Heavy Rotation – Dec 2012

I love music. I love rdio. When I’m not writing, playing, or recording music, I’m listening to it. Inspiration runs deep. I am also a music nerd. I love the genealogy of music – who has played with who, on what label(s) have they recorded, etc. I love to chase the rabbit down the hole. It’s through this serendipity that I often find new music I might not otherwise know about.

It’s because of this that several of my colleagues recently suggested I start writing a monthly blog post about some of the music I have been most into or have newly discovered. Winter is always a contemplative time for me so this first installment will reflect that mood.

The Sight Below – It All Falls Apart

An alias of composer, Rafael Anton Irisarri, this album can best be classified as “ambient techno”. Lush pads, subtle melodies, minimalist beats – this is perfect music for focused work.

Brambles – Charcoal

Another fine release from the Serein label, Brambles are masters of texture and mood. Piano, strings and field-recordings play prominently on this beautiful debut album.

Nils Frahm – Screws

After suffering an accident that left him w/a broken thumb, these are 9 songs pianist/composer, Nils Frahm, recorded during the period his hand was in a cast. Delicate, fragile, and immensely evocative.

Billow Observatory – Billow Observatory

A long-distance collaboration between Jonas Munk (Manual) and Jason Kolb (Auburn Lull), Billow Observatory’s release took 10 years to create. On it, they give us an incredible double-LP of ambient/soundscapes produced solely with guitars. Fans of Hammock take note.

That’s it for this time around. Hopefully some of these artists will be new to you. Until next time, thank you so much for stopping by. Happy Holidays!

1 Comment

  1. This is great. I look forward to continued recommendations.

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