This mix doesn't need a lot of introduction or explanation. It's a collection of ambient guitar tunes. The kind with swells of sound and long, slow washes of beautiful ambient guitar.

Some of the tracks came from ideas found in this thread on Mixcloud. Feel free to add any other tracks to the discussion.

https://www.mixcloud.com/lowlight/posts/ambient-guitar/

Enjoy the ambient guitarscapes.

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Wayne Robert Thomas - A Grey Morning, Later Lovely Sunshine (2019)

I was digging through some old mixes that had never been uploaded to Mixcloud and I came across a couple of old field recording mixes. The plan was to combine the two into a new mix. Well, as usual, the mix changed and I ended up creating a new field recording mix from scratch. Sort of.

I did use a couple of snippets from the original mixes. The first is from about 4:40 - 6:30, next one comes in around 27:35 - 28:35, and one more from about 29:10 - 33:45.

I'm not going to provide a tracklist because most of the time there are 3 or 4 things playing at once and many times there aren't tracks associated with actual artists, some are just a bunch of sounds I found online. Or in one case, a file I found on my hard drive. I used a track that is called "rain thunder guitar loop." There is no artist associated with the file & I have no idea where it came from.

I'll point out a few specific artist tracks used in the mix(times are approximate):

-  10:44 - 15:00  Ross Alexander - Jinja on the Nile 

-  18:26 - 20:31  Spheruleus - Water Lane

-  21:38 - 25:30  Michel Banabila - Innercity

-  35:07 - 40:00  Wil Bolton - Crossing

-  42:42 - 43:51  Luis Miehlich - 3105

-  44:00 - 44:44  Wave Temples - Arrival at the Bay of Orpheus

There are definitely lots of other artists appearing throughout the mix but those are the most clearly discernible. Quick shout out to my neighborhood frogs which make an appearance from about 47:47 to 50:00. How do I distribute their royalties?

 I hope you enjoy this sound excursion. Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Ernest Hood - Saturday Morning Doze (1975)

When Paul emailed a few weeks back with the idea of doing a bell themed mix I got all excited. I thought to myself - "Perfect, I have a whole folder of bell tunes I've been collecting." So I go to that folder and there are two tracks in it. That's it. I guess it's the thought that counts?

 If Paul hadn't come up with this mix I probably never would have gotten around to it. Maybe there's some sort of lesson for the new year here - Finish what you start. Whatever the lesson, Paul's mix is a perfect way to start the new year and the decade. Here's what Paul has to say about it:

 “There’s a certain irony in composing music meant to convey silence. Nevertheless, this seems to be a recurring theme among ambient artists, just as music in this genre is often fused with melancholy. Most of the time that resonates with me—as a very truthful feeling in our age of loneliness, upheaval and uncertainty. But this week I’m focusing on hopeful sounds, to ring in the new year with comfort and reflection.”

 Happy New Year & Cheers to a better 2020!

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Gordon Pigeon - La Voix du Silence (La voix du silence 2009)

Ugh, this was difficult. I went through old end-of-the-year lists, checked Spotify playlists, looked up other folks' lists and dug up old mixes. There is just no easy way to sort through soooooo much music. But I finally ended up with something that is sort of coherent.

 I decided not to call this mix Best of the Decade as I have done with mixes for years. I've realized that the "Best" label is not accurate.  I'm sure I missed a ton of albums and I feel bad leaving some out. So these are my favorites that provide a good cross-section of ambient throughout the decade.

 Initially, I had harder electronic artists like Jon Hopkins & Rival Consoles on the list but I realized that I'd rather split those off into a smaller, favorite electronic album of the decade lineup. I'm not sure if I'll make a mix for the electronic favs but I'll at least post the list soon.

 The first thing that you'll notice about this mix is it's looooong. This is the longest mix I've done other than Endless Ambient, which was 5 or 6 hours long. This one clocks in at about 3 hours and 19 minutes. I basically was too lazy to make 2 mixes so we'll all have to put up with this monster which is actually kind of cool having this large of a collection of great music.

