isolatedmix 136 - Guentner & Spieth

I’ll always remember that opening underwater feeling of Joachim’s ‘You Don’t Fool Me’ and the bells of Markus’ ‘Regensburg’… Well, you know we love full circle moments here, especially when they involve artists and records that played such an important part in the inspiration behind ASIP.

Markus Guentner and Joachim Spieth both appeared on the original Kompakt Pop Ambient compilation in 2001, a series that heavily influenced ASIP and remains a personal favorite to this day. So, 25 years later, it's rather special to welcome them both together as one for an isolatedmix.

Both artists have followed their own paths since those early Kompakt days, but their shared history eventually led to a series of collaborations, including Overlay, Conversion, and contributions to Markus’ own Kontrapunkt album here on ASIP. Both have also contributed to the isolatedmix series individually too, as despite all these years passing, it’s refreshing to hear such a consistent style and depth to their productions to this day - a signature sound that many artists would strive for.

For this isolatedmix, Markus and Joachim revisit their collaborative work, bringing together tracks and remixes that connect the different projects. It's a fitting opportunity to look back at where it all began, how their musical relationship has developed, and what might come next.

We caught up with them both to discuss their early Pop Ambient days, working together, and making music 25 years on.

~

It’s now been three years since your collaborative album Overlay was released. Looking back at that record from where you are today, what do you hear in it that perhaps wasn’t obvious to you when you were making it? 

J: I actually find *Overlay* to be relatively timeless; it could just as easily be released today. That may be partly because, for this project, we settled on a few cornerstones of our musical upbringing without making them a major topic of discussion during the actual creative process. After all, the starting point—or premise—of this collaboration was our shared passion for sound and the desire to finally try making music together after knowing each other for so long. And I think the results reflect that. 

M: Yes, right … somehow “Overlay” is kinda timeless … but on the other side, we talked a lot about what and how we can do things together, where do we wanna go when we make music together. And we had this idea really quickly of bringing our musical background together … what we always loved … but not making a copy of it, just translating that influences our way of making things. And I'd say that “plan” really worked. You can hear a lot of influences on that album. Now, after three years (or better, 4-5 years with all the conversations, composing, producing) it’s still something i’d do the same way. 

Markus, you’ve been part of ASIP for a long time now. You both arrive at this collaboration with your own histories and approaches — where did you first recognize something in each other’s music that felt compatible? Was it always the Pop Ambient connection? As that feels a million miles away from where your music is now. 

Well, ok, of course the first touching-point is our shared history on Kompakt. But, in the beginning of Pop Ambient or “The early Kompakt Years” we didn’t know each other in person. Sure, I listened to Joachim’s stuff (and really loved it) … but it was never an obvious connection. And after a few years (when Joachim started AFFIN) we finally got in contact. So, Joachim asked me about an album (which i made … Crystal Castle) … and still (back then) it wasn’t a thing (or even an option) to do stuff together … but somehow we connected more and more over the years. We had some conversations on the phone, email etc … but a few years ago we made regular appointments with videocalls … and I think that changed a lot !!! Because we talked about so much stuff (not just music) for hours and hours. The connection became much more personal … and we realised during these chats, that our history, our taste in music, our understanding in certain things is very close. And then, everything became obvious !!! Of course we should work together, of course we should do some music together. And yes, it’s absolutely so far away from the early Pop Ambient stuff … but, we grew … we had our experiences … We've seen a lot of things. Not together, everyone had his own experience … but somehow it was the same experience … and that is what the collaboration and the work together makes it weirdly special. 

When you’re working together, are you conscious of who is bringing what to a piece, or is the aim to reach a point where that distinction disappears?

J:The exact percentage of input each person contributes to a given track—or what is actually audible in the finished piece—is really a secondary matter; the process itself is what’s truly compelling. Moreover, we’ve established a relationship built on trust; beyond the Guentner/Spieth project, we make a great many decisions together—not just musical ones, but also those regarding Affin’s visual identity. We constantly bounce ideas off each other—asking things like "What do you think? Does that sound good? Does it look good?" Since we’ve been holding regular video calls for several years now, there is a high level of ongoing dialogue across a wide range of topics, and through that, you naturally develop a feel for what works—for that shared vision and sense of cohesion. 

