Navigating the Sonic Labyrinth: The Multifaceted Journey of a Swedish Soundscape Artist

From Distorted Guitars to Experimental Echoes

Born in the chilly landscapes of Umeå, Sweden in 1985 Mattias Lagerkvist aka Murkla had his earliest musical experiences in Luleå, Sweden deeply rooted in the distortion-drenched sounds of the local scene during the mid-90s. The influence of seminal bands like Refused, along with the gritty textures of Breach and Fireside, provided a foundational sonic palette. This era also marked the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the guitar, guided by the riffs of Metallica. Transitioning into production, Mattias ventured into hip-hop beat making with Cakewalk by 1999, showcasing an early versatility and a knack for blending diverse musical styles.

The Evolution of a Soundscapist

The turn of the millennium brought a pivotal shift in musical direction, sparked by an encounter with Tool's "Undertow." This discovery set off a chain reaction, leading to an immersion into the avant-garde world of ‘Captain Beefheart’, and eventually to the groundbreaking German experimentalists ‘Can’. These influences, along with a deep dive into the realms of 60s drone, 70s German Krautrock, and the pioneering electronic sounds of Aphex Twin and Harmonia, shaped Murkla’s unique sound. Despite a period of experimentation that included stints of living abroad and exploring different musical expressions, his work under the Terrorific Rekords label, and projects like Cosmic Letters and Ekolali, underscored a relentless pursuit of a distinct auditory vision.

"Leviata" - A Deep Dive into Uncharted Waters

"Leviata," conceptualized in April 2023 after concluding work on two Ekolali projects, represents the culmination of decades of sonic exploration and experimentation. This latest work is a testament to murkla’s journey through various genres and eras, merging distorted guitars with the intricate textures of experimental rock and electronic music. The album weaves together the threads of Lagerkvist’s vast influences, from the gritty energy of Refused to the experimental ethos of Can, creating a soundscape that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. With tracks that oscillate between the dense, layered complexities of drone and the delicate nuances of ambient soundscapes, "Leviata" invites listeners on a journey through the artist's rich musical heritage and into the realms of his innovative future visions.

Support the album over on Bandcamp

Alaskan Tapes keeps pace, with new EP One Thousand (Mighty) Voices

New album 'For Us Alone' out April 16th.https://www.Alaskantapes.comhttps://www.Alaskantapes.bandcamp.comhttps://www.Twitter.com/Alaskantapeshttps://www.Face...

The producer and composer stays connected to his signature style, but brings forth new emotions in this fresh collection

In his project Alaskan Tapes, Toronto based producer Brady Kendall has found his style and sound. Under his current moniker Kendall has been releasing consistently high quality ambient and drone focused tracks for over half a decade, and over the course of doing so seems to have settled into the soundscape he’s created. Though there’s still experimentalism and creativity at play within his work, it comes from a place of confidence, and sits upon a well-established foundation of delicate synth and ambient vibes.

Alaskan Tapes is also remaining consistent with wider media collaborations, contributing and composing soundtrack work for film and other visual projects. Previous tracks have made their way into short films such as “Mag Sein” by Director Eliot Rausch, and the documentary "Harvest Season" by Bernardo Ruiz.

Next month the artist will announce the full release of his newest collection, ‘For Us Alone’. Pre-release tracks show that gradually evolving ambient synth remains the cornerstone of this release, which moves with deliberation through gentle moods and ponderous melodies. Our featured track from the album takes its time to produce an irresistible, warm space. However, following tracks in the album experiment more with organic percussion than in previous work. Though new ideas are expressed, the personality of Kendall continues to shine through.

Stream the release on Spotify or Soundcloud

Check out more from Alaskan Tapes
Instagram / Facebook / Spotify / Soundcloud / Homepage

Sun Rain returns with a new journey: Moonwalk

Lending his skills in ambient and drone to a higher plane, Sun Rain provides a glimpse of his upcoming EP

This isn’t the first time we’ve had the pleasure of listening to the ambient works of Sun Rain. When Chad Skinner first started work on the solo project back in 2019, he made a strong impression with debut album ‘Sheets’,  introducing us to his personal style of ambient and drone. Since then his discography has been steadily growing, which each new addition bringing a different shade of peaceful downtempo.

The atmospheres conjured up by the Toronto producer and composer manage to expand to the very edges of consciousness, allowing space for meditation, self-reflection, and quiet. Skinner’s talents have been honed throughout his collaborative work, sharing time with groups such as ‘Snowday’ and ‘BisonBison’. Skinner has also found development in his experiences performing DJ sets under the name of ‘Legs Florentine’.

