Ancestral Origins (Pre Order)

ARTIST : Minimal Drone GRL TITLE : Ancestral Origins GENRE : Ambient CAT NO : bc054 FORMAT : Cassette and Digital DATE : 3rd April 2020



"Ancestral Origins" is the stunning new album from Canadian ambient artist Minimal Drone GRL and is now available for pre order from our bandcamp.

SIDE A Belcarra Forest Ambience Torpor (Eyes Through A Bear) Cross Country 365 Days Realms of Foreshadowing and Hindsight Improvement District No.12 Velvet Shadows SIDE B Ambivalence Nostalgic Echoes Shifting Plates (Juan de Fuca) Spirit of Kolus CloudWalker Taiga (Boreal CDA)

Sacred Bass....

Our December podcast arrives tomorrow afternoon and we're rounding off 2018 in style with a very special guest mix from Shamanscape Records boss, Amunraja. It’s a showcase of some ultra smooth psydub and soothing bass soundscapes. We’re looking forward to unveiling it in full tomorrow....

Until then you can check out just some of his freshest material below...

Muladhara - Audio Visual Collaboration from Polarian Productions on Vimeo.

Bricolage Podcast #32 : Leit Motif

Our April podcast sees Leit Motif nudge us into springtime with a selection of downtempo treasures from his expansive collection of sounds. Crepuscular ambient tones, drones and spectral voices slowly circulate into haunting sound design before the tempo rises with some deep pulsing bass and rich, bubbling, dub techno frameworks and onto some entrancing world electronica that glides before giving way to a Glasgow field recording excerpt from Leit Motif himself to round things off.

“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.” 

Stream the mix below or at our mixcloud.

Bricolage Podcast #30 : Rain

Our February podcast sees revered selector, Rain, return for his second Bricolage podcast. In March last year we got a selection of some of his finest DnB favourites and this time out we’re being given an insight into his quieter side with some ethereal ambient soundscapes as he scours his massive music collection for some deep and resonant tracks that make for an hour of celestial storytelling through sound. 

As always you can listen to the podcast below or at our Mixcloud.

Blue Notes "Tetrahedron" (bc031)

We’re proud to be able to unveil our final release of 2017 in the form of the full length Bricolage debut from Blue Notes. On “Tetrahedron” the young Glaswegian producer has cooked up a shimmering set of sounds that effortlessly straddle the thin line between ambient and IDM. Emotive melodies and soothing pads mixed with complex and glitchy beats are the calling card, and while the main focus may be on the sculpting of ethereal moods, the overall product showcases both the accessible and the experimental edges of the young production whizz as he carries on slowly carving out that signature Blue Notes sound.

He's also taken the opportunity of a full length album to formally introduce his side project, “C4", to the world with two sharp and jagged, more aggressive natured, tracks that round off the album and give off an indication of the direction he might be turning his creative skills towards.

You can stream the album in full and grab a free DL or PWYW either below or at our bandcamp.



Watch a breathtaking audio/visual for the title track below and check out one of the stand out tracks from the album available for streaming on our Soundcloud.

Introducing The Collective 48 - 51

Tonight we continue introducing you to some more of the fantastic artists we have lined up for your listening pleasure on our latest compilation. Various Artists Volume 4 is out this Monday, the 14th of November. So without further ado, let's say hello to Roman Fahls, Dark Fidelity Hi Fi, Minerva and Ra1n.



48. ROMAN FAHLS



Intricately weaving together influences of techno and ambient electronic music, Roman Fahls works to create a sound that generates as much pleasure on headphones as it does on the dancefloor. His is music for the mind and feet.

Roman Fahls (Soundcloud)

Roman Fahls (Facebook)

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49. DARK FIDELITY HI FI



DFHF are underground, Mancunian record producer, Rick Jones, and several guest players. The DFHF style incorporates mixing and recording all formats of sound from a varied selection such as 90's loungecore to dark trap and dub to lofi groove all with absorbing and curious textures. Each track stands out and provides an individual, engaging experience. The debut album "Dub Tests and Sky Pop Transmissions" was released last year on DIY Manchester label, Soundwaves Here We Come followed by a 6 track EP this year, "No Wave Control Manual". DFHF are settling into somewhat of a creative roll and we're glad to have them continue regular output as part of the new compilation.