M: Exactly, most times we’re like: ok, let’s start with something … what’s your opinion on trying this and that … but hey, just try !!! and sometimes someone is sending an idea … and the other one is working with that out of nowhere. And it’s so wild to see and realise that most times (i’d say around 95%) we’re on the same level. Getting something from the other to work with just feels natural … not really thinking about: uhm, is that something Joachim could like? It’s way more: ok, nice, i can work with that, bring my “voice” into this. And in the end, there’s always an agreement on what we did with the material. 

How has the way you work together changed since Overlay? Has familiarity made the process easier, or does a good collaboration still need a certain amount of friction or uncertainty to produce something worthwhile? 

In recent years, we’ve also produced albums as a trio with artists like Pepo Galán and zakè; furthermore, we released the *Conversion* album last year as our second Guentner/Spieth collaboration. I’d say that, overall, the process has increasingly taken on a life of its own. 

We sometimes surprise each other when one of us shows up with something finished, but we’ve never reached a point where our ideas were completely at odds... It’s as if there’s a kind of antenna transmitting signals in both directions—and it transmits reliably. 

M: Nothing more to say about … absolutely right !!! 

Have you found yourselves taking anything from the collaboration back into your respective solo work? 

J: I think this happens subconsciously—almost certainly. With every collaboration, you learn something new and discover aspects you might not have found on your own; this expands the realm of possibilities, both musically and—surely—technically. Beyond that, we’re constantly exchanging ideas about solo projects and each other’s new remixes; things are always in flux, both within specific projects and on a broader level. From my perspective, a very productive connection has solidified over time—one whose foundation was originally laid with Kompakt and our first releases, as that was the path through which we learned about each other and eventually established direct contact.

M: Well, I absolutely think it happens … There is always something you hear and work in the back of your mind when you do a collaboration. But as Joachim said, it’s more subconscious. Not like: oh, i need to take that idea … or, he made it this or that way, i need to do the same. But something is always happening and you take that with you. 

What can this mix communicate about the relationship between two artists that an original collaboration perhaps can’t? 

J: The mix serves as a review of what has been achieved so far—an overview, a snapshot, a sort of bird's-eye view—that came together after a period of quiet. The project is currently on hiatus; we haven't been working on new material continuously for the past three years—rather, there are active phases and periods of rest. 

Furthermore, the mix broadens the scope to include our wider circle and other formats—such as the track we contributed to the *Kontrapunkt* album on ASIP, as well as remixes where friends interpreted the project from their own perspectives. This made the process of creating the mix an interesting one, and we feel the result flows beautifully. It’s a lovely way to wrap up this chapter. 

M: Exactly … At first, this mix shows our collaborative musical work (besides from remixes, the work for AFFIN, etc.). But it also shows the connection between the collabs and the different albums way better, than just listening to the one or the other album. You get a better understanding of all the connections that happen between these. 

Markus is celebrating 25 years since his debut album, In Moll, recently. You’ve both been making and releasing music for long enough to have watched ambient and deeper electronic music move through several different periods of attention and interpretation. Do you feel differently about making this kind of music now than you did ten or twenty years ago? 

M: In the end, not that much. The way I want to make music is still the same. I never chased any trend or thought that I should sound like something or someone else. Of course, over all this time you grow, get inspired by other things, learn something new, get rid of old stuff or behaviours. But the freedom to do what you want to do is stll present. 

J: I think the technical toolkit has changed fundamentally—which is, after all, a natural process or form of progress over such a long period. As for one's attitude toward music—or love for it—nothing has changed. However, the ways of making oneself heard in the market have changed radically, forcing you to constantly re-evaluate and find new paths to gain an audience. Not everything that has happened alongside the digitalization of the music industry has been positive. Yet, the drive to make emotions audible remains. 

Your two tracks on Pop Ambient "You Don't Fool Me" and "Regensburg" were so definitive for that compilation series, and similarly, it's 25 years since that compilation was released. Wolfgang had his own interpretation of Pop Ambient back then, but I’m

curious what it represented to you. Was it simply a home for these pieces at the time, or did being part of that series begin to shape how you thought about your own music? Do you think “Pop Ambient” exists in the same way today? 

