#NoBanNoWall Bandcamp recommends

Today, Bandcamp are donating all of their profits from sales to ACLU. Read more about this great initiative here. To help with your splurge, here's 10 recommends you can purchase to contribute to the greater cause. 

Touched - Covert II EP (Touched)

Do double good in the world, by grabbing Touched's latest mysteriously produced IDM monster. The producers behind these records remain anonymous - but if it was Plaid, BoC or Aphex, I wouldn't be surprised. Proceeds from Touched go toward Macmillan Cancer Relief. See past Touched reviews here.

Jonathan Fitoussi - Imaginary lines (Further Records)

One of my favorite records from the always dependable Further Records, also donating their profits. Some great melodic, analogue wizardry - and two LP's remaining at the time of writing. 

Specta Ciera - Signal Return (Energostatic)

This album's set as name your price, so don't go entering '0' - in fact, you never should, as it doesn't add an album to your Bandcamp collection for other people to explore. So find some $ for this great dub-techno album by Specta Ciera.

Faru - Through Darkness Comes Light (Silent Season)

Buy it, if nothing, for its optimistic title in times of darkness. But hey, if you're not superstitious, you'll love the depth of this debut from Faru on our friends Silent Season. I fell asleep to this album last night and 'Sunrise At Bratan' should be enough to persuade you.

Crisopa - Transhumante (Self)

Crisopa  (n5MD alumn) hasn't popped up on these pages for a while now, but his new album dropped just this week. Don't let the artwork fool you into thinking this is anything other than some unique, melodic and intelligent electronica we've come to love - start with 'I am the lord of these ruins'.  Again, name your price, so be kind.

Ben Woods - A World Without Color (Self)

Ben's been creating the kind of emotional, modern-classical/ambient/post-rock music that the likes of Helios, Hammock, Rhian Sheehan etc have made very popular. Ben's latest release is much more raw than many, more instrumental and attached, perfect for daydreaming and window watching. 'Endless Lines of Infinite Light' is my fav from the album. Name your price so be kind. 

1-Mile North - Awakened By Decay (Self)

If you like your guitars and lean more into the post-rock side of ambient music a-la Explosions In The Sky, this album may be your cup of tea. There's also a lovely 2xLP up for grabs. 

Steve Roach - The Early Years (Soundquest Music)

This has been on high rotation for me in recent weeks. This digital-only bonus, entitled The Early Years, features two amazing long-form sequencer pieces circa 1982. Steve Roach's music is a rabbit-hole of original synthesizer work, and this is as good a place as any to start. Name your price, so be kind.

Fourtet - Randoms (Self)

You're a fan of Fourtet in one way or another, even if you don't know it. Not only did he create a 'Banned country' playlist, but he's embraced Bandcamp like no other, and whilst also giving away profits, homes exclusive albums like 'Randoms' on Bandcamp. People like him help get efforts like this off the ground. And that 'Gillie Amma I Love You' track is just magical. 

Composure - Ambient Techno For Japan (Labyrinth)

Lastly, this compilation is from 2011, and was originally set up for the Japan quake-relief. However, it's one of those gems that needs to be in any ambient/techno fans collection, and probably just sits in your wish-list right now, waiting for when you've got a spare $20 to drop... change that and buy it. The CD is folklore, but the digital is here just for you...

If none of those got your cash out, then check out my full collection on Bandcamp here.

Optic Echo Presents – Best Vinyl of 2015

Mike Jedlicka's Optic Echo radio show consistently serves up some of the best ambient, experimental and modern classical vinyl-only selections. In this special edition, Mike has curated some of his favorite vinyl of the year specially prepared for Headphone Commute.

As you would expect from a weekly show trying to summarize a years worth of wax purchases, it was no doubt an arduous task narrowing it downvand the result is a lovely journey through the many styles Mike covers on his show.

Mike's included some of my favorite vinyl of the year too, namely Night Sequels, 36, wndfrm, Benoit Poulard and Inventions, all sitting proudly in my best of 2015 lists. And a big thanks to Mike for also selecting Arovane & Hior Chronik's release.

Check out the Optic Echo Mixcloud page for all of the previous shows and Headphone Commute for full details and all download options.

Download.

Tracklist:
Mountains – Parallel Two – You Can’t Hide Your Love Forever
Kreng – Bargaining- The Summoner
Night Sequels – Siamese Summer – Children of the Night Make Music
Jon Hopkins – I Remember (Nils Frahm Dub Interrupt Remix) – I Remember 10”
Four Tet – Morning Side – Morning / Evening
Max Richter – Space 11 (Invisible Pages Over)- From Sleep
Shuttle358 – Can You Prove I Was Born?
Andrew Weathers – We Will Never See A Cloud Again – Fuck Everybody, You Can do Anything
VA (Marcus Fischer) – Field Works: Progue’s Run
Rival Consoles – Ghosting – Howl
Pye Corner Audio – Quasar II – Stars Shine Like Eyes 10”
Benoit Poulard – Whose Palms Create – Sonnet
36 – Sky Fire – Pulse Dive
wndfrm – Monopole – Formal Variant EP
Christina Vantzou – Stereoscope – No. 3
T.Raumschmiere – 007 – T.Raumschmiere
Inventions – Wolfkids – Maze of Woods
Nils Frahm – Our Own Roof – Music For The Motion Picture Victoria
Arovane & Hior Chronik – Scale – In-between [BUY]
Valet – Transformation – Nature
Anduin – Last Days of Montrose House 10”
Helm – I Exist In A Fog – Olympic Mess
Kamran Sadeghi – The Right Direction is Left
Lawrence English – Antarctica – Viento
Olafur Arnalds & Nils Frahm – Three – Loon
Celer – Distant Misgivings – Jima