isolatedmix 109 - Andy Green / Verdant Recordings

Back when I used to post a lot more mixes here on ASIP, Andy Green and his Verdant Recordings alias was featured quite a few times on the site. It’s a reminder of the magical small worlds we operated in as we stumbled across similar Soundcloud profiles or even personal websites with nothing but MP3 links and text docs with tracklists. It seems like a minefield nowadays to hunt down something special - so much choice - in both good and bad ways. So seeing Andy contribute to the isolatedmix series all these years later and being able to follow his progress with the Verdant Recordings label is a nice reminder of the early years.

Andy seems to have organically progressed through the years in a similar path to me, in fact. From a pure-music fan to compiling mixes across a variety of styles and now, curating a label, Andy’s always been in and amongst our small world and it’s a delight to finally invite him here to curate an isolatedmix.

Hi Andy. It looks like you've been running Verdant Recordings for about five years now. I notice you state that the label is unconstrained by genre, which is something I admire and try to uphold with ASIP too. What filters do you apply when looking for a label release?

Yes, it’s nearly 5 years and only 10 records released so I am rather selective and the projects take shape very slowly. I’m essentially trying to build a catalog that reflects my own evolving and diverse tastes by reaching out to established producers I really admire or new producers whose talents need a place to be heard. It is personally enriching to have had a handful of previously unreleased artists being heard for the 1st time via the label. The next record will feature the wonderful Jo Johnson as part of an ambient double 12. Our collaboration was first discussed at the inception of the label back in 2016 and in some respects, the music she has composed has benefitted from the time taken since then. The project's working title is ‘Less Popular Than Cats’ and also includes Reedale Rise, Outlier and !nterject!on…... if enough folk are keen to own a copy it should be available by the summer.

As a fellow label-head, what do you find most challenging about running a label?

I find promoting a mystery and difficult and it’s not in my nature to push the label on social media (which seems to be essential for smaller labels in current times). I also struggle telling people that I’m not able to release some of the wonderful music they are generous enough to send me….. and especially if they are somebody I know.

You're based in the UK so how do you see Brexit impacting your label operations? If at all?

I’m running the label purely for my own pleasure and quite a rubbish label manager when it comes to the business side. Brexit is a total shit-show and I’m (not) dealing with it by moaning and sticking my head in the sand. I see the impact now principally through the eyes of a collector, noticing that record prices from Europe have increased by 25% in recent months and shipping has become ridiculously expensive with an extra dose of extortion to add salt to the wound. I know that I cannot collect as much music now, so I fear sales will decline for everyone… I hear from vinyl die-hards that they’ll be buying digital music in the future.

You recently released 'Changing Seasons' on your Vertex label Project which I managed to pick up over here in the US and it features an ASC ‘Grey Area’ remix which sounds very much like his Comit output. I didn’t know the track was on there at the time, until I asked the store to give it a spin whilst I was browsing, and then shouted "hey this sounds like Comit?!" How did you go about choosing remixes for this project?

Jamie (Exalt) and I really are very proud of this Vertex project and it’s been a pleasure getting to know and work with Jonas over the last couple of years. The original was ostensibly a dub techno album but aimed at home listening and so the remix project was our attempt to toughen up some tracks but avoid doing straight-up dub techno remixes. We discussed remixers and between us reached out to some admired and favorite producers. I’ve probably collected more records of James (ASC) than anyone else in recent times so I was thrilled to secure his talents and that remix IS sublime. Similarly, having Mike Schommer onboard fulfilled another ambition. It's only just to acknowledge GRIT’s chunky take and of course, Bjarnar’s (Ohm) charming ‘Morning Glory’ who is a long-standing friend of Jonas and chuffed to say of mine now too. Coming back to the ASC remix there’s a good back story about the composition. The closing ambient section wasn't there initially and I had the nerve to ask James to develop what was a great remix already. It turns out he’d already had the identical idea and so the longer track became the remix he really wanted to make for us from the start and the one I really wanted to hear. He's also mentioned to us that it’s one his favorite remixes he’s recorded in recent times.

I was posting your mixes on ASIP over 10 years ago now (many are archived on the old site, unfortunately) but you've obviously been compiling mixes for a while, how did you get into it?

I was a very late starter when it came to mixing music though I have danced, listened and collected for over 3 decades now. My first few years of mixing were focused on ambient and experimental music simply because I assumed it was easier and the mix for you back then was actually one of the earlier podcasts requested. Nowadays, I record mostly beat-driven music but my passion for ambient music remains and it’s a treat to do this for ASIP again after the gap. For the record, I’ve since appreciated that a well-mixed ambient set is harder to achieve than boshing out a techno set.

Your mix, is therefore a suitably deep affair. Can you tell us a little bit more about what you had in mind putting it together?

