isolatedmix 76 - Dalot: Un-time

Maria Papadomanolaki has been a part of the ASIP library for a few years now.  One of the first artists that caught my ear on the n5MD label, I remember seeing Maria perform many-years ago in London alongside Winterlight and port-royal. Dalot's shoegaze-inspired ambient drones kicked off a brilliant night of relatively unheard artists from the n5MD roster that left me chasing down many back-catalogs as a newbie to n5MD.

After providing a remix on Uncharted Places, Maria was a part of our second vinyl compilation, Europe, finding harmony as she looked back at her home of Kalathas beach in Greece, and setting a warm and gracious tone as the opening track. Her music is often varied as far as ambient goes, from delicate micro-textures, to guitar-laden soundscapes, or as heard on her most recent outing for n5MD in Mutogibito; a moment of rebirth and celebration embracing her post-rock-side, whilst also toying with the more organic elements of experimental electronica.

Just as you think you've got her down, Maria goes and partners with Vietnam's, Sound Awakener, on a new project called 'Little Things', further venturing into microscopic details and varied textures; something the two of them have clearly enjoyed partnering on. Guitars, analog synthesizers and of course a multitude of field recordings create a truly rich and varied palette of ambient and experimental recordings on this release for Fluid Audio. It's music that's evidently filled with heart, obsessed over, and then completed with the tiniest of finishes in mind - a sentiment echoed in Fluid Audio's beautiful packaging for the release.

When I asked for a Dalot isolatedmix, I didn't know which way Maria would take it, but the end result works in harmony with how I began to describe her work alongside Sound Awakener in Little Things. 

Titled 'Un-time', it's a mix of music that bleeds emotion, texture and escapism - all similar traits found in her latest production. A connoisseur of instrumental and organic based ambient music, Maria includes masters of the practice such as Marsen Jules, Taylor Deupree and Harold Budd, to create a blanket of warmth, as microscopic sounds of an abstract nature surround you. 

In Maria's own words, “Un-time offers an open space, a space for undoing and reflection and un-timing, of stepping out of time and the awareness of its passage;  like a mayfly or a dewdrop with shades, and light and colours of many shapes and makings, mostly untimed.”

Little Things is available now.

Download.

Tracklist:

01. Eliane Radigue – L’ile Re-sonante (un-time edit)
02. Philip Jeck -  The All of Water
03. Marsen Jules – Beatyfear VIII
04. Josh Mason – Infinite Crown of Shells
05. Taylor Deupree – Shoals
06. Christina Kubisch  - Night Shift
07. Dalot & Sound Awakener – Sailing
08. Sawako – Wind Shower Particle
09. Deaf Center – Fiction Dawn
10. Harold Budd – Children on the Hill

Artwork/image credit:: sonalidalal

Dalot on Bandcamp | Web | n5MD

isolatedmix 75 - Hypnus Records

There’s always something stirring in the depths of the techno realm, but the majority of it on my radar lately seems to be heralding from the lovely country of Sweden. 

Hypnus Records label owner Michel is not sure why there’s been an amazing output of deep techno coming from his country in the past few years, notably through labels like Northern Electronics (home to Varg, Isorinne, Acronym et al), and his very own Hypnus Records, but for us listeners, this deeply hypnotic sound is converging the best emotional elements of ambient music, with the trusty techno rub.  When asked if there was something in the water, Michel described Sweden as more of a distraction than an inspiration;

"The realm of Hypnus lies more in the imagination. Sweden, and society in general, feels more distracting than inspiring”.

Michel is perhaps unknowingly describing the very root of the techno movement - an inspiration to release and break free from society, happening here once again, but this time in his home country of Sweden.

If pushed, he would probably describe his label’s sound as “curious and immersive electronic music” after once trying to label it as "psychedelic deep techno”, but only to realize this genre in itself was already established, and his output was different. Either way, to him “it’s highly psychedelic as it is synthetically cinematic”. To the casual listener, it’s techno. But to me and many others, it represents the perfect blend of atmospheric ambient music and heads-down-4-am-stompers.

