The next mixtape instalment is by experimental musician Colin Andrew Sheffield. Born in El Paso and now based in Austin, Sheffield took his passion from being a self-taught drummer in Texas to a total transition to electronic music. For this mix, he’s compiled a captivating selection of experimental electronic music.

Since the mid-90s, Sheffield’s work has consistently focused on the use of samples:

deconstructed loops of hidden melodies and textures found in his collection of physical media. Through the re-contextualization of other commercially available recordings, like an alchemist of audio collage, he aims to distil the essential qualities of these works and convert them into new recordings.

Sheffield’s music is full of atmospheric soundscapes, which shift and unfold, offering subtle waves and suspended stillness. From earlier work like First Thus (2005) to the most recent Images (2023), Sheffield's solo projects showcase his ability to explore diverse sonic ranges. One of our favourite records this year, Images, was entirely constructed from heavily edited and manipulated samples from jazz records and represents a true distillation of Sheffield's interests as both a composer and an obsessive listener.

In 1998, Sheffield founded the Elevator Bath recording label, which has been releasing experimental works from a variety of artists from the US and abroad, featuring names such as Merzbow, Francisco López, Susane Drone, and himself.

The mixtape he’s prepared for us, he says, was a lot of fun to compile. I limited myself to selections that are all quite recent or at least no more than a few years old. I tried to represent my tastes in various forms of experimental music and throw in a liberal dose of work from some good friends. There are a couple of brand new tracks in there from forthcoming releases too, so it's a bit of a taster of things to come. Hopefully, it flows well enough and has something for just about everyone. Thanks for giving me the impetus to create this mix!

Tracklist:

Andrew Anderson + Colin Andrew Sheffield Clarioned - Elegies

Valerio Tricoli Mimosa - Hostilis

Concepción Huerta - Trepidation

Adam Pacione - Pos. Neg.

Jana Winderen - The Art of Listening: Under Water

Roméo Poirier - Les grandes lignes

Matt Shoemaker - Pasar Gede

Marta Zapparoli - The resonant sky of Krems

Merzbow - Hat 1046

Susana López - Drones to Zazeela

Richard Ramirez - Protective Custody 2

Telesurgient - Lifeline

Sequences - Illuminated and Translucent

TIBSLC - Hypertranslucent (2)

Werner Dafeldecker - Neural

Pendant - Dream Song Of The Woman

Electric Capablanca - Capablanca Spin

Felicity Mangan - Digging The Pedospheric Vibes III

Jim Haynes - Variant, number four

Colin Andrew Sheffield - Embers

Kate Rissiek - Floating In Darkness

Jake Muir - Cauldron

Koray Kantarcıoğlu - Agat 01

Rick Reed - Leave a Light on for Tony