isolatedmix 71 - Anton Kubikov : Ambient Landcast

The Biosphere-esque EP "Music For Currydoors" alongside Maxim Milutenko was my first introduction to Anton Kubikov. During my obsessive Traum Schallplatten era (see Traumbient), this track was one of many introductions to a wealth of artists who crossed the divide between ambient and techno. It was a small appearance on Traum, but gave a taster of what he can do alongside partner Maxim, where they were both busy producing as SCSI-9 and releasing on labels like Trapez, Force Tracks and Kompakt. 

Not necessarily known for ambient music at the time, Anton’s career has been largely rooted in techno as the founder of esteemed label Pro-tez. But as we’re about to find out, ambient music has always been a big part of his life, with subtleties creeping through and influencing some of his many releases over the years. Through more dub-techno EP's like 'Bushes/Moving’ and ‘Inner’, or deep techno EP’s such as ‘Before/After’ and ‘Aniko/Evora’, Anton consistently creates beautiful deep journeys within his extensive productions. 

That perception may now stray further into the ambient realm after releasing his first album on Kompakt’s prestigious Pop Ambient album series, titled 'Whatness'. After a push from label head Michael Mayer, Anton embarked on the full-length and threw his entire production armory at what is, an extremely varied and creative record. Using random noise generators, resampling, modular synthesizers and step-sequencers, Calimba, guitar, piano and even poetry, Whatness continues to break the ever-changing Pop Ambient umbrella. 

Anton’s mix, is a creative concept which we haven’t seen here on ASIP before, bucking the potentially expected dive into deep techno territory. Inspired by reading biographies of some of experimental and avant-garde's most prestigious pioneers, Anton discovered a unique approach to the mix:

"As if listening to different songs in youtube, I did not turn them off but began to layer on each other. I reached five tracks simultaneously playing, and fell into hypnosis. The idea of he mix was born. The main thing was to show the works of different years throughout the 20th century from the 30s to the 80s, when such music, it seemed to me, did not go out into the broad masses but remained amongst intellectuals”. 

An educational class featuring some this century's most defining experimental innovators.

Download

Tracklist:

01. Sofia Gubaidulina & Choir of the Moscow Experimental Electronic Music Studio - Vivente-Non Vivente [1989]
02. Eliane Radigue - Geelreandre [1979]
03. Delia Derbyshire & Barry Bermange - Falling [2014]
04. Morton Feldman - Two Pianos [1953-1969]
05. Bernard Parmegiani - De Natura Sonorum, Première série [1975]
06. Morton Feldman- Three Voices For Joan La Barbara-Legato [1989]
07. Else Marie Pade - Faust Suite: Faust & Margrethes Kærlighed [1958-1995]
08. Alvin Lucier -  Music for Piano with Magnetic Strings [2009]
09. Edison Denisov - Bird’s Singing [1990]
10. Oliver Messiaen - Oraison [1937]
11. Else Marie Pade - Syv Cirkler [1958]
12. Morton Feldman- Three Voices For Joan La Barbara - Whisper [1989]
13. Robert Ashley - Automatic Writing [1979]
14. Harold Budd - Bell Tower [2003]

Anton Kubikov | Facebook | Soundcloud | Kompakt

Leandro Fresco & Rafael Anton Irisarri - La Espera (digital EP) now available

As many of you know by now, we have had struggles with the final pressing of Leandro Fresco & Rafael Anton Irisarri's album, La Equidistancia. You can read more about it here.

In light of these problems, Leandro & Rafael worked to put together this new companion EP to help raise funds for their album repress. 

Continuing the theme of La Equidistancia, Leandro & Rafael explore more of their deep, swirling and mysterious textures. 'The Wait' is the sound of being barricaded in isolation, as the world moves around you.

Featuring a photo by Todd Diemer, the artwork continues the theme of La Equidistancia, pairing with the overall theme of 'The Wait', as the vinyl repress gets underway. 

Available on Bandcamp

Leandro Fresco & Rafael Anton Irisarri - vinyl press update & new EP

As many of you who've been following us know, there have been multiple unfortunate issues with the final vinyl pressing of Leandro Fresco & Rafael Anton Irisarri's, “La Equidistancia.”

Namely, the audio quality of the final pressing is poor, even though test-presses sounded fine and the artists approved it back in February. There are also multiple issues with the print quality and the color vinyl “marbled” swirl.

After going through two unsuccessful attempts at a final press, the manufacturer has made it abundantly clear they cannot create the final quality product we (and you) expect.

We will be starting from scratch with a new pressing plant, as we need to cut our losses, despite not being refunded in full by the current manufacturer.

Financially, we are at a substantial loss from this ordeal, which is a big blow for a small operation like ASIP (and of course, the artists themselves).  We also have to find an ecologically-friendly way to dispose of 1,000 copies of someone’s art (instead of shipping them all the buyers) which is extremely draining and hard to do.

