Presenting ... Advent (waag_aa003) by Allen Pitts

We've done this kind of thing before ... back in 2015, with the help of Stephen Briggs, we released music to help you celebrate the run up to Christmas Day ... and it was my intention to do the same in 2023 with the help of Allen Pitts.

We were going to release one track in each of the four Sundays in December to give you something to mediate on during the Advent time as you focussed on Christmas Day ... if that was your sort of thing.

That was until I heard the music Allen had sent me.

Advent (waag_aa003) by Allen Pitts contains four gentle ambient pieces that are intended to give the listener a sense of peace, to provide a moment of rest in what can be an otherwise busy time. When I heard them, I just knew they had to be released together, rather than weekly.

Regardless of how you celebrate this period, I hope these pieces will give you a sense of that peace.

Please take some time out of your day over the next four weeks to listen to the music Allen has prepared and consider how you can bring light, your light, to the dark corners of this world.

Any monies raised from this release will be donated to charity.

- Thomas

Presenting ... Rex Gentium (waag_aa003) by Scott Lawlor ... Ambient Advent 2016

Over the last couple of years we’ve feature a series of ambient pieces inspired by and intended for the period of Advent … four pieces for the four Sundays in the month or so before Christmas. This year it was Scott Lawyer’s turn but, due to work and other externalities outwith my control, I was unable to upload before now.

Scott’s four pieces were recorded live when he played them, just over a year ago, on stillstream.fm. They are quietly meditative longform pieces that infuse the listener with the most delightful of fragrances, nothing overpowering, just an engaging and, dare I say, entertaining experience that can be instilled with a spiritual significance, like a gentle incense, if that’s your thing.

- Thomas

Waiting is not the strong suit of many of us in our hurry-up culture. Everything is urgent. Hope is foreign to people who expect quick relief, cures, and solutions. We struggle to guard Advent jealously because popular culture short-circuits this season of hope: We are tempted to go directly to celebrating Christmas without getting in touch with the part of ourselves that is longing, hoping, and trusting.

The following pieces, written and performed last year on stillstream.fm, are intended to help with your wait, help you take your foot off the accelerator and just be. Christmas Day will come, just don’t let it come too quickly.

- Scott

Thanks to the support of Cousin Silas and Warren Daly … and the wonderful waag community ... I’m proud to be able to offer a 320kbps version of this release for free over on Archive with a lossless version available on Bandcamp for ‘pay what you want’.

Enjoy.

https://archive.org/details/waag-aa003

Presenting ... The people who walked in darkness (waag_aa002_4) by Stephen Briggs

“The people who walked in darkness (waag_aa002_4)” is the fourth piece by Stephen Briggs that makes up this second “Ambient Advent” collection and with it comes a fifth track, a bonus track, that was simply too good not to include.

Both “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” and “Light and life to all he brings” are designed for contemplation and meditation during what has become a very busy period.

Regardless how you celebrate this period, I hope these pieces will give you a sense of peace. Please create a playlist with all five tracks and take some time out to consider how you can bring light to the dark corners of this world.

A 320kbps version of this release will be available on Archive for free with a lossless version available on Bandcamp for ‘pay what you want’ which does include ‘free’. Any monies raised from this track will be donated to charity … more details to follow.

Tx

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Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA
Acknowledgement: Judy Schmidt
www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/a-hubble-cosmic-couple

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https://archive.org/details/waag_aa002_4

Presenting ... Let your heart take courage (waag_aa002_3) by Stephen Briggs

“Let your heart take courage (waag_aa002_3)” is the third of four pieces by Stephen Briggs that are intended for the season of Advent.

Courage is the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, and the like without fear; It is a quality we need desperately today when we consider all that is happening in our beautiful world. The terrorists and the warmongers want us to fear and every Star Wars fan knows that fear is the path to the dark side:

Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.

We need the courage to live without fear … and for us to have courage, we need hope. The time of Advent is all about hope: the hope of a new day.

The four soundscapes that will make up this second “Ambient Advent” collection are designed for contemplation and meditation during what has become a very busy period.

Regardless how you celebrate this period, I hope this piece will give you a sense of peace.

A 320kbps version of this release will be available over on Archive for free with a lossless version available on Bandcamp for ‘pay what you want’ which does include ‘free’. Any monies raised from this track will be donated to charity … more details to follow.

Tx

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Image Credit: NASA/JAXA
https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/venus-from-the-international-space-station

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https://archive.org/details/waag_aa002_3

Presenting ... Ambient Advent 2015: "We Wait For The Light (waag_aa002_12)" by Stephen Briggs

“We wait for the light (waag_aa002_2)” is the second of four pieces by Stephen Briggs that are intended for the season of Advent.

Darker than the previous soundscape, “We wait for the light” is all about anticipation … of waiting and watching … of wondering about the future.

The four soundscapes that will make up this second “Ambient Advent” collection are designed for contemplation and meditation during what has become a very busy period.

Regardless how you celebrate this period, I hope this piece will give you a sense of peace.

A 320kbps version of this release will be available over on Archive for free with a lossless version available on Bandcamp for ‘pay what you want’ which does include ‘free’. Any monies raised from this track will be donated to charity … more details to follow.

