A Strangely Isolated Place

  As with all my previous ‘Reflection’ year-end mixes, I begin with a collection of albums, EPs, and compilations that resonated with me over the past year. From there, I curate tracks to build the mix - a process that’s as much about omission as inclusion. Inevitably, many of my favorite tracks and albums don’t make the final cut, simply because they don’t fit the flow of the mix or get lost along the way. There are plenty of albums I played on repeat that aren’t included here, but I enjoy this process much more than creating lists. As I remind myself each year, this isn’t meant to be a definitive “best-of” list. Instead, it’s a snapshot of some of my favorite music from the year, distilled into one cohesive and listenable format. Compiling these mixes under self-imposed restrictions is my way of revisiting and celebrating the music I’ve loved critically, while sharing it with you in a way that’s both meaningful and accessible. For me, listening back to these mixes is like flipping through an audio photograph, capturing the essence of my year in music and invoking memories from special moments.I encourage you to use this mix as a jumping-off point—dive into each artist, explore their albums in full, and check out the labels behind the music. You can find a Buy Music Club list linked below to help you dig deeper. If you’re curious about the broader scope of music I’ve supported this year, my Bandcamp collection is always up to date. And for the ASIP year-end label compilation, that’s coming very soon…~2025 was nearly the year of breaking point with my time and effort spent on the label. A new job, a third child, and… well that’s enough to do it I guess. So as the year-end drew closer, the idea of completing this mix became laughable in its scope and I thought it might be the first year in over a decade I haven’t completed one. It’s helped that I haven’t done many mixes this year, so approaching it pulled on some much needed creativity, but even when looking back at what music I had supported on Bandcamp and the records on my shelves, it took me a long time to organize, make sure I had it downloaded, and even pull the trigger on items in my wishlist (my wishlist often revolves around vinyl I’ve picked up with no BC download code offered - gripe). Those who go through this obsessive process know how much time it can take up. Looking back at the mix now it’s complete, I’ve managed to include around 80% of what was in high rotation for me this year (there’s always some that don’t make it into mix form) and the styles are on point as usual in reflecting my taste over the year. We’re starting with the deep ambient cuts, moving into more IDM and techno, and moving through a lot more energetic tracks towards the end - from Jungle to Trance… One of the only live gigs I got to emerge from my family life to see was WNDFRM and Patricia Wolf in Seattle, so of course, Patricia’s newest installment on Balmat (who also had another epic year as a label) is included. Related to that event, organizer Raica (Chloe Harris) made a return with two albums this year I believe - both worthy of praise, but her piece for (another relentless outpost) Quiet Details was the stand out. A regular on these reflection mixes, MPU101 on Ilian Tape gets another nod- a BoC-vibe regular who always manages to tickle the right part of my ears. Alex Kassian had about three tracks or remixes in my original shortlist (including the lush remix of Spooky) so I had to do my best to not over-indulge - his remix of a classic Pianoman melody will bring back the Global Communication / Tangerine Dream vibes. Skee Mask is still releasing archive material that defies expectations. In one of the most welcome moves of the year, finding All Possible Worlds on Bandcamp made many people ecstatic, not least because of the full release of Irini’s odyssey, or the random track found on their profile. Light of Cacti got my Schnauss tastebuds tingling. Anushka Chkheidze has been on my radar for a long time now, so it was a treat to see her collabing with the much respected Robert Lippok across a very interesting record. OPN landed late in 2025, but arguably released one of his more welcomed albums by die-hard fans, hooking me right back into his unique worlds. Simon Littaeur came into my feed through his Instagram videos (normally something that doesn’t always result in a quality album) but his production lived up to the visual hype. The album by jp on emerging label Theory Therapy was full of big tracks, and I did my best to make sure one was included on here. Talking of big, Djrum’s latest didnt dissapoint, and he’ll continue to be classed as an innovator with output like this years. I nearly stopped at the Barker track, as it doesn’t get much bigger than that euphoric high, but something told me to bring it back down a little bit more, so into a slight trance we went with a superb debut by Alvar (Teo Bachs) and of course, the masters of hypnotizing techno, Voices from The Lake making a much needed return. The ending comes from vinyl selector Chee Shimizu, a unique piece of music that would bring the sun down on any horizon and one of two great tracks included in the mix from the ESP LA fundraiser. astrangelyisolatedplace · ASIP - Reflection on 2025 Listen on Soundcloud the ASIP Podcast or the 9128.live iOS and Android appDownloadTracklist (Artist - Title - Album - Label)1 - HARZ - 0647 - (polychromatic) [Empty Space]2 - Roméo Poirier - Picobello - (Off the Record) [Faitiche]3 - Florian TM Zeisig - Earth Loop - (A New Life) [Stroom]4 - Patricia Wolf - I'll Take Care of You - (Hrafnamynd) [Balmat]5 - Saapato - Active Decay (feat. Patricia Wolf) - (Decomposition: Fox on a Highway) [Constellation Tatsu]6 - Pianeti Sintetici - Part One - (Space Opera) [Astral Industries]7 - Heavenchord, Infinity Dots - Entering Landscapes - (Landscapes Of The Soul) [Secret Domain]8 - placa - cityzen - (in trance it) [Non-transparent]9 - Area 3 - Grass Turns To Sponge - (View) [Khotin Industries]10 - Cahl Sel - Leaf - (Traces) [Reflective Records]11 - Raica - Not There Though, Dive - (The Absence of Being) [Quiet Details]12 - MPU101 - 3100beta2 - (MPU106) [Ilian Tape]13 - Jo Johnson - Variance Remnants 3 (field recording) - (Variance - Remnants (Alterations)) [Self]14 - Pentagrams Of Discordia - < - (Triskaidekaphobia Extd.) [Self]15 - Alex Kassian - Lost in Hanoi - (ESP Institute XV) [ESP]16 - all possible worlds - untitled - [all possible worlds]17 - Skee Mask - 32Crescent - (E) [Self]18 - Rod Modell - Snowstorm in Naubinway - (Northern Michigan Snowstorms) [Silentes]19 - Strategy - Earthling - (A Cooler World) [Constellation Tatsu]20 - µ-Ziq - Peppermint Aero - (Manzana) [Balmat]21 - Lord Of The Isles - Opalescent - (Signals Aligned) [Self]22 - Plant43 - Skyway Shadow - (Luminous Machines) [Self]23 - Xenia Reaper - Drift__ - (Nept Polarisation) [Delsin]24 - Lord Of The Isles - United Wire - (Signals Aligned) [Self]25 - Martinou - The Last Hour - (The Glow That Lingers) [FauxPas]26 - Coatshek - Eternal Lovers - (Sound Bath) [Dark Entries]27 - Light of Cacti - Washed Away In Pink Skies On Brighton Shores - (Neverland is a State of Mind) [Tonights Dream]28 - Pianoman - Pasion (Alex Kassian's Mandarine Dream Mix) - (Pasion) [Planet Strange Love]29 - Anushka Chkheidze + Robert Lippok - Uncontrollable Thoughts - (Uncontrollable Thoughts) [Morr Music]30 - Oneohtrix Point Never - Measuring Ruins - (Tranquilizer) [Warp]31 - Simon Littauer - Phicet - (Modular) [Katharsis]32 - arcologies - asleep and dreaming - (PARTICLE SHIFT) [Rabbithole Club]33 - E.L Heath and Karen Vogt - This Is Spirit - (This Is Spirit) [Plenty Wenlock]34 - Aural Imbalance - Thermal Isolation - (Edge Of Space) [Auxiliary]35 - jp - planes - (we're here all the time) [Theory Therapy]36 - Vivian Koch - September (Gold) - (Colors of September) [Self]37 - Courtney Bailey - Under The Water - (In Dream) [Music From Memory]38 - Djrum - Waxcap - (Under Tangled Silence) [Houndstooth]39 - Roméo Poirier - 12 - Steve A. - (Off the Record) [Faitiche]40 - Barker - Reframing - (Stochastic Drift) [Smalltown Supersound]41 - Alvar - Meg og sola - (The Mist LP) [Peak Experience]42 - irini - The Higher (Lost In Dreams) [all possible worlds]43 - Voices From The Lake - Aquateo (II) [Spazio Disponibile]44 - Chee Shimizu - Zeze (ESP Institute XV) [ESP]Buy Music Club  

  The Dutch duo of Robin Koek and Nick Lapien, known together as Artefakt, have long been shaping their own atmospheric corner of techno. Bridging the meticulousness of academic sound design with an ever-present emotive pulse, their work has resonated deeply across releases for labels such as Delsin, Semantica, Field Records, and their own De Stijl imprint.They've always struck a balance between abstraction and function, a rare knack for making club-appropriate music that still rewards deeper, solitary listening. That tension surfaced memorably in tracks like "The Fifth Planet" or "Somatic Dreams," but perhaps most personally, in "Entering The City", a track that found its way into my Reflection on 2017 mix and still holds that special late-night gravity for me, many years on. Kinship by Artefakt Their contribution to the isolatedmix series lands as an expansive meditation on contrast and communion. As the duo describe it:"This recording came together for us imagining being in spaces of sonic isolation - conversing with each other and through this act of exchange, unfolding a dynamic landscape. This emerges as an auditory refuge where we become the waves. As we navigate this appearing structure, we re-anchor ourselves as listeners, embracing the ephemeral and reconciling with strangeness to find solace in deviation.The mix also draws from a lifelong inspiration that runs as a thread through our own music - the contrasts between natural textures, organic decay and fractal blooming sounds set against the quantization, designed function and electric qualities of the built city and the futures they represent, captured in musical imagination. The mix invites listeners to dwell in this synthesis of spaces, discovering connection within isolation."This is Artefakt working in longform and dictating progression, where subtle shifts feel tectonic and sequences unravel like a conversation across timezones. There's techno here, but blurred through the lens of wide-angle composition - a unique trance-like state that mimics their unique dance-floor rituals. astrangelyisolatedplace · isolatedmix 134 - Artefakt DownloadListen on Soundcloud, the ASIP Podcast or the 9128.live iOS and Android app.Tracklist:01. Arovane & Hior Chronik - A Day, November 201302. Multicast Dynamics - Field of Dreams 03. Jake Muir - Twilight Transmissions04. 2030 - Key to the Universe05. Neel - Alchemy 06. Stenny - Dew 07. 1991 - High-Tech Love-Life08. Imaginary Softwoods - Globe IV09. Emika Elena - Reflection (Multicast Dynamics Remix)10. BFTT - Enin11. queniv - Viba12. Hiver - Inner Motion 13. Sven Weisemann - Cascading Lights14. Imprea - In a Landscape15. Purelink - Stadium Drive16. The 7th Plain - Chords Are Dirty17. Marianna Maruyama & Hessel Veldman - Softly, at first~Artefakt Bandcamp | Soundcloud | Instagram  

  Somewhere between tape hiss and transmission error, Pentagrams Of Discordia have been quietly assembling fragments of forgotten broadcasts, reel-to-reel experiments, and dusty rhythm boxes into something that might resemble a memory. The elusive trio work collectively, in analog shadows, and their fingerprints are embedded deep within this mix. Much of the material you’ll hear is unreleased- looped, spliced, and sequenced exclusively for this set. It's both a showcase of their sound, and an enigma; a nodding towards certain iconic duos and chill-room auteurs without ever tipping fully into homage. Triskaidekaphobia Extd. by Pentagrams Of Discordia Their isolatedmix is the kind of journey that begins with no particular destination, meandering across shortwave frequencies, roadside daydreams, and the occasional flickering motel sign. A collage of found melodies, distorted lullabies, and cracked-lens nostalgia - less a DJ set and more a shared hallucination.“Expect unreleased gems, spectral edits, and glitchy whispers from forgotten projects: each track chosen not just for sound, but for how it haunts. A guided descent into the vaults, stitched with care, mischief, and just enough distortion” - PoD. Download astrangelyisolatedplace · isolatedmix 133 - Pentagrams Of Discordia Listen on Soundcloud, the ASIP Podcast or the 9128.live iOS and Android app.  

