Tagged: ambient

[Sunday Listening] Fjall – Jared Smith

fjall jared smith

Fjall, meaning “mountain” in Icelandic, is Jared Smith’s newest album release through Luxembourg’s indie label, Own Records. 

Calming, loosely constructed yet deeply emotive – this ambient album is exactly right up my alley. Formerly known as Smyth, Jared creates beautiful soundscapes that capture the clinking of dishes, distant conversations, and other micro aspects of daily life that sound wonderful under spacious electronic tones.

Released this past week, listen to Fjall in its entirety below and be sure to grab the limited edition white vinyl version here.

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[Sunday Listening] Sun, Cloud – Luke Howard

sun, cloud luke howard

I really, really enjoy contemporary classical music. Perhaps it’s because I severely lack this skill but, well composed music really gets me. I think writing a polished pop song is a talent, but creating such wide and expansive soundscapes truly stand out to me.

Luke Howard is a pianist and composer who hails from Melbourne, Australia. His style is loud and soft, intricately layered at times and at others, blissfully peaceful. In his latest album release, Sun, Cloud, I love the tension he creates for listeners and the string sections are just so full and lovely.

Howard’s newest 13-track album is a fantastic backdrop for your Sunday. Read more about this fabulous musician here, and be sure to hit play below. Happy Sunday listening.

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Winter’s Tale – Alvin & Lyle

alvin & lyle

The first time that I heard of Alvin & Lyle  it was through their Luxembourg counter-parts, Sun Glitters. I was pretty much instantly drawn to their dream-pop blend of chillwave synths, lo-fi vocals, and an ever present electronic beat when I listened to last year’s release, Summer Dreams. 

It’s good to see the group still working hard to carve out their own sound in today’s world of music. Alvin & Lyle have recently announced the release date for their upcoming EP, Sounds, due out March 26th. Their first single, “Winter’s Tale,” is an oscillating downtempo track that slowly builds and builds, leaving you with many repeated listens soon thereafter.

Keep posted for more here, enjoy.

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[Sunday Listening] VOL​/​ONE – HLF / PIN

You all should know by now that I’m a sucker for compilations. And this one needs a bit of extra promo. Ever since I caught wind of the indie net label, HLF/PIN, I couldn’t stop myself from pouring through their ambient/electronic releases. But unfortunately for us, all things come to an end.

VOL/ONE will be their final release, and a damn good one at that. It’s a mixture of experimental tones and textures that are just meant to be played in the background of your day. Hit the play button below and stream out your Sunday in dedication to another great little label folding.

[Late Night] the volume settings folder

the volume settings folderI think part of the fun of being on multiple social networks with this blog is getting to see the different audiences we reach. Recently an Italian musician sent over his latest work, yet all I could think about was trying to figure out where I recognized the volume settings folder. Finally it came to me…tumblr. I kind of love that connection.

I try not to identify with specific genres on this blog – it’s more or less a blanket of songs I’m obsessed with at any given moment. But every so often I hear something a bit out of my realm. Atmospheric instrumentals and droning synths that range to almost post-rock at times can completely stop me in my tracks.

This sort of music puts me in a completely pensive mood, and I really enjoy that. Just as some music can hype you up, I love to let other sounds bring me down. Fresh off of the German label, Organic Industries, tune your ears to his latest release, Ivan Hoe and Other Tales.

Dark and ambient, this isn’t a listen for everyone’s ears but certainly ideal for your late nights.

BONUS:   Also check out his newest track that’s featured on HLF/PIN’s latest compilation. God, I love the Italian audio samples.

[Nice In The Headphones] Splitting Branches – Tree

I’ve been a huge fan of Tree and his collaborators for awhile now. Otherwise known as Oliver Nickell, the young musician has made quite a home out of San Francisco truly pushing the underground movement on the West Coast.

Recently Nickell and his group of multimedia artists have dropped a free 9-track EP titled, Splitting Branches. It features some of the singles he’s released along the way and some new collaborations as well. What I love most is his non-traditional approach with creating music. It goes beyond simply finding various kitchen utensils to replace minor percussion, the production and layering is just completely on point.

I really enjoy the eerie, slow burner vibe in the opening track, “People,” which also has a fabulous finger-picking riff. It almost sounds like something straight out of Donnie Darko.  Other tracks like, “Artemecia,” blends female/male vocals wonderfully alongside electronic blips and bloops. I also dig the song, “From Reds to Blues,” which offers a spacey-chillwave sound over looping vocals. The entire track-listing is a diverse and experimental mix of works with various artists, it’s certainly one for the headphones with the amount of the layered details and textures.

Stream Splitting Branches below and be sure to nab your own copy here.

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[Meet] A Quiet State

a quiet state

This is all my ears need at the very moment. Melodies that trail on, minimal layers of instrumentation, and glassed over vocals. Meet Luxembourg’s A Quiet State.

A simple, anonymous bedroom project that straddles the line of ambient electronic music and post-rock, looping instrumentals – I really enjoy the diversity and exploration that’s apparent in his upcoming album, Bear.  Listen to a couple of tracks he’s released so far and mark your calendars for the March 1st debut. Enjoy.

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[Meet] Úlfur

I thoroughly enjoy when artists span genres – like for instance, Iceland’s Úlfur Hansson.  As a member of the hardcore group, Swords of Chaos, Úlfur completely takes a 180 with his intricate yet expansive sound.

Recently signing onto the Austin label, Western Vinyl, Úlfur embarks on his own journey as a solo artist taking in the wide spectrum of influences he’s come across over his career. As touring member of Jónsi, it’s not surprising to hear the vast soundscapes he so delicately imagines.

His highly anticipated debut, White Mountain, is slated to drop next month – catch a listen to a couple of tracks that have already been released for the public’s ears. Enjoy.

[Music Video] The Beauty Surrounds – Houses

A dusty, barren landscape surrounded by panoramic mountain ranges, plenty of denim and the perfect amount of cuteness all in one single music video – that’s pretty impressive.

Houses‘ newest single, “The Beauty Surrounds,” is a methodical and churning track that builds layers upon layers. I especially love Dexter’s vocals in the foreground while Megan’s are much more ethereal, in a supporting yet contrasting way. Off of their upcoming album, A Quiet Darkness, due out April 16th, be sure to stay tuned via their Facebook page or Soundcloud for the latest news.

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