Tx

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Image credit: NASA/SDO > www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/coronal-hole-front-and-center 
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https://archive.org/details/waag_aa002_2

Presenting ... Ambient Advent 2015: The Stars In The Bright Sky (waag_aa002_1​)” by Stephen Briggs

“The Stars In The Bright Sky (waag_aa002_1​)” is the first of four pieces by Stephen Briggs that are intended for the season of Advent.

Advent, for me, is about mystery and there is nothing more mysterious than the stars in the night sky. Briggs’ first piece conveys, through a moving looped and layered ambient guitar instrumental, this sense of mystery before settling on a tune that will be very familiar to some.

The four soundscapes that will make up this second “Ambient Advent” collection are designed for contemplation and meditation during what has become a very busy period.

Regardless how you celebrate this period, I hope this piece will give you a sense of peace.

A 320kbps version of this release will be available over on Archive for free with a lossless version available on Bandcamp for ‘pay what you want’ which does include ‘free’. Any monies raised from this track will be donated to charity … more details to follow.

Tx

https://archive.org/details/waag_aa002_1

Presenting ... Salvator Mundi (waag_aa001_4​-​4) by Simon Slator

"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'" - John 1:29

The fourth candle, the "Christ Candle" needs no explanation. Saviour of the world. Salvator Mundi.

- Simon

And with that I wish Simon … and everyone who supports weareallghosts in any way whatsoever a very Merry Christmas.

- Thomas

https://archive.org/details/waag_aa001_4-4

Presenting ... Gloria (waag_aa001_3​-​4) by Simon Slator

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’”

Luke 2:13-14

The third candle is known either as the candle of joy, or the ‘shepherd candle’, the section above occurring as the shepherds were given the news about the birth of Christ. When you picture the scene, you tend to think of the company of angels singing like a classical choir – eclipsing the Mahler-esque in scale. However, from my own theological understanding (or lack of), glorifying God would be done with a pure heart, rather than a pure voice or a blow-you-away performance. Still, the idea of the piece was to start small and personal, then bring it up slowly towards the grand and magnificent, leaving the echo and resonance at the close.

- Simon

“Gloria (waag_aa001_3-4)” is the third of four pieces by Simon Slator that are designed for the season of Advent. The four soundscapes that make up this first “Ambient Advent” collection are intended for contemplation and meditation during this busy period.

This series is brought to you in conjunction with Slator’s new endeavour - a netlabel called “Dischi Senza Parole” - which is loosely translated as “wordless records”. All funds raised will be passed to him to help seed his work.

An MP3 version of this album is available for free on Archive or a lossless version available on Bandcamp for 'pay what you want' which does include £0.

If you do decide to download this album for free then all we ask in return is that you tell your friends, tweet a link or post it on Facebook, write a review and spread the word.

- Thomas

https://archive.org/details/waag_aa001_3-4

Presenting ... Regnum Caelorum (waag_aa001_2​-​​4) by Simon Slator

Following on from where Spero left off, the Messiah’s prophesied arrival is imminent:

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all people will see God’s salvation.’” – Luke 3: 4-6

“Regnum Caelorum” is Latin for “Kingdom of Heaven” – in this piece, I wanted to try and include both the preparation for its arrival (the breathy, pulsing pads), but also glimpses inside it through the simple and innocent piano line (Matt 19:14), the wide-open strings (Matt 22: 1-14) and its immersive sound (Gospel of Thomas: Saying 3).

- Simon

“Regnum Caelorum (waag_aa001_2-4)” is the second of four pieces by Simon Slator that are designed for the season of Advent. The four soundscapes that make up this first “Ambient Advent” collection are intended for contemplation and meditation during this busy period.

This series is brought to you in conjunction with Slator’s new endeavour - a netlabel called “Dischi Senza Parole” - which is loosely translated as “wordless records”. All funds raised will be passed to him to help seed his work.

An MP3 version of this album is available for free on Archive or a lossless version available on Bandcamp for 'pay what you want' which does include £0.

If you do decide to download this album for free then all we ask in return is that you tell your friends, tweet a link or post it on Facebook, write a review and spread the word.

- Thomas

https://archive.org/details/waag_aa001_2-4

Presenting ... Spero (waag_aa001_1​-​4) by Simon Slator

“Spero (waag_aa001_1-4)” is the first of four pieces by Simon Slator that are designed for the season of Advent. The four soundscapes that make up this first “Ambient Advent” collection  are intended for contemplation and meditation during this busy period.

Advent is synonymous with new beginnings, with the commencement or start of new things. Regardless of how you celebrate this holiday period, my wish is that the music Simon Slator has created will bring something new to you.

This series is brought to you in conjunction with Slator’s new endeavour - a netlabel called “Dischi Senza Parole” - which is loosely translated as “wordless records”. All funds raised will be passed to him to help seed his work.

An MP3 version of this album is available for free on Archive or a lossless version available on Bandcamp for 'pay what you want' which does include £0.

If you do decide to download this album for free then all we ask in return is that you tell your friends, tweet a link or post it on Facebook, write a review and spread the word.

- Tx

https://archive.org/details/waag_aa001_1-4