I tweeted this video last week and didn’t post it on here. Not sure why, but i have just watched it again and it deserves more than 140 characters! In case you missed it, here’s John Hopkins live at the ICA with the title track from his latest album Insides. Great way to edit and capture what could be a very boring video…
You can catch Jon Hopkins live in London on the 8th October at Kings Place N1
I don’t normally share a batch load of music in one post, but its been a bloomin good week for free music. If you follow my ramblings on twitter then you may already have many of the below links, but if not take a look and load up.
The ISO50 blog has just released the second free MP3 EP featuring some killer covers of Air, M83 and my favourite of the bunch, Snap’s Rhythm is a Dancer. “Mux Mool switches gears and takes this roller skating rink classic and runs it thru the arcade and struts down the street with it while saying hi to all the ladies, a definite head nodder for the underground collectors.” If you liked this then check out the first free MP3 EP, featuring covers of Stardust, Fleetwood Mac and MGMT.
Surfing on Steam continue to dish out the goodness and this week have picked a few beauties for SOS MIx 23. The mix features “moodier singles filed under the new genre known as “chillwave”, including Little Dragon, The Big Pink and Lusine.
Leading nicely on, this weeks FACT Mix 84 is a must. Lusine mixes up some delicious dub techno, trip-hop and ambient for this collectable podcast series. The mix features tracks from the man himself, Boards of Canada, Flying Lotus and Four Tet to name just a few. Be quick, this mix is only hosted for a limited time only.
That’s about 3 hours worth so far, and in set terms, you need a peak timer. And as always Echaskech are on hand to deliver. Check out their mix for Clash Magazine featuring an exclusive remix and tracks by Moderat, and Clubroot.
I was going to feature this as a ‘Soundcloud Favourite Track‘ but it’s a a mix, and i have to stay true to the title! ‘Lullaby’s for Thea’ by Paul Davies is a selection of ambient tracks that helped his daughter “chill whilst in her mummy’s tummy”. Ulrich Schnauss, Jon Hopkins and some additional textures and ideas of his own take pride of place within the hour long journey. Play below or visit his Soundcloud page.
And finally, apart from all of the above, Yagya (as featured on the last post) has been oozing into every day in one way or another. On the way to work, at work, home from work and going to sleep. So i was very pleased when the musical wisdom of shbadr 
pointed me in the direction of a Yagya live set from 2007. In our joint Yagya excitement we decided that September 15th be blessed as #yagyaday. Join us next year should you also get a little excited when discovering the Yagya beauty!
ISO50’s classic downtempo covers, the SOS ‘Chillwave’, Lusine’s fat ambient, Echaskech’s dubstep, Paul’s parental ambient classics and a Yagya live set. Enjoy your journey.
An hour of favourites and all time ambient classics.
1. Susumu Yokota – Sea Blue
I love the strings on this track and thought it would make a perfect start.
2. Sigur Ros - Takk
Reminds me of Benicassim 08. The sun was setting and a dark cloud was circling the mountains in the background as Sigur Ros charmed the crowd.
3. The KLF – Madruga Eterna
Taken from the ‘Chillout’ album which is by far one of the best ambient records known to man. This track features an awesome guitar lick straight out of mid-west USA which would be out of place on any other record.
4. Lightsway – A Sky Full Of Clouds
AKA Winterlight AKA Tim Ingham, this track is a slow burning atmospheric monster. Go get the album ‘Summer Interlude’.
5. Bibio – It Was Willow
A short masterpiece which encapsulates Bibio at his finest.
6. William Orbit – You Know Too Much About Flying Saucers
William Orbit makes outstanding music. Taken from ‘Hello Waveforms’, this is another track with delicate guitar melodies where the sounds seem to fit the title perfectly.
7. The Album Leaf – Over The Pond
Weird child noises and a lovely piano combine to form a masterpiece.
8. Winterlight – Hush Now
As if the Lightsway track wasn’t enough, how about some more.
9. Little Dragon – Twice
Nine tracks in and it’s time to feature the first full on vocal track. And a beautiful vocal at that. The best off the album and a fine video to match.
10. Leandro Fresco – Buenos Amigos
The epitome of ambient. Comatising (is that a word?!). If you like this then check out Kompakt’s annual Pop Ambient series.
11. Jon Hopkins – Cold Out There
A composer, pianist and a self-taught studio wizard. If you needed proof, this is it.
12. Delerium – Sensorium
Sampled on one of my favourite Drum & Bass tracks ‘Origin Unknown – Valley Of The Shadows‘, this is the intro to what is a 9 minute monster from Delerium.
13. Burial – UK
This is what makes Burial great. A track which easily crosses over into ambient when put in the right context.
14. Boards of Canada – Blockbusters
I remember hearing this sample for the first time and thinking ‘what the hell’? For some reason its a bit freaky.
15. Ulrich Schnauss – Molfsee
Ulrich goes Happy Cycling with Boards of Canada.
16. Ulf Lohmann – Burning Bright
Loops. Loops. Never knew it could work this well.
17. Aphex Twin – Blue Calx
Finish on a high. Or in this case, the best low there is.
Hope you enjoy. If you fancy contributing to the isolatedmix series, drop us an email or upload your mix to the asip Soundcloud Dropbox.
Image from Leonid Tishkov
Jon Hopkins video for his first single off the new album ‘Insides’ out 4th May. You can also download the single for free Domino’s website and pre-order the album. Looking forward to seeing how quickly his summer gigs sell out. After his recent support of Coldplay on their Viva La Vida tour, he will be playing Wembley soon . Where are the Festival dates?!
Jon Hopkins new CD ‘Insides’ is to be released on 11th May 2009, on Domino Records - home of Four Tet, Tricky and the Arctic Monkeys.
“Domino are proud to announce the signing of Jon Hopkins, a composer, pianist and self-taught studio wizard, who is set to release his self-produced third album and debut for Double Six, Insides, on 11th May 2009.
Insides is a big, bold record showcasing Hopkins’ intriguing musical aesthetic to brilliant effect. Insides is about juxtaposition: natural, arcane textures welded to pulsing, hypnotic rhythms, beautiful acoustic melodies set against jarring bass. Above all, Insides is an audacious album which boasts a magical aura all of its own.
The album will be preceded by a single, ‘Light Through The Veins’, an epic work of classic, propulsive electronica on 27th April 2009″.
You can also download Jon Hopkins’ new single, ‘Wire’ free for a limited time only from the Domino website.
