ASIP - Reflection on 2022

As with all past ‘Reflection’ year-end mixes, I start with a collection of music I have enjoyed over the past year. Through the process of compiling a mix, songs are whittled down and selected from this collection. This means many of my favorite tracks and albums are often omitted in this 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 hopefully 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 at the bottom). Of course, releases or aliases that are a part of our own label/s are not considered for this mix (head over here for our label-specific 2022 showcase!), and if you want to see the majority of what I’ve been supporting, head over to my Bandcamp collection.

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Mixes paint a memory, and in many ways better than a photo. That’s half the reason I do these year-end mixes. Listening back to some of the past ten ‘Reflection on’ editions, each one still does the job of invoking specific memories for me. From the time I made the mix or tracks that trigger a time and place, maybe a gig I went to, an album that soundtracked a special moment, or just a record that didn’t leave my turntable. All of these things influence what tracks go into my year-end mix. It makes it challenging to try and capture, but also rewarding when I come out of the other side with something to listen back to that really shaped my year in listening. Despite this feature taking many, many hours, it’s much easier than doing a list, because not only do I dislike ranking music, but I really enjoy putting together mixes (so any excuse really!).

I haven’t written in-depth track notes for the past few Reflection mixes, mostly due to the sheer high number of track inclusions, but I want to go into depth on the inclusions this time around. I miss writing about music here, and it’s been a few years now since I’ve even posted a review. So hit play below, keep scrolling for the track notes, and link to a BuyMusicClub list to support all the featured music.

astrangelyisolatedplace · ASIP - Reflection on 2022

Listen on Soundcloud, or the ASIP Podcast.
Download MP3

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Firstly, let's sweep it under the rug; I’ve broken the biggest rule of the mix and included a track that wasn’t from 2022 (in fact, a couple aren’t strictly, but more on that later). The first track (and album), by maarja nut and ruum was such a lovely discovery for me this year that I missed in 2018, it accidentally slipped into my 2022 playlist due to being on high rotation. Of course, it was the very first track in the mix that set the tone- a hard one to undo when you’ve completed the set. So, because I have no one to answer to but myself, it stays! And I doubt you will regret this decision either if this album is new to you. 

Malibu made an appearance in 2020’s mix, and she’s perhaps a good reason for igniting a stronghold in female vocal led-ambient music recently. But few attempts are as ethereal as Malibu’s latest, going full-on Salt Tank (as a fellow Trance lover nicely put it once).

Ecovillage have made some gorgeous music over the years, and their latest album was a work of collaborations with some impressive producers such as Fennesz and harpist Nailah Hunter. My favorite track of the bunch was Memories of Spring featuring Japanese vibraphone player Masayoshi Fujita (the Erased Tapes stalwart). 

Raum, a collaborative project by Jefre Cantu-Ledesma and Liz Harris (Grouper) released a long-awaited follow-up to their 2013 album, and it didn’t disappoint. Whilst used more as a texture/segue in this mix, I encourage you to explore the full album. And, in a nod to Liz Harris’ involvement in the artwork for one of our releases this year, it felt fitting to include her project in this mix (thanks Liz!).

I’ve admired GiGi FM’s DJ’ing abilities for a few years now (check out her isolatedmix) but only last year did she debut her production chops with Kiwi Synthesis Diary 21k. I didn’t get around to listening to the album until this year (along with her latest, Magnetite EP) and so it didn’t make last year’s mix which was already out in the world. So here’s another little cheat, albeit a very short inclusion.

You can’t say "In Every Dream Home A Heartache” without reading it like the Roxy Music intro, and Romance and Dean Hurley’s similarly named album is just as memorable for me in many ways. Whilst this track is not my favorite from the album, it reminds me of the church bells and distant music playing from across the farm fields in my hometown back in England.

Fallen, aka Lorenzo Bracaloni seems to have released quite a few albums this year, but I was introduced to Moonlight Romance by Noah M (who creates many of our own artworks and was behind the art for this one). It’s like a new-new-age album, full of life and color, and a really pleasant listen from front to back.

One thing I find hard with this annual mix is whether to include tracks that have appeared in some other mixes of mine this year. Ultimately, I want to try and present new listening experiences with each mix, but then again, I am sure it’s very few of you who actually listen to all of them!… . Steve Roach’s What Remains appeared in a previous mix of mine this year, but this track is him at his very best. Refined, patient, bellowing, and glistening - a master of the style.

Pretty sure nthng has appeared in the last two Reflection mixes, but what can I say… whether he is releasing pounding atmospheric techno or soaring trance-inducing textures like this one, he somehow manages to draw me in with each of his releases. (I think, secretly, he’s a trance head and there’s a subconscious/ telepathic attraction going on between us).

At this point I got lost in the bellows of the last few tracks, so decided to find a way out of this musical chapter, and IKSRE provided a nice euphoric bridge with her vocals. Released on the ‘Healing Together’ compilation curated by Cynthia Bernard / Marine Eyes, plenty of tracks from this comp could’ve made it onto this mix, so you know what to do after...

There was no doubt I was going to try and include a Norm Chambers track in here somewhere, both due to his unfortunate passing this year and his undeniable contribution to the ambient and experimental community. I seeked out a jolt in the mix at this point, so his music didn’t go unnoticed. As someone I follow recently said, you could make five mixes from his library of music and each one would sound different. Thank you for the music Norm - RIP.

Chicago artists Purelink seems to be at the front of this new 'jungle/beat infused choppy ambience™, that I’ve seen becoming quite popular lately (how old do I sound). And one member of this trio features a bit later under a different alias. There is lots to explore in this world - whether it be following each of the member artists, their labels, or some of their own self-released music on Bandcamp. This track fits my dreamy chill-out world perfectly and was a much-needed segue into a more beat-driven chapter of the mix. 

Spoiler alert, Mikkel Rev will be making an appearance in the ASIP fam in 2023, so until he does, he’s OK to be included in this mix (!) As part of the Ute Collective hailing from Norway, it’s another rabbit hole of amazing young talent should you be into the more trance-infused sound of ambient music (or indeed, full-on trance music - plenty of that there). He makes some superb atmospheric chugging downtempo that ranges from the delicate to the beat-driven.

Whenever a new Biosphere album drops, it’s met with slight trepidation on my end. Not least because his albums take forever to reach the US on vinyl, but, how do you live up to the classics you created that helped define a genre? But that feeling is always short-lived and none so short as 2022’s effort. In what is a direct throwback to some of his earlier electronic styles, Shortwave Memories is one of his best in the past 10 years - at least. The N-Plants vibe in this particular track is the show-stopper. 

ReKaB was a new discovery for me this year, and the Móatún 7 label that homes this release, is a goldmine for electro-leaning music (even featuring a Yagya 10” recently). I think I played this ReKaB album front to back more than five times in the car one day. It’s such an enjoyable listen - not too pretentious, just enough old-school vibe, and energy to keep things present as opposed to wallpaper.  

OK, a couple more records were not strictly new in 2022 but I’ve always debated including reissues in this mix, and finally come around to the idea given the proliferation recently. After all, there was never a Reflection on 1993 was there?!  Spacetime Continuum and the always-on-point Musique Por La Danse label provide the 90’s throwback. (The similar-era Detroit Escalator reissue would have also made it in here, but I had to stop somewhere).

Daniel Avery’s album is a monolith. Throwbacks to Aphex on a SAW tip, mixed in with wall-shuddering bass and cave-mentality breakdowns. Any electronic fan that spent time in a dimly lit rave is going to enjoy his latest, just as much as the IDM/Electronica fan in all of us. I’m not sure if the track in the mix is my fave of the album yet, but the bigger tracks on the album would have sent this mix into a whole new dimension.

Seeing James Devane pop up this year was weird. Back in my blog days (they still exist today but this specific instance was 13 years ago), I uploaded a cover of Aphex Twin’s Rhubarb by James Devane to Soundcloud to host on the blog (remember those days) - it has 26k plays and the majority of us I’m sure really had no idea who he was until this year. With just one prior release on Discogs, I thought he dropped off radar. I guess he kind of did. This album was therefore a surprise to see, and its Gas-like fringed-techno a pleasant reintroduction.

