Sunday, September 29, 2013

Presenting ... "Tales of Space Exploration 9-16 (waag_rel031)" by Brother Saturn





"Tales of Space Exploration 9 - 16 (waag_rel031)" marks the return of Drew Miller aka Brother Saturn to weareallghosts. Miller picks up where he left off in waag_rel020 … continuing to document his journey into the deepest realms of the galaxy through ambient music.

I hear real progression in these tracks … Miller is growing as an artist and as a musician … creating truly beautiful ambient soundscapes that speak of travel, desolation, loneliness, and the yearning of home … wherever or whatever home may be.

Once more, Adam Howie has expertly expressed these themes in his cover art. His piece - "Exploration for Survival" - is available for sale as a print at devinatArt (kimded.deviantart.com/prints/) and RedBubble (www.redbubble.com/people/lurchkimded) … and is also included as a wallpaper in the Bandcamp release. As before, I would heartily encourage you to support Howie's work by buying a print.

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



http://archive.org/details/waag_rel031


Sunday, September 22, 2013

Presenting ... "The Quiet Forest (waag_rel030)" by Jack Hertz and Cousin Silas





The 30th album on weareallghosts is an innovate collaboration between a couple of giants of ambient electronic music: Jack Hertz & Cousin Silas ... two chaps I am proud to call friends.

“The Quiet Forest (waag_rel030)” features six wonderfully emotive and aurally stimulating ambient soundscapes. They are the kind of visually arresting atmospheres that got me into ambient electronic music all those years ago. The minute I heard them … I knew they would make for a fitting release on weareallghosts.

The music Hertz & Silas have made here is the kind of music that holds that extra special added dimension ... theirs is the kind of music that transports the listener to far off realms and alternate realities. Field recordings underpin dark, eerie synths to create the soundtrack for one or more Lovecraftian dystopias. “South Wind”, for example, reminded me so much of “At the Mountains of Madness” that I was compelled to reread Lovecraft’s classic story.

This album is a tribute to both Jack Hertz and Cousin Silas ... whose synergistic partnership has really made something beautiful indeed.

As before, an MP3 version will be available over on Archive weir free with a lossless version available on Bandcamp for ’pay what you want’ ... which does include £0. Don't worry if you can't pay ... I have the credits ... all I would ask, if you download “The Quiet Forest (waag_rel030)” for free, that you post about it on Twitter or Facebook and tell all your friends about the special partnership that is Hertz & Silas … oh and if you tell them about this wee netlabel too, it would be appreciated.

- Tx

credits
released 23 September 2013
Music by Jack Hertz & Cousin Silas
Photography by Dagmar Salomon



http://archive.org/details/waag_rel030




Sunday, September 15, 2013

Presenting ... "Mourners (waag_rel029)" by Toaster





I'll let you into a wee secret. I don't release anything on weareallghosts unless I dig it ... I am a fan, first and foremost, and I do what I do because I am simply that ... a fan of music and, in particular, the kind of music I've been privileged to release.

It is with this in mind that I approach “Mourners (waag_rel029)” by Toaster aka Todd Elliott ... a musician whose ambient soundscapes and off-kilter techno tracks are something I have enjoyed and continue to enjoy. In particular, it is Todd’s musical adventurousness that I treasure.

I am, therefore, delighted to welcome Toaster to weareallghosts with “Mourners (waag_rel029)” ... a collection of 3 ambient soundscapes that showcase, dare-I-say, his mellower side ... a collection I totally dig and have wanted to share with you for a while now. Whilst “Mourners (waag_rel029)” isn't as frenetic as some of his self-release music is, it still holds true to his truly independent and uniquely individualistic vision. Todd makes music that he himself wants to hear and as a fan of that kind of intention, I am totally onboard.

I really do hope you enjoy “Mourners (waag_rel029)” as much as I do. Please welcome him into the weareallghosts family.

As before, an MP3 version will be available over on Archive weir free with a lossless version available on Bandcamp for ’pay what you want’ ... which does include £0. Don't worry if you can't pay ... I have the credits ... all I would ask, if you download “Mourners (waag_rel029)” for free, that you post about it on Twitter or Facebook and tell all your friends about Toaster’s music and this wee netlabel.

- Tx



Archive


Sunday, September 8, 2013

Presenting ... "Dronescape 010 (waag_drs010)" by Cousin Silas





I recently met Cousin Silas for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I was taken by how genuinely lovely he was … a real down-to-earth chap with a wicked sense of humour … generous to a fault and a pleasure to be with.

I say this because whilst I was down staying with him … he spoke of the Dronescape series and made particular mention of this instalment - Dronescape 010 (waag_drs010) - his tenth dronescape.

He spoke of this being his best yet. Not in a bragging kind of way because he doesn't do that … he only brags about his wife and family … but more matter-of-fact, as is his way.

I have to say I agree with him … but then I have spoken before of how his dronescapes just seem to get better and better … especially the wee details and flourishes that he adds to keep his listeners engaged, something I had noticed.

I hope you enjoy this longform piece … it is a belter … one that sits just over 80 minutes in length (a fact Cousin Silas apologises for to the folks who burn these pieces to CD).



