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TThe New Age Music Circle Ning website.
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AV's
Q&A
With Forest
Articles Around
the web
New Age Music
Made Simple
by Stephen Hill
New Interview with
Christine Brown on
the Mainly Piano site
Check it out by
clicking here.
A Diary of Occurrences
by The Glimmer Room
The Ritual Space
by Shane Morris and
Dan Minoza
A Pale But Lasting Hope
by Mystified
Mystery of Light
by Deuter
Prayer to the Mystery: The Gathering 2
by Little Wolf
Cream
by Robert Schroeder
Fusion
by Axess
Transcendence
by Alpha Wave Movement
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Visitors |
Touching Mind and Spirit With Music |
Page Views |
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Lorrie Sarafin |
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Many Paths |
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Bruno Sanfilippo
Subliminal Pulse |
Subliminal Pulse AV talks to Bruno Sanfilippo Bruno Sanfilippo has been a musician and producer of ambient music since 1991. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1965. Later, he moved to Barcelona, Spain. There, Sanfilippo became a professor for music at the Galvani Conservatory in 1988. Ten years later, he founded the label ad21music. Since then he has contributed to several compilations and also collaborated on projects with Byron Metcalf, Mathias Grassow, Max Corbacho and Alio Die (Stefano Musso). Through his contemplative music the intention is to transmit something other than emotional stimulus or simple entertainment. In dreams, there’s no imagined thing that’s too absurd, too strange. Sanfilippo's music comes from that inexhaustible source. It has been broadcast on radio shows such as Hearts of Space, Star's End, Echoes, Soma, Ultima Thule Ambient Music and StillStream. Click here to read the entire interview. Other Artist Interviews on Ambient Visions |
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Doug Hammer Travels
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Travels AV talks with Doug Hammer Doug Hammer is a highly sought-after musician, composer, producer, arranger, and engineer. Music has always played an important role in Doug's life, as he was called to it at a very early age. He showed musical interest at age three and began piano lessons at the age of six. He had some wonderful teachers in contemporary, jazz and classical styles of music. He began composing songs while in high school and then went to Berklee College of Music in Boston on a partial scholarship to study songwriting, commercial arranging, and jazz. He helped put himself through school by doing solo piano gigs at local bars, restaurants, hotels and Boston's Faneuil Hall. Because of his composing skills, he gained a lot of studio experience at Berklee. Doug has always enjoyed the recording and production process and later decided to open his own project studio and production company, Dreamworld Productions. His company grew and later included his wife Emmanuelle's graphic design talents, which now became Dreamworld Productions and Design. They moved north of Boston and built and opened a larger studio in 2000 which includes a Schimmel concert grand piano.
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Rainforest Reverbertation |
AV's Track of the Day
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Travels |
AV's Spotlight Album
Travels by Doug Hammer
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MMichael Foster |
The Streaming Savior? Welcome to November AV readers. I hope that you are ready for the onslaught of the holidays and of course the cold, snowy weather that is right around the corner for a large portion of the United States. Of course there are millions on the east coast who don't need to be reminded about the change in seasons as they were blasted with an unexpected fall snowstorm that took out the power to large swaths of the storm's footprint. I hope that power has been restored to most of them at this point because it is miserable and dangerous spending extended periods of time without power during the cold that accompanies these storms. It certainly is a depressing way to start this portion of the year since if it is starting in late October then what in the world do we have to look forward to for the rest of the winter months. In regards to my last blog I wanted to thank the two brave souls who responded to my request and offered support and assistance to help Ambient Visions stay on the web. Your thoughtfulness is very much appreciated. The other side of this coin is that there was a deafening silence from the majority of the readers of AV. I'm just going to take that as a mandate that we are all on our own and it is the survival of the fittest out here on the web so if AV doesn't survive then that is what is meant to be. I can accept that. I still believe that the future has not been written yet and our actions in the here and now can still alter what is to be. I will continue to "kick against the darkness until it bleeds daylight" and hopefully AV will still be around to celebrate those brighter days. |
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Bill Fox
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Galactic Travels: AV talks with Bill Fox This time around Ambient Visions' Q & A has a go at Bill Fox, the long time host of a spacemusic radio show called Galactic Travels. Bill has been broadcasting Galactic Travels since 1996 out in eastern PA on WDIY calling the faithful to his weekly shows that spotlight the best that spacemusic has to offer. What's that you say? You haven't heard of Bill or his show? Well then you are in for a treat as we ask Bill all those difficult and hard to answer questions that keep you up at night trying to figure out the answer to. What's your favorite color Bill? If you could be an animal what animal would you be? And of course who is your favorite Beatle? After these difficult questions we got down to talking about spacemusic and his work as a musician to round things out. If you wanted to know about Bill Fox, Galactic Travels and how it all came to pass then this is the interview for you. Seriously, join us now as we talk to Bill Fox about his ongoing love for and involvement with spacemusic.
