Nice lil run there, Hawk. Got some catching up to do. Thanks.

Preciate the kind words

Folder #07 by the volume settings folder

https://thevolumesettingsfolder.band...lbum/folder-07

This a way above average ambient release where each song has a unique theme instead of running a central theme to build the entire record off of.

I really like this one quite a bit.

Soundkeeper by Gunn-Truscinski Duo


https://threelobed.bandcamp.com/album/soundkeeper

Outstanding psychedelia

iii by GODTET

https://godtet.bandcamp.com/album/iii

Fusion in the style of Medeski Martin & Wood.

https://i.postimg.cc/9f2y4kbh/2-BAB6...D21920-EF4.jpg

Water Levels by Mukqs

https://mukqs.bandcamp.com/album/water-levels

Pure new age in the style of Steve Halpern and Deuter. Fun listen.

https://i.postimg.cc/nrSTm9GB/A64856...BFECFA7504.jpg

Neon Rain by F0x3r

https://underwater-computing.bandcam...lbum/neon-rain

Beautiful Slushwave

^ Two great recs. Nice.

You'd like some of the albums that made my top 21, OH. At least two or three are slushy.

I’m gonna go through all of them bro

Right now I’m on a gigantic 2016 revisit kick that’s going to take months if I have months left to live. And when I’m not doing that I’m just hitting up whatever comes up on my bandcamp feed which is usually great. I’ve curated a great set of artists and labels to follow.

My new listening routine has me locked up from doing this classical analysis with ando that I promised to do. Which I will after I get done with this. Then I gotta finish my southern states thing. That I’ll rest. On the 7th day.

Vedurnan by Fogweaver


https://thefogweaver.bandcamp.com/album/vedurnan

Dungeon Synth dedicated to Ursula K. Le Guin. Kind of campy admittedly but also pretty fun. Worth a one off.

Chicago Underground Quartet Good Days

https://astralcuq.bandcamp.com/album/good-days

These guys have been plugging away at it for quite a while now and they’ve earned a lot of respect in the jazz scene up there and they definitely deserve it.

ftpim by KMRU

https://kmru.bandcamp.com/album/ftpim

https://i.postimg.cc/fy0FDLWv/17-AA1...4-E09-BEB2.jpg

Drone from Kenya

5/5

Double Bind by Geneva Skeen

https://genevaskeen.bandcamp.com/album/double-bind

This is a really outstanding work of experimental drone. The pieces generally start off like an ambient work and then they slowly build in weirdness. In a very crowded genre her work is surprisingly unique. It kind of reminds me of F uck Buttons but that’s just reference to put you in the ballpark.

She also has a very down to earth Instagram page complete with almost obligatory cat pictures. Too cute and not the least bit pretentious. You’d never know she made one of the top recordings of her field for 2020.

https://www.instagram.com/geneeves/?hl=en

5/5 highly recommended

god damnit if she has a cat instagram I'm sold. Why are you spamming all these interesting recs, I need to keep up

I just post em if I like em.

https://i.postimg.cc/15XWGZxh/D582-F...5668-EC8-D.jpg

Multiverse by Gadi Sassoon

https://astrangelyisolatedplace.band...bum/multiverse

If you like Basinki’s On Time Out of Time you’ll probably go in for this too

https://st.diskunion.net/images/jacket/1008217396.jpg
Boris and Merzbow - 2R0I2P0

A huge, chaotic, beautiful monolithic monster. A high watermark for both artists, which is saying a lot.

https://i.imgur.com/Fxow5aM.jpg
Moor Mother and billy woods - BRASS

Another meeting of the gods that came out even better than expected. Production in a similar vein to Shrines with some noisy plunderphonic touches from MM while all involved weave dense lyrical webs. Stacked and surprising features including Sons of Kemet, Amirtha Kidambi, Franklin James Fischer (Algiers), John Forte, Alchemist and the Backwoodz regulars. Probably going to be my AOTY, it's like they used me as the focus group.

Anyone heard of the band, Soul Glo?

YES they frickin slap

The track with Kemet reminds me of Beefheart.

