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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.

31/3/2021 1 Comment

96 Back - 9696 Dream (Local Action)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:
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WHAT WE SAY:

It's been a while since I've recommended a "dance" LP but I keep coming back to the new 96 Back LP for Local Action since its release. It aims for the head as well as the hips with a mixture of big room pleasers, after club mind melters & generally unhinged, electohazed psychedelic vibes.
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A new 10-track record from the Sheffield artist, 9696 Dream represents the first in a series of three new 96 Back releases on Local Action scheduled across 2021, climaxing with a new full-length album this Autumn.

Barely out of his teens, 96 Back has spent the last three years turning heads with music that’s as evocative as it is intricate. Prodigiously talented and with UK rave history in his blood — he’s the son of legendary Sheffield promoter Matthew Swift and studied under the tutelage of hometown hero Liam O’Shea — he cut his teeth with releases on Central Processing Unit, Hypercolour and Happy Skull, while also collaborating with like-minded souls such as Skee Mask, Happa and Henzo.

Last year 96 Back signed to Local Action for the release of Sugilite, a four-track EP that showcased him at both his heaviest and most delicate, picking up support across the board and cementing his status as “one of the most exciting producers in the UK.”

The months since Sugilite have seen 96 Back hitting all-time high levels of productivity, creating some of his most advanced and evocative music yet — both solo and with Special Request, who included a collaboration with 96 Back in his recent DJ-Kicks.

9696 Dream is the first of three releases due from 96 Back on Local Action this year, a 10-track record of new material that plays as a continuous 31 minutes and introduces an audio language of sorts that flows through all three releases. Honing in on the dreamier side of 96 Back’s music, 9696 Dream closes on ‘Friend Moment’ — a touching collaboration with one of his oldest friends, Joe Paisan. 

Mastered by Warp Records founder Rob Gordon with artwork by regular visual collaborator Air Max ‘97, 9696 Dream will be released on March 16 both digitally and as a limited edition cassette. 
 

Credits:
• All tracks written & produced by 96 Back
• Mastered by Rob Gordon
• Artwork by Oliver van der LugtWHAT THE RELEASE NOTES SAY:
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31/3/2021 0 Comments

Bróna McVittie - A Pity Beyond All Telling (The Slow Music Movement)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:
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WHAT WE SAY:

The latest single from the forthcoming Future Folk: Friendly Faces; Different Spaces LP has just dropped & it's a track stopping, heart string tugging minimal folk masterpiece from the golden voiced Bróna Mcvittie & her electric harp.The tune was adapted from "Sean McCusker's Farewell" composed by the late Jimmy McHugh with kind permission from Brendan McHugh, Jimmy's son. Song title courtesy of W. B. Yeats.
Streaming Smartlink.
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WHAT YOUR EARS SAY:

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30/3/2021 0 Comments

Dntel - The seas Trees See (Morr Music)

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WHAT WE SAY:

Like an old tripper the new Dntel LP for Morr Music wanders through life with a knowing smile at the interconnectedness of all things, a keen eye for nature's intricate patterns & still assimilating the ultimate futility of everything, whilst taking the moments when things get a little hazier in his stride.
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Hailing from Los Angeles, Jimmy Tamborello has been a key figure in refining what today is considered electronica for over 20 years. "The Seas Trees See" is the first of two Dntel albums to be released in 2021 by Morr Music in collaboration with Les Albums Claus: a free-floating and rather loose stroke of musical genius, giving ambience a whole new meaningful context. It combines crackles and hiss with deep, yet modest, synths and poignant, yet elegant, vocals and lyrics. "Away", its counterpart album, will follow later in 2021. It will showcase Dntel’s unapologetic love for pop music from a long-gone era, presenting yet another aspect of his multi-faceted personality. Dntel has always covered many musical grounds – from the pop-infused hits on "Life Is Full Of Possibilities" (Plug Research, 2001) to his much more abstract works on "Aimlessness" (Pampa Records, 2012), "Human Voice” (Leaving Records, 2014), and his electronics for The Postal Service (Sub Pop). Whatever his style – Tamborello has retained his very own musical voice.

