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

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

isolatedmix 37 – Rafael Anton Irisarri: Substrata Edition

After moving to the USA, one of the very first things I did was ask Rafael Anton Irisarri if he was planning to host another Substrata Festival, in what would potentially be it’s 3rd edition. For two years ive sat and envied this festivals attendees, its ethos, its intimateness and of course its amazing lineup, wishing I could fly across the pond to Seattle to attend. So as soon as the dates for this year were announced I was pretty quick to jump on board and support the festival.

A completely independent festival curated by Rafael Anton Irisarri himself, the first round of funding (via Indiegogo) has been and gone, with some amazing funding gifts available should you be generous enough to support the endeavour, including an exclusive mix by Markus Guentner, and a day-trip with the artists on the last day of the festival. It’s pretty clear from speaking to Rafael that his intentions to bring the best possible artists to the festival are a priority, and so a second round of funding has just gone live to ensure he can bring the exact type of talent to match the festivals ethos.

Combined with my eagerness to attend the festival, was my eagerness to finally have Rafael submit an isolatedmix. His productions as RAI, The Sight Below and more recently with Benoît Pioulard as ORCAS have been big inspirations for me and I can now happily say, that not only will I be attending Substrata, ASIP also has a very special mix by RAI. Themed around the festival, the mix includes productions from artists who have previously played, and (ahem) artists who may have something to do with this years lineup.

You can help fund the festival here, and if you can’t make it, then sit back and enjoy this brilliant mix by Rafael alongside a few questions I got to ask him surrounding the mix and the festival. I hope to see you there.

http://www.substratafestival.com/

Can you tell us a little bit more about this years planned festival? What can the first-timer (like me) expect?

RAI: Substrata is a small-scale festival I started in 2011. My goal was/is to create an intimate space where the boundaries between performer and listener are blurry and the invisible plane that exists between the audience and artists is breached. In less abstract terms: I want to create a space that is inspirational and stimulating, that educates but also entertains, not only the audience but the performers. It is focused and introspective. As a journalist said about it: “Substrata aims to create artists out of its attendees; it aims to shatter the barriers between the stage for the performers and the viewers. It is very small and personal, only happens once a year, and might be one of the more interesting experiences you are missing.”

This is a completely DIY endeavor. This means no corporate sponsors, no city grants, etc. Substrata is truly a community supported event. It is very humbling. I’m forever grateful to everyone who’s contributed to our fundraising campaign and all the people that make this event happen.

In regards to what to expect: do you remember that old Seinfeld episode in which George Costanza does the opposite of everything he’s ever done and when people ask him, he replies: “I’m the opposite of every man you’ve ever met”? Well, Substrata is going to be pretty much the opposite of any major music festival you’ve attended. First thing you’ll experience upon arriving is the venue. It sits in the middle of a residential area, and while still within the city, it feels isolated from everything around it. It has a huge lovely garden and it is quiet and peaceful. Next thing you notice is the collegial atmosphere: there’s no separate “area” for the “stars” – no backstage, none of that us/them b.s. – everybody is commingling, very much so like you’d experience at an art opening, not a concert. You’ll also notice the lack of “headliners” – everybody is treated equally, there is none of this ego crap. We all do the same thing, and first and foremost, we are all human beings that deserve to be treated with the same level of respect you’d want others to treat you. Therefore, the same level of care goes to the performance of the local artist, to the regional or international one. I ask the audience to be on time and experience the entire program, which is curated specifically with that intention – to play from start to finish and capture your full attention. After all, what’s the point of going to one of those events where there are a million overlapping things and you only catch 10 minutes of an artist, only to run to the next venue and catch another 10 minutes? It’s this ADD syndrome what’s wrong with our culture today.

The mix must’ve been a joy to put together with such amazing artists’ productions, did it take you a while to whittle the track list down? What was your approach?

RAI: It did actually take me a bit. Some of the music I know by heart, so it’s easy to know which is the key signature and know what could work well together. On the other hand, there are a lot of styles represented – from modern classical, to ambient/drone to minimal electronics. I think this represents best how a Substrata evening evolves. These are the things I’m interested in presenting: music completely outside the mainstream. If I told people Substrata is an “electronic” music festival, a lot of Americans would assume it’s EDM-type stuff, which is sweeping the nation with a mad furor atm. I’ve even gotten emails from agents, trying to push X or Y artist. I find it quite hilarious, as whomever sent it has never heard of us, only knows we are presenting “electronic music” and that we are a “festival”.