Prior to Covid, I was due to DJ at an Astral Industries gig in London, and Transcendence Orchestra was on the bill for the second night I was there (when I'd get to relax and enjoy the full night!) It didn’t happen, unfortunately, but I always keep an ear out for their output and regret not being able to see them live. Back to the mix though, I didn’t go too hard on the modular synth-heavy tracks this year, but as with all Reflection mixes, I try and cover the variety of music I’ve been listening to. Whilst the full Transcendence Orchestra album ‘Dreams, Waking Thoughts and Incidents’ is a dark trance-inducing affair that might have felt like a rabbit hole at this point in the mix, this track formed a nice segue into the next with a similar sound…

This was the year Abul Mogard no longer hid behind his “old man steel factory worker” story and came out of the shadows on Houndstooth alongside COH (Gone is my idea for an “I AM THEREFORE I AM (ABUL MOGARD)” t-shirt). I’ve always wondered what Abul Mogard’s (real name Guido Zen) music would sound like if you added some fizz and more obvious structure, and this track can still be found bouncing around in my head somewhere. 

Another track not ‘new’ in 2022, but once again, there are no rules when you’re documenting someone so profound. And to lose Low’s Mimi Parker was a shock to everyone this year. I was late to the Low party given how long they have been around, but Mimi’s vocals on this track from one of their most recent albums (Double Negative) are purely angelic. I took liberties with the layering in the mix here, respectfully, so I hope it pays off in the listen as a moment of true reflection.

It’s not often you get treated to some of this early 90’s music for the very first time, but stumbling across Bowery Electric is like finding a long-lost favorite. Originally released in 1996, this is an example of why Kranky is so legendary all those years later, playing host to gems like this.

Nosaj Thing isn’t normally the type of music that stays in my periphery, but my colleagues were sharing the news of this new album, existing on the fringes of hip-hop and electronica, and when Julianna Barwick is involved, I tend to put it at the top of the pile. Whilst the beat closely reminded me of Massive Attack’s Teardrop, there’s no hiding the track’s beauty in totality. Add to this, I took a friend to see Nosaj Thing at The Greek Theater in LA, and we drank way too many Caipirinha’s before stumbling up the hill to the venue and missed Nosaj playing altogether… We did catch Toro Y Moi after though, so it’s a perfect memory captured for 2022. 

I’m glad Synkro returned with music this year, and it’s an amazing little EP on R&S to boot. Maybe even more atmospheric than his previous work, the beats are a little more smudged across this EP, but everything he touches has a considered, unique touch that can be heard strongly throughout his work and within collaborations (such as Kiyoko). 

There's a substantial amount of music to discover from Neglect on Bandcamp, someone I’ve admired from afar for a while now. This track, taken from his latest album is amongst a beautiful bunch of nostalgic electronica that cries quality.

It’s always hard to single out an Astral Industries release. The consistency of releases are faultless, so my shortlist this year with AI releases to include, was, well… not very short. Mystic AM, however, is the first release by Astral label boss Ario, alongside none other than Rod Modell, so it quickly became top of the pile by reason of a special moment in 2022, not least because of the beauty found in its original Iranian field recordings. 

Perhaps one of the most extensive releases of the year comes from the always intriguing Stroom label, and Voice Actor. 109 pieces of music and a surprising quality found throughout. It’s more collage than music when listened to as one, but you’ll find some lovely moments hidden amongst the 8(?) hours. “Will it be available on vinyl” I hear you jest? I’ve seen this popping up in lots of EOY lists already too.

There's talk within my small circles that Music For Animals is Nils Frahm’s best album yet. I’m not sticking by that just yet, as Spaces is probably in my top 10 of all time so far, but it certainly represents a stunning (d)evolution? Not a piano in sight you say? I immediately disbelieved it. But alas. It's like Nils kept getting put into Ambient playlists on Spotify and was like "OK, I'll give you what you really want…”.

I’m not quite sure how I stumbled across Ben Bondy. I think a friend might’ve recommended an album of his (Hadi, was that you?!) but It was enough for me to stalk his many Bandcamp releases and find some lovey instances. This track reminds me of a classic chill-out room track in its swirling laid-back mystery and vocal. 

I wouldn’t have come across the All India Radio track if it wasn’t for the great compilation it was presented on this year by Mystic and Quantum (a label responsible for some lovely releases over the years). New to me, it looks like they have quite the discography I’m yet to dig into, but this was a lovely moment that flowed nicely after the previous. Time to do some digging.

Concave Reflection (see Purelink reference above) is another artist in the fringes of my frequent listens but one I’m fully dipping my toes in right now. The full-length album ’The Best People Are Like Water’ is a really interesting listen - kind of metallic, chopped-up ambiance that the Spheric label are becoming known for (and seems to be all the hype right now).

Whilst the next track was originally from an album released a few years back, you’ve probably learned by now I’m bending the rules a little. However, this version of Hania Rani’s track Leaving, is a live recording released in 2022. After watching her live performance on KEXP, (shout to Alex Ruder!) I was truly mind-blown at her talent. It’s easy to make comparisons to Nils of course, but Hania has that vocal element which adds a whole new dimension.

If I had to be pushed, my favorite non-ambient album this year might have come from Mike Paradinas / µ-Ziq. Magic Pony Ride is just pure fun. And you need that in your listening repertoire nowadays, right? The bank of melodies and creativity this guy has amassed over the years must be unbelievable. To think, only some of it makes itself out into the world as a record. He followed this album up with another similar stunner too  - spoiled!

I've already given Wardown his superlatives for the year in his isolatedmix feature, but in summary, Wardown II followed up his nostalgic DnB/Jungle debut under this alias in style. Will there be a third that can keep the standard this high??

I could've launched into a complete Jungle/DnB hour at this point, but being 2hrs in, I really had to start winding this beast down and get all the end-of-the-night feels going. Bot1500’s latest EP stepped in nicely here - a lovely collection of melodic IDM and the track Chartreuse 8 felt rather emotional.

Royksopp really don’t do things by halves, and whether the entirety of their music is enjoyed or not when it crosses into the Pop realm, they still manage to conjure up some magic moments. I wanted to try and include a track out of the 3(!) albums they released this year but really couldn't find one that fit outside of this weird sample here. It worked on a few levels for me here though, “Press R to continue” …

Rose Riebl…With three compilations curated by Headphone Commute, the quality found amongst the ‘For Ukraine’ comps should go down as monumental and unmissable. I knew I had to get a track in this mix from the many on display, and this one felt like a perfect near-conclusion to the mix. Don’t miss out on supporting a great cause and listening to some of the best artists creating modern classical music right now.

The final track of the mix comes from EXM. While I normally try and end these mixes with a closer that is potentially surprising or off-genre (maybe a glance at other weird music I listen to) this one just somehow felt right. Uplifting and melodic, you can’t help but mirror its gradual progression with your volume-up button.

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The art for this mix might feel a little unflattering at first, but I wanted to capture the mass AI hysteria as part of this year’s memory and mix. So, fittingly, this is what I got back with the creative input of ‘A Strangely Isolated Place’. Why so literal, bot?

Tracklist + Buy Music Club:

01. maarja nuut & ruum - Mahe (Fat Cat Records)
02. Malibu - Iliad (UNO NYC)
03. Ecovillage - Memories of Spring feat. Masayoshi Fujita (LAAPS)
04. Raum - Daughter (Self)
05. GiGi FM - Rosé (Louise) (Self)
06. Romance & Dean Hurley - The Flesh Is Weak (Ecstatic)
07. Fallen - Under A Glass Moon Of Wonder (Aural Canyon)
08. Steve Roach - What Remains (Self)
09. nthng - Some Clouds Are Destined To Break (Transatlantic)
10. IKSRE - You Will Find (PITP)
11. Norm Chambers - Resonant Foam (Self)
12. Purelink - Butterfly Jam (uWu Dust Bath)
13. Mikkel Rev - Ende (Translusid)
14. Biosphere - Night Shift (Biophon Records)
15. ReKaB - The Lightest Touch (Móatún 7)
16. Spacetime Continuum - Drift (Musique Pour La Danse)
17. Daniel Avery - Lone Swordsman (Mute)
18. James Devane - Orange and Tan (Umeboshi)
19. Transcendence Orchestra - The Hills Are Alive (Old Technology)
20. COH meets Abul Mogard - Traverse Within (Houndstooth)
21. Low - Fly (Subpop)
22. Bowery Electric - Postscript (Kranky)
23. Nosaj Thing feat. Julianna Barwick - Blue Hour (Lucky Me)
24. Synkro - Last Breath (R&S Records)
25. Neglect - In The Bondage of Your Identity (Unsilent Desert Press)
26. Mystic AM - This Spoke Zarathustra (Astral Industries)
27. Voice Actor - Hurt With Me (STROOM)
28. Nils Frahm - Right Right Right (Leiter)
29. Ben Bondy - Spring (Self)
30. All India Radio - Ancient Invocations (Mystic & Quantum)
31. Concave Reflection -Daylight Portrait (Theory Therapy)
32. Hania Rani - Leaving (Live from Studio S2) (Gondwana)
33. µ-Ziq - Turquoise Hyperfizz (Planet Mu)
34. Wardown - Stimulus Progression Pattern (Blu Mar Ten)
35. Bot1500 - Chartreuse 8 (Lith Dolina)
36. Royksopp - Press <<R>> (Self)
37. Rose Riebl - Near Dark (Headphone Commute)
38. EXM - Autumn is Coming (Dyadik)