  Matt Xavier has been a friend of mine for many years now. A fellow music obsessive and trusted voice when it comes to all things ambient, techno, and beyond, we finally managed to meet in person while I lived in Los Angeles, and we stayed connected over music ever since. We’ve swapped stories about pressing vinyl and running labels, and he was the reason I first crossed paths with Joel Mull (Damm) at one of his gatherings held at a beautiful Topanga home. It was a serendipitous moment that still echoes today. A proponent for the deeper layers found in music, Matt has since become a practician, ambassador, and pioneer for psychedelic soundtracking. Along the way, he shared tracks from ASIP and other labels that were influencing and guiding his private sessions, shaping the grand masterpiece we present to you today. As his practice deepened, we exchanged many texts discussing his ambition to publish a book about his unique experience and include an accompanying mix on ASIP. Matt’s new book, ‘The Psychedelic DJ: A Practical Guide to Therapeutic Music Curation and Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy’, is a groundbreaking manual for anyone looking to bridge sound and healing. Whether you're a clinician, a DJ, or just someone who knows the power of a well-placed track, Matt’s work will likely reframe how you think about music’s role in inner journeys. His isolatedmix is a fully formed and accompanying ‘Protocol’, which is an example of one of his many guided sessions, referred to as “therapeutic DJing.” Psilocybin Therapy Protocol v1.22a, distills his craft and evolution in this practice for us all to dip into at a surface level, providing a peek into what are very personal worlds prepared for his clients. Alongside the mix, Matt joins us for a deep-dive interview, discussing his new book, his transition from rave culture to guided sessions, his real-time curatorial method and how music, when chosen with care, can become a tool for transformation. astrangelyisolatedplace · isolatedmix 132 - Matt Xavier: Psilocybin Therapy Protocol v1.22a Listen on Soundcloud, the ASIP Podcast or the 9128.live iOS and Android app. HQ Download (4gb)~Tracklist | Bandcamp Playlist to support the featured artists1. Jon Hopkins – 1/1 Singing Bowl (Ascension)2. Marconi Union – Weightless Part 13. Neel, Voices From The Lake – Planatia4. Helios – Penumbra5. 36 & awakened souls – Take Me By The Hand (awakened souls - Acid Dream Version)6. poemme – awning ~ under the willow tree7. zakè (扎克) – 000607053 OTS3 [Solar]8. awakened souls & From Overseas – Migration9. awakened souls & From Overseas – Certainty Of Tides10. 36 & awakened souls – Passing Dreams11. Desert Dwellers – Lotus Garden Spaces12. Disneynature Soundscapes – Jellyfish Atmosphere (BATHROOM BREAK)13. Endless Melancholy – When I'm With You14. Archivist – Photosensitive15. Jens Buchert – Milano16. Endless Melancholy & Black Swan – Forever In A Moment17. Gelka – Ambient Impressions Vol 2 Mashup feat. FredAgain/NilsFrahm/Fejká18. Lav – Collaborative Survival19. Unknown – SMD_60_Bb_Oceanic_FX_Long_Surf EDITED20. Lisa Bella Donna – Crystal Mountains (Matt Xavier EDIT)21. Alucidnation – Skygazer22. Wagogo Treeboga – Dream on23. Poemme (Ed Harrison) – Out (Poemme remix)24. John Beltran – Lose You25. John Beltran – I Can Chase You Forever26. Bluetech – Resonating Heart27. Chicane – Early28. Synkro – Midnight Sun (Helios remix)29. Synkro – Movement30. Carbon Based Lifeforms – Clouds31. LF58 – Evocazione/Contatto/Risveglio32. Liquid Bloom & TRIBONE - Interbeing (Telepathy Remix)33. Federico Durand – El pequeño zorro colorado34. alucidnation – All at Sea35. Slow Meadow – Upstream Dream36. Endless Melancholy – Expand37. Orbital – Belfast (ANNA Ambient Remix)38. Slow Meadow – Fake Magic Is Real39. Helios – Halving The Compass (Rhian Sheehan Remix)40. Lusine Icl – Stones throw41. Slow Meadow – Pareidolia42. Jon Hopkins – Immunity~Interview with Matt Xavier, Integrated PsychedelicsAuthor of The Psychedelic DJ: A Practical Guide to Therapeutic Music Curation and Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy [Buy Paperback] [Buy hardcover] ASIP: You come from a place of passion, DJing, and running labels. What impacted or influenced the shift into the psychedelic space with music?Matt: I’ve been passionate about pairing music with life since I was very young, but I especially remember the very first time I ever stepped onto a dancefloor in 1993 at NASA, the legendary rave club in downtown New York City. From that point on, I knew I just had to be involved. I started throwing raves, and eventually became a psychedelic DJ during what I still believe was the most influential time in dance music history. The 90s were a hedonistic blast, especially our groundbreaking psychedelic trance events at the Shelter, but such debauchery also came with some downsides.I ended up burning out at the turn of the millennium and went sober from 2000 to 2003. That time helped me fall back in love with myself, but I also fell out of love with New York. I moved to LA to be near my friends in Moontribe, who I’d gotten close with in the late 90s. That chapter in LA led to years of nightclub events, DJ sets, and running our techno label, Railyard Recordings. They were wildly fun times, but honestly, LA’s backstage rat race wore me out. Financially, it didn’t really hold up either, so I knew I had to make a change and find something that could carry me, and possibly a family, into the next chapters of my life.In 2009, I decided to go back to school to become a counselor. I’d had a ton of personal experience with therapy by then, mostly from working through childhood trauma and recreational or problematic drug use during my teenage years. I worked full time as an addiction counselor during the oxycontin and heroin epidemic of the 2010s, and by 2015 the burnout was getting hard to manage. That’s when I decided to revisit psychedelics but this time intentionally, and with a more therapeutic approach.A few years later, the burnout finally caught up with me. I reached out to a friend who was a therapist working on the MDMA studies at a local university, and they pointed me toward the growing psychedelic integration community. The first time I walked into that space, it felt like home. Not just because it reminded me of my work as a group therapist, but also because of my deep history with psychedelics from the 90s rave and psy-trance scenes. It was a perfect match.I immediately started seeking training and built out a private practice focused on integration work. That quickly evolved into guiding with psychedelics and music. And at some point, my wife pointed out that I hadn’t actually quit DJing like I thought I had back in 2017. I was just doing it differently. I wasn’t playing to or seeking crowds anymore. I was DJing for one person at a time, what I’ve always called an “audience of one.” And the sets I’ve played in that context have, in many ways, offered more meaning and healing than anything I ever experienced on a dancefloor. Caught catching up in the garden with Matt’s new book ASIP: I’m aware this type of practice can come across as very “hippy-dippy shit”, but you approach it through a serious music background. Can you explain, for anyone new to this how your approach differs from the stereotypical approach?Matt: Oh wow, I totally get that. It’s understandable. Psychedelics still get looked at through the lens of “hippy-dippy shit,” especially because of everything that happened in the 60s and 70s, and how effectively the government programmed society to see psychedelics as ridiculous or unserious. And to be fair, some of that reputation was well earned, and that goes for the ridiculous fashion and antics of ecstasy-rolling ravers of the 90s too.The way psychedelics were presented during both counterculture movements didn’t exactly help make them look medicinal or appealing to the average person. Hopefully the intentional, therapeutic, research-based approaches being taken these days are starting to change that narrative across the board.As for the stereotypical approach... I’m honestly not even sure what that means anymore, because my colleagues and I all work in such different ways, sometimes radically different. But if we’re talking about my approach, and what I lay out in the book, I’d say it’s more intentional, more clinical, and more therapeutic, with aspects of spirituality mixed in. It’s not recreational, though there’s nothing wrong with recreating oneself, and it’s definitely not counterculture or political.The focus of my practice is helping clients safely explore

  Eighteen sessions in, and somehow, todos still manages to unearth mixes that astound. Kilchurn Session XVIII arrives as a continuation of a conversation we’ve been having for over a decade, threading forgotten film cues, elusive ambient B-sides, and left-behind downtempo sketches into a two-hour séance. If you’ve followed the Kilchurn Sessions from the beginning, or todos’ end of year ASIP label mixes, you’ll know they’re less about progression and more about excavation: digging through his deeply considered music memory, looping time in on itself, through careful and unexpected edits, seamless blends, and the most considered mix sequencing possible. Listen on Soundcloud the ASIP Podcast or the 9128.live iOS and Android app todos · Kilchurn Session XVlll DownloadTracklist:Akira Rabelais - ‘Du côté de chez Swann - Il y a bien des années ... dans le silence du soir’ (edit)Field Kit, Hannah Von Hubbenet & John Gurtler - ‘Downward Rising’Sophia Loizou - ‘Anima’ (edit)Junkie Digital - ‘In Transit’Jani R - ‘Eyes Eluding’Vivian Koch - ‘Lil Birdy Starts to Fly Again’Mifune - ‘Many People’Marc Spieler - ‘Selflove’Before Tigers - ‘Look At Me’ (edit)Marcibagoly - ‘We’re Flying’SVLBRD - ‘Solstice’ (edit) D J 1 9 8 6 一 九 八 六 - ’N O S T A L G I A  '9 2’Simone Giudice - ‘Ghiaccio’ / Patricia Wolf - ‘Distant Memory’Sierra Romeo - ‘Promiza’Savvas - ‘Elysian’ (ambient mix)Savvas - ‘Elysian’ (original mix)PJS - ‘Forest’Cremallier - ‘Activity’Bop - ‘Hiding’Trudge - ‘Berserk’ / Suso Sáiz - ‘Inside The Egg’Simone Giudice - ‘Passione’Holy Other - ‘Lieve’Marcibagoly - ‘Jet Stream’MPU101 - ‘nurMKS30’ (edit) / Tim Exile - ‘A Little Bit More’ (edit)HAAI - ‘Be Good’James Holden - ‘In The End You’ll Know’  

