Horizontal Excursions - Higher States

A journey into nature is a healing experience, and one that can be married to your own personal health and mentality. At its most symbolic, Roger Martinez’s new album as Horizontal Excursions, not only refers to the mountains, but the higher states of mind through which he channeled to make the music. Whether you find calm and peace through nature, its sounds and presence, or through your own personal journeys, Higher States was built as your accomplice.
 
Through Roger’s own experiences, and by transmitting these higher states of mind through music, "the music then becomes a medicine to bring people together, or to put people more in touch with their emotions”. Not content with the present day spoken language and modern culture that surrounds us, Roger believes music is the missing element in order to achieve lasting happiness and peace within people - “music and the emotional language it conveys is much stronger at bringing people together, communicating states of oneness, peace, love and unity, that could ultimately contribute to a more loving, peaceful humanity”.

As Roger’s fifth release under the Horizontal Excursions moniker, Higher States is an evolution from his previous releases; the self-titled album of 2011, and the long-players of ‘Symphonica Helvetica’ and ‘Enantiodromia’. Atmospheric and organic, Higher States ascends through the many mental and physical layers one would experience when climbing towards fulfillment. Be it the low, swirling mist on ‘Opening Up, the relief and optimism of ‘Balance’ or the distant detail and memories in ‘The Gift’. From lush, warm pads to the sound of the sea, hundreds of feet beneath you, Higher States combines detailed soundscapes with a consistent current of depth, creating a vivid journey - an instrument designed where “higher states of intelligence emotion may flow, eventually towards the hearts of other people”. 

As Albert Einstein once said: “Our separateness is simply an optical illusion of consciousness”. 

Available on Bandcamp.

Download Roger's contribution to The Places Series - Symphonica Helvetica, for free.

Ocean Network - Deep Sea Dreams: Volume I

The first compilation from new label Ocean Network hit this week titled, Deep Sea Dreams: Volume 1.

Featuring a host of new names (to me at least) I'm always keen to explore new ventures like this, as these humble beginnings are exactly how ASIP got its legs. The label is obviously embracing a very distinct theme given the name and release title, and even some of the track names, and the ocean theme is very apparent across the compilation.

Wistful ambient, colorful drones and an overall delicate approach to the curation suggests label head Ben Steed is on a mission to produce some very fine music and a label to keep an eye on.

A few standouts amongst a great compilation include the opener from Baukhol - a shimmering wave of airy pads, similar to the likes of Purl and the Dewtone output,  and
Tengen's Blue Queen, reminding me of the deep, emotional escapism you'll hear from the likes of Rafael Anton Irisarri. 

Deep Sea Dreams: Volume 1, is your perfect platform to jump into a bunch of brilliant new ambient artists from China and beyond.

Available as Name Your Price on Bandcamp.

isolatedmix 63 - Warmth

With previous releases on Etoka, Rohs! Records and MOSHItaka, Spain's Warmth has been a staple contributor to some of the many labels that keep the ambient genre a deep wealth of quality music. It's easy to push such labels aside unless you dive in and spend time absorbing the output- these labels provide a consistent source of exploration for ASIP and undoubtedly inspire many more.

After several releases, gaining love and attention from a wider ambient following, Warmth decided to release his best work to date on his own label, Archives - now another growing, well-respected home to ambient and dub-techno. The album, titled Essay, was the coming-of-age for Warmth, demonstrating his peaceful, atmospheric and lush approach to ambient music, and is already being heralded as one of the best ambient albums of the year. 

With such a defined style and admired respect for the ambient sound, Warmth's isolatedmix provides another platform for expression, taking us through some of his most admired pieces, showcasing some of the inspiration that shaped his productions, and an additional taste of his own work.

An introduction to the mix, in his own words:

"It all starts with a track called 'The Place', which I made especially for the mix. I started the project one afternoon; usually when I get some time to produce, but I woke up in the middle of the night. I could not sleep with the heat and I started working on the mix of the track. The last time I did that was years ago, but the truth is that it was quite inspiring to work on the project with the dawn light in the background, maybe that's why it ended up sounding a bit dramatic.

There is also a remix I did for a self-released track of Purl, titled 'Sagan', which should be released some time in the future. He is one of my favorite producers and I really wanted to get my hands on his music. At first I did something closer to the original track but I felt like that was not working and I ended up starting from scratch, using some of the ambient parts and adding some pads on my own to make an ambient version. 