J: That’s an interesting question. It’s clear that we were pleasantly surprised back then by the wave of momentum that built up after the first *Pop Ambient* release came out. You could sense a real spirit of new beginnings on many levels. At the same time, we were very young, and everything had a fresh, exciting dynamic—we had no prior experience, nothing to compare it to... we simply approached our favorite label, they liked our music, and then it all just happened... 

It certainly wasn’t just a matter of having our music released by a particular label. Looking back at that time, comparing it to the present doesn't really make sense. The reason is simple: a quarter of a century lies between then and now, and just as we have evolved as artists during that period, the environment surrounding Kompakt has also developed and changed... 

If you think about ASIP, a direct comparison from the label’s inception to the present day would be hard to imagine. The same applies to Affin… 

M: I remember sitting in Wolfgang’s office when he mentioned the idea of doing the Pop Ambient series because of our (and of course, dettinger, lohmann, etc.) tracks. So it was not just a home, it was the beginning of something … something we’ve been actively a part of. So that was very very special at that time. I’m not that sure, if Pop Ambient still exists in the same way, well, thb, i can’t just because of the long time … music changed, people changed. And for me (because i’m not an “active member” anymore) i can’t really tell if it’s still the same. But in the end i think it’s not better or worse … it’s just different. 

If Overlay documented the beginning of something between you, where do you feel that collaboration sits now? Is there a sense of a continuing body of work taking shape, or is it more interesting to leave each encounter open-ended and see what happens next? 

M: A lot of chats and talkings happen about the collab. But we try not to put any pressure on ourselves. The fun thing is, that we somehow always know in which direction we’re heading. So in the end we’re completing each other unspokenly. 

J: In principle, the outcome is still open, but I think the parameters—the coordinate system, so to speak—have already been defined to a certain extent... We’ll see where the next phase of work takes us, and see when that happens :-)

astrangelyisolatedplace · isolatedmix 136 - Guentner & Spieth

Download

Listen on Soundcloud, the ASIP Podcast or the 9128.live iOS and Android app.

Tracklist: 

1. Vanish
2. Prologue
3. Nukleus
4. Morphia
5. Mutuus
6. Apastron
7. Kari
8. Scope (Abul Mogard Rework)
9. Valenz (Galán / Vogt Rework)
10. Veil
11. Cipher
12. Overlay Variation 1
13. Genesis
14. Chrysalis
15. Nukleus (Rafael Anton Irisarri Rework edit)
16. Vortex
17. Overlay Variation 2
18. Praeludium

https://affinmusic.de/booking-guennter-spieth/
https://guentnerspieth.bandcamp.com/
https://linktr.ee/guentnerspieth

36 / The Infinity Room (All Worlds Edition)

Ten years after its original release, we revisit a defining album for both artist and label.

Originally released on October 26th, 2016, as the fourth artist album on ASIP, Dennis Huddleston, aka 36’s The Infinity Room would go on to become a landmark release, amassing over 12 million streams and earning a devoted following, with many calling for a repress soon after its original release.  

Written during a period of ill health that left Dennis housebound, the album became an exercise in escaping physical limitations through music. Working with a deliberately restricted sound palette, each track opened the door to another, establishing an approach to the album format that Dennis would continue to explore in the decade that followed. As he recalls, "My body was stuck in one room, but my mind journeyed to the infinite rooms beyond it."

For this tenth anniversary edition, Dennis has returned to the original project files, revisiting the mixes and correcting technical limitations while preserving the character of the original recordings. Newly mastered by Rafael Anton Irisarri, who also mastered the 2016 edition, the album is presented alongside The Further Rooms — a collection of recordings originally hidden behind a secret URL and password etched into the runout of the first pressing, now appearing together on vinyl for the first time.

The new artwork comes courtesy of Davy Evans, whose visual work first caught the label and Dennis’ attention in a custom 36 video in 2021. Combining hands-on techniques with digital experimentation, Davy's intricate process culminated in a new interpretation of the original orb motif and a fitting evolution of an album that has become an important part of ASIP and 36's history.

A decade on, some things are worth rediscovering, and some, were never meant to end.

Available to preorder now on Bandcamp, with new UK/EU shopping option.

