You're In An 80s Film Driving At Night

 

This mix started via a Spotify playlist with the same name - "You're in an 80s Film Driving at Night." I really liked the synth vibes so I created my own folder at home and began collecting tracks.

The mix has a great retro vibe even though many of the tracks are from the last 10 years. But, of course, I had to include some cuts from the time period with songs from Tangerine Dream, John Carpenter & Vangelis.

Hop in your Delorean and head back to the 1980s for some retro electronic goodness.

Cheers!

[ s t r e a m ]    [ d o w n l o a d ]    [ a p p l e _ p o d c a s t s ]

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00   All India Radio - Rust (Solo Electronique 1984 2017)
• 02:47   Tangerine Dream - Dr. Destructo (Thief 1981)
• 05:45   Sinoia Caves - 1983 Main Theme (Beyond the Black Rainbow 2014)
• 08:15   Emmx - The Nation (The Nation 2022)
• 11:00   A.L.I.S.O.N - Subtract (Signal Flow 2019)
• 15:45   John Carpenter - He's Still Alive/Romero (Escape From New York 2005)
• 17:55   Harold Faltermeyer - Logo-Bakersfield (The Running Man 1987) 
• 20:50   Baldocaster - Map to the Stars (Part II) (Solare 2019)
• 22:25   Tangerine Dream - Love on a Real Train (Risky Business 1984)
• 26:00   Volkor X - Outlaws (Heart Wired, Pt. 1 2019)
• 31:51   Baldocaster - Shadow Figures (Memorie 2022)
• 36:17   John Carpenter - Night (John Carpenter's Lost Themes 2015)
• 39:45   Vangelis - Blade Runner(End Titles) (Blade Runner 1994)
• 44:08   Cliff Martinez - Bride of Deluxe (Drive 2011)
• 46:47   Disasterpeace - Detroit (It Follows 2015)
• 47:52   Inhmost - Gravity(feat. Nashira) (Dragbacks on Dockweiler State Beach 2015)
• 53:16   Tangerine Dream - Beach Scene (Thief 1981)
• 59:11   end

Berlin School Electronic Music 2024

I have continued my recent bingeing of berlin-school electronic music. Devouring old and new music. So I was very excited when guest mixer Erwin Broers reached with a new berlin-school mix. Woo hoo! It's all new music, some of Erwin's favorites from 2024. I was familiar with about half of the artists some it was great to discover new music.

I'll let Erwin tell you about the mix:

"I was inspired by LLM end of the year mixes on ambient and jazz. I came up with the idea of doing something similar for the Berlin School subgenre. So I checked a few blogs and searched specialized web shops for the most interesting releases of 2024. The result is a near-2hr foray with lots of different styles and atmospheres, ranging from dark to uplifting, retro analog to modern digital, occasionally with a touch of electric guitar and percussions, but almost always with typical layers of sequencers and soundscapes. The influence of the pioneers of the genre, Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream, is still very much alive in some tracks, almost 50 years after their prime. Filtercafe and Sequentia Legenda obviously draw from that heritage. Most listeners will not like all the tracks, but it is a good introduction to what is being created in the contemporary Berlin School."

Thanks for another great electronic mix. Look for another mix from Erwin coming next month.

LINKS TO ALL  THE MUSIC USED IN THIS MIX:

http://paulellisperthomhav.bandcamp.com/album/orpheus

http://perge.bandcamp.com/album/la-roue

http://gertemmens.bandcamp.com/album/elektra-25th-anniversary-edition

http://manikinrecords.bandcamp.com/album/106

http://cosmicground.bandcamp.com/album/area-24

http://thombrennan.bandcamp.com/album/othadiegra

http://pyramid-peak.bandcamp.com/album/kontinuum-2

http://sphericmusic-shop.de/de/schroeder-robert/1816-schroeder-robert-observer.html

http://projektrecords.bandcamp.com/album/solastalgia

http://moonsatellite2.bandcamp.com/album/motions-of-ethereal-lunar

http://awenson.bandcamp.com/album/awenson-faith

http://cyclicaldreams.bandcamp.com/album/veiled-portraits-cyd-0118

http://sequentia-legenda.bandcamp.com/album/galactic-crystals

http://emmensboots.bandcamp.com/album/lost-in-dephts-of-desolation

Cheers!

[ s t r e a m ]    [ d o w n l o a d ]    [ a p p l e _ p o d c a s t s ]

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00:00   Paul Ellis & Per Thomhav - Orpheus (Orpheus)
• 00:06:11   Perge - La Roue (La Roue)
• 00:11:21   Gert Emmens - Elektra Part 1 (Elektra 25th Anniversary Edition)
• 00:18:38   Filtercafé - Kaltwasserhahn (106)
• 00:32:00   Cosmic Ground - Area 24 Part 4 (Area 24)
• 00:37:02   Thom Brennan - Othadiegra Part 5 (Othadiegra)
• 00:43:51   Pyramid Peak - Aquamarine (Kontinuum)
• 00:51:13   Robert Schroeder - Observer (Observer)
• 00:58:57   Erik Wöllo - Forever River (Solastalgia)
• 01:06:42   MoonSatellite - Motion Part 3 (Motions Of Ethereal Lunar)
• 01:15:00   Awenson - Van Halen (Faith)
• 01:25:58   Paul Ellis & Pabellón Sintético - Synonymous (Veiled Portraits)
• 01:31:31   Sequentia Legenda - Crystal Of Light (Galactic Crystals)
• 01:41:40   Gert Emmens & Ron Boots - Lost In Dephts Of Desolation (Lost In Depths Of Desolation)
• 01:56:09   end

THE BOTTNA MIX by Dött ljus

 

We have a special treat for this mix - an upbeat collection with an ambient house music vibe. I have a folder on my hard drive that is labeled "gentle house music." It contains tracks that have a definite 4-on-the-floor style but aren't hardcore, fill-the-dance-floor tunes. Something like Kiasmos. I have avoided making a mix of these tune because, truthfully, I suck at beat matching. I don't use professional software that would do it for me and I don't have quite the musical ear to pull it off on my own, at least for an entire mix.