  There’s a certain feeling that creeps in when listening to Illuvia. A delicate suspension between rhythm and atmosphere, where the weight of a breakbeat never overwhelms the stillness it moves through. Since debuting as Illuvia on ASIP with Iridescence of Clouds back in 2021, Ludvig Cimbrelius has steadily carved out his own temporal rift in the world of ambient and jungle- a sound that sidesteps nostalgia and instead uncovers a forgotten future buried deep in the recesses of our collective memory. With such a history on the label going back to our earliest of releases and our 7th vinyl press (as Purl, alongside Lav) this is the second time Ludvig has appeared on an isolatedmix, along with the close ties and inspiration of this Portals mix from God Is No Longer A DJ. Both across his latest release, Earth Prism, and Iridescence of Clouds, he introduced a world of ambient lovers to weightless pads combined with chopped breaks, barely tethered to gravity, and melodies that seemed to shimmer. It was both an echo of something familiar and an entirely new dialect, not strictly jungle, not wholly ambient, not liquid in the traditional sense, but unmistakably Illuvia. This new mix is a continuation of those worlds. Or maybe a glance sideways into a parallel one. Illuvia’s approach has always been about restraint and resonance: every snare hit is softened by reverb, every progression feels like it’s been carved out of silence. For those who have followed his trajectory through ASIP and beyond, this is another precious window into Ludvig’s meticulous and emotive world. And for those new to it, welcome. Embed Block Add an embed URL or code. Learn more ~Illuvia: Mauna KeaWhen preparing to leave what has been my home for the past three years and setting sail towards a different continent, I knew some of the old hard-drives I have been carrying around would not make the trip with me. A move like this one marks a new beginning, and when it comes to my music I usually attempt to go through what I can easily access in my archives and feel out what calls for being salvaged and shared in some form. The rest will remain disconnected from the digital cloud, destined to slowly disintegrate (perhaps to be dug up by archeologists in some distant future).In my search, I discovered the first demo tracks I had sent to Ryan back in 2019, as well as a track called ‘Where Clouds Dissolve Into Sky’ - the first idea I took down for Illuvia’s debut on ASIP. That title eventually morphed into the album name, while the track itself remained a beautiful idea that didn’t quite reach all the way. It had something special, just like the raw demo versions that were either refined or completely reimagined on their way to release.As some of what I found felt too radiant to fade, I began to feel for ways that these odd pieces could flow together into a continuous mix - and naturally an Isolatedmix as most of the tracks were directly or indirectly connected to my albums on ASIP. Slowly, a path emerged, leading deeper into the heart of Illuvia. It turned into quite a collage, with cut out pieces from the myriad of versions being processed and becoming background layers, adding dimension and depth to moments that seemed to call for it.When listening to the mixed version of Mauna Kea, I was surprised by how alive the music felt to me and decided that I wanted to try to compile this work as an album too, sharing more of the near endless versions and including tracks that I had an attachment to that didn’t find their place in the mix. It turned out to be a lot harder to reach the finish line on the album, with the tracklist continuing to morph and me going deeper into the rabbit hole of mastering to make sure I gave these musical entities all the love I had to give. Letting them be the way they were created while also doing what I can for their message to translate with clarity. Now as I arrive at the moment of letting them go, it’s time for some other ears (and hopefully hearts) to continue the exploration.– Ludvig (Peru, April 2025) astrangelyisolatedplace · isolatedmix 131 - Illuvia: 'Mauna Kea' Listen on Soundcloud the ASIP Podcast or the 9128.live iOS and Android app .Tracklist:Via I (Dream Fragment)Where Clouds Dissolve Into Sky (Origin)Nirmala SundariAbyssal PlainsMauna LoaA New Tomorrow (Origin)Mauna KeaLight Within ShadowSnow Melt From My HeartState of Emergence (Origin)Blue Rays (Disintegration)Chiara (Intro)Beyond SkiesAll tracks written and produced by Ludvig CimbreliusArtwork by Lena (moonspeace)This mix is also available as a release on Illuvia’s Bandcamp page to enjoy in high quality download formats and individual tracks, including a limited CDr run. Mauna Kea by Illuvia 

  Whether under his Dream Weapons or Fantastikoi Hxoi aliases or more his more extensive output as Anatolian Weapons, Aggelos’ music is one to get lost in, where each project feels like a conversation between worlds that don’t usually meet. As Anatolian Weapons, that conversation comes into sharper focus: what began as an experiment in bridging the sharper edges of EBM and krautrock with the circular, percussive energy of Greek folk music has turned into a fully formed and consistent thread through his output of EPs and albums.One of his first full-lengths as Anatolian Weapons arrived via the legendary Tim Sweeney’s Beats In Space label back in 2019 - a move that pulled ancient melodies into unfamiliar territory and a statement piece at the time. Since then, Aggelos has gone on to release on labels as varied as Emotional Response, Transmigration and Sound Metaphors along with more techno-oriented homes such as Dekmantel and Kalahari Oyster Cult.Fast forward to 2024’s album, Beyond, and that sense of push and pull is still present, only now with more intent and confidence. It’s music that leans into repetition and rhythm without losing sight of where it came from. Aggelos also has an innate ability to find some really addictive hooks in his music, too (for example, I used this voice texture as a loop in my Monument mix, which I absolutely adore).Aggelos’ isolatedmix feels like a natural continuation and culmination of his complex yet harmonious style. There’s no strict mood or genre at play, but rather a slow reveal, drawing on the same tensions and textures that have defined Baltas’ path so far. It’s a pleasure to have him contribute with such a dreamy trip through the many facets of his influences.~I see you describe your sound as 'progressive folk and psych'. Can you expand on this a little? 'Progressive Folk And Psych From Greece' is a 3-part mix compilation showcasing my influences as Fantastikoi Hxoi. The Fantastikoi Hxoi albums brought me to the attention of selectors like Lena Willikens, who used to play tracks from that era (2009-2011). The sound is something between space rock, kraut, folk, and progressive with electronics. The Dream Weapons moniker is reserved for more techno-oriented sounds while Anatolian Weapons is moving towards world music influences with driving beats. One of your first albums came about for Tim Sweeney's esteemed Beats In Space label - how did that happen?There had been two Fantastikoi Hxoi releases before that, and I had just started the Anataloian Weapons project. Again, Lena Willikens played an unreleased track on her Beats In Space and I contacted Tim to let him know about the ID. He seemed interested, and my collaboration with local folk musician Seirios Savvaidis was born. I love his work, and I'm very lucky and humbled to have worked with him on the album, which did well.Can you tell us a little about your approach to some of the many remixes and edits you create and why you enjoy producing them?It is very fun to collaborate with people I admire, and re-editing is something that I enjoy immensely, even if it's just a good pitch-down of a track. I love re-contextualizing and juxtapositions of different genres. It all comes down to the inspiration I get from fellow artists or my musical heroes of the past. I have just released an edit compilation called 'The Whiteout Edits' a couple of days ago and I am working closely with Sound Metaphors on the remix front as well as on original material. Whiteout Edits by Anatolian Weapons It seems you also enjoy experimenting more by releasing through EPs versus albums - is that intentional? Is that a way to create more regular approaches to your sound?It all comes down to requests, really, and the dynamics of each label. I feel very lucky to have worked in album format with BIS as well as Subject To Restrictions, a label that feels like home nowadays. Dominik Andre has a flawless instinct for A&R and a great ear.STR is surely a label worth checking out. Apart from the two brother albums 'Earth' and 'Beyond' I also did mixing and additional production on my good friend Anna Vs June in her album 'Ersi', the album and her musical world are extraordinary - also worth checking out.  Mantili EP by Anatolian Weapons One of my favorite tracks of yours is 'Lets Talk' on the Mantil EP - and I think this does a great job of capturing your sound. For anyone new to you, which records would you point them to first? Thank you. I'm glad you like it; it's much appreciated.I'd say 'A Strange Light From The East EP' or 'The Black Sea EP' on Lurid music would encapsulate the Anatolian Weapons sound, whether it is dubbed out excursion of African library music or druggy downtempo. My mix for Tim Sweeney's Beats In Space and Lena Willikens Lightning Conductor on NTS can show exactly how I like my music to sound when I play out, along maybe with the Sameheads mixed tape called 'Palace Of Imagination'.  Teachings In Stone LP by Anatolian Weapons As a producer from Greece, what are the opportunities and challenges you face there? From my limited knowledge, it must be very hard to form a community, given how extensive the country is across islands, etc. Are you active in any local scene?I have been playing in numerous spots in Athens throughout the years with many local and international acts, as well as keeping my 20-year residency at Astron Bar (now in a new building with a capacity of 300). The scene is getting stronger day by day, and there are a lot of talented people creating music and throwing parties. The friends whom I have shared decks with would be too many to mention, I enjoyed opening a gig for Polygonia / Kangding Ray / Wata Igarashi along with Nausicaa from Revolt! who also runs an excellent record shop. So yes, I think the scene here is at an all-time high with a knowledgeable and heady crowd supporting what truly deserves the support.How has your sound impacted the tracks chosen in this mix? Was there a concept behind the mix? Can you list any tracks included in the mix?The mix showcases my taste on the ambient/ downtempo side with a couple of tracks from Gus Till, whose output I love, some local stuff, plus the original mix of The Light At The End, a huge favorite of mine by Zen Paradox from his first CD-r release.I also have the honor of remixing it with two new versions - the vinyl will be out on Transmigration very soon. If the music is deep, contemplative, melancholic, and melodic, with a touch of light for good measure, it will probably be up my street. Two tracks that almost made it in the mix are Kay Nakayama's  'Free Your Mind (Light Side Mix)' and 'Loading To Airport'. What else can we expect to hear from you soon?I just released 'The Whiteout Edits' on Bandcamp, there is a split on Dalmata Daniel with The Spy coming soon on 10'' lathe, the Zen Paradox remix EP on Transmigration, remixes for Arvin Fajar and Talking Machine (digital only) an album on Byrd out (digital only) plus original material on Sound Metaphors  Also a lot of new edits on Bandcamp so watch that space! We rarely sleep around here.~ astrangelyisolatedplace · isolatedmix 130 - Anatolian Weapons Listen on Soundcloud the ASIP Podcast or the 9128.live iOS and Android appDownload MP3(No tracklist on this one I’m afraid but quite a few tracks mentioned above)  

  You could say ASIP has brought me closer to ‘my people’ over the years—those with a deep, almost obsessive appreciation for all things ambient and electronic. The ones who love this music, who show up at the same gigs, who get so inspired by the sounds and stories that they start paving their own.Based in Rotterdam, Rosillon is one of those people. Co-founder of the electronic music platform Embodiment, he’s been a long-time listener and supporter of ASIP. At his core, he’s just another music obsessive, choosing to share his passion through mixes and curated events—the kind of person who keeps music culture moving forward, regardless of genre or scale. Last November Rosillon had the pleasure to play for the first edition of ZERØBPM, a 18 hour non-stop ambient/meditation experience in a church in the Netherlands. And his previous mixes have cropped up for the brilliant Deep Breakfast series, as well as the Korean collective, Vurt. I don’t typically accept submissions for the isolatedmix series, but his vinyl-only mix landed in a way that many don’t. And when he shared the story behind it, it perfectly captured how music like this isn’t just heard—it’s experienced, absorbed, and ultimately, passed on. Listening back and reading his inspiration, it reminded me of the exact mindset I experienced when picking a name for this endeavor, A Strangely Isolated Place. Places of inspiration for Rosillon’s mix ~“ Last summer, during my travels through Bulgaria, I found myself deeply inspired by the landscapes, and the sense of remoteness that each place evoked. As soon as I returned home, I aimed to translate these experiences into sound. This mix is the result of that, a sonic exploration of isolation, both physical and emotional. The concept behind this set revolves around the idea of ‘isolated places’, not just in the geographical sense, but also within the mind. These are the places that trigger emotions, memories, and introspection. Places shaped by sound aesthetics that speak directly to the imagination. With this in mind, I carefully selected tracks that embody these feelings, crafting a mix that serves as both an escape and a reflection. The mix unfolds as a metaphor for the experiences we gather during our journeys. It begins at an airport, a symbolic starting point that sends the listener on their way. From there, the music takes you through a collage of progressively more obscure destinations, each transition serving as a portal to another isolated place. Places of inspiration for Rosillon’s mix Some transitions are smooth and fluid, while others are abrupt and disorienting, mirroring the unpredictability of travel itself. As the mix progresses, it immerses the listener in various emotional landscapes, reflecting the highs and lows that come with discovering unfamiliar territory. Near the end, a vocal announcement signals that the gate is closing, marking the inevitable conclusion of the journey. The bittersweet nostalgia of leaving behind an enriching experience is captured in a track featuring glitching sounds layered over a field recording of an airport. However, just as in real life, the end of a trip brings with it a renewed appreciation for the lessons learned and the memories made. In the closing section of the mix I wanted to embrace this sentiment, offering a positive and empowering conclusion. It reminds us that every journey, whether to distant lands or within ourselves, leaves a lasting impact, shaping our perspective in ways we may not fully grasp until we return home. I hope this mix transports you to your own isolated places, allowing you to lose yourself in the journey and find meaning in the sounds along the way.” - Rosillon astrangelyisolatedplace · isolatedmix 129 - Rosillon Listen on Soundcloud the ASIP Podcast or the 9128.live iOS and Android appDownload MP3Tracklist (vinyl only)01. The Black Dog – M1 [Dust Science Recordings]02. Rod Modell - Ghost Lights B-side [Astral Industries]03. Inhmost – In The Bay [re:st]04. 3.11 – Dissolve in Patience [PRS]05. Box5ive – Rough Sleeper [co:clear]06. 3.11 – Hard Copy [PRS]07. Alva Noto - Confidential Information 1 [Noton]08. Off The Sky – Ahurani [re:discovery records]09. Xenia Reaper – 23724 [INDEX:Records]10. William Selman - Farther Off Among The Foaming Black Rocks [Mysteries Of The Deep]11. Pontiac Streator & Mister Water Wet - Angelus Spit [Motion Ward]12. TIBSLC – Hypertranslucent [Sferic]13. Quiet Places – Side B [A Strangely Isolated Place]14. The Black Dog - Lounge [Dust Science Recordings]15. Alva Noto - HYbr:ID Ectopia Field 1 [Noton]~Rosillon Soundcloud | Instagram Embodiment Soundcloud | Instagram  

