isolatedmix 121 - Oslated & Huinali Showcase mixed by S-Pill

One of the very few known labels emerging from South Korea and going from strength to strength recently, Oslated has become a consistent outlet for quality deep techno and ambient-leaning electronic music. Helmed by Jongmin Lee, the label, and its sublabel Huinali keep a busy calendar between them, push a variety of artists both new and known in our small circles. Oslated, also keep a great guest mix series going to help fuel the collective inspiration.

Segue, Inhmost, Doltz, Earthen Sea, Javier Maramon, Saphileaum, Polygonia, and many more artists have graced the catalogs of Oslated and Huinali in recent years, and the label’s various artist compilations expand even further into great artist territory. Needless to say, with such a rich and growing catalog, it’s a perfect time to use the isolatedmix series to highlight some of the great music across the two labels along with a few questions for label owner Jongmin Lee…

ASIP: How did Oslated begin and what was the inspiration to start a label?

Oslated: The Oslated project is a natural byproduct of my beliefs since 2016. It includes the label’s international scope based on my past experiences. The label's early mission statement was to feature unknown talented young DJs and producers, but if there were things that inspired me, it would be based on my various experiences in music for the past 20 years - since I was in my late teens. This still stands today.

You have a great ear for music and I much of your output. What is your general approach to the label’s releases?

First of all, I really appreciate the good feedback & support from many followers & friends including you. I want to give various answers to this question, but to put it simply, I believe in my ears, brain, and heart. What happens after that, whether good or not, I come to a conclusion after the release. I think this way is better. As my belief is that almost all releases on the label were a good experience for me. Therefore, I still believe in my choices, and I still love all the artists I've released on the label.

How would you describe the difference between Oslated and the sublabel, Huinali to the listener?

When I founded the Huinali Recordings sublabel, I wanted to differentiate myself from the parent label, Oslated. However, while out running one day, I thought it was not something I’m absolutely set on differentiating. It's classified according to the artist's wishes, and this is always in progress. So I don't know. The same question was previously asked on a webzine, and my answer to this is still valid: "To be honest, the genre division for our both labels didn’t matter from quite a while ago. What I think iss important now, is the relationship between the concept of an entire album and the corresponding time with the artist."

What are your most and least favorite parts of running a label?

My favorite part is, of course, when I see an artist get a very good response to a release and develop further musically. I would say the hardest part is the interpersonal relationships. I get the most stress from this part, but I put the most effort into directing and consulting myself to minimize this and to be flexible with one another. This is probably the common denominator of all label & platform owners...isn't it?

You just pressed your first vinyl record for Huinali, with Segue, who I admire. What made you decide to move into vinyl for this release?

First, I don't want to say that a lot of physical releases are the goal. Anyway, Oslated had already released 3 vinyl records, and at some point the sub-label Huinali planned to do a vinyl release as well, from the day it was founded. And yes, I tried to do this naturally. Before being a label owner I was a DJ and a collector of various music. I honestly don't want to differentiate between digital and physical and I just want to release GOOD MUSIC. The reason I release physically as well is simply because my followers wish.

If you could have released any favorite/past album in the world on your label, what would it be and why?

I myself had such a wishful plan, and I’m the one who insists on “Oldies, but goodies” too. But as time passed, I realized something myself. Now, my simple argument for this question is, "The past is beautiful when it is the past."

You had S-Pill make the mix, can you tell us a bit about him and why you chose him to create the mix?

Seojun oh aka S-Pill is my close brother, and he holds the title of the only official DJ artist on the label. I guarantee that he is the best DJ in Korea and proud of him. This is the only reason.

What can you tell us about the future of Oslated and Huinali?

I don't want to elaborate on this question, but love Paul Valery's quotes here. "Nothing is complete unless you put it in final shape.".

"The trouble with our times is that the future is not what it used to be."