As before, an MP3 version of this album will be available for free on Archive with a lossless version available on Bandcamp for “pay what you want”. If you do decide to download the album for free then please tell your friends about Silas’ music and this wee netlabel.

- Tx

Archive


Saturday, August 31, 2013

Presenting ... "Sunset at the Yacht Club (waag_rel028)" by Clutter





Dreams do come true.

I am releasing an EP from one of my musical heroes: Shaun Blezard … the founder of Earth Monkey Productions, maker of musical malarkey under the Clutter alias, and vicious 'Words with Friends' player.

It was Shaun who introduced me to the concept of the netlabel with his seminal netlabel 'Earth Monkey Productions'. Some of the music on there is still on my iPod five years after the label went on indefinite hiatus … including a number of pieces by weareallghosts stalwart Cousin Silas.

It was on Shaun's label that Cousin Silas released the first two  of his 'Ballard Landscapes' series (emp007 and emp030, if memory serves), for example.

In fact, it was to EMP that I looked when I thought of starting weareallghosts … and it is to his legacy that I compare this humble endeavour.

To consider, therefore, that I am able to release an EP of his on waag is a dream come true … the circle is now complete, so to speak … and what an EP it is. I have caught myself wondering what I was listening to when listening to the preview copy … then experiencing a mixture of shock and pleasure when I realise it was an EP destined for my wee label.

Shaun has done me proud with soundscapes that are an utter delight. I hope you enjoy what is presented as much as I do!

As before, an MP3 version of this album will be available for free on Archive with a lossless version available on Bandcamp for “pay what you want”. If you do decide to download the album for free then please tell your friends about Shaun’s music and this wee netlabel.

- Tx

http://archive.org/details/waag_rel028



----------

Original material was provided by:
Frank Schultz
Scott Burland
Bill Brovold

Clutter:
Website: shaunblezard.net
Facebook: facebook.com/cluttermusic 
Twitter:  @cluttermusic

Duet For Theremin & Lap Steel
Website: duetonline.net
Facebook: facebook.com/duetforthereminandlapsteel
Twitter: @duetonline

----------

Monday, August 26, 2013

Presenting ... "Seconds (waag_rel027)" by Kevin Lyons





As I write these liner notes, I reflect on the weekend that I have just had ... a weekend of music ... a weekend of cementing social media friendships with physical bonds ... a weekend where I got to meet in the flesh for the first time, so to speak, three chaps that I greatly admire: the musician - Dave Hughes aka Cousin Silas; the painter - Ade Hodges; and the focus of these notes - musician Kevin Lyons.

Believe it or not but Dave and Kevin are the only musicians on weareallghosts that I have actually met in the flesh ... and I only met them a couple of days ago. Its crazy to think this but at the same time in today’s always-connected age it makes perfect sense.

In all my conversations with Kevin over the weekend ... on such topics as role of “the ancient” as filler on “Tales of Topographic Oceans” or the genius of Hayao Miyazaki ... I was struck by how genuinely nice Kevin was. He holds a wealth of information, predominately about films and progressive music, within his Mekon-like noggin. This conversation helped me form the context for “Seconds (waag_rel027)” ... his second release on weareallghosts.

His style of electronic music is broadly ambient and is flavoured by his obsessions with weird fiction, progressive music (especially the Berlin School) and modern sci-fi cinema. All these ingredients come together to form a heady mix of eery darker ambient soundscapes and lighter, more progressive tracks that tell their own individual stories of moments long gone as well as those still to come.

I hope you will enjoy this album as much as I do. I find Kevin’s music to be very visual and take great pleasure in letting my mind wander through the landscapes he paints with sound. It was a pleasure to meet him and it gives me great delight to support and encourage his musical endeavours through weareallghosts.

As before, an MP3 version of this album will be available for free on Archive with a lossless version available on Bandcamp for “pay what you want”. If you do decide to download the album for free then please tell your friends about Kevin’s music and this wee netlabel.

- Tx



http://archive.org/details/waag_rel027



Saturday, August 17, 2013

Presenting ... "Dronescape 009 (waag_drs009)" from Cousin Silas





On the 8th instalment of the Dronescape series, Brian Bourassa said this ...
"If your a "Dronie," then Cousin Silas's Drone series should be topping your list. I'd invite you to follow the progression from "Dronescape 001 through Dronescape 008" and beyond."
I couldn't have put it better myself! Thanks Brian.

For the 9th Dronescape ... Cousin Silas has really pulled out all the stops ... creating an utterly engaging longform piece that is exceptionally expansive and filled with ridiculously generous amounts of both grace and light.

I really love this drone ... I love the tone of this piece ... the atmosphere ... the sense of peace it leaves with me long after it is finished. I love the subtle harmonics that twinkle like stars.

I am very proud to release this drone on weareallghosts ... and thank everyone who supports both Cousin Silas and myself in this endeavour.

As before, a MP3 version will be available on Archive for free with a lossless version available here on Bandcamp for 'Pay What You Want' … which does include free. All we would ask is that if you grab it for free then tell everyone you know about the release and the man behind it.

Enjoy

- Thomas

http://archive.org/details/waag_drs009