That's where Johan Kisro and Petter Lindhagen come to the rescue. Johan and Peter record as Dött ljus and they have a new EP coming out on February 5th called Bottna. You can find it here - https://slowcraft.bandcamp.com/album/bottna  The EP is on Slowcraft Records which says "the irrepressible energy of their hybrid electronica finds itself subtly grounded in a tenderly ambient melancholy."

I was immediately taken by the vibe of the new EP so I was over the moon when Johan suggested doing a mix for LLM. Perfect! I've always wanted a mix that sounds like this.

Here's what Johan says about this collection of tracks:

"This mix is a collection of songs we love—some of which may have influenced our upcoming EP, Bottna (out February 5th via Slowcraft Records). Bottna is a refuge, a place where anything can become something, where color breaks through the cracks in the pavement, hidden from the intensifying hum of a world unraveling. The songs exist at the intersection of rhythm and droning textures, and we wanted this mix to follow that same path—from fragments to flourish."

Thanks to Johan and Peter for curating this excellent mix.

Cheers!

[ s t r e a m ]    [ d o w n l o a d ]    [ a p p l e _ p o d c a s t s ]

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00   Kejser audiovisual - EMO TREE 3.0, pt.1 (EMO TREE 3.0 2024)
• 00:46   Bonnie Beecher - Come Wander with me (1964) 
• 02:21   Dött ljus - Förr (Bottna 2025) 
• 07:06   The XX - VCR (Four Tet Remix) (2010) 
• 15:22   Sofia Kourtesis - Vajkoczy (Madres 2023) 
• 19:14   Radiohead - Everything in its Right Place (Gigamesh Remix 3.0) (2024)
• 23:40   Menke - Nattskärran (Christian Löffler Remix) (2018)
• 26:56   Kelly Lee Owens - Dreamstate (Dreamstate 2024)
• 32:16   Colin Stetson - All the days I’ve missed you (ILAIJ I)
• (New History Warfare Vol 2: Judges 2011)
• 33:09   Brian McBride - Prelude (When the Detail Lost its Freedom 2005)
• 34:46   Fred again…, Delilah Montegun - Delilah (pull me out of this)
• (Actual Life 3 [January 1 - September 9 2022] 2022)
• 38:50   Caribou - Honey (Honey 2024)
• 43:13   Abul Mogard - Half Light of Dawn (Circular Forms 2015)
• 49:20   Donnie & Joe Emerson - Baby (Dreamin’ Wild 1979)
• 52:48   Dött ljus - Bottna (Bottna 2025)

We Did It Again by Andy McNeill(Maple Mountain Sunburst)

What a great way to start the new year! Jumping right in with this excellent mix from friend of the show, Andy McNeill. Andy records as Maple Mountain Sunburst and he released a wonderful album last year - https://maplemountainsunburst.bandcamp.com/album/ecstatic  He also did a guest mix for us last year which you can find here - Mixcloud  &  Low Light Mixes Blog.

My favorite discovery in this mix is the third track, "My Dog's Eyes" by Zammuto. I am blown away each time I hear it. One of my favorite track of 2024 is also included in the mix - Andy's own "Pop-a-matic." So good! The rest of the mix a great as well. 

Here's what Andy says about his latest creation:

"Cycles, patterns and joy in repetition. I’ll paraphrase redditer Waves_of_awesome who said strongly repetitive music has the ability to transport the listener to a meditative state. “… repeating passages echo like a mantra, almost hypnotizing you”. It’s a fundamental yet unpremeditated element in my musical endeavours. 

A lot of different genres represented here — not really intentionally, I just wanted to include some favourites and influential tracks. But wait where’s O Superman? It’s Gonna Rain? I guess we’ll have to do a part two. I hope you all enjoy the journey."  -  Andy

>>>Links to all the music used in this mix<<<

• https://open.spotify.com/album/6eUPFGpUKBafZKPpif4i1f?si=PJ4A6c8DR5WHr2z80vb_Ew
• https://philipglass.com/recordings/aguas_da_amazonia/
• https://zammuto.bandcamp.com/album/veryone
• https://mississippirecords.bandcamp.com/album/furaha-wenye-gita
• https://maplemountainsunburst.bandcamp.com/album/ecstatic
• https://books.bandcamp.com/album/music-for-a-french-elevator-and-other-oddities
• https://crammed-discs.bandcamp.com/album/congotronics-2-buzznrumble-from-the-urbnjungle
• https://juanamolina.bandcamp.com/album/tres-cosas 
• https://open.spotify.com/track/7jOnhe335cbTJyTiZoPkxg?si=6b8e76be504245d4
• https://maplemountainsunburst.bandcamp.com/album/the-maple-mountain-sunburst-triolian-orchestra
• https://open.spotify.com/track/65niHA7Rhd3oboXFpJ2Ah9?si=5c0b329838dc46ef
• https://maplemountainsunburst.bandcamp.com/album/ecstatic
• https://open.spotify.com/track/7hRG2HYhxsffbK2Iz2zlex?si=cff26a4af10c43e8
• https://open.spotify.com/track/6maBIgAWIxANaZlftqeYUA?si=2e50a4e857aa4487
• https://open.spotify.com/track/2q0WFOsFc7Gd9cujpPmZMC?si=a674dbcee6cf4337

Thanks Andy, for creating this most excellent mix.

Cheers!