The majority of my mixes are rather spontaneous and I don't tend to pour over track selections or plan them out too carefully (this shows!) ….. Usually I aim for a feeling and go from there and so they tend to reflect my current headspace. Like many of us over the last 12 months, I have experienced some darker days but also a few good times. I recorded this a few days after a rare day last October….(Jane Fitz' and Jade Seattle’s Day Moves actually) where I had caught up with some lovely friends for the 1st time in nearly 9 months. When it came to the mix I think I was trying to channel some of the residual glow but also contrast that with that some of the more introspective moods we have found ourselves in. Thanks again for giving me the chance to share this experience.

Listen on Soundcloud, Mixcloud, or the ASIP Podcast.

astrangelyisolatedplace · isolatedmix 109 - Andy Green / Verdant Recordings

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Tracklist:

01. Move D /The Silent Orbiter (…txt)
02. Donato Dozzy /Comfort Zone (IDO)
03. Taece /Time In Waves (unreleased)
04. Biosphere /Warmed By The Drift (Touch)
05. Ligovskoï /Mungu (Field Records)
06. Deepchord /Immersions (Astral Industries)
07. Konduku /Panorama (Mantis)
08. Radiohead /Treefinger (XL Recordings)
09. Fatih Tuter /Appreciation (Shimmering Moods Records)
10. Harold Budd & Brian Eno /Dark Eyed Sister (Editions)
11. Jock Burton /Lake Monger (Analogue Attic Recordings)
12. Marow /Inter 3 (IDO)
13. Night Sea /This Will Take Time (Silent Season)
14. Healing Force Project /Kinetic Drawing (Porn Sword Tobacco Edit) (Wicked Bass)
15. Mihail P /Jellyfish (Self Released)
16. Chapterhouse (retranslated by Global Communication /Delta Phase (Dedicated)
17. D.K. /Untitled (12th Isle)

~

Verdant Recordings | Bandcamp | Soundcloud

isolatedmix 82 - Ocoeur

It was 2013 when Franck Zaragoza’s beautiful electronic debut for n5MD grabbed our attention and secured itself as one of the years finest releases. Since then, Franck and his Ocoeur project, has continued on the label with three more albums - his latest, ‘Inner’ landing just last month on gold vinyl.

Looking back at Ocoeur’s evolution on n5MD over the past five years, there’s been a continual shift in approach, perhaps mimicking fast-paced life itself, or simply a natural progression and refinement in Franck’s sound. Whether purposeful or accidental, it’s evident Franck is continually in search of honing and perfecting his sound.

2013’s ‘Light As A Feather’ was, ironically, the deepest of Franck’s productions - rooted in electronica, and containing tracks that wouldn’t have sounded out of place in a dimly lit warehouse party, alongside more refined listening moments that were just a taster of what was to come over the next few years.

‘Reversed’ saw Franck lean further into the instrumental and modern classical side of his productions, with elegant piano and string moments, affirming his place as a master of atmospheres and a dab-hand should a big soundtrack offer come knocking at his door one day.

2018’s ‘Inner’ perhaps, by design and title, is Franck’s most introspective piece, with slow, burning, soaring synths that wouldn’t be out of place on a Blade Runner score, but without the expected assault of Hans-Zimmer-esque synth-splurges. Instead, Franck’s sound comes from the modern classical world in the truest of simple, delicate and sublime senses.

The comparison in five years alone shows how much Franck has to offer within his production arsenal, with each album somehow, succeeding the last.

For his isolatedmix, Franck has leaned on his own productions alongside complimentary inspirations that help portray a dream-like hour of ambience, dotted with highs and lows - demonstrating some of the many emotions Franck has continually painted over the past five years. Without even listening, seeing the likes of Murcof, Rauelsson and Cliff Martinez, alongside Ocoeur’s own productions within the track list should indicate how delicate and considered this mix is.

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Tracklist:

01. Zinovia Arvanitidi - Invisible
02. Ocoeur - In The Starlight - Pixys
03. Cliff Martinez - He Had a Good Time
04. Disasterpeace - Formations
05. Jessica Curry - Dear Esther - Always (Hebridean mix)
06. Ocoeur - Unseen
07. SineRider - Alouette
08. Murcof - Uri
09. Ocoeur - Passage
10. Ocoeur - Time Over (Rework)
11. Ocoeur - Mother
12. Rauelsson - Arrows
13. Ocoeur - Echo
14. Deru - Drink It In
15. Brian Eno & Harold Budd - Late October

Ocoeur | n5MD | Soundcloud | Facebook

isolatedmix 79 - Autumn Of Communion

Mick Chillage and Lee Norris come together as Autumn Of Communion. Between them, their music stretches into the deepest roots of modern ambient music.

