After an absence of twelve months, Articulate Silences, Ambient Sounds makes its return. My apologies for the long gap. For roughly a decade, I've been writing about music, often without financial compensation, and 2017 saw me nearly give up, almost without realizing it, amid various pressures. Relocating from London—that draining vortex of time and energy—to the finest UK city starting with 'L' (Leeds, naturally; apologies to Leicester and Liverpool, both dear to me) in August marked a shift, reigniting my passion for discovering and discussing new music. I plan to restore this column to a (semi-)regular schedule going forward. If you create or issue records that might fit here, email avantbland@gmail.com. I can't respond to every message, but if you clearly label something for this column, I'll listen and, if impressed, write about it. You can also reach me on Twitter (@benjamin__bland), which I check more often. For now, here's a selection of this year's standouts. It's far from exhaustive, but offers a glimpse into my favorite ambient works from the past year. I hope it provides thoughtful listening as 2017 fades into 2018. See you on the other side.
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If I were to name an ambient MVP for 2017, it would unquestionably be the team at Eilean Records. Now four years old, the label consistently delivers exceptional quality in both music and packaging. 2017 may have been their finest year: sixteen releases, each a gem. Explore them all. I haven't listened enough to the newer ones to pick favorites, so I'll simplify by focusing on the first four Eilean releases of the year. The first, Daniel W. J. Mackenzie's 'Every Time Feels Like The Last Time', is a haunting piece of modern composition, reaching a particularly celestial peak with 'Smokey Quartz and Our Skin'.
Every Time Feels Like the Last Time by Daniel W J Mackenzie
Similarly eerie, like a half-forgotten dream revived through fragmented tape recordings, is 'On The Brink', a joint effort from Josh Mason and Nathan McLaughlin—two texture specialists who remain underappreciated.
On The Brink by Josh Mason & Nathan McLaughlin
Longtime column favorite Monolyth & Cobalt (aka Matthias van Eecloo, also Eilean's founder) is concluding this project with the superb 'The Dunen Diaries'. It's a two-part release: the second half features collaborations that elegantly expand on the first half's poignant groundwork. Essential.
The Dunen Diaries by Monolyth & Cobalt
9T Antiope's 'Isthmus' came as a revelation. This Iranian duo—Nima Aghiani and Sara Bigdeli Shamloo—blend Grouper's dreamy haze with Jenny Hval's unhinged feminist energy. The closing track 'Telophase' features sweeping violin loops that could satisfy those of us perpetually awaiting a new Portishead album, ending the record on a truly moving note.
Isthmus by 9T Antiope
Regular readers know that two of the most reliable ambient artists currently active are also Iranian: Siavash Amini and Porya Hatami. Amini's new album 'TAR' (Hallow Ground) is a powerful successor to 2015's 'Subsiding'—which, if you haven't heard it, ranks among the best releases of the past decade. This latest work matches that level, peaking with the brilliant second track 'Rivers of Tar'.
SIAVASH AMINI – TAR by Siavash Amini
Porya Hatami's 'Monads' (LINE) could be his most mesmerizing work yet, even as he shifts from his earlier melodic ambient style toward the microsound aesthetic of the LINE label. I'm usually lukewarm on this genre—'ambient glitch' for lack of a better term—but this album sits at the top tier.
Monads by PORYA HATAMI
Sarah Davachi's 'All My Circles Run' (Students of Decay) may well be my favorite album of any genre in 2017. It marks a departure for Davachi, who previously dazzled with analog synth mastery. Here she focuses on electroacoustic composition, yet the sound remains unmistakably hers. The tonal warmth echoes last year's excellent 'Vergers' while introducing fresh textures.
All My Circles Run by Sarah Davachi
While Davachi's shift toward acoustic sounds is notable, there's been no shortage of analog synth goodness elsewhere. Case in point: the debut LP from Téléplasmiste, a duo comprising Strange Attractor Press head Mark O. Pilkington and Coil/Cyclobe collaborator Michael J. York. 'Frequency Is The New Ecstasy' (House of Mythology) is a delightful synth-driven journey to an elevated plane.
Frequency is the New Ecstasy by Teleplasmiste
The late-year standout in synth-heavy releases, however, is Gardener's sublime 'A Place Where Nothing Was', the debut from Alex Macarte's (of Gnod) new Golden Ratio Frequencies cassette label. Featuring a captivating blend of synths, tape loops, and field recordings by former Make Noise Synthesizers employee Dashiell Lewis, this marks Golden Ratio Frequencies as a label to watch in 2018, and Lewis as an artist to follow.
A Place Where Nothing Was by Gardener
Another essential late arrival: Timo Kaukolampi's 'I' (SVART), partly a tribute to the late Mika Vainio (Pan Sonic/Ø), who passed away this year. It's a remarkable debut, showcasing Kaukolampi as a talented architect of expansive, ghostly soundscapes. A pity it appeared so near year's end, risking being overlooked.
1 by Kaukolampi
Tomoko Sauvage, a Japanese sound artist based in Paris, has spent ten years working with water, using hydrophones to turn ripples and droplets into music. 'Musique Hydromantique' (Shelter Press) feels genuinely musical as she explores water's reactions in different acoustic spaces, yielding lovely minimalist soundscapes.
Musique Hydromantique by Tomoko Sauvage
Mary Lattimore, meanwhile, works with the harp rather than water, yet the effect is similar. She excels at crafting pieces that rise above minimalism, blooming into evocative, multi-layered compositions. 'Collected Pieces' is technically a compilation of recent odds and ends, but it's far from uneven. For newcomers, it's an essential entry point to a vital contemporary artist.
Collected Pieces by Mary Lattimore
Leyland Kirby's The Caretaker project is nearing its end, and 2017 brought stages two and three of the massive final work, 'Everywhere At The End Of Time'. This sonic study of dementia's progression is already profoundly significant, destined to grow even more devastating in 2018. You can subscribe for just five pounds via Kirby's History Always Favours the Winners label on Bandcamp.
Everywhere at the end of time by The Caretaker
Kirby followers may have spotted another release this year: the remarkable (and free!) gift 'We, So Tired Of All the Darkness In Our Lives'. The title says it all.
We, so tired of all the darkness in our lives by Leyland Kirby
For a broader overview (75 tracks) featuring bigger names—including the expectedly excellent new albums from 12k's Taylor Deupree and Wolfgang Voigt's GAS—I've put together a Spotify playlist (10.5 hours long) of other highlights. I hope it sparks further discoveries.
I must, regrettably, end this column on a sad note. This year we lost not only the legendary Mika Vainio but also the immensely gifted young Swedish composer Marcus Fjellström, who passed away in September, shortly after releasing his final album, 'Skelektikon'. Rest in peace, Marcus and Mika. You will be deeply missed.
Skelektikon by Marcus Fjellström
Onko by Mika Vainio
Articulate Silences, Ambient Sounds will continue in 2018.