[ s t r e a m ]    [ d o w n l o a d ]    [ a p p l e _ p o d c a s t s ]

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00 Chapterhouse/Global Communication - Gamma Phase edit (Pentamerous  Metamorphosis 1993)
• 05:01 Uakti - Japura River (Philip Glass) (Aguas da Amazonia 1999)
• 09:51 Zammuto - My Dog’s Eyes (Veryone 2016)
• 12:50 George Mukabi - Kuoa Utaoa (Furaha Wenye Gita 2017)
• 15:38 Maple Mountain Sunburst - Pop-a-matic (Ecstatic 2024
• 19:37 The Books - Cello Song ft. José González (Music For A French Elevator… 2013)
• 23:28 Sobanza Mimanisa - Kiwembo (edit) (Congotronics 2 2005)
• 27:15 Juana Molina - Salvese Quien Pueda (Tres Cosas 2004)
• 32:41       Christina Pluhar and L’Arpeggiata - Ciaconna (Youtube)
• 36:40 Maple Mountain Sunburst - Age of Steam (MMSTO 2010)
• 39:52 Faust - Lauft… (aka Giggy Smile) (Faust IV 1973)
• 43:06 Maple Mountain Sunburst - Without Fear (Ecstatic 2024)
• 47:51 Seefeel - Climactic Phase 3 (edit) (Quique 1993)
• 53:38 Soft Machine - We Did It Again (Soft Machine 1968)
• 55:50 Air - Universal Traveler (Talkie Walkie 2004)
• 60:09       Maple Mountain Sunburst Triolian Orchestra - The Ruby Yacht (MMSTO 2010)
• 62:25       Leo Kottke - Doorbell (My Father’s Face 1989)
• 67:24       end

Back To The Roots Of Berlin School by Erwin Broers

 

At the beginning of September when I posted my "Sequencer City" mix, I said I'd been on a berlin school bender. Well, now three months later I'm still on that sequencer synth kick. At the end of October the analog synth itch was scratched by a stellar guest mix from Erwin Broers called "Capturing The Voice Of A Galaxy." It featured tracks from the Klaus Schulz label, "Innovative Communications.

Now we have have a follow up mix from Erwin called "Back to the Roots of Berlin School." Oh man, this is some good stuff! Erwin tells me that "there's a whole sub-category of "Berlin School" out there called "Retro Berlin School". In the mid 1990's "Berlin School" was revived by nostalgic electronic artists who benefited from technological innovations to make the iconic analog synths such as the Mellotron, the ARP 2600 and the big Moog Modular more playable. The result was a huge resurgence of mid 1970's style Berlin School EM which was dubbed "retro" to mark the difference with the classics such as Tangerine Dream's Stratosfear, Klaus Schulze's Timewind and Ashra's New Age Of Earth."

I hope my current obsession with this genre continues because I am loving every minute of it. Thanks for another great mix, Erwin.

Cheers!

[ s t r e a m ]    [ d o w n l o a d ]    [ a p p l e _ p o d c a s t s ]

T R A C K L S I S T :

• 00:00   Redshift - Redshift(excerpt) (Redshift, 1996)
• 09:20   Cosmic Hoffmann - Shiva Connection (Shiva Connection, 2000)
• 15:00   Free System Projekt - And Then There Were Two (Impulse (reissue), 2005)
• 29:00   Brendan Pollard - Aquarius (Expansion, 2005)
• 31:17   Ramp - Phasenverzerrung (Nodular, 1998) 
• 42:50   Javi Canovas - North Of Circle (Impasse, 2005)
• 56:42   Arcane - Dystopian Fictions (Gather Darkness, 1999)
• 71:02   end

Capturing The Voice Of A Galaxy

 

Another stellar guest mix comes our way courtesy of loyal listener, Erwin Broers. He asked if I was interested in a mix of  electronic music from Innovative Communication, the label founded by Klaus Schulze in the late 70s. Yes, please!

Here's what Erwin says about this fantastic mix:

"I was in my teens when I got in touch with Electronic Music by means of well-known artists such as Jean-Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk and Vangelis. Searching for more similar music in the local library, I came across an LP with on its sleeve just a mysterious picture of a huge radio telescope. The album was Robert Schroeder's "Galaxie Cygnus-A" ! Liner notes on the back of the sleeve explained that the music was commissioned by the Austrian Broadcasting Service (ÖRF) and performed live at the 1982 ARS Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria. The idea behind the project consisted of capturing sound waves coming from the Cygnus-A galaxy with the help of the Effelsberg 100 meter radio telescope, the largest fully steerable radio telescope in the world at that time. Schroeder used those sound waves as basis and inspiration, and created a magical soundtrack for stargazing and floating in outer space. Needless to say, I was blown away by this album, and from then on I fanatically sought out other releases on the Innovative Communication label, which - by the way - was founded in 1978 by the late Klaus Schulze, one of the godfathers of Electronic Music.

To honour my memory of that exciting period, I chose to start this label retrospective with the first two tracks of this special album - including some of the white noise straight from space ! The mix is rather heterogeneous and gives a good impression of the kind of EM that was published on IC in its heydays, ie. the 80s. From the early 90s the label quickly became more commercial edging towards mellow new age and average electro-acoustic instrumental fusion (aka NAM)."

Thanks, Erwin, for this trip back in time.

Cheers!