Lee Norris' monikers range from the cult 90's electronica of Metamatics and Norken, through to the beautiful tones of The Angling Loser - a collective of ambient artists that also includes Porya Hatami and Will Bolton. Lee's also helming the ...txt label, which has played home to many AOC releases and just recently, a monumental boxset that features the entire AOC discography. ...txt has also presented us with some brilliant albums by Sage Taylor (aka Textural Being) (Raintime) and the more psychedelic ambient sound of Ishq (2016's Fhorm being a fave of mine), as well as becoming home to many of Mick Chillage's productions. 

The label and indeed AOC's sound is no doubt influenced by the legendary FAX label, which also presented Autumn Of Communion's most seminal piece to date, their 2012 self-titled masterpiece. The album was perhaps overshadowed by the unfortunate passing of FAX founder Pete Namlook in 2012, but you can think of no better home, or higher praise for the duo. Mick, is no stranger to this high praise either, with one of the most revered albums on the FAX label, FAXology in 2011, followed by releases on FAX-dedicated output, Carpe Sonum. 

The web of productions between them both runs deep into some of the genre's best rabbit-holes. Just last week, I was in a record shop in Bellingham WA, at a random second-hand record store. I got talking to the owner about the type of records and artists I was on the hunt for and he said, "I just bought something new last week from Databloem". Sure enough he went on to play a CD and out comes Mick Chillage's 2016 album, Paths. It's the type of music that breaks down boundaries and epitomizes the true early 90's ambient sound and arguably, Autumn Of Communion is the purest distillation of their combined works. 

For isolatedmix 79, the duo wade through some of the genre's finest producers, both old and new. Track-by-track, it's a who's-who of ambient music, but the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts - this AOC mix channels the very essence of pure ambient music and the many inspirations behind AOC. 

Download.

Tracklist:

01. William Basinski - 92982.1
02. Tangerine Dream - Sequent C
03. Ryuichi Sakamoto - Fullmoon
04. David Sylvian - The Healing Place
05. Billow Observatory - Plum
06. Tetsu Inoue - Elevator Drops
07. Dots - Dense
08. Cluster & Eno - Für Luise
09. Autumn Of Communion - Streams Pt4
10. Jochem Paap - Dx-Snth
11. Harold Budd & Robin Guthrie - Twilight

Autumn Of Communion: Bandcamp | Discogs

Artwork/image by Ricardo Gomez Angel

isolatedmix 77 - Aukai: A Winter Of Listening

I first happened across Aukai (Markus Sieber), when learning of Abul Mogard remixing his track, 'Snow' early last year. A seemingly delicate and beautiful original is turned into a haunting, synth-laden affair by Abul, was it not for a quick check of the original, I may have missed out on the greatness of Markus' work. 

A comparison that doesn't do his work justice, but one that hit me immediately upon listening to his ST album, were the similarities between Aukai and some of James Newton Howard's work, specifically 'The Village'. Delicate guitars lining the simple and minimal compositions, evoking moments of beauty, mystery and fear. One of my favorite quotes that go on to describe Markus' work though, comes from John Dilberto from Echoes:

"Think Gustavo Santaolalla cavorting in a landscape of Ludovico Einaudi while sitting on the Champs-Élysées with the Penguin Cafe Orchestra...In its matrix of mood and emotion, intelligence and sensuousness, Aukai could not be more perfectly pitched." 

Markus has recently returned with perhaps, his best work yet; a new album titled 'Branches of Sun'. Hosting a multitude of instruments and collaborators as 'The Aukai Ensemble', the album once again leads with Markus' secret weapon, the Ronroco (Charango) alongside subtle electronics, violins, the glockenspiel and cello (with Nils Frahm collaborator Anne Müller playing the part). The result is a soundtrack set for breezy fields, dusty plains and adventure beyond the snow-capped mountains. Each turn brings a new level of depth, featuring melodies fit for a theater and vivid compositions that will undoubtedly resonate with any listener looking for an escape into a new kind of wilderness.

For his isolatedmix, Markus has brought the same respect for beautiful instrumentation and a similar ability to capture the imagination we've seen across his modest discography. Featuring true masters of their craft, Markus blends the likes of Nils Frahm, Otto A Totland, Ben Lukas Boysen and even Harold Budd into one beautiful enchanting journey. 

"In anticipation of my latest release, ‘Branches Of Sun’ I much enjoyed putting together this mix for A Strangely Isolated Place. This last winter I had a good chance to listen to a bit more music again, as with the two previous winters I was busy with writing and recording my own music. In these moments I can’t listen to anything at all - I am already so full with melody and sound after sitting in the studio for a whole day. 

