Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Michael Vetter - Tambura Meditations




MICHAEL VETTER - TAMBURA MEDITATIONS
wergo-spectrum
1983

heavy heavy solo tambura trip by michael vetter.
if you didnt think that tambura could be played as a solo instrument, here is proof otherwise.
vetter coaxes an array of spectral overtones and harmonics from the tambura. track 1 being a little freer and sparser. track 2 has a repetitive minimalist rhythm to it. deeply ZONED!

visit michael vetter's website (in german) here - http://www.vetter-transverbal.de

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Deuter - Celebration





DEUTER - CELEBRATION
kuckuck (040)
1976

my favorite Deuter album for you all.
this record is pure joy and happiness and serenity.
nice acoustic guitar tunes, drones, field recordings, synths, etc etc.
let it permeate your universe/being!

Friday, November 23, 2007

Steve Roach - Structures From Silence



STEVE ROACH - STRUCTURES FROM SILENCE
Atlantic
1984

getting into blissed out 1980's new age territory here, this is a lovely record of ambient synths and repetitive lush melodies. probably steve roach's best moment as he has seemed to wander into pretty awful southwestern confused native american / aborigine tribal techno burning man music as of late. im particularly fond of the 28+ minute title track, which sounds like something aphex twin blatantly ripped off for his selected ambient works. i hope you can travel there with me, ENJOY!

visit steve roach's website here - http://www.steveroach.com

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

ATTN: THIS IS AN IASOS FAN SITE NOW




GO TO THE IASOS COLOR CHAMBER("If you are exposed to all the pure color frequencies, your energy fields instinctively automatically absorb those color frequencies that you are specifically lacking or needing. This results in your energy fields becoming more of a balanced "rainbow" of all the pure colors.")


bask in the glory of MIDI HARP and spectrally enhanced DIGIVERB!

Iasos - Inter-Dimensional Music Through Iasos





IASOS - INTER-DIMENSIONAL MUSIC
Unity Records (UR700)
1975

had to pull out the big VIBES since this blog was mentioned on a deerhunter blog post (thanks for the props!) which was subsequently mentioned on pitchfork (hello new visitors!)...

this is the first installment by Iasos with his record from 1975 called "Inter-dimensional Music Through Iasos" which is one of the earliest new age records i know of. this is a rip of my LP, iasos does sell a cdr of this album on his website but it sounds like a bad LP transfer. and the great EM label from japan has also reissued this album on cd, but i still think my LP rip sounds better. i hope the pictures above capture the cool gold embossed text on the covers.
this album is full of cascading, bubbling prisms of sound with a jazzy splash on a few tracks. the back cover is chock full of great new age quotes.

my favorite being the directions for "Finger-Listening":
"try this: while playing this record, rest your fingers lightly on top of the grill of your speakers (not actually on the paper cone). you can thereby absorb these musical vibrations through your finger-tips as well as through your ears. this can be useful for both charging and sensitizing your hands. for "stereo finger-listening", use one hand per speaker."

and be sure to head over to the cosmic celestial oasis that is Iasos' website here - http://www.iasos.com
"to taste the goal is to chase the goal"

Monday, November 19, 2007

ENVIRONMENTS vol. 5-8



ENVIRONMENTS vol. 5-8!!!!!!


Classic! Just classic...These records litter every used record store and thrift store in the world, it seems. Honey has been bringing them home from the bins for a while now and we've amassed quite a collection. Mostly they just sit in a neat stack on the record shelf, but every once in a while they can really hit the spot. This one "Disc 7: Intonation/Summer Cornfield" is all deep vocal chanting on side one....total deep meditation drone ahh vibes of the highest order for 30 minutes.......and a killer sound-world of buzzing bugs and natural world drones on side two.
The Environments series of LPs predate all the crappy ocean waves + midi synth CDs of the 80's 90's and today - of which there are literally millions - and these records surpass all that sappy crappy poop music in all ways. Totally focused on tripping you mellow with an almost modernist, minimalist, scientific aesthetic mixed with just the perfect touch of 70's gauze effects...Just..tasty. Accept no imitations!

Instead of trying to sell you on these things any further, why don't i just let the people at Syntonic Research Inc., who produced these classics in proto-new age do the talking:

"´ Environments™ are based on proprietary psychoacoustic research. They are not like repetitive –sound machines.” Environments™ are incredibly real sounding -- even using earphones or an inexpensive boom box. No one whispers hidden messages in your ear. You can use EnvironmentsÈ effectively and easily for just about any activity (except disco dancing). They are neither casual nature recordings nor mere –sound experience” compilations.

