Illuvia / Iridescence of Clouds (Sea of Vapor)

 

The original process working alongside Ludvig Cimbrelius on his album Iridescence of Clouds, was an insightful journey through an artists’ meticulous mindset, as Ludvig let me in on the many iterations and versions of tracks he built along the way. I can be completely honest here; every single version I heard was brilliant he sent my way, but of course, his own artistic vision needed to be fulfilled, and certain versions were left by the wayside. Fast forward a year since the amazing response to this album, and we’re now treated to an entirely new album that is now presented alongside the original. Fully remastered by Ludvig himself to help fulfill every inch of his own vision in complete totality.

Now available on Bandcamp on Digital + 2CD Digipak, see the release page for full details and links to buy.

Illuvia expands upon his 2021 ambient drum'n bass hybrid album Iridescence Of Clouds, with a new suite of alternate and once discarded versions. Revisited, remastered, and presented as an extended digital album and double CD, with a new artwork version by Noah M / Keep Adding. 

"During the two-year process of creating the music that became Iridescence of Clouds, I ventured deep in attempts to give form to visions I’ve been catching glimpses of since my youth. Translating emotional landscapes to sound is somewhat of an undertaking when you care about every detail. As it often happens for me when working on an album, the alternate versions and discarded tracks were legion. Amongst them were everything from sketches to almost finished tracks that had been part of the album at some point, later to be replaced and left by the wayside. A while after the release I found myself revisiting these versions and outtakes, and I began gathering up a selection to form another album that I called Sea of Vapor.

It soon became clear to me that all these tracks felt emotionally tied to the original album, and I didn’t really have the sense that this new chapter wanted to stand on its own. That is when the idea of making a double CD came to mind—letting the two chapters come together as one story. Perhaps another reason why this idea resonated with me is that my early days of discovering and exploring the bright new world of atmospheric jungle and drum’n’ bass happened exclusively via the medium of CDs (and not uncommonly double discs). As shared in my entry for ASIP’s mix series [isolatedmix107], those CDs meant the world to me at the time and certainly left a deep imprint, perhaps even down to leaving me with an emotional affinity for the format.

So after another year of traveling through this vaporous rhythmic soundworld, it feels special to be able to present an extended edition of this album complete with a new rendition of the awe-inspiring original artwork by Noah M / Keep Adding (though the original version still leaves me speechless). As far as the music goes, there is no point in pretending that my journey with Iridescence of Clouds has been an easy one, but as a friend and fellow ASIP artist reminded me—maybe it shouldn’t be. And as time passes, it seems to me that the memory of our struggles fade while the beauty of our work remains" - Ludvig Cimbrelius

~

The digital edition of the album will be name-your-price for a limited time on Bandcamp, and all proceeds from digital sales will go directly to support the people of Ukraine. We encourage everyone to give as much as they comfortably can, and all together we will make a difference for those who need it the most right now. Human lives are at stake and your support matters. When we have received a big enough sum to make an impact, we will make an announcement and the sum of all the proceeds collected will be divided equally between Unicef Ukraine (www.unicef.org/ukraine/en) and Nova Ukraine (novaukraine.org)

 
 
 

Strië & Scanner / Struktura Revisited (ASIPV034)

 

Polish composer Olga Wojciechowska and veteran electronic producer Robin Rimbaud aka Scanner, combine on A Strangely Isolated Place to revisit a beloved Strië album - Olga’s more electronic and experimental alias. 

With previous releases on Serein and Time Released Sound as Strië, Olga Wojciechowska’s ‘Struktura’ was released in 2015 to a limited audience due to its physical-only format. As Olga’s work becomes increasingly more coveted, through her more recent releases on A Strangely Isolated Place (Unseen Traces & Infinite Distances), and with Struktura praised as one of her finest albums to date, the discussion to breathe new life into the album resulted in a unique pairing with Scanner, an electronic music producer and multimedia artist responsible for some of the most defining works of the genre since the early 1990s. 

Blurring the line between harmony and dissonance, Struktura’s original recordings paint an eerie, haunting and beautiful picture, conceptualized around abstract art, with intricacies and mystery abound. Strië’s original recordings remain untouched, albeit lovingly remastered by Rafael Anton Irisarri, and it is left to Scanner to provide further interpretations of Olga’s original recordings. 

Scanner productions can typically traverse a myriad of styles, but here, Robin took a primarily live-hardware approach to the remixes, allowing the rawness of his recordings to add story and depth. Recorded in one take, with no overdubs, the reinterpretations strip the melodies and textures to their original essence, bringing an entirely analog element to Olga’s intrinsically detailed originals.

