Tag Archives: drone

MIZMOR – Mnemonic: Ambient Mosaic (Profound Lore)

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Label Description:

In April of this year, A.L.N. released something new – Alluvion, the Mizmor and Hell collaboration. Now in June, A.L.N. brings you something old… or rather, renewed. Mnemonic: Ambient Mosaic is comprised of ten of A.L.N.’s earliest recordings, transformed into nostalgic drone-scapes. The artist has been making solo music under multiple monikers consistently
since age 13 (ie: The Zarconiac, 2004) and the recordings selected for this record date back almost as far.

“To create Mnemonic, I unearthed a selection of old recordings from both The Zarconiac and my eponymous hymns [2011] and repurposed them into ambient tracks, just like I did with the Mizmor song ‘Pareidolia’ (Wit’s End, 2022). I realized that there were many lamentful melodies in my old songs that I still love, despite the lo-fi quality. The idea was to create a nostalgic soundscape of inverted hymns, allowing the listener to explore the sounds of my past, obscured though they may be.” Drafts of these songs were originally published to Mizmor’s Patreon (currently inactive), one each month of the year 2024. The 12 songs were then edited down into the 10 that comprise this LP.”

About the aforementioned hymns, A.L.N. explains, “In my time as a Christian [2010-2012], I created an EP of original hymns. The life of this project was short and catalogued simply under my given name. I can count the number of people who have heard these songs on one hand. These were worship songs, but not in the traditional sense. These songs were full of melancholy, pleas of help to God. It was from precisely this prayerful place that the first Mizmor album was written not long after, when I lost my faith.”

Mnemonic: Ambient Mosaic releases June 27th on Profound Lore Records in a limited edition of 500 vinyl records and a limited edition of 100 hand-numbered cassettes (independently released by A.L.N.). Digital download and streaming will also be available.

Tape Loop Orchestra – (Artefacts (Equations (Replicas))) [Self-Released]

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(Artefacts (Equations (Replicas))) is the third volume of the four part series.

The audio archaeology of the TLO archive continues. Outtakes, experiments and live jams from the past six years have been collaged together to form new works that are free from the conceptual restraints of the more focused album projects. A more intimate, playful and perhaps more emotional side is on display across the series. Collect them all!

Sonologyst – Planetarium (Cold Spring)

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Label Description:

An aural exploration of the solar system by Sonologyst, using data from NASA’s probes.

On the latest album by Sonologyst, raw data from radio waves, electromagnetic fields, and plasma fluctuations, utilising data sonification files provided by NASA, are transformed into a haunting soundscape, unveiling the ambient music of planets, solar winds, and the cosmic beyond.

As the newest addition to Sonologyst’s series of sonic documentaries, this work deepens his exploration of the sonic spectrum, converting cosmic phenomena into immersive auditory experiences.

Double CD in a matt-finish gatefold ecopak, with a bonus disc of the raw source material from NASA’s probes.

…

NASA and other space agencies have captured “sounds” from the cosmos by recording non-audible signals like radio waves, electromagnetic waves, and plasma (ionized gas that’s prevalent in space) wave fluctuations. These are converted into audio frequencies we can hear using a process called data sonification. Spacecraft like Voyager, Cassini, and Juno are equipped with special instruments (e.g., plasma wave antennas, magnetometers, radio wave receivers) to detect radio waves, plasma waves, and electromagnetic fields.

These signals can provide data on phenomena like solar wind, planetary magnetospheres, and charged particles. Since many of these signals are outside our hearing range (radio waves might have frequencies far below the audible range (20 Hz to 20 kHz) or far above it, while magnetic and plasma waves are often in the range of milliHertz (mHz) to kilohertz (kHz), also outside human hearing.), they are converted using various techniques, including frequency scaling, sampling, filtering, and amplitude modulation. Some events, like plasma wave bursts, happen over long periods. Scientists may speed up the playback so we can hear the changes in a shorter time frame.

After conversion, the resulting sounds are often enhanced to make certain patterns, pitches, or changes in intensity more noticeable. This may involve amplifying certain frequencies or adding layers to represent multi-dimensional data. This processing helps bring out subtle differences that might otherwise be hard to discern.

Data sonification files provided by NASA.
Analogue synthesizers, sampling, and processing by Sonologyst.
Recorded and mastered at Sonologyst studio from July to November 2024.
Graphic design by Abby Helasdottir.

Lagowski – The Telepathic Wheel (Self-Released)

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Just some thoughts and questions.

When our physical bodies die, do our souls enter the telepathic wheel?

Do you believe we even have souls….? Are the mind and soul conjoined?

Can we express our true soul via sound?

