from freak fighter to lamp lighter

OccultHawk · 12-24-2020, 12:51 PM

Departed Glories by Biosphere

https://biosphere.bandcamp.com/album/departed-glories

Departed Glories is dark ambient program music by Norwegian composer Geir Jenssen set in Russia. Cold. Vast. Empty. Frozen blood in the soil. The taiga teeming with life. The frozen lungs of our planet. Perhaps the Russia that can only really be seen by a Norwegian.

OccultHawk · 12-25-2020, 08:20 AM

Tiento de la Luz by Thomas Köner

Although Köner has received a fair share of recognition this 2016 release seems to have slipped under the radar. He’s been at it a long time and Tiento de la Luz - google translates it as “touch of light” and according to the label website, “A tiento is a form of keyboard music that originated in Spain in the mid-15th century.” https://denovali.com/thomaskoner/ - some of this is very melodically expressive and relatively much more accessible in a manner that reminds me of more pared down Sigur Rós but other parts a very stark, spare, and abstract. Recognition or not this is a top 2016 release from an unassailable composer who claims that music does not exist.

OccultHawk · 12-25-2020, 09:16 AM

The Infinity Room by 36

https://astrangelyisolatedplace.band...-infinity-room

36 has been one of my favorite go to ambient artists for the past few years and with almost 80,000 monthly listeners and tracks with over 5 million plays on Spotify I’m not alone. It seems to have been accomplished by the brute force of the quality of his music because their web presence in minimal. TIR is a 2016 release in accordance with my current Freak Fighter theme but 2020 was a fantastic and prolific year for this artist. He has been chosen for the curated Lava Lamp playlist on Spotify which certainly helps his numbers. He’s not a radical ground breaking pioneer but he’s the type that does what he sets out to do extremely well and any fan of ambient music is doing themselves a disservice if they don’t add this guy to their listening rotations.

OccultHawk · 12-25-2020, 10:12 PM

Site Specific by Ryan Teague

https://ryanteague.bandcamp.com/album/site-specific

Ambient jazz fusion played by an actual band which includes a bass clarinet, fluegelhorn, cello plus electronics and percussion. This is another one that’s incredibly good and under the radar.

OccultHawk · 12-26-2020, 07:15 AM

Leaps in Leicester by Alexander Hawkins and Evan Parker

Lisbon based Clean Feed Records might be the best jazz recording label of the last twenty years and this under appreciated masterpiece is a great example why. Parker, in his early 70’s at the time is one the great jazz heavyweights who refuses to retreat so long as there is breath to be breathed into his tenor. The younger Hawkins, who has a fantastic resume his damn self, brings glory to an instrument I’m always excited to see in the band, the Hammond organ. Personally, I love the duet format, especially with instrumentalists like this who are incredibly intuitive and make beautiful use of the extra sonic space.

OccultHawk · 12-29-2020, 08:56 AM

SO BEAUTIFUL, IT STARTS TO RAIN

John Butcher | Ståle Liavik Solberg

https://cleanfeed-records.com/produc...tarts-to-rain/

Another fantastic duo spreading free jazz glory on Clean Feed Records. While not as renowned as the duo above these two also have impressive resumes especially the senior Butcher who has even more tonal space to move playing with just percussion. This will not disappoint.

OccultHawk · 12-29-2020, 09:12 AM

Artist: Arve Henriksen, Hilmar Jensson & Skúli Sverrisson Title: Saumur

Saumur is an unusual mellow record that’s pretty hard to label but I’ll go with instrumental ambient jazz indie. If you’re familiar with Henriksen, and he’s a good musician to get to know, his stamp is certainly on this. If you’re looking for some good sounds to kick through covid winter evenings that won’t scare your cat this a winner.

OccultHawk · 12-29-2020, 11:07 PM

Strange City by Merzbow

Strange City is the obvious and correct pick for the best and most important pure noise record of 2016. It’s a Lawrence Taylor type of tackle to seriously take on and reinterpret the music of Sun Ra and I’d be dubious of all but a select few artists who would dare to try. I learned from reading the pitchfork review something I probably should’ve been able to piece together myself from the album’s title: that this record is composed from very rough and chaotic samplings (spiced with Merzbowisms) from two classic Sun Ra masterpieces:

Magic City and Strange Strings

Magic City is an homage to Sun Ra’s hometown of Birmingham, Alabama and Strange Strings is “a study in ignorance” where Sun Ra gave his band a bunch of stringed instruments they had no experience with.

