Best(favorite) Ambient of 2021

Music

 
I've been listening to the music of Rafael Anton Irisarri for a long time. The oldest album of his that I have is 2007's Daydreaming. I'm listening to it as I type this and wow, I'd forgotten how excellent it is. His music has changed a bit since then - now using drones, symphonic washes, tape loops, layers of distortion and "bleached out textures." So I was excited when he offered to do a guest mix. Um, yes please!
This mix is everything that I love about guest mixes because it takes twists and turns that I normally do not so it kept me engaged to whole way through.
Here's what Rafael has to say about this set:
"I crafted this mix as Spring gently dissolves into Summer, drawing inspiration from perennial favorites like Arvo Pärt and Harold Budd. It features the work of many dear friends and colleagues such as Sylvain Chauveau and Federico Durand, as well as some favorite tracks I've mastered at my Black Knoll Studio in New York. This includes pieces from William Basinski, Eluvium, Michael Muller, and Julia Kent, along with contributions from Grand River, Animated Matter (Hannah Elizabeth Cox), Concepción Huerta, Christina Giannone, Pepo Galán, and Karen Vogt. Adding a personal touch, I've included a piece from my latest album, released on my newly minted Black Knoll Editions, in collaboration with the esteemed Italian producer Abul Mogard. There's also a special collaborative piece I created with the brilliant Julianna Barwick a couple of years ago. Hope you enjoy! 
Looking forward to playing some shows this summer, starting in Italy on July 7th with Abul Mogard in Rome at Halfdie Festival, then later on September 14 at Ametric Festival in Chania, Greece. Stay tuned for more announcements by following on Instagram @blackknoll or at www.irisarri.org."
 
Thanks Rafael for this amazing mix!
 
Here are links to all the music used in this mix:
https://ghostly.bandcamp.com/album/thousands-of-eyes-in-the-dark
https://animated-matter.bandcamp.com/album/selkie
https://federicodurand.bandcamp.com/album/flor-imaginaria
https://www.amazon.com/Apollo-Atmospheres-Soundtracks-Brian-Eno/dp/B000003S1E
https://beaconsound.bandcamp.com/album/lower-river-reworks
https://williambasinski.bandcamp.com/album/on-reflection
https://abulmogard.bandcamp.com/album/impossibly-distant-impossibly-close
https://ecmrecords.com/product/arvo-part-tabula-rasa-gidon-kremer-keith-jarrett-tatjana-grindenko-alfred-schnittke-the-12-cellists-of-the-berlin-philharmonic-orchestra-staatsorchester-stuttgart-dennis-russell-davies-lithuan/
https://sylvainchauveau.bandcamp.com/album/un-autre-d-cembre
https://eluvium.bandcamp.com/album/whirring-marvels-in-consensus-reality
https://headphonecommute.bandcamp.com/album/for-ukraine-volume-2
https://www.amazon.com/Lovely-thunder-HAROLD-BUDD/dp/B00004XNLZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3SE3RKREFK46O&dib;=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.lEh9qetRmaBVCr72TtjwA5RjuHqSmI-OmCaB1sChoxY._GCIjpRo_wRaKREhIt1SrdMNfgMKbTh7Ieu0Nd27hxI&dib;_tag=se&keywords;=Harold+Budd+-+Lovely+Thunder&qid;=1718556861&sprefix;=harold+budd+-+lovely+thunder%2Caps%2C300&sr;=8-1
https://facture.bandcamp.com/album/family-harmony
https://concepcionhuerta.bandcamp.com/album/harmonies-from-betelgeuse
https://pitp.bandcamp.com/album/glazed-vision

 
Cheers!
 
 
T R A C K L I S T :

00:00   Grand River - This Was Us (VA: Thousands of Eyes in the Dark, 2019)
01:53   Animated Matter - Follow (Selkie, 2021)
04:28   Federico Durand - Flor Imaginaria (Flor Imaginaria, 2020)
06:41   Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, and Roger Eno - Signals (Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks, 1983)
08:16   Michael Muller - Glyph II (Julia Kent Rework) (Lower River Reworks, 2020)
12:52   William Basinski & Janek Schaefer  . . . on reflection (four) (“ . . . on reflection “, 2022)
15:12   Abul Mogard & Rafael Anton Irisarri - Place of Forever (AM Radio edit) (Impossibly Distant, Impossibly Close, 2024)
21:52   Arvo Pärt - Fratres For String Quartet (Fratres, 1977)
31:22   Sylvain Chauveau - La Lettre Qu'il N'Envoya Jamais (Un Autre Décembre, 2003)
32:56   Eluvium - Vibration Consensus Reality(for Spectral Multiband Resonator) ((Whirring Marvels In) Consensus Reality, 2023)
41:06   Julianna Barwick + Rafael Anton Irisarri - Thalasso (For Ukraine Vol. 2, 2022)
46:21   Harold Budd - Sandtreader (Lovely Thunder, 1986)
51:32   Pepo Galán feat. Karen Vogt - It's All Around You (Family Harmony, 2023)
56:13   Concepción Huerta - Solastalgia (Harmonies from Betelgeuse, 2022)
59:37   Christina Giannone - Immortality (Glazed Vision, 2021)

