SUSS Nail Ambient Country Vibes with ‘Birds & Beasts’
Ambient country’s SUSS thrive on moody atmospheres and calm amidst the tension. Their music is imbued with the beauty and mystery of the American West.
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Leaving Records Are Bigger and Weirder Than Ever Turning 15
Los Angeles experimental label Leaving Records embrace an “all genre” aesthetic. At 15 years old, their artists are moving the cultural needle in a big way.
Fire-Toolz’s ‘Breeze’ Dares to Imagine Joy Within Chaos
It’s a rare artist indeed who can turn tools for expressing existential dread toward a grateful appreciation of life, but Fire-Toolz accomplishes this on Breeze.
Talented Vocalists Explore Melancholy Moods with Moby
Moby creates a series of melancholy soundscapes, along with some upbeat tunes, to highlight the collection of talented singers on Always Centered at Night.
Hermanos Gutiérrez Explore the Final Frontier on ‘Sonido Cósmico’
In Sonido Cósmico, Hermanos Gutiérrez take to the stars, evoking the open spaces of an imagined Wild West and the even greater mystique of the final frontier.
Claire Rousay Shifts from Field Recordings to Quasi-Pop Ballads
Sentiment is a deeply melancholic work suffused with a gentle beauty in the emotions Claire Rousay expresses in the lyrics and the ambient delights.
Ambient Matters: The Best Ambient Albums of April 2024
April was a glorious stew for lovers of this music, and you’ll want to make sure to check out our new playlist showcasing this month’s best ambient entries.
Mary Lattimore and Walt McClements Create Order with the ‘Rain on the Road’
Call it experimental or ambient: harpist Mary Lattimore and accordionist Walt McClements sonically ruminate on their repetitive cycle between life and music.
‘Ghosted II’ Continues Enigmatic Project Led by Oren Ambarchi
Ghosted II is the intensely cerebral successor to 2022’s Ghosted, with Oren Ambarchi’s ensemble plumbing the depths of post-rock and avant-jazz.
Hour’s ‘Ease the Work’ Is Hypnotic and Beautifully Strange
The latest release from Michael Cormier-O’Leary’s instrumental collective, Hour, is a deliberately paced work that’s peaceful and oddly disarming.
Josh Johnson’s ‘Unusual Object’ Is a Fascinating Record
Celebrated saxophonist Josh Johnson infuses his music with various styles on this surprisingly accessible new LP of processed, ambient jazz.
Ambient Matters: The 15 Best Ambient Albums of March 2024
This month’s best ambient/experimental releases yielded enough sublime music to send you drifting into transcendence for many moons to come.