When it comes to producing music, it can be a good idea to get away from the studio and find a more relaxed environment. Inspiration does not necessarily require huge bass bins. Fewer pieces of gear make it easier to really focus on ideas first and let them be. After recording "Hate In My Heart" – his most recent album, released in 2018 – this way, Tamborello continued working in that fashion, mainly jamming and getting ideas together for upcoming live shows. One of the first results of this creative process was the opening track of "The Seas Trees See" – a cover version of "The Lilac and the Apple", originally recorded by Californian folk singer Kate Wolf in 1977. Tamborello turns the acapella song into a vocoder-like extravaganza. Working with the original recording, the track perfectly sets the tone for what "The Seas Trees See" turns out to be – a quiet yet mesmerizing journey through sound and emotion, bringing together his very own sound design, disguised samples and an incredible feel for moods and atmospheres.

"I thought a lot about making an album that you would find in a thrift store", Tamborello remembers. Something "like a mysterious collection of sketches that leaves a lot unanswered. It doesn’t beg for attention or have any big moments." Despite its perfect and gentle flow, it is worth digging deeper, to surrender oneself to all the painstakingly placed details. Whether the beautiful and haunting piano work on "Movie Tears" or the almost sidechained-sounding "Yoga App" – every aspect of this album has been beautifully crafted, often bringing one of life’s biggest questions to the table: What if? What would have happened if Tamborello would have done this on that track or that on this track? It is good that he did not. Small things add up to something great, diverse and riveting.

The subtlety of his latest endeavor is fascinating. It opens up a new world, in which small musical sketches mean at least as much as perfectly produced pop anthems – if not more.
 


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29/3/2021 0 Comments

Halftribe - Lucent Forms Travelling (Hidden Vibes)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:
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WHAT WE SAY:

The constantly shifting sonic sands of the intricately assembled Halftribe LP for Ukraine's Hidden Vibes label give its soothing ambient landscape hidden depths & endless avenues to explore for those who care to look a bit closer & dive a bit deeper.
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WHAT YOUR EARS SAY:

WHAT THE RELEASE NOTES SAY:

Textures & moods. Time & places unknown.

Halftribe is the solo project of Ryan Bissett, an ambient/electronic music producer and DJ, born in Northern Ireland, residing in Manchester, UK. Influenced by other artists’ music, modern art, minimal photography, moods and emotions, since 2014 he has been producing his sublime music having released six albums on labels such as Archives, Dronarivm, Vent Sounds, Dewtone Recordings, Silk Sofa Music, Shimmering Moods and Sound in Silence.

Halftribe on web:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/halftribe
Bandcamp: halftribe.bandcamp.com
Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/ryanbissettemail

Credits:

Mastering by Ian Hawgood
Artwork by testcardmusic


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IF YOU LIKE THAT YOU MIGHT LIKE THIS:
An eclectic ambient selection for relaxation, meditation, introspection and contemplation. Smartlink to playlist on Apple Music, Deezer, Soundcloud & Youtube.
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28/3/2021 0 Comments

Marine Eyes - Idyll (Stereoscenic)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:
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WHAT WE SAY:

Lovely lean back ambient listening from Marine Eyes on Cleveland's Stereoscenic Records. Let the barely strummed strings & faintest of vocals that weave their way in an out of the gentle pads, drones & tones give your temples the massage they deserve. My sort of sedate Sunday soundtrack.
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I started writing ‘idyll’ with one intention—to create a peaceful, gentle place, much like Southern California's rolling green hills in their fleeting Spring. I gathered nature sounds from various meaningful locations (Ojai, LA hiking trails, my bedroom window) and began working them into each song. I most often started with my mid-90's Mexican Strat and sound on sound guitar and vocal loops using Strymon, Empress, and Chase Bliss pedals. All of the songs on idyll were written between late October of 2020-early January of 2021 just after finishing a collaborative album, ’The Other Side of Darkness’ with my project, awakened souls alongside ambient musician 36 (out now on Past Inside the Present). I hope you find your own peaceful place within this collection of songs.
-Cynthia

Credits:
Music & production by Cynthia Bernard
Mastered by Andrew J Klimek
Artwork by Nevia Pavletic


IF YOU LIKE THAT YOU'LL PROBABLY LIKE THIS:
An eclectic ambient selection for relaxation, meditation, introspection and contemplation. Smartlink to the playlist on Apple Music, Deezer, Soundcloud & Youtube.
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27/3/2021 0 Comments

FLOATING POINTS, PHAROAH SANDERS & THE LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA - PROMISES (LUAKA BOP)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:
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WHAT WE SAY:

This LP on Luaka Bop could have gone very wrong instead it went very, very right. Floating Points on the controls, Pharoah Sanders on his horn - still going strong after all these years, & The London Symphony Orchestra on everything else. A peace & love filled audio antidote to the angst of the last 12 months.
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WHAT YOUR EARS SAY:

WHAT THE RELEASE NOTES SAY:
Sam: Pharoah…
Pharoah: Huh…?
Sam: Were you asleep? I’m sorry…
Pharoah: No no… I was listening… and dreaming… and listening to music in my head…
Sam: Oh wow… sorry.
Pharoah: Many times, people think I might be asleep… but in fact, I am just listening to music in my head. I’m always listening… to the sounds around me… and playing, in my mind… and sometimes I dream.
Sam: What were you dreaming about?
Pharoah: I’m on a ship. In the ocean. Bears coming around smoking cigars. The bears are singing, ‘We have the music. We have what you’re looking for.’
* * *
Pharoah: How you like that take, Sam?
Sam: It’s cool. I think the bit in the middle, where it stops again…I think you can hear…
We were both kind of confused. I like it as well because it sounds like two musicians that are trying to guide each other.
Pharoah: I think that’s it right there. It came out different. It came out good though.
Sam: You happy?
Pharoah: Yeah, I’m cool with it.
Sam: Okay. Yeah, I think your playing is beautiful.


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26/3/2021 0 Comments

Various Artists - Forest Bathing (森林浴) [Cudighi Records]

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:
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WHAT WE SAY:

If you've had a tough week how does the Japanese art of forest bathing (森林浴) sound? Well if you're city bound & lockdown tied the next best thing is to soak your feet in the New Age sonic waters emanating from the ever warm thermal springs of Cudighi Records
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WHAT YOUR EARS SAY:

WHAT THE RELEASE NOTES SAY:

Forest Bath compiles meditative musings from around the world to celebrate the Japanese art of forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku (森林浴).

Credits:

Mastered by Fred Thomas

Art by Momoe Narazaki
momoe-narazaki.com

Layout and Album Design by Elaine Ho

"Shin Rin Yoku" created by Sohichiro Suzuki and Tetsuya Yamamoto,
December, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan


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IF YOU LIKE THAT YOU MIGHT LIKE THIS:

Love is the answer. Love for yourself. Love for others, Love for the planet. Spread the word. Smartlink to the playlist on Apple Music, Deezer, Soundcloud & Youtube.
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25/3/2021 0 Comments

Observatories - flowers bloom, butterflies come (IIKI)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE
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WHAT WE SAY:

Two of ambient's finest, Ian Hawgood & Craig Tattersall, unite their electroacoustic, field recording & tape degenerated world with the experimentally printed world view of Miho Kajioka, to produce an exquisitely packaged AV treat for the the ever wonderful IIKKI.
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WHAT YOUR EARS SAY:

WHAT THE RELEASE NOTES SAY:

"Flowers Bloom, Butterflies Come" is the result of a dialog between the Japanese photographer and artist Miho Kajioka and the UK musicians and composers Ian Hawgood and Craig Tattersall initiated by IIKKI, between August 2019 and January 2021.

the complete project works in two physical imprints:
a book and a disc (vinyl/cd)
it should be experienced in different ways :
the book read alone
the disc listened to alone
the book and the disc read and listened to together.

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Born in the United Kingdom, Ian Hawgood spent most of his adult life living in Japan, Italy and Poland. Currently he calls Peacehaven (on the south coast, near Brighton) his home. Since 2009, he’s well-known with his work as the curator of the Home Normal label. He makes music using an array of reel-to-reel and tape machines in his studio by the sea, where he also master works for many labels and artists alike. You could often catch him on the coast with his faithful Nagra recorder, hydrophone and field microphones. These days his focus of music is on decayed ambient works using old synths and reels mostly, alongside his childhood piano.
 