  There are only a few podcasts and mix series that stand the test of time over the years and become regular go-to’s. Unrush, for example, began 8 years ago and has since hosted classic mixes from Wanderwelle, Jamie Mccue (Silent Season), Kamikaze Space Program, Sven Weisemann, and the host herself, Mareena. If you’re not familiar with the series, you have some digging to do.As many may know, my DJ mixes are often conceptual and ladder to a bigger idea. For example, my most recent mix for Monument was made entirely of loops, and I’d often spend weeks perfecting the output.I often try and do more with recorded sets because you have more time to obsess and create something different than what someone would hear playing live. However, for this mix, given it was over the holiday period and life is pretty hectic right now, I chose to adopt a more “don’t overthink it” approach, and just did what hit me...I was also more optimistic about kicking off the year, and I didn’t want to go down a dark or ambient route (as might be the initial reaction given the mix series title). In hindsight, I very rarely do straight-up ambient sets.The result:We are delighted to begin the year with a mix from ASIP (Ryan Griffin), the founder of A Strangely Isolated Place - a label and mix series that has become a cornerstone for contemporary ambient music. Inviting him felt long overdue, and we couldn’t be happier to share this contribution from someone whose work continually inspires us. For this mix, Ryan delved into musical memories, crafting a journey filled with nostalgia and influences. As he beautifully puts it:"Thank you, Mareen, for the invite to your series. This mix is full of nostalgia, some Balearic undertones, and classic approaches to ambient electronic music, without an agenda. It starts to speak to some major influences on me over the years. Growing up on 90's electronic music, influential summers in Europe, and the formative years of early 00's IDM and electronica. If Unrush is self-described as 'a serene space within the mind that is free from the encumbering stresses of daily life,' then this is music that always helps me get there."Ryan’s contribution is a heartfelt journey through time, marked by the sounds that have shaped him and continue to inspire, perfectly embodying the unrushed ethos. Let yourself drift and enjoy... ❤️The set features 3 unreleased tracks that may or may not be forthcoming on the label. Well… Aspetuck’s is locked and loaded at least, and the Mikkel Rev and Alvar are in the early discussion and sequencing stages (the fun part!)Listen to the mix below or on Soundcloud. Bandcamp links in the tracklist wherever possible. UNRUSH · 093 - Unrushed by ASIP Download MP3Tracklist:01. Ishq - And Awake (2011, Interchill Records)02. Aspetuck - Hit Me With Your Pet Shark (Forthcoming, A Strangely Isolated Place)03. Wilson Tanner - Further Than Your Headlights (2016, Growing Bin Records)04. TSR - gtchi3 (2012, Record Union)05. MPU101 - Sunset Memories (2024, Ilian Tape)06. Dream Dolphin - L.E.A (Mirror Coordinate Mix) (2023, Music From Memory)07. C-thru - Awake In A Dream (2023, Pacific Rhythm)08. Norman Feller - Melting From The Inside (2003, Electrolux)09. Gallo - That Moment (2023, Hell Yeah)10. Spooky - Let Go (1993, Guerilla)11. Neutron 9000 - Empire (1994, Rising High)12. Alvar - Our Peach Sky (Unreleased)13. Mikkel Rev - Unknown (Unreleased)14. Ebi - Kaze (1996, Space Teddy)15. Jochem Paap - Dx-Snth (1999, Fax)  

  As with all my previous ‘Reflection’ year-end mixes, I begin with a collection of albums, EPs, and compilations that resonated with me over the past year. From there, I curate tracks to build the mix—a process that’s as much about omission as inclusion. Inevitably, many of my favorite tracks and albums don’t make the final cut, simply because they don’t fit the flow of the mix or get lost along the way. There are plenty of albums I played on repeat that aren’t included here, but I enjoy this process much more than creating lists. As I remind myself each year, this isn’t meant to be a definitive “best-of” list. Instead, it’s a snapshot of some of my favorite music from the year, distilled into one cohesive and listenable format. Compiling these mixes under self-imposed restrictions is my way of revisiting and celebrating the music I’ve loved critically, while sharing it with you in a way that’s both meaningful and accessible. For me, listening back to these mixes is like flipping through an audio photograph, capturing the essence of my year in music and invoking memories from special moments.I encourage you to use this mix as a jumping-off point—dive into each artist, explore their albums in full, and check out the labels behind the music. You can find a Buy Music Club list linked below to help you dig deeper. If you’re curious about the broader scope of music I’ve supported this year, my Bandcamp collection is always up to date. And for the ASIP year-end label compilation, you can find the feature and mix here.~Starting this year’s mix was no easy task. It’s been a whirlwind of a year, with my family relocating from Los Angeles back to Oregon. For a significant stretch, my ideal listening setup was in flux, and I wasn’t commuting to work as much—two key times I’d normally dive deep into the music I’d collected.That said, I still managed to accumulate a fair share of vinyl this year (probably too much), so that became my starting point. I began shortlisting from my unsorted crate—my go-to spot for new acquisitions—despite knowing the mix would eventually be recorded digitally I always intend on ripping some vinyl-only releases. Since most of my purchases are through Bandcamp, I typically have digital files ready to go, but there are still a few frustrating cases where I’ve had to double-dip and buy the digital files separately (labels, let’s get those Bandcamp download codes in vinyl sleeves—it’s almost 2025!).This year’s shortlist started with over 80 artists/tracks from albums I’ve loved, which I eventually narrowed down to 40 for the final mix. It’s a good representation of what’s been on heavy rotation for me. As always, I stuck to my usual self-imposed rule of no ASIP artist related tracks. I’d easily fill an entire mix with their music if that rule weren’t in place (also that’s what 9128.live is good for). I like to take this time to highlight other incredible, often overlooked releases that haven’t made the rounds in our circles, or through the usual “best of” lists. I intended to rip some of my vinyl-only releases for this mix as a few really stood out this year, but time wasn’t on my side, and no digital was available. On the bright side, nearly all the music included here is readily available on Bandcamp for you to support.A few callouts as you skim through the tracklist. The latest Röyksopp album leans heavily into ambient tropes, but it’s undeniably comforting—a continuous flow reminiscent of the classic Art of Chill mixes, blending atmospheric textures with accessible pop crossovers. It nails that sweet spot, and I’m not one to turn my nose up at that.Isabel Pine, whose demo first landed in my inbox some time ago, continues to impress—her latest release is an absolute gem. Aja’s ‘Lullaby’ is pure sweetness, so addictive I often found myself hitting repeat. C.K. didn’t drop any new ambient projects this year, but he did finally upload his phenomenal catalog to Bandcamp The track I included serves from his only 2024 release as an ambient counterpart to his more techno-focused album from this year.Music From Memory’s Virtual Dreams compilation was a highlight for me—every track on it felt like a guaranteed vibe, no matter the mood (#1 on my HHV list). Casino Versus Japan’s comeback might just be his finest work yet, even if it hasn’t made it onto other lists out there. Its stripped-back, raw quality made it a challenge to incorporate into this mix without it becoming the centerpiece.Minotaur Shock was a standout discovery in 2024, offering a blend of IDM-infused drum-oriented sounds. This track, in particular, is one of his most melodic. Another new find was Civilistjävel!, courtesy of Juan (OKRAA), who introduced me to the record while we were record shopping in New York. Florian T M Zeisig made waves with a ’90s-inspired album, consistently impressing with his inventive approaches (and even debuting a new alias).nthng remains a regular on my year-end mixes, and deservedly so. My favorite track of his this year was ‘Echo Track,’ though it didn’t quite fit into this mix. Synkro returned as Ovïd with a mesmerizing slice of gaseous dub-techno—I even let it run long to max out its hypnotic qualities in the mix. Brian Grainger and his aliases are extremely productive, so it’s hard to cut through sometimes, but I always gravitate to his Coppice Halifax output.Vril delivered an audio-sensory onslaught with his new album. While my favorite track didn’t make this mix, the entire release is excellent. I bent one of my own rules by including two tracks from Daniel[i]—a testament to the quality of that record. Rising Sun also deserves a mention. Even though his uploads this year were from his back catalog, the music is as timeless as ever (and I have a special memory of hearing this amazing track at Public Records, cementing a solid 2024 core memory). Solar Alliance saw me bending another rule, as this is technically from the Ute collective but for anyone into '90s-style trance and downtempo- not to be missed. Xylitol, another new artist on my radar, delivered a release perfectly aligned with its Planet Mu home—think Aphex-inspired IDM with breaks and bass. Metamatics took an unexpected turn, dropping a drum’n’bass album with a '90s vibe featuring vocal samples from the emotional worlds normally assigned to DJ Healer or Rising Sun.Finally, the closer comes from Mortal—a 1997 gem I only discovered in 2024. Though technically from December 2023, it missed last year's mix and felt like the perfect way to wrap up this year’s edition. astrangelyisolatedplace · ASIP - Reflection on 2024 Listen on Soundcloud the ASIP Podcast or the 9128.live iOS and Android appDownloadTracklist:01. Chihei Hatakeyama - Insects Chirping At Night (Field Recs)02. CHANTSSSS - Lose My (Theory Therapy)03. Endless Trains & Taennya - Lifeless Place (Archives)04. Röyksopp (Feat. Alison Goldfrapp) - We Enter (Self Released)05. Merely & Malibu - outlanders intro (Year 0001)06. anthéne - Crimson (Floralia Editions)07. Isabel Pine - Silhouettes (Where The Flowers Grow)08. Old Amica - Klorofyll (Self Released)09. Aja - Absolune (Grand Musique Management)10. Winter Silhouette - Solidarity (Peak)11. C.K - We Share The Skies (Private Recording System)12. Dub Squad - Blown Fruit (Music From Memory)13. Shokunin - Darlands (Bonse1)14. Li Yilei - Yip, Yip, Yip (Métron Records)15. Voyage Futur - Marina Botany (Vill4in)16. Casino Versus Japan - Licht (Self Released)17. Minotaur Shock - With Me? (Bytes)18. Civilistjävel! - XII (Felt)19. Ear To Ear - Live Recordings D (Astral Industries)20. Strategy - Numeros (Community Library)21. Florian T M Zeisig - Wave Guide (Stroom)22. nthng - Dont Be Scared (Self Released)23. Brendon Moeller - Pressure (Quiet Details)24. Lb Honne - Musium (Project Indigo)25. Priori ft. Sabola - Learn To Fly (Naff Recordings)26. Ovïd - Dream Sequence (Fauxpas Musik)27. Coppice Halifax - Ceremonial (Milieu Music)28. pondlicker - orchid media (Naff Recordings)29. Daniel[i] - Jobkas Dom (Muzan Editions)30. Vril - Pneuma (Omnidisc)31. Low End Activist - Airdrop 02 (Yarnton Rd 2 Cassington) (Peak Oil)32. Daniel[i] - Dom Amb (Muzan Editions)33. Wardown - 5 It Is The Mercy (Blu Mar Ten)34. Rising Sun - The Ascend (Original) (Self Released)35. Vera Logdanidi - Euphoria (Semantica)36. Donato Dozzy - Lucrezia (Spazio Disponibile)37. Solar Alliance - Tri-Mind (Self Released)38. Xylitol - Monte Mare (Planet Mu)39. Metamatics - A Second Chance Is Rare (Self Released)40. Mortal - Minus One (Sunny Crypt)Buy Music Club List  