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Buy Music Club list >>

isolatedmix 100 - Tom Middleton

Since the first isolatedmix by Ulrich Schnauss in 2009, we’ve been lucky enough to explore many of the artists, DJ’s, producers and inspirations behind this site’s inception. It started as a way for me to dig into what makes some of my musical heroes tick and to this day is a way for me to unearth some insights behind my favorite musicians, both new and old. Isolatedmixes over the years have been themed; full showcases; focused on a specific concept, or simply tracks from the heart. They’ve provided a unique angle on a musician or DJ through the lens of ASIP and each recalls a specific moment in time for me as ASIP has evolved, and I’m sure many others too, who have been along for the ride since the beginning.

The invite sent to this particular contributor has been a dream since before the series even existed. One half of Global Communication; remixer of the finest order; Jedi Knight, Sleep Science Coach; multi-genre DJ, plus a personal memory of a hands-in-the-air-festival-moment-circa-2001 with Take Me With You; we welcome Tom Middleton, and our #100th isolatedmix.

As the man behind some of the most magical ambient music from the past 20+ years and perhaps my #1 ambient record with 76:14, Tom has spent the last few years studying, and educating on the topic of music and sleep. His experience ultimately led him to use his wisdom to good effect, trying to better our musical and mental livelihoods and you’ll struggle to find anyone more suited. Passionate about music in its purest form across multiple genres and disciplines, it was clear after speaking to Tom on the phone recently that he lives and breathes his work, and is dedicated to making a positive change in the world through music.

Pioneering research around the effects of music helping with sleep, culminated in Tom designing an album fit for that very purpose titled ‘Sleep Better’. Backed by science and years of studies, he now counts millions of subscribers who use his music for mental and emotional wellness through his productions in the Calm app, and speaks at conferences around the world as an expert on the topic.

We were lucky enough to (nearly!) have Tom to play at our first ASIP London show back in March as a special surprise guest, but due to Covid-19, those plans were unfortunately put on pause. But, there’s one thing that dastardly thing can’t ruin - the creation of a mix to enjoy anywhere - lockdown or not. Tom’s mix, clocking in at over 3.5hrs long is a true journey into gentle moments; reaching into outer-space; and combining classic-sounding ASIP inspirations; weaving in and out of the many worlds of Tom Middleton over the years. Featuring several tracks from his own back-catalog alongside many personal touches; an exclusive premiere of a new collaboration with Ulrich Schnauss (we’ve gone full circle!) and even a track by Tom’s Jazz Guitarist Grandfather, taken from an old 78. We’ve got a full track-by-track breakdown by Tom below…

Given my admiration for Tom goes back many LP’s and many decades, I sent a few questions his way to accompany the mix. So hit play and get reading below, as we dive into his many projects, inspirations, some niggling personal wonders surrounding Global Communication and of course new music (and that repress!)

This has been pure fan-boy territory - but what else would you expect? Thank you Tom, for so much time and effort that went into the mix; the accompanying questions and the detailed notes, all completed within some very surreal and challenging circumstances for all.

I present to you, the Jedi himself.

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astrangelyisolatedplace · isolatedmix 100 - Tom Middleton

Listen on Soundcloud, Mixcloud, or the ASIP Podcast.

Download

Track notes & mix introduction from Tom

“Creating the ASIP 100th episode has been a delight, an honour and a privilege. Thank you for this opportunity Ryan. 🙏🏻

I wanted to integrate sounds and music that illustrates my journey to this point. With notable works that emotionally resonate deeply with me (and I hope with the listeners.)

My manifesto and philosophy hasn’t changed much, I still seek to feel that human unique expression of sincere feeling, pure emotional integrity, that an artist can embed within a plethora of frequencies.

From sparse abstract textural pieces that simply evoke colours, temperatures, feelings, to more complex arrangements and compositions that are more detailed and figurative in how they describe the artists vision. Inspirations are clear; Sci-Fi to Sci-Fact, Classical, Soundtracks, Electronic and Ambient to experimental and organic human performances juxtaposed with the sounds of machines.

Highlights include the sonification of the oldest known sound in the cosmos, to moments from my childhood. The voice of Carl Sagan and Vangelis’s soundtrack to The Cosmos, JMJ’s joyful, majestic and uplifting Equinoxe Pt 1 (I recommend playing this if you would like an energy and mood boost). Then my first profound musical memory of my Dad placing me in the stereo sweet spot to listen to Tomita’s Snowflakes Are Dancing vinyl LP at the age of 7. An unforgettable moment hearing Tomita’s peerless synthesised arrangements of Debussy. And the back of the sleeve piques my curiosity into the world of analogue synthesisers. Vangelis, Tomita and Eno are the clearest inspirations in all of my work.

A snapshot of the indelible scene in Bladerunner when Rachael makes her first entrance. Followed by a selection of tracks that all have these profound qualities for musical story telling.

The delicate subtlety of Sigur Ros, the warm harmonies of Underworld.

Eno’s 3M5; a few moments of exquisite beauty that for me describe a place I could happily go and live.

GC 4:14 is one of my personal favourites from 76:14 - without realising I had performed the lead synthesised melody as if it was a ‘Cello - my second instrument.

bvdub - this is so hypnotic and enchanting - I can listen to this on loop for hours without fatigue.

Steve Roach, for me is one of those underrated geniuses that to my mind deserves more recognition. His ambient music in many ways is more refined, better produced and more sophisticated than some of his contemporaries.

I’ve segued in a moment from the new GCOM exoplanet exploration project. I loved imagining the sensation of experiencing a refreshing new atmosphere for the first time.

Another Eno classic for me - a track to lose yourself in.

Had to include a more structurally recognisable work from the late sound design genius Thomas Denis Qebrµs. For those unfamiliar with his work. I implore you to dip in and experience a level of unprecedented audio-sensory immersion. At points, it can be uncomfortable and challenging, but there is something so compelling about hearing a musical form that has never really been heard. He achieved his goal of creating alien music.

We leave the first hour with an optimistic crescendo cue from the Prometheus Soundtrack.

A flashback to the untouchably epic theme from Carl Sagan’s Cosmos, which is right up there as one of my all time favourites.

And this direct reference to Vangelis’s production and orchestration style which provided the reverential inspiration for the opening track Sunset from Sleep Better.

I made a special ambient edit of Reload ‘Event Horizon’ that blends the intro and outro sections without the intense rhythmic central workout.

A nod to contemporary 90’s pioneers, educators and inspirations include BOC, The Orb and Spooky (goodness Orange Coloured Liquid is sublime isn’t it?!)

Richard’s effortlessly sublime Lichen transports me straight back to Cornwall every time.

This mix gave me the opportunity to showcase the extraordinary talents of Jeff Taylor Cross - (Apple’s mastermind behind the evolution of Logic / Pro X) who’s career trajectory though music, design and beyond into app engineering and development is unparalleled. An unsung hero in our world of music production! Please extend an applause for Jeff and his team, without whom most of the current wave of ambient music might actually have never been produced without this incredible, limitless creative music production platform.

I’m a huge fan of Albuquerque’s guitar virtuoso and inspiring educator Andy Othling aka Lowercase Noises - and I highly recommend checking his Youtube channel for the most enchanting live ambient performances. Simple Sounds in Simple Places and also informative ‘how to’ videos.

I had to include the joyful electric autoharp ambience of Laraaji - head to the full 20 minute version, sit or lay back, eyes closed, and deploy some conscious breath-work for a truly transcendental experience my friends!

I love the 528Hz Love Frequency drone sequence from Travis (Machine Drum). And here’s a full hour of 528Hz bliss. Feels good to me!

A special mention to the inspiring Yoko Sen. I’ve included this graceful and sensitive sleep-scape as a tribute to the incredible work she is doing in rescoring the sound of hospitals and creating music for palliative care.