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Silent Star
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Silent Star by Bernward Koch AV Spotlight CD Review Bernward Koch is a well-respected German New Age/Ambient
Artist. With eight albums to his credit,
Silent Star shows off Koch’s talent with keyboards, synthesizer and
programming. These compositions are inspired by Otto Lilienthal, an
inventor and “father of flight” that Koch has always admired. The tunes are light, almost shimmering in
their appeal, with the piano melodies adding that special Koch magic that makes
his works appealing. This CD has some very catchy melodies that stand out in
the fourteen tracks that comprise this album.
I really enjoyed the track She; it was gentle and very relaxed. Silent Star was reminiscent of classical
piano pieces played in the great halls of old but gave a feeling of drifting
and floating through an ambient sky. The
Color of Spring was a bouncy and delightful composition that brings to mind
daffodils and young children running in fields of spring flowers. This is an enjoyable work that will leave you
feeling spirited and playful. |
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Enlightened Love
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Enlightened Love by BlueMonk AV Spotlight CD Review Rasull Soon, who performs as BlueMonk, presents us with
striking and haunting melodies in his debut CD.
BlueMonk delights us with his soft and seductive piano and on certain
tracks combines with the wonderful talent of flautist Rajendra Teredesai, whose
compositions compliment Blue Monk’s piano.
Mr. Teredesai is a well-known and respected Indian flautist, who
provides us with some incredibly beautiful Indian bansuri or Native American
flues. The constant theme is soft, relaxing and mood setting
background music to enhance your space.
Real Music, the label, has always presented artists whose ethereal music
will set the mood for complete calm and relaxation. This CD is no exception. And their choice of piano and flute here is
an outstanding example of the kind of material I have come to expect from Real
Music. There is a very eastern flavor to many of the pieces and
there are some very Native American sounding tracks as well, but the music can
still be considered “world music.” The
piano and flute are combined with electronic enhancements to lend a very
otherworldly feel to the music sometimes, while offering some harmonic
accompaniment to the composition. |
New Reviews on Ambient Visions
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Bindu by Michael Brant DeMaria |
Time |
Reflections in Black and White by Kareem Powell |
Musical Rapture |
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Miles Tones
Logical Drift
Orange Skies
Avatara
Paradigm Shift
The Desert Inbetween
Immersion Five -
Among the Nebulae
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James Murray set to release Floods on February 1, 2012 On the flood plain where James Murray grew up, twin rivers rose each winter fed by rainfall from nearby Welsh mountains. Breaking their banks they swept over pastures and hedgerows, tore at the fabric of the land and isolated remote villages. It was here, in a makeshift studio on high ground, that James began to explore sound using scavenged instruments and homemade electronics. Floods returns to that landscape; an acknowledgment and celebration of the destructive and regenerative power of the waters. It is also an attempt by the artist to reconcile with his personal floods, those mental waters that rise to submerge the will, that can at times be opposed and must at others be allowed to overwhelm. _____________________ Written, produced and performed by James Murray at Slowcraft Studio. Dedicated to the Waters. (c) & (p) Slowcraft Records 2011