  Handing over a year’s worth of releases to todos and watching the magic unfold is always an exhilarating experience. His ability to craft a narrative from such a rich and varied palette is unparalleled, offering fresh insights into the music and the year behind us. A true specialist in narrative witchcraft, todos continues to redefine DJ mixes with such a limited palette to build from. This year’s selection posed an increasingly complex challenge, with its mix of tempos and styles, but it’s a testament to the incredible work of the ASIP artists in 2024, all tied together under the meticulous eye of our trusted selector.The year began with new label signing Salvatore Mercatante, and his pin-point drum patterns and room-filled IDM. This was followed by an about-turn in style with a new label signing, Lihla, presenting her hypnotizing blend of spoken word and atmospheric multi-instrument talent. Lapsed Pacifist (who happens to be a good friend of todos' in the UK - another full circle moment for the label) presented his debut album, featuring 'rolling waves of lavender synths', which Pop Matters recently listed as one of its best ambient albums of 2024. Keeping things unexpected, we then presented another new artist, Theef, who released a selection of timeless deep techno cuts from a DJ mix he posted online in 2018. It was then a chance for one of ASIPs most cherished sounds to return, as Illuvia continued his monumental exploration into the deep expanse of ethereal ambient drum'n bass. By now, we were approaching the much-celebrated half-century catalog number, and who better than long-time label artist, Markus Guentner to bring it over the line, alongside eight other fantastic talents. Colombian producer OKRAA, evolved his living-and-breathing psychedelic electronics, introducing more breaks and electro to his palette, in a truly unexpected second album. And closing out the year, Hungarian artist swanasa, presented a taster of her sonic capabilities in a short EP, that shone a light on multiple approaches we hope to explore from her very soon. Thank you for all of your support, comments, and encouragement this year. Here's to those who explore the unique, the nostalgic and the new, and those who forge their own way forward.Download on BandcampJoin us on Friday 20th December, 12pm PST for the full mix premiere and Bandcamp listening party. 2024 | Label Compilation (mixed by todos) by A Strangely Isolated Place todos Continuous DJ mix tracklist:1. swanasa - Swan Song (edit)2. Lihla - Resonance3. Markus Guentner - Father Of Waters4. Lapsed Pacifist - Tragic5. Markus Guentner & Arovane - Utopian Fragments (edit) / Illuvia - A New Tomorrow (edit) / swanasa - AHO / Lihla - Becoming Human (edit)6. OKRAA - La Gran Corriente7. Salvatore Mercatante - Love Of Lies8. Illuvia - Tectonic Shift9. Markus Guentner & Abul Mogard - While Hunting Nightmares And Dreaming For Peace10. Theef - Strange Nights11. Salvatore Mercatante - How Many Hands12. OKRAA - Para Desaprender (edit)13. Theef - Odd Entity14. Lapsed Pacifist - Almost RememberedDownload MP3  

  Willem van der Ploeg, hailing from the Netherlands, is a DJ, producer, and co-founder of the label The Something Something, alongside Rutger Paulusse. Willem has been a long-time follower of ASIP, often supporting our mixes and asking for track IDs—something that always piques my curiosity and often leads to unexpected finds. So I was delighted to stumble across another amazing cave of DJ sets through The Something Something’s Red Light Radio show, offering up sessions from recognizable guests such as Alex Albrecht, Wanderwelle and Ario, and then going on to see the fruition of the label in recent years. <a href="https://thesomethingsomething.bandcamp.com/album/inland-tomorrow-or-till-the-end-of-time">Inland / Tomorrow, or till the end of time by Will Oirson</a> As part of The Something Something label, Willem has been gaining momentum with his own production work, leaning toward serene, textured ambient, enriched by found sounds and often shimmering, beautiful melodies. This is showcased perfectly by his 2020 EP, Inland / Tomorrow, of till the end of time, and his most recent single, Escapism. <a href="https://thesomethingsomething.bandcamp.com/track/escapism">Escapism by Will Oirson</a> Will’s DJ sets recently earned him a spot at the prestigious Draaimolen Festival, officiating his keen curatorial ear, which will no doubt lead us all to a world of new artists to explore - a perfect requirement for the isolatedmix series and the mix at hand for #128. "Thank you for the opportunity to create a mix for ASIP, Ryan!Many times in life, music helped me to overcome certain hurdles. It always gives me a feeling of escapism and on many occasions it shined a light on dark days. The same goes with this mix; I feel a sense of lightness after experiencing a big burnout a year and a half ago, in which time I’ve made a lot of music. It had no intention, it was just about frequencies and emotions. Now that I'm feeling better, I’ve started releasing tracks and even performed a dj set at Draaimolen Festival Festival featuring some of this music. This mix for A Strangely Isolated Place is about seeing light again, the overcoming of obstacles, and a rekindling of dreams.It includes some of my favourite tracks from the past few years, such as ‘stasis__relief__’ by 𝚐𝚊𝚋_𝚒 and 'Pillow, Mantra and Trance’ by Li Yilei. And I’m also pleased that I could slip in some amazing music by friends like Bas Dobbelaer, Ramses3000 and Brian Omen. Please take a moment to explore the artists and labels included in this mix. They’ve created truly remarkable work, and many continue to do so.” - Will Oirson  astrangelyisolatedplace · isolatedmix 128 - Will Oirson Listen on Soundcloud the ASIP Podcast or the 9128.live iOS and Android appDownload MP3Tracklist: 01. The Humble Bee - Section V Light [Astral Industries]02. Brian Omen - 430 [The Something Something…]03. Leo Cunningham - Dreaming In Threads [Opal Tapes]04. Azu Tiwaline & Al Wootton - Last Scene [Livity Sound]05. 𝚐𝚊𝚋_𝚒 - stasis__relief__ [self released]06. Li Yilei - Pillow, Mantra and Trance [Métron Records]07. other joe - a cat can look at a king (ft. J) [ost]08. Will Oirson - Doubting the Hardness of the Spider, I eat the Nest [The Something Something…]09. John Beltran - You Internalise Them [Delsin]10. Dettinger - Intershop (7) Remastered 2024 [Kompakt]11. Bas Dobbelaer - Rest [Something Happening Somewhere] 12. Jonny Nash & Lindsay Todd - The Gecko That Wore Its Skin Inside Out [Island Of The Gods]13. Daniel.mp3 - 3 am walk (Slowed & Reverb Version) [self released]14. Igor Dyachenko - Object (feat. Nikolay Kozlov) [self released]15. Illuvia - Afterlife Prism [A Strangely Isolated Place] 16. Zane Trow -haklne [Room40]17. NEXCYIA - hydro [self released]18. The Kyoto Connection - Memories From Japan [Temples Of Jura]19. Luke Elliott - Refractory Cores [AKP Recordings]20. shinetiac - Dodge Viper Lullaby [West Mineral Ltd.]21. Jo Johnson - Orbit [Mysteries of the Deep]21. Ramses3000 - Aphasia [Intercept]~The Something Something Soundcloud | Bandcamp | Instagram  

  Markus Guentner’s new album, Kontrapunkt showcases eight collaborations with some exceptional artists, each of whom has a unique connection to ASIP’s world in one way or another. Though I did not influence Markus's choice of collaborators, the album somehow found a thread through so many of our past releases, as well as artists I have also respected for a long time. Here are some of my favorite tracks from each artist, in case any of these artists are new to you, or you want to dig a little deeper and an introduction to each of the relationships by Markus himself. <a href="https://astrangelyisolatedplace.bandcamp.com/album/kontrapunkt">Kontrapunkt by Markus Guentner</a> Joachim SpiethI've known Joachim since the early 2000s, back when we were both involved in the Kompakt Pop Ambient Series. Our collaboration has grown over the years, and we've recently been working together on projects for his label, Affin. It's been a fantastic experience, as I get to contribute my graphic ideas and, of course, some music too. Collaborating with Joachim feels like a natural extension of our long-standing friendship and creative synergy - Markus GuentnerIt might seem a bit dated to highlight Joachim’s early Pop Ambient work, especially considering how much he has evolved within the widescreen ambient and techno genres in recent years. However, this track was pivotal in launching the iconic Kompakt Pop Ambient series and remains a timeless classic in my eyes. It’s an essential example of what defined 'Pop Ambient' and the series as a whole. While there are significant stylistic differences when you compare this track with Joachim’s more recent works, that irreplaceable sense of attachment and atmosphere still resonates. <a href="https://kompakt.bandcamp.com/album/pop-ambient-2001">Pop Ambient 2001 by Joachim Spieth</a> Karen VogtMy first encounter with Karen was through a request for the Galán/Vogt remix album. Since then, we've developed a close relationship, regularly sharing ideas and having wonderful chats during video calls. Working with Karen has been incredibly inspiring, as her creative vision aligns perfectly with mine. Our collaboration has blossomed into a seamless partnership that I deeply cherish - Markus Guentner Karen Vogt, a founding member of the Australian band Heligoland, has been creating music for over 20 years. Recently, she has found her niche in more expressive ambient and vocal work. The track I've chosen is a stripped-back piece that perfectly captures Karen’s distinctive approach and serves as a wonderful example of the mesmerizing ways her vocals can evolve. <a href="https://karenvogt.bandcamp.com/album/losing-the-sea-2">Losing The Sea by Karen Vogt</a> SonaeSonia and I have been good friends for a long time, and our bond is strengthened by our epic five-hour phone calls! We first connected when she remixed my track "Saint" for the "Uncharted Places" ASIP release in 2013. Given our long history and mutual admiration, it was only natural that we would eventually collaborate on a project together. Our collaboration feels like a culmination of years of shared experiences and creative exchanges. - Markus GuentnerSonia and ASIP have a history that spans over 11 years now as one of the early artists who took a chance on the label with a demo for The Places Series. Since then, Sonia has developed a distinctive style that blends elements of ambient, techno, and experimental music. Her sound is typically abstract, free from conventional rules or clichés, and often explores unexpected directions. Her collaboration with Markus is a prime example, featuring shifting BPMs and a vivid, pulsating heartbeat that showcases her unique approach. The track ‘Rust’ from her 2018 album, ‘I Started Wearing Black’ is a nice companion to her collaboration with Markus. <a href="https://sonae.bandcamp.com/album/i-started-wearing-black">I Started Wearing Black by Sonae</a> Pepo GalánLike Karen Vogt, my first significant interaction with Pepo was for a remix for an album. Shortly after, Pepo and I found ourselves in a perfect coincidence: he asked me for a collaboration for his project ‘Family Harmonies’, while I was simultaneously considering a collaboration for Kontrapunkt." This serendipitous alignment led to a fruitful and harmonious collaboration that we're both very excited about. - Markus Guentner.With collaborations involving artists like Warmth, Awakened Souls, Karen Vogt, David Cordero, Shinji Wakasa, Max Würden, and many others, Pepo is an obvious choice as a collaborator in the ambient world. His track with Markus stands out as one of the album’s most surprising, elevating Markus’ music to unexpected new heights based on some of the feedback I’ve heard so far. To complement this, I’ve chosen a more nuanced track from his 2018 collaboration with Max Würden which again, shows a perfectly complemented partnership. <a href="https://pepogalan.bandcamp.com/album/all-of-a-sudden">All of a Sudden by Pepo Galán & Max Würden</a> ArovaneUwe and I have known each other for some time, although our interactions have been mostly digital, through emails and such. I was thrilled when he asked me to remix "Scale," a track by him and Hior Chronik released on ASIP in 2016. As a long-time fan and admirer of Uwe's music, it was an honor to collaborate with him. Our collaboration was a highlight for me, blending our musical styles in a way that felt both fresh and familiar. - Markus GuentnerI wasn’t exactly looking forward to this part… Trying to pick a favorite track by Arovane is a bit like choosing a favorite child—you might have one, but admitting it is a different story. There's no need for a history lesson on Uwe here, as his inspiration knows no bounds. Instead, I’ll focus on the track I chose, which is admittedly a bit of a selfish selection. Over the years, Uwe has contributed several times to the label, collaborating with Hior Chronik, but I still vividly remember receiving his AMX remix of his own track After Tomorrow, on the In-Between Remix EP. If there’s ever a track that encapsulates the quintessential Arovane sound outside of his earliest album, this is it. <a href="https://astrangelyisolatedplace.bandcamp.com/album/in-between-remixes">In-between Remixes by Arovane & Hior Chronik</a> Benoît PioulardReleased eleven years ago, Benoît’s "Hymnal" was, and still is, on heavy rotation for me. Our connection felt almost predestined when we met in Seattle while playing at Rafael's Substrata Festival. I've always wanted to collaborate with Benoît’, and finally, the timing was perfect with this new album. Working with him has been a dream come true, and our collaboration has exceeded all my expectations. - Markus Guentner.Thomas Meluch’s most recent contribution to the label was in collaboration with Viul on the album Konec. Like Uwe, Thomas has an expansive and well-loved body of work, making it difficult to pick a favorite. However, for this occasion, I’m choosing to highlight his more vocal-forward work on Morr Music. This selection takes me back to the first time I discovered the beautiful guitars and melodies of Slowdive, or even the more electronic folk sound of artists like Bibio and early Caribou. Thomas seems to be one of those endlessly talented individuals who can master a vast spectrum of styles, all while keeping his distinctive sound at the forefront. I’ve picked the second track from his 2023 release, ‘Eidetic’ which is the first impactful vocal hit from the album that represents this side of Thomas’ work. <a href="https://pioulard.bandcamp.com/album/eidetic">Eidetic by Benoît Pioulard</a> Abul MogardI'm a huge, huge fan of Abul's music. Before our collaboration, we had no prior connection, which made reaching out to him feel daunting. I was elated when he replied and agreed to work on a collaborative track. Despite the initial uncertainty, the collaboration turned out to be incredibly rewarding, and I am thrilled with the outcome. - Markus GuentnerChecking the blog tag for Abul Mogard on the site reveals a wealth of mentions and mixes spanning several years. Guido’s music has played a significant role in shaping my taste, and, alongside a few select others, he’s been instrumental in fostering my appreciation for more powerful ambient music (see the Portals: Power Ambient feature). There was a time when I engaged in countless debates about Abul’s identity, which remained a mystery for many years, making him the ambient scene’s equivalent of Burial—before Burial ventured into ambient, of course. Now that his identity is no longer a secret, Guido has been relentless in honing his distinctive style through live performances and collaborations. One of his more recent releases, in collaboration with Rafael Anton Irisarri, is particularly noteworthy. The album’s title has never made more sense after experiencing it in full. The intricate details, combined with the music’s vastness and intimacy, are nothing short of awe-inspiring. <a href="https://abulmogard.bandcamp.com/album/impossibly-distant-impossibly-close">Impossibly distant, impossibly close by Abul Mogard & Rafael Anton Irisarri</a> Hollie Kenniff I've admired Hollie Kenniff's music for a long time, especially her work with Mint Julep alongside her husband Keith. When she released h

