Kiyoko – The Beginning (Mix for Finest Ego)

After their stunning debut album as Kiyoko, Synkro and Bering Strait have teamed up again to bring us this tasty mix for ‘Finest Ego‘. Featuring many of their own cuts as Kiyoko (‘coz you just can’t hear them enough) as well as several other classic from Aphex Twin, Ulrich Schnauss, Arovane and Boards of Canada, this duo are fast becoming my favourites of the year.

Tracklist:

01. Arovane – Eleventh! [City Centre Offices]
02. Yasume – The Prevailing Wind [City Centre Offices]
03. Bering Strait – Surya [Forthcoming Apollo]
04. Actress – I Can’t Forgive You [Werk Discs]
05. Papercutz – Where Beasts Die (Kiyoko Remix) [Dub]
06. Gold Panda – Lonely Owl [Varicount Records]
07. Ulrich Schnauss – …Passing By [City Centre Offices]
08. Manual – Frequently [Morr Music]
09. Squarepusher – Iambic 9 Poetry [Warp Records]
10. Aphex Twin – Z Twig [Warp Records]
11. CiM – Friends I’ve Made [Delsin]
12. Christien Klein – Handsome Used [City Centre Offices]
13. John Beltran – That Day In Monterey [Exceptional]
14. Xela – Last Breath [Type]
15. Kiyoko – Untitled [Dub]
16. Synkro – 2b [Dub]
17. Bering Strait – Over The Hills & Into The Light [Dub]
18. Boards Of Canada – Olson (Midland Edit) [Dub]
19. Bering Strait – Journey To Truth [Dub]
20. Kiyoko – Untitled [Dub]

ASIP015 Yeter - Dart

 

Finding a sense of serenity is a challenge most of us chase, every day. Whether it’s the coffee-breath grind of the underground, the grid-lock of the daily commute or the drudgery of the 9-5, looking beyond the concrete and grey monotony, to nature, is often the transcendent salvation we seek. 
Dart is one such redemption. Inspired by the river from which this collection takes its name, these five continuous movements pay personal homage to the stretch of water that Jethro Cooke considers to be the connection between the sacred places of his youth and the present-day comfort of a retreat. 

“I hope that listeners will find Dart peaceful but not without vitality and dynamism,” Jethro explains. “I set out to create a gentle, intimate piece of environmental music, essentially textural composition with an organic aesthetic. I worked with field recordings affected to a varying degree; the familiar sounds of running water and birdsong accompany melodic drones and gentle rhythmic lines crafted from riverside samples. There is no synthesis in Dart.” 

A gentle, morphing soundtrack, Dart’s dream-like drones and weave and swathe to an ecological beat. Tracked by environmental field recordings, it’s easy to imagine the lush canopies of grass, dragonflies languidly patrolling their territory and wildlife instinctively running their biological routine. 

“From the moorland at the heart of Devon to the South coast, the Dart carves a valley of abundant natural beauty where I have spent a great deal of my time over the last ten years,” Jethro reminisces. “These days the river is above all a comfort. I visit it to rest, to calm myself and clear my head. It has the almost unique effect of calming through movement rather than stillness – the constant rolling of water is like a mantra.” 

It’s what helps underpin the subtle beauty of this set and Dart paints a vivid picture of the velvet green idylls we can all dream about; both the movement and the melody. 

isolatedmix 30 - Audioglider

I guess this is why I love running this site. The evolution of friendships, of musical knowledge, and being witness over the past four years or so, to numerous artists flourishing, progressing, developing their sound and finding whatever it is they’re seeking from their musical ventures.

Roberto Sodano is one of those artists. From tuning into his beautiful ‘mixtape’ series spanning ambient, electronica and shoegaze, to seeing his remixes come alive for Joey Fehrenbach; AUDIOGLIDER has now made one of the biggest steps in his career signing with with Nick Brennan’s (Tripswitch’s) label, Section Records. As always with the isolatedmix series, I reserve invitations for those who have made a significant impact on me musically, and funnily enough, I think Roberto’s only just getting started. I hear tonnes of remixes are planned, a new album, and one thing I do know for definite, a sneaky Places Series release is also on the horizon. About time Roberto stepped up to the isolatedmix series I say.

We’re going straight to the heart of the AUDIOGLIDER sound with this one. Roberto’s music is varied, progressive and always emotive, and as he goes on to describe below, this mix captures the essence of his production approach with some of his biggest inspirations. It’s a tracklist which can easily be glanced over to the untrained musical eye, but one that comes to life upon reflection. Manual features twice, as does the more recent Bristolian pioneer Stumbleine,  Ambient, electronica, shoegaze-hints of new and old, as well as an exclusive remix, this one’s got it all.

I’ll be the first to admit – I’m a bit of a music nerd – its a bug I’ve had since I was a kid – not because my parents had an amazing record collection or anything – (Demis Roussos anyone?), but the way music, sounds, sonics, audio whatever you call it, were able to connect with me, was astounding – especially to a shy kid growing up in South Wales. It became a way to escape and connect with another world of unlimited potential. And even while the present immediate availability of any music from any artist has made events like buying an album a thing of the past, I still get excited discovering new artists and music that affect my soul in the same inspirational way.