Much of Hypnus’ output retains the basic elements of techno we’re used to; repetition, synthesizers and a sense of progressive euphoria, albeit with a mysterious, bubbly and intriguing feel that’s more akin to the atmosphere found in dub-techno. The label was founded as a result of Michel wanting to release music by some producers he enjoyed on Soundcloud: "I had just recently lost my job which left me with some extra cash that I decided to spend on curating the first Hypnus record”. That record, was released in 2014 - not so long ago, given the extensive output and impact of the label so far, which as now gone on to introduce the world to the sounds of Luigi Tozzi, Feral, BLNDR, Primal Code, Michel’s own techno alias, Ntogn and many, many more.

Michel's self-discovered techno community has gone on to become a close-knit bunch of friends that share the roster, retaining a distinct aesthetic and a consistent output. 

"I met Luigi and Tom (BLNDR) through Soundcloud many years ago while Alessandro (Feral) and Jakob (Skymn) came into the label through common friends. Over time we’ve all grown closer as we’ve had chances to meet all over the world and this is really a great reward for me. It is a special feeling listening to the music of a friend, hearing the whistles and gales of their mind”.

The likes of Luigi Tozzi’s techno is comparable to the euphoria of mastermind Donato Dozzy and the associated Italian techno-mafia that have long held the crown for this style of music. BLNDR, who recently contributed to Silent Season’s tenth anniversary release, represents an even deeper and more hubby sound; whilst Feral features more tribal tendencies. Skymn, lives up to the more ambient/psychedelic sound you might draw comparisons with the likes of Future Sound Of London, for example. And if that wasn’t enough to stretch your techno spectrum, Michel is also running two sub-labels: Kabalion (a slightly more intense, techno output) and Tome, home to Michel’s personal project as Ntogn.

Michel's isolatedmix takes us on a journey through the various elements of Hypnus, opening with ambient and quickly moving into the distinct sound we’ve come to love from the label. Describing his thought process behind the mix, Michel notes: “spontaneously I felt that I wanted to make an intro of the first four tracks, although initially I had my mind set on a different order. Eventually they fit better this way and after that I just followed the mood and was happy to include some unreleased material”.

It’s a mix from a music-loving DJ-at-heart, as much as it is a collection of label-head tracks, with blended transitions, changes of pace and a growing progressive atmosphere throughout thats synonymous with the labels output. “One of my favorites is maybe at 30-34 mins where a couple of Alessandro’s and Primal Code’s unreleased tracks flow into each other. Both when the shakes come at 30:06 and the drop at 33:41 are sweet spots for my little DJ-heart”. 

Be sure to check out Hypnus’ full catalog on Bandcamp, as well as their very own Memoir Podcast, featuring guest mixes from fellow artists and friends alike.

Download.

Tracklist:

01. Feral - Heruka 4
02. Luigi Tozzi - Yavin 4 (Ambient Mix)
03. Luigi Tozzi - Epipelagic
04. Skymn - City Lights
05. Primal Code*
06. Primal Code - Jikan
07. Primal Code - Junkan (Luigi Tozzi's Interpretation)
08. Primal Code - Junkan
09. Feral - Krishna
10. Luigi Tozzi - Flusso Perpetuo
11. Primal Code*
12. Luigi Tozzi - Binary Sunset
13. Skymn - Okuyi (Korridor's Interpretation)
14. Luigi Tozzi - Yavin 4
15. Primal Code*
16. Feral*
17. Primal Code*
18. Luigi Tozzi - Subterrel
19. Luigi Tozzi - Jedha
20. Feral - Heruka 3
21. Skymn - Biker Scene
22. Luigi Tozzi - Chemosynthesis (Claudio PRC Remix)
23. Luigi Tozzi - Quetzalli
24. Luigi Tozzi - Mesopelagic Zone

* Forthcoming release.

