November selections
The steady march of time, another Bandcamp Friday appears again on the horizon. I presume these have less impact than at the start, but still, it is better time to buy music, and also a good excuse for me to put together some selections. The picture is from this morning in Kyoto, the leaves are starting to turn. I should hopefully have my autumn mix online next week, for now here are some releases on Bandcamp to check.
Felisha Ledesma - Fringe
Not everything Ecstatic puts out I like, but I like checking all of it. Their releases are almost always distinctive and worthwhile. Ledesma is a new name for me, and good to see Ecstatic supporting her, as she definitely has something. Both tracks have an open, drifting feel to them, sounding more like pencil sketches than clearly drawn lines with pen.
36 - Weaponised Serenity
I have a soft spot for 36’s productions, and bonus points for the use of English spelling in the title. This has an afterhours feel to it, the type of music you put on when home from the party; echoes and memories of the dancefloor bouncing around your tired mind.
HIAX - Cold Works
When Surgeon recommends a release, make sure to check it. That is a good rule of thumb. Again, another new name for me, and it also has an exploratory feel to it, perhaps that is where my taste is these days.
Christina Vantzou - Releasing Spores
Vantzou is an artist that has slowly and steadily been building up a strong discography. In the last year or two, she appears to have been going in the direction of incorporating more field recordings, with her releases feeling like going for a walk and observing all the little wonders of nature. I think this is the most successful release she has put out in this style.
Salamanda - Sphere
I was very happy to discover Salamanda, a Korean duo making ambient on a 4th world tip. Their previous releases show promise, this new one is where they really start to pull it together. This is more complete, more compelling than anything else they’ve released so far. Looking forward to see how they continue to develop.
Palmbomen II - Make a Film
Most of the stuff Palmbomen have released so far has been close, but not quite there. This one hits closer to the mark. The album has a rather understated feel to it, each track capturing a different feeling or energy, but in a way that it collectively adds up to a nice vibe.
Oren Ambarchi - Simian Angel
I thought it might be nice to not just include new releases. This is a few years old, but a beauty, one that is worth discovering if you don’t know. Ambarchi is a prolific talent, with a diverse discography, here he has two gentle, longer form pieces that develop in a very natural and comfortable way. The artwork somehow captures the feel of the music just right.
Hope some of you find these of interest, I will keep trying to present selections on a semi-regular basis.