Hymnal Remixes (Lost Tribe Sound Label)

There are 19 tracks of superb remixes here by a phenomenal lineup of artists including Fieldhead, Bryan Ruhe, Loscil, The Remote Viewer, Field Rotation, Pioulard himself, William Ryan Fritch, Graveyard Tapes, Part Timer, and Cock & Swan,  to name but a few. The original Hymnal by Benoit Pioulard was released on the Kranky label and was influenced by religious architecture in the UK and Europe. The remixes hold the reverential tone of the original, but also take it in a dizzying array of new directions. The first CD fuses Pioulard’s delicate vocalizations into most of the tracks while the second CD takes a more instrumental path through the  vaulted aisles of the original.

This is definitely going to be one of my most played albums this year and has already seen lots of rotation.  Highly recommended !

Bryan Ruhe – Easing (Cotton Goods Label)

I’ve caught snatches of Bryan Ruhe’s work on various remixes and compilations, but somehow overlooked his full releases until now. Easing was released in January last year on the excellent Cotton Goods label run by Craig Tattersall  (more on that label here http://tape-dust.tumblr.com/cottongoods ). The album sold out fast, but fortunately you can download the digital album on Bryan’s bandcamp page below. Granular synthesis can produce some harsh and jarring sounds in the wrong hands, but the manipulation of real world sounds and acoustic instruments on this album is a lesson in subtlety and the art of patient sound creation. Reality is processed into grains that reform here into expansive, shimmering drones accompanied by fluttering and panning guitar, piano notes, gossamer light hiss and deep distorted churn. Everything is fractured, gauzy and dreamlike, but perfectly realized into a pleasing whole.

Do check out more of Bryan’s work here http://worksbyruhe.net/ and the products of his own label, Clothbound, here http://clothbound.net/

Schemawound: @@VERSION Album Release

Some new experimental pieces created by Jonathan Siemasko aka Schemawound from Naugatuck, USA. These tracks were originally produced for the Disquiet Junto communal group of artists on Soundcloud http://soundcloud.com/groups/disquiet-junto/ Schemawound’s work explores generative processes with the aid of Supercollider http://supercollider.sourceforge.net/ and these tracks cover output in the ambient, drone, experimental areas of music. He often releases the code for his projects which can be used in your own Supercollider projects and frequently invites people to re-work his pieces.

More on Schemawound and his earlier releases here : http://schemawound.com/releases

Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/Schemawound?ref=hl

Soundcloud:  http://soundcloud.com/schemawound

 

Virlyn – Aguirre EP release (Subterrannean Tide Label)

New release from Virlyn on the Subterrannean Tide label curated by Emily Loren Moss Ferrell. More info. on the website here http://www.subterraneantide.com/st10-aguirre-ep—virlyn.html

Fieldhead – Of October

Fieldhead live in Dordrecht 2012. Video by Marcel van Ast.

Superb track which develops slowly into the classic spacious, gently crackling and heavily reverbed textures of Paul Elam and Elaine Reynolds. The slow muffled beats and delicate strains of electronic violin add to the expansive sound, which perfectly evokes the vast Canadian landscape that inspired the music.

Fieldhead will be on tour with Loscil from 7th – 16th Feb 2014

More info. on Fieldhead here http://www.fieldheadmusic.com/

Holden – Renata

From The Inheritors album released last year and one of my most played electronic albums. Skilled use of modular and other analog synths with chaotic beats and hints of psychedelia

Shield Patterns – Teaser video for new album

Debut single The Rule by Shield Patterns (Gizeh Records)

http://vimeo.com/72644672