspiring vinyls and play them for you. So, never mind if you happen to spot some crackles or dust. Perfectly suits the music, if you ask me...

Thanks to all the artists and record labels involved for giving their permission to make this mix available to the public as a vinyl-only mix. Since it is also containing works that have never been released digitally at all, please respect that this isolatedmix shall not be made available as a download". - Christoph Berg.

Tracklist:

01.  Hecq – Night Falls (reworked by Christoph Berg)
from the LP Night Falls (Hymen Records)

02.  Kreng – Untitled
from the 10“ Selfed (Substantia Innominata / Drone Records)

03.  Jacaszek & Kwartludium – Kingdom (Les chênes, les bouleaux)
from the LP Catalogue Des Arbres (Touch / Gusstaff Records)

04.  Simon Goff – Orange
from the LP HUE (Hiddenseer Records)

05.  Mico Nonet – Maloja Pass
from the 7“ Maloja Pass (Mico Nonet Records)

06.  Christoph Berg – Interlude
from the LP Paraphrases (Facture)

07.  Celer & Machinefabriek – Maastunnel
from the 7“ Maastunnel / Mt. Mitake (Machinefabriek)

08.  Deaf Center – End Station
from the LP Pale Ravine (Miasmah Recordings)

09.  Christoph Berg – Conversations
from the LP Conversations (Sonic Pieces) 

Christoph Berg/Field Rotation web | Bandcamp | Soundcloud | Facebook | Twitter

ASIP - Mysteries of the Deep LXVII (Windows at midnight)

I am very honored to be a part of the great Mysteries of the Deep series, which has hosted some of my favorite ambient DJ's and producers over the years. 

The mix I put together was drawn from a scene in my head which involved a kid escaping his bedroom at midnight. After the initial jump down into the garden, the complex emotions as he explores uncharted territory follow. He's scared, intrigued, has a sense of freedom and joy, but knows he shouldn't be out there, as he explores close-by woods, and deserted streets under the yellow hum of street lamps.

A big thank you to Mysteries of the Deep for hosting and to Candace Price for the beautiful accompanying artwork. I hope you enjoy it. 

Tracklist:

01. Ourson - Night Roads [Self]
02. Arovane - Electroacoustic Session 7 [Self]
03. Harkan - Unnamed [Self]
04. 1 Mile North - Broken Corners [Wortcunner]
05. Rafael Anton Irisarri - Abandoned (too soon) [Self]
06. Secret Pyramid - VII [Proposition]
07. High Plains - A White Truck [Kranky]
08. Malibu - Held [PAN]
09. Richard A Ingram - Valehouse 2.2.01 [Medium Format]
10. Arovane & Hior Chronik - Dornenreich [A Strangely Isolated Place]
11. Broken_Canyon - (MISSING) (Sea Of Clouds)
12. 36 - Black Horizon [Self]
13. Steve Moore - Depths Of The Earth [Moon Glyph]
14. Abul Mogard - Unarmored Love [VCO]
15. Paul Wolinski - MidiFlood [Self]
16. Carl Stone - Kuk II Kwan (1981) [Unseen Worlds]
17. bvdub - 01 [Self]
18. Ourson - Night Roads + Carl Stone - Kuk II Kwan

isolatedmix 67 - Mike Cadoo (n5MD)

This one has been a long time coming. Nights in Seattle. Japanese BBQ. Third person twitter conversations. It took some romanticizing, but he gave in. Finally.

If you're an avid ASIP follower over the years, Mike Cadoo will be no stranger. As head honcho of one of our most admired and respected labels out there, n5MD, Mike has presented us with some of the most forward thinking and unique music of recent years. 

n5MD is today's living equivalent of influential labels such as City Centre Offices - (mark my words in a few years to come). Defying all genre norms and carving their own path, n5MD started on a format that was noble and unique (minidisc) and went on to grow, nurture and define some of the most interesting electronic and ambient music associated with the music we love here at ASIP.

Loess. bvdub. Lights Out Asia. port-royal. Winterlight. Preghost. Okada. Crisopa. (Ghost). Even names that have graced ASIP, such as Arovane, Dalot and Ex Confusion. The list of artists that Mike has cultivated is, and will go on to be, a big influence on this particular style of music. He'll likely be a little embarrassed at my compliments and superlatives, but that's what he gets for coming out into the ASIP spotlight with a superb mix of music. In many respects, it's like closing a little circle given how much Mike has impacted, aided, advised and inspired ASIP over the years. He was destined to put an isolatedmix together years ago. 

An artist in his own right, most recently as Bitcrush, recently as Dryft (hopefully again soon) and going further back as a member of Gridlock, Mike's musical taste can be traced back to extremes such as doom-metal, with post-rock influences , glitch and electronica gracing his many production guises. (check out his Wantlist) However, his isolatedmix is straight-up ASIP territory. 

Recent and upcoming tracks from dreissk, Leandro Fresco and RAI (thanks Mike) mixed with n5MD stalwarts Ocoeur and bvdub, and classic productions from Brambles, Dustin O'Halloran and Deaf Center, isolatedmix 67 is a classic in every sense - the friend, the label, the choices, and the mix.

