A selection of downtempo musical highlights from 2020

 

With the landslide of emails, shares and media streams of new music, it’s becoming harder and harder to scratch the surface of music releases. So this list of no particular order is quite frankly a selection of releases that either impressed me or I repeatedly played on the commute to and from the day job.

1) The Orb – Abolition of the Royal Familia

https://theorb.bandcamp.com/album/abolition-of-the-royal-familia

Back in March the was a bit of a buzz about this album, with many saying the Orb were back to their best. Although I really liked the predecessor COW (Chill Out World) I could see from the off why this album would have universal appeal.

2) Gaudi – 100 Years of Theremin (The Dub Chapter)

https://gaudimusic.bandcamp.com/album/100-years-of-theremin-the-dub-chapter

Alongside a selection of heavyweight dub pioneers, the Theremin maestro celebrated the invention of this eerie electronic instrument by cementing a union with dub reggae.

3) Gigi Masin – Calypso

https://masin.bandcamp.com/album/calypso

A beautiful selection of sun-kissed Mediterranean ambience with touches of jazz. Just perfect to kick back and relax.

4) Yaima – Ceremonia

https://yaimamusic.bandcamp.com/album/c-e-r-e-m-o-n-i-a

Quite simply a lovely acoustic album from this American folktronica duo, which is inspired by the natural world and aimed at encouraging growth in the hearts and minds of the listeners.

5) Matt Coldrick – Music For A Busy Head Vol 2

https://panelectric.bandcamp.com/album/music-for-a-busy-head-vol-2

After many years Matt re-kindles this concept and dives deep into healing ambient textures, with touches of 70’s inspired prog rock guitar and gentle piano.

6) Paya – Hollow Skies

https://suriyarecordings.bandcamp.com/album/hollow-skies

A selection of tracks from the classically trained vocalist/multi-instrumentalist, that spans celtic folk, electronica and pop. At times almost mirroring her idols Dead Can Dance. The album is produced by Youth, who compared her vocal capabilities to Lisa Gerrard.

7) Tripswitch – Momento Mori

https://section.bandcamp.com/album/memento-mori

After a number of years concentrating on progressive house, Nick Brennan returned to the folds of downtempo where he initially made his name. At times darker than it’s predecessors but still balanced with moments of light.

7) Erothyme – Steep Dreams

https://erothyme.bandcamp.com/album/steep-dreams

This was the second Erothyme release that I purchased after a long hiatus on my behalf. With three exceptionally strong tracks this album ignited my interest in those albums I’d missed.

8) Andrew Heath – The Alchemists Muse

https://andrewheath.bandcamp.com/album/the-alchemist-s-muse

Not having heard his latest release I can only go on the two releases of this year I have heard. This edges it ever so slightly for me. However, if you like Andrew’s brand of ambient soundscapes, field recordings and laid back piano then they all fit the bill.

9) Eguana – Serenity

https://cosmicleaf.bandcamp.com/album/serenity

Eguana has churned out a good number of releases this year without lapsing on quality. Quite frankly I could have included any one of them. This album steered away from the space themes of it’s recent predecessors, with the focus placed on nature before moving to more mythical and fantasy themes of his following release.

10) Kaya Project – Body.Mind.Soul.

https://sebtaylor.bandcamp.com/album/body-mind-soul

Once again fusing tribal rhythms and world music with ambient soundscapes and ethereal vocals. Additionally featuring some re-mixes from Seb’s other projects such as Hibernation and Biotone.

Additionally ...

Richard Norris – Music For Healing (The Complete Long Form Series)

Richard followed on from his Abstractions albums with a series of 12 twenty minute ambient pieces, released weekly and aimed for relaxation or an accompaniment to practises such as yoga. Which is now available in a more compact version both digitally and on CD. There’s nothing really catchy about these releases they just suitably serve their purpose.

https://richardnorris.bandcamp.com/album/music-for-healing

After the Rain: A Sun Is Shining Late Summer Sampler

 After the rain:

A Sun is Shining late Summer Sampler

I compiled this selection of tracks I feel represents the ethos of this blog from albums that have been on rotation recently. For those of you who listen I hope you find something that you enjoy and that you will support the artists and purchase their work if you can.