Solstice Prelude, Fading Spring by Rafael Anton Irisarri

 
 
As with many other mixes this one has a specific track that was the inspiration. The tune is called "Franky's Floyd" from the album "An Evening with Friends" by Ron Boots. It's a live album by Boots and his friends. The track is called "Franky's Floyd" because Frank Dorittke plays a nine minute variation of David Gilmour's solo from Comfortably Numb. It all sounds so familiar but with enough variation to make it interesting. Thanks to Paul Asbury Seaman for giving me the heads-up on this track. I am in awe of it every time I listen.
https://ronboots.bandcamp.com/album/an-evening-with-friends
The title of this mix is a bit misleading, while there are a couple of screaming guitars here, most of the mix is just loud-ish guitar tracks that lean towards a spacey vibe. I think this set does a good job combining new and old tracks, going from 1975 & '77 to the 2010s and then 2020 & '21. 
I've definitely been in a guitar mood lately with this one and a couple more guitar-based mixes in the works. One of them will have a Khruangbin vibe because they have a new album out and they are one of my favorite artists on the music scene right now.
Cheers!
 
T R A C K L I S T :
00:00    Steve Hillage - Meditation Of The Snake (Fish Rising 1975)
03:03    Sunburned Hand Of The Man - Flex (Pick A Day To Die 2021)
06:51    Frank Dorittke, Harold Van Der Heijden, Ron Boots & Stephan Whitlan - Franky's Floyd (An Evening With Friends 2017)
13:55    Moon Duo - Square of the Sun (Hexadic III 2018)
19:55    Roy Buchanan - Fly…Night Bird (Sweet Dreams: The Anthology 1992)
24:30    Gov't Mule - Tomorrow Never Knows (Dub Side Of The Mule 2015)
28:50    Tangerine Dream - Impressions of Sorcerer (Sorcerer 1977)
31:24    Steve Hillage - The Glorious Om Riff (Green 1978)
37:42    Spencer cullum - Dieterich Buxtehude (Spencer Cullum's Coin Collection 2020)
44:53    Grails - Chalice Hymnal (Chalice Hymnal 2017)
48:50    Dans Dans - Shell Star (Zink 2021)
52:50    Dan Phelps - Cumulonimbus (MODULAR 2011)
59:30    end


In Space No One Can Hear Your Guitar Scream

 
I am fortunate enough to occasionally have labels or artists connect with me about new music they have coming out. Sometimes those discussions result in a guest mix. Which brings us to this latest mix.
Daniel Field, owner/founder of Imaginary North, reached out about some new music coming out on his excellent ambient label. He has a new album out under his Kilometre Club moniker so we figured it would be a great time for a guest mix.
Here's what Daniel has to say about this collection:
"I am so excited to share my new triple album, An Alphabet of Distance, and wanted to create a mix that reflects the idea of closeness. As a result, I looked to music being made in and around my hometown Toronto, thinking about some of our growing ambient community, as well as reflecting on the past. While putting this together, I quickly began to notice themes and trends that have permeated local ambient, electronic, and experimental music from this vast and vibrant city. 
 More than anything, the vast array of instruments used across this mix feels like a connect-the-dots of the diverse, complex, and cosmopolitan nature of the city. In 100 minutes, on top of the usual guitars and synthesizers, you'll hear harp, bass clarinet, saxophone, kulintang gongs, kalimbas, horns, a bridge, and so many more components that come together beautifully. The title of the mix is named after Toronto's most annoying and traffic-filled major thoroughfare, one that has recently undergone partial demolition and multiple lane closures, but is still such a pivotal artery of the city. 
An Alphabet of Distance is out now as a digital download or double CD from Imaginary North."
 
