isolatedmix 34 - Anders Ilar

Ever since I heard Anders’ 2008 self-released (and free) album Twilight Rainfalls, i’ve wanted to get the Swedish maestro to do an isolatedmix. Tracks like ‘Rain In All Familiar Places’ epitomise my love of electronica – sheer beauty, melody and emotion.

Since that release, Anders has produced another four albums, and has just released his latest on Shitkatapult, ‘Elva’. Deeper, more complex and raw compared to Twilight Rainfalls, this album is yet another defining, varied piece of electronica and experimental music in Anders armoury.

For his isolatedmix, Anders has taken care to choose tracks that are very close to him, or have influenced his sound of today. It spans nearly the many genres of electronic music and is impeccably mixed and sequenced. If you remember Anders’ mix for Resident Advisor, or his more recent selection for Secret Thirteen, you’ll know you’re in for a bit of twisted journey. Here’s Anders with an introduction to the mix.

Over the past 30 years or so I’ve had a deep love for electronic music. I’ll never forget when I was introduced to the music of Kraftwerk and Jean-Michel Jarre for the first time as a 7-year-old, and I was swept away. The sounds and the music opened up a new level of reality for me, transported me to a universe of enchanted worlds made of sounds. Over the decades, as the music changed and developed into various styles and genres, my personal preferences also changed with time. Always guided by a search for that sense of deep mystery and other-worldliness that the sounds inspired. Certain artists and musicians came to my attention, and their music became a big part of my life and identity. Music that has stuck with me ever since their vibrational patterns first hit my ears and fused with my mind and excited my chakras, resulting in a blissful state of awe and wonder, goosebumps often included. These tracks all have something that can only be described as magic. This mix is made up of a mere handful of tracks like this. Music that hits that special nerve. Soaking in mystery. Taking the listener for a ride through a few of my favorite magical moments in electronic music history from 1980 up until 2012. Enjoy!

 

 

Download.

Tracklist:

1. Intro – Tearjerker
2. FSOL – Just a Fuckin’ Idiot (Virgin 1994)
3. Dictaphone – Templehof (City Centre Offices 2002)
4. Rechenzentrum – Vrieshuis Amerika (Shitkatapult 2000)
5. Involution – Mango Seals (1997, Sub-Conscious Communications 2007)
6. Shrubbn!! – Echo 3|3 (Shitkatapult 2012)
7. Max Spransy – The Lights In The Sky Are Stars (Merck 2005)
8. Dictaphone – The E.song (City Centre Offices 2002)
9. Robin Guthrie – Halloween (Rykodisc 2005)
10. Skinny Puppy – Unovis on a Stick (1983, Nettwerk 1992)
11. Prothese – Couteau (1981, Art & Strategy 2004)
12. Depeche Mode – Oberkorn (Mute 1982)
13. SPK – Genetic Transmission (Thermidor 1982)
14. SPK – Post-Mortem (Thermidor 1982)
15. Dead Can Dance – The Fatal Impact (4AD 1984)
16. Tom Ellard – Traumat (1981, Sevcom 2005)
17. Skinny Puppy – The Pit (1983, Nettwerk 1992)
18. Severed Heads – In Her Hair… Guard Dog On Patrol (1982, Sevcom 2002)
19. Depeche Mode – Monument (Mute 1982)
20. The Tear Garden – Lonesome Tonight (Sub-Conscious Communications 2009)

Anders on web | Soundcloud | Facebook

Kettel & Secede – When Can

 

 

Back in August, Kettel and Secede released a ‘When Can Flavors mix‘ which included some of their recent inspirations, and as the title conveys, influenced their upcoming album. It was a truly epic experimental mix, shifting between all types of genres.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on the new album – an album which marks the return of the brilliant Sending Orbs label after two years. The ‘Flavors’ mix did it’s job put it that way. ‘When Can’ is a monumental piece of experimental music which quite honestly, is like nothing i’ve heard before.