Hypnus web | Bandcamp | Soundcloud | Facebook

isolatedmix 74 - Secret Pyramid

When I stumbled across Amir Abbey's work as Secret Pyramid, I was immediately struck by the pure emotive power of his productions, alongside his ability to portray vivid, dense and often dark atmospheres. A well-walked path for many ambient producers, but Secret Pyramid manages to break free of any traditional dark-drones, with more intense sounds, progressive synthesizers and analog elements that complete a vibrant organic feel.

In a similar vein to the brooding drones of the likes of Rafael Anton Irisarri and Abul Mogard, Amir often combines these analog textures with slow-climbing synthesizers that evolve into walls-of-sound and emotional hooks we're often used to coming from the likes of 36. One of my favorites being  the siren call of 'IV' from Distant Works II - an album that also ended strongly with 'VII' - a more ghostly and mysterious pattern set against the static hiss of a failed radio signal, a desolate end to a superb collection of music. 

Secret Pyramid just released his latest album on Ba Da Bing! titled Two Shadows Collide, which, "deepens Abbey's relationship with modern composition and abstract songcraft". An album that's proving to be one of my favorites from the year so far; Amir dances with slowly intensifying movements and textures in ways that leave your eyes wide open, and your heart yearning for more.

His influences may sound familiar, but we had no way of knowing unless he got behind the controls of an isolatedmix, to present us with the many intricate styles that go into the work and mind of Secret Pyramid.  

"This mix consists of a range material that influenced my recent LP, newer sounds that I've been listening to lately, and also some all-time favorites. The mix came together pretty naturally, and I'm happy with how it works as a reflection of the variety of styles and moods that continuously inspire me. I took inspiration from some modern classic composers like Scelsi, Ligeti, and Penderecki while making "Two Shadows Collide", as I find their use of space and dissonance, coupled with the sheer intensity to be very engaging. Badalamenti has always been a huge source of inspiration, and this piece from the recent Twin Peaks reboot is sublime. The Abul Mogard and High Plains pieces are recent works that I’ve been enjoying, and the mix ends with a lovely piece of cosmic minimalism from the great Laurie Spiegel." - Secret Pyramid /AA

Download.

Tracklist:

01. Vikki Jackman, Andrew Chalk & Jean-Nöel Rebilly – Mist
02. Giacinto Scelsi – String Quartet No. 3 Avec Une Grande Tendresse, dolcissimo
03. Abul Mogard – Bound Universe
04. Angelo Badalamenti – The Fireman
05. Broadcast & The Focus Group – A Quiet Moment
06. Alireza Mashayekhi – Chahargah No.2 Op.140
07. High Plains – Black Shimmer
08. Bohren & der Club of Gore – Constant Fear
09. György Ligeti – String Quartet No.2 Sostenuto, molto calmo
10. Slowdive – Cello
11. Krzysztof Penderecki – Polymorphia
12. Laurie Spiegel – East River Dawn

Secret Pyramid | Bandcamp | Web | Soundcloud | Facebook

isolatedmix 73 - Astral Industries

Since 2014, UK-based label, Astral Industries have been responsible for some of the most enlightening and entertaining releases of recent years. Their output has helped otherwise forgotten or out of print music see the light of day, provided new takes on previous classics, whilst also pushing forward new music by some of the most well-respected artists within the ambient genre. 

Debuting with a release by dub-techno legend DeepChord in 2014, Astral Industries went on to release Wolfgang Voigt's live project, Rückverzauberung Live In London in 2015.  In 2016 they followed with a 1985 recording from disbanded dutch collective Chi - a timeless and undoubtedly classic record, whilst in the same year pitching Wolfgang and Deepchord together for the very first time, with reinterpretations of Peter Michael Hamel's classic, Colors of Time. By then, and combined with the continually brilliant artwork of Theo Ellsworth, we knew that Astral Industries was a label with staying-power, and a growing catalog of releases worth collecting - be it just for the framed artwork, or moreover, the complete music package. 

