Juno Recommends Ambient / Drone February 2019

Review: Andrea Porcu's ROHS! label has been a long time fixture in the ambient field, from net label origins to limited CDr and vinyl releases from a host of respected underground operators. This latest release, two years in the making, features two original tracks from PURL. These sublime ambient pieces, "Slow Poem" and "Cellar Door," move in slow, atmospheric ripples of submerged rhythm and glacial melodics, giving plenty of space for inventive remixes from Segue, Wanderwelle and many more. It's a perfect double pack of dreamy drifters for the chill-out room crowd to sink into.

Review: Given that Chi Factory producer Hanyo van Oosterom can do no wrong, it's little surprise to find that his latest outing for Astral Industries - his most expansive yet - is another very special excursion. The set was inspired by, and is dedicated to, minimalist American poet Robert Lax, who was a contemporary of Jack Kerouac. As a result, there's a slightly sparser feel to the set than some of van Oosterom's previous work. Of course, he still makes great use of field recordings, spoken word samples and softly winding electronics, alongside minimalist, tribal-tinged rhythms that doff a cap towards dub techno and vintage ambient dub. All four tracks are ebbing and flowing 20-minute epics, making "The Mantra Recordings" the perfect album in which to immerse yourself.

Review: A warm welcome back to Gaussian Curve member and Melody as Truth founder Jonny Nash, whose last solo album of gentle, guitar-laden ambient explorations appeared back in 2017. Interestingly, "Make A Wilderness" is something of a departure from his trademark sound. While still gentle, ambient and evocative, it relies far more heavily on poignant piano work, heart-aching female vocalizations, field recording style aural textures, distant cello parts and ghostly electronics. There's much beauty to be found, but it's a far creepier and in some ways melancholic set than we've come to expect. This is no great criticism, though, because "Make A Wilderness" is superb from start to finish.

Review: It would be fair to say that a vinyl edition of "Celestial Realms" has been a long time coming. The one-off collaboration between new age musician Jonathan "Lyghte" Goldman and cult ambient artist Laraaji was originally only released on cassette. As Laraaji's reputation has rocketed in recent years, demand for the hard-to-find tape has risen - hence this first vinyl reissue. It comprises two long, fluid and laidback compositions built around slowly shifting ambient chords, delay-laden zither textures, subtle bell melodies, occasional guitar solos and meandering synthesizer lines. Both tracks are wonderfully blissful and calming, suggesting that they're best listened to while lying flat on your back.

Review: It was early September when Laraaji first joined forces with log(m) in their Canadian studio. The legendary ambient artist has been back a few times since, but it's taken the dub-loving duo well over a decade to finish off, prepare and mix the material. It was, of course, worth the wait. "The Onrush Of Eternity" is a stunning set, with Laraaji's distinctive instrumental passages and drifting ambient textures gently ebbing and flowing around his studio partners' distinctively spaced-out, hi-tec dub rhythms and bubbly electronic flows. There's enough variation across the triple-vinyl set to please those who like to pick and choose tracks, though it's so engaging and immersive you'll want to listen to it straight through in one 105-minute sitting.

Review: On "Nocturne", his first fresh album for three years, legendary Greek composer Vangelis has jettisoned his beloved synthesizers and opted for a Grand Piano instead. The result is a set of breathtaking beautiful solo piano compositions that were, according to the press release accompanying the set, inspired by his pet passions: science, history and explorations. While he's included versions of a few old favourites from his expansive catalogue of film soundtracks - most notably the theme from "Chariots of Fire" and "Love Theme" from "Blade Runner" - the majority of the material is fresh and original. For the most part, these previously unheard compositions are every bit as atmospheric and beguiling as his ambient-leaning, synthesizer-heavy works.

Review: For the uninitiated, The Waldorf Project is an ongoing series of "immersive art experiences" produced by artist Sean Rogg that tend towards the dark, intense and shocking. While each performance is different, one constant is the woozy, unsettling and occasionally surprisingly beautiful music produced and performed by Alessio Natalizia AKA Not Waving. In total, Natalizia recorded over 20 hours worth of music for the project between 2013 and 2018, with "Futuro" bringing together some of the Italian's favourite compositions. It's mostly ambient in tone, with Natalizia sashaying between slowly unfurling, Eno-esque compositions, gloopy modular soundscapes and fizzing, cyclical sets that recall Terry Riley's synthesizer-based works. Closing cut "Emotion 7.7 Communion", a heart-aching ambient epic tinged with immeasurable sadness, is particularly potent, though the standard remains very high throughout.

Review: Under his arguably better known Prostitutes alias, Cleveland producer James Donadio has already released an album on Diagonal (2017's industrial techno fired "Dance Tracksz"). This set, credited to his lesser-known StabUdown Productions moniker, is an altogether different beast. While it does make use of some of his regular musical elements - slack and groovy breakbeats, 8-bit electronics, moody bass and dusty machine drums, for starters - it's a far mellower and ear-pleasing affair, with Donadio making greater use of colourful synthesizer lines, drowsy chords, deeper beats and melodies. The result is a varied and highly enjoyable album that's well worth checking.