Global stores and distribution to follow soon…

The Art of Showing Up and Happy Accidents: Charlie May on three decades of electronic music

Charlie May Live at the Barbican for Sasha’s Refracted Tour

Few artists have left as significant a mark on electronic music as Charlie May. From the formative days of UK electronic music as one half of Spooky, to his longstanding creative partnership with Sasha and his pivotal role in records such as Xpander, to his releases here on ASIP as part of Quiet Places. Charlie has been responsible for some of the genre's most significant moments - and many of my own personal favorites.

Charlie’s latest album here on ASIP, Trusted Farms, provides us with yet another small glimpse into his beautiful mind. The album marks his first solo album on vinyl, bringing together a collection of beatless compositions, some of which have been quietly taking shape for more than a decade. Trusted Farms reveals the melodic instincts, experimentation and unmistakable production touch that have defined his work for so many years, boiled down into a succinct and emotionally charged 12”.

Getting to know Charlie through this release, there's a certain humility that feels increasingly rare; an artist responsible for some of electronic music's most celebrated moments, yet one who has always seemed perfectly content to remain behind the scenes, letting the music speak for itself.

It's therefore a real pleasure to bring Charlie into the spotlight for a small moment, and share the words, stories and insights of someone who has been such an inspiration to us over the years.

ASIP: I wanted to start at the start… with Spooky. But I don’t think there’s much detail before then out in the world. So, who was Charlie May before Spooky?

Charlie May: Duncan and I grew up together so we had been mucking about in bands for years prior to forming Spooky. Obviously the arrival of acid house had a huge impact on us. I had always been into music, taping things off the radio. Singing in school choirs. I learned the piano from age 4 and started improvising and making my own music soon after. I used to mess about with 2 cassette decks, recording between them and overdubbing parts. I still find that process fascinating - the way that two or more musical parts or sounds combine.

One reason I got into music in a big way was due to being sent away to boarding school when I was eight - music was a big part of the curriculum but also an escape. This is a long time ago before the advent of even the Sony Walkman. I still remember the first time I put on a pair of headphones and heard stereo sound. It blew my mind. Truly a transcendent experience. So I heard and performed quite a lot of choral and classical music, often in spaces with great acoustics. Now i just dial up a plug-in to get the same effect. Every bit of free time I had I would sneak off to the music rooms and mess about on the piano. Eventually forming bands which was frowned upon in those days. I still feel a sense of rebellion going into the studio to make music. I aspire to upset grown-ups to this day.

When people talk about early Spooky now, there’s inevitably a historical importance attached to it. An evolving scene/genre, defining albums and remixes that I’m still digging out of old compilations today. How would you best describe this time of your life and your fondest memories?

We were extremely blessed to have been a part of the early wave of house and techno in the UK. Right when the technology became affordable enough to make records at home. It was a diy punk ethic. So many factors came together to create this highly vibrant and creative scene. It was certainly heady and I remember being carried along by the collective energy. We worked hard at it but it wasn’t really work. So much talent was concentrated into this small scene which spread all over the world. Looking back it seems dreamlike. Being young meant having the energy and stamina to go the distance too, so 3 day studio sessions with little sleep were completely fine. There was no hard disk recording, no mobile phones and no internet. Yet this futuristic music was everywhere. It was in many ways far simpler than today. At the time I thought it would last forever and in some ways that has turned out to be true. I certainly enjoy making music as much if not more today. Everything changes subtly and then one day you look back and think ‘how did that all happen’ ? It was a blast for sure. I try not to forget how pure and uplifting those times were, also a bit rough around the edges. Unlike today it felt truly anarchic, there was no one in charge telling you what you could or could not do or say.

You’ve made a return with Duncan lately, and a new album this year titled Lucent, as well as energy around remix EPs from the likes of Alex Kassian. I think many Charlie May fans will know you have been busy behind the scenes and probably never stopped creating music for many years now, but what spurred this desire lately to put out new releases?

Pure coincidence really - it just happens that way sometimes. Both Duncan and I have been doing our own thing as well as occasional Spooky tracks for years. He has his label 49 North and various collaborative projects. I put out quite a few releases on Bandcamp as well as doing remixes. Writing mainly. I try and write some music every day.

