sound as language

Ohr - Adapter (Self-Released)

releases May 14, 2021

Ohr is the new project from George Cory Todd, a multimedia experimental artist and engineer based in the Bay Area. Todd has put out some great releases under his own name on the always amazing Atlantic Rhythms label, notably last year’s That Dark Electric. Ohr moves in a different direction here though. Where That Dark Electric was vivid and wide open, Adapter feels almost claustrophobic in its inner-looking gaze. Birthed during the pandemic, this is perhaps to be expected though. Ohr, as you may guess from the cover art, also deals in darker textures here. Yet, Adapter never bows to the heavier weight, always crackling with energy and flowing effortlessly. The album boxes through a shadowy haze with a heavy rhythmic backbone of beats. Tracks unfold into each other refusing to stay in one place for too long. With Ohr and Adapter, Todd proves he can go wherever he wants and we should all be following along.

Hey it’s still April so it’s OK to post this. Thanks for sticking around.

Landon Caldwell - Deep Strand (Trouble In Mind)

- Covered this one here. Caldwell has become quite the prolific artist here lately. That doesn’t always bode well for quality but no worries on that front for Caldwell. Deep Strand is a deep ambient jazz stunner.

https://landoncaldwell.bandcamp.com/album/deep-strand

Dialect - Under ~ Between (RVNG Intl.)

- A fascinating experimental ambient listen from the UK artist on the always great RVNG label.

https://dialect-trax.bandcamp.com/album/under-between

Dntel - The Seas Trees See (Morr Music)

- Wrote about this one here. The first of two albums from Tamborello coming this year and the album is a hypnotizing journey.

https://dntel.bandcamp.com/album/the-seas-trees-see

m. geddes gengras - echelons beyond reality (self-released)

- m. geddes gengras returns with my favorite release of his since 2018′s Hawaiki Tapes. A haunting, beautiful trip.

https://mgeddesgengras1.bandcamp.com/album/echelons-beyond-reality

Rod Hamilton - Toad Lily (KMAN 92.5)

- Not sure how I missed Baltimore artist Rod Hamilton all these years but I messed up. Toad Lily is his latest and it’s a brilliant mix of rhythmic new age jazz. Also, bonus points to Hamilton cause he guests on the new Zachary Utz release that some label (my label) is releasing next month.

https://kman925.bandcamp.com/album/toad-lily

Ki Oni - Indoor Plant Life (sound as language)

- Do I need to say anything else about this? Indoor Plant Life approximates the swishing of a houseplant next to an open window and by god it delivers.

https://kioni.bandcamp.com/album/indoor-plant-life

Josh Medina - Drifting Toward The Absolute (Eiderdown)

- Absolutely floored by this gorgeous album of ambient guitar/synth instrumentals. Medina is one to watch closely.

https://eiderdownrecords.bandcamp.com/album/drifting-toward-the-absolute

G.S. Schray - The Changing Account ( Last Resort)

- Schray and Last Resort are nothing but consistent. Smooth and light ambient jazz rock with heavy feels.

https://gsschray.bandcamp.com/album/the-changing-account

Andrew Weathers & Hayden Pedigo - Big Tex, Here We Come (Debacle)

- Reviewed this one here. The album is one of those no doubters from two artists who weave ambient guitar instrumentals masterfully.

https://debaclerecords.bandcamp.com/album/big-tex-here-we-come

Dustin Wong - Internal Hot Spring (Self-Released)

- Yeah, so you should know who Dustin Wong is already. Internal Hot Spring is yet another fine release in a brilliantly diverse catalog. Colorful and intoxicating.

https://dustin-clarence-hidetoshi-wong.bandcamp.com/album/internal-hot-spring

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Unweather - Methuselah OST (Self-Released)

released January 4, 2021

Methuselah is an interactive digital narrative by artist and experience designer Elle Bulger and the music that guides the journey comes from Will Robinson aka Unweather, from Manchester, UK. The Methuselah soundtrack is a wildly imaginative 8-bit electronic/ambient journey. The Methuselah story “guides the reader-player through a series of vignettes taking place in the non-human world, exploring the often unseen connections, competitions and collaborations between flora, fauna, landmasses, weather systems and celestial bodies.” While the concept might sound a bit daunting, Robinson does a brilliant job of immersing the listener into this mysterious world without overwhelming the senses.

Most 8-bit music has never fully resonated with me as it feels too detached but Robinson produces a genuine emotional connection here as he blends the real with the fantasy. Sure, the album has those playful, whimsical elements of 8-bit but it never overshadows the project. Unweather creates a bright magical world of wonder that pulls you in yet still feels attached to something tangible. Methuselah OST is a fascinating listen that stands on its own as an intriguing piece of music and a fascinating work of art. And Robinson showcases his knack for diving into a project and committing to the narrative completely. 