  Two familiar names step up for our next isolated mix, with a highly conceptual approach that matches their new (and similarly conceptual) collaborative album, ‘Démarrage’. I’m unsure where I would start if I were to create an album based on a love of cycling. Weirdly enough, it wouldn’t be the first electronic album to do so (See Kraftwerk’s, Tour De France, of course), but it’s obviously a big enough inspiration to spur electronic producers David Douglas and Applescal. After listening to t‘Démarrage’, it makes total sense, in more ways than one. The energy, euphoria, drive - even the pop of color and variation in approach - an effervescent continual movement throughout its 10 tracks. Applescal contributed an isolatedmix some twelve (!) years ago now, and it remains one of our most popular in the series. Combining multiple styles across an addictive hour of listening, the session proved Pascal is a master at developing a conceptual narrative in mix form, and now evidently in album form. David Douglas, who has made numerous appearances on Pascal’s Atmonation label, with one highlight for me being 2014’s, Moon Observation’s, is similarly a man of conceptual understanding and many undercurrents, spending time scoring music for films and commercials, while also releasing under a new alias HATY HATY, which combines electronic and indie music tendencies. I imagined a hybrid of styles to appear on their mix submission, and I wasn’t disappointed. But for it to also match the concept of their new album, takes it up a notch. The mix, goes as slow as Chihei, with the euphoric highs of The Paradise, sudden bursts of pace in Eversines, the anguish in Bersarin Quartett, and the comforting (I can see the finish line-vibes) of Ulrich Schnauss, in an unexpecting manner that’s on par with the unexpectedness of Fourtet’s not-so-secret secret side project. <a href="https://daviddouglasapplescal.bandcamp.com/album/d-marrage">Démarrage by David Douglas & Applescal</a> “Just like our album "Démarrage," which is essentially a long mix of interconnected tracks, we aimed to tell a broad story with this mix. We love to approach music as a continuous mix, as you can set a certain different vibe and have tracks complement each other. Our mix for ASIP begins gently, like a warm bath, with the calming sounds of Chihei Hatakeyama's "Calm Sea." Later on, we bring up the pace with the remix from Roman Flugel. We end with a return to tranquility and introspection with work from Bersarin Quartett and Skúli Sverrisson. Just like on our new album, we added a bunch of samples of cyclists to capture the emotion of the race” - David & Pascal astrangelyisolatedplace · isolatedmix 127 - David Dougls & Applescal Listen on Soundcloud the ASIP Podcast or the 9128.live iOS and Android appDownload MP3Tracklist:01. Chihei Hatakeyama - Calm Sea02. Tomaga - Intimate Immensity 03. Kyle Hall, Kero - 19FT 04. Unit Moebius - Dolfinarium 05. Tambo’s House - Jhe Gu Jye06. Dusky - Metropolis07. C.A.R - Idle eyes. (Roman Fluegel Remix) Applescal body Edit08. The Paradise - In Love With You (Alan Braxe Remix)09. Fasme - Sweet Flux10. David Douglas & Applescal - Galibier11. David Douglas & Applescal - Galibier (Gruppetto) 12. ⣎⡇ꉺლ༽இ•̛)ྀ◞ ༎ຶ ༽ৣৢ؞ৢ؞ؖ ꉺლ - ʅ͡͡͡͡͡͡͡͡͡͡͡(ƟӨ)ʃ͡͡͡͡͡͡͡͡͡͡ ꐑ(ཀ ඊູ ఠీੂ೧ູ࿃ूੂ✧✧✧✧✧✧ළඕั࿃ूੂ࿃ूੂ13. Eversines - Vlaag14. Eversines - Vlaag (Beatless Version) 15. Ulrich Schnauss - A Letter from Home 16. Bersarin Quartett - Verflossen ist das Gold der Tage17. Skúli Sverrisson - InstantsApplescal | BandcampDavid Douglas | Website  

  The Deep Breakfast mix series has slowly (quite quickly compared to my isolatedmix efforts!) become one of the greatest ambient-leaning mix series around, pulling in some of the finest curators and artists to grace our small world. From well-known artists and DJs to passionate music collectors, it seems Francesco, the curator, is intent on hosting a series truly meant for every corner of the ambient spectrum. The name of the mix series gives you an idea of what to expect, and for my submission, I battled hard with what style to attempt in order to live up to the many great mixes that have been featured before. Breakfast to me - deep or not - can often be light and uplifting - chill or even dubtechno on some mornings. But similarly, a deep breakfast may also mean the edges of light at 4 or 5am… and this is more the route I went with this mix. Look out for some of the many upcoming ASIP tracks featured in this one!Big thanks to Francesco for the invite, and I hope you all enjoy the mix. Deep Breakfast Series · Deep Breakfast 267 ~ ASIP Listen on Soundcloud or the ASIP PodcastDownload MP3Tracklist:01. swanasa - AHO (A Strangely Isolated Place, Forthcoming)02. Hiemal - Pays D'en Haut I (Self)03. Thomas Koner - Nuut (Night) (Force Inc)04. Markus Guentner & Abul Mogard - While Hunting Nightmares And Dreaming For Peace (A Strangely Isolated Place, Forthcoming)05. Ayaavaaki & Purl - Einstein-Rosen Bridge (Passage II) (LILA)06. LF58 - Utopia (Northern Electronics)07. Avsluta - It's Always Lonely Being Free (Self)08. Pete Namlook & Bill Laswell - Angel Tech (Subharmonic)09. STBL - Carousel Of Light (Self)10. Mikkel Rev - Lauryl (A Strangely Isolated Place, Forthcoming)11. James Murray - Grace (Home Normal)12. Robert Rich - Summer Thunder (Self)13. OKRAA - Canto Luminoso a la Luna (A Strangely Isolated Place, Forthcoming)  

  A new mix for the brilliant Monument platform, and their new series ‘Waves’ which looks to feature more of the ambient side of things, rather than the deep techno world they are known for, if the first of the series by Chris SSG is any indication. After our label showcase mix I did for them a few years back, I was extremely pleased to return to Monument again and decided on a new approach for #2. Taking inspiration from the podcast series’ title, I aimed to create a mix that focused on repetition and layers, as if staring out to sea watching blankets of waves roll in from miles out; changing in intensity, but forever calming in their unbound repetition.The result is reflective of the many adjacent styles I enjoy from ambient, to IDM and deeper techno and some of the seconds of tracks that stand out to me, or I forever wished to be looped in my head - be it a texture, vocal or beat pattern. Thank you Monument for the support over the years, and for inviting me to what I am sure will become a very special series. MONUMENT · Monument Waves 002 : ASIP Listen on Soundcloud or the ASIP PodcastDownload MP3Tracklist:01. Mikkel Rev - Evocation  [Unreleased / A Strangely Isolated Place] (Loop/edit)02. Chronovalve - Almost There [Home Normal] (Loop/edit)03 . Yumi Iwaki - Nocturnal[Kankyō Records]  (Loop/edit)04. DJ Healer - Great Escape [All Possible Worlds] (Loop/edit)05. Susumu Yokota - No Kaori [Leaf Label] (Loop/edit)06. The National Pool - Through The Beach [Infraction] (Loop/edit)07. Bana Haffar - Lifter [Touch] (Loop/edit)08. Pontiac Streator - Stuck In A Cave [Motion Ward] (Loop/edit)09. TSR - 01 [Record Union] (Loop/edit)10. Christina Chatfield - Sutro [Mysteries of the Deep] (Loop/edit)11. Oneohtrix Point Never - Format & Journey North [Arbor] (Loop/edit)12. Gi Gi - Montjuic Feat. Mi Mi [Quiet Time] (Loop/edit)13. Jonny Nash - All I Ever Need [Melody As Truth] (Loop/edit)14. Saphileaum - Elegant Voyage [Mysteries of The Deep] (Loop/edit)15. RQ - Hounds (Sam KDC remix) [Auxiliary] (Loop/edit)16. Michael Stearns - In The Beginning [Continuum Montage] (Loop/edit)17. Solar Quest - Flying Spirals [Crammed Discs] (Loop/edit)18. Zodiac Childs - Kepler Track Two (Zodiac Wax) (Loop/edit)19. Central Industrial - After Image [Auxiliary] (Loop/edit)20. Intrepid Soul - Under The Sun (The Gods Planet) (Loop/edit) 21. Anatolian Weapons - Teachings In Stone [Self] (Loop/edit)22. Theef - Sun & Smoke  (Unreleased / A Strangely Isolated Place) (Loop/edit)23. Quiet Places - Side B (A Strangely Isolated Place) (Loop/edit)24. Courtesy - You're Not Alone [Kulør] (feat. Erika de Casier & August Rosenbaum) (Loop/edit)25. Maxime Denuc - Ouverture [Vlek] (Loop/edit)26. µ-Ziq - Whale Soup [Self] (Loop/edit)27. Adam Johnson - Version 02 [Merck] (Loop/edit)28. Autechre - Bronchusevernmx24 + Aphex Twin - On + Aleksi Perala - UK74R1406070 (edit)29. Pub - Summer [Vertical Form] (Loop/edit)30. Loess - Sofar [Toytronic] (edit)31. Biosphere - Monju 1 [Touch] (Loop/edit)32. Salvatore Mercatante - Classical [Unreleased]33. OKRAA - La Gran Corriente [Unreleased / A Strangely Isolated Place]34. Lihla - Becoming Human [A Strangely Isolated Place] (Loop/edit)35. Ylia - Drifting Off into The Waves  [Balmat] (Loop/edit)36. The Eightsome Reel - A Stranger Landing  [Self] (Loop/edit)37. Terre Thaemlitz - Music is Controllable Desire You Can Own [Self]38. Echospace - Love Always Lives [Self] 39. Bill Laswell & Pete Namlook - Telepathy II [FAX] (Loop/edit)  