[ s t r e a m ]    [ d o w n l o a d ]    [ a p p l e _ p o d c a s t s ]

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00   Robert Schroeder - Galaxie Cygnus-A Part 1 & 2 (Galaxie Cygnus-A, 1982)
• 12:08   Klaus Schulze - Silent Running (excerpt) (Trancefer, 1981)
• 19:26   Peak - Nightmist (Ebondàzzar, 1982)
• 25:30   P'Cock - The Prophet (The Prophet, 1980)
• 31:15   Peter Seiler - Serengeti (Sensitive Touch, 1987)
• 36:00   Mind Over Matter - Paradise: 1st. Movement: Being One (Air) (The Colours Of Life, 1988)
• 42:09   G.E.N.E. - Taste Of Dawn (Life Is A Melody, 1988)
• 47:42   Software - Syn-Code-Z: 1st. Movement: Code-Ocean (Syn-Code, 1987)
• 53:45   Patrick Kosmos - Airgasm (Cosmic Resonance, 1991)
• 63:16   end

Sequencer City

I have been on a huge sequencer/Berlin-school bender for the last few months. I think it goes back to Paul's train mix back in May. Through that mix I found the music of Gert Blokzijl - https://gertblokzijl.bandcamp.com/.  I gobbled up a number of his albums immediately. Then last month I discovered the music of Martin Stürtzer - https://phelios.bandcamp.com/  He's got a ton of stuff out there and it's all good. I'm not sure how I missed him until now, but I'm glad I found him. 

While listening to all this music I just knew I had to create a mix full of sequencer or Berlin-school tracks. Most of the tunes are new with 5 of them from 2024, a few more from 2019 to 2022. And one golden oldie from 1983 by Edgar Froese. I really enjoyed putting this one together so look for another before the end of the year.

Here are links to all the music used in this mix:

https://gertblokzijl.bandcamp.com/album/upgraded-from-the-past

https://phelios.bandcamp.com/album/dyson-sphere-alpha

https://www.amazon.com/Pinnacles-Edgar-Froese/dp/B000025JRO

https://jfitoussi.bandcamp.com/album/plein-soleil

https://open.spotify.com/album/5RRCLKU2zA5aUV68mFdeXV?si=b9G9HLZFShq3DgesJXyDEw

https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B09GW384VC?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_cjTbSCQAjo8lzOi3OXvrbvGhh

https://thombrennan.bandcamp.com/album/eventide

https://synphaera.bandcamp.com/album/wave-interference

https://tronestamjohan.bandcamp.com/album/somewhere-far-away

https://phelios.bandcamp.com/album/lander-modules

https://the-rosen-corporation.bandcamp.com/album/icy-nights-awakening

Cheers!

[ s t r e a m ]    [ d o w n l o a d ]    [ a p p l e _ p o d c a s t s ]

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Gert Blokziji - Upgraded From The Past 1 (Upgraded From The Past 2019)
• 06:52    Martin Stürtzer - Uncharted Systems (Dyson Sphere Alpha 2021)
• 14:00    Edgar Froese - Specific Gravity Of Smile (Pinnacles 1983)
• 22:00    Jonathan Fitoussi - Rayons solaires (Plein Soleil 2020)
• 27:12    Just a Human - Pulse (2024)
• 29:37    Pye Corner Audio - Earthwork (Entangled Routes 2021)
• 33:24    Thom Brennan  - Eventide Pt. 3 (Eventide 2022)
• 38:20    Lars Leonhard - Wavelength Dreams (Wave Interference 2024)
• 44:22    Johan Tronestam - The Castle Above The Clouds (Somewhere Far Away 2024)
• 50:00    Martin Stürtzer - The Last Outpost (Lander Modules 2024)
• 57:42    The Rosen Corporation - Part Two (Icy Night's Awakening 2024)
• 63:23    end

Communiqué '77 - '86

 

When I was in college, a million years ago, I worked at the student radio station. There were some cool people there that turned me onto all sorts of new music. I had cassette tapes of several of the albums they introduced me to and I played them for years. I can't remember to put my garbage out on time but I can still picture the handwritten spines of cassette cases for albums like David Sylvian - Gone To Earth and Tangerine Dream - Hyperborea.

A few of my prized cassettes were from more obscure artists such as the 3 that start this mix - Clara Mondshine, Baffo Banfi, and Bernard Szajner. After listening to these albums recently, I decided to make an entire mix of artists from that cassette era. The result is a nostalgic trip back to the late 70s and early 80s for some electronic goodness. 

The tracks range from more obscure artists like Lilienthal, Clara Mondshine, Baffo Banfi, and Bernard Szajner to more well known like Phil Mazanera & Richard Pinhas to the very well known Jean Michel Jarre & Al Di Meola. This collection takes me back to a specific time and works well as a cohesive mix. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I did.

Cheers!

[ s t r e a m ]    [ d o w n l o a d ]    [ a p p l e _ p o d c a s t s ]

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Clara Mondshine - Landing At Full Moon (Luna Africana 1981)
• 05:19    Baffo Banfi - Astralunato (Ma Dolce Vita 1979)
• 09:00    Bernard Szajner - The Memory (some deaths take forever 1980)
• 13:15    Richard Pinhas - Melodic Simple Transition (L'Ethique 1981)
• 16:45    Al Di Meola African Night (Scenario 1983)
• 21:00    Craig Leon - Region of Fleeing Civilians (Visiting 1982)
• 25:20    Phil Manzanera - Criollo (Primitive Guitars 1982)
• 30:10    Jean Michel Jarre - Magnetic Fields Part IV (Magnetic Fields 1981)
• 35:40    Michael Shrieve & Klaus Schulze - Communique (Transfer Station Blue 1986)
• 48:15    Roedelius - Weilchenwurzeln (Wenn der Südwind Weht 1981)
• 52:55    Michael Brook - Midday (Hybrid 1985)
• 58:41    Lilienthal - Gebremster Schaum (Lilienthal 1978)
• 64:50    end

Top 20 Electronic Albums Of All Time

This was a tough list to compile. What criteria do I use? Influential albums? Ones I play the most? Critics favorites? Do I include ambient albums? Vocal albums? Oof, this was hard.