~

astrangelyisolatedplace · isolatedmix 121 - Oslated & Huinali Showcase (Mixed by S-Pill)

Listen on Soundcloud or the ASIP Podcast.

Download MP3

Tracklist:

1. Inhmost - River Crossing [HNL008]
2. Gallery Six - Wish On A Star [HNL006]
3. Vâyu - To Achieve Awareness [HNL015]
4. Earthen Sea - Outcropping [HNL004]
5. Moon Patrol - Inparke [OSL026]
6. Adhémar - Smell Of A Summer Field [HNC001]
7. Lindamann - Blue Hour [HNL017]
8. Javier Marimon - Dem Cics [HNL002]
9. The Vision Reels - Her Form Is Slowly Morphing [HNL016]
10. Daniel[i] - Eubela [HNL010]
11. Segue - Deep Green Dub [HNP001]
12. Launaea - Reflected Life [OSL017]
13. Asllan - Citizen of the World (Soolee Rework) [OSL024]
14. Saphileaum - No Clue Of Life [OSL006]
15. Zemög - Hiking In Chicaque [HNL011]
16. Owl - Forest Shadow [HNL014]
17. Doltz - En [Forthcoming on Huinali Recordings]
18. ABSIS - Static Trip [OSL021]
19. Polygonia - Tanz der Gliederfüßer [HNL012]
20. Einox - Chirico (Romi's Paradox) [OSL016]
21. Sanjib - Without Words [OSL008]
22. Javier Salazar - Acae (Adhémar & Javier Marimon Repitch) [OSL025]
23. Aspetuck - Microscopic Moments Of Focus [OSL023]
24. Modeo - Nobody Sleeps [OSC002]
25. Ryefield Society - Sun Fossils [HNL018]

~

S-Pill (Oslated / Jeju Island, South Korea) | Soundcloud | Facebook | Instagram
Oslated | links

A Strangely Isolated Place (Where it all began)

Twenty years ago today, June 9th, 2003, Ulrich Schnauss released A Strangely Isolated Place on the revered, City Centre Offices label.

This album, along with his similarly brilliant debut ‘Far Away Trains Passing By’ are now widely regarded as an unmatched blend of IDM, Electronica, and Shoegaze-esque etherealness, and generally regarded as a “landmark electronic music statement”. Both transportive and escapist without becoming overly cliché or veering too far back into the experimental realm, it was this unique mix of styles and melodies that made Ulrich’s music popular in a time of internet nerds listening on Pandora, Lastfm and early internet radio streaming stations. Ulrich’s music crossed genres effortlessly, tracks found their way into the electronica and indie scene, just as easily as Global Underground’s legendary mix series, propelling Ulrich’s exposure and helping add a new dimension to club-focused DJ mixes of the time. Nick Warren, Tom Middleton and Jon Hopkins were just some of the artists to include Ulrich’s music within noticeable mixes of the day.

I don’t think I’ve heard anyone describe Ulrich’s output to a tee (mine above is just as terrible), and maybe that’s where I drew so much inspiration from back in the day.

It was 2008. The album had already been out for five years. At a time when I was just trying to document the music I loved, I had (and still) struggled with words on paper. Yet for some reason decided to start a blog about music… The point wasn’t really to review or translate music into words, and I still find that exercise a little pointless. Music exists as music and commentary, is a way to add your own personal reflection. When it veers into conveying an anonymous or represented opinion, it becomes pretty pointless IMHO. Music is personal and subjective on every level. At the end of the day, it was the feeling that album transmitted, the places it took you, and the indescribable intangible qualities that made A Strangely Isolated Place stand out. Trying to describe it will hardly ever do it justice. Similarly, I didn’t feel like I had to describe music to want to share it, but it was the only way outside of sending links to friends.

It helped that around that time I spent around two hours a day on the train commuting to work. The album was perfect window-watching material. When a stranger’s armpits are in your face, standing room only, on the 7.32 am into Kings Cross for 35 minutes, plus delays, this music drew an impenetrable field between my headphones and the real world.