Here's the link to the new Kilometre Club album:
https://imaginarynorth.bandcamp.com/album/an-alphabet-of-distance
Imaginary North Bandcamp page:
https://imaginarynorth.bandcamp.com/
 
Here are links to all the music used in this mix:
https://imaginarynorth.bandcamp.com/album/nostalgia
https://shnshn.bandcamp.com/album/form-s
https://gracescheele.bandcamp.com/album/landings
https://josephshabason.bandcamp.com/album/anne
https://piersoolvai.bandcamp.com/album/solace-shards
https://domakesaythink.bandcamp.com/album/you-youre-a-history-in-rust
https://imaginarynorth.bandcamp.com/album/other-rooms-mainstream-x-imaginary-north
https://imaginarynorth.bandcamp.com/album/imaginary-north-transmission-004
https://imaginarynorth.bandcamp.com/album/outside-choices
https://brokensocialscene.bandcamp.com/album/you-forgot-it-in-people
https://pantayo.bandcamp.com/album/ang-pagdaloy
https://avantlard.bandcamp.com/album/sleepwalking-through-lambton-woods
https://fanwu.bandcamp.com/album/touch-the-ten-thousand-things-without-dependency
https://aidanbaker.bandcamp.com/album/field-of-drones
https://oscarson.bandcamp.com/album/anth-ne-held
https://dreamstate.bandcamp.com/album/the-drone-cycle
https://polmopolpo.bandcamp.com/album/like-hearts-swelling
https://imaginarynorth.bandcamp.com/album/the-longest-time

 
Thanks to Daniel & Imaginary North for this excellent mix.
Cheers!
 
T R A C K L I S T :
00:00   Kilometre Club & Lutes Jennings - Stoplight (from An Alphabet of Distance, Imaginary North 2024)
02:28   Moonwatcher - Echo In The Hollow Of My Skull (from Impressions, Age of Leisure, 2024)
06:11   JICS - come back to me (from Nostalgia, Imaginary North, 2024)
08:44   shn shn - first light (from Form(s), independent, 2023)
13:22   Kilometre Club & Sun Rain - Zone of Harmony (from An Alphabet of Distance, Imaginary North 2024)
16:28   Grace Scheele - pomposity (from Landings, independent, 2023)
18:28   Joseph Shabason - Forest Run (from Anne, Western Vinyl, 2018)
22:52   Piers Oolvai - Materia (from Solace Shards, independent, 2021)
27:29   Do Make Say Think - A Tender History in Rust (You, You’re A History in Rust, 2007)
32:34   Kilometre Club & Gollden - Fragments (from An Alphabet of Distance, Imaginary North 2024)
38:26   Erin Corbett - All You Can Think About Is How Good It Feels (from Other Rooms, mainstream x Imaginary North 2024)
45:54  Pick a Piper - Kalimbas and Chimes (from Imaginary North Transmission 004, 2023)
51:49  Kilometre Club & Astrolope - All/Flax (from Outside Choices, Imaginary North, 2023)
58:06   Broken Social Scene - Capture the Flag (from You Forgot it in People, Arts and Crafts, 2002)
1:00:12   Pantayo - Bakal Bote (from Ang Pagdaloy, Telephone Explosion, 2023)
1:02:28   Nick Storring - Sleepwalking Through Lambton Woods [excerpt] (from Sleepwalking Through Lambton Woods, Avant Lard, 2023)
1:09:00   Fan Wu - Yarrowly (from touch the Ten Thousand Things without dependency, Second Spring, 2024)
1:13:40   Aidan Baker - Twilight [excerpt] (from Field of Drones, Arcolepsy Records, 2004)
1:18:11   anthene - beneath the trees (from Held, Oscarson, 2021)
1:21:52   dreamSTATE - Northern Ark (Feat. Kurt Swinghammer) (from The Drone Cycle, independent, 2024)
1:27:30   Polmo Polpo - Farewell (from Like Hearts Swelling, Constellation Records, 2003)
1:32:29   Kilometre Club - The Longest Time [excerpt] (from The Longest Time [coming soon], Imaginary North, 2024)


Ghosts of the Gardiner Expressway by Kilometre Club


 
Time for some fresh ambient tracks. This is a simple, straightforward mix featuring all very new music. These new tracks work very well together to create a nice, flowing listening experience. There's not much else to say other than enjoy the peace and tranquility.
Links to all the music used in this mix, although the Braulio Lam album & the einwandeins album have not been released yet so you'll have to keep your eye on Bandcamp for those releases.
https://archivesdubmusic.bandcamp.com/album/abstract-lights
https://ancientastronaut.bandcamp.com/album/expanding-flows
https://dronarivm.bandcamp.com/album/recollected-in-tranquility
https://handstitched.bandcamp.com/album/feeling-flying
https://soundinsilencerecords.bandcamp.com/album/arcadian
https://floraliaeditions.bandcamp.com/album/stray-light
https://perceptualtapes.bandcamp.com/album/unmetrical
https://perceptualtapes.bandcamp.com/album/exosphere
https://altusmusic.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-the-sea-part-two
https://jogginghouse.bandcamp.com/album/rendezvous

 
Cheers!
 
