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The Slow Music Movement Blog

​Mostly we put our daily recommendations here for the blog readers among you, although occasionally we go longform.
Reading about music is a bit like looking at pictures of food - not nearly half as much fun as getting involved, so we scribble a brief intro to hopefully whet your appetite but you're better off just hitting play. Not very "slow" I know but there's a lot of music to check these days & hopefully you'll find the recommendations a handy filter.
​Trust your ears, not opinions.

31/3/2020 1 Comment

The Slow Music Movement Radio Show #47


A warm show for chilly times this week courtesy of the nerve soothing Music For Dreams radio station. A nice ambient starts soon eases into cosmic future folk before oddball percussion, global ambiguity & North African flavours take the reins leading to some classic roots reggae and a percussive, astral boogie, house flourish.

Endless Melancholy - Caught In A Memory (Sound In Silence)
Matt LaJoie - Branchwork (Flower Room)
The Breathing Effect - Photosynthesis (Alpha Pup)
Future Museums - Shallows (Bandcamp Self Release)
Jeffrey Silverstein - A Dog's Age (Arrowhawk promo)
Jean-Pierre Boistel & Tony Kenneybrew - Remedios (Left Ear)
Priscilla Ermel - Martim Pescador (Music From Memory)
Masaa - Hala (Traumton)
Tamikrest feat. Hindi Zahra - Timtarin (Glitterbeat)
Cedric Im Brooks - Africa Calling (Dub Store)
K-Lone - In The Pines (Wisdon Teeth)
Cafe Ale - Will It b Tropik? (Simball)
Flottant - Auscultation (100% Silk)

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31/3/2020 0 Comments

Ak'chamel, The Giver of Illness - The Totemist (Akuphone)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:
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WHAT WE SAY:

"Circumcising the foreskin of enlightenment", Ak'chamel, The Giver of Illness inhabit dimly lit Fourth World backstreets where the false gods of neo-liberalism are sacrificed in psilocybin fuelled rituals on upcycled alters & questioning Americana floats effortlessly over borders to joyously copulate with North African & Oriental folk on Akuphone's, human folly circumventing, trade winds.
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First vinyl release of Ak'chamel after a prolific cassette discography, The Totemist marks a new direction for the mysterious group. Equipped with studio quality recordings and a (somewhat) lighter tone, opposed to the oppressively lo-fi sound the group is known for.

This is a deep psychedelic-folk album with hints of mysticism, some of which was written and recorded in a ghost-town in the Chihuahuan Desert in far West Texas - a place where the dead outnumber the living. Various overdubs and field recordings were captured in the historic Terlingua cemetery : an ancient burial ground filled with small grottoes and graves made of sticks and stones. This being the final resting place for miners who succumbed from illnesses derived from the toxic rare-earth element known as mercury.

Ak’chamel, The Giver of Illness are fourth world post-colonial cultural cannibalists circumcising the foreskin of enlightenment. Performing in homemade costumes and masks, they have played festivals in various cities around the U.S gaining international attention from Vice, The Wire, Tiny Mix Tapes, Consequence of Sound, and many more. Enter the fourth world now!

Credits
All tracks composed, performed, recorded and produced by Ak'chamel, The Giver of Illness. Mastered by Mark Gergis.
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30/3/2020 0 Comments

Oto No Wa: Selected Sounds of Japan 1988-2018 (Music For Dreams)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:
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WHAT WE SAY:

Goggles on, close the lid, feel the warmth, breathe & relax on the Music For Dreams sunbed, as sofa soundtrack specialists Dr. Rob, Max Essa & Ken Hidaka dig deep through the shrouded history of chilled Japanese music to therapeutic effect.
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For the fifth entry in our Collector’s Series we enlist the skills of Japan-based musical connoisseurs, Ken Hidaka, Max Essa, and Dr. Rob.
Their compilation Oto No Wa sets out to map the evolution of chilled Japanese sounds across 3 decades. Collecting 14 tracks, produced by a wide range of artists. From ambient pioneers to dance-floor veterans.

