February 28, 2018
Outstanding new downtempo instrumentals from Nightmares On Wax, Nils Frahm, Mystical Sun, Thomas Lemmer & Christoph Sebastian Pabst, Catpilot, Kalpataru Tree, Essence Project, Evadez, Eric Shans and FOTN.
The spark for this one came when I heard Moscow-based electronica artist Catpilot and his pearler of a debut album "Homecoming". Inspired by a period when he lived in London, it's a tuneful, ecstatic, near-perfect pastiche of different UK ambient dance and electronica styles from the last 25 years, honed with razor sharp production ears and some fine musicianship. It's released by Lemongrass Music.
New Ambient 2018 is an ongoing mix series across the year, spotlighting choice tracks from recently released albums and EP's and including re-releases of older titles. Volume 1 compiled and mixed by Mike G at Rubycon Sound, February 2018.
Full tracklist at http://www.ambientmusicguide.com
February 6, 2018
The arrival of 'Blade Runner 2049' late in 2017 rekindled my lifelong passion for dark sci-fi, inspiring this Volume 4 in my Future Noir mix series. Dive deep into a brooding but beautiful melange of film scores, future techno, anime noir, gliding ambience, neoclassical synths, haunting chorales and moody electronica.
Features dark melodies by Woob, Vangelis, Zimmer and Walfisch, David Parsons, Michael Stearns, Yoshihiro Ike, Martin Nonstatic, Ghost, Cornelius, Richard Dart, Hypnodial, Dirk Geiger and Warpness.
Compiled and mixed by Mike G at Rubycon Sound Jan-Feb 2018.
Full tracklist at http://www.ambientmusicguide.com
Image: paooo.deviantart.com
November 17, 2017
My annual Best Albums mix is once again in two parts. "Sounding The Deep" features generally beatless music, while "Atmospheric Grooves" is much more rhythmic.
MIX #2: SOUNDING THE DEEP. 140 minutes of bliss. This is the 2nd of my two Best Albums Of 2017 mixes and spotlights some of 2017's quietest and most awe-inspiring moments in ambient. Subtle psychedelia and beatless reveries for expanding minds by Bonobo, Ishq, bvdub, Alice Coltrane, Kevin Braheny and more.
These two mixes are based on Ambient Music Guide's Best Albums Of 2017 reviews feature. Read them at http://ambientmusicguide.com/best-of-year/best-albums-of-2017
Full tracklist: http://ambientmusicguide.com/mixes-by-mike-g/best-albums-of-2017-mixes/
Compiled and mixed by Mike G @ Rubycon Sound, Oct-Nov 2017.
November 14, 2017
My annual Best Albums mix is once again in two parts. "Sounding The Deep" features generally beatless music, while "Atmospheric Grooves" is much more rhythmic.
MIX #1: ATMOSPHERIC GROOVES. Starting with a gorgeous Si Mathews lullaby, we dive into 140 minutes of multi-coloured groove. The mix snakes it way through seductive downtempo shades of exotic breaks, lounge, dub, techno and trance including Bonobo, Irresistible Force and Carbon Based Lifeforms, before a final 30-minute serve of electronica epics featuring Sasha, L.S.G, Mystical Sun and Jean-Michel Jarre.
These two mixes are based on Ambient Music Guide's Best Albums Of 2017 reviews feature. Read them at http://ambientmusicguide.com/best-of-year/best-albums-of-2017.
Full tracklist: http://ambientmusicguide.com/mixes-by-mike-g/best-albums-of-2017-mixes/
Compiled and mixed by Mike G @ Rubycon Sound, Oct-Nov 2017.
September 10, 2017
After last year's reboot following a 20-year hiatus, the quality sounds from San Francisco's legendary Silent Records continue in 2017.
This mix spotlights some of my favourite cuts from this year's Silent releases, both new albums and re-releases from the Silent back catalogue. Features music by Chris Meloche, Legion Of Green Men, Lingua Lustra, Transcendental Anarchists, Pelican Daughters, Mike Rooke, Pragma, Kris Force, Lucid Nation and Deeper Than Space.
All of the albums in this mix are available from https://silentrecords.bandcamp.com
New Ambient 2017 is an ongoing mix series across the year, spotlighting choice tracks from recently released albums and EP's including re-releases of older titles.
Volume 8 compiled and mixed by Mike G at Rubycon Sound, September 2017. More at www.ambientmusicguide.com
September 1, 2017
Mind-expanding melodic techno from interstellar space. Hear new downtempo tech-trance sounds from dance music icons Oliver Lieb (aka L.S.G.) and Jeff Mills in a dynamic mix that also features cuts from One Arc Degree, Saafi Brothers, Ghost, Aurax and Luigi Tozzi.
New Ambient 2017 is an ongoing mix series across the year, spotlighting choice tracks from recently released albums and EP's including re-releases of older titles.
Volume 7 compiled and mixed by Mike G at Rubycon Sound, August 2017
More at www.ambientmusicguide.com
August 24, 2017
Featured artists: Japetus, Robodop Snei, X1 Project, Ornament, Not Drowning Waving, John Elder, Avene, Sapien Trace, Lisa Gerrard & Pieter Bourke, Citystate, Gondwanaland.
The Red Bull Music Academy commissioned me to write the article "Ambience Australis – 10 essential Oz ambient and downtempo albums reviewed" for their street zine The Note to coincide with the Red Bull Weekender arts and music festival in Sydney, 31 August-3 September 2017.
I also created this mix - a tribute to some great Australian music from the past 30 years.
Compiled & mixed by Mike G at Rubycon Sound, August 2017. More at ambientmusicguide.com
August 16, 2017
Kira Kira (2017) is the first album from The Irresistible Force (Mixmaster Morris) in nearly 20 years and it's a multi-coloured psychedelic delight. This mix features three cuts from the album, plus downtempo sofa-surfing gems from Bonobo, Banco De Gaia, Pitch Black, Eskadet, Animat, Simon O'Reilly, Spice Barons and Beechwood.
New Ambient 2017 is an ongoing mix series across the year, spotlighting choice tracks from recently released albums and EP's including re-releases of older titles.
Volume 6 compiled & mixed by Mike G at Rubycon Sound, August 2017. Full trackist at www.ambientmusicguide.com
July 22, 2017
Running time: 83 minutes.
Mystical Sun is one of the giants of 21st century psychedelic ambient, the solo project of San Francisco musician Richard Mystic.
His lush albums span a period of over 20 years and his styles include rich drones, booming psy-tech grooves and extended panoramic space epics. It's cosmic, shamanic music full of distinctive sounds forged with his custom-built synths and software.
Mystical Sun's complete catalogue is available from his Bandcamp page mysticalsun.bandcamp.com
Mix compiled by Mike G @ Rubycon Sound, July 2017. Read the Mystical Sun overview at ambientmusicguide.com/a-z-essential-albums/mystical-sun/
May 4, 2017
Music of the sun, in all its seasons. Deep sounds by Ishq, My Silent Wake, Thomas Lemmer, Erik Wollo, Richard Dart, Lorenzo Masotto, Der Waldläufer, Olivia Summer, Hirotaka Shirotsubaki, Pausal, Thombeau, J Mondok.
New Ambient 2017 is an ongoing mix series across the year, spotlighting choice tracks from recently released albums and EP's including re-releases of older titles.
Volume 5 compiled & mixed by Mike G at Rubycon Sound, April-May 2017. Full trackist at www.ambientmusicguide.com