Dark Fidelity Hi Fi (Soundcloud)

Dark Fidelity Hi Fi (Facebook)

Dark Fidelity Hi Fi (Reverb Nation)
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50. MINERVA



Minerva is the alias of Ariadne Vinerma. A young, female electronic producer of half Greek, half Hungarian heritage. She has released music on many local labels since her teens. Up until recent times her releases and sounds were focused on a heavier, industrial palette but as of late her style has taken a more experimental approach. The techno side of things still remains but there's a more playful and melodic edge to some of the tracks. This new direction is evident by the different stylings over on brand new "Minerva" Soundcloud page.

Minerva (Soundcloud)

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51. RA1N



Rain is the musical vehicle of 29 year old Alex from Russia. His output falls mainly under the drum n bass and ambient categories but he takes influence from a vast array of performers in the electronic world and beyond. Citing the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Chemical Brothers and Depeche Mode as just a few of his most cherished childhood vinyl memories. His taste in drum n bass is also exquisite with artists such as London Elektricity, Fanu, Sunchase and Electrosoul System name dropped among his favourites. For Alex, it's not just making his own music that's a hobby but also creating stories through his popular mixes. His "Ambient Hour" episodes on Mixcloud are full to the brim with dowtempo and chilled out drum n bass gems.

Ra1n (Soundcloud)

Ra1n (Discogs)

Ra1n ('Ambient Hour' episodes)

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This weekend we'll introduce the remaining artists then it's full steam ahead towards the release :)

Nova Noma : Highrise (Audio/Visual)

Bricolage is proud to present a new audio/visual for the track "Highrise" by Nova Noma. It's a short trip with blissed out melodic electronica taking you on a journey from morning to night through a city full of colours, shapes and sounds.



You can stream and download the full "Atlas" album below or at our bandcamp.

Nova Noma "Atlas" (bc016)

"Atlas" is the debut album from Glaswegian producer Nova Noma and what better way to showcase your musicianship than an array of sounds as pristine as this collection. It's a release that swirls and glides it way through chill out territory. Layers of rippling synths, fractured beats, glistening melodies and expertly placed electronic string arrangements. Throw in a selection of deftly used dialogue samples and guest vocals from Vena and you have all the ingredients for a simply majestic debut. "Atlas" is an album that demands your full attention from start to finish, from the prelude of the title track to the postlude closer of "Omega". The production skills and melodic know how on show from Nova Noma are practically flawless. Everything flows, everything fits. The tracklisting order has been set out to perfection and takes the listener on a dream like, upbeat journey. It's positive, thought provoking and uplifting chill out music. Tailor made for a warm summer evenings with your headphones.

The album can be streamed and DL below or at the Bricolage bandcamp page.



The download comes with a PDF booklet of beautiful individual artwork for each track.

Headroom 04 : Leit Motif presents "Apnea"

Leit Motif takes the helm for Headroom Volume 4 and provides us with a special mix that he's titled "Apnea". This otic experience is doused in translucent sounds that layer perfectly into each other in the most subtle of ways. Cushioned noises are backdropped into a collage of drones, ambience, whispered vocals and dreamlike atmospherics. The tone of the mix is set early on and it slowly unfurls and rebuilds itself in beautiful and intricate stages. The textures, fragments of sounds and shimmering, fragile elements used to create this headphone journey make it feel like time slows down when you're caught up in it. And lets be honest, it's always nice to slow down every once in a while.

As always you can stream the mix below or at our mixcloud.



Tracklist

1. Sleepland - Scaffold
2. French Teen Idol - The Following Takes Place Between 0:00 and 57:30
3. Siavash Amini - The Water Awaits
4. Alessandro Cortini - Scappa
5. Fragile X - Sonder
6. Karl Verkade - Cityscape
7. talkingmakesnosense - Holophrase
8. Le Thug - New Balance
9. Headaches - IX
10. Sink//Sink feat Oh So Why - Nobody Knows
11. Midnight Tales - Where Are You?
12. Epic45 - In All The Empty Houses
13. Ciloclub - Molly
14. Shotaro Hirata - Maeda Point
15. Hammock - When The Sky Pours Down Like A Fountain
16. Hunter/Game - Paradigm
17. Tempelhof - NIK
18. Aidan Baker - Sorry For What I Said To You In Your Dream
19. Chicago Word Brigade - Nenio Sed La Literoj
20. Night Note - Space For Your Own Imagination
21. M83 - The Highest Journey
22. Leit Motif - Aria
23. This Mortal Coil - Song To The Siren
24. Susumu Yokota - Saku
25. The Album Leaf - For Jonathan

Be sure to keep up to date with future ambient mixes from Leit Motif on Mixcloud.