The list I came up with was sort of a bit of everything. All these albums are personal faves but I also couldn't help thinking about things from a historical standpoint. Also, I couldn't help but view them from a personal historical standpoint - such as albums that turned me on to a different style or sound(DJ Shadow, Underworld). Including a few vocal albums might be a bit controversial, I flip flopped on that several times but finally said screw it, it's my list and I can do whatever I want. 

Of course there is also the question of what constitutes an "electronic" album? Some on this list are obviously electronic(Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk) while others are not quite as clear(Air, Postal Service). It would be easy to get pulled into that debate and end up like the "what is ambient music" debate. I decided that I would approach it the way Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart described his test for obscenity - "I know it when I see it." So I just went with whatever I felt worked.

A few other notes on this list - I like how the list spans five decades. I ended up with albums from every decade other than the 2020s. That just feels right. It also felt right to leave off strictly ambient albums. That genre can have it's own list.

I constructed the mix chronologically because it was easier that way and it's cool to listen to the tracks evolve over time.

Cheers!

[ s t r e a m ]    [ d o w n l o a d ]    [ a p p l e _ p o d c a s t s ]

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00   Tangerine Dream - Stratosfear (Stratosfear 1976)
• 07:42   Jean Michel Jarre - Oxygene part 1 (Oxygene 1976)
• 13:33    Kraftwerk - The Robots (Man Machine 1978)
• 22:12   Synergy - Phobos & Diemos Go to Mars (Cords 1978)
• 29:03   Roedelius - Wenn der Südwind weht (Wenn der Südwind weht 1981)
• 32:57   Tangerine Dream - Hyperborea (Hyperborea 1983)
• 37:09   Manuel Göttsching - E2-E4 (E2-E4 1984)
• 45:25   Aphex Twin - Actium (Selected Ambient Works 85 - 92 1992)
• 52:37   Vangelis - Blade Runner Blues (Blade Runner 1994)
• 57:18   Underworld - Air Towel (Second Toughest In The Infants 1996)
• 1:04:43   DJ Shadow - Midnight in a Perfect World (Entroducing 1996)
• 1:09:34   Air - Le femme d’argent (Moon Safari 1998)
• 1:16:07   Boards of Canada - Roygbiv (Music Has The Right To Children 1998)
• 1:18:30   Plastikman - Consume (Consumed 1998)
• 1:23:00   Saul Stokes - Greys (Outfolding 2000)
• 1:27:00   Jan Jelinek - Drift (Loop-Finding-Jazz-Records 2001)
• 1:32:00   Yagya - Snowflake 3 (Rhythm of Snow 2002)
• 1:37:57   Postal Service - Brand New Colony (Give Up 2003)
• 1:42:06   Loscil - First Narrows (First Narrows 2004)
• 1:50:54   Jon Hopkins - Sun Harmonics (Immunity 2013)
• 2:00:00   end

Electronic Music of 1973

 

At last we return to the "Electronic Music of (insert year)" series. That's obviously not the actual title of the series but since I don't have a title that will do for this post. I really enjoyed putting together mixes for for 1970, '71, and '72 but then I got distracted and lazy, and I almost forgot about the series. 

Now we're back to 1973 to continue our journey through the electronic music of the decade. I went down a Tangerine Dream rabbit hole recently and discovered their album Atem, which I had somehow missed. But I was happy to have found it because it fit in nicely with this '73 collection.

I'm already thinking about 1974 so hopefully there won't be so much time between mixes.

Cheers!

[ s t r e a m ]    [ d o w n l o a d ]    [ a p p l e _ p o d c a s t s ]

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Between - Syn (And The Waters Opened)
• 05:45    Fripp & Eno - The Heavenly Music Corporation (No Pussyfooting)
• 16:22    Cosmic Jokers - Galactic Joke (Cosmic Jokers)
• 23:00    Kraftwerk - Ananas Symphonie (Ralf & Florian)
• 28:25    Tangerine Dream - Circulation of Events (Atem)
• 33:45    Vangelis - La Mer Recommencée (Apocalypse Des Animaux)
• 39:09    Klaus Schulze - Symphära (Cyborg)
• 45:58    Jean Michel Jarre - Les granges brûlées (Les granges brûlées)
• 48:48    Bob Callaghan - Noi Due Nel Mondo E Nell'Anima (Instrumental Moog Synthesizer
• 51:27    Neu! - Neuschnee (Neu! 2)
• 55:25    Kraftwerk - Tanzmusik (Ralf & Florian) 
• 61:47    end

Electronic Music 1972

 

The trip through the electronic music of the 70s continues with a stop in 1972. As with '70 & '71 this is a mix with some tracks that are very electronic, like the Wendy Carlos tunes, and others that are more electronic adjacent, like the Cluster or Pick Floyd tracks. But I think it gives a good sense of where things stood at the time.

I purposely stayed away from cheesy electronic versions of classical music like "The Electronic Spirit Of Erik Satie" or "The Unusual Classical Synthesizer." I'm just not a fan of that type of electronic music. I understand it's place in bringing synths to mass attention, I just don't like those recordings.

Enjoy 1972, I have a feeling 1973 will sound fairly similar. But things will start to change in '74 & '75.

Cheers!