Chris Decato - Transmissions (Astro Nautico)

released April 9, 2021

Boy, you know when you see an album cover and you can just sense the music is right up your alley? Well, Chris Decato’s Transmissions cover screams “hey, if you are looking for an obscure new age guitar album that should have come out on Windham Hill thirty years ago well look no further!” I’m just going to assume that is what Astro Nautico was going for with the cover and they nailed the aesthetic. Luckily the music delivers on that promise as well. Out publicly for the first time since it’s recording in 1988, Transmissions is a gorgeous instrumental guitar and synth recording that slices through the time gap with ease. Written by a 17 year old Decato while living in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the album is as playful and full of energy as it is emotionally stunning. 30 years later Transmisssions still feels alive and brimming with wonder and warmth. It is that youthful spirit of discovery that Decato injected into these pieces way back in 1988 that shines brightly still as Transmissions breathes a new life. The album was a transmission that took over thirty years to be received by the outside world but it was well worth the wait.

Kristen Roos - Universal Synthesizer Interface Vol I (Hotham Sound)

released March 15, 2021

I am always struck when people talk about a lack of emotion in electronic music. Granted, one might not necessarily expect it from an album called Universal Synthesizer Interface but one would be entirely wrong. The backstory here is fascinating too. Vancouver artist Kristen Roos took a deep dive into early music software after winning an eBay auction for Laurie Spiegel's 1985 'Music Mouse' program. Universal Synthesizer Interface is the result of Roos’ experiments with ‘Music Mouse’ and other vintage MIDI software and it is an album that overflows with simple beauty. “Each of these tracks was composed and sequenced with a single piece of vintage MIDI software” and that direct quality only enhances the album’s seamless flow. There is nothing overly complex to get lost in here, only waves of sharp, yet gentle movements. Oddly enough these sounds feel almost futuristic even though they are made with technology from decades ago. Bright and full of emotion, Universal Synthesizer Interface showcases a beautiful work of art as well as the creativity behind the creation. Volume II of Universal Synthesizer Interface releases later this year and Roos should be poised for a lot more people to hear his works when the time arrives.

Dntel - The Seas Trees See (Morr Music)

released March 26, 2021

Jimmy Tamborello has been doing his brand of electronica in many different shapes and sounds for a long time now. But, his work as Dntel has been way too overshadowed by that other thing he did, which we don’t even have to mention here. The Seas Trees See is the first of two albums from Tamborello coming this year on the long-running Morr Music label out of Germany. It is a perfect artist/label fit and Tamborello feels fresh and rejuvenated here. The Seas Trees See is a hypnotizing musical journey through light and soft atmospheres. The beautiful pieces naturally float back and forth between the ambient and electronic worlds.

Of the album Tamborello says, "I thought a lot about making an album that you would find in a thrift store...like a mysterious collection of sketches that leaves a lot unanswered. It doesn’t beg for attention or have any big moments." That is selling The Seas Trees See far too short though. The album’s power is in its simplicity and it pulls the listener in and begs for closer attention to all the magnificent detail that is on display. With The Seas Trees See Tamborello has found power in subtlety and the album is one of his finest works yet.

Landon Caldwell - Deep Strand (Trouble In Mind)

released March 12, 2021

Landon Caldwell has been very busy in the last year with excellent releases on Atlantic Rhythms, Astral Editions, Astral Spirits and now Deep Strand arrives via Trouble In Mind. Caldwell describes the album as an "...attempt at meaningful connection despite the shortcomings of digital reality, small, long-distance conversations with one or a few other people who are all trying to stay human." And although Deep Strand is billed as a solo affair, Caldwell provides plenty of room within these improvisational pieces for guests to add their own sense of direction. Dare I use the ambient jazz phrase but the deep, meditative sounds of Deep Strand make it entirely appropriate. With each new release Caldwell continues to explore his surroundings and showcase his diverse set of skills as a performer and arranger. Deep Strand is yet another fine addition to an already impressive catalog.

February was an insane month with so much good music coming out. It was extremely difficult to whittle this list down to ten so I included some great honorable mentions at the bottom as well.

