ASIP - Reflection on 2016

2016 was a busy year! The label started with the Arovane & Hior Chronik Remix EP, then Merrin Karras' glorious synthesizer piece, Apex. And more recently, the much-desired 36 album, The Infinity Room.  It was also a very sad year in many ways, with ASIP artist, Igor Bystrov aka Parks, passing away. The In Memory EP, featuring a collection of his works was also released, with all proceeds going to Igor's family. Thank you to everyone who supported the label and the artists throughout 2016 - I can't express how grateful I am to have such an amazing bunch of listeners and supporters.

It was an amazing year for music. I was overwhelmed for the most part, and didn't get round to writing about half as many albums as I would have liked to. But my yearly Reflections mix goes some way in helping soothe my guilt and pain. Featuring many of my favorite tracks from some of my favorite albums and releases from the year, it's my version of the infamous journo 'best-of' list but presented in the best way possible I start with a playlist including one track from every album I've enjoyed over the year, and then whittle it down, based on what sounds right in the mix and ultimately, what I've been listening to the most. It goes without saying, this only scrapes the surface of the many great albums and releases we've been treated to in 2016.

A quick run down of the inclusions in this years mix...

Sad Elron, the one track I spent the year looping, was the standout in one of this years best albums from Mark Pritchard. Bvdub surprised us with a selection of shorter-than-normal cuts, and potentially his best album yet. The Green Kingdom is this years under-the-radar gem, cutting up dubby-ambient and post-rock. Steve Hauschildt topped the year of the synthesizer, as did Phaeleh, with outstanding albums on both fronts. ASC made a sneaky retro-electronica appearance as Comit. Synkro enlisted the best for his remix EP - with Helios providing a glorious take, alongside a superb album of his own. Jesse Somfay returned after over 5-years with a unique and exciting new album. Segue turned in da-dub as usual on the ever-brilliant Silent Season. Isan made a return with their quirky melodic electronica. The Orb made an attempt to out-chill-out the Chill Out. Ametsub dropped a sneaky jazz-infused ambient piece. Tangent proved the newcomer of the year on n5MD. Jóhann Jóhannsson should be on the front-cover of Time magazine as man of the year with his outstanding score for Arrival and another complete masterpiece in Orphée. Heck got the remastering and reworking of choice by Field Rotation's Christopher Berg. Ocoeur got our year off to a stunner with his modern-classical masterpiece. Eluvium won the hearts of everyone with his operatic tearjerker. Drape kept Infraction's continually brilliant ambient output up-to-scratch. Warmth treated us to one of the years best ambient surprises. Deepchord turned in one of the years best remixes - out-ambienting Wolgang Voigt's flip. Benoit Pioulard broke his wrist and showed us how to remix Aphex Twin. Porya Hatami and Arovane joined forces once again book-ending their ASIP remix EP.  And lastly, as a special tribute, we end the mix on one of my favourite tracks by Park from 2009 - RIP.

And breathe. Enjoy the look back.

Download.

Tracklist:

01. Mark Pritchard - Sad Alron [Under The Sun] (Warp)
02. Bvdub - 07 [Yours Are Stories Of Sadness] (Self) - Read the review
03. The Green Kingdom - Haze Layers [Harbor] (Dronarivm) 
04. Steve Hauschildt - Time We Have [Strands] (Kranky) Read the review
05. Phaeleh - Frequency [Illusion of The Tale] (Undertow) Read the review
06. Comit - Under Your Spell [Trip 01] (Warm Communications) Read the review
07. Synkro - Midnight Sun (Helios Remix) [Changes Remix EP] (Apollo)
08. Jesse Somfay - Chorona (A Voice Like Sunshine) [Levamentum] (Tipping Hand) Read the review
09. Segue - Deep Valley [Over The Mountains] (Silent Season) 
10. Isan - Lace Murex [Glass Bird Movement] (Morr) Read the review
11. The Orb - 4am Exhale [COW] (Kompakt)
12. Ametsub - Skydroppin' [Skydroppin' EP] (Blueberry Records)
13. Tangent - Perceived Horizon [Collapsing Horizons] (n5MD)
14. Jóhann Jóhannsson - Heptapod B [Arrival OST] (Deutschegrammophon)
15. Hecq - Night Falls (reworked by Christopher Berg) [Night Falls] (Hymen Records)
16. Ocoeur - Fixo 2 [Reversed] (n5MD) Read the review
17. Eluvium - Fugue State [False Readings On] (Temporary Residence) Read the review / mix
18. Drape - Detrial Rest [Let There Water Air] (Infraction)
19. Helios - Land Father [Remembrance] (Unseen Music) Read the review
20. Warmth - Odessa [Essay] (Archives) Read the review / mix 
21. Peter Michael Hamel - Colours of Time [Reinterpreted] (Deepchord’s Carolina Forest Mix) Read the review
22. Benoit Pioulard - Stone In Focus [Radial] Read the review / mix
23. Porya Hatami & Arovane - iaan [Kaziwa] (Time Released Sound) 
24. Jóhann Jóhannsson - Flight From The City [Orphée] (Deutschegrammophon) Read the review
25. Parks - Eternal Wind [Hidden] (Infraction - 2009)

[Artwork / photo taken on a trip to Japan in August 2016]

Peter Michael Hamel - Colours of Time, re-interpreted

As I gear up to see Deepchord for the very first time this Friday in LA (event details), I'm reminded of the beauty this man can deliver, listening to his upcoming split-EP alongside Wolfgang Voigt, re-imagining Peter Michael Hamel.

Seen as one of the earliest pieces of ambient music, Peter Michael Hamel's epic space-synthesizer score from 1980 has been re-imagined by two modern electronic pioneers at the top of their game - two dream remixers for any producer. Split between the two sides and taking in over 19-minutes each, it's a rarity to not only see these two producers on the same record, but a privilege to be treated to such extended and intricate productions. 

From the opening moment, Deepchord sets a tranquil ambient tone, with his Carolina Forest Mix. The sound of flowing water and meandering, gorgeous atmosphere slowly intensify, until the mood changes around 12-minutes in and the forest becomes darker, with less life and a more ominous tone. This forest began as an inviting, enchanting place, only to descend into an uncharted territory. The attention to detail, the slowly evolving story and swells of beats remind me of Voices From The Lake, only without the spur of synthesizers. 

Given the tone of Deepchord's remix and its similarities to Wolfgang's Voigt's early work as Gas, you're left wondering whether this remix EP actually set out to become a masterclass in ambient music. But as the title suggests, Wolfgang's Neokraut Trip plays much closer to the original and deflects any thoughts of a dubby, Gas performance, keeping the epic synth from Peter's original score, yet adding a signature Pop-Ambient sound that's so familiar across Kompakt's ambient releases and especially, the likes of Thomas Fehlmann's infamous Gute Luft. Time and time again, Wolfgang pushes the definition of ambient music and in this instance, his appreciation of the original and curiosity surrounding the original piece helps create a glorious extended score, similar to the structure and approach to his recent productions in Rückverzauberung.

There's no doubt this is the must-own record of 2016 for any ambient fan - but you knew that already purely by the veteran remixers at hand. The difference being, this one truly lives up to the combined years of experience between them both. 

Colours of Time, re-interpreted will be available on July 25th on 180gsm 12", on Astral Industries.