Dewtone releases full back catalog of beautiful ambient and dub-techno recordings

Our good friends at Dewtone announced some bitter-sweet news recently. The deep and organic ambient and dub-techno label have put their entire Bandcamp catalog up for free (or a very low price to have it in your collection). 

The label has been quiet as of late, so it might not come as a surprise that label founder Dustin Morris has been busy planning new ventures. This gracious move to open up the back catalog, perhaps signaling a change in direction sometime in the future. Fingers crossed we see Dewtone back with even more deep and emotional ambient music. 

There's a wealth of albums to choose from, and whilst you should no doubt download every single release (not a bad one amongst them), we wanted to reflect on five standout tracks. It's a tough choice given the quality throughout the catalog, but ASIP has been supporting Dewtone from the very early years, pre-2012, so some releases have a little sentimental value attached to them. This made it slightly easier for certain tracks to stand out and pinpoint personal memories and moments as both ASIP and Dewtone evolved over the years. 

Download the catalog on Bandcamp. 

Bjorn Rohde / I Began To Float
Perhaps one of Dewtone's most ominous and sincere tracks, but Bjorn Rohde's, Forgotten Hearts is a story unto itself - heartbreak and adventure. 

Purl & Deflektion / Growing
If you enjoyed Lav & Purl's A State of Becoming, there's plenty for you to dig into amongst the Dewtone catalog, with Purl featuring across several releases (as himself and some of his many other monikers) and Lav, too. But it was this beat-laden production with Olle Hallqvist (Deflektion) that really made me realize the never-ending innovative approaches ready and willing within Ludvig (Purl's) innovative mind. 

Sebastian Paul / Zen Temple
One of the later releases on the label, Sebastian Paul's album Warm Night Fall, really struck a chord with me. Perhaps it was my similarly timed visit to Japan and a chance to reflect, or maybe the extremely engrossing textures and minutiae sound design. A lesson in doing so much with so little. 

Segue / House of Cards
Dewtone also curated  a selection of compilations that included artists and labels they admired and were inspired by called, Foundations. Their second edition, 'Foundations II', featured Segue, amongst many others, and his contribution, House of Cards formed my first introduction to his works, ultimately going on to release superb solo efforts on Silent Season, such as Pacifica. 

Halo / Hollow City
Halo is one of those under-the-radar composers that deserves so much more attention. His Places Series EP, for example, and this album from 2012 on Dewtone. Tell me you can't hear the same delicate genius of Nils Frahm or Jon Hopkins in this track (and this album). And then remember. Pasquale, who is young now, let alone six-years ago, put this album together way before the nu-modern-classical-wave we know today. 

Listen to Dewtone founder, Dustin's exclusive ASIP mix from a few years back, featuring many other favorites in a similar style to the label. 

Neel, Donato Dozzy, Just Music, Dewtone

Neel - Live at Free Rotation '15

From one of our favorite producers comes a rare live set recording, featuring tracks from WNDFRM, Global Communication and a host of other warm, driving atmospheric techno artists. My experience seeing VFTL a few years back was still one of my most memorable gigs of all time and Neel is still evidently pushing the magic far and wide. Available to download on Soundcloud.

Phonatic - Dozzy Dives under 120

You can't really have Neel, without Dozzy, so here's a tribute mix by Phantic that captures some of Dozzy's more subdued (<120bpm) ambient productions as himself, in remix mode and as half of Voices From The Lake. Available to download on Soundcloud.

Ambient Zone 2: Just Music Café Vol 5

Just Music have been around for over ten years now and are solely responsible for introducing the world to Jon Hopkins, and ASIP friends and favorites, Echaskech. Just Music's newest compilation shouldn't simply be glanced over as your average chill-out compilation simply because of the rather cliché title. Melancholic ambience from Digitonal, an individual piano piece from Jon Hopkins, driving atmospheres from Xspance, and that infamous ethereal-Schnauss sound from Echaskech grace this compilation, curated by the mighty Chris Coco. This is the type of music that I used to write about when I first started this site, and it makes me happy to know it's still going strong today. Available on Bandcamp.

Dewtone - Reflections

Dewtone have been relatively quiet recently, but that hasn't stopped Dustin and his collective from piecing together some of their finest work over these two Reflection compilations. Remastered and edited for re-release, the compilations capture the very essence of the label with tracks from some of their most notorious releases of recent years including Purl, Deflektion, Martin Nonstatic, Alveol, Sven Laux and ASIP's Halo. Available on Bandcamp.

Purl - Behind Clouds

The man behind Dewtone’s very first release three years ago, Ludvig Cimbrelius, aka Purl, is back with another slice of ethereal electronica that once again sets both himself and the label apart from the rest.

