Passing by: Klimt, WNDFRM, Donnacha Costello, Casino Versus Japan

Klimt - Genesa

It seems right to begin the first Passing By post on the new site by revisiting an artist I featured very early on. I've kept Antoni Budzinski's track Pozegnanie on the ASIP Soundcloud account for years now after featuring him back in 2009 - it's a track I can't bear to see disappear and one I keep on sharing with people.

Antoni has now returned with a new album titled Genesa, and has again managed to strike a chord. A beautiful mix of guitar-infused post-rock featuring rich melodies, and light-hearted ambient tones. Think a middle-ground between Hammock and Rhian Sheehan.

Available at Requiem Records.

WNDFRM - Formal Variant EP

Tim Westcott is slowly but surely turning heads. The Portland native is a regular around here - his live sets often feature pitch-black listening sessions programmed on his very own perfected sound-system. He's been playing at Mutek, and now made a significant punch with his release on the well-respected techno label, Prologue. Deep, twisting, hypnotic, almost tribal sounding at moments; the two tracks at over 12 minutes long each, are an immersive dive into finely tuned industrial techno.

Vinyl and digital available at Bandcamp.

Donnacha Costello - Ambient Mix 1995-2015

Donnacha recently tweeted "there's a lot more interest in my ambient music than my techno, which is heartening", and whereas I enjoy I enjoy both, he certainly has a talent for producing a warm and fuzzy ambient sound that resonates more recently.

Donnacha just released this lovely ambient mix over at Bandcamp which comes with a download of some of his own tracks featured in the mix. If you remember our feature that covered some of his very finest releases, then you'll want to grab that unreleased Cocoa track.

Available at Bandcamp.

Casino Versus Japan - Damaged Errata

And finally, a group high-five please. Casino Versus Japan returns. This short but very-welcome EP is a lovely reminder of his unique analog style we came to love on Night On Tape and Go Hawaii. Whereas Night on Tape featured a slightly darker-side than Go Hawaii, this EP seems to straddle the two - grainy textures layered over 8-bit, analog synths.

Available at Bandcamp.

Passing by: Sonae, Levi Patel, Leandro Fresco

Sonae – Far Away Is Right Around The Corner

Sonae’s hard-work and dedication have never been in doubt alongside her brimming talent. The Cologne-based producer’s Places Series EP was just a taster of what to expect for when an inevitable full-length came to fruition.

Far Away Is Right Around The Corner is Sonae’s debut on Monika Enterprise and a natural extension to her Places Series Cologne EP. I’ve enjoyed the unexpectedness and variety of Sonae’s productions (and even her mixes) to date, and her album finally depicts the many courses, battles and emotions she considers when taking to the studio.

A pounding beginning echo-ing with static is followed by the title piece; a shining ambient drone juxtaposed with a piercing synth. Wanderingis another play on Sonae’s explorations of her city no doubt, with eery radio samples, static and decay. The piano has long been Sonae’s weapon of choice and her differing approaches show between the heavy drones in Song Of Hate And Anger and  the uplifting keys in Hot Summerday. My favourite track I Know A Fish, is Sonae’s most balanced piece to date and a defining piece for the album.

Within each track lies hidden meanings, a hidden emotion and a confusion of sorts, that only becomes apparent as a whole. Skip through the tracks and you’d miss it. Listen as a whole and you’ll be engrossed until the end – a story with highs, lows, twist and turns. Available on LP / digital download.

Listen and download Sonae’s Places Series release Cologne here.

Levi Patel – Of Sleep and Time

After his big step with Forms on Dado Records, Levi Patel has returned with a mini EP, which he recognises as a different approach to his earlier material. But let me make this clear – this is probably only a different approach to a musical genius like him… sure it focuses more on the piano, and is definitely less Soundtrack, but to us mere mortals, the pure emotion and melancholy still remain. You’d be quick to draw comparisons with Nils Frahm’s early days, but it’s Olafur Arnalds and Otto A.Totland who’ll be witnessing a similar young prodigy tread in the same, gentle footsteps. Available on Bandcamp.