The newest release from the Sun Rain project is ‘Moonwalk’, a precursor to a fresh EP titled ‘Ma’. Moonwalk takes inspiration from the journey taken by astronauts to breach the divide between our planet and the space beyond. Neo-classical strikes of piano create a very gradual build towards a more cosmic ambience, in a track which takes the listener to a higher vantage point; from the everyday to the infinite.

Support the release on Bandcamp or stream it on Spotify.

Hear more from Sun Rain
Website / Insta / Soundcloud / Spotify / Bandcamp

New-age reflection, Joseph Shabason’s ‘The Fellowship’

From the album The Fellowship, available April 30, 2021.Pre-order / listen here: http://smarturl.it/vo1tgmDirector: Maxwell McCabe-LokosDirector of Photograp...

Shabason reveals the first step into an ambient jazz return to his emotional roots

Albums are often created to become more than a collection of tracks showcasing the talent and recent works of an artist. While there’s certainly a place for LPs which flirt with unconnected themes and ideas, listening to a set of tracks painstakingly woven together to explore the same concept can give rise to something greater than the sum of its parts.

Such is the case in Joseph Shabason’s upcoming album ‘The Fellowship’, which brings to life the Toronto based artist’s upbringing in eight tracks of ambient new-age jazz. The full release is planned for late April, but promises to be a journey coloured by sparkling synth melody, warm drone vibes and carefully measured out amount of rich jazz percussion.

Expressing emotion and complex experience is a challenge for any creator, but Shabason approaches this project with ample experience. In addition to his work as a session musician, Shabason has lent his talents to the the Canadian rock band Destroyer, as well as synth-pop trio DIANA.

In the eponymous title track for ‘The Fellowship’, ambient jazz seeps into an open world; sometimes sharp edged and sometimes soft as a footstep. The artists Saxophone becomes the central character in a calm, curious space with broad horizons.

Support the release on Bandcamp and Spotify

Check out more from Joseph Shabason
Homepage / Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Instagram / Facebook

0110 alights, with debut single ‘Undone’

0110 · Undone

The Canadian duo begin their discography with a graceful, melancholic track

‘Undone’ is a contemplative track, gradual and heavy. The overarching themes are those of ambient and drone, with steady beats of piano asserting themselves then dissipating into darkness. The recently released single marks the first few steps taken by the project ‘0110’, set in motion by a chance meeting way back in 2014.

Created with the intention to venture into fields of experimental sound, 0110 stands free from any preconceptions and limitations, working under a label of the same name. The artists behind the project are Iain Howie and Factor Eight, who first found a connection in Vancouver. Howie has previous experience to draw on from his time composing house and DJ music, whereas Factor Eight has claimed a space for himself in media industry, scoring cinema.

Exactly what sound will emerge from this partnership remains to be seen, although the duo possesses sufficient vision and talent to bring forward something original. Another element that falls into the mix is 0110’s appreciation for lyrics, selecting vocals that complement the lower classical tones in ‘Undone’. The human facet sparks within the debut single, igniting emotion and character. It’s an aspect of the track that balances between cinematic grace and mesmerising dance beats.

Stream the release on Spotify

Check out more from 0110
Spotify / Soundcloud / Instagram / Facebook

Instrumental landscapes from Nick Schofield; ‘Ambient Architect’

♫ LISTEN: https://smarturl.it/z5pykb📼 ORDER: https://nickschofield.bandcamp.com/album/glass-galleryVideo by Christopher HoneywellTitles by Pascal HuotSpecia...

On the brink of a new collection, Schofield draws on experienced ambience for a sweeping, experimental performance

The foundations of Nick Schofield’s new album took shape during the producer’s visits to Canada’s National Gallery in Ottawa. The interlacing of physical structure with the more ethereal aspects of the exhibitions left an impact, creating ripples which found formation within the soon to be released 11 track LP ‘Glass Gallery’.

Ambience influenced music is the sphere in which Schofield most commonly creates, though his discography has also had movements into drone and neo-classical. His solo career has seen Schofield develop music which falls back into the environment, utilising gentle sweeps of synth and melody which settle alongside found samples which bring to life natural elements. In a wider sense, his presence in the electronica community extends beyond his own work. Schofield hosts a radio show, actively collaborates with other artists, and has been involved with projects for organisations such as Red Bull Music Academy and CBC.

His latest collection arrives with the support of the Backward Music label, listening to the composition of these songs hints at the range of experimentation in ‘Glass Gallery’. While ‘Mirror Image’ plays with weightless melody, ‘Ambient Architect’ evolves patiently until the listener is encompassed.