How much do you allow the history of Spooky into the room? Are the old records useful reference points, or are they something you deliberately avoid looking towards?

It’s great that as time goes on the early tunes get new leases of life through a younger audience and dj’s discovering them or through remixes / re releases. It’s important to curate the story and protect what happened when. Other than that we don’t dwell on the past. I always want to try something new in the studio - see where it leads. Electronic music is truly boundless and that sense of anything is possible is a reason to continually move onto fresh turf.

One of the things I’m sure took up a bunch of your time was Sasha’s Refracted tour. I wanted to first say, the recording of that at the Barbican, and the live video is, to me, a defining moment in electronic music. I was gutted to not see it live, but living vicariously through the recordings is enough to give me goosebumps each time. Reflecting back on this and your key role within it all, how do you feel about it now you’ve had a few years away from it?

It was quite an experience for all of us - especially for a bunch of studio rats not used to performing live. It was tough going at times but because of the people involved we managed to produce something special I think. I loved the shows and would jump at the chance to do something similar again. When it all comes together and the music finally gets played to an audience there’s a welcome sense of completion. But we were blessed to be a great team of people. I think that’s the most important ingredient.

Can you tell us a bit about the process of reconstructing dance music for this type of setting? And why you think it worked so well?

We took the approach that there were to be no laptops or computers on stage - so everything had to be played with hardware or real instruments. Which is obviously quite a tough route to take but it paid off in the end. The whole show was painstakingly built from the ground up. It took a while and there were constant changes and adjustments. We had to learn new tricks along the way. When you have someone like Barry Jamieson on board who can solve any technical issue, plus a top tier monitor engineer and stage manager to keep law and order it raises the potential of what the collective can achieve considerably.

“I put hours of effort into trying to be a good producer but in the end the best results are graft accidents.”

— Charlie May

I would kick myself for not taking this opportunity to ask you for your story on Xpander. Of course, you were instrumental in the development of that EP, but can you tell us in your own words how it came about and the relationship that developed with Sasha after?

It started life as a track in the Spooky live show when we were touring with Megadog. It was more of a breakbeat vibe but we couldn’t get it to gel in the studio so it got put on the shelf. Fast forward about 5 years and I met up with Sasha who asked if had anything useful lying around that we might work on. I remembered I had this riff on an old DAT tape and played him that. He got very excited and that enthusiasm breathed new life into it. I think the moral of the story is record everything and don’t throw anything away in case someone else has a better idea. After that we just kept working together as we were on the same page. We did Belfunk as a result of messing about with Orbital’s Belfast. You can never really tell how things are going to work out.

There’s a temptation with a record as revered as Xpander to assume everybody involved knew they were making something important. What did it feel like in the room at the time? Was it painstaking, exciting, ordinary, frustrating?

The whole Xpander process stretched out over a period of time. There were a few attempts at mixing it that I remember. Then there was the Wipeout version. We knew it was strong musically but that’s only half the battle. So it was a bit of a rollercoaster. A lot of tracks end up driving you nuts at times. When it was done we knew it was finished. Can’t ask for more than that really.

Do you remember the smallest decision on Xpander that ended up making the biggest difference?

Probably the decision not to go to the boozer / curry house for once and actually continue working instead.

Dennis and Dave of Quiet Places were a part of the Refracted tour playing live alongside you. Is it fair to say that was the early seeds of the Quiet Places project, in so far as you working closer together and understanding each other musically?

For sure - we started Quiet Places as a way to decompress from the punishment of the live shows. It was a natural reaction to want to make new music that was very free floating and unrestricted. Hence we decided on two rules : no grid and no beats. I very much enjoy making those albums -  the process is therapeutic, except for Dennis who has to clean up everyone’s audio mess and make it sound like an actual record.

We know about the formation of Quiet Places and the many whiskey-fuelled jam sessions that spawned those deep trips. I feel like this format of long form albums is really under-appreciated, but for those that get it… they really get it. In today’s ‘Spotify age’ of previews and playlisting, these albums completely buck the trend. What are your thoughts on this approach you’ve undertaken with Quiet Places? Do you see the act of listening to long form more like a chill-out room experience? Or is it the storytelling aspect, through samples etc?