Titled ‘Behind Clouds’, and with a stunning photograph from Denmark’s Christopher Landin, it’s easy to get lost amongst the lengthy journeys depicted on this album. Starting with the slow lull of guitars on ‘Is’, the track quickly develops into the signature warm, dubby sound we’ve come to love.

You’ll find only subtle differences in tempo and melody amongst the first few tracks. Instead, you’re drawn to focus on the expansive washes and distant voices. Lush valleys touching the sky come to life as you peer through the detailed green landscape. Subtle bells, whispering voices and echoes of tribal-calls whisked away in times-gone-by amongst edgy dubs, tiny claps and soaring pads.

Whatever comes first, either the track-name or the music, you’re lulled into vivid stories with each one. The fifteen-minute title track ‘Behind Clouds’ is slow-burning, swaying and bubbling behind a skewed view as the light finds its way through breaks in the sky. ‘Mushrooms’ approaches with more power, perhaps to signify the rapid formation of unusual clouds, brought to life by a subtle swirling of wind throughout the 9 minutes.

Cutting through the rest, is ‘Eagles’. A simple, soaring combination of textures are all that’s needed to bring this beautiful beast to life. He’s in autopilot as the clouds above him swirl, casting shadows on the fields below – nothing else matters.  And like a rapid dive into the thriving lands beneath, ‘Forest Nightfall’ screams life, movement and agenda, as the beats pick up and more obvious elements come to the foreground.

Then, as the forest begins to sleep and the canopy opens, ‘The Stars WIll Have An End’ performs the final sing and dance of the day; an echoing kick-bass, the subtle reminder that you’re not alone down there, as you peer up into the washes of disappearing cloud.

Available on Dewtone through Bandcamp.

Interview: Iran, influences and the making of Shallow with Porya Hatami

Porya Hatami is up there with one of my greatest musical finds in 2013. He follows a long line of ambient producers that use field recordings and live sampling as the base of their work, but there is something especially inviting about his music. The Iran-based producer has a relatively young discography, but his keen ear and attention to detail have his tracks echoing trademarks of the most revered sound artists of our current decade. And where other artists aim to challenge the status quo, Hatami demonstrates restraint, leaving a much more accessible and emotional experience at the forefront.

His upcoming release for Baltimore’s Tench is a half-step away from his recent experiemental efforts. The 43-minute, 3-track, album presents a serene collection of sounds that enduce tranquility and peace of mind. Soft pads, fluttering chimes and recordings of flowing water create a zen-like enviornment that seems to conclude as nearly as quickly as it starts. I caught up with the producer to discuss the album, his homeland and what we can expect to hear from the budding music-maker this year.

“Shallow” is set to release on February 18th. Pre-oder the album on Tench.

For anyone discovering you the first time, tell us a bit about yourself and your musical background.

I was born in Sanandaj, Iran and that’s also where I grew up. I actually never had any formal musical training, other than a few piano lessons when I was 14. I’m pretty much self taught. I studied many different forms of music before starting to produce, but not until 2007 did I start experimenting with music making software.

Field samples seem to play an lead role in your music. Has it always been the goal to incorporate your environment into your work? Can you elaborate a bit more on your process?

Yes, my environment is a major source of inspiration. I’ve always felt it was a good idea to collect the sounds from the places that I write about. My process depends a lot on the project that I’m working on, but I usually start with a simple sound, it could be a recording of an instrument, a pad, a sound from a synth, or a field recording, then I start to build a track around it. I usually let my tracks sit for a few weeks, then I’ll go back to them and start working on them again. Usually the last phase of production is where I delete parts of the track to come up with the most minimal version possible, while still feeling true to the original concept.

You’re currently based in Sanandaj, Iran, a country not predominantly known for electronic music. Can you lend some insight into cultural life there and how that pertains to, or influences, your practice?

Sanandaj (Sine in Kurdish) is located in the Northern West side of Iran and is surrounded by mountains. There is a historic castle on one of the mountains that’s around 6000 years old. Having several hills spread over the city provides beautiful and unprecedented views from every point. We speak Kurdish and wear traditional Kurdish clothing.

There are so many forms of Folk music here, most of them are vocal-only, with simple rhythms, for example “Domana” and “Bartonana”. There are also some very  unique instruments, my favorites being the “Shemshal” and “Narma Nay”. My cultural background definitely affects me as an artist, but it’s mostly the nature and environment here that influence my music directly.

Where have your other musical influences come from?

My earliest influences were classical music, especially Richard Wagner, who I still listen to all the time. Then came jazz and blues, artists like Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker. Pink Floyd also had a huge impact on me.

Later, I got into 20th century avant-garde music, Morton Feldman, Stockhausen, Milton Babbitt, I learned about John Cage and indeterminacy, the minimalism movement and artists like Steve Reich and Philip Glass. Brian Eno, Harold Budd and William Basinski were a major source of inspiration too.