When I was asked to put together an Isolated Mix for ASIP, I thought, oh bloody hell, you’ve got to have a theme – all the best ones have a theme. I considered doing an ‘influences’ mix, but having been round the block as I have, I didn’t want it to be a trip down memory lane, or too nostalgic – I’m not really one for retrospectives, and there’s still so much new music and so many new artists for people to discover and hopefully put on the map. So i thought, try and capture the spirit of all my musical influences, all the contradictions, all the inconsistencies, and attempt to create something of a journey that reflects all of these – the ex drummer and DJ who makes music on a laptop, the ex vinyl junkie who embraced the fantastic netlabel scene, the ex shoegazer who traded in fx pedals for a 4/4 beat, a strobe, and a sub bass, the technophobe who embraced technology, the 4AD freak who…….the list goes on…….

There are a whole heap of artists on here that have blown me away with the sheer quality of their creative output, Manual, Syntaks, Stockfinster, Motionfield, ST, Dub Tractor – coincidentally all from Scandinavia – I hadn’t really thought about why all of these artists’ music resonates with me but here goes – its how their melodies and compositions manage to create warmth out of glacial sound palettes – something I strive to be able to do in my own compositions – Elsewhere we have Russian artists Slow, SEVEN, and Seaman S, who make beautifully emotional melodic ambient – I was lucky enough to get samples from one of them to create the closing track track to this Isolated Mix as a collaboration, and available exclusively here. Other recent discoveries that are on constant rotation on my headphones – are the majestically lush Horizon Fire, Stumbleine w/Essay, Arms and Sleepers and Marconi Union, and the amazingly enigmatic, chilly, deep and groovy Ghosting Season.

This list could have gone on – but I had to stop somewhere. Hope you enjoy the ride as much as I enjoyed putting it together.

Roberto / AUDIOGLIDER

Download

Tracklist:

1. Slow – Aura
2. Dub Tractor – And You Are Back
3. Stockfinster – Seventeen
4. Syntaks – Twentytwohundred
5. City of Satellites – Skeletons (Manual remix)
6. SEVEN – Summer Whitephone
7. ST – Rest Your Eyes
8. Horizon Fire – Plutonian Shore
9. Manual & Icebreaker International – Beacons
10. Ghosting Season – Time Without Question
11. Motionfield – Indian Summer
12. Stumbleine – Lunar
13. Essáy & Stumbleine – Rhiannon
14. Arms and Sleepers – Kepesh
15. Marconi Union – Broken Colours
16. AUDIOGLIDER v Seaman S – Lost Planet

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ASIP014 Markus Guentner - Talking Clouds

 

We grow up learning not to fear the night, that darkness doesn’t have to carry a threat. It starts with simple creature fears but, for many, evolves into a time and place of solace and comfort, casting a black anonymity to those who see the world in shadows and neon. And while it will always hold that lurking trepidation, the night also illuminates, harbouring inspiration; encouraging the good to burn even brighter. 

It’s a time where Markus Guentner finds peace winding his way through his hometown, meandering towards a handful of pre-determined destinations. A mini-ode to Regensberg, ‘Talking Clouds’ carries a contrast between Markus’ past and present. 

“For this release, I took some memories and inspirations out of my hometown, Regensburg,” he begins. “I grew up right beside a church and 'Saint' shows the feelings I have when I think about my childhood at this place. Maybe it’s the reason why I like bells so much and use them very often in my tracks,” he muses. 

Where ‘Saint’ fondly recalls a childhood growing up by a church, resplendent with the wind-chime tinkle of bells and floating backdrop, ‘Dockside’ and ‘Talking Clouds’ are the blissful result of striking a balance between the right time, and the right place. 

“Sometimes I just get in my car and drive around Regensburg at night,” Markus explains, “the atmosphere at night is amazing. 'Dockside' shows the inspiration of one my favourite places in Regensburg which is the east harbour. The hard and heavy machines combined with the mellowness of the sunrise and the river is a great sight.” 

Marking the transition between his night drives and the grey wash of the AM hours, title track ‘Talking Clouds’ completes the trinity. Slow-built around a subdued angels’ chorus and a growing sense of anticipation, there’s a simple calm, contentment and a patient wait for dawn to colour the sky. 

“Another stop on my nightly trips, well early in the morning, is a big parking area right at the University hospital in Regensburg. It's on a hill at the south of the town and at this time there are no cars, no people…just a wide view of the sky right over Regensburg,” he smiles. 

ASIP013 Public Transport - Rosenheim

 

Transit is an open (or closed) invitation to contemplate. From the excitement of arrival or the impending trepidation and dread of reaching a destination you’d sooner forget, the best journeys are characterised by extremes of emotion. Balancing the premise of opportunity against his own burgeoning isolation, Duncan Bailey found one train ride in particular afforded him the time to reflect, and inspired him to create. 

“I was going to Germany on a rainy, foggy afternoon in early December, 2008 to use a technicality to extend my student visa,” he explains. “I was sat next to the window, on the train from Salzburg to Munich, listening to Ulrich Schnauss on my iPod and leaning on the glass watching the towns and farmland hurrying past. 

“Living in a new country, I was feeling very alone and depressed, but something about the ride to and from Munich inspired me and made me realize how many possibilities lay around me, no matter how alone I was.” 
Unchained and unencumbered, Duncan found exploit in isolation and ‘Rosenheim’ captures the sodden grey view, and initial state of mind, with a musing familiarity. 

Pushed by a persistent drum beat that drives the momentum and monotony of the journey, drip-drop percussion gives ‘Rosenheim’ a rainy glaze, as the melody meditatively drifts and the kilometres wistfully blur by. 

Contemplative window gazes, little thoughts and introspection cloud the transit and make the time and distance on this passage poignantly redundant. But who’s counting when this is the pensive, yet hopeful, soundtrack of a journey to anywhere. (Words by Reef Younis)