Compilation albums have long been a mainstay of the ambient music scene and for many listeners, myself included, they have proven invaluable as gateways to the genre and hubs of discovery. The albums featured in this travelogue certainly fit that profile through a potent blend of thoughtful curation, compelling themes, and an abundance of musical artistry.
gentle voices, vol. 1 (curated by cloud collecting and Echoes Blue Music)
https://echoesblue.bandcamp.com/album/gentle-voices-vol-1
Gentle Voices is a new collaborative project curated by Anita Tatlow, vocal artist & co-founder of Echoes Blue Music, and Cynthia Bernard, aka marine eyes, the founder of the Cloud Collecting community. The first volume in the series brings together 20 different women artists and producers representing over 15 countries from around the world all of whom are paired up to create a track in keeping with the soothing nature of the album’s theme. A visual element is added by Bernard who took photographs created a series of “light-infused” photographs from shots taken in scenic locations near home from local parks, beaches, and mountains to hiking trails, and flower-lined streets.
Each photograph was carefully selected by the team to correspond with the emotion and tonal “color” of one of the ten tracks. Through the cover art and accompanying visuals, our hope was to reflect the uniqueness of each of the pieces, while also tying them together so that visually they are seamlessly a part of the same project.
Artists featured include: Applefish x Líom, Gollden x IKSRE, Anita Tatlow x Jun Futamata, Aphir x Drum & Lace, Asia Dojnikowska x marine eyes, Alanna Crouch x Freya Arde, frogi x reanne, AishaVaughan x DreamCrease, Birds of Passage x Jolanda Moletta, inquiri x Karen Vogt.
An Ambient Decade (curated by Whitelabrecs)
https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com/album/an-ambient-decade
An Ambient Decade marks the 200th release for Whitelabrecs as it celebrates ten years of music since the label was launched in January of 2016. In that time, it has become a staple of the blog often landing more albums in our year-in-review roundups than any other. Eschewing the cliched “best of” approach, the label opted to select a single track from each year of its catalog in attempt to chart its creative trajectory. The collection is treated to a gatefold CDr release edition featuring artwork by Zoë Heath and a 24-page booklet (also available in PDF form) which includes background on landmark releases and other milestones, artwork, and written reflections. Naturally, it can and should be used as jumping off point for less familiar listeners to get to know the many excellent releases it offers.
Whitelabrecs started as a small experiment, inspired by blank vinyl-effect CDrs and my DJing roots, where I’d regularly buy white-label records from local shops. Early releases were hand-burnt, rubber-stamped and issued in small runs, with a focus on care, simplicity and presentation. Over time, those early ideas developed into printed editions, new formats, larger runs and collaborations, while keeping the same underlying approach: to release thoughtful Ambient and Modern Classical music in a considered, personal way.
Harry Towell
Artists represented on the album (in order) are Ben McElroy, The Prairie Lines, Sven Laux, Michael Grigoni, James Osland, Adrian Lane, Andrew Heath, Harry Towell, Glåsbird, and Julia Gjertsen & Gustav Davidsson.
Shades (curated by Whitelabrecs)
https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com/album/shades
Shades is a second release tied to the Whitelabrecs ten-year anniversary that seeks to create a snapshot of the label’s “sonic identity” through a carefully curated line-up of artists. With an LP release in mind, the album is divided into two sections that put together well represents its stylistic range from ambient & electroacoustic to neo & modern classical. The tracks (so far as I can tell) are all new, but thanks to the thematic approach used here, the album feels very closely tied to the catalog it becomes a part of. The aforementioned release is a striking one, featuring a bold green colored vinyl and artwork by Nkl in a limited edition of 100 copies.
Side A leans into deep Ambient and electro-acoustic territory, moving through expansive drones and tonal works, fractured tape-decayed loops, synthesizer and clarinet interplay, and sprawling electro-acoustic compositions. Side B shifts towards a Modern Classical palette, featuring enveloping cinematic strings, contemporary piano and string writing, atmospheric piano and trombone, and a closing piece that merges synthesizer, strings and radio static.
Artists featured are Low Altitude, blochemy, Clariloops, Andrew Heath, Sven Laux, Adrian Lane, Glåsbird, and Gustav Davidsson.
This Burnished Land (curated by the Inner Echo community)
Whitelabrecs (digital) | Driftworks (digital) | Evergreen Music (cassette/digital)
Here we find Whitelabrecs again but as one of three labels simultaneously releasing this collaboration between artists who are part of the Inner Echo online community they helped found and support. This Burnished Land features music inspired by photographs of Northern California taken by community member Neil McRoberts who also wrote the poem recited on the album. The artists appear on the various tracks in different permutations of two or more blending field recordings, found sounds, and instrumental performances into a musical journey “across a parched agricultural landscape” thirsting for summer rains. It is a wonderful listen, especially for those who enjoy a strong sense of place evoked by instrumental music.
Worth noting is that digital copies of the release are offered on a pay-what-you-like basis with all proceeds to be set aside and donated to Young Sounds, a charity that works with disadvantaged children in the UK to provide them with opportunities to learn to play music. Evergreen Music also offers a limited cassette tape edition.
Artists featured include (in order of first appearance) The Bird’s Companion, Harry Towell, Neil McRoberts, Akira Film Script, Mosaicist, Phil Frodsham, Phil Bielby, Andrew Heath, Justin Amphlett, Graham Seaman, Jacob Werre, Percolator, Simon Hall, and Marjorie Dawson with Jack from Aotearoa.
