Om – Advaitic Songs
Released in 2014 on Drag City Format: LPx2, 45rpm
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Hypnotic
Neu! – Neu!
Originally released in 1972 on Brain Records 2010 Grönland Pressing Format: LP, White Vinyl
Stereolab – Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements
Originally released in 1993 on Duophonic Records This pressing was released in 2012 on 1972 Records Format: LPx2
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Earth – The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull
Originally released in 2008 on Southern Lord 2014 Pressing Format: LPx2, Red Vinyl
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Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy & Bitchin Bajas – Epic Jammers and Fortunate Little Ditties
A far cry from the sparse folk usually recorded by Will Oldham, “Epic Jammers and Fortunate Little Ditties” finds his intimate voice and warbly acoustic guitar enveloped by the cosmic drones, blooming synths, airy flutes, and hypnotic tape loops of Chicago new age trio, Bitchin Bajas. The lyrics are essentially fortune cookie mantras and, while there’s a chance they’re tongue-in-cheek, it’s difficult not to smile and feel a brightening of the spirit when hearing uplifting phrases like “Your hard work is about to pay off, keep on keepin’ on” or “you and your whole family are well” get repeated over and over. This collaboration is a soothing, heartwarming listen and a refreshing change-of-pace from Oldham’s tendency towards melancholy and solemn lyrical content.
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Earth – Angels is Darkness, Demons of Light II
Released in 2012 on Southern Lord Records Format: LPx2, etching on D-side
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Arve Henriksen – Towards Language
On Towards Language, Norweigan trumpeter Arve Henriksen creates a blend of meditative and suspenseful ambient-jazz, demonstrating a more soothing side to his playing than his noisier output with electro-acoustic improvisers Supersilent.
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Miles Davis – In a Silent Way
Originally released in 1969 on Columbia Records 1977 Pressing
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Tim Hecker – Konoyo
Released in 2018 on Kranky Format: LPx2 Track Notes and Observations A1. This Life (Droney, Climactic, Mournful) Synths slowly dancing around each other in a beautiful sadness, Woozy, pitches bend and release in and out of tune Blooming structure, crescendos into overwhelming climax Disintegrates into a ghostly version of itself with high pitch sounds A2.
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Jon Hopkins – Singularity
Dynamic and uplifting house music characterized by filtered drums and enveloping synth textures. With its driving arpeggiations, danceable 4-on-the-floor grooves, hypnotic build-ups, and soothing ambient tracks, Singularity is extremely well-paced, and it’s most beautiful moments full of sublime wonder.
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Natural Information Society & Bitchin Bajas – Automaginary
On Automaginary, the Gnawa-inspired cosmic jazz of Natural Information Society is augmented by the flowing textures of Chicago new age trio Bitchin Bajas to create an album of enveloping drones and trance-inducing rhythms. (Follow link for full Review)
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Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society – Simultonality
Over the past decade, Josh Abrams has been using his guimbri to create music inspired by the ceremonial music of the Gnawa in North Africa, infusing it with a wide variety of influences from kosmische to minimalism to the avant-garde jazz of his local scene in Chicago. On this album, the focus is on “pure motion” driven by double drummers hypnotically interlocking with guimbri, guitar, keys and harmonium. Each individual plays unique rhythmic figures that push and pull against each other like polyrhythmic tectonic plates, creating constantly changing, yet circular grooves.
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Tortoise – Millions Now Living Will Never Die
Originally released in 1996 on Thrill Jockey Records 2012 pressing
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Dawn of MIDI – Dysnomia
An acoustic trio of piano, upright bass, and drums utilize creative extended techniques to play evolving minimalist compositions of mutating grooves, polyrhythms, and textures.
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Steve Reich – Music for 18 Musicians
A hypnotic, meditative minimalist classic whose influence can be traced throughout several threads of modern music.
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Tonto’s Expanding Head Band – Zero Time [Alternate Cover]
A psychedelic synth odyssey created with only an expanded Series III Moog by Robert Margouleff and synth-guru Malcolm Cecil (who programmer synths on legendary albums by Stevie Wonder and Gil-Scott Heron in addition to his ambient solo work). The intricately layered results here feel like a synthetic wilderness, with a wide variety of colors and textures that sound warm, organic, and natural despite their electronic origins.
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Holger Czukay – On the Way to the Peak of Normal
Album Information Originally released in 1981 This pressing was released in 2013 on Grönland Records Format: LP Features parallel groove on one side so different track plays depending on where needle lands
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Sleep – Dopesmoker
Album Information: Originally released in 1999 as Jerusalem on London Records, and then in 2003 as Dopesmoker on Tee-Pee Records. This is the 2012 pressing on Southern Lord Format: LPx2, Blue vinyl, limited to 1000 copies
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Pharoah Sanders – Karma
Album Information: Released in 1969 on Impulse Records 1972 pressing
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Esmerine – Lost Voices
Album Information: Released in 2014 on Constellation Records
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Oren Ambarchi – Saggitarian Domain
Released in 2012 on Editions Mego Format: LP
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Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld – Never Were the Way She Was
Saxophonist Colin Stetson and violinist Sarah Neufeld employ innovative performance techniques, mutating ostinatos and an atmospheric sense of texture to compose minimalist compositions that are as brooding and haunting they are hypnotically beautiful.
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Stereolab – Emperor Tomato Ketchup
Album Information: Originally released in 1996 on Duophonic Records This pressing was released in 2013 on 1972 Records Produced by John McEntire & the Groop Recorded in London and Chicago Format: LPx2
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Do Make Say Think – Other Truths
Styles: Post-Rock
Moods: Autumnal, Focused, Hypnotic, Contemplative, Warm, Driving, Soothing
Musical Qualities: Instrumental, Atmospheric, Melodic
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Vinyl Williams – Into
Kaleidoscopic pop driven by round, groovy bass locked in with funky, motorik drumming, all floating through layers of swirling, delayed guitars, shimmering synths, and dreamy vocals. Recommended to anyone looking for a smooth, sugary middle ground between Stereolab, Toro y Moi, and Neu!
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Bitchin Bajas – Bitchitronics
Soothing, cosmic drones constructed with tape loops, synths, organs, guitar, mellotron and flute.
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Tim Hecker – Harmony in Ultraviolet
A dense fog you can sink into and never want to leave…Glacial, enveloping waves of sound meticulously sculpted from processed organs, piano, and distorted guitar feedback.
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