T R A C K L I S T :
00:00    David Cordero - Segunda Generación (Abstract Lights 2024)
01:30    Ancient Astronaut - A Long Way (Expanding Flows 2024)
05:38    Runaway Horses - House in the Woods (Recollected in Tranquility 2024)
09:20    Feeling Flying - Shimmer 7 (Feeling Flying 2024)
13:18    The Green Kingdom - Arcadian Skies (Arcadian 2024)
18:40    anthéne - second guess (stray light 2024)
23:21    Vagantpoesi - Music Plays Flowers Bow (Unmetrical 2024)
26:33    Braulio Lam - XR 50 (Redscale 2024)
31:18    einwandeins - revolt of silent reverie (revolt of silent reverie 2024)
41:08    Ghostloop & Atmøsphäre - Forgotten Memories (Exosphere 2024)
45:14    Loneward - Submerged (Beyond the Sea Part Two 2024)
57:48    Jogging House - Reporter (Rendezvous 2024)
62:20    end


Focus on Tranquility


 
I love getting a sequencer mix from Paul! I don't seek out Berlin school, sequencer based music very much anymore which is strange because I really enjoy it when I hear it. But I don't need to seek it out because I know the best sequencer music researcher - Paul Asbury Seaman. And he regularly provides me with my Berlin school fix.
Every track included in this mix is top notch sequencer bliss. I knew a few of the artists but most are new to me which is why I love these mixes. Paul turned me on to Gert Blokzijl earlier this year so it cool to a track from him in the mix. And also nice to see a couple of tracks from Frank Dorittke (F.D. Project). There will be a track featuring Frank's guitar in an upcoming guitar mix.
Here are Paul's thoughts on this mix:
"In the U.S., Memorial Day marks the traditional start of summer. So a good time for another train mix to stir your holiday dreams. This one favors rhythmic continuity over musical diversity, so while fast-paced, should still have a relaxing, even hypnotic effect. My guiding image was long-distance high-speed rail, with lots of time for drifting thoughts as you glide through the endless European lowlands, across the rice fields of Japan, or the open prairies of the US and Canada.
In that spirit, this extended-length mix gives the longer tracks (mostly in the second half) time to stretch out as they were intended.”
Thanks for the great tunes, Paul.
Here are the links to all the music used in this mix:
https://fdproject.bandcamp.com/album/f-d-project-live-2004-electric-visions
https://stateazure.bandcamp.com/track/valkyrja
https://assemblage.bandcamp.com/album/dreams-of-motion
https://cosmicleaf.bandcamp.com/album/missing-pieces-of-a-puzzle-vol-6
https://gertblokzijl.bandcamp.com/album/wide-fields
https://robertrich.bandcamp.com/album/medicine-box
https://pfaun.bandcamp.com/album/sproque-ep
https://synphaera.bandcamp.com/album/starfall
https://synphaera.bandcamp.com/album/starmaps-vol-1
https://johnchristian.bandcamp.com/album/jerechoes
https://lamansardehermetique.bandcamp.com/album/the-attic-diaries-episode-7
https://fdproject.bandcamp.com/album/atmos-two-faces

Cheers!
 
T R A C K L I S T :
00:00    F.D.Project - Harmonie in Space (F.D.Project Live 2004 Electric Visions)
04:40    State Azure - Valkyrja (Valkyrja 2024)
18:00    Nuell Martin - Dreams of Motion (Assemblage - Dreams of Motion 2023)
24:37    Side Liner  - We Stand Up Together (Missing Pieces Of A Puzzle Vol. 6 2024)
29:00    Gert Blokzijl - Wide Fields 1 ( Wide Fields 2020)
35:42.   Robert Rich - Salamander Quay (Medicine Box 2001)
42:50    P'Faun - Sequencer improvisation (sp'roque 2018)
54:00    Ascendant - Unveiled Sky (Starfall 2024)
1:01:12    Transponder - Starlane (Starmaps, Vol. 1 2022)
1:08:52    John Christian - Fragrant (Jerechoes 2023)
1:22:25    La Mansarde Hermétique - Lo-Fi Ponyhof (THE ATTIC DIARIES- Episode 7 2024)
1:34:47    F.D.Project - ATMOS - Two Faces (ATMOS - Two Faces 2024)
1:48:26    end


Best(favorite) Ambient of 2021

Download our free app to listen on your phone