Kori Linae Carothers Kickstarter project for funding her new album Fire In the Rainstorm I really want to continue to create and release my music. The past year, I have been writing some very innovative songs. Being influenced by so many things this time, friends, family, the ocean, poetry, history, current events - this album has been an extremely emotional journey. ( Which is a good thing! ) I am very excited to share with you, the music that is coming out of me. Will Ackerman , founder of Windham Hill Records, and, Grammy Award Winning guitarist, is my producer. This is my fourth album and is the second album he and I will be working together on. He believes in my ability as a composer otherwise - he wouldn't work with me in order to create a solo piano album worthy of a Windham Hill production. Everything is set in place; the producer, studio, engineer, songs. I need a little help from you to make this happen! Every dollar will go towards the album: paying engineer(s), studio time, getting the piano in tune, mixing/mastering everything that makes a record a truly wonderful creation of music. DiN releases Ian Boddy & Erik Wollo-Fronties on March 13th 2012 Frontiers (DiN39) is a musical travelogue through lands unknown although the sonic climate is very much influenced by the two musicians shared Northern European heritage. The album is book-ended by Vista & Ascension which feature Wøllo's panoramic chordal backdrops over which Boddy plays his now famous "Ondes Martenot" glissando synth lead lines. Between these two beautiful, haunting tracks the album is built around four sequencer driven pieces, each gaining in intensity and culminating in the intense penultimate title track Frontiers. These are interspersed with more abstract and atmospheric interludes, featuring field recordings the two artists have made in their own personal travels through their respective native landscapes. Constantly shifting in mood and tone, the album leads the listener across vast, open, icy sonic landscapes whilst periodically sheltering in more warm humane zones. Expertly crafted by two renowned musicians Wøllo & Boddy produce a work of complex musical maturity that will open up it's secrets over repeated listenings.
New Deep Exile Podcast now online from David Helpling & Jon Jenkins This 16th Deep Exile Podcast is filled with adventure as we embark on an epic quest to deliver a message that will change the world forever. Start your journey now and hear from the artists themselves: listener mail, new exclusive ringtones, iPod craziness AND a sneak peek of the new record currently in production.
WVKR-FM Secret Music Top 25 Albums for 2011 See if your favorite albums from 2011 are on WVKR-FM's list of best of 2011. While you are on the Charts and Playlists page be sure to check out what other shows around the web are playing this week and be sure to visit their pages for more information about the music they play.
New Age Music World talks with Al Conti about his Grammy nomination and more John Olsen of NewAgeMusicWorld.com check's in with Al Conti for this in-depth interview oabout what inspires and moves the 2012 Grammy-nominee...and how it feels to be he only new nomininee in the New Age Album category And December ends with another new release by Saito Koji. His follow-up to the earlier released album "Music" is called "Guide". The eight tracks are 3 minutes long, the classical radio hit length. The music is very dense. Starting with very distorted, thick and layered sounds shifting to a clear and calmer atmosphere in the end. All pieces are rather short in the field of ambient or drone music but Saito filled the pieces with an enormous richness and concentration. Overtones are swirling around in your head, layer over layer of crackling noise is added to a this warm blanket of sounds. New releaese coming from Berlin Heritage called Land Of The Rising Sun in February Berlin Heritage is a new name in the field of electronic music, who is going back to the roots of the 70s era of electronic music: At that time Berlin school artists like Klaus Schulze or Tangerine Dream took their time to develop long compositions. You can hear mysterious, hypnotic slow motion-like atmospheres that lead to old-fashioned sequencer patterns that sometimes remind us of the early work of Bernd Kistenmacher. The nostalgic mellotron sounds and the deep space sound clouds create a fascinating bizarr atmosphere. By the excellent blend of timeless soundscapes and lovely old sequences you can enjoy the whole album like a smooth and unique Berlin School journey. Dream and drift away! Audiocast Productions releases new album by Kifthi Graßner Even though kifthi is more well known as a writer (poet) of different kind of lyrics, you could say that he has also some artistic musical abbilties. His debut album now released by Audiocast Productions will demonstrate his talent. Each track describes his feelings (admiration, love, affection and faith) These feelings are packed in his tracks and he wants to share every single track with the most important audience YOU and hopes you'll enjoy listening as much as he enjoyed creating.