You can also hear a track from the upcoming album by Purl on Archives 'Form Is Emptiness'. It is called 'Vissna' and is one of my favorites on the album, the track has a haunting and tense beauty. There are also some tracks from producers close to me that I really admire, as Logic Moon, Shuta Yasukochi, Tobias Hellkvist, Murkok or Robert Farrugia and pieces from artists who inspire me a lot, as Siavash Amini, Arovane & Hior Chronik and Hotel Neon".

Download.

Tracklist:

01. Warmth - The Place [Unreleased]
02. Purl - Sagan (Warmth Remix) [Unreleased]
03. Shuta Yasukochi - Tape Machine [Archives]
04. Murkok - Veda [Bandcamp]
05. Purl - Vissna [Upcoming]
06. Tobias Hellkvist - Vesterhavet 1 [Bandcamp]
07. Logic Moon - The Shape Of Room [Archives]
08. Hotel Neon - Remnants [Bandcamp]
09. Siavash Amini - Dusk [Futuresequence]
10. Arovane & Hior Chronik - Relief  [ASIP]
11. Robert Farrugia - Timbre [Archives]

ASIP - Affinity In Slow Motion

Thanks to those around me for continuing to share and unearth new moments of inspiration, from influential sounds and styles that never grow old. Deep, emotional and personal; this is some of my favorite house-oriented music of recent times, along-side some newer finds.

This mix grew out of some very immediate inspiration this past week including a link to just one track from a friend, which unearthed an entire house playlist I continued to explore, and Applescal's recent Wantlist which introduced me to Kim Brown. 

Tracklist:

01. Rising Sun - Parade (Version F) [Bandcamp]
02. DJ Sotofett - Current 82 (12 mix) [Discogs]
03. Dorisburg - Sinai Hypnosis [Bandcamp]
04. Jouem - Dazzling Light [Discogs]
05. Kim Brown - Optionism [Bandcamp]
06. Mr Fingers - Qwazars [Discogs]
07. Fit Siegel - Carmine [Bandcamp]
08. Donato Dozzy & Tin Man - Test 7 [Bandcamp]
09. Fatima Yamaha - What’s A Girl To Do [Free download]
10. Rising Sun - Change [Bandcamp]
11. Kim Brown - Millions [Bandcamp]
12. Hidden Spheres - Waiting [Bandcamp]
13. Nina Simone - Here Comes The Sun (Francois K Remix) [Discogs]

ASIP Wantlist #4 Applescal

A man of finely curated electronica; some of the best DJ sets you'll hear; and the face behind the respected and-forward thinking label, Atomnation; we copped the download on five of Pascal Terstappen's most wanted pieces of vinyl. As you might expect from such an ear, it's a melodic mix of colorful grooves that suit the personal playlists, as well as the DJ's amongst us.

Be sure to check-out Atomnation's latest compilation release, Unfold after you've treated yourself to the rarities below. 

1. Apparat - Walls [Discogs]
My all-time favourite album. Pure nostalgia. I listened to this one on repeat riding my bike (40 minutes back-and-forth) to high school for a long time. On my first 128kb MP3 player. Haha. Still get goose bumps when I hear the track 'You Don't Know Me'.

2. Traumprinz - All The Things [Discogs]
Just heard a repress is on the way (also for lots of more Giegling releases). Especially 'All The Things' I love. His last one, '2 The Sky' is also on my want-list.

3. David August - Times [Discogs]
One of my favourite tracks of all time appears on this LP: 'Forgive Me If I Bleed'. In my opinion, he may be the best producer out there at the moment. His work is always unpredictable and sounds warm. I'm looking forward to his new work - I have the feeling a new album is on the way.

4. Kona - Sing A New Sapling Into Existence [Discogs]
This is a side project of Lone. Maybe the best of all his work. My friend has the LP and is constantly bullying me that I don't. I Might not buy this one and just steal it from his collection to justify. Pional made a cool edit for one of the tracks, which is how I discovered this project.

5. Kim Brown ‎– Somewhere Else It's Going To Be Good [Discogs]
A nice laid-back LP by a duo from Berlin - not very well known. Lovely for after-hours or to play when friends are visiting. Quarion remixed one of their tracks recently which is a real banger, if you have time check that one out too.