Listen and download Levi’s Places Series release, Dissociation, here.

Leandro Fresco – El Reino Invisible

Leandro’s latest, El Reino Invisible, is the first in a new Pop Ambient album series, which follows the acclaimed compilation series – a move that was to many of us inevitable given the quality of output so far. Kompakt have always ‘released’ ambient albums, but only now have they decided to position them under the successful Pop Ambient guise.

Expect nothing unexpected from Leandro and everything you’ve come to love from the Pop Ambient mainstay – his beautiful, warm synth-sound wrapped in subtle melodies is a perfect start to the series. As Leandro quotes, “I do not associate this album with feelings of sadness, but with hope, light and the summer heat, full of cyan and orange colors”, much like a summer trip to Buenos Aires accompanied by the man himself. El Reino Invisible is the equivalent of putting your music on auto-play when watching a superb sunset – a warm, slowly evolving and colourful attack on the senses. Just as the first track translates, we’re hoping it’s A Golden Age for Pop ambient after this signature release.

Available to preview/listen and pre-order on Kompakt.

Passing by: Crisopa, Offthesky & Pleq, Eyesix, Sraunus

Crisopa – A Lucid Dream Kit

Spain’s electronica pioneer Crisopa has finally made a return to our beloved n5MD label with his new album. On first listen, we can expect much of the same melodic, soaring and complex beat-work we came to realise on his last endeavour with n5MD, Biodance. And you know what, I’m pretty pleased about it, as no-one else out there matches Santi’s colorful approach to this style of music. Available through then5MD Bandcamp on CD/digital.

Offthesky & Pleq – A Thousand Fields

You may have heard me bang on about Infraction Records a few times on here, primarily through discovering our very own Parks back in the day. They don’t put out many records, but when they do, they are always top-notch. Their latest, A Thousand Fields, is the first collaboration between Denver, Colorado based artist offthesky (Jason Corder) and Warsaw, Poland based musician Pleq (Bartosz Dziadosz), both of which you may have come across before on labels such as Home Normal, Hibernate, SEM and Dronarivm. Needless to say, a bunch of experience and talent between them.

‘A Thousand Fields’ is tantalising and delicate, expressing many modern-classical elements. The preview track, Ashes of America, is one of the best soundtrack pieces I’ve ever heard.. no joke, it’s beautiful. Available on limited edition vinyl to pre-order now through Bandcamp.

Eyesix – Conet Communications Workshop

It was 51 weeks ago to the day we last posted about Eyesix, and he even got a shout-out in my journey through ambient article as an artist delving into the warm retro-style helmed by the likes of Boards of Canada. Well, his latest is no different to the comparison made back then, but that’s no means to discount such a lovely bunch of music. This kind of stuff is rare to come by and loved by many so get involved. Available on CD/Digital through Bandcamp.

Sraunus – Vibrant Dead Rock

2012’s Out Of The City, was one of my favourite ambient/dub-techno releases of late and ensured I kept a close eye on how Lithuania’s Srauns developed. Three years later and the evolution is clear with Vibrant Dead Rock. I was scared at first – a haunting piece of artwork and track-names akin to what you’d expect from that album title – some kind of death metal piece, but you’ll want to invest some time in this one. Some very interesting approaches that span drone, ambient and electronica. Some, veil potentially loud experimental pieces in distortion and delay, such as Galyma, some are atmospheric synth pieces such as Litorina, and some remain in touch with his earlier dub-techno work, such as Motina. A varied and worthwhile investment. Available on tape and Digital through Bandcamp.

Passing by: Inventions, Sonitus Eco, Rafael Anton Irisarri, 36, Undisclosed

I’ve started 2015 by sinking my teeth into some awesome vinyl releases. Must be the bug, given ASIPV002 is out in just a few weeks (26th!) Only some kind of musical illness can excuse vinyl purchases straight after Christmas, even Biosphere is on the hunt to get his first ever album repressed over at Kickstarter.

