Back catalogue: Classical

Review: Ekin Fil's drone-pop consternations emerge through vaporous tones and forlorn, distant songs, as if plucked from a dream. These pieces exist on their own accord, moving with an internal logic of emotional heaviness that transcends mere shoegazing ambience. Her compositions evoke the fragmented etherealization of Elisabeth Fraser's voice from a forgotten David Lynch scene, acting as an ASMR trigger for Proustian recollection - profound, hidden, and desolately sad. The Helen Scarsdale Agency has had the pleasure of witnessing Ekin's continued growth as a composer, releasing seven of her magnificent, under-the-radar gems. Her slow-burning, dejected ballads draw from a deep well of sorrow, with varying frequencies and intensities of bitter light poking through - loves lost, a world broken. While not hopeless, her music acknowledges the considerable hardships we face. Sleepwalkers embraces familiar metaphors of narcolepsy and the unsettled state between sleep and wakefulness. Yet, it stretches into new territories with compositions paralleling Tim Hecker's gravitation soft-noise in 'Stone Cold' and slow-motion serialism in the ambient crawl of 'Gone Gone.' Recommended for fans of Grouper, Rafael Anton Irisarri, A.C. Marias, and Carla dal Forno.

Review: RECOMMENDED
Even the most determinedly understated chin-strokers will likely have emitted a squeal of delight when this one was announced. Everyone's favourite electronic producer-cum-contemporary composer (or vice versa?) releasing his latest works of art across two media - namely an album on cult hero label Erased Tapes, and a movie available on highbrow streaming service Mubi.

This is the audio, and while nobody who caught the video when it was available to view on-demand could argue this is just as powerful on its own, the solo sound is still an intoxicating and compelling ride. 'The Dane' is classy piano bliss, '#2' sits in the big room electronica end of things, 'Fundamental Values' is a scatty, broken ambient journey to the edges of drum 'n' bass, 'Enters' opens on long, ambient refrains.

Review: Coming from a classical piano background, Nils Frahm has certainly turned into one dark dude! Having already released plenty of works on a myriad of labels, he lands on London-based Erase Tapes with what is probably one of his wildest pieces of music to date. Spanning 12 tracks in total, Frahm goes from joyful odes to the piano over to psychedelic synth improvisations to what sound like intricate tape manipulations, nutty drum-machine programming and a bag full o'field recordings. If you're into the idea of Tchaikovsky on some serious amounts of stimulants then look no further, this guy is shaping the way pianos are played...

Review: This new one from our favourite US ambient outlet takes the form of a selection of long-form compositions from artists who are close to the label. As such it's a perfect reflection of its signature sound - deeply immersive soundscapes, slowly shifting synths and meditative moods made with a mix of hardware tools, guitars, pedals and even baritone vocals. It's named after a Norwegian term for warmth and intimacy, which certainly plays out from the evolving loops of 'A Whisper' to the textured melancholy of 'Canaan' and the reverberant drift of 'Coronation Ring'.

Review: Certain Path is a serene, piano-driven album by collaborators zake (aka label head Zach Frizzell), From Overseas which is Kevin Sery and City of Dawn aka Damien Duque. This reflective collection of seven pieces invites deep contemplation with tender piano motifs and subtle drones creating a meditative atmosphere. Opening with 'Where Time Slows Down,' the album blends delicate melodies with layered guitar textures. Inspired by Frizzell's wife, the title track offers heartfelt emotion, while 'Avec l'aide de Vincent' honours a close mentor. Throughout, the artists employ nocturnal recording sessions, field recordings and analogue treatments to craft an introspective, evocative listening experience.