Centurion

100 is a big number. 100 of anything is a lot. 100 pizzas. 100 pencils. 100 podcasts....

That's exactly how many episodes of The Monday Graveyard that our pal, Mark Shields, reached yesterday. Think about that....100 episodes. 100 hours plus of music. That's a lot of songs. That's a lot of good songs. Tonight we're going to take a quick look back through some of my favourite episodes and reveal a bit more about the beginnings of MG.

It's came a long way since Marks original Wednesday Graveyard series. Slowly morphing into a Monday slot and then advancing to becoming a live show on local radio station Pulse before reverting to an exclusive podcast only series again in recent times due to Mark moving to England. I could waffle on more about the story behind the show but Mark describes the history of it better over on his blog.

Instead, to start off I'll take you right to Episode 100. With a playlist containing many MG favourites and featuring the likes of Boc, Tycho, Errors and a lot more, it's a fitting episode for the big milestone. A Fragile X track from the newest Bricolage release, The Outer Circle, closes out the most recent show and there's more to come on the Bricolage front at the end of this post. But for now listen to 100 in all it's glory.



I, myself, only became aware of the Monday Graveyard show almost exactly two years ago at the beginning of February in 2014. I was informed by a Pulse radio presenter called Chris Nelms that Mark had intended to play my track "Ya'aburnee" and I was over the moon. Chris had already played a few of my tracks on his own weekly show "Echolalia Radio', a brilliant eclectic selection of music and spoken word pieces. But Mark's show was different, here was a show that specialized in playing the kind of music that I have the most joy both listening to and creating. Electronic, ambient, experimental and drone. I knew I'd be a fan and a regular listener right away. I was unaware at the time that my music would feature relatively regularly on the show or that I'd even eventually pop in and meet Mark for a chat and get to pick some songs on the show myself. Here's a run through a few featured landmark episodes for myself.

Episode 11 was the first time Fragile X material was played on the show. It's an all Scottish episode and will always be one I'll recall fondly. It aired on the 10th of February 2014.



Four and a bit months later on the 26th of May I was invited by Mark to be a guest on his show and come in to the studio for a live on air chat. We discussed (and aired some music from) my newly released "Haptics" album and talked about the inspiration behind some of my music, touched on my recording techniques and just had a general chat. I won't lie, before I went in I was pretty nervous about it all. Some people have a knack for doing live radio and some don't. I was convinced I would fall into the latter category and stumble and bumble my way through the show whenever I was asked a question. But upon arrival at the Pulse studios I was instantly made to feel more relaxed and comfortable. Mark gave me a tour around the place, made me feel at home and assured me I'd be fine when that On Air signal would appear. I'll forever be thankful for that. You can have a listen to that show and enjoy some conversation between myself and Mark and hear some choice music from the likes of Ben Frost, Phillp Jeck, Oren Ambarchi and more.



I have my own mix series called "Cult Zer0es". It's been running for almost 2 years now but is only at episode 17.....a long way from 100! Mark became a regular listener to the CZ mixes and in February 2015 he asked me to contribute a special edition of CZ for the first in his planned guest mixes for The Monday Graveyard show. A seamless hour of back to back music made up of whatever I wanted appearing on a local radio station? I jumped at the chance, I know it sounds cliched but I (like a lot of people) used to make my own favourite playlist mixtapes and be the host of my own made up radio station when I was a wee boy. So I was genuinely ecstatic to be asked to make that mix. I put a lot of time into the mix and produced a session that, I'm not too shy to say, I think is one of the best I've made. It just seemed to flow and melt together when deciding on tune choice and the music overlapping. Again, I'm forever grateful and thankful to Mark for asking to contribute to his show in such a manner. You can listen below.



