High praise for Jeff Greinke’s newest recording,Oceanic, a stand out gem in a world of music streaming services and YouTube channels overflowing with so-called “ambient music” choices. Oceanic has moved me, musically and as an artist, in a way that I haven’t been moved in years. I admit, I’ve become jaded. I’ve heard a lot, listened to a lot and forgotten a lot of what I’ve heard. The prominence of ambient and drone music on streaming services with playlists featuring ambient music for sleep, yoga, meditation, relaxation, study, reading and just about any other inert activity you can think of and some others you haven’t thought of yet, hasn’t helped the situation. So much of what’s being released these days is uninspired at best and forgettable at worst. With Oceanic, I’m reminded of Jeff’s early recording Cities In Fog, a sonic and artistic touchstone for me, personally; a recording that moved me to become a recording artist myself. So, I guess, I’m biased, but I’ll gladly accept that label if it means that I get to listen to works of art like Oceanic over and over. If it were a tape, it would already be nearly worn out or at least the printed ink would be disappearing on the cassette and if it were a CD I would be on my way towards my second copy, having scratched it, taking it in and out of the CD player so many times already. I’ve been at this longer than most, but not longer than Jeff and not longer than Projekt Records; it warms my heart to know that quality is still a consideration and it’s finding its way into the universe. Do yourself a favor and give this a listen as soon as you can; repeated listens are only more rewarding.
I’ve enjoyed the work of Nimanty for some time and it’s with great enthusiasm that I present this exclusive mix created just for Ambient Soundbath listeners. Enjoy!
Tracks mixed from two albums: ‘The StarNight Process’ and ‘Time Space Light’
Artist: Nimanty ( www.nimanty.com )
Label & release Venonza Records. Digital copies only
Distributor: AWAL / The Orchard Group
Mix total playtime: 1 hour, 24 minutes, 31 seconds.
Tracks in mix Starts at
1. Galactic Whispers (00:00)
2. A Lightyear Old Message (05:37)
4. The StarNight Process (13:41)
5. Time (36:00)
6. Space (48:07)
7. Light (01:00:50)
8. Nebula Of Life (01:15:37)
It’s always my pleasure to feature the work Allister Thompson. Through the years, Allister has become a friend, collaborator and kindred spirit. I was tickled when he released Autumnal,” his first long-form ambient piece. In order to bulk up the program, I added the wonderful track “After Us” from last year’s Primordia. This is a great deep listen. Enjoy and go check out my friend’s Bandcamp page.
Allister Thompson makes ambient, post-rock, psychedelia, and new age under the names The Gateless Gate and Khan Tengri. His newest release, “Autumnal,” is a long-form ambient piece inspired by the cloudy, windy, mostly wet days of fall where he lives in Northern Ontario, Canada near the shores of Lake Nipissing.
For those Ambient Soundbath listeners who prefer a visual background, listen regularly on YouTube or just like a little bit of ambient television designed for relaxation and calm – This for you.
Please comment and like the video and also share your comments about what can be improved.
The inclusion of Paul Beaudoin’s Shakti here on the Soundbath started curiously, when a variety of Paul’s tracks showed up in my inbox. Either from a series of Twitter posts or from a Reddit/Ambient conversation, Paul knew I was looking for longform works and sent me some things. I was instantly smitten with Paul’s beautiful collection of longform works. I kind of collect longform works like I do deep dish pizza experiences. Folks close to me know that two of my favorite things are deep dish pizza (specifically) but really and kind of pizza and ambient music, specifically longforms. A strange corollary, perhaps, but discovering Paul’s music was not unlike discovering a new pizzeria with a variety of delicious pies. Paul’s work demonstrates a masterful artistry with careful attention to restraint. This won’t be the last time you hear Paul’s work on the Soundbath.
Enjoy this two and a half hour beauty.
-Matt
About Shakti:
Shakti was created in 2015 while Paul was in Tallinn, Estonia on a Fulbright Scholarship. While in Tallinn, Paul experienced a major shift in his life, and began to reexamine nearly every aspect of his personal and creative. Paul’s interest in Indian culture and Hinduism, in particular, led him to imagine Shakti, the Indian goddess involved in the creation, maintenance, and destruction of the universe – a goddess of both good and evil. As in life, the movement in Shakti is extremely slow and almost imperceptible. It was made from a series of 10 chords played by a Mexican accordionist that seems lost. And, as in most Indian raga, Shakti is meant to be heard at a specific time of day – the end of the piece should coincide with the sunset. Shakti is dedicated to the Estonian dancer Kaspar Aus, who used it in his evening-length performance “Solo: from nothing to nothing.”