I ultimately discoverd more experimental music from Warp records, Kompakt and ~Scape. Jan Jelinek’s Loop Finding Jazz records, Taylor Deupree and 12k had a huge influence on my work today.

Your debut album was picked up by Canadian imprint Inner Ocean Records, re-mastered and released alongside a remix package featuring prominent sound artists, how did that project come about?

I was asked by 2 artists for the stems to remix some of the tracks on Land, which lead me to the idea of compiling a remix album. I decided to ask some of the artists that I knew and liked to join the project. Fortunately, they all agreed to contribute and that’s how the album came together.
Regarding Inner Ocean Records, I knew Cory was interested in releasing it because he was a fan of  the original album. We talked about it and he agreed to release the original album as well, I wasn’t happy with the first edition’s packaging, so it was a good opportunity to have it re-mastered and re-issued alongside the remix album.

Tell us a bit about your latest album Shallow, where it was recorded and how your relationship with Marc Ostermeir came to be.

“Shallow” was recorded last Spring/Summber in Sanandaj. I captured all the field recordings around the city and the idea of writing this album came from this fen in a small village near Sanandaj. I’ve spent so much time there with friends. I used to go to record the frogs , but didn’t end up using any of those recordings on this release.

When I finished the album i was looking for a label. I didn’t know Marc personally, but I knew his music and I knew the label well. I sent the album to Marc, he sat with the release for a couple of weeks and then let me know he was happy to release it. He’s a lovely gentleman, he did the mastering and artwork design for “Shallow” too.

Aside from your upcoming Tench release, what other projects do you have lined up this year?

I have 2 collaborative albums finished and ready to release, one with Lcoma (Liam Coleman) for Unknown Tone Records and the other with Lee Anthony Norris for Carpe Sonum. They’re both coming in the first half of 2014. I also have 2 solo albums this year, one is finished and will be release this May/June on Dronarivm and the other will come out on Time Released Sound around September/October. I also joined the collaborative project called The Angling Loser (Lee Anthony Norris, Sir Cliff ) and we may release something later this year. I’m also working on a 3 way collaboration with Darren Harper and (Josco) Gerry McDermott.

Visit his personal Bandcamp page.

Dustin Morris – Waterscape I (ASIP Exclusive)

It’s got to a point with some labels that nearly every release they put out, I want to feature on the site. Sometimes I don’t have the time, sometimes I forget and things pass me by, so, instead of letting all that good music go unheard, i’ve decided to put together a few features on my favourites. Up first, we dive into the world of Dewtone, with label founder, Dustin Morris.

Dewtone are responsible for two of my favourite EP’s of the past two years; Brando Lupi – Aural, and Martin Nonstatic – Cosmic Shapes. And the rest on the roster aren’t far behind. Dustin has kept his output consistent, with quality and style ever since the first release, and boasts an amazing bunch of artists under the Dewtone umbrella including Brando, Martin, Alveol/Purl (Ludvig Cimbrelius), Marco Madia,Halo, Syene, Ali Khan, Meesha, Antendex, and Nadia Popoff – all of which, were previously new to my ears.

I had originally asked Dustin to compile a mix featuring music from the label (given it’s all pretty much amazing) but instead, he chose to expand on this approach and also incorporate the other major creative half of Dewtone – Dewtone Radio. This mix is indeed something special, expertly curated, and a true insight into Dewtone, it mimics the very essence of the label, with soft textures, beautiful melodies and pictures of calm waters, scattering clouds and dusky sunsets. Neatly tied together with an inspired theme; ‘Waterscapes’ is the first of potentially many similar mixes which Dustin will endeavor to complete.

The goal with this mix was to showcase some of the music that is being promoted through Dewtone Radio. I didn’t want to focus exclusively on the label because that’s just a small chunk of the audio that I’ve been working with over the last few years. When I started working on this project, I realized that there was no way I was going to be able to say everything I wanted to say with just one mix. The music ended up working together beautifully in a way that I was able to produce complete soundscapes that almost sounded like one piece.

http://www.dewtone.fm/

Download.

Tracklist:

1. Dadub – Biopoiesis / Stroboscopic Artefacts
2. Martin Nonstatic – Sub Atomic / Dewtone Recordings
3. Taho – Alpha Rain / Lumina
4. Arc Of Doves – Natalis / ROHS!
5. Mon0 – Dreaming / Silent Season
6. Alveol – Living Crystal / Dewtone Recordings
7. Anton Zap – Water / Ethereal Sound
8. Brickman – Lux / Monography
9. Alveol – Alignment (Nikosf. Brightly Aligned Remix) / Lovezone Records
10. Fingers In The Noise – Weekend… Finally! / Self released
11. Bjorn Rohde – Intentionally Gone / Multitap Records

Photo courtesy of Random Hero 58.