Very happy to have discovered Arthur Russell recently! Today it's 'World of Echo', yesterday 'Another Thought'. Also Four Tet - Beautiful Rewind for the musical caffeine
I have been finding myself often returning to the Wind Down album by James Blake and Endel (2022).
And for anyone into Hindustani classical music - this album is my all-time favourite - Raga Darbari Kanada (the first three tracks belong to this raga). The album features no vocals and flute by Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia along with other notable supporting musicians.
Well, I already put September 23, 2022 in my Agenda. That day Nils Frahm will release three hour long a new album "Music for Animals", No piano, but an ever evolving immersive piece of work, judging on the Press release of today and the two songs just released on bandcamp today! :-)
I'm on a huge 80s nostalgia and synthwave kick these last two years and just recently I discovered a song called New Cydonia by Starcadian, which was released in 2018. It is, however, lyric heavy. Sticking with that genre, a similar, and likely much better known artist, The Midnight, does cuts of a couple of its albums with "The Instrumentals" basically stripping out the vocal tracks. Today I'm listening to Kids while I get an early start to my work before anyone in the house wakes up.
https://nugenea.bandcamp.com/ started listening to this during the week and have had it on every day. It has vocals but, because I don't speak the language, it kind of washes over me. Highly recommended.
Mulatu Astatke’s Ethiopiques, Vol. 4 Ethio Jazz 1969-1974
It’s a compilation album; slightly different vibes throughout. But by the time Tezeta (Nostalgia) (the 4th track) comes on, I am in the *zone*. Something about that song just *induces* a state of flow for me.
Japanese artist Kenji Kihara, especially the Hayama Ambient series and Soothe & Sleep volumes 1-8. Following closely behind Kihara is Chihei Hatakeyama, whose Forgotten Hill album is always on rotation in my studio!
David Darling's album Cello from 1992. The music has such depth and complexity that it really pulls you in at times when its delicate, but then again there are other spots on this record where his playing is very deliberate but he moves wonderfully between the two - as if David were telling stories with his cello. Put it on next time when you're trying to move through problems :)
Lots of Four Tet. The Bonobo Essential Mix. I also went back into some 90s dance music archives and have been listening to Orbital, Deep Forest, and The Orb lately while working.
while i mostly listen to rain sounds to work, i find Digable Planets and Bluestaeb are great to concentrate but still keep the energy up. Also a lot of Los Siberianos, an Argentinian indie-rock band with a lot of rock n roll and blues influences, which never fails to put me in a better mood.
And, if everything else fails, anything by Khruangbin is the way to go.
I'm a sucker for anything Chillwave, and anything by Miami Nights 1984 is sure to be on if I need to push through and get some deep work done. I specifically like their "Turbulence" record.
If I had to pick just one song, it would be Paul Keeley's "Run To You." That track has been the soundtrack to everything from racing to beat copywriting deadlines, writing for fun, and one 21 credit college term (not my brightest life decision).
Saffronkiera and Mario Massa's _Cause and Effect_ is the most perfect blending of dark ambient, gentle glitch beats, and mournful 3AM fire escape trumpet solos I have ever heard.
Tavern Kween for something more upbeat on a friday ! Something I heard & within 10 seconds, stopped everything to shazam, and was like yeah, this is it. doesn’t happen enough
via spootify:
Desire, the album, is a skillful stylistic departure from their previous gqom inspired work. It’s an exploration of loss, displacement, and the terrifying manifestations of love in the contemporary world. It realizes the full potential of nearly every electronic sub genre at once, despite his having never previously recorded in any of these genres. In the word’s of Ruth Saxby’s 8.0 Pitchfork review, “their exploration of the divine takes them in a many-splendored multitude of stylistic directions, often within the span of a single track: liturgical drone, galloping club beats, existential noise.
I love his previous work which is slightly dark deep house stuff. This is a change of tack for him bringing out an ambient album but it certainly works.
I Am Robot and Proud, beautiful instrumental indie electronica. “The Electricity in Your House Wants to Sing” or “Grace Days” are excellent places to start.
I've been enjoying Alanis Morrisette's "The Storm Before the Calm."
BTW, I've been posting some some free recordings of ambient experimental synth music as a podcast on my Substack. I just do it for my own enjoyment - maybe someone else might like it too. :)
I'm listening to Floex, who combines a mix of electronic and accoustic sounds. I discovered him through the soundtracks of the mesmerizing puzzle adventure games Samorost 2+3 and Machinarium, from indie game studio Amanita Design. They're a perfect match ❤ There's a continuous sense of wonder in these games, and I love being able to invoke that feeling while focusing on my own creative work by listening to the music.
