Tag: meditation

SOUNDWAVE : 158 : TIM DWYER

Today’s guest deejay is Tim Dwyer.

I met Tim through Sanderson Dear, who get deejayed on Soundwave a few months ago (listen to Sanderson’s mix here). As is my want, I asked Sanderon who he thought would share a mix on Soundwave and he highly recommended Tim.

As it happens, both Tim and I are fellow devotees of the Excursions in Ambience compilation album series (listen to my Excursions in Ambience compilation retrospective here). That may explain why Tim’s mix, which features songs completely new to me, feels so familiar. It’s a delight to share Tim’s mix with you.

Tim has words about his mix below.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Raziel Panic.

See you then.

 

Tim Dwyer
Tim Dwyer
Photo by Omari Spears

My 2021 album Excursion was a release born through influence. It was inspired by improvised live electronics, a deep love of electronic music from the 1990’s, and even the compilation series Excursions in Ambience, of which the album was named after. I wanted to revisit those influences for this mix, crafting a similar sonic tapestry, through a different lens. I’ve included the inspiring music that influenced me to start making music, as well as some new works that elicit that same emotional frequency. Enjoy the journey.

  1. Aural Imbalance “Sixth Sense”
  2. Ishq Music “Bhakti”
  3. Inhmost “Beautiful Eyes”
  4. Belief “Art of Love”
  5. Obliquity “Meloside”
  6. Off Land “Granular Shore”
  7. The Future Sound of London “Sophies Path”
  8. Inhmost “Suspension”
  9. Jacob Newman “Two Phases”
  10. Amorphous Androgynous “In Mind”
  11. woob mono “Planet (Remastered Edit)”
  12. woob mono “Latneiro (Sunrise Dub) [Remastered]”
  13. Off Land “Fraction Of Shade”

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SOUNDWAVE : 157 : zakè

Today’s guest deejay is Zach Frizzell, AKA zakè.

I was introduced to zakè's captivating music by the talented Luke Entelis (listen to Luke’s mix four Soundwave here), and I'm excited to share his unique sonic tapestries with you.

Zach is the stateside label boss of the Past Inside the Present record label. Zach is also a multi-talented musician, composer, and sound artist. With a deep passion for exploring the intersection of sound and emotion, zakè weaves intricate sonic landscapes that transport listeners to ethereal realms. His musical journey began at a young age, as he discovered his love for experimenting with various instruments and sound manipulation techniques.

 

Zach Frizzell, AKA zakè
Zach Frizzell, AKA zakè

The songs in this collection share a common thread of introspection, contemplation, and a sense of profound emotional depth. Each composition invites the listener into a world of deep reflection, where silence and subtle nuances create powerful moments of introspection. Zach’s mix has been my companion during grey mornings. With my cup of coffee in hand, his music eases me into my work day, infusing even the most mundane tasks with intrigue.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Tim Dwyer.

See you then.

  1. T.R. Jordan “Unsaid”
  2. Pausal “Truth Symbol – False Idolatry”
  3. Dustin O’Halloran “Quartet N.2”
  4. Arvo Pärt “Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten”
  5. Eluvium “Indoor Swimming at the Space Station”
  6. willamette “Buried Presidents”
  7. William Basinski “Melancholia II”
  8. Rafael Anton Irisarri “Watching As She Reels”
  9. Stars of the Lid “Even If You're Never Awake”

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SOUNDWAVE : 145 : RHUCLE

Today’s guest deejay is Rhucle.

Rhucle appeared on Soundwave in March of 2021 with a mix became the soundtrack to my walks with my dog. Today’s show promises to be as intimate and magical as the last.

 

Rhucle
Rhucle

Rhucle is an electronic music producer from Japan. His music is a blend of ambient, lo-fi, and field recordings featuring the sounds of nature. Rhucle’s music evokes a sense of calm and introspection and is perfect for relaxation or contemplation.

Today’s mix is like a dream of reuniting with long-lost friends and never wanting to wake from that dream.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Luke Entelis.

See you then.

  1. Ian Hawgood “Fractural”
  2. Jogging House “Champion”
  3. Ki Oni “Life At The End Of The World”
  4. KENJI KIHARA “Hayama Ambient 045”
  5. Gallery Six “Kodama”
  6. Zeze Wakamatsu “Coalsack Nebula”
  7. Peter Bark & fredrsngrn “melankolske ferdamenn dansar i regnet”
  8. David Cordero & Kenji Kihara “The Entrance to Segen Mountain”
  9. Rhucle “My Pace (Remix)”

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SOUNDWAVE : 140 : BENOÎT PIOULARD

Today’s guest deejay is Thomas Meluch, AKA Benoît Pioulard.