New Igneous Flame album Lyra is now available Since his 2003 debut release 'Tolmon', Igneous Flame has
sought to create an evolving body of work and whilst 'Lyra' continues in that
theme, it differs in that the approach taken to creating this work was
significantly different to that taken for his previous albums. The work was created using a previously unused set of
tools and processes in order to experiment and explore in new directions. A
diverse range of sounds sources and textures were employed and extensively
processed. The primary instrumentation being electric guitar, nylon string
guitar and synthesizers. The work was created whilst engaged with the natural
world as a primary source of inspiration - work in progress mixes were
auditioned whilst walking through local woodland and re-worked back at the
artist's studio. This process was repeated many times, until they were felt to
be finished. The material is primarily ethereal and meditative, with
intermittent high-energy bursts and characteristic 'trans-tonal shifts'. In
terms of production, a 'clean' approach was employed - full dynamic range was
observed and preserved.
[EL008] Emerald Adrift - Within the Purple Forbidden Out Now! Delighted to announce the newest release from Ethereal Live with Emerald Adrift's beautiful adventure "Within the Purple Forbidden" Download or listen free Flac, Mp3, Ogg! Shane is well-known in the ambient universe for sharing his magnificent sound worlds freely as Creative Commons releases and through live concerts. Here, Shane presents four minimal pieces that can only be described as lush and gorgeous. Bell-like sounds and electric piano predominate, but to say that is at once a contradiction. Listen deeply and then listen even more deeply. You'll hear reversed drones, floating tones, washes of faraway sounds, hints of melodies, echoes and reverbs adding space and immensity to an overall ambience and drifting quality, yet each track is intense and focused. Four tracks of pure, ambient complexity. An October treat for your ears and for your mind.
DiN Releases Benthos by Memory Geist on July 4, 2011 The creation of "Benthos" has been a long process initiated in mid-2007 when Law visited Sirros in his home town of Athens, Greece and the duo recorded some initial material together comprising a variety of soundscapes, sequences, analogue rhythms & organic atmospheres. On his return to Melbourne in Australia, Law sculpted this raw material into a set of 6 tracks which were augmented by further soundscapes, rhythms and arrangement ideas sent across to him by Sirros. The gestation of "Benthos" took 4 years in total and has resulted in the birth of a complex and fascinating ambient electronica album. The pieces range from dark, industrial rhythmic tracks to cosmic style slabs of ambience and showcase the duos use of modular analogue synths alongside computer software manipulation.
Interview with Heidi Anne Bryer on Mainly Piano by Michael Debbage
Winterlight's "Hope Dies Last" is the Echoes June CD of the Month
Unearthed Music Presents Album Release Show Featuring: Dosh, Ostracon, Smyth, Ghostband, and Rogue Citizen Date: June 24, 2011 9:00pm to 2:00am Please join us to celebrate Ostracon's debut release, Unauthorized Modifications, with live music from Dosh, Ostracon, Smyth, Ghostband, and live painting by Rogue Citizen.
CD release: Avatara by Steve Brand on Hypnos digipak CD Steve Brand got his start releasing experimental music under the name "Augur," and more recently switched over to releasing music under his own name (both solo and in collaboration with such artists as Ishq and Disturbed Earth) on the Atmoworks, Hypnos Secret Sounds and Relaxed Machinery labels. He's quickly established himself as one of the more interesting and distinctive artists working in ambient music, and having released two albums *Bridge to Nowhere* and *Children of Alcyone* on Hypnos Secret Sounds in 2008 and 2009, we're very excited to follow up with Steve Brand's new album *Avatara* on the main Hypnos imprint. This album has a ritual feel common to many of Brand's recordings, though *Avatara* is more ambient and less percussive. The recording starts out in a place of low-key contemplation and evolves through distinct stages and moods, though it is always gentle and meditative. Steve Brand describes some of the inspirations behind this album: Avatara is Sanskrit for "descent" in the sense of a deity's descent from heaven to earth. Avatara is inspired by the various avatars of various ages and cultures...Yeshua, Quan Yin, Buddha, Brigit, Krishna, Saint Germain, White Buffalo Calf Woman, and others. I’m fascinated by the idea and the various stories in various ages and cultures of humans becoming "ascended masters," or avatars, non-human beings that still are attached to humans and choose to returns to Earth to assist them. The stories vary, and almost every culture has its masters, but one thing is consistent throughout each of their stories, they've realized a more expanded expression of being and awareness, of what we are and what we are capable of, and return to assist other human beings.