Little did I know at the time I would be here with the name today.

I remember, cautiously, asking Ulrich if it was alright to (basically) rip it off. I refused to start the isolatedmix series until he agreed to be the first. It only felt right, given I had already created an entire website with his album title. Whether he regrets his agreement (or his label at the time) I’m not sure. But it’s now become another way to share his album’s brilliance over time, whether people realize it or not. 

I think about changing the name often, more out of respect for the album and to leave it as its own entity in time. But I’m yet to find a better feeling or description that would capture the music I try to include on the label. Just this week, I signed an artist who was attracted to the label’s name and perceived meaning, as a reason to reach out to me.

So thank you Ulrich, for this album and those people surrounding it, in more ways than one.

PS - Get your music up on Bandcamp!!

isolatedmix 120 - Lord Of The Isles

Well, a whole nine months since our last isolatedmix, we return in style…

Scottish producer Lord Of The Isles has been high on rotation for me for about ten years now, with a string of electronic EPs across labels such as Mule Musiq, Permanent Vacation, Phonica and ESP Institue. Never guessing where he was going to push next, Neil has remained a bit of an enigma in style over the years and more recently, has captured hearts with an emotional, Poem-infused EP on Whities (more on that below) and in December just gone, a more ambient-leaning debut on Lapsus.

The result is an artist that appeals to the electronic music fan in more ways than one. An artist you grow attached to as you walk alongside an ego-less evolution, welcoming new approaches and experimentation, always eager to see what he takes on next.

While Neil is obviously adept a putting together a DJ mix [check], we’re even more fortunate that Neil has taken a much more dedicated route to his mix contribution, with a 100% unreleased mix of his own material.

~

Hi Neil, being a man of the outdoors it seems, where are you right now and what are you enjoying, outside of the music world?

Not in the wilds at the moment, unfortunately! But I will be soon. I’m taking some recording equipment up north in a few weeks to hopefully finish my next album. Outside of writing music, I’m enjoying keeping fit and reading. I’m reading Under The Skin by Michael Faber right now for the second time.

Your style is notoriously hard to pin down (which I love), but I'd love to know how you would describe it to anyone new to your music.

Deep and melodic maybe? I’ve always listened to all kinds of music and I've always had a very open mind in that regard. I suppose you are exposed to different things at different times throughout life.

What music did you grow up on to influence it? 

There was a lot of Motown going on in my family very early on, and hearing stuff like Cream and Kate Bush now always transports me back in time when I hear it, as does a lot of soul, hip hop, and indie from 80s and 90s. Way too many to mention!! Growing up in the nineties, Acid House, Detroit techno, and Chicago House all played major roles in influencing my style, as did dub, dub techno, and all things ambient. Sorry, sounds all so clichéd! But it’s true.

You've recorded a more ambient-leaning isolatedmix, and a few of your most recent albums definitely veered this way too. Is this a reflection of your current taste or mood right now, or something else?

It’s just the way it’s come together in the studio past few years, although, I am becoming aware that there’s now a lot of people now that think all I do is ambient music. I have another album coming later this year that was completed over a year ago which is also ambient, but that will be the last release like that for a while I think, as the music I’m working on at the moment is definitely not ambient! 

Your Whities EP with Ellen Renton’s vocals is definitely a personal favorite of mine. You also sampled Carl Sagan in your latest album. Can you tell me a bit about your approach to integrating guest vocals and samples?

With Ellen, I write music inspired by her poems. Other vocal samples are usually things I hear in films or documentaries that resonate with me. Growing up listening to artists like the Orb, BOC, and The Black Dog has given me an appreciation for disparate vocal samples. I love the cinematic quality it adds to the atmosphere. 

You have a monthly radio show on Openlab, How do you go about selecting music for the show, or what can people expect? 

I still buy and collect a lot of music, so it’s a great outlet for me to share music I love. You’ll hear mostly, electronica, deep house, techno, and breakbeat.

