Ambient
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It is a privilege to write this blog. It’s a privilege to have readers log on and spend 10 minutes checking out my recommendations. It’s a pleasure to have the luxury of setting aside an hour or so almost every day to think and write. More than anything else though, it is an honour to…
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Operating out of Athens, Greece since 2006, the Sound in Silence label has quietly assembled a strikingly beautiful catalogue of downtempo and ambient releases. Label runner George Mastrokostas has an extraordinary ear. Four new releases illustrate perfectly the strength of what Mastrokostas is building. No two are alike, and yet there are enough common threads…
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Earlier this year, in a piece about Endurance’s hour-long cassette Echoic Architecture, I praised Joshua Stefane for his ability to add unexpected texture and complexity to his ambient drone recordings. While intended as a compliment, in retrospect I wonder if that came off as a bit of a dig at pure drone. It wasn’t meant…
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If the name PBS’73 brings to mind fond memories of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Sesame Street and Zoom, check out Austin, Texas’ Elijah Franks. His solo project is the closest thing to an electronic music time capsule you’ll find on Bandcamp. After recording two full-length discs last year – the aptly titled Viewers Like You and…
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Monday marks the beginning of a week-long run here in Toronto by Dusk Dances, an extraordinary outdoor dance festival hosted annually in Withrow Park. I’ve been a member of the organization’s board of directors since 2014; it’s a relationship I’m very proud of. It’s fitting then to share a new release, commissioned by Form CDT…
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For someone most associated with ambient music, Brian Eno has had a lot to say about lyrics. Two quotes in particular come to mind, listening to Nate Scheible’s extraordinary new ambient tape Fairfax. “Lyrics are the only thing to do with music that haven’t been made easier technically,” said Eno. And on another occasion: “This…
The Moderns 