James Bright - Universal Transmission (Life on Earth) [Ambient Electronica]

You should all be familiar with the laid back eclecticism of James Bright by now - he's cropped up in the blog and playlists - 2025 especially, but if not then perhaps start with his Imaginal album from earlier this year. He doesn't seem to sleep much though, and there's been a steady stream of singles since then and, unless there's more to come before the year ends, "Universal Transmission" is the pick of the bunch.

A barely audible percussive pulse from a distant, forest shrouded valley ritual sets a slow but deliberate tempo for the gradually building drone and machine tones to sweep from their standby slumbers and seep through the speakers, evoking sun rises on distant planets. It's not all futuristic fantasy though, sliding into the soundscape are some well oiled synth strings, emotional refrains, ambiguous found sounds, exotic chimes, rattles and instrumentation that have been stroked and effect processed rather than played. Every sonic detail, and there are many, perfectly judged and synergising for the greater ambient good. Your new sofa soundtrack has arrived.

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Playlist Companion

Find Bright in the Slowtronic Playlist.