Thomas’s music kept popping up on Soundwave mixes. It wasn’t until I asked Andrew Tasselmyer whom he knew, who might share a mix on the show, and he said Thomas that I understood the universe was trying to send me a message: get Thomas on Soundwave. At least, that’s how I interpret it.

Oh, and listen to Andrew’s mix here.

 

Thomas Meluch, AKA Benoît Pioulard
Thomas Meluch, AKA Benoît Pioulard

Thomas’s music is warm and intimate. I’m listening to the Communiqué album he recorded with Jogging House as I write this, and it’s perfect listening for a crisp winter night. I was curious to hear who’d include in his mix. When I saw Jason Corder’s offthesky project in his playlist, I knew I was in good hands. Whereas Thomas’s music is warm fire to rub your hands to, his mix feels like stepping out to a bracing day with magical side quests. Again, my subjective interpretation.

I’m glad I listened to the universe.

Speaking of Thomas’s music, he has a new vocal album called Eidetic coming out on Morr Music in March 2023. He also has a Bandcamp subscription with lots of exclusive music, and it is constantly evolving.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Ian Wellman.

See you then.

  1. Clever Austin “A11”
  2. zaké & T.R. Jordan “Shoreline”
  3. marine eyes “cedarwood”
  4. SYMBOL “Hyperballad”
  5. Freescha “Kid Brother”
  6. Jogging House “Renewal”
  7. Offthesky & The Humble Bee “We Were The Hum of Dreams”
  8. Otto A. Totland “Grow”
  9. Raum “Walk Together”
  10. Henrik Lindstrand “Syrsor”

SOUNDWAVE : 135 : AMBIENTBLOG

Today’s guest deejay is Peter van Cooten, host of Ambientblog and DreamScenes on Concertzender.

I met Peter through Harrold Roeland and I invited Peter to guest deejay on the show (listen to his mix here). I did not anticipate that a mix from Peter would be something of an event. Peter’s mixes are more like epic tone poems that contain both the cosmic and the mundane in one listening experience.

 

Cloudwatching Sequence
Cloudwatching Sequence

Furthermore, Peter meticulously crafts his mixes. Peter might use a passage once from a song or as a leitmotif. His mixes are dense and multilayered. Peter’s skill is that despite the complexity of his mixes, they are seamless and fluid. You don’t need to know the immense effort that produced the mix you are listening to appreciate its beauty and artistry.

Because Peter mixes feel like an event, it felt appropriate to release today’s show for Halloween as we celebrate the darker half of the year.

Peter has some words about his mix below.

Join us next week when out guest deejay will be Mike Lazarev.

See you then.

 

Cloudwatching
Cloudwatching

Most (if not all) previous Ambientblog mixes always had some dark moments; they are never “just” relaxing. You can only feel release if you also feel tension.

This time, I wanted to avoid the darkness and create a “lighter mood mix.” Not of the “Ibiza Chillout Lounge” kind, but one that can be played in the background and is still exciting enough to listen to. I hope I succeeded, but of course, you’re the one to decide about that!

 

With two hours, Cloudwatching is longer than usual. Only a few tracks are included in their full length, but most are heavily edited or even just short fragments. Also, they are often overlayed, so you’ll hear the music in a different context. The extensive playlist below may help you track down the original in their full-length versions.

I hope you’ll enjoy watching these -imaginary- clouds!

Cloudwatching Playlist (includes start length, artist title, album title, year, and label).