Inventions – Maze of Woods

You may recall Inventions’ debut self-titled album last year after my review here, and longtime friends Matthew Cooper of Eluvium, and Mark T. Smith of Explosions In The Sky have just gone and surprised us with a new appealing limited vinyl release. Maze of Woods comes as a coloured double vinyl package, featuring a remix disc with none other than The Field on duty, and A Winged Victory For The Sullen’s very first remix, all on a clear/red wax. Available on Temporary Residence.

Sonitus Eco – The Light Between Oceans

Silent Season start the year strong with a vinyl release from Sonitus Eco, a deep and mystifying techno LP. Mastered by none other thanNeel, the driving force in the first track, Storegga Slide, haunts with a dirty undercurrent that reminds me of Biosphere’s N-Plants work a few years back. 100 blue Vinyl and 200 Black are available on Juno.

Rafael Anton Irisarri – Hopes and Past Desires (repress)

In January of 2009 Immune released the beautiful 12 minute 7″EP from Rafael Anton Irisarri titled Hopes and Past Desires. Originally released in an edition of 500 that has been sold out for years and is now getting a repress. Emotional strings and delicate sound design compliment each other in this must-have piece of vinyl. Available through Immune Recordings.

36 – Pulse Dive

The vinyl has already sold out unfortunately (a matter of hours) but that’s no excuse to not talk about great music. This is one of my favourites from Dennis, featuring a more energetic stance compared to his more renowned immersive ambient approach. The title track,Pulse Dive reminds me of a modern take on some early 70’s synth work, crossed with Global Communications infamous album, 74:16 with pinches of Petar Dundov’s more trance-inducing techno productions. Available on Bandcamp.

Undisclosed – Undisclosed

Last but not least, and a slight anomaly in the post (not a vinyl release – just yet anyway) is this mysterious EP titled Undisclosed. Conceived by our friend over at Headphone Commute, the EP is a gathering of likeminded artists looking to explore new production approaches – “the project allows each musician to explore a particular sonic territory, while remaining detached from all of the previous associations with their notable name”. Out on January 16th, we can be sure that the quality associated with HC will follow through on this release, and on on first listen, the site’s experimental and modern-classical ethos will shine through across the four elusive tracks. Available January 16th on Bandcamp.

Image taken on New Years Eve at Cape Kiwanda, OR – the last sunset of 2014 – ASIP.

Passing by: Frank Sebastian, Ourson, Luke Howard, Mr Frankie, Warmth

Frank Sebastian – Towards Distance

Subspiele have begun their first venture into vinyl, and it’s label curator Frank Sebastian who steps up first, with this beautiful journey through ambient and dub-techno. “…a product of my own journey towards distance. My time-out at the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – 6 months in New York“; Franks debut vinyl release is patient, full of warmth and as the detailed description over on Bandcamp implies, a truly personal and introspective piece of work. Subspiele have also made some nice-looking CD cases for the release. Available on Bandcamp.

Ourson – Wanderdrift

We’re long-time fans of Ourson’s work, and his latest, described as ‘spacey and cerebral’ is another dive into some deep and engrossing ambient realms. Available on Bandcamp

Luke Howard – Two & One

Spanning modern-classical, ambient and electronic music, Luke Howard returns with another ridiculously talented album. As with 2013’s Sun, Cloud, this is another collection of emotional and poignant soundtracks. Available on Bandcamp

Mr Frankie – Campfire Stories 7 (Secrets of The Sea)

Silent Season’s Campfire Stories is one of the best mix series out there at the moment. Playing host to mixes from the likes of Jamie McCue and ASC so far, it’s Mr Frankie’s take this time around, who presents to us the delights of AWVFTS, Biosphere, Rafael Anton Irisarri and Deepchord, alongside tracks from Silent Season artists including Purl, Yuka and Adam Michilak. Download.

Warmth – Dopamine

More dub-techno of the superb atmospheric type by Warmth. I’ve seen this picked up by many ASIP regulars already (released in September) – always a sign of a good quality release when you guys get to it before me! Available on Bandcamp.