I’ve sequenced some introspective and achingly beautiful modern electro-classical cues and electronic masterpieces. Sienna - recommend exploring his harmonically empathetic catalogue. Ilya Malyuev - another lesser known but extremely accomplished artist that truly needs to be discovered.

Interwoven with Jon Hopkins remix of Sea Of Glass, and a few artists that may not be so familiar to the ambient community. The aim is to increase awareness of the extraordinary and abundant musicality to still be discovered. Which synergistically aligns with Ryan’s visionary imprint and radio station.

I’ve included the debut GC release Incidental Harmony which marked the start of the exploration of pure emotions in sound. And an exclusive debut for a collaboration between myself and Ulrich Schnauss we created more than 15 years ago..have to work out exactly when!

Mmoths - this chord progression is so powerful it stops you in your tracks.

John Beltran - Clouds Pull - the most exquisite and uplifting strings and in my opinion on a par with Sebastien Tellier’s La Ritournelle.

Universal Solution - Liquid Love is so potent, has such positive energy, Gavin is so talented and really knows how to channel emotions into sound. I would recommend anytime you need your spirits uplifting.

Ralf and Florian - Tanzmusik - had to include a tribute to one of Kraftwerks founding members Florian Schneider-Esleben, who we lost in April. This group has had more impact on our world than any other. And this is one of those naively beautiful pioneering works that I return to regularly for that simple and playful charm of melody, harmony and rhythm. Think about it. We might not even be doing what we do without their contribution to electronic music.

Brian Eno’s 1:1 sits in the rotating top of my all time favourites, along with An Ending (Ascent) and Ikebukuro. Unparalleled minimalism and effortless execution. Ambient perfection.

Closing the episode we rewind through time to the 1950’s. And a dusty and crackly 78rpm my Grandmother had kept of a recording my Grandfather (whom I never met) Tommy Middleton performed Jazz Guitar on. The track is entitled ‘Always and Always’. In those moments between verses I can hear Tommy’s chords strums and am reminded where some of my musical DNA comes from.

Couldn’t leave you all without a few poignant words from our friend Ben Kenobi (will never forget watching SW at the age of 7 and the profound impact it has had on my imagination and sonic trajectory).

The Force Will Be With You Always.

Huge thanks to Ryan and the important work he is doing in expanding the voice of this subtle musical form around the world.

Hope you enjoy the music, the feelings and the stories.”

- Tom M 01/07/2020 | Instagram: @tommiddletonmusic

Full Tracklist

01. Tom Middleton - ASIP + 9128 intro
02. Global Communication - 0:54
03. The oldest sound in the cosmos - cosmic microwave background radiation from the Big Bang Tuning out Saturn radio waves
04. Carl Sagan - Voyager Gold Disc interview
05. Ganymede and Whistlers
06. Jean-Michel Jarre - Equinoxe Pt.1
07. Tomita - Suite Bergamasque / Clair de Lune
08. Vangelis - Dr. Tyrells Owl
09. Chihei Hatakeyama + Federico Durand - Luisa
10. Sigur Rós - Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do
11. Underworld - Sunshine
12. Brian Eno - 3M5
13. Julianna Barwick - The Harbinger (Alex Somers Remix)
14. Lowercase Noises - The Last Stages of Consumption
15. Global Communication - 4:14
16. Kara Lisa Coverdale - Grafts (edit)
17. bvdub - Make The Pain Go Away
18. Steve Roach - This Moment Is Memory
19. GCOM - Atmosphere Test
20. Brian Eno - Signals
21. Qebrµs - ۩ ִ ְ ֲ ֳ ֲ ۩ - 05 ฌฎ๒๓๔ญ°°°°°
22. Marc Streitenfeld - Earth
23. Vangelis - Heaven and Hell (Theme from 'The Cosmos')
24. Tom Middleton - Sunset
25. Reload (+E621) - Event Horizon (TM edit)
26. Boards of Canada - Olson
27. The Orb - O.O.B.E.
28. Shur-i-kan (Tom Szirtes) - Ebb and Flow
29. Jeff Taylor Cross - Ambient 02
30. Spooky - Orange Coloured Liquid
31. Marcomé - Memoria
32. Aphex Twin - Lichen
33. Lowercase Noises - Ambient Songs 06
34. Laraaji - Being Here
35. Machine Drum - 528Hz Love Frequency
36. Yoko Sen - Sleepscape 6
37. Tom Middleton - St Ives Bay
38. Dustin O’Halloran - Memories (Lion)
39. August Wilhelmsson - Somewhere in Between
40. Sienna - Seven Bays for Seven Days
41. Lights & Motion - Glaciers
42. Rone - Human
43. Tom Middleton - Sea Of Glass (Jon Hopkins mix)
44. One Divided Soul - Of
45. Jakob Ahlbom - Ether
46. LA Synthesis - Zyllvakrynn
47. The Presets - Promises (Nils Frahm Version)
48. Ilya Malyuev - Universe
49. Global Communication - Incidental Harmony
50. Tom Middleton and Ulrich Schnauss - Midaus 1
51. Tom Middleton - WYV AUW CHU (Ambient mix)
52. Mmoths - Deu
53. John Beltran - Clouds Pull
54. Universal Solution - Liquid Love
55. Ralf and Florian - Tanzmusik
56. Brian Eno 1:1 (excerpt)
57. Felix Mendelssohn's Hawaiian Serenaders (featuring Tommy Middleton) - Always and Always
58. Ben Kenobi - The Force Will Be With You Always

~

Interview with Tom Middleton

Let’s set the scene. Where are you right now and what was the last thing you listened to? 

Italy - Vangelis - Création Du Monde

I’m going to start with the obvious… 76.14 is often held up as one of the greatest ambient albums of all time. Did you know you were on to something special when it was released? Do you look back and see it in a similar light?

Very proud of it, and felt like it was an enlightening, evolutionary and educational work. Whilst I’m happy to listen to it, but there are some tracks I prefer to others now.  4:14 and 9:25 are my personal favourites, and I never tire of them. The progression in terms of where it began, the elements that formed it, and where we could take it forward. Exciting project for me. 

The album (76:14) was a chance for me to contribute more to the whole process whereas before Mark was mostly in the driving seat with tracks as Reload. I came in as E621 to add those trademark melodic and harmonic elements. It was a logical and natural artistic evolution from the initial concept I had on my birthday in ‘92 for pure emotions in sound that may use rhythmic and textural foundations from sounds of life and nature that bore Incidental Harmony and Sublime Creation on Evolution. And subsequently Ob-selon Mi-nos ‘happening’ after I lost my Uncle and randomly being in the studio for a session that initially started as a remix project but ultimately it was so different from the original it was essentially a new track. Including the sounds of passing time and movement through space with the Grandfather Clock, trains and planes as sonic metaphors for the passing of a loved one.

It was at times cathartic but deeply rewarding to create. We weren’t considering a niche dance-floor style, simply flowing intuitively, just making what we felt after the educational and exploratory experience of re-translating Chapterhouse’s Blood Music album into the Pentamerous Metamorphosis. This really helped us focus the process and refine our sound ready for 76:14. But Mark and I were oblivious to it being part of any scene or genre. We were pretty isolated from the Ambient Techno hub in London down there in Crewkerne/Somerset!

Ah the infamous Southwest England 90’s crew! Are you still in contact with Richard (Aphex Twin)? Have you guys ever discussed a new collaboration? If not, how can we make it happen?!

Yes, as it happens. I saw him a while back and we chat by email. We did bounce around various ideas. Basically I’d need to go up to his place as he tends to stay local.

Talking of Aphex, 1994 was (in electronic/ambient music at the very least) one of the most defining and greatest years for ambient music (Aphex Twin, Biosphere, Autechre etc). Who or what was inspiring you at the time of producing 76.14?

Music culture was the biggest influence and what we were listening to. Eno and all his ambient collaborators! Lanois, Hassell, Budd, Brook, Laraaji, Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, Tomita, Kraftwerk, Peter Gabriel (particularly Passion - soundtrack to The Last Temptation Of Christ - still peerless and one of the most atmospheric albums), Jarre, Cocteau Twins, This Mortal Coil, Dead Can Dance, John Barry, John Williams, Ennio Morricone, Vaughn Williams, Mahler, Grieg, Debussy, Ravel, Fauré, Chopin, Glass, Reich, The Smiths, The Cure and for me : Prince, Metheny, U2, Human League, OMD, Depeche Mode. 

