This Sunday I’ll take you on a journey to slightly unsettling worlds, thanks to three recent ambient releases well worthy of our attention. They all provide an element of dark drama in their work.
Makes it all the more interesting, if you ask me!
Bartosz Ługowski – Koniec
A very interesting atmosphere in this one. It’s haunting but not unnerving. A glimpse into a world quite… Strange. Outworldish. Different.
The Polish producer Ługowski is behind this piece, and he plays mainly on plucked string instruments: Acoustic guitar, electric guitar, classical guitar, ukulele, banjo (!).
He participates in many projects – from jazz and alternative, through acting song, to Warsaw folklore and rap, and also produce music for theatres. Definitely a multi-talented producer.
Exploitsound – Finding Comfort in the Shell of My Former Self
Again, a kind of unsettling atmosphere. Dark. Interesting layer of noise heard here – is it the wind, or just static noise? A dead radio signal? I love it when sounds trigger my curiosity and imagination.
Exploitsound has this to say about the production: “After moving to a whole new city, only bringing my stereo equipment, my clothes, and my piano, I recorded this.“
Well, apparently, that’s all you need. The great processing of the components in this track makes this one of my favourite ambient releases thus far this year!
Yellow Rainbow ft. Matthew James – Searching
And the restless anxiety continues in this one. Now in the shape of waves pulsating in a suitable calm tempo. Like tidal waves after a storm. Loads of details, layered and changed throughout the track, establishing an image of a complete organic being.
Said Yellow Rainbow about their work, “We feel the crux of this project centers around a conversation we had right before playing about anxiety. This performance is trying to find a through-line of connection to ourselves and others despite the isolating noise in our brains.“
A worthy addendum to our ambient playlist.
These three are all found in our excellent ambient playlist, “Ambient Universe”: