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Solo guitar LPs are rarely as listenable as the new J.R. Bohannon LP for Astral Spirits. Considering the spaces between the often sparse notes carry equal weight to the finger picked notes, it's a surprise he hails from New York & not the southern wilds, although big city tension, rush hour & constant hum make the odd appearance when he opens the LPs windows.

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WHAT YOUR EARS SAY & THE COVER LOOKS LIKE

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Lovely microdosed, sometimes double dosed, intimate singer songwriter fare from Joe Kenkel for Earth Libraries. Cobbled together in a lo-fi alt-folk fashion with a bit of country twang for good measure it really is a charming, disarming listen, like one of those occasional strangers you meet & end up chatting to like an old friend after five minutes. Big thanks to the reliable source of great new music New Commute for the tip.

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​Mastering: Trevor Richardson 
Producer: Joe Kenkel & Ross Collier 
Engineer: Ross Collier 
Mixing: Ross Collier

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WHAT YOUR EARS SAY & WHAT THE THE COVER LOOKS LIKE

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I recommend this annual sleeplaboratory compilation from Whitelabrecs every year, but when it consistently contains such high quality ambient music from some of the genre's big names & emanates from one of the established homes of horizontal music it's a bit of a no brainer. Perfect for a lazy Sunday.

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Sleeplaboratory3.0 is the third edition of Whitelabrecs’ long-standing concept compilation, a series that aims to induce the listener into a peaceful sleep. The series began in 2019 to mark the 50th release in the label’s catalog and was followed up with a second edition in 2020. It has seen contributions from the likes of Offthesky, Janek Schaefer, M.grig, The Green Kingdom, Warmth and Halftribe as well as artists from the label, including Mikael Lind, Gray Acres, Sven Laux, Glåsbird and Valotihkuu. 

Sleeplaboratory compilations are typically released in January and after a two year break, 3.0 continues the themes established in the previous two records. Each artist in the line-up takes the brief of creating ‘sleep music’ and paints the sonic field with their own ideas. Some artists develop restful electro-acoustic compositions, whilst others sketch out soothing drones or vacant ambient textures. With a varied spectrum of warmth and cold, light and floaty, weighted and deep, this new collection features label-regulars such as Andrew Heath, blochemy and Pruski alongside the likes of Ian Hawgood, The Lifted Index, Federico Mosconi and Stijn Huwels. The track titles tend to tie back to the central album theme with words synonymous with rest, phases of sleep or calm places. This album can be experienced in many ways, such as at low volume with headphones, or streamed through hi-fi in a dimly lit room, consciously, or subconsciously.

Credits
​Mastered by Ian Hawgood 
Curated by Harry Towell 
Art and design by Tom Tebby​

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WHAT YOUR EARS SAY & THE COVER LOOKS LIKE

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​So as well as the new Ben McElroy LP & The Howard Hughes Suite's new single on our label you should also check out the lovely dreamy post rock and ambient kosmische vibrations emanating from Copenhagen's Papir on Stickman Records. I've just stumbled across them, you should too - they're a really lovely laid back listen.

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Many aspects of Papir’s music seem to have much in common with the sea - be it a wilful association by the Copenhagen-based trio or not. Their output moves in waves, sometimes fierce and blustery, sometimes gentle and calming, but always performed with unforced, organic talent. 

Over the course of their 7 full-length albums, the band sways between psychedelic guitar meltdowns and long atmospheric passages with grace and ease. 7, with its blurred aquatic cover artwork is of course no exception to this rule, and the album is comprised of four long songs that return to calming waters after 2021’s heavier Jams.