Support the release on Bandcamp and Spotify

Check out more from Nick Schofield
Spotify / Soundcloud / Bandcamp

Hear more from the label- Backward Music
Facebook / Twitter / Bandcamp

New progressive sound from Delayed Pleasure, with ‘orbiting the sun’

Stepping onto the scene, the artist presents two tracks with an acidic taste

Constructing ambience and environment within a track is a challenge artists often find themselves devoting hours of work to. Slow burn tracks like those featured in Delayed Pleasure’s debut EP ‘Galactic Center’ are the result of long term and patient selection of themes and samples, creating an end result which becomes difficult to summarise, as any multi-layered experience is.

Based in the UK, Delayed Pleasure has been experimenting with hardware synths and drum machines. He lists artists such as Plastikman, TinMan and DeepChord as being influences on his sound, which moves gradually and embraces slow but purposeful evolution.

In Delayed Pleasure’s style can be found echoes of dub, acid and techno, each diffused across the track runtime. It’s the kind of music which drifts between moods, interacting with different themes and then travelling along a progressive techno beat to find the next avenue of sound.   

The leading track on the EP, ‘star ferry’, exudes a lower tone, flicks of acid appearing and disappearing like sparks against the inky blackness of the bass synth. Our featured track ‘orbiting the sun’ rolls at a slightly higher tempo and begins to surround the listener with rhythmic techno, before exposing a more alien side to the sound.

Support the EP on Bandcamp or stream it on Spotify

Check out more from Delayed Pleasure
Spotify / Instagram / Bandcamp / Soundcloud

Epic, patient ambience from A Winged Victory for the Sullen

'Desires Are Already Memories', taken from A Winged Victory For The Sullen's new album 'Invisible Cities'.'Invisible Cities' is out February 26th on vinyl (B...

The two pivotal producers present an introduction to an album which promises to be monumental

‘A Winged Victory for the Sullen’ is name with intense weight behind it. A duo of two inarguably talented composers, the project has become one of the highest achieving and popular media involved sources of ambient electronica. Adam Wiltzie and Dustin O’Halloran released their self-titled debut album back in 2011, the quality of which ensured a lasting impact on the field of neo-classical.

The obvious demand for their work speaks volumes of the success of their combined talent. Wiltzie has composed scores for instantly recognizable titles such as ‘Transformers: Dark Side of The Moon’ and ‘House M.D.’, and O’Halloran is able to boast an Emmy for the theme music he created for the Amazon series ‘Transparent’. Their work in major films and TV series is extensive, and it’s an impressive feat to have met the high expectations which preceded each album release.

Their most recent LP ‘The Undivided Five’ is majestic, and swells with ambient synth that defines the wave of modern neo-classical. So too does their newest release ‘Desires Are Already Memories’, a track taken from upcoming album ‘Invisible Cities’ which reworks the duo’s score for the incredibly ambitious multimedia stage show of the same name, to be released in February 2021.

Pre-order the album on Bandcamp or stream the single on Spotify

Check out more from A Winged Victory for the Sullen

Instagram / Spotify / Youtube / Facebook

Serene sounds from the newly formed duo ‘Stray Harmonix’

Brought back together after over two decades, Kooner and Burns compose a tribute

The reunion of producer Jagz Kooner and multi-Instrumentalist Gary Burns is a bittersweet one. The two were founding members of the British electronic group ‘Sabres of Paradise’, active in the mid to late 90’s, creating techno edged tracks alongside band mate Andrew Weatherall, who sadly passed away earlier this year. It’s remembrance of Weatherall that brings Kooner and Burns back to the studio, more than twenty years after the dissolution of their original group.

The track released by the pair arrives from a slightly different angle to their previous work, showing that the new waves in electronica have left both impact and inspiration. Titled ‘Mountain of the One’ the release appears under the banner of the London label ‘Bad Life’, and marks the first outing by Kooner and Burns as ‘Stray Harmonix’.

‘Mountain of One’ is gentle, and reflective. There’s an ambient current running through the track, reassuring in its patient ebb and flow. The soft melody and rolling synth add the feel of an expansive environment of peace and meditation. This is in fact the first time Kooner and Burns have joined together in a studio for twenty three years, but the energy is still there. ‘Mountain of One’ will feature on Bad Life’s upcoming compilation ‘Machine Nature’, out December 4th.

Chek more from Stray Harmonix on Facebook and Spotify

Check out more from Jagz Kooner on Facebook and Instagram

More deep sounds on our electronic playlist!