A record like that can function in different ways - as a backdrop to some other activity or post club winding down. Or it can be music to drift off to. Or taken in its entirety as a story, like a movie.

I have recently trained myself to sit down and listen to albums from beginning to end without pause or distraction. It has to be played on a quality system, then your brain receives every detail and nuance. It’s a very different experience that ends up being transcendent and nourishing. We have become accustomed to skimming over the surface of a rich culture and missing out on so much.

A 40 minute album can literally change your life for the better if given the appropriate attention.

Charlie May live at the Barbican for Sasha’s Refracted Tour

In the Trusted Farms album notes, we talk about you being great at writing short phrases and riffs that become inseparable from the track around them. And the evidence out in the world is clear that you’re brilliant at it. Where does that instinct come from — playing, repetition, sound choice, classical training, experimentation, or simply knowing when you’ve stumbled onto something?

Making any art is mud slinging, then clearing away what isn’t necessary until you like it. Then sling some more mud. I put hours of effort into trying to be a good producer but in the end the best results are graft accidents. I do think those chance events and the chances of them occurring are increased by showing up regularly. Also breaking old habits and getting out of your own way. Having lots of ideas is great but that’s a long way from a finished record. I like finishing records but that’s also the part I find challenging and have to have a little bit of luck go into the mix. Also I make heaps of crap - masses of it. That doesn’t matter. Some of the best results start off as rubbish.

You have said in the album notes that working alone is only possible because of the collaborations you’ve been involved with. Who taught you something in the studio that permanently changed the way you work?

Everyone I’ve worked with has taught me something I didn’t know. Even people I have worked with for years are still full of surprises. I remember very early on being in the studio with William Orbit and being blown away by his talent and technique. He was the original studio wizard that inspired so many of us when we were starting out doing this stuff. He wasn’t in a fancy studio being fluffed up by minions and technical staff. He was doing it all by himself in the front room of his house and it sounded unbelievable. He wasn’t afraid to destroy what he’d just created and play it backwards at half speed to see if that worked better.

William was obviously a very sad and big loss this year. Hundreds if not thousands of us are probably revisiting your (Spooky) remix of Water On A Vine Leaf as part of the Northern Exposure reissue in the last few weeks - a reminder of your symbiosis together as label and remixer and a milestone moment. How was he as a label owner? What did he do in those early years to set you up for success?

William was really a silent partner in Guerilla, most of the day to day was covered by Dick O’Dell and Karen Howarth. Although his influence was obviously felt musically in terms of the label output. Many of the releases passed through his Guerilla Studio in Crouch End at some point. His technique in the studio influenced many of the artists on Guerilla at that time. We were pretty much left to do what we wanted - a few singles and then someone suggested doing an album so we kept going. It was all fairly loose. Just a great roster.

Guerilla shared an office with Loud and Clear and Hard Hands and the Darling Department so there was always plenty going on in terms of DJ’s, clubs and record promotion.

“Electronic music is truly boundless and that sense of anything is possible is a reason to continually move onto fresh turf.”

— Charlie May

Some people might call Trusted Farms an ambient album because it’s beatless. But it feels to me like unlocking a special treasure trove of melodies and moments from one of electronic music’s best producers - vignettes of hidden chapters. What does this album mean to you in the grand scale of your career? What milestone, if any, does it represent? 

It’s my first album release on vinyl which is cool - I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to get that together ?! I’m not one for self promotion so I end up with stacks of unreleased music and no label. Hopefully I can start compiling and releasing some of this beat-less work now as albums.

I know it’s like choosing a favorite child, but is there one track from the album that stands out for a specific reason in its production, or meaning?

Not really ! Hopefully the record flows well and makes sense as a whole. I like that some of the tracks started life years ago. Copper Beech is at least ten years old. Also that a track like ‘Just Nerves’ is played live from beginning to end in one take. I had this great sound going through a guitar amp so hit record and played it. That sort of thing doesn’t happen very often. 

Can you tell us a bit about what you envisioned for the artwork for this album and what it means to you in its final form from Peter?