I gave Secede’s infamous album ‘Tryshasla’ a spin before listening to ‘When Can’ and although you can here Secede’s sound throughout this album, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where or how he and Kettel pieced this together and how on earth they come up with something as genius. Kettel is often renowned for perhaps, the weirder style of electronica music, and Secede, a master of miniature sounds, samples and that ‘outerworld’ feeling and both of these styles feature. But I think the thing that blows me away with this album is the unexpectedness of the sounds, the pure guts and glory of making something which they obviously enjoyed doing – no pre-tense, no expectations, and definitely no genre in mind.

You’ve got, what I can only describe as ‘medieval style’ music on tracks such as ‘Pentimento’ (i’m sure someone with a better background in music than me can pinpoint this style), more ambient, experimental tracks such as ‘Jahe’ and then ‘Admittance’ – probably one of my favourite tracks this year. Amazing percussion, choir-esque vocals, an overlaying of beautiful piano, crescendos and drops that are as euphoric as a dance-floor orientated track – from a track which couldn’t be less ‘dance’ if it tried. Check my last.fm scrobbles – I can’t stop playing it, yet this track (and the whole album) is so unique, I have a feeling some people will listen and be asking what all the fuss is about – love it or hate it, these guys have been crafting something special for years.

As early as 2005 Kettel and Secede hatched plans to produce a full-length collab. The two friends have been working together, on and off, to grow a style and craft an album that wouldn’t be just a merger or an addition, but that would render a genuine novelty. This year they delivered.

There’s definitely a theme, and a style – but i have no idea what it is – it’s just great and easily one of the more original and surprising albums of the year. Those seven years must’ve seen many inspirations, but it sounds like, they decided to create their own. Welcome back Sending Orbs!

You can listen to a few of the samples on the Sending Orbs Soundcloud and ‘When Can’ can be pre-ordered now, available November 26th.

 

 

 

 

ASIP Polarlichter Places Series Special

I was kindly invited to put together a mix for the brilliant Polarlichter Radio show on Campus Crew Passau, hosted by Thomas Adamski. I chose not to curate just any old mix for this special occasion, but instead, focused on highlighting The Places Series and some of the featured artists inspirations.

I didn’t want to approach this mix by just including some of the tracks from the series like an extended promo; instead, I wanted to make it a little more insightful, dig a little deeper and explore the story behind the story. Each Places Series track describes a personal journey, and every artist has an inspiration. So, I asked each artist to provide an example track that may have directly, or indirectly inspired their Places Series release.

This formula meant I couldn’t approach the mix how i normally would like to, but it ended up being quite a journey, full of twists and turns, spanning the spectrum of music covered on ASIP. It was amazing listening back to the artists and their inspirations, noting the smallest of similar details or the evolution of certain sounds which have been made their own.

Each Places Series track, is immediately followed by it’s inspiration as detailed below in the trackist. I couldn’t fit all of the Places Series releases in, so I hope this persuades you to listen to and download the rest of the series.

Polarlichter airs every two weeks and you can keep up-to-date with shows on the Facebook Page. Up next, are mixes from the legendaryLoscil and fellow music friend Das Kraftfuttermischwerk. Previous shows are also archived on the Polarlichter Mixcloud.

Thanks to everyone who listened live to the show tonight, your comments and support. And a big thank you to Tommy for being such a great host and talking about ASIP (despite it being in German!) It doesn’t feel complete without his voice, but here’s the mix without the intro’s from Tommy!

 

 

Download.