Roping in 9-piece reggae band, Little Tempo, percussionist Kotani Kazuya, and organic, psychedelic collective, Olololop.
Beginning in the late 1980s, the era when “environmental music” became prevalent, there’s Yoshio Ojima’s cool computer-generated Sealed. The compilation also includes later work by his contemporaries Takashi Kokubo and Yoshiaki Ochi. Theirs are compositions designed for art galleries and museum installations. “BGM” built from emerging technology, and / or counterpoint tapped out expertly on sticks and stones.

The 90s give us the seminal electronics of Susumu Yokota, and the solar-flare strut of Scha Dara Parr - Japan’s answer to The Beastie Boys. Here, remixed by the legendary Major Force. Moving into the 21st century we have the post-house productions of Flower Records. Kentaro Takizawa’s oceanic Gradual Life, and Little Big Bee’s colourful coral reef-diving Scuba.
Fellow traveller, Kaoru Inoue’s “Kyushu kosmische”. Representing the next decade are Flower Records’ current rising stars, Coastlines, who calmly combine classic fusion, library music, and gentle nova bossa nova rhythms. Alongside them are the sun-baked electro-acoustics of Karel Arbus & Eiji Takamatsu, plus Chillax’ previously unreleased epic analog / modular jam.
All of these selections are the result of some serious digging but more importantly they represent physical connections made during Ken’s 20-plus-year career in the Biz and Max’ decade of DJing all over Japan. Music made by folks interviewed by Rob at the websites, Test Pressing and Ban Ban Ton Ton. Friendships forged at Lone Star - the trio’s long-running party, which takes place every month at Bar Bonobo in Harajuku.

Thanks for listening,
Ken Hidaka, Max Essa, Dr. Rob & The Music For Dreams-team
 
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29/3/2020 0 Comments

From Overseas - Home (Past Inside The Present)

WHAT THE CLAIRE SÉRY PHOTO COVER LOOKS LIKE:
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WHAT WE SAY:

Cutting through occasionally distorted back alleys to make you appreciate the sunnier post rock & ambient main streets even more, From Overseas takes us on a welcoming tour of his guitar powered world for Past Inside the Present.
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Islands, volcanoes and instrumental exile stories…
From Overseas is the experimental ambient project by Kévin Séry.

Originally from the tiny French overseas department and region, Reunion Island, he routinely bounces between his home island, a small port town on the east coast of the US and continental Europe picking up fresh ideas and inspiration along the way.

With a beautiful master by Stephan Mathieu (12k, Shelter Press, …), From Overseas releases his first full length album “Home” on PITP.
“Home" is a journey through beautiful soundscapes where dark and light intertwine, where ambient tones give way to post-rock guitar craft, then segway to melodic drone, noise and back again. These soothingly powerful songs evoke emotions on a full spectrum, dreamy unplanned travels and inspire us to question the nature of the place that each of us calls home.

The fourth track, Maloya Tales, is a personal tribute to Séry's homeland 'Reunion Island' and gives the listener a glimpse of the mystical rhythms of traditional Reunionese Maloya music.
Credits
Written and produced by Kévin Séry
Mastered at Schwebung Mastering (Germany) by Stephan Mathieu
Cover Photography by Claire Séry
Layout and Assemblage by zakè




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28/3/2020 0 Comments

The Breathing Effect - Photosynthesis (Alpha Pup)

WHAT THE WILEY WALLACE COVER ART LOOKS LIKE:
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WHAT WE SAY:

Epic in scope, daring in arrangement, psychedelic by nature & delivering every step of the way The Breathing Effect's latest LP for Alpha Pup Records is where cosmic folk meets blue eyed soul on the space jazz highway to a brighter, greener & fairer future.
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Photosynthesis, the new LP from The Breathing Effect, is epic, lush, and unpredictable. It illustrates a synthesis of psychedelic sound design, progressive songwriting, and meticulous production. The first single from the record, “In The Morning,” sees the band’s unique performance style underlining an experimental song form. From front to back, the listener will find that no two songs are alike, yet they all belong to the same aural universe. The Breathing Effect has once again delivered a truly original work that transforms with each new listen.creditsreleased March 27, 2020