As I mentioned earlier, I've been following the show for just over 2 years and in that time I've been introduced to a lot of new and good music. Every show I would find new artists to seek out and find more about. Here's a list of some of my personal stand out episodes through the years.

Episode 13 (24/02/2014)

This particular show was all about DIY labels, micro labels and cassette labels. A true underground feel to it and exposing music that a lot of people might not have otherwise been aware of.



Episode 16 (24/0/2014)

A show with a twist. A live police scanner form the LAPD was weaved into the show and created a beautiful concept as it played alongside the usual fantastic music selections.



Episode 36 (11/08/2014)

An episode that focused on modern classical composition and also featured some movie soundtracks.



Episode 45 (13/10/2014)

This episode was Marks return to presenting live on radio after understandably taking a break from doing live shows due to the birth of his daughter.



Episode 77 (08/06/2015)

Part 1 of a Bandcamp special featuring Scyye, Loscil and Owesy among many more.



Episode 91 (23/11/2015)

A show that consisted purely of computer game soundtracks, old and new. An excellently put together episode.



So now that Episode 100 is here, what's next? Well, Episode 101 of course. Which I'm very proud to say is an all Bricolage special. I've curated and recorded an hour long mix that consists purely of music from Bricolage artists for Marks show. There's sounds from Kure, Slow Deep Breath, get-effect and lots more. I'll keep the final tracklist a secret until it's aired but you can rest assured it's a nice mixture of ambience, experimentalism, electronica and techno. The episode will be out on February 15th (next Monday) and I'll be sure to link it here and beyond when it goes up on the Monday Graveyard online catalogue.

But for now, lets allow the idea of 100 episodes of The Monday Graveyard to sink in again. It's no mean feat to reach such a number and it takes a lot of dedication and effort to consistently produce a thoroughly enjoyable and, more importantly, relatable show. Whether it's been in podcast form or on live radio, knowing that I had/have the The Monday Graveyard to listen to has always made my Mondays that little bit better.

Congratulations, Mark, and here's to another 100.

In The Loop : Episode 11

Our first "In The Loop" episode of 2016 is a bumper edition with lots to catch up on from the tail end of 2015 and the start of 2016.

First up is a fresh track from International Debris."Glass Tower" is a cut from the upcoming album 'Curtain Moon'. It's a mixture of hard vaporwave and modern garage style drums. You can grab a free download of it on Soundcloud.



A fortnight or so ago, there was also "A Song" uploaded by Ross. Literally, a song. It's a 20 year old mash up type effort (circa 1996) that has a strange and certain appeal to it. Listen below.


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Next up is Fragile X, to round off 2015, the Bricolage founder wrote and recorded a song inspired by synesthesia called "Theory of Colour". It's an experimental techno/electronic affair that was created in the space of one late December afternoon. Chunky rhythms, a huge melodic breakdown and Alan Watts samples are at the forefront.



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On the subject of Fragile X.....any followers of his mixcloud account may well be aware of his long running Cult Zer0es mix series. The last 3 or 4 sessions have saw guest mixes from some of his musical friends and Volume 17 is no different. He's recruited fellow Bricolage label mate Lo-Jacker to provide a follow up of sorts to his inaugural Bricolage podcast from September 2015. It's another hour full of choice electronic cuts put together in the fun style of Lo-Jackers mixing techniques.

Cult Zer0es (Volume 17) "Lo-Jacker" Guest Mix by Fragile X on Mixcloud

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January saw Kure make a very important announcement or two....





"One Very Important Announcement" and "Dreamliner" are quality returns to SC for the Danish experimentalist. They offer a sneak preview into his vision of a "new Jet Age". Stay tuned for more.

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Towards the end of last year, Glass Mammoth uploaded a few new tracks. One of the stand outs from them was the tribal chillout of "Zen". With it's rolling percussion and blissed out melodies providing a melancholic meditative landscape to get lost in.


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As mentioned before on this blog, jazzdefector is a constant source of musical output and 2016 has started no differently for him. No less than 5 new instrumentals have made their way on to his Soundcloud this past month. My personal favourites are the the ambient canvas of "3 +hree" and the beautifully constructed "Einsteins Blackboard" which was inspired by a visit to the Museum of the History of Science.