Tracklist:
01. [00.00] ASIP023 Benjamin Dauer – Six and Twelve (Forthcoming)
02. [05.40-09.48] Leonardo Rosado – Amidst The Crowd A Love Story
03. [09.48-15.13] ASIP002: enh – Roke DOWNLOAD
04. [15.13-20.21] The Sight Below – At First Touch (Simon Scott Remix)
05. [20.21-27.47] ASIP018 Parks – Black Day, Silver Sea DOWNLOAD
06. [27.47-30.26] Belong – Very Careful
07. [30.26-33.04] ASIP017 Sonae – Traurigtag DOWNLOAD
08. [33.04-37.00] Apparat – Goodbye (Instrumental)
09. [37.00-39.34] ASIP005 Levi Patel – Dissociation DOWNLOAD
10. [39.34-42.40] Ólafur Arnalds – Lag Fyrir Ömmu
11. [42.40-49.26] ASIP025 Leandro Fresco – Almas Sin Prisa (Forthcoming)
12. [49.26-52.15] Brian Eno – Be Calmed
13. [52.15-57.22] ASIP007 Kevin Bryce – The Park by Franklin DOWNLOAD
14. [57.22-1.02.06] Boards of Canada – Everything You Do Is A Balloon
15. [1.02.06-1.07.26] ASIP022 Audioglider – Heathaze Days DOWNLOAD
16. [1.07.26-1.11.37] The Bear And The Sea – Sandblonde
17. [1.11.37-1.15.41] ASIP013 Public Transport – Rosenheim DOWNLOAD
18. [1.15.41-1.21.58] Ulrich Schnauss – Blumenwiese Neben Autobahn
19. [1.21.58-1.22.43] ASIP001: Kit – The Peace House DOWNLOAD
20. [1.22.43-1.32.11] ASIP001: Kit – I Grew Up Here DOWNLOAD
21. [1.32.11-1.40.38] Secede – Born In A Tropical Swamp

ASIP022 Audioglider - Heathaze Days

 

In a hyper-connected world of social media, information excess and a constant desire to show and share our experiences, we often overlook the simple pleasure of savouring it for ourselves. 

In a tumbling desperation to update, pin, poke and comment, it’s all too easy to forget that the truly wonderful moments are those that leave us awestruck and momentarily detached from the world around us. For Roberto Sodano aka Audioglider, one such experience has vividly endured for two decades. 

“I was doing a bit of travelling and working in Egypt and I went to Siwa, a large oasis in the middle of the Libyan Desert” he explains. “It was fantastic and otherworldly to arrive at this lush, palm-strewn, isolated island with a lake at its heart and I spent a fantastically slow week there, taking in the simple pleasures of the everyday sights and smells, and gazing in wonder out in the desert, at the starry night skies.“ 

Set in stark contrast to the cacophony and claustrophobia of Egypt’s capital, Siwa emerged as a green jewel in a barren desert crown, and ‘Heathaze Days’ charts the contrasts, encompassing the sand-blasted, sweat-soaked 10 hour drive to the blissful discovery of the oasis itself. 

It’s a journey in every sense, the simple, sparse beats capturing the monotony of transit and the layered bursts of melody blossoming as Roberto delves deeper into the green vitality of Siwa. It builds a warmth and quiet euphoria that comes with selfishly holding onto a moment because it’s yours, so that as Roberto's desert odyssey longingly comes to an end, and the harmony wistfully fades out, the moments of discovery and reflection are as vivid as ever. 

“It was a relief to the senses to be cut off and isolated, to recharge and get a different perspective because there really was a sense of stillness,” he says. It was an opportunity to reflect, take stock and enjoy the moment for the moment, in the moment." 

ASIP021 Textural Being - Vantage Points

 

We’ve all stared into the abyss at some point in our lives - whether it’s figuratively in pondering life’s bigger questions, or literally, teetering on the precipice, peering over into gravity’s dead space - it typically provides a fresh perspective and a vast reminder of our place in the world. They’re some of the thoughts Sage Taylor considers as he stares out across Columbia River Gorge, absorbing the stars and size before him. 

“When you're from a city like I am, you're immediately struck by the vastness of the place but at the same time, the view is so picturesque it seems almost unreal,” he muses. 

‘Vantage Points’ captures that quiet contemplation and doesn’t just emanate tranquillity; it breathes it, exhaling with every whip of the night breeze and distant gurgle of the water below. There’s also a sense of relief and release, the stresses of a city life melting into the expanse, eased by the serenity but energised by the scale of the thoughts and things bigger than our own comprehension. 

“This song is an amalgamation of how I feel when I'm standing on the balcony of a viewpoint along the Columbia River Highway, absorbing the huge, sparse-yet-beautiful spectacle first-hand. The feeling is twice as intense at night and when the sky is clear, it's sort of a reminder just how small I am every time I do it.”