Hania Rani, a polish pianist somewhere in-between Philip Glass and Mike Oldfield. Her albums Esja and Home are absolutely stunning
Thievery Corporation..Music that "makes you think". Start with the song "Depth of my soul" - and then enjoy the varying musical sounds and traditions.
Very happy to have discovered Arthur Russell recently! Today it's 'World of Echo', yesterday 'Another Thought'. Also Four Tet - Beautiful Rewind for the musical caffeine
I have been finding myself often returning to the Wind Down album by James Blake and Endel (2022).
And for anyone into Hindustani classical music - this album is my all-time favourite - Raga Darbari Kanada (the first three tracks belong to this raga). The album features no vocals and flute by Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia along with other notable supporting musicians.
https://open.spotify.com/album/2tIWCH1Sx2Lxk6C8Rk1qS9?si=RbFMqVJ1QieEK6Kph5rhew
I sometimes loop it for hours together and it has a way of keeping my headspace just right for focused work.
Well, I already put September 23, 2022 in my Agenda. That day Nils Frahm will release three hour long a new album "Music for Animals", No piano, but an ever evolving immersive piece of work, judging on the Press release of today and the two songs just released on bandcamp today! :-)
I've been listening to Ramin Djawadi and his incredible soundtrack for Westworld
Her (Original Score) Arcade Fire, Owen Pallett
Kruder & Dorfmeister, the K&D sessions
I'm on a huge 80s nostalgia and synthwave kick these last two years and just recently I discovered a song called New Cydonia by Starcadian, which was released in 2018. It is, however, lyric heavy. Sticking with that genre, a similar, and likely much better known artist, The Midnight, does cuts of a couple of its albums with "The Instrumentals" basically stripping out the vocal tracks. Today I'm listening to Kids while I get an early start to my work before anyone in the house wakes up.
https://nugenea.bandcamp.com/ started listening to this during the week and have had it on every day. It has vocals but, because I don't speak the language, it kind of washes over me. Highly recommended.
kali Malone - Living Torch
Scanner - The Homeland of Electricity - has been my focus companion recently, ice-cool electronica from a master at work.
A few things:
- Glenn Gould's work on Bach (Well Tempered Clavier and the Goldberg Variations) is always there.
- Anomalie is great
- Cutura Profetica offers some great Puerto Rican reggae grooves for Friday afternoons
- Fat Freddy's Drop is in a similar vein (although maybe more up tempo/vocal than this list usually hits)
- Four Tet is in my ear on a regular basis
- Kamasi Washington
- Grimes
- Tycho
- Bonobo
- Herbie Hancock (esp the Headhunters work)
- Odesza
-
Khruangbin, Con Todo El Mundo is my go-to work groove
Mulatu Astatke’s Ethiopiques, Vol. 4 Ethio Jazz 1969-1974
It’s a compilation album; slightly different vibes throughout. But by the time Tezeta (Nostalgia) (the 4th track) comes on, I am in the *zone*. Something about that song just *induces* a state of flow for me.
https://open.spotify.com/album/5VKvVk4gaPAJyXjof8NnzX?si=TVckcfiZQsqThw6ez3f01A
Album: Saudade
Artist: Plinio Fernandez
Date:2022
Traditional Brasilian music played on classical guitar.
Caterina Barbieri, everything from her.
Japanese artist Kenji Kihara, especially the Hayama Ambient series and Soothe & Sleep volumes 1-8. Following closely behind Kihara is Chihei Hatakeyama, whose Forgotten Hill album is always on rotation in my studio!
Lo-Fi Girl on YouTube is a good go-to when you don't want to spend brain cells on deciding what to listen to.
David Darling's album Cello from 1992. The music has such depth and complexity that it really pulls you in at times when its delicate, but then again there are other spots on this record where his playing is very deliberate but he moves wonderfully between the two - as if David were telling stories with his cello. Put it on next time when you're trying to move through problems :)
Tommy Guerrero - Road to knowhere (2018)
Kellor Wilson a musician and producer from Richmond, VA. His 2021 album 13 MILLISECONDS is at the top of my focus working playlist.
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2cWQNpuQQ2jqbFPsM0z8EK?si=VPwh8OEYQ5WfC3gbmTzDCA
Lots of Four Tet. The Bonobo Essential Mix. I also went back into some 90s dance music archives and have been listening to Orbital, Deep Forest, and The Orb lately while working.