I picked mostly quieter ambient pieces here, that share a fine sense for an emotive minimalism and a space of reflection and contemplation.  These are all musical gems either from good friends I had the pleasure to work with like Martyn Heyne, Anne Müller, Alex Nickmann, Abul Mogard, Ben Lukas Boysen, Will Ryan Fritch or pieces that had crossed my path in one way or another leaving their traces within me, may it be for the composition, the sonic texture, sound of a particular instrument, or the way they were recorded. Wishing you all a good listening journey with this mix" - Markus Sieber (Aukai)

Download. 

00:00 Nils Petter Molvaer - Sober | Thirsty Ear Records 
03:20 Aukai - Snow (Abul Mogard Rework) | Self Release/Aukai Music 
07:04 Martyn Heyne - Afar | K7! 
10:34 Nils Frahm, Anne Müller - On Our Roof | Erased Tapes
15:35 Hecq (Ben Lukas Boysen) - Nescient | Hymen Records  
17:52 Dmitry Evgrafov - Wandering | 130701  
21:02 Snow Palms - Circling | Village Green 
24:47 Walter Fähndrich - Viola II | ECM
30:04 Sven Helbig - Meernacht | Neue Meister  
35:09 Harold Budd - Wanderer | All Saints Records 
39:14 Mogwai - Dust Bowl | Lakeshore Records 
41:53 Penguin Cafe - Half Certainty | Erased Tapes  
44:17 Aukai - Colorado | Self Release/Aukai Music
47:40 William Ryan Fritch - By the Letter | Lost Tribe Sound
48:34 Michael Price - Budapest | Erased Tapes 
52:18 Gustavo Santaolalla - Requiem | Sony Masterworks
54:08 Otto A Totland - The Lost | Sonic Pieces
57:20 Balmorhea - Dream of Thaw | Western Vinyl
1:02:09 William Ryan Fritch - Glass Slowly Shifts | Lost Tribe Sound
1:03:17 Anne Müller - Silbersee | Nonostar Records 
1:05:38 Alex Nickmann - Day Dreaming | Self Released 

Aukai Bandcamp | Twitter | Soundcloud

isolatedmix 76 - Dalot: Un-time

Maria Papadomanolaki has been a part of the ASIP library for a few years now.  One of the first artists that caught my ear on the n5MD label, I remember seeing Maria perform many-years ago in London alongside Winterlight and port-royal. Dalot's shoegaze-inspired ambient drones kicked off a brilliant night of relatively unheard artists from the n5MD roster that left me chasing down many back-catalogs as a newbie to n5MD.

After providing a remix on Uncharted Places, Maria was a part of our second vinyl compilation, Europe, finding harmony as she looked back at her home of Kalathas beach in Greece, and setting a warm and gracious tone as the opening track. Her music is often varied as far as ambient goes, from delicate micro-textures, to guitar-laden soundscapes, or as heard on her most recent outing for n5MD in Mutogibito; a moment of rebirth and celebration embracing her post-rock-side, whilst also toying with the more organic elements of experimental electronica.

Just as you think you've got her down, Maria goes and partners with Vietnam's, Sound Awakener, on a new project called 'Little Things', further venturing into microscopic details and varied textures; something the two of them have clearly enjoyed partnering on. Guitars, analog synthesizers and of course a multitude of field recordings create a truly rich and varied palette of ambient and experimental recordings on this release for Fluid Audio. It's music that's evidently filled with heart, obsessed over, and then completed with the tiniest of finishes in mind - a sentiment echoed in Fluid Audio's beautiful packaging for the release.

When I asked for a Dalot isolatedmix, I didn't know which way Maria would take it, but the end result works in harmony with how I began to describe her work alongside Sound Awakener in Little Things. 

Titled 'Un-time', it's a mix of music that bleeds emotion, texture and escapism - all similar traits found in her latest production. A connoisseur of instrumental and organic based ambient music, Maria includes masters of the practice such as Marsen Jules, Taylor Deupree and Harold Budd, to create a blanket of warmth, as microscopic sounds of an abstract nature surround you. 

In Maria's own words, “Un-time offers an open space, a space for undoing and reflection and un-timing, of stepping out of time and the awareness of its passage;  like a mayfly or a dewdrop with shades, and light and colours of many shapes and makings, mostly untimed.”

Little Things is available now.

Download.

Tracklist:

01. Eliane Radigue – L’ile Re-sonante (un-time edit)
02. Philip Jeck -  The All of Water
03. Marsen Jules – Beatyfear VIII
04. Josh Mason – Infinite Crown of Shells
05. Taylor Deupree – Shoals
06. Christina Kubisch  - Night Shift
07. Dalot & Sound Awakener – Sailing
08. Sawako – Wind Shower Particle
09. Deaf Center – Fiction Dawn
10. Harold Budd – Children on the Hill

Artwork/image credit:: sonalidalal

Dalot on Bandcamp | Web | n5MD