[ s t r e a m ]    [ d o w n l o a d ]    [ a p p l e _ p o d c a s t s ]

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    A.R. & Machines - Wie Ich Mir So Ich Dir (AR3)
• 02:12    Cluster - Im Suden (Cluster II)
• 08:10    Galactic Explorers - Lunarscape (Epitaph For Venus)
• 14:22    Terry Riley - Persian Surgery Dervishes
• 18:40    Klaus Schulze - Last Not Least (La Vie Electronique, Vol. 2)
• 25:15    Kraftwerk - Klingklang (Kraftwerk 2)
• 34:00    Wendy Carlos - Country Life (Clockwork Orange)
• 38:40    Tangerine Dream - Zeit (Zeit)
• 43:20    Pink Floyd - Absolutely Curtains (Obscured by Clouds)
• 45:55    Neu! - Im Glück (Nue!)
• 49:35    Wendy Carlos - Fall (Sonic Seasonings)
• 60:00    end

Electronic Music 1971

 

The Electronic Music of the 1970s series continues with a trip back to 1971. This year was a bit easier to curate than '70 because we have a few more good uses of electronic instruments featured prominently.

For me, the best electronic album of 1971 is "Zero Time" by Tonto's Expanding Head Band. It's very synthetic sounding without being too cheesy. I enjoyed discovering new music for this mix like "The Andromeda Strain" soundtrack and a Tangerine Dream soundtrack for an unreleased movie. I hope you too discover something new in this journey back to 1971.

Cheers!

[ s t r e a m ]    [ d o w n l o a d ]    [ a p p l e _ p o d c a s t s ]

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Moog - Moog demonstration record
• 00:36    Tonto's Expanding Head Band - Tama (Zero Time)
• 05:48    Beaver & Krause - Nine Moons In Alaska (Gandharva)
• 07:30    Tangerine Dream - Sunrise In The Third System (Alpha Centauri)
• 11:07    Achim Reichel - Einleitung(Invitation) (Echo)
• 16:00    Deuter - Babylon (D)
• 19:49    Pat Prilly - Aerolithe Alpha (Moog Sensations)
• 21:15    Harold Budd - Pastoral Symphony (The Oak Of The Golden Dreams)
• 22:00    Popol Vuh - Aguirre (In the Gardens of the Pharao | Aguirre)
• 27:00    Ash Ra Tempel - Traummaschine (Ash Ra Tempel)
• 33:18    Pat Prilly - Coeur Synthetique (Moog Sensations)
• 34:12    Tonto's Expanding Head Band - Cybernaut (Zero Time)
• 38:30    Doug McKechnie - Moving (San Francisco Moog: 1968-72 Vol. 2)
• 41:10    Jean Michel Jarre - La Cage (La Cage)
• 44:25    Morton Subotnick - Sidewinder (Sidewinder)
• 46:15    Gil Mellé - Andromeda (The Andromeda Strain)
• 47:47    Tangerine Dream - Vampira VI (Vampira)
• 50:53    W. Merrick Farran & E. Vetter - Sea of Storms (KPM Electronic Music)
• 52:42    Tonto's Expanding Head Band - Aurora (Zero Time)
• 59:10    end

Remember Tomorrow V.2

This is a repost of an old mix from 2009. The is a retro synth mix with a sort of old space program vibe. I realized that I'd never posted it to Mixcloud so I thought I would haul it out of space dock and update it with a few more cuts added to the end. It's great to hear tracks from Freescha, Lunar Testing Lab, Bochum Welt and others for the first time in a long time.

Enjoy this trip backward and forward in time.

Cheers!

[ s t r e a m ]    [ d o w n l o a d ]    [ a p p l e _ p o d c a s t s ]

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00     Countdown from "Lunar Adventure in 1985"
• 00:13     Belbury Poly - Adventures in a Miniature Landscape
• 02:00     The Units - Cowboy
• 06:05     Harmonic 33 - Departure Lounge
• 10:30     Lunar Testing Lab - Lunar Radio control
• 11:30     EU - New Osc's
• 13:00     Boards of Canada - Wildlife Analysis
• 13:50     Freescha - The Sun is Still
• 16:00     Lunar Testing Lab - Orbiting Lunar Observatory
• 16:40     TRS-80 - moon Patrol
• 22:30     David Bowie - V2 Schneider
• 25:10     Bochum Welt - interlude
• 28:25     Lunar Testing Lab - Phantom Cosmonaut
• 30:50     Signaldrift - Children of the 70's
• 32:20     Harmonic 33 - Planet 54
• 35:50     Frank Comstock - Music from Outer Space(when you wish upon a star)
• 37:50     Boards of Canada - Nova Scotia Robots
• 38:50     Bernard Szajner - A Kind of Freedom
• 41:30     Talvihorros - A Rural Place
• 43:35     David Bowie - Weeping Wall
• 46:20     Michael Garrison - Escape (Music From The 21st Century 1986)
• 48:42    Iguana Moonlight - V (WIld Palms 2017)
• 53:06    Stratis - By Water (Soul Jazz Records presents Space, Energy & Light 2017)
• 58:27    Chris Carter - Moon Two (Chemistry Lessons Volume 1 2018)
• 60:47     end

A Decade of Electronic Music - 1970

 

The Plan - make a mix for every year of the 70s, featuring electronic music from each year. Easy peasy! Well, not exactly. The early years are a bit tough. Electronic music wasn't really a genre yet. There are definitely electronic albums. But enough to fill an hour long mix? Maybe...sort of.

Let me start by saying that some folks may disagree with my choices as I tried to fill out the tracklist. There may be some creative finagling in the mixes for the early years. But really, who cares? This is just a fun way to dive deep into the rise of electronic music.

In the early sets you'll hear plenty of krautrock or kosmische music. Bands like Popol Vuh, Amon Duul II, Can, and Ash Ra Temple fit that category and make appearances in the first two mixes. Again, some folks may balk at the inclusion of the artists but without them, the '70 & '71 mixes would not have happened. Even Tangerine Dream in these years is barely "electronic."