New Hidden Shoal Compilation Album Available for Free Download! To coincide with the label’s 5th birthday celebrations, Hidden Shoal is proud to announce the release of the latest installment in its free downloadable sampler album series. Hydrozoa compiles 18 singles released over the last 18 months and lovingly sequences them into an epic journey. The album is divided into two sides, each a distinct listening experience in its own right – or, if you choose to digest the album in its entirety, it’s a graduated ride from the ambient and minimal all the way through to the widescreen and guitar-fuelled. Whichever way you slice it, Hydrozoa is a compelling creature. Featuring Antonymes, Boxharp, City of Satellites, Elisa Luu, Hotels, Iretsu, Jumpel, Liam Singer, Markus Mehr, Mukaizake, My Majestic Star, Rich Bennett, Salli Lunn, Slow Dancing Society, Stray Ghost, Toby Richardson, Umpire and Wes Willenbring, Hydrozoa touches all the bases that make the Hidden Shoal roster unique, and massages them into a broad-ranging and utterly engaging whole. The release accompanied by a pdf booklet containing stunning artwork by Hidden Shoal’s Stuart Medley. Download the sampler here.
Siridisc releases Slopt by Simon Whetham
Brave New World compilation released 2-24-2011 - Twenty one very talented artists accepted the challenge
to compose a music based on two poems I've written about my fascination for cities, and twenty pictures
Jessica Aliaga Lavrijsen chose to illustrate the poems. The result is a two
hour collection of Poetic Urban Landscapes that span from magical moments one
can find if enjoying the moods of the city, into verbal expressions and
different everyday life situations. Solo Piano Concert to Feature Peter Kater and Lisa Downing - Vision Quest Concerts presents an evening of original contemporary solo piano music featuring Peter Kater, 6 Time Grammy Award Nominee, and Lisa Downing, Nominee and Winner of Multiple International Awards. Both musicians are accomplished composers, performers, and recording artists with CDs that have gained worldwide recognition. Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy an unforgettable evening of creative and magical, contemporary solo piano! On Saturday, March 12, 2011 at 7:00 pm, at Hope United Methodist Church 5101 S Dayton St, Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Tickets are $15 in advance, and $20 at the door. Tickets can be ordered online at: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/158735 For further information about Peter and Lisa, please visit their websites: http://www.PeterKater.com and http://www.LisaDowning.com
Mystified's "Dark Rites Of Mesmer" is deep and hypnotic. It is a beautiful kind of music, with washes of background drones that entrance and looped sequences adding texture. It presents a continuous interplay between immediate and distant, allowing the listener to cycle mentally between these layers. Three pieces were written with Yogic meditation specifically in mind. One was inspired by internet cyber comic "Manmachine". The longest piece, "Critical Dark", is a mid-length journey into ominous moods and tones.
Alpha Wave Movement releases new CD Soniq Variants Adventures of Plunderman 2011 Release. In 2010 Mystified released the hit E.P., "Adventures Of Plunderman", both on his own Bandcamp page and on Webbed Hand Records. Hailed as a "plunderphonic wonder", "Adventures Of Plunderman" combined retro vinyl samples with state-of-the art electronic sounds and mixing. Now, in February of 2011, you can hear the entire E.P. once again from a new standpoint-- ultra-high-fidelity. The FLAC files in this release are cut from 24-bit WAV files straight from the studio, and the mp3s are rendered from these WAV files, as well. Enjoy the improved sound quality!