  1. Francisco López “Untitled #373”
  2. Lawrence English “Pre-Approach”
  3. William Basinski & Janek Schaefer “. . . on reflection (four)”
  4. Arve Henriksen & Eivind Aarset & Jan Bang “The Swans Bend Their Necks Backward To See God”
  5. Masayoshi Fujita “Harp”
  6. Mombi Yuleman “Mental Telepathy”
  7. ASMUS TIETCHENS “Paralelle Ebene 1”
  8. Abul Mogard “Like Water”
  9. KEDA “La Lune De Corée”
  10. Tapani Rinne & Teho Majamäki “Reflection”
  11. Radboud Mens “Convolution”
  12. Alex Haas & Michel Banabila “The Woods (ft. Bill Laswell)”
  13. Imperial Valley “Fields North Of Kane Spring, Oct 8, 1938”
  14. James Murray “Clearings”
  15. Raum “Daughter”
  16. Tierro Cosmico “Eres Nocturna”
  17. Emmanuel Holterbach “Rivage (Shore)”
  18. Holland Patent Public Library “a road I’ve passed but never taken”
  19. Thomas Ragsdale & Richard Arnold “The View”
  20. David Cordero & Kenji Kihara “Grazalema”
  21. Abul Mogard “The Rain Has Gone”
  22. Robyn Miller “Gateroom”
  23. From The Mouth of the Sun “Paint & Stories”
  24. Olga Wojciechowska “Recreating Worlds”
  25. Biosphere “Aura In The Kitchen With The Candlesticks”
  26. Jolanda Moletta “Spell II: Daydream And Nightbloom”
  27. Budhaditya Chattopadhay “Dhvani”
  28. Cell “Geiger”
  29. Clarice Jensen “Fear”
  30. Erik Wøllo “Peace Bells”
  31. Tarotplane “Auximenes”
  32. NORMAN W. LONG “Return & Recovery”
  33. Marine Eyes & Antarctic Wastelands “Enshrouded”
  34. Ryoji Ikeda “Data.Tron (2007-14)”
  35. Masayoshi Fujita “Pons”
  36. Tetsuroh Konishi “Kevaan Aania”
  37. Madeleine Cocolas “Presence”
  38. PINKCOURTESYPHONE “Comfortable Predictability”
  39. Clarice Jensen “Love”
  40. Radboud Mens “Modular”
  41. Arve Henriksen “The Farmers Of Sonic Alchemy”
  42. Daigo Hanada “Kage”
  43. Ivan Cebrian | Victor Cerdan “Snow in silence”
  44. Robert Rich and Luca Formentini “First Day”
  45. Sofie Birch & Antonina Nowacka “Outro”
  46. Sven Laux & Fione “Stay”
  47. loscil “Dub For Cascadia”
  48. Powlos & Holt “Our Shimmering Breath”
  49. Anne Chris Bakker “Johan (In Memoriam)”
  50. Glåsbird “Sirsa”
  51. Trio Ramberget “D Minor Postlude”
  52. Galya Bisengalieva “The Crash”
  53. Madeleine Cocolas “Enfold”

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SOUNDWAVE : 129 : SERGE TIMMERS

Today’s guest deejay is Serge Timmers.

Like so many of the guest deejays on Soundwave, Serge was highly recommended by a previous guest deejay. In this case, it was Gert De Meester (listen to his mixes here and here). As always, I listened to Serge’s music, loved what I heard and invited him to guest deejay on Soundwave.

I usually listen to Serge’s mix during the day while I’m working. Why not listen to gorgeous music while I’m being productive? But Serge’s mix comes alive in the night. If you’re lucky, a foggy night. Serge’s mix casts everything in mysterious shadows. Serge’s mix includes songs that sound as if they came from an Excursions in Ambience album; why there’s even a track that features Higher Intelligence Agency! Other tracks lean into trip-hop, not to mention the unexpected byways Serge takes us on in his mix.

Serge has some words about his mix below.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Dan Handrabur.

See you then.

 

Serge Timmers
Serge Timmers

Nachtraaf is a Flemish expression for someone who is most active at night. Most of the tracks on this album were made at night, as I almost always do. The track “Zenenacht” in this mix comes from this album. It’s old-Dutch for “Eternal Night.”

Planet Psyche comes from lighter times and features the track “Cosmonaut.”

In the mix, I’ve compiled some tracks from friends (Ashtoreth, Stratosphere, and Distant Fires Burning) along with the most important influences in my journey in slow and emotional music.

  1. Distant Fires Burning “Book Of Fragmentation”
  2. Stratosphere “God Was Nowhere To Be Found”
  3. O Yuki Conjugate “Sunchemical”
  4. Misantronics “Zenenacht”
  5. Ulf Söderberg “Vidarnas Hus”
  6. Ashtoreth & Grey Malkin “Bone, Leaf & Moss”
  7. Atrium Carceri, Cities Last Broadcast, God Body Disconnect “Miles to Midnight”
  8. Higher Intelligence Agency / Biosphere “The Rotunda”
  9. Bohren und der Club of Gore “Black City Skyline”
  10. Bersarin Quartett “Keine Angst”
  11. Anunada “Cosmonaut”
  12. EVA “Anna’s Planets”

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SOUNDWAVE : 126 : MIKE CADOO

Today’s guest deejay is Mike Cadoo, the founder of n5MD, a much loved and respected independent record label based out of Oakland, California. n5MD focuses on ambient, modern composition, post-rock, and experimental electronic music.

As a long-time fan of n5MD, I showcased Mike’s label on solipsistic NATION, my electronic music show, years ago. Mike guest deejayed on Soundwave in 2021 and returns today with a much-needed mix for me.