With artwork I know what I don’t like more than what I like which hopefully means I am open to discovering something new. I didn’t want a loud sleeve but rather something to compliment the black vinyl. Apparently there a few loose turquoise vinyl versions out there which is cool. When I saw Peter’s work I immediately knew it was perfect for this record. 

In a previous interview you talked about the need to scratch an existential itch and your music representing the edge & bittersweetness of life. Where does Trusted Farms sit with this ambition?

I really do spout utter rubbish sometimes .. I mean making records is therapeutic so it serves a medicinal purpose. I think the making of and listening to music is so subjective that it can’t really be pinned down. It does help make sense of the human condition and provides a common language of sorts to that end. It’s not meant to be entirely figured out otherwise where’s the fun and the mystery. With Trusted Farms it wasn’t really until it was finished that I thought ok now it has a function and purpose. I hope that it makes people feel good afterwards, like a decent meal. Not the grandest but nutritious nonetheless.

And for aspiring producers out there looking to come even somewhere close to what you have achieved over the years, what piece of advice would you offer them?

Stay true to yourself, don’t feel you have to fit in anywhere. Play to your strengths even if they seem insignificant at first. There’s a magic that comes into play with music making. You just have to keep showing up, especially when things aren’t going too well.

~

Charlie May / Trusted Farms is available now.

Listen to Charlie’s isolatedmix from 2020.

Charlie May / Trusted Farms (ASIPV058)

After decades contributing to records where a single riff could transform a dancefloor, Charlie May turns that instinct inward on Trusted Farms.

For over thirty years, Charlie has occupied a position that seems increasingly rare in electronic music: the musician’s musician, the person behind the machines, the extra pair of hands in the studio, and quite often, the person responsible for the melody you end up carrying around in your head for weeks on end. 

Alongside Duncan Forbes as Spooky, Charlie helped shape some of the most important electronic music to emerge from the UK in the early ’90s. That partnership would also sow the seeds for one of Sasha’s defining records: the central riff behind Xpander began life in Spooky’s live material, before Charlie brought the idea into the studio with Sasha and helped transform it into one of electronic music’s most enduring anthems.

astrangelyisolatedplace · ASIPV058 Charlie May / Trusted Farms [PREVIEWS]

Listen closely to Charlie’s work and there’s a particular instinct that keeps returning: knowing when a simple synth line is enough. Knowing which note needs to change. Knowing when repetition stops being repetition and starts becoming the entire reason a track works. More recently, as one-third of Quiet Places on ASIP, he’s taken those same instincts somewhere looser — beatless, gridless and led by improvisation.

Trusted Farms puts those instincts front and centre.

Tiny melodic phrases appear and refuse to leave. Synth lines repeat just long enough to become lodged in your head. Parts rub against each other without being tidied into submission. There’s a sharpness and directness to it all amongst the purposeful analogue warmth.

Some of these tracks feel almost ridiculously simple at first. But simplicity is difficult when you’ve spent decades learning every possible way to complicate something. Many of the parts on Trusted Farms were performed live with minimal editing. A synth line might be doubled, distorted, re-recorded and pushed back through another piece of equipment, but it remains the same idea. Instead of filling the gaps, Charlie works on the weight and character of what is already there. The melodies become physical; slightly worn around the edges.

For someone whose fingerprints can be found across some genuinely monumental moments in electronic music, Charlie has spent decades knowing what to add. Trusted Farms is about knowing exactly what to leave alone.

Available on black 12” and digital, mastered by Andreas Lupo LOOP-O Lubich and featuring artwork by Peter Skwiot Smith, Trusted Farms will be available on October 16th 2026.

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Noodle Therapy / The Dip (Video)

It’s been lovely seeing Noodle Therapy’s Field Notes find a way into people’s listening habits since its release in June. It’s evidently a record people are returning to, calling a favorite of the year (!) and seemingly finding a bit of comfort in its approach.

Previously just a 60-second teaser, we have an extended video into Noodle Therapy’s world today, with the full version of The Dip. Co-written with Dennis White (1/3rd of Quiet Places), it’s one of the album’s more abstract and mysterious tracks, and a nice example of the curiosity and experimentation that runs throughout the album.

The video features footage shot near Noodle Therapy’s (Dan’s) home in Brighton, with Dan taking care of the filming, editing, and direction himself.