Top 5 songs from my "no words" go to playlist for working right now are:
Tezeta (Nostalgia) - Mulatu Astake
Ezra Was Right - Grandbrothers
Prickly Pear - Portico Quartet
El Camino De Mi Alma - Hermanos Gutierrez
Bird - Kelly Lee Owens
Dive Index & Plumbline!
while i mostly listen to rain sounds to work, i find Digable Planets and Bluestaeb are great to concentrate but still keep the energy up. Also a lot of Los Siberianos, an Argentinian indie-rock band with a lot of rock n roll and blues influences, which never fails to put me in a better mood.
And, if everything else fails, anything by Khruangbin is the way to go.
Explosions in the Sky - The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place.
Hermanos Gutiérrez
I'm a sucker for anything Chillwave, and anything by Miami Nights 1984 is sure to be on if I need to push through and get some deep work done. I specifically like their "Turbulence" record.
If I had to pick just one song, it would be Paul Keeley's "Run To You." That track has been the soundtrack to everything from racing to beat copywriting deadlines, writing for fun, and one 21 credit college term (not my brightest life decision).
Abstractions de Ralph Kinsella, so soothing
la bella vista, Harold Budd
The album Sankofa, from Amaro Freitas, a brazilian pianist.... He recently played in my city and now I can't stop listening to it ;)
Saffronkiera and Mario Massa's _Cause and Effect_ is the most perfect blending of dark ambient, gentle glitch beats, and mournful 3AM fire escape trumpet solos I have ever heard.
The Shaolin Afronauts - Flight of the Ancients
kind of friday type of suggestions this time
Ront Trent - What do the stars say to you
Space Ghost - Dance Planet
David MacCallum - Music a bit more of me
Tavern Kween for something more upbeat on a friday ! Something I heard & within 10 seconds, stopped everything to shazam, and was like yeah, this is it. doesn’t happen enough
via spootify:
Desire, the album, is a skillful stylistic departure from their previous gqom inspired work. It’s an exploration of loss, displacement, and the terrifying manifestations of love in the contemporary world. It realizes the full potential of nearly every electronic sub genre at once, despite his having never previously recorded in any of these genres. In the word’s of Ruth Saxby’s 8.0 Pitchfork review, “their exploration of the divine takes them in a many-splendored multitude of stylistic directions, often within the span of a single track: liturgical drone, galloping club beats, existential noise.
Bright Serpent by Inwards - can't beat it at the moment. Fresh, focusing electronica with a perfect mix of steady energy, intelligence and journey.
https://open.spotify.com/album/5qi4aoHpcDfsoTbVsjPXwI?si=141HJX2KQ7m4TTA-d5yoiA
Yotto’s new ambient album - Erased Dreams.
I love his previous work which is slightly dark deep house stuff. This is a change of tack for him bringing out an ambient album but it certainly works.
Bendik Giske - Cracks
This is a beautiful album both musically and sonically. Favourite track on the album is Cruising.
Enjoy!
Vessels. Excellent fairly upbeat electronica (but played by a band instrumentally)
I Am Robot and Proud, beautiful instrumental indie electronica. “The Electricity in Your House Wants to Sing” or “Grace Days” are excellent places to start.
I've been enjoying Alanis Morrisette's "The Storm Before the Calm."
BTW, I've been posting some some free recordings of ambient experimental synth music as a podcast on my Substack. I just do it for my own enjoyment - maybe someone else might like it too. :)
jon hopkins immunity
Kind of blue, miles davis
after the rain, john coltrane
Burial
Something with a bit more of an upbeat Friday feel: Albrecht La'Brooy from Melbourne, Australia. Thoughtful electronic beats. The album "Tidal River" ( https://tidal.com/browse/album/82408608 ) and EP "Escape Velocity" ( https://tidal.com/browse/album/85737048 ) are both good.
I'm listening to Floex, who combines a mix of electronic and accoustic sounds. I discovered him through the soundtracks of the mesmerizing puzzle adventure games Samorost 2+3 and Machinarium, from indie game studio Amanita Design. They're a perfect match ❤ There's a continuous sense of wonder in these games, and I love being able to invoke that feeling while focusing on my own creative work by listening to the music.
Simone Scarda.
Lorenzo Fiore.
Haru Kitamura.
I am listening the amazing Quarteto Romançal:
https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCSQYQTHrmJ3awcg99dvlc_Q?feature=share
https://open.spotify.com/album/1ZPtIPAHcNHgLuL0K6BzJN?si=9G5EqvNqTCGaHyLhbrKGjg
A beautiful composer, lost too soon due to addiction, a brilliant mind...