In Praise of the Saddest Chord (Mix)
Description

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[Videos by Dave Michuda / image by midjourney]
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Could this be 'the saddest mix of all time'? I don't think so myself, I would rather call it melancholic - in a pleasant way. But it's a fact that all of these tracks are in D minor (Dm), which is said to be 'the saddest chord':
"The D minor chord (often written as Dm) is a chord that evokes a sense of melancholy and contemplation on the negative side of situations. Like many other minor chords, Dm can create a heavy, serious atmosphere -- and sometimes even creates an almost otherworldly sense of drama."
There are many ambient moments, but (like most Ambientblog mixes) this is not a pure 'ambient' mix, since it includes many 'post-classical' strings and piano moments.
One advantage of selecting fragments based on the chord is that the tracks are selected regardless of the release year. Which feels like ‘as if time were the easiest thing to walk’ (The Dwindlers).
I am honored that this mix is also featured on Dave Michuda's Low Light Mixes. Dave also created the beautiful promo videos for this mix. Thanks a million for that, Dave!
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Tracks included:
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This mix is created using bits, pieces, fragments, samples & edits from the following tracks:
start time sample length Artist - Title
album, year, label
- 00:00 0:38 Erik K Skodvin & Rauelsson - The Return
A Score For Darling, 2018, Sonic Pieces - 00:30 4:47 Erik Wøllo & Michael Stearns - Ruins Of The Past
Convergence, 2020, Projekt - 03:49 2:19 Zoviet France - Amber Rose Hand
The Tables Are Turning, 2013, Soleilmoon Recordings - 04:40 2:28 Monolake - Allure Publison
Archaeopteryx, 2020, Imbalance Computer Music - 05:56 2:42 Mark Tamea - Tower Ch1 Rearranged
Five Augmented Locations (Vol. 1), 2014, EQ:RA - 06:51 3:52 Trans Alp - Gymnopédies No. 1
Après Quatre Pièces D'Erik Satie, 2013, Camomille Music - 09:32 1:59 Luc Ferrari - Presque Rien No. 2 Ou Ainsi Continue La Nuit Dans Ma Tête Multiple
L'Oeuvre Électronique, 2009, INA-GRM - 10:14 2:15 Madeleine Cocolas - And Then I Watch It Fall Apart
Spectral, 2022, Room40 - 10:40 03:53 Chihei Hatakeyama & Good Weather For An Airstrike - Lost In The City
Falling Sun, 2014, Rural Colours - 12:42 3:26 Luke Howard - The Closing Of The Gates (with Budapest Art Orchestra)
All Of Us, 2022, Mercury KX - 15:01 3:55 Jacob Kirkegaard - Chasm Chant
Pod Tune, 2018, Not On Label - 16:20 5:19 Mendel Kaelen - Light Of Nature
Remembering What Was Forgotten, 2010, Self-released - 20:12 4:33 Jon Hopkins - How I Live Now
How I Live Now OST, 2013, Just Music - 24:02 2:37 The Dwindlers - Dekuji Praha
Beautiful Unfamiliar, 2019, self-released - 26:04 2:13 Simon Fisher Turner - Nanda Devi
The Epic Of Everest, 2013, Mute - 27:26 1:51 Jeremiah Cymerman - From The Metaphysical To The Transcendental (for Bill Smith)
Citadels & Sanctuaries, 2021, 5049 Records - 28:52 1:40 Don Hill (with Blast Theory) - WRGO (Lunar Lander)
WRGO (What's Really Going On), 2019, self-released - 29:48 4:54 Roger Eno & Brian Eno - Obsidian
Mixing Colours, 2020, Deutsche Grammophon - 34:09 3:17 Mike Lazarev - When You Are
When You Are, 2022, Slowcraft Records - 36:37 4:11 London Docks - Violin Improvisation - La Lluvia
Tangaróa, 2014, self-released - 38:47 3:43 Agate Rollings - 1.12 AM - On The Fingers Of A Heat Which Is Burning Out
Meantime/Elsewhere, 2021, Midira Records - 41:31 3:52 Gareth Davis - Stone
Souvenirs Van De Woeste Grond, 2014, Esc.Rec - 41:38 2:11 Endless Melancholy - Broken
An Introduction To Soft, 2014, Soft Recordings - 44:21 1:57 Arve Henriksen - First Life
Chron, 2012, Rune Grammofon - 46:12 5:01 Ketil Bjørnstadt & Svante Henryson - Reticence
Night Song, 2011, ECM Records - 48:09 1:26 Loscil - Ma.Org (Seque) Re.Mx
Ma.Org Pa.Git.Re.Mx, 2015 Crónica - 48:11 2:36 Ben Lukas Boysen & Sebastian Plano - Glacial Sunbeam
Everything, 2017, Erased Tapes Records - 50:38 2:54 Anne Chris Bakker - Droesem
Reminiscences, 2014, Dronarivm - 52:51 1:23 <st