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Merrimans Ghost is another artist who has some seriously regular musical output. One of his latest offerings was the intriguing "Delirium Tremens". Full of wistful arpeggios and soft delay. It's a late night track to drift off with.


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Last but not least, last months Headroom mix from "Roy Or Bison?" is now available for free download to take on the go with you. You may remember our blog post from last month where we outlined our new download host website for all our mixes, hearthis.at.  Our mixes are still exclusively uploaded to Mixcloud but will appear on there (hearthis.at) for free download. Our full catalogue is available on there now and Headroom 02 is the latest addition. It's a head melting, genre mashing 2 hour trip that's bound to stretch your skulls a little....

Headroom 02 - Roy Or Bison? presents 'Ego Death' by Bricolage Collective on hearthis.at

Fragile X - Amygdala (Lo-Jacker remix)

Bricolage is proud to present an unreleased exclusive as our first video of 2016. An outstanding Lo-Jacker remix of Fragile X's "Amygdala" that goes full flip and turns on the retro charm.


The remix was produced last autumn and it's been hard for us to keep it a secret for so long! But now we have a visual prepared for it we can share it with you.

It's the coming together of two artists and their distinctive sounds. Lo-Jacker has taken the original melodies on show in "Amydgala" , elaborated on them and added his own sounds to create a characteristic and bass heavy arrangement of the track. In contrast to the glitchier drums and quieter tones of the original, this version stomps along with punchier drums and percussive elements pronouncing it that good bit heavier whilst keeping the captivating and colourful edge of the bleeps and splashes of melody at the forefront.



The video is a perfect match, it's just as colourful as the track and sits with the music nicely as a slightly psychedelic nod to the neurons and powers of the brain.

There'll be a HQ download of the audio available soon. Stay tuned.

Introducing The Collective: 18-20

It's with great pleasure that I can announce we have a second installment of our VA compilation coming out on the 16th of November. The release will consist of work from some new members and act as an introduction to their sounds.

So without further ado, let's meet them.

18. SLEEP MAPS



Sleep Maps is the solo project of California based musician and producer, Ben Kaplan. The project began in Los Angeles before Kaplan moved to Broolyln, NY. There he formed a 4 piece band and released the record 'Fiction Makes The Future' to critical acclaim. Performing live in NY for several years, Kaplan moved again, back to CA where he released 'We Die For Truth' the most ambitious Sleep Maps record yet. Featuring passages of quiet contemplation and sections of brutal heaviness, the Sleep Maps project tries to tread the line between post-rock and metal without straying too far into either. Latest album "We Die For Truth" ponders the question, "With advances in technology, should human beings be allowed to live forever?"

Sleep Maps (Facebook)

Sleep Maps (Bandcamp)

Sleep Maps (Soundcloud)

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19. OSCURITO


Oscurito is the pseudonym of Glaswegian electronic musician, Ciaran McIntyre. Oscurito uses hard grooves and light, uplifting melodies to create a uniquely, dark, but catchy and funk filled take on house and techno. Originally picking up the guitar at the age of just 6, he had been introduced to music at a very early age. By age 14, Ciaran was recording and producing his own rock and metal demos in his fathers music studio just outside of Glasgow. Through these experiences he learned the tricks of the trade and what it takes to make pristine production. Since his formative years he has journeyed through many musical genres until he found that his passion truly lay in electronic music, thus providing us with Oscurito. With gloops of thick textured rhythms and big melodies abound, he's another fine homegrown talent to be able to add to the Bricolage Collective.

Oscurito (Soundcloud)

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20. GLASS MAMMOTH

Glass Mammoth is the alias of Birmingham based producer Peri Mani. Peri is another whose love of music started at an early age, taking up guitar at 14 before progressing onto many different instruments and then onto production at age 18. Now 21, he has become heavily involved in the electronic music scene and is currently working on a full length album. His sounds veer from drum n bass to soundscapes and the more chilled side of electronic music. An exciting combination.

Glass Mammoth (Facebook)

Glass Mammoth (Soundcloud)

Glass Mammoth (Twitter)

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You can expect more introductions to some more new members in the coming weeks leading up to our second compilation. Stay tuned.