Adeline Hotel - Good Timing (Ruination)

- Adeline Hotel returns quickly on the heels of their amazing Solid Love LP. This time Dan Knishkowy goes solo for an instrumental guitar album that shows off his impressive range.

https://adelinehotel.bandcamp.com/album/good-timing

Marsha Fisher - New Ruins (Full Spectrum)

- Covered this one here. A fascinating ambient/drone listen.

https://fullspectrumrecords.bandcamp.com/album/new-ruins

Jusell, Prymek, Sage, Shiroishi - Setsubun (節分) (Cached Media)

- The foursome of Chris Jusell, Chaz Prymek, Matthew Sage, and Patrick Shiroishi waste no time following up 2020’s outstanding Fuubutsushi with another beautiful set of ambient jazz.

https://cachedmedia.bandcamp.com/album/setsubun

The National Park Service - (This Is Not) The End (Self-Released)

- Covered this one here. Slowly unfolding ambient guitar folk/rock.

https://thenationalparkservice.bandcamp.com/album/this-is-not-the-end

Night Sky Body - Recurring (Self-Released)

- Wrote about this one here. Beautiful and fragile.

https://nightskybody.bandcamp.com/album/recurring

Picnic - Picnic (Daisart)

- We are living in a great time if you get down with abstract ambient dub. Picnic bring out the big guests (Dntel, Huerco S.) and everyone delivers on this debut full-length.

https://daisart.bandcamp.com/album/picnic

Pontiac Streator - Select Works Vol. II (Self-Released)

- Pontiac Streator’s excellent Select Works Vol. I dropped in February of 2020. Vol. II follows a year later and the quality is equally superb and haunting. Let’s hope these volumes keep on flowing from the mysterious ambient dub maestro.

https://pontiacstreator.bandcamp.com/album/select-works-vol-ii

Sloping - Completed Songs (sound as language)

- Wrote about this one here. sound as language release number three. Enough said.

https://sloping.bandcamp.com/album/completed-songs

Talons’ - New Nightmares (Self-Released)

- Mike Tolan is back with yet another Talons’ release, this time on the noisier side of things compared to last year’s quieter Make America Again. Whatever volume he’s going for, I am way down for the pace of one new Talons’ record a year.

https://talons.bandcamp.com/album/new-nightmares

Wild Pink - A Billion Little Lights (Royal Mountain)

- Covered this one here. Wild Pink and John Ross really can do no wrong.

https://wildpink.bandcamp.com/album/a-billion-little-lights

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Honorable Mentions:

Night Sky Body - Recurring (Self-Released)

released February 5, 2021

Maybe you know Frank Baugh from his long-running Sparkling Wide Pressure project or his great album, Birthmark, with M. Sage last year. But he’s also recently unveiled a new vehicle called Night Sky Body which feels entirely fresh and renewed. I talked to Baugh recently and of Recurring he said “I worked on that album for almost a year on and off. There are so many outtakes and songs that didn't make the cut. It was like making a reductive carved sculpture.“ And you can truly feel that meticulous work of Baugh as he molds and shapes these fragile pieces. Shards of fractured spoken word vocals reverberate in the background across Recurring. Layers are peeled off and then reapplied giving the album a frayed atmosphere. Nerves are exposed and emotions are laid bare on the album but Baugh instead feels liberated. Recurring is a rebirth and rejuvenation for Baugh and anyone else who dare listen.

Jacob Sachs-Mishalanie - Scribble (Mondoj)

released November 6, 2020

I absolutely adore labels where you just have no clue what direction the next release will take you. That doesn’t mean I will always enjoy the journey but you have to respect it at least. Mondoj is one of those labels and Jacob Sachs-Mishalanie’s Scribble is a perfect example of the label’s commitment to going off the radar. The album is short and sweet but never lacking in substance. Sure, Scribble could be guilty of lacking any true form but that’s part of the charm with Sachs-Mishalanie’s untamed arrangements. The album is a whimsical and wild ride full of heart and spirit. These experimental pieces are downright joyful in their abandonment of any logical structure. If you are a fan of Orange Milk releases, you will be absolutely enamored with Scribble and eagerly anticipating what Sachs-Mishalanie has in store for us next.

The National Park Service - (This Is Not) The End (Self-Released)

released February 28, 2021

Prolific is an understatement when it comes to The National Park Service’s catalog. The project boast over twenty releases now in the last ten years.  (This Is Not) The End is their newest one and it is a beautiful, rolling journey of instrumental ambient guitar (rock/folk) and found sounds. The album breathes life and unfolds organically like smoke rising from a campfire. It’s dark and haunting, yet also bright and hopeful. The National Park Service may be a hidden treasure but they are one worthy of deep and thorough exploration.