And our peers… Aphex - of course! (pre Plaid) Black Dog Productions, Carl Craig (as BFC and Psyche.) Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, Juan Atkins, B12, some of the R&S, Apollo and Eevolute artists.

Plus films and scores..most of the usual Sci-Fi suspects plus more arthouse and natural world inspired works such as Koyaanisqatsi, Attenborough. Personal relationships, family life, social life all had an inevitable impact on the music too.

Have you ever wanted to soundtrack a film?

Totally… and it’s on the agenda. Would love to score an epic Sci-fi / Sci-fact story. Yes, obvious, but I’m a Sci-fi nut.

What are your thoughts on the output of electronic ambient music today? Do you see us having another defining period or year similar to that infamous year of ‘94? 

Actually I’m discovering some wonderful ‘neo-ambient’ or whatever it’s called now!

Although not always new-new, but new to my ears. The joys of Bandcamp, Soundcloud and Spotify. Clearly a new wave coming through. And in some cases with a really authentic, well-considered and produced sound - the legacy of Boards of Canada and washed out cassette and reel-to-reel tape premastering!

Do you have a favorite style of ambient music? Anyone you’re excited about today?

Steve Roach’s vast library always delivers. Eno, naturally. Alien drone, dark drone, frozen soundscapes, not sure if these are actual sub-genres? I actually listen to a lot of sound designers sample packs on loop. Bandcamp and Soundcloud are great places for discovery, and I think the Spotify Artist Radio algorithm can yield surprising results.

Jon Hopkins, Synkro and Ulrich Schnauss have always been right up there for me. Mark Pritchard, goes without saying. Big big fan of Andy Othling’s Lowercase Noise work - epic, expansive, exquisite, delicate, intensely emotive. Love Jeff Taylor’s one hour ambient challenges… he and I definitely share some similar aesthetics. I trust and respect his taste! He switched me onto you (ASIP)!! Seem to have a fair bit of Stars Of The Lid. Guthrie and Budd, Sakamoto, Leandro Fresco, Astropilot, Clem Leek, Carbon Based Lifeforms. Love film soundtrack and neoclassical composers as well such as Max Richter, Ólafur Arnalds. I may well be a fan of some Spotify Fake Artists(!)

But all of this feels known. My quest is to seek unknown and unimaginable sound sources these days. I get bored with the seemingly endless derivative forms of music. For certain projects I’m working on this is necessary. Sleep Better, for example requires the safety and comfort of ‘known’. But in my own audio quests, I crave the unknown. I want unpredictable and challenging, to feel intentional ‘alien’ discomfort as well as comfortable total bliss.

My favourite next level artist that literally stopped me in my tracks sonically when I first heard his work tragically passed away recently. And I was collaborating with him on a few tracks as well. He was called Thomas Denis aka Qebrus from Caen in Normandy. Mind blowing next level sound design. In my opinion he was ‘the next Aphex’, having been inspired by Richard as well. His legacy will live on. Not ambient, but certainly atmospheric, and very challenging post IDM/braindance/glitch/breakcore whatever you might call it. For me it was completely alien sounds from another dimension.

Speaking of slightly alien sounds, one thing I’ve always wondered when listening to 76:14 - the voices we hear on ‘0.54’ - how did these happen and who are these people!?

All friends, or people we recorded at various times whilst on tour. From the daughter of Pete Townshend (yes...The Who) who delivered it in Italian to our then managers Indian wife, a Russian promoter, Dutch distributor (?), our French PR agent, my English landlady! It’s the same message just translated into bunch of different languages including morse code!

76:14 is up there, but so is the Blood Music: Pentamerous Metamorphosis. How did this Chapterhouse remix album come about? Were the band happy with the result? 

I was working in Mighty Force Records and Andy Sheriff came in (I think he had recently moved down to Devon or was staying locally?) He’d picked up Ob-selon Mi-nos and was really feeling it. He mooted the idea of a remix for his band, which we then developed into a re-translation of the entire album. It was such a great experience, working with real musicians/singers. We had access to the all of the multi-tracks, had a critical listen through making notes, curating and cherry picking elements we thought we could use. Then a very natural exploratory creative and production process of highlighting key motifs, themes, passages, textures and parts that we could resample, sound design and craft into entirely new tracks. In some cases a vocal part would inform the entire track, or a melodic phrase or rhythmic part. We were really pleased with it, conceptually and from a sonically aesthetic and production view point. Mark and I headed up to London to meet with Andy and Stephen to play the entire album to them. It was quite a moving experience for all of us! Potent emotional content in the original tracks, amplified and expanded with a little GC mojo.

Were you a big fan of Shoegaze back then? I also admire your remix of Slowdive’s ‘In-Mind’ and it probably helped the cult status of Slowdive grow even bigger within the ambient community that we see today! How did this remix come about? 

I’m personally not really a Shoegaze fan. I liked a few tracks from a few bands, Mark was into MBV, I quite liked some of the textures in Spiritualized’s work, and personally was a big fan of Seefeel (are they considered Shoegaze?) The 147 take does seem to have gained quite a following. We remixed many groups during that time, but this came about via the connection with Slowdive’s label Creation via the sub label Infonet which we’d signed to as Reload.

‘Le Soleil Et La Mer’ is perhaps one of my favorite ‘non-Global Communication’ productions, but it has the hallmark of everything you did as GC. Can you tell us a bit more about your work with Mark as Reload, and what made a Reload production different to work as GC?

I agree, it’s one of my personal favourites in the catalogue and clearly a precursor to the eventual sound of GC. You can hear the evolution in the Reload tracks I began contributing to as E621.

Initially I was contributing melodic and harmonic elements, live synth parts, then production and effects and rhythmic elements from Mosh and Biosphere onwards. In addition I think I brought the idea of conceptual and creative narrative to the partnership.

Looking across your discography, it seems like you enjoy producing and also mixing to a strong narrative. What comes first for you; a concept, or the music? 

You’re absolutely right. Mostly conceptual starting points, whether it’s a personal research project, a direct result of DJing in clubs or festivals, or simply imagining, planning, drafting a narrative or storyboard and then building. It’s quite classical in a sense. I might not always be scoring, but I hear the music in my head first and usually transcribe via whatever tools I need as audio sketches to finish. But some tracks, particularly the more 4/4 club tech/deep/bass/house tracks might have been jams that I built upon.

I can’t ask questions about all your productions as we’ll be here all day… but, Cosmos - ‘Take Me With You’... The white label / instrumental 12” was a massive summer tune for me at a time when I was going to festivals and I had no idea it was you for a while. I searched high and low for a pressing when it was on the radio every day. What inspired this track? Any more anthems on the horizon?

Thanks! It was a simple feeling, missing someone, and creating a tune that made me feel better. Also a bit of exploration into my love of 80’s synth music, Depeche Mode, Human League, OMD, Kraftwerk. And yes..hold tight..anthems galore coming soon. ; )

If they’re taking you with them, where are they going?

To Earth 2.0.

Let’s talk about your latest project ‘Sleep Better’. It’s no surprise to me to hear you release an album based on sleep given how transcendental your productions are, but it was a surprise for me to learn you’re so dedicated to the study and science behind it. How did that happen? What inspired it?

Literally a wake up call to social responsibility! I felt the need to use what I’d learned instinctively over nearly three decades of producing and performing to millions across 49 countries. Using all of that observational research and experience to make some really useful content that genuinely helps address fundamental human needs and problems. It’s still musical and emotional, but it’s mindful, meaningful and purposeful. 

I picked up a phrase that nails this concept - end user empathy. In this case, the need is more sleep, and it opened a huge can of worms. Sleep deprivation is a massive global problem - in fact it’s a modern day epidemic.

The aim was to explore what was out there in this area that claimed to assist with sleep. To discover the most popular tracks and songs globally. Are you ready for a shocker? #1 global Spotify sleep playlists song: Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud. Probably due to his overall popularity…In other studies luckily Mr Eno gets a look in alongside Classical favourites. But all the music that makes anecdotal claims is pretty dreadful in terms of production and sonic aesthetics. I feel I’m at least bringing some of the GC mojo to the proceedings with Sleep Better, and it’s using real scientific research to ‘ethically and responsibly’ trigger the relaxation mechanism.

Can you describe the process for your research and how it impacted the music you produced? 

Deep research means reading as many articles, research papers, white papers, academic publications, meta-analysis and Cochrane reviews as possible to find truth and meaningful data and results to inform my psychoacoustic sound designing. To interview experts and dig through podcasts for the latest insights and developments. I then explore and develop ‘sonic strategies’ that elicit specifically designed positive outcomes. This is the psychoacoustic process. I decide on the outcome, and use a kind of reverse ‘emotional engineering’ to fathom out how to make that response happen. It could be through entrainment, neuromodulation, psychological priming...and other ‘tricks’ that make up the secret sauce recipe that I’m sure even AI will struggle to replicate in absence of a human soul!