Eli Goss - Vocals, Synthesizers, Sound FX, Electric Guitar (2, 4, 8), Acoustic Guitar (1, 2, 4, 8), Drum Programming (9)
Harry Terrell - Drums, Bass (2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10), Electric Guitar (2, 4, 7, 8), Acoustic Guitar (1, 8), Synthesizers (2, 5, 6, 7, 10), Percussion (7, 10), Background Vocals (2)
Moki Kawaguchi - Keyboards (3, 6)
Andy McCauley - Bass (3, 5, 6, 10)
Alec Santamaria - Viola (4, 7), Violin (4)
Tal Katz - Cello (7)

Written, Recorded, Produced, and Mixed by The Breathing Effect
Executive Produced and Mastered by Daddy Kev
Album Art by Wiley Wallace


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27/3/2020 0 Comments

Future Museums - Transitional Spirit Mirror (Bandcamp Self Release)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:
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WHAT WE SAY:

After an epic space rocking, Kosmische journey into the heart of the sun the ever unpredictable Future Museums & his rotating crew then soothe frazzled brains, still grasping at comprehension, with a series of head massaging ambient folk & new age of New Age vibrations.

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WHAT YOUR EARS SAY:

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Neil Lord featuring performances from:
Nicolas Nadeau
Maxwell Parrott
JD Paul
Brian Kupillas
Joel Paul
Justin Sweatt
& Scott Squires.

Transitional Spirit Mirror engineered by Ian Rundell.
2-5 engineered and mixed by Brian Kupillas.
additional mixing by Neil Lord.
Mastered by Neil Lord.


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26/3/2020 0 Comments

Haji K. - Black Against An Orange Line (Daisart)

WHAT THE EMILY BRAMICH DESIGNED COVER LOOKS LIKE:
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WHAT WE SAY:

A stunning, gently rhythmic, lazy & hazy slowtronic ambient odyssey from Melbourne's Nico Niquo for Daisart as he soundtracks life between to do list items, hypnagogic states, daydreams & all manner of cerebral wanderings.
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Introducing Black Against An Orange Line, the debut from Haji K. (aka Nico Niquo, Nico Callaghan). Pressed on 12inch black vinyl with Artwork by Emily Bramich. Mixed and Mastered by Ryu Yoshizawa.

Black Against An Orange Line consists of four long-form pieces that hover between classical instrumentation and digital synthesis. The album showcases a new dimension of Nico's work through a hybrid language of hazy, hypnotic Dub-Techno and vivid Drone. In touching on the Ambient and Grime palette of Nico's previous albums, however, Black Against An Orange Line posits itself as a suitable follow-up to his last record on Daisart, and sets the stage for future outings from the artist and label.

From the artist: "This music is deeply influenced by my working process at home: the days I have at home, away from work or study; the ones where I can let the entire day slip away. I work at my computer all day, watching the sun's light drift from one end of the garden through the softly billowing gumtrees onto the other end, over the concrete and the faded brick everywhere in inner-urban Melbourne. I try to stay offline as much as possible. Upon reflection, it seems very hermetic and closed-in. But I like to see it in a somewhat dreamy way. This is "home"-music, background music if you will - but I wouldn't dare say it's relaxing music. This is my own take on the give-and-take between the daydream and the chaos of this process, locked away in quiet, patient ambient spaces. It's all centred on that moment at the end of the day where the sun dips below into the underworld, and the sky appears so black against the orange band of the horizon. I want to make a pilgrimage, a Haj, to that moment. I want to make music to communicate that space over a grander, longer scale you can slip into and disappear."