  As someone who enjoys the process of putting together mixes- specifically more conceptual ambient leaning mixes- I often think about how I would approach playing an event designed for sleep. I’m yet to play a set like this live, but I did tackle something similar in the Portals series by roughly mixing styles that aligned to specific sleep stages (eg, REM, deep etc). But in person, sleep is never as predictable as hypothetical sleep stages in a recorded mix, let alone the idea of a room full of people mirroring these stages at the same time. To approach an in-person set designed for sleep would be a daunting undertaking, but an extremely rewarding experience for both DJ and listener - the career highlight for an ambient DJ, maybe... They say the warm-up set is the hardest test for a DJ and I would tend to agree. But I’d love to see some of the world’s best DJs execute 3.5 hours of music for a room full of people looking to do the exact opposite of dancing, or even listening, for the entire duration… Sa Pa has executed this concept flawlessly.No stranger to the minutia and atmosphere needed to transport someone from a horizontal state into an elevated lucid dream, I can hardly think of anyone better to take control of such a situation than Berlin-based artist, Sa Pa. His latest release for Astral Industries (the undisputed label kings of lucid states, no doubt) is the perfect example of transportive and psychedelic ambient music down to the finest grain of sound, sample and texture. <a href="https://astralindustries.bandcamp.com/album/ai-33-atmospheric-fragments">AI-33: Atmospheric Fragments by Sa Pa</a> If Sa Pa’s productions weren’t enough to demonstrate his transportive power and worldbuilding tendencies, then his recent captures from his own Absurd Lustre events, or his mix for one of our 9128.live takeovers, may have provided an additional glimpse of what to expect when he was given the reigns for an all-night sleep in event recently, in Leipzig.“For years I've kept a mental cache of what music would I'd love to play at a sleep in, but was never really sure if there'd be a chance, so small some dreams came true that night for me too - it was a pretty rare experience I'd say especially with everyone there really taking part in the concept”.It’s not often we get the chance to host a set from an event that by its very nature, is designed to be experienced in person, but after several trials of this mix (on a plane, going to sleep, and waking up from sleep, then all states in between), the concept translates to an outstanding headphone session and the perfect concept for a defining moment in the isolatedmix series of concepts and sounds. “I think it was one of the deepest and most solitary DJing experiences I have ever been part of, and driving a three and half hour cloud through the pitch darkness was a beautifully liminal journey, caring for the dreams of those in the room, some 100-200 people or so”.A 3.5hr liminal state available for your own time and place, in the gentle hands and ears of Sa Pa, displaying the very essence of horizontal ambient music designed to immerse, weave and transport. Featuring tracks from, Luc Ferrari, Zenxen, Pinkcourtesyphone, cv313, Jason Lescalleet, Yann Novak, BJ Nilsen, Robert Henke, Rod Modell, Ryoji Ikeda, Steve Roach and Sa Pa, himself. Introduction and words from Sa Pa - ‘Diary of a Lonely DJ’:There’s something about gazing out of a train window or being 30-thousand feet high up in the troposphere, that evokes a feeling of what we try best to describe as liminality. With this in mind, Deutsche Bahn had me scuttling toward Leipzig from Berlin on a typically stark and windy day that could of been taken right out of a Wim Wenders classic; the treetops lining Urbanstraße on the way to Hauptbahnhof looking as stripped and brittle as burnt skeletons in the snow.Some 8-to-10 degrees warmer in Saxony, I arrived at a city shrouded in mist, with the darkness of the early afternoon somehow made a touch warmer by that first Friday-feeling of the year. Onwards to Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei - a converted cotton mill where this evening’s ‘Sleep In’ would take place - the 14 tram would rumble past the pink and lilac glow of the city’s opera house. Sleep Ins are no new thing, and to be in the arms of the proverbial morpheus with some 200 people in an industrial estate does have its abstract appeal, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a fan of the concept.Around 6PM, dragging their mattresses in with them, it was encouraging to see people arrive some eight-hours before the witching hour. Tuning in to the event myself, and finding a little respite backstage, I drifted in and out of consciousness, occasionally breaking REM sleep to acknowledge the sounds of “Simple Headphone Mind” and Zoviet France’s remix of Panasonic, reverberating in the hall.With a medley of lullabies soundtracking the evening so far, preparing selections too deep even for my own Absurd Lustre event, provided a much needed boost of waking life before taking to the couch in the DJ booth. Over the course of the next three-and-a-half hours, in near pitch-darkness, I was able to draw from a rare cache of non-music and atmosphere, embraced at large by a small flotilla of sleeping souls, leaving port to navigate the inner landscapes of a technicolour head trip.With only the dimmed lights of my equipment and an exit sign illuminating the room, safe to say, it was a resolutely profound DJing experience and deep journey into the estranged fields of time and space. There were moments at the helm where I felt like a small craft adrift in a sea of voluminous black, while simultaneously part of a delicate collective sub-consciousness, sailing through a dream-like abyss. As if bridging a void between the physical world and something beyond the imagination, it was truly a strangely isolated place.~Listen on Soundcloud the ASIP Podcast or the 9128.live iOS and Android appDownload MP3 astrangelyisolatedplace · isolatedmix 125 - Sa Pa (Sleep In) The start of the event, as attendees bring in mattresses ready for the night and Sa Pa’ set. Sa Pa | Web | Instagram | Soundcloud | Absurd Lustre | Soundcloud (Absurd Lustre) | Instagram (Absurd Lustre)  

  As with all past ‘Reflection’ year-end mixes, I start with a collection of albums, EPs, and compilations I have enjoyed over the past year. Through the process of compiling a mix, tracks are selected from this extensive collection. This ultimately means many of my favorite tracks and albums are often omitted in this process, due to the organic process of compiling a mix, things don’t fit, or fall by the wayside. There are many albums I had on high rotation missing from this mix, but I have to stop somewhere. As I say every year, this isn’t a definitive ‘best-of’ list, but a selection of *some* of my favorite music from the year in one listenable format. It’s the most enjoyable way for me to boil down the music I’ve loved from the year using these self-imposed restrictions, for you to enjoy and hopefully discover more, and for me to reflect on time and time again - like a photograph that captures the year in music. I encourage you to use the mix to explore each artist, listen to the album in full, and explore each label (and check the Buy Music Club list at the bottom). If you want to see the majority of music I’ve been supporting this year, head over to my Bandcamp collection. For the ASIP year-end label compilation, see the feature and mix here.~Yikes, I crossed the 3-hour mark! Well, that speaks volumes to the amount of great music that was released this year, and I’m already feeling guilty about omissions from this mix. But alas, it needs to stop somewhere, the Holiday’s are coming… This edition marks the tenth year in succession (2010 was the first mix but I skipped doing this for two years for some reason) and it is an extremely enjoyable exercise I look forward to every year. Revisiting many of the albums I’ve purchased throughout the year, and records from my shelf, then taking the time to absorb more recent releases - the process is cathartic (after the slight anxiety that builds knowing I have a beast of a mix to tackle, and hard decisions to be made). Looking back at previous Reflection mixes, I am evidently a creature of habit and seem to gravitate to certain artists more than most over the years (we all have our faves), but I also take a lot of time to dig for new artists and approaches to music in this realm, and this year’s edition is probably the most varied in music styles since the Reflection series began. Ambient, field recordings, drone (Power-ambient, even), big saxophones (the flute revival didn’t make it ;-), Japanese left-field pop, deep techno, chugging techno, modern classical, experimental, jungle, breaks, dub and more… as you might imagine, this is a 3hr mix that feels more like a showcase than a DJ mix in the traditional sense, as I’m focusing on creating chapters of different styles, but I hope makes for an attentive listen if you’ve got 3hrs to spare. Am I going to write about all 42 tracks? Not this time, as I don’t think there’s much I can illustrate other than ‘go listen to that entire album!’ but I will make a few observations on themes that emerged as I was going through this process. Firstly, the far corners of Bandcamp are very much alive, so for anyone looking for alternatives given all the talk with Bandcamp this year, please don’t hit the escape button and continue to support us- I continued to find so many new labels and artists, some of which are included here such as Liis Ring, Etüüd, ǝɯǝɐ, Azu Tiwaline and not to forget a kick-ass Jungle community throwing out some lovely 90’s infused comps. Bandcamp keeps small labels and artists alive right now (only two of these tracks were physical releases and not on Bandcamp - #19 & #42). I spent a lot of time listening to music that would work for the two shows I played in Japan earlier this year, and for those who listened back to one of the sets I posted, you may notice a few similar tracks/artists appearing here again which I’ve held in high regard since their release, such as Jo Johnson, Field Lines Cartographer and Endurance. On reflection, there was a lot of deepness for me this year that came from preparing for and inspired by those sets, sitting on the edges of techno with lots of synthesizer/Berlin school projects (as well as a couple of artists I got to see in person whilst over there such as Yolabmi and Endurance).There were a couple of glaring omissions from this mix (*checks Bandcamp app most played*) which I had on rotation so much this year that I still wanted to mention, such as Imaginary Softwoods, who was behind one of my favorite tracks of the year, ‘Diagrams of the Universe’. Along with Johnny Nash’s Point of Entry - a tranquil guitar-laden affair, both of which never left my turntable for long.The ever-expanding ASIP roster of artists, both alumni and current, had an extremely busy year evidently (I try to restrict their inclusions in this mix where I can otherwise it could be an entire ASIP promo show… hey that’s an idea…). bvdub released about ~10 masterpieces, as only he can, flaunting all possible peripherals in his deep arsenal (along with rounding out the Earth House Hold project with us of course). ASC was crazy busy with his quality retro Spatial DnB releases (one of them made it in here). For those who enjoyed Alex Albrecht’s debut with us, don’t miss his earlier 2023 release. Deepchild released another great textured follow-up to his ASIP debut for those wanting more. 36 continued some rave-esque ambient no doubt inspired by his 9128 recording a few years back. Markus Guentner began an exciting collab project with Joachim Spieth (and also appeared in several other collaborations). RAI kept things relatively reflective with a few Bandcamp specials and recordings from his live tour. Benoit Pîoulard made a beautiful return to Morr Music, and Christian Kleine rounded out the year with a limited vinyl press. Those needing more from our 2023 new signing Mikkel Rev, can check out his earlier album released in January this year. James Bernard had a busy year alongside his wife as Awakened Souls, and found more 90’s DAT goodness among many other projects. Mick Chillage released a superb sleeper IDM album in the form of Initial Programs. Dr Atmo’s throwback to his early sounds saw a rebirth of one of his most enjoyed albums alongside new remixes. Wanderwelle made their second full-length odyssey for Important Records and Yagya continued to explore uncharted new takes on his sound through his new label imprint. Scanner’s innovative repertoire continued to expand and one of my faves of his came in the form of this collab. Hior Chronik published a couple of unreleased gems. And lastly, Ludvig Cimbrelius aka Purl/Illuvia and Arovane managed to sneak onto this mix with a couple of their releases… Two labels who hit home runs for me this year with the majority of their releases. Illian Tape had some extremely great (and varied) electronic releases. And while Mysteries of the Deep’s output was relatively choice (quality over quantity), 3 out of the 4 releases made it onto the mix! There are a couple of tracks in the mix from albums that align with what seems to be, the common consensus on some of the ‘best’ electronic releases from the year (one of the advantages of my waiting until mid-December to finish this mix is I see what other people are rating highly or what I might’ve missed) such as James Holden’s psychedelic return, and Purelink’s amphibious dub LP. But other than those two, I think everyone should find something new among the twists and turns across the 3 hours and 42 tracks.For the mix artwork this year, and after last year’s terribly basic AI take (it’s come a long way in a year!), I toyed with creating another AI attempt on a “A Strangely Isolated Place” prompt, but you have to spend time to get quality back out of these lil’ work gnomes. Every image I created from that prompt ended up being a stereotypical lonely hiker (with 4 fingers I’m sure) strolling through a highly conceptual colorful future universe. Either that or a decrepit shed…So instead, I opted for an image that means much more to me… a wall. Not just any wall though, it’s the wall outside of Spread nightclub in Tokyo where I had the pleasure of playing an ambient set this year, meeting new friends, and making some amazing memories.Thanks to all of the artists and labels included here who have soundtracked my year in more ways than one, and the many more I didn’t manage to include this time around. Be sure to check the previous year’s Reflection mixes for more of the same. Hope you enjoy the listen back at a great year of music. astrangelyisolatedplace · ASIP - Reflection on 2023 Listen on Soundcloud the ASIP Podcast or the 9128.live iOS and Android appDownload MP3Tracklist:01. Sleep D - Hector (Dreaming) (Butter Sessions) 02. Liis Ring - after-image IV: abborresjön (Breton Cassette) 03. William Selman - Leaky Paradise (Mysteries of the Deep) 04. Etüüd - Õhtute kollane tolm (Self released) 05. TU M' - Monochrome #26 (Line Imprint) 06. Arovane - ypaal (Quiet Details) 07. Field Lines Cartographer - Mountain Icicles (Castles in Space) 08. Dream Dolphin - Gaia (Ethereal Fantasy) (Music from Memory) 09. Salamanda - Nostalgia (Wisdom Teeth) 10. Endurance - Crest v2 (Muzan Editions) 11. Suzanne Ciani & Jonathan Fitoussi - Coral Reef (Transversales) 12. Alex Israel - Vacua (Somnambulant Drift) 13. The Black Dog - The Mundane (Dust Science) 14. Locust - Miriam (Mysteries of the Deep) 15. Niko Tzoukmanis - Way Home (Libreville Records) 16. Jo Johnson - Transience (Mysteries of the Deep) 17. Dasha