I’m not interested in music that provides instant gratification, and that reflects a lot of my curatorial pursuits. Most of the music I selected relates to the music I make and it all goes back in full circle. There are also a few exclusive things in there – for example, the first proper track is from an ongoing collaboration between myself and Yagya, the Scanner track is something he specifically made for his performance at the festival last year, the field recording I mixed in with Lawrence’s at the beginning is from last year’s Substrata field trip. Markus’ track is an unreleased track he sent me for a compilation I curated last year (and ended up using a different one), so there’s a few exclusives in there.

What goes through your head when curating the festival? Do you aim for artists you’ve always wanted to see but haven’t yet been able to? Or artists you’ve seen and will know will bring a good performance?

RAI: Curating is an artform of itself. To me it reflects a very personal style and aesthetic. Every artists I’ve booked, I have seen perform previously, so I can vouch for their quality. I also know each one of them in person. I wouldn’t book an artist if I haven’t seen/heard before, even if they got all the right “hype” behind them. I give two shits about hype or what yay or nay popular magazine says. I only trust my own ears – I’ve even declined some of my best friends – not because I think they suck, but because they might not be the right fit for the aesthetic I’m going for the festival. Furthermore, I refuse to take suggestions from agents – I even refuse to work with agencies that simply treat music as a commodity. Which is kind of sad, as there are artists I adore (and in some cases friends with) that I’ll never be able to book for Substrata just out of principle. No need to mention names – they all know who they are!

RAI: For the most part, I’ve reached to my own community of peers, some colleagues, others dear friends. In most cases I’ve worked way in advance. For example, a few artist playing this year were asked to play last year or the year prior and for whatever reason they couldn’t do it. So there’s a new chance now. I’m also doing this thing where an artist who attended a prior year will get invited to perform at a later edition. Last year for example, I invited Widesky. I met him originally at the first Substrata – he had literally moved to Seattle from New Mexico 3 days earlier. His first order of business in Seattle was not to find a place to live (or work that matter) but to come and support this little event filled with underground music he loved. That to me said it all. Turned out he was an artist himself and after I heard one of his performances, I knew this person should be playing. This is similar in a way to my own journey in the music scene – one day I was watching one of my musical heroes perform (Robin Guthrie), the following year I was playing with him at an event. I truly want to create a platform in which others can enjoy similar experiences. That’s really my utter motive – to give back and share.

I’m falling in love with the Pacific North West at the moment after recently moving here and of course, you’re based in Seattle (where Substrata will be held). How much does this place inspire you or your own productions?

RAI: I would say almost 90% of my output if inspired by this region – its vast landscapes, the beautiful massive mountains and volcanoes, the rain forests, and the dark waters of the Puget Sound. My own music has a fluid quality to it, probably due to been surrounded by water constantly. I love the PacNW and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in America. This is the place that was made for me and I’m delighted to be able to live and work here.

Apart from Substrata what else can we expect so see from you this year?

RAI: There is a new RAI album coming out this summer, it’s a follow-up to “The North Bend” on Room40. I’ve been slowly working on TSB material, but that might take a while longer to get it released. I’ve also been working on new ORCAS material along with Tom, nowadays he lives in Seattle (close to my house too) so it makes collaborating much easier! I’d love to play some more in North America – it’s a pity there is not much interest here for what I do. Later this month I’m playing in Bellingham at the BEAF (Bellingham Electronic Arts Festival), but other than that, all my plans for shows are in Europe or elsewhere. Kind of a shame really, there seems to be a big disconnect between my American listeners and organizers of concerts here in the US. What can I say? ADD culture galore 101.

Download.