In 2017, we've seen an LP by Heavenly Music Corporation, aka Kim Cascone (likely encouraged by the recent re-release of his own label Silent Records), a third LP by The Chi Factory, and then just last month a beautiful album by Waveform Transmission (Rod Modell of DeepChord and Chris Troy), with a sublime follow-up album, a massive 20 years after their first. 

The man behind the Astral Industries machine, Ario is a proven expert at plucking obscure gems from the past, or ensuring that good music gets the platform and artistic presentation it deserves. In just a few years, Ario has curated a highly respected and anticipated label roster that demands attention, and has yet to disappoint. The music is always gentle, deep and often extremely vivid, be it deeply hypnotic ambient, or gentle murmurs of dub-techno. 

With curatorial talents like this, we're overjoyed to host an exclusive 2hr+ mix of Ario digging into his record collection, and interlocking a few select exclusive Astral Industries bits in-between. It's one hell-of-a hypnotic journey and just like the Astral Industries releases, deserved of your full undivided, escapist attention.

Download. 

No track list on this one, due to the many unreleased pieces included in the mix. 
Artwork image by label artist Theo Ellsworth. 

Astral Industries Web | Bandcamp | Soundcloud | Facebook | RA

isolatedmix 72 - Wanderwelle

It's hard to break through with a distinct sound where dub-techno is concerned. From its Detroit roots, we've seen many artists adapt the style into deeper into ambient territory; adaptations into more 'dub' than techno; the addition of vocals; or dub-techno based entirely on rain recordings. And now, with Wanderwelle's full-length debut on Silent Season, we have another innovative take...

Those that have listened to 'Lost In A Sea Of Trees', will know that the album, despite being rooted in deep, dubby kicks, adds a new creative dimension to the sound we're used to.  Inspired by the mysterious pagan tribes that once roamed across the European woodlands, you find yourself transported back in time to a place you can only dream of exploring. Balancing wistful, floating atmospheres that depict an often hopeful journey, combined with apprehensive shades of darkness, mysterious whistles of wind, and slowly unfurling melodies, the album is a journey into itself - a new mystical expression of the often functional side of dub-techno. This is the Yin, to Yagya's Yang; as the rain clears and you make your way out into the dense forest. 

As if creating a part II for their Mysteries of the Deep mix a few months back, Wanderwelle's isolatedmix captures this mysterious pagan spirit perfectly, blending dense ambient and subtle churns of melodic dub-techno, all featuring a sense of exploration, mystery and unknowing:

"This mix contains sounds and moods that will transfer the listener to a mystic realm where foggy atmospheres and moonlit melodies will haunt its travellers. A world that consists of deep electronics where at times subtle ivory keys will rise like autumn winds that sweep through ruins of past days. A strangely isolated place where like-minded souls will cross each other's paths".

Wanderwelle's debut album on Silent Season is now available. 

Download.

Tracklist:

01. Gigi Masin - Talk to the Sea
02. Earthen Sea - Our Bloods
03. Susumu Yokota - Secret Garden
04. Varg - Öhn
05. Mkwaju Ensemble - Hot Air
06. Fjäder - Shades of Light
07. Milena Kriegs - Svadisthana
08. Varg & Abdulla Rashim - Metro Entrance II
09. Wanderwelle - Unreleased
10. Function - Ember (Field)
11. Sky H1 - Huit
12. Huerco S. - A Sea of Love
13. Isorinne - Composite City
14. Periskop - Immerse (Component IX)
15. Isorinne - Los Angeles 2017
16. Yko - Shiro (Max Loderbauer Remix)
17. Leandro Fresco & Rafael Anton Irisarri - Un Horizonte En Llamas
18. Woodkid & Nils Frahm - Winter Morning I
19. Anthony Linell - Royal Island

Wanderwelle | Bandcamp | Soundcloud | Twitter | Facebook