A Visionary Sound Arts Interface

Return to Main Page There is a lot of great "techno-ambient" out there. While many ambient purists prefer the sonic incense to the presence of automated drum beats and, admittedly in much of the genre, the clanging of electronic junk, there are still some high quality projects out there. I have recently rearranged the order of artists in this section to better reflect the latest wave of technoambience. Most sections start with the original artists and move forward in time, i am reorganizing this section to be current in front and detail original artists at the end. MAKYO is so much fun, I never get tired of it. Electro-raga. Like Sheila Chandra in a dance- oriented techno-ambient space. Real juicy. "Sringara" is a great album. I'm gonna get anything by Makyo, though."Yakshini" is hot. A very social music environment. You really need to check out the entire Dakini Records discography -- supercool. They better have Makyo in heaven... Go to Makyo info SIMON POSFORD has come to my attention as a major force in PsyTrance. He has recorded under a variety of artist names including Shpongle and Hallucinogen. While, i believe, Posford IS Hallucinogen, the other projects appear to be collaborations. It has been brought to my attention that Ott is, apparently, Posford's "best friend." Hallucinogen is techno, but with a difference, due to superb production and dense layer of elements. I originally discovered Posford through the TechnoDub Hallucinogen album, "In Dub," which is dub remixes of previous Hallucinogen material by Ott. It is a marvelous treat for both Dub and Electronica fans, as is what i consider to be its' sibling Ott release, "Blumenkraft." I was also extremely impressed by the second Hallucinogen release, "The Lone Deranger." This are just awesomely creative works of dance electronica! I also just acquired Shpongle's second release, "Tales of the Inexpressible," which didn't immediately afford me the kind of enjoyment of the others, perhaps due to being softer and more acoustic somehow, but i like it and am giving it some listens to grow on me. A new Hallucinogen release, "Nothing Lasts," is on the near future horizon! Bio on Simon Posford @ Shpongle.com ENTHEOGENIC is Piers Oak-Rhind and Helmut Glavar, cybervisionaries extraordinaire! Taking their clues from the Plant Ally, their music tells the story of the plant who dreamed it was a human dreaming it was the Divine who was dreaming a plant. something like that. this music is like owning a series of 8 minute dream journeys. The debut, "Entheogenic," disc is a mind-bending psychesonic extravanganza that becomes more fully realized and spiritual in the recent, "Spontaneous Illumination," which i wholeheartedly recommend as a great psytrance technoambient "psyambient" release. Check Out Entheogenic Website! ISHQ is an intriguing excursion into modern technoambience. This is extreme chillout music nonpareil. It is as if Makyo completely relaxed and kicked back all the way! The two disc set, "Orchid," released at the beginning of 2002 by Dakini, is predominantly languid and dripping with sonic nectar. Each disc starts with a sophisticated midtempo electro beat which rapidly melts into mellifluous meldings of mellow transic atmospheres. The website is inscrutable, yet beautiful. Try to find Jachin-Boaz. The recent "Magic Square of the Sun" is one of the best techno- ambient releases since the Millenium!! Go To Ishq website ADHAM SHAIKH started out as an electronica artist quite nearly in the Klaus Schulze vein with releases like "Realignment" that is really only for serious electronic aficionadoes. He then released the intriquing "Journey To The Sun" which has some excellent space music on it and also, well, "bits;" some of which work and some don't. His collaborative disc, "Drift," had a few nifty pieces but was somewhat forgettable. THEN, Shaikh went technoambient and has two staggeringly impressive releases, "Essence" and "Fusion" which catapult him immediately to the top of the asian massive game. TJ REHMI is another great "Asian Underground" artist who has created some extremely pleasant chill out somewhat like Makyo that also has intellectual appeal. Most downtempo but occasionally soaring into tabla frenzies, his discs are intriguing from beginning to end. His 2004 release, "The Warm Chill," is very entertaining and beautiful, featuring acoustic guitar that he processes into loops and curliques that I'D never thought were possible. His earlier work, "Invisible Rain" is compelling throughout. Go To TJ Rehmi website SANJIVA is some truly amazing meditational trance synthesis in the German electro style. "Radiance" and "Initiation" both move the Tangerine Dream or Kraftwerk repeating sequencer riff paradigm into a new high consciousness level. "The Journey," is a near perfect downtempo techno light-oriented album. I can also now excitedly recommend the older, but entirely worthy recording, "Music From The Land Of Osho," which shows Sanjiva's Deuter influence in the early days. (Lovers of Deuter should enjoy "Sun And Moon") and ALSO! the 2001 release, "Transparent," which continues the fine techno- trance tradition! Sanjiva is getting ever more difficult to acquire, so do it now or don't. Sanjiva@Groove Unlimited Sanjiva@Epitonic ALPHA WAVE MOVEMENT, also releasing recordings as Open Canvas, is very beautiful, relaxing techno- ambient. The first disc, "Transcendence," is a very positive vibe. "Edge of Infinity" and "Concept of Motion" and "Drifted Into Deeper Lands" are somewhat darker, with a stronger Tangerine Dream influence. His work as Open Canvas has an Arabic/Nomadic atmosphere. Check out AWM's recent collaboration with overtone singer, Jim Cole: "Bislama" has deep beauty and more Light than recent works. I can strongly recommend "Cosmology" as a wonderful journey through space. Go to Alpha Wave Movement info GLOBAL COMMUNICATION has a really boss production value. Big and Clean. Their first disc, self-titled, is gorgeous. Again, the Tangerine Dream influence is way evident at times, but how beautiful it is! "Pentamorous Metamorphosis" is more Ravish, but fun and savory. Go to Global Communication info HEAVENLY MUSIC CORPORATION was a man named Kim Cascone who was the mind behind Silent Records. The first HMC disc is reviewed at the site the button takes you to. It is lush, baby. I also consider it a classic of the genre. The 2nd and 3rd releases, "Consciousness 3" and "Lunar Phase" are beautiful also, with rock beats more prominent. Cascone is still actively releasing recordings which are experimental noise basically and NOT like HMC. Go to some Heavenly Music Corporation info MYSTICAL SUN has some very impressive stuff. "After Materia Cloudland" is an inventive and playful romp which successfully takes the technoambient "chill" sound into true Electronic Space. The older disc, "Primordial Atmospheres," is dense and dark, with an extended delta-brainwave-range piece that has knocked me out on many an occasion. Both albums have interesting native american motifs subtly underlaid with flute. Go To Mystical Sun website AMBIENT TEMPLE OF IMAGINATION (ATOI) is the brainchild of a man named Richard Sun, who i had the pleasure of having several interesting conversations with in the early 90s (revolving around our mutual admiration of Bill Nelson's "Chance Encounters In The Garden Of Light" -- an album which has greatly influenced Sun's work.) We both worked the Interzone rave in Santa Cruz, many years ago. Since then, Richard has moved on to develop a technoambient project that hovers somewhere between Nelson's ambient work and chaos magick, but with a strong "Native American" current. I bought the first ATOI disc when it came out and enjoyed its mystopolitical leanings. i just found this site where you can hear ATOI for yourself. Ambient Temple Of Imagination website ATOI homesite Return to Main Page