Andrew Weathers & Hayden Pedigo - Big Tex, Here We Come (Debacle)

releases March 5, 2021

There are some releases that pop up and you just know this is going to be an album that becomes a small piece of you for at least a little chunk of your time here. Big Tex, Here We Come is one of those no doubters from two artists who weave ambient guitar instrumentals masterfully. The album was recorded in Hayden Pedigo’s hometown of Amarillo, TX and Littlefield, TX where Andrew Weathers resides. Whether it be through the camaraderie of Weathers and Pedigo or the love they share for their homes and the roads they travel in between, there is a loving spirit that overflows from these pieces. The album is an ode to places and ideals we hold sacred. Big Tex, Here We Come will become an album that people hold dear. It’s a vital expression of finding your own peaceful space in a maddening world.

Claude Speeeed - Hypersurface (Self-Released)

released February 4, 2021

It has been almost four years since the last proper release from German electronic artist Claude Speeed. Where his albums before were quite diverse, his new release is laser focused. Hypersurface presents digital drones upon drones and it is a beautiful side step for Speed. There is an eerie stress at play here as Speed moves ever so slightly between calm and disquiet. Speeed builds and releases tension from piece to piece and that anxious undercurrent carries Hypersurface to special places.

Sloping - Completed Songs (sound as language)

released February 26, 2021

Sloping’s solo debut, Completed Songs, is an intimate collection of understated ambient folk tunes. The album is a slow burn guided by the deep and somber vocals of singer/songwriter JJ Posway. Completed Songs softly builds and deconstructs itself but never falls apart as Posway weaves a sonic tapestry of collaged sounds and hushed musings. Like many of us, Posway is questioning and longing for something he can’t quite put his finger on. Completed Songs might not answer those questions but it patiently explores all those dark corners. The album is a mysterious and evolving work of art that announces Posway as a quiet force.

Wild Pink - A Billion Little Lights (Royal Mountain)

released February 19, 2021

You might not know the quiet genius of John Ross but you definitely should. Ross’ instrumental/ambient/guitar project, Eerie Gaits, started off the sound as language label last year. But Ross is much better known as the creative force behind indie rock band, Wild Pink. Although calling Wild Pink an indie rock band seems to devalue just how timeless Ross’ music feels. For A Billion Little Lights Ross went big, flying to LA to record with producer David Greenbaum, who’s worked with heavyweights like Beck, U2 and Jenny Lewis. Because of that, A Billion Little Lights is the first Wild Pink album where it feels like the band’s recorded sound has finally caught up to Ross’ lyrical prowess and song-craft. Yet while A Billion Little Lights may feel bigger, Ross never loses what makes the project special. His masterful way with words is soft but carries a heavy weight and as long as he’s penning tunes this good, I’m not sure the production aspect matters all that much. It’s a myth they don’t make classic American rock bands anymore. Unfortunately we just don’t hear enough about them and Wild Pink is a perfect example. But with a record as good as A Billion Little Lights, let’s hope that changes.

Marsha Fisher - New Ruins (Full Spectrum)

released February 15, 2020

New Ruins is an album of absorbing ambient drone “composed of modular synthesizer and heavily processed tape-loops, primarily sourced from old Christian genre music and praise cassettes.” With this work, Minnesota-based sound artist Marsha Fisher has turned mundane thrift store finds into something profound. Instead of mocking these sources, Fisher re-imagines and builds something entirely new and beautiful from their remnants.

As someone who grew up in the South and was raised in a Southern Baptist family, the source and subject matter of New Ruins is entirely fascinating to me. My relationship with religion is complex. And while I may not have grown into a religious person myself, there is no doubt that it remains a huge part of who I am. New Ruins feels like a spiritual musical reflection on a journey that many of us struggle with still.

Andrew Tuttle & Padang Food Tigers - A Cassowary Apart (Bedroom Suck)

released February 12, 2021

If you haven’t been keeping track of Bedroom Suck’s ‘Private Eyes’ series you should correct that. Or better yet just follow everything Bedroom Suck does from now on. The ‘Private Eyes’ series was birthed from the pandemic and documents Australian music in isolation over the last year. Australian instrumental guitarist, Andrew Tuttle teams up with London’s like-minded duo, Padang Food Tigers (Spencer Grady & Stephen Lewis), for the 5th edition in the series. A Cassowary Apart follows up Tuttle’s outstanding 2020 album, Alexandra. Tuttle and Padang Food Tigers are mining similar territories when they aren’t working together. So the brilliance of the ambient folk wanderings of the three when they come together is perhaps to be expected, yet still striking in their beauty. Recorded remotely, you can almost feel the distance echoing across the album’s wide open spaces. The sparse music swirls around you like a warm, much-needed hug. A Cassowary Apart proves that we can still find comfort and connection despite our separation.