Your isolatedmix is 100% unreleased music, so no tracklist here. Can you tell us a bit about how you put it together?

It’s a bit of a hybrid set - half DJ half live, all unreleased music. It may well be the last ambient thing from me for a while. No plans to release any of it at the moment. 

Lastly, I read you're a candle fan (as am I) What's your latest scent?!

Lol! :) I have a trial tester from an amazing new Scottish aromatherapy brand called àile. They do amazing products and are thinking about doing a candle. It’s cedar wood, mandarin, and clove I think. It’s great!

~

astrangelyisolatedplace · isolatedmix 120 - Lord Of The Isles

Listen on Soundcloud or the ASIP Podcast.

Download MP3

(No tracklist as all unreleased material)
Artwork image by Faisal Waheed.

Lord Of The Isles Bandcamp | Discogs | Soundcloud

Digging in Japan: Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo's best record stores (part two)

Back in July 2018, I had somewhat of a pilgrimage to Tokyo and spent an entire week visiting record stores, resulting in the first feature here on ASIP covering ten of my favorite record stores.

Five years later, I was lucky enough to visit Japan once more, this time with a best friend who also loves music. Our visit was sandwiched between two DJ shows I played in Tokyo and Osaka, allowing me the option to also explore Kyoto and Osaka stores more. What follows, are some of my favorite stores from the trip, that are in addition to those covered in the first post linked below.

Read: Digging in Japan: Ten of Tokyo’s best record stores

Plenty has happened in the five years since I went to Japan last, most notably, a global pandemic… Whether directly related or not, two of my favorite stores had since closed. Technique in Shibuya shut its doors in 2022, almost certainly as a result of Japan’s strict restrictions surrounding the pandemic. The techno-forward store was a mecca for any electronic DJ and is sorely missed. In addition, cult-favorite Disc Shop Zero shut down due to the unfortunate death of E-Jima san. The owner of the store passed away without passing the reigns, and now Japan is without one more very special record store.

This trip included repeat visits to Lighthouse Records, Face Records, Next Records (all Shibuya), Jet Set, City Country City, and Disk Union ( all Shimokitazawa), all of which were covered in the previous article so won’t be called out again here. All of these shops appeared relatively unchanged this time around and are all still highly recommended visits.

So, on to the new shelves…

Kankyō Records (Tokyo)

One thing that’s evident since 2018, is the increased proliferation of ambient music in physical form, especially the popularity of Kankyō Ongaku, or “environmental music” - a Japanese genre of music that was established in the 1980s as a reaction to the rapid urbanization and economic development of the time, and now seemingly having a resurgence. Unrelated to any of the reissues, but obviously inspired by the term and genre, Kankyō Records stocks many styles of ambient and experimental music, and goes deep. The store, located in what seems like a quiet student neighborhood, was hidden just off the main road on the ground floor of an apartment building. Stepping through the doors, the shop is small, with an entrance to remove your shoes and a pristine white interior - somewhat of a stark contrast to the busy record stores found elsewhere in Japan. A small crate of second-hand records meet you as you step in and remove your shoes, then a single wall of new vinyl, a wall of tapes, and CDs, all meticulously evenly spaced and presented.

Kankyō no doubt focuses on highlighting some of the many smaller tape labels in the scene - many of which come from Japan - but you can also find American labels such as Constellation Tatsu taking up a lot of that lovely white real estate along with a wide selection of ambient music on vinyl, precisely curated.

Brilliant stickers too.