Craig Tattersall is a former member of The Remote Viewer and Famous Boyfriend bandmate Andrew Johnson. Tattersall's music can be found these days more often under his alias The Humble Bee; as a founder member of The Boats; and in his collaborative works with the likes of Bill Seaman in The Seaman And The Tattered Sail. He has run the wonderful label Cotton Goods from 2008 to 2015 and since 2009 he has recorded 12 albums on his moniker The Humble Bee.
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Miho Kajioka (b. 1973, Japan, lives in Kyoto) is an artist and a photographer since 2011. « Kajioka's artistic practice is in principal snapshot based; she carries her camera everywhere and intuitively takes photos of whatever she finds interesting. These collected images serve as the basic material for her work in the darkroom where she creates her poetic and suggestive image-objects through elaborate, alternative printing methods. Kajioka regards herself more as a painter/drawer than as a photographer. She feels that photographic techniques help her to create works that fully express her artistic vision. Her images evoke a sense of mystery in her constant search for beauty. The focused, creative and respectful way in which she uses the medium of photography to creating her works seems to fit in the tradition of Japanese art that is characterized by the specifically Japanese sense of beauty, wabi sabi. (…) According to her, photography captures moments and freezes them; printing impressions is like playing with the sense of time and getting lost in its timeline. » (Ibasho Gallery) Kajioka’s work has been exhibited in Spain, Italy, France, the Netherlands, the USA, Germany, Belgium, Portugal and the United Kingdom. Kajioka’s latest book ‘so it goes’ won Prix Nadar in October 2019.
____________________________

for more infos + photos :
www.iikki-books.com
www.folkreels.com
www.leavings.co.uk
www.mihokajioka.com


All music Ian Hawgood & Craig Tattersall

Mastered by Ian Hawgood
Artwork by Miho Kajioka
Design by sprflxgrfzm
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IF YOU LIKE THAT YOU MIGHT LIKE THIS:

An eclectic ambient selection for relaxation, meditation, introspection and contemplation.

Smartlink to the playlist on Apple Music, Deezer, Soundcloud & Youtube.
0 Comments

24/3/2021 0 Comments

Janko Nilovic & The Soul Surfers - Maze of Sounds (Broc Recordz)

WHAT THE LOVELY COVER LOOKS LIKE:
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WHAT WE SAY:

Ease your way into the day with the laidback cinematic soul jazz and low key instrumental beat tape funkiness of last years LP from Janko Nilovic & The Soul Surfers for Broc Recordz. It's hitting the wake up, get going but not too quickly sweet spot for me today.
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WHAT YOUR EARS SAY:



IF YOU LIKE THAT YOU MIGHT LIKE THIS:

Nothing overly generic, going deeper with a leftfield twist & a bit of extra soul, Slow Hop is here. Smartlink to the playlist on Apple Music, Deezer, Soundcloud & Youtube.

What is chill hop anyway? https://www.theslowmusicmovement.org/blog/what-is-chill-hop-a-short-history-the-present


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22/3/2021 0 Comments

Various Artists - Numero 95 (Numero Group)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:
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WHAT WE SAY:

Another fine retromaniacal look back at barely ever known, let alone forgotten music from Numero Group as they excavate a 90's world where early synths met software music's first wave & where the New Age flirted with the Miami Vice soundtrack. Made in dark bedrooms but more Balearic than espadrilles.
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WHAT YOUR EARS SAY:

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As escapism from corporate banality turned the corner in the ‘90s, a new generation of vibrant, software generated soundscapes emerged. Communal access to the internet propagated the new hive mind of ideas online, giving way to smoother, stress-free textures. The PC revolution opened the gateway to ray-traced playgrounds of color and light, allowing for visions of utopic proportions to manifest themselves on screensavers far and wide. Boot up your machine, load the software on this floppy diskette, and drop out of a reality bounded by the physical laws of the universe.

Numero 95 is the soundtrack to the screen saver fever dream we’re all trying to climb back into. Eight droplets of proto-vaporwave, synthesized in vinyl (or digital) form, fresh from Numero’s archive of forgotten sounds. Are you looking for that half way point between smooth jazz and new age? Mac and PC? Quantum Leap and the X-Files? This software is for you.

Housed in a replica floppy diskette, Numero 95 explores an early computer music unbound by scene or region. Eight solo pioneers vibing out at home in their headphones, traveling as far as the sound card would allow. This is music that barely escaped the hard drive and yet percolates at the edges of the algorithm 30 years later.

Welcome to Numero 95.

Credits
Produced by Ali Najdi, Ken Shipley & Rob Sevier.
Compiled by Ali Najdi, Douglas McGowan, Adam Luksetich, Stephen Arndt, Ken Shipley & Rob Sevier.
Mastered by Carl Saff at Carl Saff Mastering.
Production Coordination by Riley Manion.
Design by Field of Grass.
Special thanks to Izzy Fradin, Mario Martinez & Paradise Is A Frequency.
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