This is one of if not the creepiest hip hop records I’ve ever heard from a production standpoint. The sonic landscapes are like a post-nuclear apocalypse. The MCs give each other a lot of space. I’m so used to hyper excited rappers going WU in quick procession and peppered with frequent interjections that the respectful approach on display here reminds me of one of Miles’ bands. They way he was so meticulous about giving everyone their say. This is definitely cerebral stoner sounding music, too. And probably the most pioneering recording I’ve heard from 2020. It feels like they carve into this new territory simply by being themselves.

Just listened. Unassailable. Incredibly complimentary collaboration. Some of it is like the top moments of the Flaming Lips realized in another universe and others, like EVOL, would fill the roll of everything the entire discography of U2 is heralded to be if we only lived in a sane world. This is an incredible musical outreach of hope without any artistic compromise from these spine crushing behemoths.

^ Good stuff. I love all the glassy feedback on Evol.

Oh yeah - It's refreshing to know music like that still exists.

hard to pick one so i’ll do three in no particular order.

A stairway to the stars The Caretaker

after listening to EATEOT by Leyland Kirby i decided i should check out his old work and this album was just so extremely good. date with an angel was easily the best work off of it in my opinion.

S k y w a v e s EP by EtheReal Media

here’s a much much newer record from i think september of this year, genuinely short and precise but calming as hell. excellent use of distortion effects.

[lust] by rei harakami

easily one of my favourite albums ever, this one. it’s playful yet deeply introspective. The intro track long time is masterful, and makes the entire album what it is.

all of these albums can be found on Bandcamp and Youtube

Bold aren’t 2020 releases

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a0333418853_16.jpg

I was pleasantly surprised how good this release was, since Roach has been a little samey since the early 90's. But the reason this is good becomes apparant when you read up on it over at Bandcamp: he dug up these cuts from his early 80's dustbin that never saw a proper release, then he dusted them off for the rest of us to hear.

In any case, beautiful ambient from the early 80's given new life in 2020. Wonder what else he's got hidden away. It's available from Bandcamp at any price you want too, which is nice.

https://steveroach.bandcamp.com/albu...ons-revealed-2

City High Fantasy by Sangam & Pixelord

https://hyperboloid.bandcamp.com/alb...y-high-fantasy

Percussive ambient / ambient

The beats are effective and non-intrusive. The music is smooth and chillaxed.

Of This World by Electric Sound Bath

https://moonglyph.bandcamp.com/album/of-this-world

New age. Really cool sound effects.

Alice in Wonderland by Nahre Sol

https://nahresol.bandcamp.com/album/alice-in-wonderland

Original neo-classical piano compositions. A little bit too conservative but still enjoyable.

Melenas - Dias Raros

I've been listening to this one a lot lately. Mostly while I work because its pretty chill. They're a synth rock / kind of poppy indie band from Spain. I actually liked their 2017 album better. That one is more punchy / hooky / faster tempos. This one is reverby, has more atmosphere, and slower tempos (most of the tracks). It's more introspective sounding overall. Couple of tracks from the album below if you want to check it out.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....bL._SX425_.jpg

Man, Roc Marciano's Mt. Marci goes retardedly hard.

https://kawabata-makoto.bandcamp.com...edan-with-love

From Pedan With Love by Kawabata Makoto 河端一

This guy is releasing volumes of stuff he recorded over the past couple decades this year and it’s all unassailable

I know those who know already worship him and this volume of material is overwhelming but start anywhere. It’s all like I said.

Saw him live almost a decade ago in Dallas when he was doing one of his Acid Mothers Temple tours. Massive club venue, lots of smoke everywhere: people went nuts when Kawabata started in on one of his solos and then another guy in the band came up next to him to start doing a kooky solo with this EWI-flute thingamajig at the same time. Amazing night.

I’ve seen him live too. Really intimate scene.

Never seen Makoto solo (would love to), but AMT puts on the best live performances.

35​.​256031, 47​.​013321, 27​.​081979 by PORYA HATAM

https://idealrecordings.bandcamp.com...13321-27081979

Experimental electronic dark ambient from Iran. 5/5

https://d1rgjmn2wmqeif.cloudfront.net/r/g/209364-1.jpg

Drift Multiply Tristan Perich (2020, Nonesuch)

Spotify