Star's End Update 12-26-10 |
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Paul Avgerinos
Law of Attraction |
Artist Spotlight on Paul Avgerinos When Paul Avgerinos graduated from the Peabody Conservatory of Music in 1980, as a full scholarship honors student, he had already performed as a bassist with Isaac Stern, Jean Pierre Rampal, The Beaux Arts Trio, Baryshnikov and many other great classical artists. He also has won scholarships to play and study at music festivals in Tanglewood, Aspen, Grand Teton, Taos, and Spoleto (Italy). After graduation, Paul served as principal bass of several major symphony orchestras around the world, and gave solo recitals as well. Expanding into more popular genres, Avgerinos toured as a bassist with Charles Aznavour, Liza Minelli, and the jazz legend Buddy Rich. Seeking to further his original composition and develop his childhood passion for electronic music, Paul built Studio Unicorn, a comprehensive digital/analog recording studio, in 1984. Nine solo CDs in the New Age genre followed, including Muse of the Round Sky on the Hearts of Space label. Muse was nominated for a Grammy and is played on more than 2,000 radio stations around the world in addition to syndicated shows such as Music from the Hearts of Space and John Diliberto's Echoes. Two thirty minute features with the latter are added to his credits along with his many other radio interviews. Paul's music is currently being played on Sirius XM Satellite radio & DMX as well as Music Choice SoundScapes. He has appeared on fourteen sampler CDs and as a guest artist on albums by Joanie Madden, Faruk Tekbilek, Joaquin Lievano, Brian Keane and others. Paul records and produces many popular albums as well and has worked with artists as diverse as Jewel, Willie Nelson, Deana Carter, Richie Havens, Run DMC, and the Celtic Tenors . Avgerinos always makes time for scoring and has worked on many Film, Commercial, TV, and Cable projects for all of the major and minor networks. Paul's work on Peter Kater's Red Moon earned A 2004 Grammy Nomination. Paul's album GNOSIS placed #1 on the New Age & World Radio Chart and his latest, Garden of Delight, won an award for the Best World Album of 2007. Keeping busy creating original music for a variety of interesting and rewarding projects is a way of life. Currently, Paul lives and works in his Studio Unicorn, Redding, Connecticut, where the deer pass by his studio windows and the hawks and eagles give inspiration from above . |
Sounds
to
Listen For
Floods
by James Murray
(February 1, 2012)
Frontiers
By Ian Boddy and
Erik Wollo
(March 13, 2012)
Ambrosial Waves -
Healing Waters
by Constance Demby
Strange Attractors
by Ian Boddy
Unit IA42
by Larry Kucharz
Antimatter
by Bernd Kistenmacher
View Trailer on YouTube
Ghost Ship on a Black Sea
by Matt Borghi
Time
by Johannes Roussel
Land of the Rising Sun
by Berlin Heritage
The Speaking Earth
By Soundician
Still Moving
by Kathy Raimey
Lyra
by Igneous Flame
Synthetic Memories
by Justin Vanderberg
The Electric Tree
by Tigerforest
Shaman's Heart II
by Byron Metcalf
Dream In Blue
by Darshan Ambient
Arcturian Archives
by Geodesium
Singularity
By Mark Dwane
In Search of Silence
by David Wright
Travels
by Doug Hammer
SoundCloud Track
Afterglow
by Bob Holroyd
Transitions
by Patrick O'Hearn
Ten to Eleven
by Phillip Wilkerson
Silent Currents
Live at Star's End
by Erik Wollo
Summer All Over Again
by Mark P. Adler
Soniq Variants
by Alpha Wave Movement
From Out of the Vast
Comes Nearness
by Paul Ellis
Subterranean Landscapes
by Numina
Dawn of Obscurity
by Numina
Sleek Nucleus
by Saul Stokes
XesseX
by Richard Bone
Photonic Movements
By Robert Carty
Smoke in a High Room
by Lorde Awesome, Cymbl
and James Thomson
Benthos
by Memory Geist
Rainforest Reverberation
by Bluetech
Veil of Whispers
by Thierry David
The Diminishing Day
by Steven Rose
Golden
by Robert Illesh
Avatara
by Steve Brand
Places
by Jazzcomputer.org
Subliminal Pulse
by Bruno Sanfilippo
Unbound
by Forest Fang's
Sans Serif
Paradise Earth
by Robert Carty
A Dimension Reflected
by Time Being