A hybrid collection, drawn largely from scattered jams which have been married together in Waveform 12. Except ‘Telepath 5′ which is a live improvised drone piece created using Bastl Instruments’ 1.5 Kastle, Bestie Mixer and Kastle 2 FX Wizard.

*Please play back on a system with good bass reproduction, otherwise I have no sympathy!

Dylan Houser – Goth Luau (Self-Released)

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Label Description:

Goth Luau was recorded during some enchanted evening with a fractured knee in Novembe of 2024 at Nullis Pretii ov Lakeland Residential Studios, and then road tested over the next few months via the Nullis Pretii Mobile Studio

In memory of the Safety Harbor pier, the edge of the universe

Thanks: Spookstina, Bizarre Charlie Alien, WSLR, Liz, Joe and Maggie, Damon Nobles, Surprise Sidney, Lord Dealwithit and The Day Odin Got Stoned (two princes), Jerry Kranitz, Collector of Dust, Nathan James Carter, Corvid Canine, CJEANCRY, Jake Joyce, Illuminated Paths, Hal McGee, workers comp, Craig and Ashley

Get well soon, Glaive

Richard Bégin – Déjà Vu (Reverse Alignment)

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Déjà vu is a fleeting yet profound sensation, a moment when time seems to fold in on itself, between past and present. It is a phenomenon of memory—both elusive and deeply personal—where recognition and strangeness coexist. Few artistic mediums can evoke this liminal state as powerfully as ambient music, where repetition, decay, and texture shape sonic landscapes that mirror the ghostly presence of the past within the present.
Canadian composer Richard Bégin has been steadily building a reputation in the realm of ambient music for his explorations of memory, crafting soundscapes that feel like echoes from a distant past, lost yet eerily familiar. His latest work, centered on the concept of déjà vu, follows in the tradition of artists like Boards of Canada, Fennesz, Philip Jeck, and William Basinski—musicians who have sculpted time-worn textures, fragile loops, and sonic artifacts to capture the essence of recollection and its inevitable dissolution.
Like Basinski’s Disintegration Loops, which document the slow decay of recorded memory, or Jeck’s ghostly turntable manipulations that awaken forgotten voices from the grooves of old records, Bégin’s music invites listeners into an auditory space where time is fluid. Fennesz’s digital deconstructions and Boards of Canada’s nostalgia-tinted melodies find an echo in Bégin’s work, which similarly embraces imperfection, layering textures that drift between clarity and erosion keeping the listener between the comfort of recognition and the disquieting realization that the past is always just out of reach.

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released April 16, 2025

REVIEWS

Avant Music News

avantmusicnews.com/2025/04/20/amn-reviews-richard-begin-deja-vu-2025-reverse-alignment

Ivan Black – Concrete Island (Petroglyph Music)

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Label Description:

“Concrete Island” is a novel by J.G. Ballard, first published in 1974. The story explores themes of isolation, survival, and the impact of urban environments on human psychology. It is often classified within the genre of speculative fiction, reflecting Ballard’s keen interest in the relationship between humanity and the modern world.

Main Themes

1. Isolation and Alienation: The setting of the concrete island serves as a metaphor for modern urban life, where people often feel disconnected despite being surrounded by others. Maitland’s isolation forces him to reflect on his life and the choices that led him to this predicament.

2. Survival and Adaptation: The novel delves into the human instinct for survival. Maitland’s journey showcases his physical and mental struggles, highlighting the lengths people will go to endure and adapt to extreme situations.

3. Urban Decay: Ballard’s depiction of the concrete island reflects a critique of modernity. The stark contrast between the vibrant city surrounding the island and the desolation within it underscores the neglect and decay present in urban settings.

4. Psychological Exploration: As Maitland grapples with his circumstances, the narrative explores his psyche. The isolation prompts a deep introspection, raising questions about identity, purpose, and the nature of reality.

Grandbruit – Lys (Florina Cassettes)

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Label Description:

The inspiration for this long-form piece comes mainly from hikes around an abbey near the house where we grew up.
In Cistercian silence, countless lilies overlook the walking trails.
Sweet summer memories in a crisp winter.

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released February 7, 2025

Music by Francis Tremblay
Photo by Pier-Luc Tremblay
Original painting “Portrait of Bindo Altoviti” by Jacopino del Conte (Oil on wood, early 1550s)
Design by Anne-Julie Dudemaine

Bad Sector & Astro – Idio Blast (Self-Released)

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Collaboration between Massimo Magrini and Hiroshi Hasegawa

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released February 12, 2025CD release by Insofar Vapor Bulk (IVBCD10)

Editors note: This release features a version of the original artwork. Originally released in 2005 by Insofar Vapor Bulk, and distributed by Loki-Foundation (Power & Steel) and Malignant Records.