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As this new interface from Google doesn't seem to want to display embedded HTML code for the Mixcloud player. Here is the link https://www.mixcloud.com/woodzee/after-the-rain/

Track List:

1) Matt Coldrick – Uncertain Waves on Soft Shorelines

After Nineteen years Matt utilised the lockdown period to compose the sequel to the Absolute Ambient release ‘Music For A Busy Head’. The concept is simply an album to unwind from the stress we can build in our day-to-day lives in modern times. I selected this track (the longest featured) for the nod towards progressive rock both in the synth sounds, piano and soothing guitar licks, that in my humble opinion achieves the goal he set out to achieve.

2) Erothyme feat. Jessica Borth – Tale of the Misty Veil

Taken from the album ‘Steep Dreams’ and only the second I have brought (or heard) from a number of releases. However, this fusion of glitchy low bass electronics and orchestral strings, is one of two really strong tracks that have pulled my interest back towards his productions.

3) Tor.Ma In Dub – The Dream of Anaho

Taken from the album ‘Among Aliens and Gods’ inspired by his love of Sci-Fi movies, H.P. Lovecraft and the recent birth of his daughter. This track isn’t one of the harder hitting tracks of the release. However, I felt the mood of the piece and its subtle 80’s sci-fi sounds that slowly unfurls and rise throughout the track was apt for this occasion.

4) Entheogenic – Celestial Mechanics

A welcome return with the album ‘Animism’ and for me this is the stand out track. From the moment that Floyd’esque guitar drops in the intro, the piece carries you through a wonderful journey combining guitar and electronic synths perfectly.

5) Kukan-Dub-Lagan – Sufeit of Happiness and Agony

Taken from the album ‘In Search of the Fogbow’ this haunting piece of electronic music rips along slow and heavy tribal’esque drum patterns, whilst the synths build to a wonderful, yet dark crescendo.

6) Terra Nine – Dub Terratory (Kuba Re-mix)

Alongside the Kaya Project this is my favourite from the ‘Eternity Re-mixes’ album, Kuba takes the original (which on it’s own is a good track) and flutters between the sounds of Jamaica and India lifting it to even greater heights.

7) Gaudi meets Prince Fatty – Theremin Dub Mafia

Taken from ‘100 Years of Theremin: The Dub Chapter’ a celebration album where Gaudi plays the theremin (a go to instrument for many classic Sci-Fi movies) alongside some of the giants of dub reggae. This is my personal favourite from the release and really hits the spot.

8) Irfan – Salamander

This is the first of two Bulgarian acts featured here. Taken from the album ‘The Eternal Return’ which isn’t new but I’d been meaning to purchase something of theirs for years and recently found them on bandcamp. Very similar to Dead Can Dance but unlike Lisa Gerrard they don’t invent the words this is the real McCoy.

9) Black Bombay – Rice Field Chant (Shanghai Edit)

Taken from the compilation Shanghai Chill. There is something of a retro feel about this track, where I feel would easily slotted into a Buddah Bar compilation in the past with it’s touches of dub and Chinese vocals.

10) Cosmic Voices of Bulgaria – Retour a la Vie

The second act from Bulgaria and once again this isn’t new. A recent discovery for me that originally featured on Armand Amar’s soundtrack for the 2010 French film ‘AO Le Dernier Neandertal’. 

Subaqueous "Re-Vision" Review

Artist: Subaqueous

Title: Re:Vision

Label: Self Release

Released: 14th August 2013

Hailing from Seattle Issac Coltec aka Subaqueous has been making music in his own right since the summer of 2005 but here he gives the reigns up to a plethora of re-mixer’s such as Govinda, Heavenly Father and Nossau.

If you are familiar with his work you will know that his music is very much influenced by the tribal and indigenous sounds, but saying that his production and overall results are very much planted in the 21st century. 

Re-Visions sees his sound morphed and interpreted from the opening underwater electronica of Erothymes remix of 'Shimmers In The Dark' on to more terra firma sounds from Futextures take on “Shimmers” that incorporates techy dubstep with jazzy minimal D&B (of a Roni Size vibe) to the pure dub of 'Shortmanbs remix of 'Devotion Afloat'

My personal fave on this release is the lush 'Bless The A.M' remix of 'Visions Embrace' brimming with beautiful melodies and swirling warm thermals with vibrato synths.

This album spans so many genres but at the same time holds it all together successfully and with a roster of accomplished producers on remix duties the final result is varied but never out of place.

Review By CKA John

http://subaqueous.bandcamp.com/