I can’t go into the details, but last week I nearly died. You’d never know it by looking at me. Physically I’m fine. But I’m shaken. I find that I quickly get emotional about things. Sometimes I have a profound respect for life, all lives. Sometimes I’m filled with existential despair. I’m told this will pass in a few months. In the meantime, I’m having these overwhelming experiences.

Mike doesn’t know this, but his mix helped get me through the week.

Mike has some words about today’s mix below.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Giulio Aldinucci.

See you then.

My song, “Sunrise at Ironhorse Trail,” included in today’s mix, is from a release that I will be releasing on my personal Bandcamp page on World Alzheimer’s Day. My father passed this January in what can best be described as complications due to mixed dementia. All proceeds will be donated to Hope Hospice, which was very integral in the comfort of my father in the last days of his life, as well as, and maybe even more importantly, my mother’s grief counseling after his passing.

  1. Jon Hopkins & 7RAYS “Ascending, Dawn Sky”
  2. Billow Observatory “Wash Away The Dust”
  3. awakened souls “No Other Place”
  4. Jason van Wyk “Surface Drones”
  5. OKADA “Annihilation”
  6. KMRU “Und”
  7. Mike Cadoo “Sunrise at Ironhorse Trail”
  8. Chris Child & Micah Frank “VarnAw”
  9. SVLBRD “The Vault”
  10. Haunted Ghost “Lost Footage”
  11. Gridlock “Under [Beat Mix] (unreleased)”
  12. Rinnovare feat. Benoit Pioulard “The Be in the Grey is Okay”
  13. Ex Confusion “When I Think of You”
  14. Brambles “Such Owls As You”
  15. Last Days “All the Lighthouses”
  16. Jan Wagner “Kapitel 28”

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SOUNDWAVE : 118 : STEVE SWARTZ

Today’s guest deejay is Steve Swartz.

I met Steve through Jason Engling, who guest deejayed on Soundwave a couple of years ago. Steve shared a magical mix that I have listened to many times. Today’s show is no less resplendent in its emotions and sounds. It’s a journey.

Earlier this week, I was telling a friend about Soundwave and Steve’s mix. I explained that because Soundwave was created to help me cope with stress and isolation during the first few months of the pandemic, it is a touchstone to those fearful and uncertain times. For me, Soundwave has become a weekly meditative act of reflecting on those early days and the impact of the pandemic on nearly everything in our lives. While I go back to that emotional space weekly, my thoughts and feelings about those times have changed.

As I write this, it is a beautiful day in San Diego, and I can see the ocean from where I sit. I’ve seen this view many times, and while the view is the same, I’m not the person I was at the beginning of this pandemic. I’ve changed. We’ve all changed. I find myself asking who this person is I’ve become and what will I do? Where do I go from here? Steve’s mix provides the soundtrack for the journey.

Steve has some words about his mix below.

Join us again next week when our guest deejay will be Robert Farrugia, co-founder of Complex Holiday.

See you then.

 

Steve Swartz
Steve Swartz

I often feel misplaced. Out of tune with much of the goings on of the world around me. As a result, sound and nature have always been a source of refuge. As a child raised around fields and Great Lakes, I’m always drawn to music and sound that drifts, billows or breathes. And so it is with this mix of music. It’s intended as a reflection of my lack of place but also my sense of solitude, refuge and wonder. For me, these are the underscores of moments of abandon out on the road or a morning walk in my neighborhood. Moments of solitude where my mind surveys the landscape of hardships and joys. Spaces where my thoughts drift to someone I deeply miss. Or during the exhale at the end of a long day. To me, these pieces of music are boundless and internal. Drifting like a breeze or a trace of a memory. Something otherworldly but familiar. Nostalgic and grateful. The spirit of a land but not a place.

  1. William Tyler “Slow Night’s Static”
  2. Suso Saiz “Healthy Digestion”
  3. Bremer McCoy “Mit Hjerte”
  4. Hara Noda “Night Swimmer”
  5. Kenji Kihara “Flowering Quince”
  6. Björn Meyer “Provenance”
  7. Ólafur Arnalds & Nils Frahm “20:17”
  8. Carrie Carlton Quartet “City Morning Views”
  9. Benoit Pioulard “Stone In Focus”
  10. zakè “Night Shineth As The Day”
  11. Philip Wilkerson “The Edge of Being”
  12. Bark Psychosis “Pendulum Man”

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SOUNDWAVE : 94 : KAZUYA NAGAYA

Today’s guest deejay is Kazuya Nagaya.