Did you ever find yourself scientifically being told to do one thing, but artistically wanting to do another when it came to producing the Sleep Better album? What would you say the balance is between science and art within the music? 

Yes, very much so, you have to be prepared to deliver a best compromise, whereby if the soundscapes are designed to switch you off for a deliberately passive listening experience, that process actually happens, and yet if you decide to actively listen to the soundscapes, you are still rewarded with a pleasant sonic journey. True to Mr Eno’s ambient manifesto!

Ambient music can get a bad rap for people that aren’t familiar with it, often due to its connotations with meditation, yoga, wellness etc. So what’s the feedback been for your Sleep Better album so far? Has it opened up new people to ambient music, helping them seek more? 

The feedback has been incredibly warm and positive. It’s part of a wider campaign around sleep hygiene, which can sometimes get lost within a streaming format like Apple Music or Spotify. We’re trying to help communicate the best way to listen to it as part of better sleep hygiene practice. Simply listening to it without being mindful of your own bad sleep habits or possibly inadequate or ill-considered bedroom environment will always make it a challenge to get a good night’s sleep. Hence the social media campaign and website @sleepbettersounds to provide ongoing dialogue and information on sleep facts, health, science and hygiene.

I hope it will inspire non ambient fans to explore the genre a little deeper.

I’ve always gone to sleep listening to a certain style of music, but it hasn’t always been ambient. Sometimes it can be deep techno just as long as I’m familiar with it and it’s not overly stimulating - it seems to do the trick. Can you describe the correlation between ambient music and sleep?

Interesting, and yes, I fully understand and can relate. There are various modalities that can can influence sleep onset with music.

If the obvious or subliminally implied tempo is slower than your resting heart rate it may start a rhythmic entrainment process triggering the parasympathetic nervous system to respond by switching on the bodies ‘relaxation mode’. If the sounds are hypnotic and organic that helps this process of slowing brain wave frequency, and if the information being processed isn’t too complex, disrupting or arousing this also helps prepare for relaxation. Comforting and familiar sounds illicit positive associations and experiences. This increases the listeners sense of peace, warmth, safety and security which turns off the fight or flight mechanism.

In the case you describe it is exactly that sense of familiarity that aids the switching off mechanism.

Is there anything really surprising that you’ve found in your studies? 

Much of the research is a constant surprise and some clearly confirms what I’ve felt intuitively over the 28 years of producing, touring and performing. The connection between music, body and mind is so fascinating. How certain sounds and patterns trigger certain emotional, physiological and behavioral responses. One of the delights was discovering how the sound of ocean waves can be almost identical in tempo to respiration during sleep. Coupled with the broad, complex frequency spectrum it’s one of the most potent sleep inducing natural sounds. As you listen, you naturally start to breathe in time with the waves.

Does a ticking clock (a-la ‘14.31’) not send people to sleep? (It does me, every time!)

It is very relaxing to listen to, I find the strong, relentless transients can be disruptive and personally would prefer nature sounds that don’t repeat.

So what’s your go to sleep track?

Over the years Eno’s 1:1 was the first go to sleep track, then I enjoyed Ikebukuro more for the sensation of floating. 

I like ever evolving drone based ethereal textures. I want to be transported somewhere. I enjoy the sensation of floating in space that can be achieved with certain sounds.

I designed the latter half of the tracks in Sleep Better like this. So actually tracks 4 - 8 or sometimes 2 - 8 are sufficient.

There are a number of unreleased 90 minute (complete sleep cycle) versions of sleep induction tracks I’ve made. (Hope to share very soon!) I use 4 x 4 box breathing as well. In slow count to 4, hold for 4, out with an ocean woosh sound, wait 4 repeat for a few minutes. It WILL slow heart rate and relax you, preparing you for sleep. I like to wear a sleep mask. And I’ll use 36dB custom fit ear plugs most of the time. Even if I have a soundscape playing to suppress any external noise.

There’s an official repress of 76:14 just announce and a boxset featuring Pentamerous Metamorphosis PLUS unreleased music. THANK YOU. But, seriously, do you have any idea how happy this will make people?

It’s taken a while and has been hampered by challenges but we are finally there! It sounds incredible, thanks to Mark’s meticulous DAT transferring process and Jason at Loud’s characteristic ‘emotional mastering’ approach. And we are excited to collect it all together into a beautifully designed box set.We’re very relieved and proud that we’ve managed to make this happen and happy that fans will be able to own and enjoy this album physically.

The artwork looks great. What was your brief to Mark (Gowing)? Or did you just let him do his thing?

We asked him to acquaint himself with Ben Drury and Will Bankhead’s original artwork. Then a discussion/alignment on aesthetic values and key concepts, but ultimately gave him free rein to interpret.

The preorder for ‘Transmissions’ on Bleep comes with a rare demo edit of ‘7.39’ - what’s the story behind the edit?

Each track we produced would have to pass the car-test. We would record a live pass to cassette tape, then go and listen to it in Mark’s car and take notes. This critical listening process would inform mix balancing and live effect deployment decisions for premastering the track to DAT. This is one of those versions which we felt had a better Juno 106 patch. For some reason we lost it and had to make it again and something was different. So this is the first version we preferred but couldn't recreate.

I’ve seen the ‘unofficial represses’ of your GC albums out there too, and I know many die-hard fans who have snapped these copies up already not knowing any different. It all got a bit confusing for a while but now it’s clear where people should be putting their money. What was the deal with those?! 

Deeply upsetting that clearly there is no communication between major labels and legacy artists. Had we been asked about the repress license we would obviously have declined.

They claim to have used original masters to remaster. This is a blatant lie. And so we feel sorry for any fans who invested in a substandard product that wasn’t endorsed by us, the band.

Word is there’s also new Global Communication music on the horizon and you’ve been playing some new live shows (pre-Covid of course). What can people expect from your new music? How has your style changed over the years?

Yes, I can confirm a new GCOM album (my new solo incarnation of Global Communication) will be released later this year via !K7 Records

Upon reflection, the style is clearly a direct and natural evolution from the industrial techno collaborations with Mark in the Reload years, through the layered emotional sound-scaping of GC and beyond the concept of Lifetracks - soundtracks to life -  into the realms of soundtracks to preserve life and where next for mankind. I’m addressing a number of themes from Anthropocene man’s challenges with climate change, catastrophic natural events such as the Tohoku tsunami, bush fires, floods and storms. How we’re polluting the air, lands and ocean, depleting natural resources and getting perilously close to a point of no return, maybe there is no going back? And so what are the plans for man to move off world, colonize the Moon and Mars and eventually become an interstellar species. My curiosity spans many scientific disciplines, from biology, physiology, anthropology, ecology, into human behaviour, neuroscience and beyond into astrophysics, rocket science, astronomy and cosmology. So the album fuses all these areas of personal interest and ongoing research. There’s an educational element and inspiration element too. Here’s a link to a short explainer and backstory created for 10-18 year olds for NASA’s SciArt Exchange program.

Where you aware of the current Breakthrough Starshot project to send a fleet of tiny Starchip probes to Alpha Centauri 4.73 light years away?

My current favourite exoplanet is the enigmatically named Teegarden b with a favourable Earth Similarity Index of 0.95, a mere 12 light years away (which would take 208,430 years at Voyager 1 velocity) But the nearest exoplanet that might be life sustaining is Proxima B at 4.24 light years (20 years by Starchip). Which for Star Wars fans like me has a bonus twin sunset (like Tatooine!) from binary stars Alpha Centauri A and B.

How will this approach translate to your live shows? 

The live show is a flexible line up, with myself and guest players, including the genius arranger and multi-instrumentalist Ross Sampson, hybrid drum legend Andy Gangadeen (Chase & Status) and a string quartet. It could scale larger and integrate more string players.

Will have a visual element too that follows the narrative of the album.

I’ve been invited to perform music from the new album and join a panel entitled Sensing Space at the The Humans to Mars Summit in Washington at the end of the summer. Check for updates as it may become a virtual experience. 

~

Tom’s Sleep Hygiene Tips

Be prepared to adapt and try different combinations to suit your lifestyle and preferences. Once you’ve decided what combination of sleep hygiene tips suit your preferences and lifestyle, it’s important to be consistent with your sleep ritual.