About Paul:
Paul Beaudoin (b. 1960, Miami, FL, USA) – is an academically trained composer who received a Ph.D. in music theory and composition from Brandeis University. He is an award-winning educator and published author on John Cage, Gyorgy Ligeti, and the history of American music. For decades, Paul lived in Boston, MA, where he conducted, played clarinet, and taught music and art history at several universities. As an educator, he was a leading advocate for online learning and spent a decade traveling the globe to train teachers to teach with technology.
In 2015, Paul was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship that brought him to Estonia. During this period, Paul’s inner creativity was reawakened. He began painting, making experimental video art, and writing poetry. During this time, Paul experienced a radical shift in his creative work as he reflected on his academic career and inner spiritual transformation. Paul’s music moved away from the dissonant, angular music he felt was expected of an academic composer in New England. Paul’s music softened, expanding into long, slowly evolving soundscapes living somewhere between ambient music and the long drone music of composers such as La Monte Young, Tony Conrad, and Eliane Radigue. Paul’s recent music parallels his visual work, where soft backgrounds are etched with foreground gestural mark-making.
Paul is a globally recognized composer, visual artist, experimental video maker, and writer who lives in an Estonian neighborhood formerly occupied by the Soviet military.
The Ambient Soundbath Podcast is seeking longform ambient drone works to be featured on the podcast.
Tracks can be unreleased, one-offs, remixes, exclusives, etc.
Individual tracks need to be at least 60 minutes in length; longer is better up to about 2-3 hours!
Music should fit the podcast tone, i.e. no beats, no vocals, no dissonances, no abrupt sounds, no field recordings unless tastefully integrated into lulling drones.
Questions, music, etc… contact us here or at this email: thesoundofambientguitar at gmail dot com
With episode #119, I’m really proud to present the work of Ceramic (aka Daman Hoffman). I enjoy the pure and reflective drones of Daman’s work and therefore profoundly grateful to present them and share them with you; even more exciting is that Daman allowed me to create an extended drone using one of his original works at the end of this program that is exclusive to the Ambient Soundbath. Please consider supporting Ceramic (Daman) on Bandcamp.
It Takes Some time (Matt Borghi Extended Re-Edit) – Ambient Soundbath Exclusive
About Ceramic (Daman Hoffman)
Daman Hoffman is a soundbath facilitator and musician based in Little Rock, Arkansas, although that’s all come about somewhat recently. After achieving sobriety four years ago he began to explore his fascination with sound and received training in meditation and vibrational healing. Creating healing music for soundbath sessions led him to explore his love for ambient and new age music. Daman plays a variety of instruments but for his project Ceramic, he utilizes only synths for his compositions that swell, evolve and cascade in a meditative and sometimes cinematic way. His first album, “Now That You’re Here,” is out on September 22nd. Other musical and meditation projects include Embassy of Sound, Ethereal Planes, The Passive Fire, and Natural State Vibes. You can also hear him on the radio, hosting “Rivulets & Reveries,” a weekly program devoted to dreamy ambient music on 103.3 KOBV in Bentonville, Arkansas.
High praise for Jeff Greinke’s newest recording,Oceanic, a stand out gem in a world of music streaming services and YouTube channels overflowing with so-called “ambient music” choices. Oceanic has moved me, musically and as an artist, in a way that I haven’t been moved in years. I admit, I’ve become jaded. I’ve heard a lot, listened to a lot and forgotten a lot of what I’ve heard. The prominence of ambient and drone music on streaming services with playlists featuring ambient music for sleep, yoga, meditation, relaxation, study, reading and just about any other inert activity you can think of and some others you haven’t thought of yet, hasn’t helped the situation. So much of what’s being released these days is uninspired at best and forgettable at worst. With Oceanic, I’m reminded of Jeff’s early recording Cities In Fog, a sonic and artistic touchstone for me, personally; a recording that moved me to become a recording artist myself. So, I guess, I’m biased, but I’ll gladly accept that label if it means that I get to listen to works of art like Oceanic over and over. If it were a tape, it would already be nearly worn out or at least the printed ink would be disappearing on the cassette and if it were a CD I would be on my way towards my second copy, having scratched it, taking it in and out of the CD player so many times already. I’ve been at this longer than most, but not longer than Jeff and not longer than Projekt Records; it warms my heart to know that quality is still a consideration and it’s finding its way into the universe. Do yourself a favor and give this a listen as soon as you can; repeated listens are only more rewarding.
