Monument Waves 002 : ASIP

A new mix for the brilliant Monument platform, and their new series ‘Waves’ which looks to feature more of the ambient side of things, rather than the deep techno world they are known for, if the first of the series by Chris SSG is any indication.

After our label showcase mix I did for them a few years back, I was extremely pleased to return to Monument again and decided on a new approach for #2.

Taking inspiration from the podcast series’ title, I aimed to create a mix that focused on repetition and layers, as if staring out to sea watching blankets of waves roll in from miles out; changing in intensity, but forever calming in their unbound repetition.

The result is reflective of the many adjacent styles I enjoy from ambient, to IDM and deeper techno and some of the seconds of tracks that stand out to me, or I forever wished to be looped in my head - be it a texture, vocal or beat pattern.

Thank you Monument for the support over the years, and for inviting me to what I am sure will become a very special series.

MONUMENT · Monument Waves 002 : ASIP

Listen on Soundcloud or the ASIP Podcast

Download MP3

Tracklist:

01. Mikkel Rev - Evocation  [Unreleased / A Strangely Isolated Place] (Loop/edit)
02. Chronovalve - Almost There [Home Normal] (Loop/edit)
03 . Yumi Iwaki - Nocturnal[Kankyō Records]  (Loop/edit)
04. DJ Healer - Great Escape [All Possible Worlds] (Loop/edit)
05. Susumu Yokota - No Kaori [Leaf Label] (Loop/edit)
06. The National Pool - Through The Beach [Infraction] (Loop/edit)
07. Bana Haffar - Lifter [Touch] (Loop/edit)
08. Pontiac Streator - Stuck In A Cave [Motion Ward] (Loop/edit)
09. TSR - 01 [Record Union] (Loop/edit)
10. Christina Chatfield - Sutro [Mysteries of the Deep] (Loop/edit)
11. Oneohtrix Point Never - Format & Journey North [Arbor] (Loop/edit)
12. Gi Gi - Montjuic Feat. Mi Mi [Quiet Time] (Loop/edit)
13. Jonny Nash - All I Ever Need [Melody As Truth] (Loop/edit)
14. Saphileaum - Elegant Voyage [Mysteries of The Deep] (Loop/edit)
15. RQ - Hounds (Sam KDC remix) [Auxiliary] (Loop/edit)
16. Michael Stearns - In The Beginning [Continuum Montage] (Loop/edit)
17. Solar Quest - Flying Spirals [Crammed Discs] (Loop/edit)
18. Zodiac Childs - Kepler Track Two (Zodiac Wax) (Loop/edit)
19. Central Industrial - After Image [Auxiliary] (Loop/edit)
20. Intrepid Soul - Under The Sun (The Gods Planet) (Loop/edit) 
21. Anatolian Weapons - Teachings In Stone [Self] (Loop/edit)
22. Theef - Sun & Smoke  (Unreleased / A Strangely Isolated Place) (Loop/edit)
23. Quiet Places - Side B (A Strangely Isolated Place) (Loop/edit)
24. Courtesy - You're Not Alone [Kulør] (feat. Erika de Casier & August Rosenbaum) (Loop/edit)
25. Maxime Denuc - Ouverture [Vlek] (Loop/edit)
26. µ-Ziq - Whale Soup [Self] (Loop/edit)
27. Adam Johnson - Version 02 [Merck] (Loop/edit)
28. Autechre - Bronchusevernmx24 + Aphex Twin - On + Aleksi Perala - UK74R1406070 (edit)
29. Pub - Summer [Vertical Form] (Loop/edit)
30. Loess - Sofar [Toytronic] (edit)
31. Biosphere - Monju 1 [Touch] (Loop/edit)
32. Salvatore Mercatante - Classical [Unreleased]
33. OKRAA - La Gran Corriente [Unreleased / A Strangely Isolated Place]
34. Lihla - Becoming Human [A Strangely Isolated Place] (Loop/edit)
35. Ylia - Drifting Off into The Waves  [Balmat] (Loop/edit)
36. The Eightsome Reel - A Stranger Landing  [Self] (Loop/edit)
37. Terre Thaemlitz - Music is Controllable Desire You Can Own [Self]
38. Echospace - Love Always Lives [Self] 
39. Bill Laswell & Pete Namlook - Telepathy II [FAX] (Loop/edit)

ASIP - Reflection on 2021

As with all past ‘Reflection’ year-end mixes, I start with a collection of albums I have enjoyed over the year. Through the process of compiling a mix that flows well, songs are whittled down and selected from this collection. This means many of my favorite tracks and albums are often omitted in the process, due to the need for them to fit in a mix that comes together as organically as possible. As I say every year, this isn’t a definitive ‘best-of’ list, but a selection of just some of my favorite music from the year in one easily listenable format. It’s the most enjoyable way for me to boil down the music I’ve loved from the year using these self-imposed restrictions, for you to then enjoy and discover more. I encourage you to use the mix to jump off and explore each artist, listen to the album in full and see what else is on the label (and check the Buy Music Club list). Of course, releases or aliases a part of our own label/s are not considered (head over here for our label-specific 2021 showcase).

Another crazy year in the books (or is this the new normal?). Looking back, it’s been a tough year personally and one that in theory should have left me with more time to listen and absorb music but somehow did the opposite. This mix, as it does every year, serves as a great way for me to dedicate time listening to albums again, and I’m realizing this has become a yearly sort of musical therapy for me. The fact that people actually listen and await the mix, is a lovely bonus.