 Here's the list in alphabetical order:

1. 36 - Memories in Widescreen (2010)

2. 36 - Sine Dust EP (2015)

3. 36 - Tomorrow’s Explorers (2017)

4. 2814 - 新しい日の誕生 (2016)

5. A Strangely Isolated Place - Full Circle (2018)

6. A Winged Victory for the Sullen - s/t (2011)

7. Alva Noto - Xerrox Vol. 3 (2015)

8. Benoit Pioulard - Lingnin Poise & Slow Spark, Soft Spoke (2017)

9. Bersarin Quartett - II (2012)

10. Brambles - Charcoal (2012)

11. Brian Eno - Sisters (2017)

12. Chris Walla - Tape Loops (2015)

13. Chris Watson - El Tren (2011)

14. Colin Stetson - All This I Do For Glory (2017)

15. Dylan Howe - SUBTERRANEAN (2014)

16. Eli Keszler - Stadium (2018)

17. Jane Antonia Cornish - Constellations (2018)

18. Jens Pauly - Vihne (2019)

19. Johann Johannsson - Arrival OST (2016)

20. Johann Johannsson - Orphee (2016)

21. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - Ears (2016)

22. Kasper Bjorke Quartet - The Fifty Eleven Project (2018)

23. Klangriket & Sjors Mans - The Amsterdam Sessions (2018)

24. Koss, Henriksson & Mullaert - The Mollan Sessions (2011)

25. Kyle Bobby Dunn - A Young Person's Guide To...(2010)

26. Kyle Bobby Dunn - Bring Me The Head of (2012)

27. Loscil - Endless Falls (2010)

28. Loscil - Sketches from New Brighton (2012)

29. Mac Quayle - Mr. Robot, Vol. 1 OST (2016)

30. Maps & Diagrams - Get Lost (2011)

31. Maps & Diagrams - the town beneath the sea (2011)

32. Marconi Union - Distance (2012)

33. Max Richter - Sleep (2015)

34. Mohn - Mohn (2012)

35. Nest - Retold (2010)

36. Nils Frahm - Felt (2011)

37. Ocoeur - Inner (2018)

38. Olafur Arnalds - Island Songs (2016)

39. Olafur Arnalds - re:member (2018)

40. Paul Haslinger - Halt & Catch Fire (2016)

41. Robert Davies - Elemental Shimmer (2018)

42. Ryuichi Sakamoto And Alva Noto - The Revenant OST (2016)

43. Solidarity Hymnn - For a Wandering Beam of Sun (2018)

44. sonmi451 - spectrum (2010)

45. sonmi451 - Star Atlas (2011)

46. Steve Roach & Dirk Serries - Low Volume Music (2012)

47. Taylor Dupree - Fallen (2018)

48. William Ryan Fritch - Deceptive Cadence: Music For Film Vol. I & II (2019)

49. William Selman - Musica Enterrada (2018)

50. willamette - always in postscript (2012)

Here's to the next ten years of ambient music and ambient mixes!

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    36 - Poekhali (Tomorrow’s Explorers 2017)

Here's another impossible task - compiling a mix of the best film scores of the decade. Like any of my other year-end mixes, this is not really a "Best" mix. It's a collection of scores that I listened to a lot and fit within my ambient aesthetic.

 The tracks are laid out chronologically from when the films were released. Starting with Monsters in 2010 to Ex Machina in 2015 and finishing up with American Woman in 2019

 There are scores from four TV series included in this mix - Halt and Catch Fire, Mr. Robot, Stranger Things, and The Knick. They are some of my favorite soundtracks and definitely worth checking out.

 There's not much else to say about this mix, it's pretty straight forward. I'm sure I missed a bunch of very good film scores but I think this mix holds together as a cohesive set. I hope you enjoy it!

 Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Jon Hopkins - Water (Monsters  2010)

As I said in the previous post, there was so much good music this year, every year really, that I couldn't fit it all into one mix. So here is volume 2. This one focuses on modern classical/electro-acoustic music.

The first track in the mix is from William Ryan Fritch's massive album - Deceptive Cadence - Music For Film Vol I & II, easily the best release of the year. It was just one of several albums put out by Lost Tribe Sound that are all phenomenal. Anybody who likes beautiful packaging should check out their stuff. 2019 saw some gorgeous sets from LTS.

https://losttribesound.bandcamp.com/

Some of my other favorite releases of 2019 came from Whitelabrecs. They had a monster year putting out a ton of excellent albums. They started the year strong with Grønland by Glåsbird and Vihne by Jens Pauly and kept going all the way to Timecuts by Luis Miehlich and Lowlands by Jack Hyde.

https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com/music

Here's to more good music and more mixes in 2020, that is if the presidential campaign doesn't make me drive off a cliff.

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    William Ryan Fritch - Sleight of Hand (Deceptive Cadence-Music For Film Vol I & II) [lost tribe sound]

It's an impossible task to narrow down the multitude of ambient recordings released every year into a definitive "Best of" list. There's so much music out there that I'll never hear it all and what I do hear is hard to give the proper attention to. So many factors can influence a record making the list - where did a first hear it, what mood was I in, what other music did I listen to around it, did I use it in a mix, etc. Suffice it to say, this list is not definitive and is highly subjective.

 I will end up making two mixes from this list - this first one is more straight forward ambient and the next one will have a more modern classical/electro-acoustic tone. I split it into two mixes so that I didn't end up with a 4-hour mix. Ain't nobody got time for that!

 So here it is, my personal favs of 2019, in alphabetical order:

BEST AMBIENT MUSIC OF 2019: 

1. A Winged Victory for the Sullen - The Undivided Five [ninja tune]

2. Ann Annie - wander into

3. Anne Muller - Heliopause [erased tapes]

4. anthéne - asymmetry [whitelabrecs]

5. Benoît Pioulard & Sean Curtis Patrick  - Avocationals [Beacon Sound]

6. Bersarin Quartet - methoden und maschinen [denovali]

7. Chihei Hatakeyama - Forgotten Hill [room 40]

8. Danny Scott Lane - how to empty a cup [shimmering moods]

9. Glåsbird - Grønland [whitelabrecs]

10. Halftribe - Backwater Revisited [dronarivm]

11. Hipnotic Earth - Suspended In Silence [whitelabrecs]

12. Hipnotic Earth - Extended Savasana [desert trax]

13. Ian Hawgood - impermanence [Slowcraft]

14. Innesti - Between Worlds

15. Jazzdefector and Slow Clinic - Green Echo [whitelabrecs]

16. Jens Pauly - Vihne [whitelabrecs]

17. Jogging House - Lure [seil records]

18. Jonsi & Alex - Lost And Found [krunk]

19. Kryshe - Hauch [serein]

20. Loneward - Home

21. Louigi Verona - Nocturnal Creatures

22. Luis Miehlich - Timecuts [whitelabrecs]

23. M. Grig - Mount Carmel [12k]

24. Marty Hicks - Olreilion [white paddy mountain]

25. Moss Covered Technology - Slow Walking [polar seas]

26. Ohio - upward, broken, always [12k]

27. Olga Wojciechowska - Infinite Distances [ASIP]

28. Past Inside The Present - Healing Sounds- A Compilation for Hurricane Recovery [pitp]

29. Plïnkï Plønkï - Pangur Din [piano & coffee records]

30. Porya Hatami, Aaron Martin, Roberto Attanasio - Sallaw [dronarivm]

31. Ripperton – Contrails [ESP institute]

32. Seabuckthorn - Crossing [eilean]

33. Sean Curtis Patrick - The Best Driving Music in the World Ever [pitp]

34. Sjors Mans - Noord [piano and coffee records]

35. Sven Laux and Daniela Orvin - The Writings [dronarivm]

36. The Phonometrician - Mnemosyne [lost tribe sound]

37. Trond Kallevag Hansen - Bedehus & Hawaii [hubro]

38. Various Artists - Place Language [fluid audio]

39. William Ryan Fritch - Deceptive Cadence- Music For Film Volume I & II [lost tribe sound]

40. William Ryan Frisch - Artifishal [lost tribe sound]

And here's the tracklist for the actual mix:

T R A C K L I S T :

00:00    Innesti - Barrockstadt Station (Between Worlds)

04:28    anthéne - lucky (asymmetry)

07:25    Moss Covered Technology - Gen #4 (Slow Walking)

10:50    Ohio - Crepescule (upward, broken, always)

14:10    Benoît Pioulard & Sean Curtis Patrick  - Sunek (Avocationals)

17:25    Ripperton – Love Is Not Enough (Contrails)

22:22    Plïnkï Plønkï - Pangur Din (Pangur Din) 

27:05    Danny Scott Lane - Four (how to empty a cup)

30:12    Jogging House - Fountains (Lure)

34:18    Jens Pauly - Form (Vihne)

37:55    Jonsi & Alex - hundslappadrifa (Lost and Found)

42:55    Loneward - Savour (Home)

48:42    Louigi Verona - Coming of Dawn (Nocturnal Creatures)

54:02    Halftribe - Bumpy Roads (Backwater Revisited) 

56:18    Saltbreaker - Leaf pt 2 (Healing Sounds - A Compilation for Hurricane Recovery)

59:47    Hipnotic Earth - The Gentling (Suspended In Silence)

63:25    Ann Annie - wander into (wander into)

68:52    M. Grig - Capistrano (Mount Carmel)

71:08    Sean Curtis Patrick - Simon & Anna (The Best Driving Music in the World Ever)

73:50    Jazzdefector and Slow Clinic - Green Echo (Green Echo)

81:12    Kryshe - Meditation (Hauch)

84:27    Marty Hicks - Hiolorium (Olreilion)

90:07    Sjors Mans - Oventura (Noord)

95:18    end

I use a fair amount of film music in my mixes and have done mixes of all soundtrack tunes but I have never made a best of the year mix for film scores. Until now. There were no blow my mind scores, like Arrival or Solaris, this year but there was a lot of excellent music to choose from for this mix.

As an ambient guy, I lean towards more atmospheric film scores. I'm not at all interested in the soundtrack for the new Star Wars film or Avengers Endgame. So in my list of 2019 favs there are the usual suspects - Clint Mansell, Max Richter, Cliff Martinez & Johann Johannsson. Along with great music from folks like Hildur Guðnadóttir, Peter Gregson, Stuart A. Staples, Daniel Hart, and Adam Bryanbaum Wiltzie.

One of my favorite film music discoveries of the year is William Ryan Fritch. In addition to the monumental collection of film music, Deceptive Cadence: Music For Film Volume I & II, he released two more film scores in November - Artifishal & Exit 12 which I knew I had to include because they are both excellent. All three recordings are available on Lost Tribe Sound - https://losttribesound.bandcamp.com/

Sometimes I start a mix with high expectations but with this one, I was just trying to cobble together enough tracks to make a mix worth uploading. But I've been listening to this mix for a week and I'm very happy with how it turned out. It flows really well is an engaging listen.

Up next Best Film Scores of the Decade.

Cheers!

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    William Ryan Fritch - Canary in the Coal Mine (Artifishal)

I have a bunch of folders of music that I collect for mixes. I have one called "sea '19" for a sea-themed mix. One called "fog bound" for music that sounds like a foggy night. Other folders include PNO, stargazing, foreign lands, retro synths, dusty, 4th world and many more.

• 00:00    anthéne - siphon (skyglow 2019)