I discovered an artist named Doug McKechnie who experimented with one of the few moog synths around at that time. I don't believe he ever released any music back then but there are recordings from many of his live shows. The albums were released in 2020 & 2023, so technically this shouldn't count in a mix of music released in 1970, but as I said, it was hard to fill out the mix. The tracks were recorded from 1968 - 72 so I grabbed one that didn't have a specific date on it and decided that it would count as being from 1970.

The more I listen to this set the more I like it. The unexpected tracks and artists made for a fun journey. I hope you all enjoy it too.

Cheers!

[ s t r e a m ]    [ d o w n l o a d ]    [ a p p l e _ p o d c a s t s ]

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Kraftwerk - Ruckzuck (Kraftwerk)
• 05:10    Oskar Sala - In Leichtem Marsch-Rhythmus (Electronic Virtuosity)
• 06:45    Suzanne Ciani - Tenth Voice: Sound of a Lighted Window (Voices of Packaged Souls)
• 07:40    Tangerine Dream - Genesis (Electronic Meditation)
• 12:20    Popol Vuh - Affenstunde(excerpt 1) (Affenstunde)
• 16:15    Doug McKechnie - Berkeley Art Museum (San Francisco Moog: 1968-72)
• 23:42    Popol Vuh - Affenstunde(excerpt 2) (Affenstunde)
• 30:00    Philip Glass - Music with Changing Parts (Music with Changing Parts)
• 37:15    Mart Garson - Kevin & Paige (Didn't You Hear?)
• 42:05    Amon Düül II - Yeti Talks To Yogi(Improvisation) (Yeti)
• 50:10    King Crimson - The Devils Triangle (In The Wake of Poseidon)
• 54:40    Tangerine Dream - Cold Smoke (Electronic Meditation)
• 57:15    Suzanne Ciani - Twelth Voice: Sound of Love Turning (Voices of Packaged Souls)
• 58:23    Sylvette Allart - Berceuse du faon (Pour Ondes Martenot)
• 61:39    end

Artificial Harmonies - A Hymn to the Vocoder

 

This mix started with the track "Light & Grace" by Schneider TM. When I heard it I was reminded about how much I like the sound of a vocoder. I also realized that I never did a follow-up to the the vocoder mix I did all the way back in 2010 - http://lowlightmixes.blogspot.com/2010/10/vox-electronix.html

So here is a new collection of vocoder tunes. I'm not sure how many of these tracks actually use a vocoder and how many are other vocal effects but I don't care. I'm just going for a sound and vibe. Many of these tracks are new to me as I discovered them in my search for vocoder songs. I am particularly taken with "Last Man Standing" by Cities of Foam. And of course the Eno track from his album of last year is fantastic.

Enjoy the robo-tunes!

[ s t r e a m ]    [ d o w n l o a d ]    [ a p p l e _ p o d c a s t s ]

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Boards of Canada - Telepath (Tomorrow's Harvest 2013)
• 01:26    Schneider TM - Light & Grace (The 8 Of Space 2021)
• 05:18    Paul McCartney - Be What You See(Link) (Tug of War 1982)
• 05:43    Dimmes - I Am Still (2018)
• 07:53    Cylob - Are We Not Men Who Live & Die (IDMEMO - A Future of Nostalgia 2020)
• 09:20    Holly Herndon - Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt (PROTO 2019)
• 12:06    Cities Of Foam - Last Man Standing (A Great Day For The Race 2005)
• 16:20    Vanishing Twin - Light Vessel (Ookii Gekkou 2021)
• 19:52    Röyksopp - Daddy's Groove (Late Night Tales 2013)
• 22:50    Peter Baumann - Biking Up The Strand (Transharmonic Nights 1979)
• 25:12    Plone - Plock (Plock 1998)
• 29:02    Tex La Homa - Vapour Trails (Some Lost Bliss 2006)
• 34:50    Boards of Canada - 1969 (Tomorrow's Harvest 2013)
• 38:40    Crys Cole & Oren Ambarchi - Burrata (Hotel Record 2017)
• 44:47    Brian Eno - Making Gardens Out of Silence (FOREVERANDEVERNOMORE 2022)
• 52:25   Brian Eno & J. Peter Schwalm - Rising Dust (Drawn From Life 2001)
• 59:53    end

A Tribute to Manuel Gottsching

 

I have been a casual fan of Manuel Gottsching for a long time but I never really dug into his discography until the last few days with the news of his passing. I don't have time to write much about him so I'll cut & paste a few things from Pitchfork.

"Manuel Gottsching, the Ash Ra Tempel bandleader who went on to compose the electronic cornerstone album E2-E4, died last Sunday (December 4).

Göttsching made his name in the West Berlin underground scene in the late 1960s and early ’70s. He was a core member of Ash Ra Tempel, a krautrock linchpin with revolving members including Tangerine Dream’s Klaus Schulze. The loose, shapeshifting outfit released five influential albums between 1971 and 1973. Göttsching’s solo debut, 1975’s Inventions for Electric Guitar, was subtitled Ash Ra Tempel VI; from then on he mostly produced records under his own name or as Ashra, such as the 1976 classic New Age of Earth.

In 1981, after a visit to Schulze, Göttsching improvised the composition that became known as E2-E4, hoping to throw together some listening material for an imminent trip. That mysteriously perfect hourlong exercise, which combined Prophet 10 synth pulses with waves of electronic percussion and electric guitar, came to define his post-krautrock output. After composing the track, Göttsching later recalled, the billionaire and Virgin Records owner Richard Branson invited him to his houseboat and, upon hearing the track, advised Göttsching that it could make him a fortune. But Göttsching decided to release the full improvisation on his friend Schulze’s label, without overdubs, in 1984, and it appeared to have little impact.