« You'll probably never get tired of hearing them.

« Environments™ superb realism lets them work for you in ways all imitators and costly electronic devices cannot.

Environments™ literally convince your mind you are where you want to be.

« Environments™ are perhaps the most useful sounds ever put on tape or CD. They can be safely and easily used for relaxation, meditation, alpha inducement, self-hypnosis, concentration, sex and virtually any activity needing nonmusical sound. This renowned, carefully acquired natural music of our planet has inspired many imitators.

« The Environments™ Series are what the fuss has always been about.

« This Series has been glowingly commented upon by almost every major media source, including Newsweek, The New York Times, AP, NBC, ABC, CBS, NET, BBC & CBC. NASA even placed Environments™ aboard Voyager to help accurately represent earth's sounds to alien creatures. Millions of people worldwide use these recordings daily."

Syntonic Research Inc is STILL AROUND. their website is a bit crunk, but it says you can order 16 varieties of tapes, and three different CDs. Intonations/Summer Cornfield has not been re-issued on CD...
Syntonic Research Inc.
or this other page, which is not linked to the first


Also check out what they have to say about the series over at Julian Cope's Head Heritage








*please note, my copy is slightly warped and crackly. i actually kind of like it like that. i hope you do too.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

The Wonderful World Of Larry Carlson / Now & Zen

Sorry no album in this post, but in a bold move of expanding the horizons of this blogging venture - I bring you a couple of links to enjoy.



First off; The Wonderful World Of Larry Carlson. I recommend starting off here, with the mind blowing visuals of MEDIJATE.

Also check out; Now & Zen. Makers of the Tibetan Phone Bell, Zen Alarm Clock, among other fine products.

Friday, November 9, 2007

EBERHARD SCHOENER - MEDITATION



EBERHARD SCHOENER - MEDITATION
eurodisc / kuckuck
1973

two long pieces moving like waves and water.
side1 - darker chiming synth waves with light ocean sounds.
side2 - higher celestial flute like tones with high voice.
this album gets into the darker german synth drone zone like early tangerine dream, cluster, conrad schnitzler, popol vuh, etc.....

visit eberhard schoener's website here - http://www.eberhard-schoener.com

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

GIMMER NICHOLSON - CHRISTOPHER IDYLLS



GIMMER NICHOLSON - CHRISTOPHER IDYLLS
lucky 7 records cd9204
recorded 1968

my buddy pete turned me on to this record recently. really lovely multitracked acoustic guitar instrumentals with some effects and things by SF hippie gimmer nicholson. if you like solo guitar music, this is a treasure and a treat. its not like fahey or basho, etc. it has its own thing going on. definitely new age way before new age was even conceived. i still cant believe this music was recorded in 1968. recorded at ardent studios and produced by terry manning who went on to work with power pop sensations, big star.

this record is like honey dripping into chamomile tea or a tall glass of pear nectar or sunlight filtering through a pine tree.
enJOY it!

Saturday, November 3, 2007

SWAMI KRIYA RAMANANDA - HYMN TO A NEW AGE




SWAMI KRIYA RAMANANDA - HYMN TO A NEW AGE
satsanga fellowship
1981

super deep meditative drone float.
the pieces are mostly warm syntheszier drone with gong on track 1 and bass flute on a couple of tracks. swami ramananda (a.k.a. edward christmas) is a western born kriya yoga mystic and an ordained priest through the temple of kriya yoga of chicago.

city indigo - "a tone poem for bass flute...based on the fundamental and harmonic overtones of the gong"

nocturne - "a gentle sonic bath, designed to help decondition one's aura...this is a non-musical composition based on a larger work "night waves"...at the conclusion of the piece, remain quiet for a few moments."

hymn to a new age - "this is a unique, haunting and beautiful musical journey."

Friday, November 2, 2007

ROGER WINFIELD - WINDSONGS



ROGER WINFIELD - WINDSONGS
saydisc CD-SDL394
1991

deep drift aeolian harp wind music by roger winfield.
captured on 8 aeolian harps during a 4 month sojourn in spain during the winter and spring of 1989.

perhaps it's time to listen again.
perhaps the wind has something to tell us...

visit roger winfield's website here - http://www.radisol.com/windharps

NEW AGE DISCOGRAPHY

http://www.scaruffi.com/newage

check it out!