  ASIP is going on fifteen years of existence now (as a website and blog at least), and a few things have remained a constant over the years helping keep us going. One of them has been the support of Juno and in particular, Milo Bragg, who was the first distributor to take us on as a label back in 2013. As many labels and musicians will know, it’s pretty hard to get your start in this world, and Juno can be held up as one of only a few who have kept an open ear to our style of music and given it a home (and subsequently many other labels like us). Over these past ten years or so, Milo and I have gotten to know each other relatively well, and more recently Milo has stepped into the label game with Future Primitive Records and can be found putting together some sublime vinyl-forward mixes. I’m excited to find our worlds overlap here in the isolatedmix series, as Milo recorded a vinyl-only set a few months back and sent it my way, (after a long delay - sorry Milo - Good things come… etc etc.). Featuring several tracks and albums that have been on high rotation for me, it’s a superb trip that I think many of you will enjoy. ~You’ve worked at Juno for many years now, how has this shaped you musically? For example, I imagine getting exposed to a great amount of music over the years... It’s definitely helped me find what I do and don’t like for myself. When I first started in the late ‘90s/early ‘00s I’d sit and listen through a massive pile of records at the end of each day and didn’t have to pay attention to press or DJs like most people back then, I could find the good shit for myself! Listening to the new releases in an office environment shaped my taste to be more chilled too. It just suits the environment, when I first started I was predominantly into hard club bangers :)I’m interested to know a bit about your view on record labels within your role and what you think it takes to succeed as a label nowadays. Everyone knows pressing vinyl is hard, and securing a great distributor like Juno is just as hard and critical for further exposure. How have you seen things change for labels since you started at Juno all those years ago? It’s so tough for vinyl labels now especially the new smaller ones doing really interesting stuff sadly. The visual side of things has become so important with stores using Instagram so much they need the record to look good. I think the “anti-marketing” days of just putting some clips up on Soundcloud are over sadly, I’m always so stoked on DJs/artists/labels that aren’t on Instagram but I don’t think you can escape it anymore, especially if you’re just starting out. Silent Season · Campfire Stories 79 (A New Dawn) by Milo Bragg Juno has always been a great supporter of ambient music in general, giving a platform to many small labels such as ourselves over the years. What does it take in your opinion to secure a distributor like Juno? Yeah, my boss Richard (one of Juno’s founders) loves his ambient :) If you’re not going to get a well-known artist involved at the early stages to help bring attention and get the label off the ground, the music (and artwork) had better be bloody good! You’ve got your own projects going on too, with the Club Rooted mix series and the Future Primitive label, can you give us a brief intro into these? Club Rooted was a product of listening to records in the Juno office with Matthew Kent (Blowing Up The Workshop/Mana) and suddenly realising they weren’t dance music anymore but still very much rooted in club culture. I got really excited about that zone and thread that runs through electronic music’s history. There are so many good labels pushing stuff that rides this line, and events too like Absurde Lustre (& more recently A New Wave) in Berlin run by Sa Pa & Blume.How or why did you decide to start Future Primitive? (Did seeing labels at Juno all those years make you want to do something similar?!) I’ve always been obsessed with vinyl labels so of course I’d want my own and it was a way of contributing to the scene without being a producer + I came across a lot of music through work by artists like Murcof & DJ Guy that was CD or tape only the label was a way of me getting those tracks onto wax! The original of The Leo Anibaldi track “Aeon Fusion I” from FPR001 was super fast too and the label enabled me to work with the artist to slow it down and to get it DJ-friendly for the vinyl heads :)This mix came out of nowhere and (for everyone here) took a while for me to actually publish it since you sent it last year! What was the inspiration behind it? I got excited about recording an ambient mix. It felt challenging, I wanted to capture something in between the old chill-out room sets and a modern-sounding warm-up. It only takes a couple of good records to inspire me to start piecing a mix together, it’s often their juxtaposition I get a real kick out of. I love beat-matching records that shouldn’t work together on paper and have always found DJs that make a new sound by mixing old records very inspiring, it’s not a million miles from producing really. Konduku is definitely someone I think finds a new thread in old records that inspires me a lot. Club Rooted · Club Rooted #3 / Konduku Given you get the pick of the bunch at Juno and get to listen to so many records in advance, who are some musicians or labels that might be relatively new or unheard of that excite you when landing on your desk? PVAS, Kosmogonik (check their ambient stuff!), Purelink, Cousin, Yushh, Mu Tate, Sindh, X Or Size, Rat Heart + love the Luck Of Access and Doo labels.I’ve followed your mixes for years now, but see you’re also DJing out quite a bit more now. What are some records that never leave your bag?Money Morning - Corporate Karma, Drux – Transe Deep Version, 3 Chairs - 3 Chairs, Alka Rex - Shapes to Phases, Bluetrain - Babylon Paralysis.~ astrangelyisolatedplace · isolatedmix 124 - Milo Bragg Listen on Soundcloud the ASIP Podcast or the 9128.live iOS and Android appDownload MP3Tracklist:01. Dwig - Keep Us outro (Dwig)02. Leo Anibaldi - Evocation Part II (Future Primitive)03. Benjamin Brunn - Life Cycle (Black Wall)04. Deadbeat - Right As Rain (~scape)05. UD - Adapter (Kimochi)06. Alexx A-Game - Braver (Swing Ting Smooth Version)(Swing Ting)07. CN - Adrift (Future Primitive)08. Satoshi & Makoto - Crepescule Leger (Safe Trip)09. Bauri - Have No Fear (Expanding Records)10. Sindh - Ayaka System (Sindh)11. Being - I Can't Look At It Though (Firecracker Recordings)12. The Detroit Escalator Co. - Float (Peacefrog Records)13. Leo James - Lonely (Mind Dance)14. Money Morning - Therah (Acting Press)15. Mike Paradinas - Hi-Q (Interdimensional Transmissions)16. John Heckle - Where The Wild Ones Go (Mathematics Recordings)17. Tongues Of Light - Awakening outro (Pre-Cert Home Entertainment)18. Design A Wave - Weird F (No 'Label')~Artwork photo by JethroFuture Primitive | Web | Soundcloud | Bandcamp | Discogs    

  The Observatory is a new mix series curated by Jay Keegan and has already featured a few of my favorite artists and DJs since its recent inception. I can tell that Jay has an ear for great sound and curators, so I’m excited to see where the series goes in the future and was honored to play a part in its path forward. I took the opportunity to spotlight a few unreleased gems in this mix, as well as two very exciting ASIP releases in the works… Recent contributions have come from the likes of, Jo Johnson, Toner (Liminal Dreams), Gentle Force and Patricia Wolf. Listen to the full series on Soundcloud. Here’s what I had to say about the mix when sending it over to Jay. This mix came together over a 2/3 month period, as I've spent a large part of the summer between Oregon and California with family and haven't had much dedicated time to focus on a mix. Normally I approach mixes more conceptually, but this one came to life organically in pieces, over time. In hindsight, the mix reflects a specific period in time for me and a lot of my life musically over the past few months. From the unfortunate passing of Brian McBride (Stars of The Lid) and revisiting those brilliant albums nearly every evening; anticipating the new Lord of The Isles album after his standout isolatedmix this year; our latest label addition from Mary Yalex; music being sent to my inbox from new artists; and of course, a couple of upcoming ASIP releases that are keeping me busy lately. Thank you for having me as part of the series.   The Observatory · The Observatory - ASIP Listen on The Observatory Soundcloud or the ASIP PodcastDownload MP3Tracklist:01. Mary Yalex - Snowy Avenue (Excerpt) (Yalex Recordings) [Forthcoming]02. Stars of The Lid - Down (Kranky) [2001] 03. Monolake - Mass Transit Railway (Field Records) [2023]04. nthng - Unlimited () (Excerpt) (Transatlantic) [2023]05. Liai - A-A (Quiet Time) [2022]06. Terre Thaemlitz - Liebesmachine (Comatonse) [2019]07. Biosphere - Antennaria (Alternative Version) (Biophon) [2022]08. Vernal Equinox - Six Figures In A Landscape (Clover Recordings) [1997]09. hoyah חיה - BB walk [10129] (Mellia) [2022]10. Andy Aquarius - Kyrie (Constellation Tatsu) [2022]11. Romance & Dean Hurley - Still Lives (Ecstatic) [2022]12. Chihei Hatakeyama - Insects Chirping (Field Records) [2023]13. Lord of The Isles - Last Day (AD93) [Forthcoming]14. Alex Israel - Octonions (Somnambulant Drift) [2023]15. Shīdo - Denial (Unreleased)16. Owl - Moonshine Haze (Silent Season) [2021]17. Not Glass - Fallite Fallentes (Ecstatic) [2019]18. Carl Stone - Lim 1974 (Unseen Worlds) [2016]19. Stars of The Lid - Preludes (In C Sharp Major) (Kranky) [2001]20. Arovane - Yord (Quiet Details) [2023]21. Markus Guentner & Arovane - Utopian Fragment (A Strangely Isolated Place) [Forthcoming]22. Salvatore Mercatante - Open, Open (A Strangely Isolated Place) [Forthcoming]Mix artwork by Clayton Ciolac