Though E2-E4 sold poorly, it had—unbeknownst to Göttsching—made its way across the Atlantic and into Larry Levan’s Paradise Garage sets, as well as the collections of key electronic music innovators. As Pitchfork’s Mark Richardson wrote in a 2016 review, the improvisation “wound its way across the world, morphing and changing with formats and remixes, finding new contexts, a music that is constantly in the process of becoming.”

It was a nice trip through Gottsching's music making this mix. I hope he is improvising with his buddy Klaus somewhere.

Cheers!

[ s t r e a m ]    [ d o w n l o a d ]    [ a p p l e _ p o d c a s t s ]

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    Ash Ra Tempel - Traummaschine (Ash Ra Tempel 1971)
• 11:37    Manuel Göttsching(Ash Ra Tempel VI) - Echo Waves (Inventions for Electric Guitar 1975)
• 24:35    Ashra - Slightly Delayed (Blackouts 1977)
• 30:55    Manuel Göttsching - E2-E4 (E2-E4 1984)
• 47:00    Ashra - Deep Distance (New Age Of Earth 1976)
• 52:12    Manuel Göttsching - Halensee(Excerpt) (The Best Of The Private Tapes 1998)
• 58:24    Manuell Göttsching(Ash Ra Tempel VI) - Quasarsphere (Inventions for Electric Guitar 1975)
• 64:52    end

 

Train Six-56 by Paul Asbury Seaman

 

Yes, another train mix. They are just too intriguing and cinematic to pass up. This one come from friend of the blog, Paul Asbury Seaman. Paul has given us some excellent train mixes in the past and this one continues that tradition. This one clocks in at just a bit under 100 minutes! So much great music in one mix.

Here's what Paul says about this set:

“A special summertime extended-play mix… nearly 100 minutes of long-distance bliss. This is my sixth train-themed production for Low Light Mixes. (The #‘56’ is just for alliteration.) The Zen concept of “stillness within motion” has long been one of my guiding principles and it struck me recently that train travel is a great illustration of this: You can sit quietly while the world literally rushes by.

     Trains are a central part of modern history and continue to be woven into the cultural landscape, whether in the movement of consumer goods or the daily commute of suburban workers to desperate families displaced by war. There are many kinds of associations with trains—all vivid, some very dark—and now with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, trains have become not just a symbol of nostalgia, romance and travel, but literally instruments of salvation for millions of people. I have no such pretensions here, but as always, I hope it will sooth and refresh. Once again, sequencers dominate this mix, with their obvious match with the fast clickity-clack of train tracks.”

Thanks again to Paul for this wonderful trip.

Here are links to all the albums used in this mix in the order in which they appear:

• https://sijmusic.bandcamp.com/album/from-inkerman-to-sevastopol
• https://www.amazon.com/Runaway-Train-Trevor-Jones/dp/B002JOW24W
• https://www.amazon.com/Ax-Inferno-Paul-Speer/dp/B00EDPWL0K
• https://gertemmens.bandcamp.com/album/on-the-edge-of-nowhere
• https://www.amazon.com/Atmanaut-David-Parsons/dp/B07D74X8XQ
• https://halakencollective.bandcamp.com/track/kapadokya
• https://www.amazon.com/E2-E4-MANUEL-GOTTSCHING/dp/B0184SDHK4
• https://andrewlahiff.bandcamp.com/album/outward-currents
• https://sijmusic.bandcamp.com/album/from-inkerman-to-sevastopol
• https://solarfields.bandcamp.com/album/ourdom
• https://shamansdream1.bandcamp.com/album/prana-pulse
• https://redshift2.bandcamp.com/album/life-to-come
• https://tangerinedreamofficial.bandcamp.com/album/summer-in-nagasaki
• https://johantronestam.bandcamp.com/album/space-collection
• https://projektrecords.bandcamp.com/album/north-star
• https://thombrennan.bandcamp.com/album/eventide
• https://larsleonhard.bandcamp.com/album/gravity
• https://laddadoane.bandcamp.com/album/quasar
• https://cheryl.bandcamp.com/album/the-passenger
• https://www.beatport.com/release/journeys/3678764

Cheers!

[ s t r e a m ]    [ d o w n l o a d ]    [ i t u n e s ]

T R A C K L I S T :

• 00:00    SiJ - Inkerman - Sevastopol #1 (From Inkerman To Sevastopol)
• 00:46    Trevor Jones - Runaway Train (Runaway Train 1985)
• 03:00    Paul Speer - Tornado Warning (Ax Inferno 2013)
• 07:30    Gert Emmens - At the end of the track (On the Edge of Nowhere 2022)
• 12:50    David Parsons - Perhatian (Atmanaut 2018)
• 19:38    Mercan Dede - Kapadokya
• 26:25    Manuel Göttsching - And Sovereignty (E2-E4 1984)
• 29:12    Andrew Lahiff - Scalar Fields (Outward Currents 2021)
• 37:05    SiJ - Inkerman - Sevastopol #2 (From Inkerman To Sevastopol)
• 37:50    Solar Fields - Mountain King (Ourdom 2018)
• 46:25    Shamans Dream - The Way Through (Prana Pulse 2012)
• 52:40    Redshift - Vampyre (Life to Come 2015)
• 58:00    Tangerine Dream - Dreaming In A Kyoto Train (Summer In Nagasaki 2007)
• 60:45    Johan Tronestam - Deep Field (Space Collection 2017)
• 67:20    Erik Wøllo - Viewpoint (North Star 2021)
• 73:00    Thom Brennan - Eventide Pt.3 (Eventide 2022)
• 77:50    Lars Leonhard - Physical Objects (GRAVITY 2022)
• 83:50    LAD - Spectral Lines (Quasar 2022)
• 88:20    Cheryl B. Engelhardt - The Zephyr Remembers (The Passenger 2022)
• 91:15    Divine Matrix - Journey's End (Journeys 2022)
• 97:18    end