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25/3/2020 1 Comment

High Pulp - Mutual Attraction Vol. 1 (Dutch Records)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:
HOW THEY KICK IT LIVE:
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WHAT WE SAY:

Fresh meditations on the work of the jazz greats as High Pulp invoke their spirits via Dutch Records with a Seattle seasoned, cosmic ensemble twist. Make sure you check out their soulful debut EP from last year whilst you're at it.

WHAT YOUR EARS SAY:

WHAT THE RELEASE NOTES SAY:

In the way that music is a grand tapestry of past, present, and future threads woven together, the Mutual Attraction series explores what happens when an artist meditates deeply on the influential threads of their musical past and reweaves them into the musical present, repeatedly asking the question: “What if?”

Credits:
Rob Granfelt - Drums (@bobbygrooves // @sunkingexperiment)
Rob Homan - Keyboards (@robthesoundbank)
Antoine Martel - Keyboards (@souschefmusic // @sunkingexperiment)
Gehrig Uhles - Guitar
Scott Rixon - Bass
Andrew Morrill - Alto Sax (@DEEMO)
Victory Nguyen - Tenor Sax (@beanieskimask)
Isaac Poole - Trombone
Chris "CD" Littlefield - Trumpet

Sound Engineering and Mixing by Drew Pine ( @profkainalu // kainalusound.com )
Mastered by Adam Straney ( @breakpointadam // breakpointmastering.com )
Lighting by Kevin Blanquies ( @kblanq // kblanq.com )
Live Painting by Eva Wang (@eva_yuewang)
Filmed by Phil Homan, Ben Schauland, Mark McCrae-Hokenson
Video Editing by Phil Homan (@p.h.test)

Other live Videos available here:
Alice: youtu.be/xw33xwxdBkc
Sun Ra: youtu.be/fbnFf4IO8bM
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24/3/2020 0 Comments

TSMM presents Lazy & Hazy #15 for Radio Primavera Sound


So the latest show for Radio Primavera Sound is now available to stream & it's a freaky selection for freaky times on the whole this week. Dub mutations, post rock, chopped, screwed & psyched global sounds, cosmic folk, deep jazz & a sublime house finale.​

Seekersinternational - KillDemSound (Future Times)
The Heartwood Institute and Panamint Manse - Etching Mirage (Castles In Space)
Bryce Hackford - Holy Mountains (Spring Theory promo)
Irreversible Entanglements - Bread Out of Stone (International Anthem)
Matt Evans - An Infinite Cybernetic Meadow (Whatever's Clever)
MinaeMinae - Nackenwirbel (Marionette)
Beacon Sound - Murur al-Kiram (Bandcamp)
Fazer - Gahu Dub (Squama)
Patricia de Maya - Deep Impressions (Bandcamp)
Mute Forest - Morning Guitar (Lost Tribe Sound)
The Cinematic Orchestra - Wait For Now, Pepe Bradock Rmx (Ninja Tune)

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24/3/2020 1 Comment

Emily A. Sprague - Hill, Flower, Fog (Bandcamp Self Release)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:
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WHAT WE SAY:

I'm guessing the musical response to the virus will be split between the apocalyptic & the spirit lifting (my personal preference), so it's nice to hear Emily A. Sprague's new release of New Age ambient healing tones, that magically wrap themselves around you like those now frowned upon hugs.
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WHAT YOUR EARS SAY:

WHAT THE RELEASE NOTES SAY:

Spring rain -
under trees
a crystal stream. [Basho]

this is a collection of music made during the week of march 9th - 16th, 2020. i found myself suddenly a part of that stream which flows now separate from the reality we used to know. i want to share these explorations because in my own experience of fear and strangeness, making distant, encouraging, and astral sounds brought me some light through the leaves. it is meant as a soundtrack to these new days, practices, distances, losses, ends, and beginnings. i hope it helps calm find a way.

Credits
Composed and recorded by Emily Sprague
Cover artwork by Emily Sprague
Mastered by Taylor Deupree


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