Tracklist:
0:00. Lawrence English – Patterns Review
1:28. Rafael Anton Irisarri – Substrata Hydrophonic Listening
2:15. Yagya/The Sight Below – Sleepygirl
6:52. Markus Guentner – Get Anything Done In This World
16:17. Loscil – Hastings Sunrise
23:09. Mirrorring – Drowning The Call
29:45. Svarte Greiner – Final Sleep
32:57. Tim Hecker – Dungeoneering
37:28. Scanner – 47° 36′ 35″ N, 122° 19′ 59″ W
40:47. Biosphere – Warmed By The Drift
47:11. Jacaszek – Lament
54:01. Nils Frahm – Ambre
57:39. Marcus Fischer – Shape To Shore
63:05. Oren Ambarchi – Stars Aligned, Webs Spun
66:10. Eluvium – Under The Water It Glowed

Artwork photo courtesy of Marcus Fischer, captured at the Substrata 1.1 Field Trip.

isolatedmix 36 – Justinas Mikulskis (Secret Thirteen)

ne of the best things for me when spending hours and hours curating and exploring music for ASIP, is that there’s other people out there doing the same job and making mine just a little bit easier. Yes, the challenge is in the find, but one of the biggest reasons for starting ASIP is that there just wasn’t enough of what I liked out there. After nearly 5 years trawling the web, various sites and blogs, a select bunch of curators have risen to the top of my favourites pile, and Secret Thirteen is one of the many greats now gracing an expansive and ever evolving music community.

Just last month I was invited to participate in Secret Thirteen’s mix series – a privilege i’m not sure I deserve, which sat me alongside legends such as Biosphere, Loscil, ASC and Anders Ilar. It was of course, destiny that the curator of such an amazing mix series put his ear a little closer to the output and create a mix himself. not to mention the fact I wanted to hear what made him tick. With such a similar taste in music, evident throughout many of the mix contributors, I was pretty sure S13 head-honcho Justinas Mikulskis would put together a rather epic selection.

He could have gone many ways, as his introduction below begins to tell you, but Justinas decides to focus on a relatively unexplored genre on ASIP – but one which I and many of you im sure enjoy; IDM. I always take extra pleasure in listening to a mix associated with a good crate-digging session and this is definitely one of them, with genre pioneers Arovane, Autechre, Monolake and Speedy J all making an appearance. I’ll leave the rest of the introduction to the man himself…

Introduction by Justinas Mikulskis:

“Original and rhythmical electronic music shaped so accurately and sensitively that I immediately reach a pure listening satisfaction every time I hear these gems. I was a bit sentimental while crafting this selection as these sounds, in some ways influenced my life and cultural activities. Most of these pieces were discovered in the early 00’s when I just started exploring the diversity of music catalogs. Although this mix doesn’t clearly reflect my musical knowledge these days, it definitely shows my emotional and mental state I’m experiencing every day, especially at night.

I have a lovely girlfriend, a couple of close friends and even though everything seems to be perfect in my life, this mix uncovers another side of my personality. When I’m dreaming, hoping for a better tomorrow, staring at the night sky or just asking a lot of philosophical questions to myself, these sounds do not overwhelm these processes, but help to keep the inner-peace and strengthen the senses. Subtle glitchy beat patterns, repetitive percussions, nostalgic deformed melodies and varied cut samples are the main priority that weave and develop the main ideology.

Also, I thought there’s not so many of these types of selections nowadays, and as it was 5-10 years ago , I wanted to remind myself what beautiful and light melancholic music we had back in the day. I dedicate this mix to the mind architects, harmony seekers and diehard music lovers. Let the rhythms gently dance, the bass smoothly flow and the melodies sparklingly wave.”

Download

Tracklist:

01. Proem – Wall Of Knives 2 [n5MD, 2007]
02. Arovane – Norvum [DIN, 2000]
03. Autechre – Second Scepe [Warp Records, 1995]
04. Quinoline Yellow – Eu Jach [Skam Records, 2003]
05. Aphorism – Reconsider [Tympanik Audio, 2009]
06. Gridlock – Atomontage [Hymen Records, 2003]
07. Mitoma – Cpertad [Section 27, 2011]
08. Jack Marchment – Schult Abbey [Herb Recordings, 2009]
09. Lusine – Haze [Ghostly International, 2003]
10. TBA – Everything Pushes Me Further Away [Laboratory Instinct, 2009]
11. Monolake – White_II [Monolake, Imbalance Computer Music, 2003]
12. Funckarma – Spatial Convolution (Morphed By Funkstörung) [Djak-Up-Bitch (DUB), 1999]
13. Cenik – Blame [Isophlux, 2001]
14. Diagram Of Suburban Chaos – Hollow [Zealectronic, 2002]
15. Speedy J – Balk Acid [NovaMute, 2000]
16. Yvat – Grayish [U-Cover, 2010]
17. Bochum Welt – 8221SB [Rephlex, 2008]

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