Kazuya is a Japanese artist who creates immersive, ritualized compositions through bronze bells, gongs, and singing bowls. Kazuya’s music is rooted in Buddhist (Zenzhu) philosophy and sensibilities unique to Japan. Kazuya’s work and interests are also contemporary and span many cultures. Kazuya is also an award-winning writer and a connoisseur of Japanese Literature, Buddhist Folktales, and Zen Philosophical Works.

I came across Kazuya’s music at the beginning of the pandemic. At the time, my attention span had been whittled down to a blunt end. I could not read or watch anything. I couldn’t find escape in music because none of the lyrics of the songs I listened to spoke to the new reality in which we all found ourselves. The only thing that provided solace was ambient, classical, instrumental, and experimental music. The kind of music that was essentially free of lyrics. The kind of music you could project your own meaning on or lose yourself in.

I launched Soundwave to cope with the stress and isolation Brough about by the pandemic. I clutched at it like a drowning man grasps a life preserver. Soundwave gave me solace and succor in the months ahead that were far more challenging and heartbreaking than I could have imagined.

 

Kazuya Nagaya
Kazuya Nagaya

Kazuya was one of the first musicians I invited to participate in Soundwave (listen to Kazuya on the second episode of Soundwave). He could not have known when he recorded “Thanatos” from his Dream Interpretation album that I would play that song repeatedly for days. It seemed to sum up everything I was feeling in those early days of the pandemic. It was crucial to me to have Kazuya on Soundwave. It took over a year for Kazuya to find time to prepare his mix, and it took six months before Kazuya’s mix was scheduled to arrive in your ears. But here we are.

Nearly two years into the pandemic, I am in a very different place than I was initially. But Kazuya’s “Thanatos” and today’s mix ia a touchstone to those painful times. At the same time, the way out is through, and Kazuya’s music also served as a form of catharsis.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Kim Cascone.

  1. Kazuya Nagaya “Mother Wading In The River”
  2. Jóhann Jóhannsson “A Sparrow Alighted Upon Our Shoulder”
  3. Arvo Pärt “My Heart’s In The Highlands”
  4. Jóhann Jóhannsson “A Deal With Chaos”
  5. John Cage “In a Landscape”
  6. Jóhann Jóhannsson “A Song For Europe”
  7. Kazuya Nagaya “Thanatos”




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SOUNDWAVE : 91 : ALEX HAAS

Today’s guest deejay is Alex Haas.

I’ve been a fan of Alex’s music since the last century. It feels strange to write that, but it’s true.

I discovered Alex on his Cypher 7 album, Decoder that he recorded with Jeff Bova. Decoder came in all all-back CD jewel case. Very mysterious and very sexy. Decoder was released on Strata, Bill Laswell’s sub-label of Subharmonic Records, and that was all I needed to know in my decision-making process to purchase the album. I was not disappointed. Decoder was as mysterious and sexy as its CD case. The music was minimal, sinuous, and entrancing.

 

Alex Haas
Alex Haas

I’ve been listening to Alex’s music over the decades. When his album, The Woods, recorded with Michel Banabila and Bill Laswell, popped up on my Spotify Discover Weekly playlist, I immediately invited Alex to guest deejay on Soundwave.

Alex’s mix is exactly what I expected and delights with music from unexpected sources. You’re in for a treat.

Before I get out of here, I want to wish everyone happy holidays.

I also encourage you to follow Genius and Soul on your favorite podcast app. Genius and Soul is a weekly show featuring jazz, Black classical music, and more, with mixes lovingly selected by our guest deejays. Our first guest deejay will be legendary composer, pianist, singer, and flautist Brian Jackson. Genius and Soul launches on January 1, 2022.

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be iu takahashi.

See you then!

  1. Billow Obeservatory “Pankalia”
  2. Synkro “Don’t Want“
  3. Alex Haas / Bill Laswell  “Empire State”
  4. Yaga “Rigning Níu”
  5. Simple Minds “Somebody Up There Likes You”
  6. Jon Hassell “Last Night The Moon Came”
  7. Alex Haas “Blue Nude”
  8. Harold Budd And Brian Eno “Above Chiangmai”
  9. Alex Haas, Michel Banabila, Bill Laswell “The Woods”
  10. Karl Hyde “Shadow boy”
  11. Bill Evans “Peace Piece”
  12. Engineers “What It’s Worth”
  13. Joni Mitchell “Jericho”
  14. Bob Marley “Waiting In Vain (Bill Laswell Remix)”
  15. Alex Haas “Lonely Ruins”
  16. Alex Haas “Letting Go”

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