Harry Towell & Guy Gelem - Restful Spaces (2022)

 

GENRE : modern classical, ambient, minimalist, neoclassical,

RECORD LABEL : Polar Seas Recordings

This is a long distance collaboration of two musical composers and fathers to be - sound artist/musician Harry Towell (aka Spheruleus) from the UK and cellist/musician Guy Gerem from Israeli. They created this album while expecting the arrival of their respective daughters, Emily and Neta. Their aim was to create a restful listening space for their children, and in doing so have created one for adult listeners too. This is a restful listening space for lovers of all things peaceful and ambient.

These beautiful gentle lullabies are a wonderful remedy to the current state of this world. Our lives are so noisy and frantic and busy, and there's so much cruelty and hatred all around us... it's so lovely and comforting to be able to slow down, kick back and immerse ourselves in Towell & Gelem's gorgeous aural world.

There's a delicate child-like playfulness to the shimmering ambience of these pieces. The instrumentation plucks and tinkles and chimes away to the backdrop of birdsong and other miscellanous field samples, while the cello soars and swells over it all in such a yearning and wistful way. A beautiful album for a not-so-beautiful time.

If you like this album, you should have a browse through the Polar Seas Recordings back catalogue of releases on their Bandcamp page. Lots of stunning releases in there.

Stream/Download here...

https://polarseasrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/restful-spaces

Polar Seas Recordings...

https://polarseasrecordings.bandcamp.com/

Autumn Chorus - The Village To The-Vale (2012)

GENRE : alternative rock, post rock, experimental, indie rock

RECORD LABEL : AltrOck Productions

To describe Autumn Chorus as an ''alternative rock band'' is a terrible injustice...yet it's probably the simplest and easiest way to sum up their sound, so I'll stick to it for the time being. Autumn Chorus was a 4-piece British alternative rock band, led by frontman Robbie Wilson who sadly passed away in 2016. 'Village To The-Vale' was their first and last album, and a breathtaking masterpiece that most people will never hear...which I find tragic.

I try to refrain using the word 'epic' these days, because it's such an overused word...but I can't help but describe this particular album as epic. It's powerful and delicate, sweeping and intimate, progressive and melodic, melancholy and sweet....it's a beautiful work of art. Autumn Chorus combines the best elements of post-rock, indie rock, progressive pop and modern classical. Within the sound you will likely identify the post-rock guitar licks of Explosions In The Sky, the high fragile vocal stylings of Radiohead, some of the pastoral lyrical themes of Midlake, and the soaring orchestral majesty of Sigus Ros and Olafar Arnalds. It also features gorgeous guest vocal spots from Swedish singer-songwriter Thomas Feiner, the artist (Robbie's partner) Sephine Llo, and let's not forget their daughter, Constance. 

Even though I never knew Robbie personally, my heart breaks every time I hear this album and think about the fact that he is no longer with us. He was an extremely talented artist and musician, and I'd have loved to have heard more from him. At the very least he left this masterpiece (and a few various singles) behind. For further listening, I also attached these wonderful singles below...

Stream/Download the album here :

https://altrockproductions.bandcamp.com/album/the-village-to-the-vale

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Autumn Chorus - Long Goodby

Autumn Chorus - Snake In The Grass

Thomas Feiner & Fyfe Dangerfield & Autumn Chorus - The Rainbow (TalkTalk cover)

Stefán Hafsteinsson – Heima EP (2021)

 

GENRE : neo classical, modern classical, instrumental piano, ambient, electronic, Iceland

RECORD LABEL : Moderna Records

Here's a beautiful little EP by Icelandic composer/pianist Stefán Hafsteinsson. It's short and delicate, yet powerful and heartbreaking. These four instrumental piano pieces are generally minimalistic. The piano playing is gentle and beautiful, and accompanied by cold ambient electronics and a soaring yet understated string section. This EP feels like seeing a distant beacon of light, welcoming you in after you've spent far too long, lost and alone, away from everything you love.  Another great release by Moderna Records.

Oh yeah, I absolutely adore the EP artwork too. It perfectly complements the music. It's a painting called 'Half Light' by Eva Ullrich. Splendid.

Stream/Download the EP here :

https://modernarecords.bandcamp.com/album/heima

'Half Light' by Eva Ullrich

Julia Gjertsen - Formations (2022)

 

GENRE : modern classical, cinematic, electronica, ambient, instrumental, Norway,

RECORD LABEL : Moderna Records

Moderna Records are a Canadian record label that specialize in all kinds of beautiful modern classical music, and ambient music. I clicked on this album simply because it was the newest album on their Bandcamp page...

'Formations' by Norwegian composer Julia Gjertsen is a breathtaking magical work of art. The central focus of this album is the beautiful rhythmic piano playing, which is both repetitive yet constantly shifting and building towards huge glorious cinematic crescendos, backed by ambient textured electronics, sweeping string sections and soft flutes. A wonderful introspective modern classical album. It makes me think of drifting clouds and waterfalls. I love it. 

Stream/Download the album here :

https://modernarecords.bandcamp.com/album/formations

Moderna Records :

https://modernarecords.bandcamp.com/