Average cost: $$$ (many imports)
Specialty: Ambient, Drone, Experimental (Vinyl, Cassettes and CDs)
https://kankyorecords.com/

Ella Records Warehouse (Tokyo- Shimokitizawa)

We saw a fellow tourist in Disk Union Shimokitazawa and gave the digger nod, and an hour or two later, found ourselves in a chance meeting outside of a coffee shop. Noticing us again, he stopped and asked if we had got anything great, and we got talking. I can’t remember his name, but he was a DJ from Montreal back in the day and ended up recommending Ella Warehouse, which was just 5 minutes up the road. I had saved Ella Records previously on my list, but this seemed to be a new location near the station and a ‘warehouse’ if it wasn’t already obvious. Four floors up, the entrance is (surprise surprise, unassuming and easily missed, and took us two trips up the stairs to finally try the big heavy metal door) but when you enter, the space is noticeably more spacious than the typical store characteristic in Japan and reminded me of a store you might find in the UK.

Two people cleaned and filed records without even glancing up, and with crates at two levels (yes, the knee busters were out in force), it was clear we had our work cut out. Looking at the other customers, it was clearly a DJ-forward shop, and the collection went on to reflect it. Split in two, with house and techno on one side and hip-hop the other. There was plenty of 00s dance music to be found, including the more commercial stuff (including big trance and house hitters) so it was definitely more of a quantity-over-quality vibe. I ended up picking up and listening to about five records, but none really shouted at me to grab them right there and then, and so I left empty-handed. Don’t take that as a negative though - definitely a store worth visiting and going by the huge backstock shelves, it likely switches things up more often than other stores, so timing is everything.

Average cost: $$ (all used but generically priced in levels)
Specialty: House, Techno, Trance, Hip-hop.
https://ellawarehouse.com/

Meditations (Kyoto)

If Technique was a techno lover’s mecca in Japan, Meditations in Kyoto is quickly becoming the ambient lover’s mecca. Away from the Temples and small streets that make Kyoto so endearing, Meditations floats upon the second floor of yet another unassuming building a bit further north of the tourist hustle of downtown.

As you’d expect from such a name, it was a calm space, but also has a very active webstore by my experience, meaning the owner was busy packing records as we dug in - the sound of tape being ripped slightly jarring against the beautiful music and smell of incense. But, I was here at work (aka to dig) not to meditate...

The standing racks featured just about every adjacent genre to ambient music and within them an amazing selection of well-curated, new releases, some of which are hard for me to even find in US stores. Plenty of Music From Memory, Astral Industries, Imp Rec, and a surprisingly big Boomkat-related distro selection (think Sferic, 3XL etc) - impressive ambient labels of today that are hard to find outside of Europe. Under the racks, was a selection of Japanese and world music but second-hand records were few and far between. Ironically, I think I got my least ‘ambient’ records in this store and finally picked up the Death Is Not The End London Pirate Radio editions. With new records, it’s always hard to stretch your ears into unknown territories without taking a $plunge, and I had only really just got started on the trip…

After Meditations, there was another record store just around the corner from Meditations, which we sat patiently (in a nearby bar that the owner kindly kept open for us) waiting for the store to open, only to find they were shut for the week. It came recommended by a local friend, so may be worth stopping by the link above if you already hit Meditations.

Average cost: $$$ (mostly new, and many imports)
Specialty: Ambient, Experimental, Drone/Noise, Japanese + World
https://meditations.jp/en

Jazzy Sport (Kyoto)

I didn’t end up going to Shimokitazawa’s Jazzy Sport this time around (we tried, but it was shut despite Google saying it was open) so I made sure to visit the Kyoto outpost instead. It was also very close to my hotel, so no excuse. Up on the 4th floor above a beautiful district on the east side of the river, this spot is more of a DJ and merch store than a record store, but it gave an overall pristine and luxury vibe with new records, crossing funk, jazz, world music and plenty of local label support too so worthy of a call out here. The picture just about captures the amount of vinyl on offer, albeit with a few more crates underneath. I debated a compilation featuring all local Kyoto artists that they played for me on the system, but it didn’t hit the spot. Worth a step inside, if even for the cool merch and view from the top floor.

Average cost: $$$ (mostly new)
Specialty: Funk, Jazz, World, electronic.
https://jazzysportkyoto.com/

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Newtone (Osaka)

With the second DJ gig of my travels in Osaka being on the day before we left, it meant I only got to dig here for one afternoon, but we went pretty hard and hit gold.

Newtone is an electronic music fan’s haven. Well stocked (sometimes too much - you know, when you can’t even flick through) Newtone has philosophically replaced Technique as the DJ’s mecca in Japan and is a one-stop shop for any new release. With bottom shelves organized by distributors, you get a sense (if you know that world atleast) of how many distro’s this store is buying from, and it’s pretty much all of the biggies. Meaning, there’s no shortage of UK, US and EU records available here - a big deal if you’re local to Japan or visiting from Australia (or even the US like me). The prices reflect it, given the imports, but there are definitely some bargains to be had, and given you’d be paying expensive shipping yourself if you normally buy from the UK or EU, it works out just as good if not better. Also, one of the few stores that actually had a rack with new arrivals/recommendations - typical of a classic DJ-focused record store. However, listening wasn’t really an option given so many were new and sealed, so people were visiting the computer to grab audio clips.

Give yourself a couple of hours to truly rummage around in this one and get your headphones at the ready…

I was happy to also find a copy of Striê & Scanner’s ASIP LP in here too.

Average cost: $$$ (mostly new)
Specialty: Techno, Minimal, House, Ambient + more
https://www.newtone-records.com

Raregroove (Osaka)

I’ve long heard about Raregroove, and it was a must-visit for my short trip this time around. Often known for stocking some of the best Japanese Pop and Ambient, Jazz, World Music, and of course rare groove, it didn’t disappoint. If you’re more of a purist in that sense and going to Japan for the OG or regional presses then this is your spot. It’s world-renowned as one of the best record stores for a reason and if I had time to come back, I would have snapped up quite a few pieces in hindsight, but little did I know my time was about to run short.

Situated in a building shared with about five other record stores, once you’re finished in here, it’s the equivalent of walking into a new office down the hallway to find a whole new set of crates, but unfortunately for me, they were mostly hip-hop focused.

Hope to chat to you again soon, Norio!

Average cost: $$
Specialty: Japanese Pop, Ambient, Nuwave, House, Groove, Jazz etc
https://raregroove.jp/

Revelation Time (Osaka)

Perhaps my most successful dig happened to be the last store in Osaka at Revelation Time. This was, after now visiting quite a few stores over the years, perhaps a reflection of the quintessential Japanese record store you can come to expect.

Unassuming building, hidden away on the 4th floor.
One small room
Focused on records, not decor or merch.
Owner behind a desk, cleaning the records and simultaneously DJing.
Second-hand crates well curated and featuring notes / great tagging.

The entire center aisle was full of records I have never seen in the flesh before and the best thing was they made the genre and keywords very clear on the small writeups, which made it much easier to take a chance on a record and listen to it. A record that is simply categorized as “Trance” in many other stores, is less attractive than a record that says “Banging Belgium Trance Classic from 1995”… I’m in… and the wallet shared the pain. I ended up finding a few classic digs, but also some early IDM LPs that I’ve longed for, including Bola and u-ziq, Sensorama and an amazing rare ambient 12” by Haruomi Hosono (member of Yellow Magic Orchestra among many other influential projects).

Average cost: $$
Specialty: Ambient, IDM, Techno, House, Japanese Pop etc.
https://revelationtime.myshopify.com/

~

At this point, we were done, tapped out, and off to DJ in Osaka at an amazing party with Muzan Editions at Bar Wols. Ironically though given the weight being pulled behind me, without any turntables at the venue!

But as with all trips to Japan, I left with a crate full of special music for future listening, and unforgettable memories, longing to be back already.

Raregroove Osaka

Face Records Tokyo

Meditations Kyoto

Next Records Tokyo

Read the first feature from 2018, which includes ten more record stores in Tokyo, here.

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.

~

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

~

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.

~

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 >>