Even if you don’t sleep well one night following trying sleep hygiene tips, don’t give up! Persevere and eventually you will condition your mind and body to adapt to a new sleep routine.

1. Daylight and Exercise

Try to exposure yourself to daylight as early as possible after waking.
Get a walk in or exercise during the day. New research suggests 3 brisk ‘Active 10’ minute walks are as beneficial as the fabled 10,000 steps.

2. Food and drink

Eat a light non-spicy dinner 2-3 hours before bed.
Limit caffeine from coffee, tea or chocolate after 2pm.
Alcohol can actually stimulate waking a few hours after drinking.
Try drinking warm milk, Chamomile or Passion Flower tea.
Eat 2 antioxidant rich kiwi fruit an hour before bed! (Taiwan Taipei Medical University study still can’t explain exactly why - possible serotonin booster?)

3. Environment

Make your bedroom as a comfortable as possible, invest in a quality mattress and pillows.
Keep the room (cave!) cool and as dark as possible for sleeping.
Black-out blinds or an eye mask if you prefer. Oxygen producing houseplants are a plus.
A red/orange-coloured night light is better than a disrupting and stimulating bright white light.

4. Temperature

Before bed, open the window to ventilate the bedroom for 5 minutes.Cooler room temperatures between 16C and 18C (60F - 65F) aids sleep onset. Try taking a warm bath (not hot) with magnesium-rich Epsom salts to relax the central nervous system. A - 1°C drop in body temperature after bathing aids sleep onset.

5. Timing

Melatonin (darkness hormone), which regulates sleep - wake circadian timing, is naturally secreted from 9pm, peaks between 2am and 4am, then falls to daytime levels by 9am. So training your body when it’s time to sleep and wake up everyday is crucial. Use the app to set a reminder to go to bed so you get into a regular habit.

6. Stress & Anxiety

Limit decision-making and try to not end the day in a negative mind state. Write a to-do list and think positively about the future, think of three good things that happened during the day. Sleep performance anxiety can also be counterproductive so try not to worry or ruminate.

7. Breathing

Whilst sitting in bed, try some deep and slow breathing exercises. Try 4x4 box breathing. Slowly inhale through the nose to the count of four. Be aware of filling your lungs. Hold for four (or as long as is comfortable.) Breath out through the mouth to the count of four whilst focusing on emptying your lungs. Repeat for a few minutes.

8. Bedroom

Limit daytime naps to 20 minutes and don’t nap after 5pm.
Lower your exposure to any bright light during the hour or two before bedtime.
Keep the bedroom for sleep (and sex!) The hormone cocktail of dopamine (happiness), oxytocin (love) and prolactin (gratification) all help with mood enhancement and post-coital drowsiness.

9. Technology

Consider removing technology (TVs, laptops etc) from the bedroom. Limit exposure to blue light-emitting screens, as blue light suppresses the production of melatonin. Although your phone is of course needed to listen to the Sleep Better sounds and emit the warm orange sunset glow, try to avoid looking at your phone screen (scrolling through social media etc.) before sleep.
Keep an alarm clock facing the wall to avoid worrying about the time.
Use a gentle natural sound like birdsong to wake up to.

10. Still can’t sleep after 20 minutes?!

Don’t worry - get up, go to another room, read a book, write down your thoughts, continue listening to Sleep Better, try some more 4 x 4 breathing and wait for the next sleep onset phase to occur.

Thesis Collected 01 - album stream

May of last year we featured Gregory Euclide's Thesis Project here on ASIP, detailing the extensive craftsmanship and consideration that goes into each hand-made release. Since our words with Gregory, the series has gone on to host even more beautiful collaborations and some of my favorites of the project so far, including Rafael Anton Irisarri & Julia Barwick, and Anna Rose Carter & Dag Rosenqvist. Gregory's hands have not stopped cutting, shaping, producing, curating, packing and presenting ever since... 

Once you've amassed such an amazing collection of music, and poured hours over each release, I can imagine it being nearly impossible to not feel the urge to present it as a full compilation and unlock some of the beauty for more people to hear; as both an ode to the many artists featured so far, and a release that would no doubt stand on its own.  So here we are, with an exclusive stream of the full compilation below.  

Given these releases are only ever made available as physical items, this compilation is a first for the project and a blessing for anyone that's maybe not lucky enough to own a turntable, but wanted to get their ears on some of the beautiful music and artists featured within. 

It's only really when you read through the powerhouse of names that feature across the series such as; Julia Kent, Loscil, Dustin O'Halloran, Taylor Deupree, RAI, Benoît Pioulard and Kyle Bobby Dunn, that you are hit with how special this project is both its effort and curation. 

THESIS COLLECTED 01 is available as both a limited CD version and digital, and contains one track from each of the first 12 THESIS releases as well as two tracks from THESIS PRINT/TRACK 02 & 04. Along with a bonus track from THESIS PRINT/TRACK 01 (available only on the digital version). 

Read more about the full series in our interview from last year here, or dive into the full project at https://thesisproject.us.

Thesis Collected 01 is available on CD + Digital at Bandcamp.

Tracklist:

01 | Refém | Will Samson | PRINT/TRACK 02
02 | The Iron Town | S. Carey & Taylor Deupree | THESIS 01
03 | Snowfall/Hibernate | Tony Dekker & Kinbrae | THESIS 09
04 | Earth Bound | Sophie Hutchings & Julia Kent | THESIS 06
05 | Viscous | Loscil & Seabuckthorn | THESIS 02
06 | Prism | Anna Rose Carter & Dag Rosenqvist | THESIS 05
07 | Limehouse | Angus MacRae & InsaDonjaKai | THESIS 07
08 | A Pretty A Day | Benoît Pioulard & Dustin O’Halloran | THESIS 04
09 | B2 | Julianna Barwick & Rafael Anton Irisarri | THESIS 10
10 | Carried to a Place Unwinding | Aaron Martin & Tilman Robinson | THESIS 11
11 | Salve Regina | Kyle Bobby Dunn | PRINT/TRACK 04
12 | Early James | Andrew Hargreaves & Andrew Johnson | THESIS 13
13 | Rigor | Takeshi Nishimoto & Roger Döring | THESIS 03

The Thesis Project: a lesson in craft

We're big fans of craft when it comes to physical releases. We've gone so far as creating custom wooden CD and vinyl cases for previous releases here at ASIP, and often spend more time discussing artwork than the actual music when it comes to each release. So to see Gregory Euclide pushing forward a truly custom take on physical vinyl releases, we wanted to find out more, especially given the music at hand. 

The Thesis Project was triggered by a deep desire to bring something valuable back into a world of fast consumption, as Gregory began during a recent twitter conversation: "music has always been an object and not just files on a device. I wanted to make music physical, unique and precious again". As an artist behind some well known releases from Erased Tapes and Lubomyr Melnyk, this was Gregory's chance to combine his passion for art and music: "I see the world in musical terms... everything has a sound. Colors, movements... every sound has an action... and that is where I worked for a long time. I was making music with my pencils and brushes. I think it is pretty common for artists to have this connection. I tried to play music when I was in high school and college. I'm not mathematically gifted. I really struggle with it. So, my college music theory class was really hard for me. I think I thought it was out of the picture for me... to be involved in music in any other capacity than a consumer. I did a few album covers for musicians I really respected, but I still felt outside of it all.

When I think about my practice as an artist, I often try to mirror that of the music world. I like how musicians can have different projects, with different names. Artists always seem to be... just them, their name and they have to be consistent. Basically, my move to music through Thesis Project was a move away from the traditional idea of being an artist".

As with all deep desires and ambitions, it took a couple of real-life moments to push Gregory to begin the Thesis Project. Whilst attending a Vic Chestnutt concert, Gregory started wondering how much it would cost to commission a song from such an artist, after which he received a grant from the McKnight Foundation for his artwork, and decided to take his work into a new direction:

"I decided I would start asking musicians that I know if they would like to work on a project. When I am listening to certain musicians I think 'this would be really cool with this or that.' I started thinking about the idea of collaboration as a way to push something forward".

The Thesis Project was born, with the premise to combine two artists who have never worked together before and create a beautifully packaged, and custom release, with each sleeve laser-cut and etched by Gregory himself. Whilst this may seem like a tall ambition, given each piece would be custom and limited to 300 pieces, Gregory knew this was the only way he would be able to fulfill his burning ambition for the project.