Featuring artwork by Rep Ringel and mastered by Rafael Anton Irisarri, Struktura Revisited will be available on Gatefold 2LP in a black/grey half-and-half vinyl, with 6x6” soft-touch heavy art card.

Release date: January 31st, 2022
(Preorder January 10th, 2022)

Join us on January 30th, 11am PST on our Bandcamp page, for a LIVE performance by Scanner, where he will further reinterpret the music from Struktura Revisited.

 

2021 ASIP Label Compilation (mixed by todos)

 

For last year's label compilation, I mentioned how I hoped to invite a guest DJ to compile the next edition, and here we are! Of course, it just had to be our long-term musical companion, a good friend of mine, and well-respected DJ, todos.

I was first introduced to todos through his well-respected Kilchurn Mix series. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, they remain some of my favorite mixes of all time (listen to them all here). His ability to craft a narrative, manipulate samples and respect the grey area between ambient and electronic music, is second-to-none.

Since blogging about his mixes all the way back in 2008, and inviting him to compile a special isolatedmix a few years later, Doug (todos) and I have stayed in touch and connected further after learning we grew up with very similar musical trajectories. Doug also coincidentally, ended up living where my family is today (and where I spent my life growing up) in a surprising twist of fate. And in 2021, after years of speaking online, we finally got to meet, play records (in real life!), and go for a long overdue beer.

I always earmarked Doug to be a part of ASIP somehow, so it is my absolute pleasure to hand over the DJ reins for the 2021 compilation edition. Doug had free choice over which tracks to choose, as long as he included one track from each release of the year. The result is a very special mix, taking us through the ASIP 2021 release catalog in his unique, signature, todos style.

2021 has been another tough year but the music that has come out of it has been wonderful. With so many excellent releases on the ASIP label, it was exciting yet challenging to be asked to showcase a few on this mix. Massive thanks go out to Ryan for the opportunity and trust in letting me do this, the artists for their incredible talent and hard work, and lastly all the supporters of this music we love, I hope you enjoy.
— todos

ASIP 2021 mixed by todos is available on Bandcamp, and the digital is currently name your price, with the mixed CD version also available on Juno (and more stores to follow soon).

 

Gailes / Session 2 (9128-2)

 

The very first live stream on 9128.live broadcast from the studio of Rafael Anton Irisarri, as he and Thomas Meluch (Benoît Pioulard) pieced together a completely live improvisation, christening the newly created 9128 airwaves in 2019 and setting the bar for many more live takeovers.

With one album between them as Gailes, and profound work individually (also together as Orcas), Rafael and Thomas are masters of the ambient craft, combining intricate field recordings, guitar, pedals, vocals, and heady reverb across a 40-minute non-stop immersive listen, split into two 20-minute sides for the inaugural 9128 vinyl release.

The 9128 label aims to document significant live performances by artists that previously performed on the 9128.live platform. With recordings initially created for a singular collective listening moment, and often as part of a festival or takeover weekend, label recordings will re-present this music for further listening across various formats that best suit each release.

Gailes - Session Two, is available as a digital download and 12”, printed in a reverse-board die-cut sleeve, black vinyl.

Buy on Bandcamp

Buy on Juno (UK/ROW)

Buy on One Eye Witness (EU)

 

36 / Weaponised Serenity 9128-3(6)

As a home for collective listening moments, the 9128.live label encourages artists to push their own creative boundaries by presenting new, experimental approaches. This ethos has been encapsulated perfectly by Dennis Huddleston with his latest album as 36 and the third release for 9128.live.

Weaponised Serenity was originally performed as part of the 9128 2-year anniversary show, as 36 reflects on his rave upbringing, creating what can only be described as an ambient take on the early 90's UK hardcore/jungle sound. 

36’s signature, cinematic ambient music is often instantly recognizable to his most die-hard followers, even when he is found exploring techno under his SYNE alias. With this one-off set, aptly titled, Weaponised Serenity, Dennis has created an entirely new, surprising and innovative approach to his already beloved creative output. 

The 9128 label aims to document significant live performances by artists that previously performed on the 9128.live platform. With recordings initially created for a singular collective listening moment, and often as part of a festival or takeover weekend, label recordings will re-present this music for further listening across various formats that best suit each release.

Now available as a limited edition Cassette Box (white box with metallic foil print) and pro-dubbed Cassette (100 copies), and digital edition. The album will hit streaming platforms in a couple of weeks.

Available on Bandcamp