OccultHawk · 01-01-2021, 02:32 PM

Until the Hunter by Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions

Sandoval has a perfectly constructed singing voice putting her in the elite of the elite a la Sinéad O'Connor and Beth Gibbons of white pop stars. Her beauty and that voice... I saw Mazzy Star in their prime in Portland... it takes about a thousandth of a second before your heart is entirely surrendered and you know beyond any doubt that you’ll always be relegated to second best at best. In short, it’s painful to see something so beautiful. A heaven that’s not for your.

The songs on this records still have to be good but Sandoval’s voice is the real attraction and it is indeed flawless. The songs are great, too.

The album clocks in at 58:56. It ranges from very good to great. If it was trimmed to just the greatness it would be unassailable. I know in the digital age it’s hard to forfeit very good material but editing is still an essential process.

OccultHawk · 01-11-2021, 06:26 PM

Universe I by Cats With Hats

https://catswithhats.bandcamp.com/album/universe-i

Hidden opens with an unexpectedly traditionally melodic pipe organ sound that folds into something resembling a Hammond in the style of early pioneer sci-fi film soundtracks. I imagine that the title refers to the possibly hidden nature of earth in this corner of the Milky Way somewhere in this gigantic expanding universe.

The longest track, We Are Moving has some hints of a bowed instrument and introduces distortion as an effect that’s a common refrain through the record. There’s a musical theme reminiscent of recent drone releases on top of electro-acoustic sounds. At about the halfway point a clear loneliness of space theme is introduced. I imagine it’s a sonic homage to the earth and us upon our planet orbiting a star that’s orbiting a black hole and thus the name.

An Indecipherable Mess reminds me of The Grand Vizier’s Garden Party, Part 1: Entrance / Part 2: Entertainment / Part 3: Exit. The song is divided into sections marked by an abrupt click. Sounds like the strings of real piano being strummed.

Once astronauts leave the earth’s orbit the space between earth and Mars isn’t black it’s gray. There’s too much sunlight to see the stars until, if things someday go as planned, the night sky is viewed by human eyes on Mars. That’s what The World Turned Gray is about to me: loneliness finally giving way to curiosity.

Spiraling Inward brings to mind the following Rush lyrics

Quote:

The whole wide world
An endless universe
Yet we keep looking through
The eyeglass in reverse

Eternal Soundscapes is another undeniable space track. Perhaps a statement that our presence is eternal if only an eternal part of an unknown history.

And finally with Between the Fog we seemed to be returned to the universe inside our own craniums. Coming full circle to the albums origins the sounds of an acoustic instrument returns and it’s the least emotionally vague music yet. Sorrow guides the listener into the finale.

Cats With Hats are a great band deserving of far more recognition.

12-24-2020, 12:51 PM	#1251 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,006	Departed Glories by Biosphere https://biosphere.bandcamp.com/album/departed-glories Departed Glories is dark ambient program music by Norwegian composer Geir Jenssen set in Russia. Cold. Vast. Empty. Frozen blood in the soil. The taiga teeming with life. The frozen lungs of our planet. Perhaps the Russia that can only really be seen by a Norwegian. __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html

12-25-2020, 08:20 AM	#1252 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,006	Tiento de la Luz by Thomas Köner Although Köner has received a fair share of recognition this 2016 release seems to have slipped under the radar. He’s been at it a long time and Tiento de la Luz - google translates it as “touch of light” and according to the label website, “A tiento is a form of keyboard music that originated in Spain in the mid-15th century.” https://denovali.com/thomaskoner/ - some of this is very melodically expressive and relatively much more accessible in a manner that reminds me of more pared down Sigur Rós but other parts a very stark, spare, and abstract. Recognition or not this is a top 2016 release from an unassailable composer who claims that music does not exist. __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html