"I don't really like the idea of me being the only visual artist for the project. One goal of the project was to try and compensate the artists well. Pay them up front and then give whatever extra is left from sales. This seems to be a successful model as musicians I have spoken with like the arrangement. In order for me to do that I have to do much of the artwork. I make each jacket and sleeve from scratch as well as make each of the unique covers. If I had to pay another artist to do that it would not be possible. So, for now, I'm doing it. I hope people don't get sick of it or think it is an ego thing".

I asked Gregory why he feels each piece needs to be unique, after all, from my experience, a premium, differentiated and highly-considered piece of artwork is enough to make something much more valuable in today's world. But his desire to create something individual stemmed from a desire to go against today's mainstream approach to music. It's his way of giving back to the artists, and to the listener, and leaving something truly unique in the world. 

"Handmade is not a big deal to me in general. If something can be made better with a machine... I think, why not use that. When it comes to music it is different. Much of the project's concept comes as a reaction to my own life. I was eating up albums, buying them online, listening to them, buying more... downloading and downloading. I didn't even know what I had and what I didn't have. I wanted it everywhere. I wanted it free or cheep. It was gross. I wanted to pay attention again. To know the names of songs, to stop and listen, not just have it on as I was doing things. So, I decided it was going to be vinyl only. No streaming. No downloading. No on the go. The process of making the album covers takes over 2 hours a piece. I cut the paper, run the sleeve through the laser cutter, put a drawing on the sleeve, spray a stencil over the drawing, fold and glue the sleeve. I cut the paper, run the jacket through the laser cutter, put a unique painting on the cover, fold and glue the jacket. It is hard work. It is my way to make something that is the opposite of Spotify. It is my payment to the artists. To give them something unique. It is my payment to the music. Music can be turned into 10100001100010110101 and duplicated and deleted and downloaded again and so on. But I wanted to make something that people are careful with. I don't want it to be goofy or over the top. Just hand made because I care".

A wide spectrum of ambient, experimental and alternative stars have been a part of the project so far. Taylor Deupree and Sean Carey (of Bon Iver) graced the Thesis Project's first release, with Loscil & Seabuckthorn following, Sonic Pieces' Takeshi Nishimoto & City Centre Offices' Roger Döring (Dictaphone), Dustin O´Halloran* & Benoît Pioulard, gracing the catalog so far. As if that wasn't enough, the project has also announced collaborations between some ASIP favorites (and artists) including Rafael Anton Irisarri & Julianna Barwick, and Michael Price (Erased Tapes) & Christoph Berg and (it just keeps going), Eluvium & Marcus Fischer. If that list of artist collaborations isn't enough to persuade you of the project's ambition and curatorial skills, then I don't know what is. 

Gregory's curatorial process is based loosely on who he may see as an interesting fit, but mainly because he sees something greater coming from the two parts. As Gregory describes, "I ask these people to work together because I think it is going to be meaningful... to them, to us. When I hear it, it is like... "ok, I was right" Taylor and Sean's work - the first one I did... was over the top. It was so satisfying. They liked it. I liked it. It was a win win. Nothing beats that feeling". 

It's undoubtedly a challenge, defying the norms and akin to the format and approach, bringing something new to an otherwise fast-paced, ephemeral world, but these pairings aren't taken lightly and it takes Gregory a while to think of who would work well together. His dream pairing being Beth Gibbons and Justin Vernon, but until that works out, Gregory's trying to push the boundaries on a classic ambient approach that could quickly become a stale recipe: "I'm always hoping for musicians to take the opportunity to shed a skin, try something new, be totally open. I have a group of amazing musicians that I have not paired up yet, because I don't want the sound to be tired. I don't want to repeat the sound over and over again. I could do piano and ambient things till the end of time, but I'm looking for there to be a little something new in each of the releases."

Once he has decided on the duo, he'll make a graphic for each musician before they make the music: "It is kind of based on what I love about their work... how it makes me feel".  From that, he develops the cover, adding things to the mix based on what comes back music-wise.

The vinyl sleeve artwork is abstract enough, but if you look closely, you'll notice the ongoing theme between them all, with Gregory taking contour drawings of each musician's hand and the city where they reside into consideration. 

Gregory's ambition doesn't stop solely with the Thesis Project concept, with a similar but subtle concept Print/Track also gathering pace. Slightly different to the Thesis Project, Print/Track  features a musician completing one side of a 10" by themselves in response to a work by a visual artist. Or alternatively, a visual artist responds to the work of a musician. The first release out of the blocks comes from Ed Carlsen and Heather Woods Broderick. 

With two base-concepts, a host of amazing artists and all of the artwork falling on Gregory's lap, he's undoubtedly a busy man pushing through a very labor-intensive project. Thesis Project is a platform built entirely with the artists in mind. Funding is set-up to help everyone involved (you buy through a subscription), and Gregory is committed to doing most of the hard work to keep costs down.

It's projects like this that help push ambient and experimental music forward as a whole, whilst also raising awareness for lesser-known artists, now given an esteemed platform to express their works. It's a celebration of the format, showing the world what hard-graft, a focus and a passion for music and artwork can get you. And it's a big middle-finger to the way everyone thinks things should be done. You can move slowly. You can control it all yourself. You can spend more time on the artwork than the music if you wish. You can even fulfill dreams of seeing some of your musical heroes on the same record together. Thesis Project is proof. 

https://thesisproject.us/

OKADA - Floating Away From The World

Released earlier this month, Gregory Pappas dropped his second album for the n5MD label titled, Love Telepathic and follows it up with this exclusive mix for ASIP. 

Following in the footsteps of his previous release, Impermanence, Love Telepathic is a dream-like trip through punching beats, ethereal vocals and layers of warmth, sitting somewhere between ASC, Kiyoko and bvdub. Taking the extended track approach (10+ minutes each), OKADA builds each piece with meticulous patience - the kind that makes time disappear and the world melt around you.

Angelic vocals set against conspicuous organic beats, tick over like the lull of a metronome, 
inviting you closer to its misty depths. A soundtrack for sinking to the bottom of a glistening ocean, or floating to the blue skies above. 

Gregory's influences are clear amongst his mix, presenting us with a range of styles from the beautiful vocals of Julianna Barwick, to the awe-struck complexities of Ametsub, and the euphoric ambience of Bersarin Quartett.

Download.

"Music of artists that intoxicate and evoke a pure emotional response from me and influence my OKADA compositions. Most of these artists I've been listening to a long time. In fact, one of the artists on this mix, World's End Girlfriend, is the reason why my music is in long-form, which I first started to do on the album Anathema under the name ZXYZXY" - OKADA.

1. Julianna Barwick - One Half
An artist with strong vocal composition skills. Someone I'd like to borrow for my own compositions, to be honest.

2. 2 8 1 4 - 真実の恋
Two-artist effort that have pierced the veil of vaporwave; hurling it far into the daydream atmosphere.

3. Ametsub - Faint Dazzlings
Japanese electronic music at its finest. Yes, there is a sound unique all to Japan and its electronic music scene. I'd say this is a great example.

4. Bersarin Quartett - Bedingungslos
No one does it like BM. The guy is eons away from everyone when it comes to pure beauty in music. Any of his songs could fit here.

5. Ex Confusion - Speak Softly in My Dreams
One of my favorite n5MD artists. Any of his songs could fit here as well.

6. Ólafur Arnalds, Nils Frahm - a1
Need no introduction here. Just a fantastic collaboration.

7. OKADA - Reconciliation
While I probably should have picked something off my new record, it just wasn't the type of mix I wanted to make. One of my personal favorites, and I plan to bring this style of composition back in the future.

8. MONO & World's End Girlfriend - Part 5
Two of my top 5 artists in collaboration right here, and they create a piece that is equal parts from both groups. The whole album is fantastic.

9. A Winged Victory for the Sullen - Requiem for the Static King Part 1
A short, yet elegant piece from these two fantastic composers.

10. Alva Noto + Ryuichi Sakamoto - Moon
I adore all of RS's work, but his work with AN is always incredible. Perfect music to make me want to curl up in my bed on a rainy day.

11. envy - Fading Vision
A band I so badly wanted to sneak in this mix. Not easy since they are a screamo/post-hardcore band, but they're definitely in my top 5 as well and I had to have them here. This song is a great example of their breadth as musicians. Top tier group that exemplifies how to evoke an emotional response. I highly recommend them out.

Additional recommendation:

Eric Whitacre - Lux Nova
I couldn't fit this track on this mix, because of time and how it stuck out of place, but he definitely needs to be mentioned. His choral works prove that choral music is not dead. He is amazing.

~

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