Thus, to help soften the blow, Leandro and Rafael have created this companion three-track EP titled “La Espera”. It's a superb release in its own right and we're lucky Leandro & Rafael have prioritized their time and put their talent together once again.

Continuing the theme of La Equidistancia, Leandro & Rafael explore more of their deep, swirling and mysterious textures over this three-track EP. 'The Wait' is the sound of being barricaded in isolation, as the world moves around you.

La Espera, is now available on Bandcamp.

eBay auction of entire ASIP test press catalog...

Lastly, we've put up an entire catalog of test presses for auction over on eBay. This includes every ASIP release so far in test pressing format (black vinyl/white label) - 9 releases, including the sold-out Uncharted Places, Europe, 36 and many more. No one owns them all, these are from Ryan's (ASIP founder) personal collection, so be kind, and happy bidding! 

Thank you to everyone who has been on this rollercoaster journey with us, and continues to support and listen to our music. We have a standard which we want to keep to make everyone a proud ASIP vinyl owner.

We will keep you posted as the new press is underway. Anyone waiting to purchase the vinyl, it will be available in a few months once a successful repress is received.

Thank you for your understanding and patience as we get rolling with another press.

We'll get there!

Ryan, Leandro and Rafael.

ASC - Trans​-​Neptunian Objects

Despite his relentless, high quality output, I haven't done a good job featuring James Clements' music here on ASIP. Sure, he's contributed a great isolatedmix, given us a sneak peak into his Wantlist, and had tracks included in many of our year-end mixes, but I haven't previously singled-out any of his immense ambient full-lengths.

Thinking about why this may be (apart from the fact there's hundreds of releases I will never get around to writing about), I find James' ambient productions hard to write about. Hard to do justice, really. Ironically, describing why it's hard to write about probably does a pretty good job at, well, writing about it. 

ASC's ambient productions have a tell-tale depth and atmosphere to them. There's no doubt a significant amount of influence and inspiration comes from space themes, perhaps harking back to his original Deep Space ambient mix series. But just like the unknown detail amongst the void, James' music comes to life through the minutia, the subtle maneuvers amongst an often ominous density that I've only known the likes of Biosphere, Wolfgang Voigt, and Markus Guentner to perfect. 

ASC's latest release, his first ambient output on his own Auxiliary label after a string of amazing albums on Silent Season, once again highlights his amazing ear for detail. Trans-Neptunian Objects takes you to an unknown place, toying with sonic frequencies, depicting the drama you'd expect from shadows of rocky behemoths, and the overall feeling of insignificance. 

James is also excelling in soundtrack work, (take his Bottom Of The World OST) which probably means the vivid ideas of far-reached planets and asteroid belts that he conjures up here, either borrow from, or help inform the mindset needed for deeper visual storytelling. 

But without calling it a soundtrack, Trans-Neptunian Objects is as close as you'll come to the stories, adventure and the unknown far-side of the Galaxy.

Available on Bandcamp.

Air Texture Volume V

Started in 2011, James Healy has brought together some of ambient and experimental music's finest artists through his unique collaboration series, Air Texture. 

Loscil, Rafael Anton Irisarri, bvdub, Andrew Thomas and Steve Hauschildt are among the names to have graced the series so far, each selecting one CD as part of the two-CD ongoing series. Now for it's fifth edition, James has recruited two very well respected underground acts; from two different eras of electronic music. Spacetime Continuum, known for many pioneering early 90's releases, and Dekmantal's more recent techno duo, Juju & Jordash. 

Despite the years between the curators, Spacetime Continuum and Juju & Jordash have recently come together alongside Move D, to form the new analog supergroup The Mulholland Free Clinic, with some of the tracks on the compilation coming from friends and branches of this new formation. 

Spacetime Continuum (aka Jonah Sharp) is in charge of the first CD. Counting a massive 14+ albums under his belt and boasting collaborations with the likes of Tetsu Inoue and Bill Laswell, Jonah has put forth a series of tracks that capture the very essence of the 1990's. Productions from himself and other classic artists such as I:Cube, Terre Thaemlitz (as Tragic Selector) and Claude Young, round out a long-lost, and early sounding techno vibe. For those that loved the Composure Ambient Techno for Japan compilation, you can't miss this awesome selection from Spacetime Continuum. 

Dekmantel's own Juju & Jordash head up CD2. The duo get their chance to dive into a deep, dark mysterious and more leftfield world that flows nicely after reminiscing the 90's more electronic sound on CD1. More experimental tracks from Max D and Magic Mountain High, sit alongside some beautiful discoveries such as Anto (Hunee), rounded by the infamous Donato Dozzy and re-invigorated ambient maestro Gigi Masin. 

Every track on the compilation is exclusive to the release, which makes it one hell of a production by James Healy, and a must-have collection of forward-thinking electronic music.

Watch the exclusive new video for the release below. And if you're in the mood for more 90's feels like CD1, check out James Healy's mix for Silent Records. 

Available on Bandcamp.