Albums of Interest 2019

What has resulted from a combination of sheer volume of releases and my own listening habits. Where I found myself slowly gravitating last year to more beat orientated music (I’ve probably brought and listened to more techno than dub and chill at periods this year) in all honesty I haven’t come across as many stand out albums in 2019.

So you may well view this list and think why didn’t X or Y make it? On the other hand there may well be artists or albums you missed that appeal. For a more in-depth look at this years releases I’d recommend hitting this link for a whopping 60 album reviews of 2019 ... 

http://ambientmusicguide.com/best-of-year/ambient-music-guides-best-albums-of-2019-reviews/

1) Pitch Black – Third Light (Dubmission Records)

On the top of their game Pitch Black dive into deeper and mellower tracks and deliver wonderfully at times. However, there is still plenty of the techno and drum and bass infused dub they have crafted over the decades.

2) Pure Love: Pure Chill Out Vol 1 (Altar Records)

A collection from the back catalogue of Argus and friends which also featured six teasers from the ‘Invisible Sun’ album which followed. Simply an amazing collection of beautiful music.

3) Reverend John Chester – The Tibetan Book of Dub (Mutantra)

Initially pre-released last year under the title ‘Nature Never Lies’ a selection of spaced out eastern dubs with plenty of robotic vocoder. The full release including the more up-tempo re-mixes recently saw the light of day.

4) The Human Experience – Things Are Changing

A selection of tracks by Gone Gone Beyond an Americana/folk/electronica collective put together by the Human Experience. This album was on constant rotation for months on my daily commute.

5) The Human Experience – Stillness in Motion

A fantastic follow up later in the year chock full of Amerianca and world music collaborations.

6) Sven Laux and Daniela Orvin – The Writings (Dronavrivm)

Daniela's piano enhances Sven’s ambient drones and electronica into somewhat of a masterpiece in modern classical fusion

7) Hollie Kenniff – The Gathering Dawn (n5MD)

I’ve been following with interest the teasers pre-cursing this album and suspect now that Hollie has stepped out of the shadow of her husband Keith (Helios, Goldmund) and taken the plunge with this debut album, she will be one to watch out for in her own right.

8) Eguana – Destiny (Cosmicleaf Records)

A wonderfully textured journey of space ambient music that sets the mind adrift.

9) Suns of Arqa – Heart of the Suns :1979 - 2019 (Interchill Records)

If like myself you have only dipped into their vast back catalogue this is a worthy selection compiled by Andrew Interchill that features a few elongated ambient versions.

10) 100^th Monkey – Space Dubs and Other Miscellany 1992 – 2017 (Disco Gecko Recordings)

Another back catalogue collection of an artist I knew relatively little about. Due to the time frame some of the tracks do sound retro but I’ve found this album is growing and growing on me.