12-25-2020, 09:16 AM	#1253 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,006	The Infinity Room by 36 https://astrangelyisolatedplace.band...-infinity-room 36 has been one of my favorite go to ambient artists for the past few years and with almost 80,000 monthly listeners and tracks with over 5 million plays on Spotify I’m not alone. It seems to have been accomplished by the brute force of the quality of his music because their web presence in minimal. TIR is a 2016 release in accordance with my current Freak Fighter theme but 2020 was a fantastic and prolific year for this artist. He has been chosen for the curated Lava Lamp playlist on Spotify which certainly helps his numbers. He’s not a radical ground breaking pioneer but he’s the type that does what he sets out to do extremely well and any fan of ambient music is doing themselves a disservice if they don’t add this guy to their listening rotations. __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html

12-25-2020, 10:12 PM	#1254 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,006	Site Specific by Ryan Teague https://ryanteague.bandcamp.com/album/site-specific Ambient jazz fusion played by an actual band which includes a bass clarinet, fluegelhorn, cello plus electronics and percussion. This is another one that’s incredibly good and under the radar. __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html

12-26-2020, 07:15 AM	#1255 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,006	Leaps in Leicester by Alexander Hawkins and Evan Parker Lisbon based Clean Feed Records might be the best jazz recording label of the last twenty years and this under appreciated masterpiece is a great example why. Parker, in his early 70’s at the time is one the great jazz heavyweights who refuses to retreat so long as there is breath to be breathed into his tenor. The younger Hawkins, who has a fantastic resume his damn self, brings glory to an instrument I’m always excited to see in the band, the Hammond organ. Personally, I love the duet format, especially with instrumentalists like this who are incredibly intuitive and make beautiful use of the extra sonic space. __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html

12-29-2020, 08:56 AM	#1256 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,006	SO BEAUTIFUL, IT STARTS TO RAIN John Butcher \| Ståle Liavik Solberg https://cleanfeed-records.com/produc...tarts-to-rain/ Another fantastic duo spreading free jazz glory on Clean Feed Records. While not as renowned as the duo above these two also have impressive resumes especially the senior Butcher who has even more tonal space to move playing with just percussion. This will not disappoint. __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html

12-29-2020, 09:12 AM	#1257 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,006	Artist: Arve Henriksen, Hilmar Jensson & Skúli Sverrisson Title: Saumur Saumur is an unusual mellow record that’s pretty hard to label but I’ll go with instrumental ambient jazz indie. If you’re familiar with Henriksen, and he’s a good musician to get to know, his stamp is certainly on this. If you’re looking for some good sounds to kick through covid winter evenings that won’t scare your cat this a winner. __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html

12-29-2020, 11:07 PM	#1258 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,006	Strange City by Merzbow Strange City is the obvious and correct pick for the best and most important pure noise record of 2016. It’s a Lawrence Taylor type of tackle to seriously take on and reinterpret the music of Sun Ra and I’d be dubious of all but a select few artists who would dare to try. I learned from reading the pitchfork review something I probably should’ve been able to piece together myself from the album’s title: that this record is composed from very rough and chaotic samplings (spiced with Merzbowisms) from two classic Sun Ra masterpieces: Magic City and Strange Strings Magic City is an homage to Sun Ra’s hometown of Birmingham, Alabama and Strange Strings is “a study in ignorance” where Sun Ra gave his band a bunch of stringed instruments they had no experience with. __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html

01-01-2021, 02:32 PM	#1259 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,006	Until the Hunter by Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions Sandoval has a perfectly constructed singing voice putting her in the elite of the elite a la Sinéad O'Connor and Beth Gibbons of white pop stars. Her beauty and that voice... I saw Mazzy Star in their prime in Portland... it takes about a thousandth of a second before your heart is entirely surrendered and you know beyond any doubt that you’ll always be relegated to second best at best. In short, it’s painful to see something so beautiful. A heaven that’s not for your. The songs on this records still have to be good but Sandoval’s voice is the real attraction and it is indeed flawless. The songs are great, too. The album clocks in at 58:56. It ranges from very good to great. If it was trimmed to just the greatness it would be unassailable. I know in the digital age it’s hard to forfeit very good material but editing is still an essential process. __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html