It’s been interesting to see the pendulum of music move across various online listening platforms during strict lockdowns this past year, and what seemed like an onslaught of output as artists buckled down inside. At one point, I am sure we were all left feeling truly spoiled with music choices and online events, despite not being able to attend physical events until the past few months. I know from my own experience, that many artists have albums in the locker and the labels are now struggling to keep up with the present vinyl production bottle-neck.

On the ASIP label front, we finally managed to launch our 9128.live sister label, producing physical and digital editions from notable live performances, with many more planned for 2022. Despite ACL recently commenting that ASIP seemingly “so far has seemed immune to the vinyl shortage”, we have been massively impacted and have only been able to keep somewhat of a cadence this year because we had so much in the pipeline. Next year, we may see bigger gaps between releases and different formats as we look to work with new plants and basically turn our production flow on its head. Numerous times this year I have questioned whether to continue with our current approach, and I am sure many other labels have felt the same.

On the listening front, and upon reflection, I have definitely been drawn to the more electronic-driven side of ambient music this year. Slightly darker and edgier perhaps for obvious reasons, with less instrumental, gentle, or orchestral sounds in my library overall it seems. The Reflection mix, as it does every year, ends up moving through several different stages and captures many of the different styles of music that have been on high rotation.

This year’s mix, begins with some more tranquil pieces (Hopkins, KMRU, Arian Shafiee), then takes a dive into the deep, dynamic elements (ASC, Inhmost, Sciama, AES DANA, Ulla, Bana Haffar), to then slowly emerge into melody just before the hour with Christina Chatfield. Things become more storied, as pieces are overlapped and looped, presenting the powerful drones of Christina Giannone, and more fluid, energetic beat-driven pieces from Ground Tactics, Whylie, nthng and Skee Mask - most of which made me crave the (out of bounds) dance floor. Beats then become crunched, textured and irregular, with the likes of new discoveries in, Hoavi, Vivan Koch, and Amandra X Matthies. The mix then begins to draw in, as more melodic moments take over from some (old but new) music from Niko Tzoukmanis and CiM, before the final chapter draws in with more organic and spiritual elements from Saphileaum, Alex Albrecht, ending on a positive curtain closer from Wau Wau Collectif. Ending the mix on something more optimistic seems to be a requirement after the journey of this past year.

Thank you to everyone listening and supporting what we do, and I hope you can find a new artist or album to support on Bandcamp with this mix - all this year’s inclusions are below in the Buy Music Club list. For a more extensive list of what I have supported and listened to this year, head over to my Bandcamp collection.

Listen on Soundcloud, Mixcloud, or the ASIP Podcast.

Download

astrangelyisolatedplace · ASIP - Reflection on 2021

Tracklist:

000.00. Jon Hopkins - Tayos Caves, Ecuador I (Domino)
006.20. KMRU & Echium - Unending (Self-released)
009.10. Bolivian Fireships - Quiet Room, Locked Door (Hream)
012.50. Arian Shafiee - Wembley (Constellation Tatsu)
018.00. Ab uno - Adonai (Mahorka)
019.30. ASC & Inhmost - Sunrise on Titan (Auxiliary)
026.10. Sciama - Periphery (Auxiliary)
029.00. AES DANA - Foreword (Ultimae)
031.40. Ulla - Shelter (Motion Ward)
033.30. Bana Haffar - Totally Alive and Totally Invisible (Self-released)
039.50. Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement - Flying Fish Ambience (Hospital)
043.20. Nadia Struiwigh - Organic (Nous’klaer)
047.15. Op Zee - Muziekkamer (Stroom.tv)
050.00. Christina Chatfield - Concatenate II (Mysteries of the Deep)
057.10. Nigel Mullaney - The Well Of Sleeping (Behind The Sky Music)
059.00. Avsluta - Meditation 16 [Notes on Iridescence] (e2-e8)
1.00.30 Marine Eyes - On this Fresh Morning (Stereoscenic)
1.03.30. Christina Giannone - Realms II (Past Inside The Present)
1.09.00. Milieu - Terpentine Xylophone (Milieu Music)
1.10.05. Ground Tactics - New Earth (Self-released)
1.16.10. Whylie - JGL24-04 (Lith Dolina)
1.19.40. nthng - Energy Reloading (Lobster Sleep Sequence)
1.25.58. Skee Mask - LFO (Ilian Tape)
1.29.15. Ocoeur - Breaking The Circle (n5MD)
1.32.57. Hoavi - Tessera (Peak Oil)
1.36.17. Vivian Koch - Closed (AD93)
1.39.20. Amandra X Matthies - Cornemuse (Nous’klaer)
1.43.30. Warrington-Runcorn Newtown Development Plan - Part of the Union (CIS)
1.47.35. Akira Sileas - Cliff Cooling (Rusted Tone)
1.52.10. Niko Tzoukmanis - Raindrops (Libreville)
1.57.15. Uf0 - Yeh Premoh (Self-released)
1.59.50. CiM - Metric (Delsin)
2.02.10. Sofie Birch & Johan Carøe - Portal of (Stroom.tv)
2.03.10. Saphileaum - Savar (Good Morning Tapes)
2.07.50. Alex Albrecht - Forest from the Trees, w. Sean La’Brooy (Analogue Attic)
2.12.00. Wau Wau Collectif - Yaral Sal Doom (Sahel Sounds)