Download

Tracklist:

01. Sarah Davachi – For Piano [Students Of Decay]
02. Belong – Remove the Inside [Carpark]
03. Ocoeur – Time Over (Ocoeur rework) [n5MD]
04. Jon Porras – Pleiades [Thrill Jockey]
05. dreissk – Near the Shore [n5MD]
06. Grasslung – Lay Down In a Ditch [Root Strata]
07. Leandro Fresco & Rafael Anton Irisarri - Bajo un Ocaso Desteñido [ASIP]
08. Moshimoss – Grottuviti [Dynamophone]
09. Brambles – In The Androgynous Dark [Serein]
10. Deaf Center – Lamp Mien [Type]
11. bvdub - Safety In Numbers [Self]
12. Fieldhead – Introductions [Self]
13. Dustin O'Halloran – Snow + Light [130701]

Mike Cadoo | n5MD | Bandcamp | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud

isolatedmix 66 - Hior Chronik

Hior Chronik's adoration for the piano and cinematic movement was one of the driving forces as part of his collaboration with Arovane. 'In-between', combined the elegance and patience of a seasoned composer, alongside the technical and creative prowess of Uwe Zahn. The combination was a harmonious balance that will undoubtedly make an appearance again soon.

Since 'In-between', Hior has released some of his own works through Bandcamp, titled 'Old Tapes Early Recordings', as well as a steady trickle of piano sketches on his Soundcloud. But it's not just his inclusion in the ASIP family that merits an isolatedmix. Hior has put together several guest mixes and podcasts before, including this Deep Electronics ambient session, and I've always admired his careful considerations and appreciation for beautiful music. 

Isolatedmix 66 features ten tracks  from the heart of Hior's library. Dramatic ambient pieces balanced with delicate piano and cinematic productions in a mix that unearths some of today's many underrated producers. There's no doubt you'll be picking up at least one of the albums featured in this mix.

“While I was returning back to Berlin, I was listening to this music, and once again I felt I have no real base in my life about in which city I’m living. The place that I really belong was there, above the clouds. ”

— Hior Chronik

Download.

Tracklist

1.吉村弘 - Water Copy [Nuvola]
2. Secret Pyramid - IV [Proposition]
3. Tiago Benzinho - Wild Swans Shall Never Be Conquered [Self]
4. Valotihkuu - Sunrise Lullaby [Self]
5. Paul Jebanasam - Rites III [Subtext]
6. Celer - The Carved God Is Gone [Infraction]
7. Jedadiah Bernards - Preface [Self]
8. Hior Chronik - Epilogue
9. Jeremy De Tolly - One [Self]
10. Veroníque Vaka — Minning um Himinn [Moderna]

Hior Chronik will be playing live alongside Arovane on Saturday 22nd April at Berlin's Roter Salon, showcasing some of their productions from their joint album 'In-between'. Attendees may also be treated to some of their upcoming material too... event info. 

Hior Chronik | Bandcamp | Soundcloud | ASIP | Kitchen Label

todos - Kilchurn Session XV

It's 2017. It's almost February. Over the past six-or-so months, someone's been digging away at every corner of the web to find that perfect track for his infamous mix series. It's not an easy task as you'll know by his Cold Shoulders mix; plenty of music falls by the wayside in the process. It's what makes each edition of todos' Kilchurn Sessions that much more curated, synchronized and free-flowing than most of the mixes out there. 

This time, todos returns with some familiar faces to fall out the 2016 music hall of fame, including the melodic synths of Steve Hauschildt and Jonathan Fitoussi, two of ASIP's own, in Lav & Purl and 36, a new one from series stalwart Negative Neutron, and plenty of todos' trademark edits, overlapping textures and bursting mixing creativity. 

Download

Tracklist:

01. Inon Zur - ‘Liberty Lives’
02. Norwell - ‘TWB’ (Morning Edit)
03. Steve Hauschildt - ‘Same River Twice’ / Cut Copy - ‘January Tape Part 1’ Edit
04. Jonathan Fitoussi - ‘Oiseau de Paradis’ / Genesis - ‘The Fountain of Salmacis’ Edit
05. Scott Monteith - ‘Ghazal 7’
06. ADR - ‘King David’ Edit / VC-118A - ‘Specter’ / Barker & Baumecker - ‘Technogate’
07. 36 - ‘Expanse’ Edit / Norwell - ‘Brighter Days’
08. Barker & Baumecker - ‘Turnhalle’ Edit / Contrastate - ‘The True Believer’ Edit / Max Cooper & Tom Hodge - ’Symmetry’
09. FINK - ’Shakespeare’ (Nachbarn39) / Yann Tiersen - ‘Hurricane’ (Reprise)
10. Rain Dog - ‘Eyes On the Aether’ / Mike Luck - ‘Felt’
11. Barker & Baumecker - ‘Nocturnal’
12. Triames - ‘Closed Shell’ / Ian Boddy - ‘Quantum Of Memory’
13. Karnivool - ‘Om’
14. Lav & Purl - ‘Beyond Suffering’ (buy)
15. Lungwah - ‘Fond Embers’
16. Space Scavengers - ‘Sound Asleep’ / Grand Volume - ‘Fucker’ Edit
17. Shrine - ‘The Burden of Knowledge’
18. Negative Neutron - ‘Marked'

View previous Kilchurn Sessions below or check out todos  Soundcloud for more.