Ambient, dub techno, IDM.
Mammo – General Patterns
Biosphere – The Way of Time
This is an amazingly good ambient record. I haven’t been so enthusiastic about a piece of ambient release for a long time. Maybe it’s because in the age of “everyone’s a musician” and “AI generated shit”, it’s so easy to flood the web with cheap drones and low tempo loops and slap ambient on it. Then something like the Etna Sessions, the HYbr:ID series, or this album comes along, and there’s no explanations needed, I instantly feel the difference a real artist and craftsman of ambient music makes.
The Black Dog – Sleep Deprivation
Drone ambient for focus or sleep.
Polynation – Igneous
Electronic music ranging from cinematic ambient through mid-tempo moody melodic beats to dance floor grooves for small sidesteps. They are fellow artists from the same roster as Weval, so that.
It’s kinda ridiculous that I don’t have a good genre definition for this kind of music. I always feel it hard to put a label on it, although it’s clearly a thing.
Murcof – The Etna Sessions
It’s like the ambient soundtrack of a classic space opera. It’s majestic and grand.
Trentemøller – Dreamweaver
It really is a dreamy, ethereal album. It’s new age, dream pop, and some occasional post-punk mixed in. I was surprised to get this from Trentemøller, but it was a good surprise, it’s a lovely record.
Kangding Ray – Ultrachroma
IDM slow-tempo electronics.
Hypnodrone Ensemble – The Problem Is In The Sender – Do Not Tamper With The Receiver
Drone shoegaze post-rock psy-jazz, the eerie singing is an interesting touch. Reminds me of Kilimanjaro and Bohren.
CMPLEX – Headspace
Cinematic ambient, like straight from a movie. After listening to his latest EP (Polyform), I went back and listened to his entire catalogue back and forth a few times. Easy to get sucked in and it’s another kind of backdrop that helps me focus. It would be great to see more long form albums from him.
Alva Noto – HYbr:ID III
I don’t want to belittle Alva Noto’s amazing art to “work music” but his albums are definitely my best aid in focusing recently. Other than that, this one is yet another fantastic ambient record. Part meditative drone, part nuanced and finessed rhythmic noise.