10,000 (that's a lot!)

Just want to say 'thanks' to you (whoever and wherever you are) for helping this humble blog reach 10,000 hits. I really didn't expect any at all, so I'm pretty stoked. I hope that you find great peace and mind expansion in taking in what I've been able to offer. Peace.

Turn on, tune in, sleep...

//tonepoet//

guest mix: akrrrs

So far, I've been absolutely blessed with receiving and reviewing all the of the mixes that I've requested to host. Almost all of what I've gotten have been posted in some manner already, I just do my best to help them get 'out there' any way that I can, because I believe that such incredible mood altering expressions need a bigger outlet. This time, I was afforded with an absolutely new song, and allowed to upload it to Mixcloud, and post it here. Way stoked about this!

For this posting, I bring you AKRRRS, who is a fairly recent discovery of mine that has caught my attention through his Dream Sequence series. I've downloaded quite a lot of them via his MIXCRATE page (you will need to create an account to download anything there), and I've had some serious tranquil moments while taking in the deep, soothing sounds that encompass my ears and mind. The music that I've been fortunate to have gathered has prompted me to make a special bedtime playlist which I absolutely cherish. He seems to have an incredible library of consistently great music, and creates such beautiful soundscapes with them. His mixes consistently take me to a horizon upon the outer reaches of the mental solar system, and set me down gently in complete solitude. Not only does akrrrs create such masterful mixes, his artwork for his mixes are absolutely unrivaled and express the beauty of the mixes on the visual front. After taking in his mixes, your mind will be clear, your stamina increased (post-nap). You'll also notice an increase in mental energy, logic and reasoning, and clarity. And libido. No, I'm not kidding, it's science, and totally proven, I think. Uh, trust me...

guest mix: faction

For this guest mix, I bring you one of the most diverse mixes that I've had the pleasure in hosting. I was contacted by FACTION not to long ago about hosting a mix. I gladly gave his mix POD ): 101 a listen and was not quite ready to be so completely blown away like I was! It's really a very rare treat to find someone whose ears and mind are so big that they create an epic like this with so many elements, colors, moods, transitions, and dynamics in one sitting. It's mind boggling how many different songs (38!) are in the ingredients list, but it comes off like a really deep concept album more so than a mix. Listening to this, you easily get the sense that Faction just hears things differently. Everyone who creates mixes manages to pull things together and try to create their own voice with what's available. Faction is speaking in tongues.

daydreams at nightfall

For me, the saddest time is not winter, but the approach of fall. I don't hate the fall season. I love it! But knowing that summer and the vibe it has brought is withering into a memory is a hard pill to swallow. In summer, I'm invincible; I am reborn with every hot burst of sun, thriving to gather the energy of every new day, leaving little or no wasted moments in my wake. Every summer day is a new awakening, brought about by the renewed anticipation of Mother Earth's sun-song upon us. Get the point? I freakin' LOVE summer so much that it pains me to see it dissolve.

The first thing that I notice is a shortened day. Just a few days ago (and it's been a while since I've actually realized this and posted this narrative), I was fully aware that it was dark at 8 o'clock in the evening (edit: at this time, even sooner). Already. Sadness is upon me. Next, the leaves shed new colors and die, and the sky will be overcast with impending change. But all good things must end.

the slow drift radio broadcast

This is not a personal mix, or even a guest mix, but rather a bit of praise to an amazing resource that I've found (via Mixcloud) of new ambient music. The Slow Drift not only has a MIXCLOUD page, but a WEBSITE as well where the mixes can be downloaded, and the mixes are just great.

I've gone through 3 episodes (so far) at work today, and I'm really happy with what I've heard. There are quite a bit of ranges of color, and I'm gladly taking them all in. I like the fact that even the downloadable mixes feel a bit nostalgic like radio (in a good way, no advertising!) with Andrew giving us a bit of insight to the presented songs. Very nice. I'm looking forward to catching my first broadcast tonight!

You can hear The Slow Drift's broadcasts on Friday nights from 7:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. (Eastern Standard Time in the US) on WRFI Community Radio (88.1 FM in Ithaca, NY or 91.9 in Watkins Glen, NY). Better yet, you can stream live from WRFI.org and take in fresh new sounds of ambient (I've heard all brand new stuff so far, pretty stoked about it!).

Be sure to pay Andrew a visit and tune in, turn on, sleep. Peace.

[THE SLOW DRIFT WEBSITE]
[STREAM WRFI]

[THE SLOW DRIFT'S MIXCLOUD PAGE]

guest mix: lepque

For this guest mix I present you, the listener, with an absolutely stellar outing from an ambient DJ that hails from Hungary. Not only that, but the only female ambient DJ in Hungary. How cool is that? Beyond a measurable scale of incredibly cool. 

LEPQUE started out as a radio DJ, but got the bug for digging into ambient via Peter Namlook and Jonn Serrie, and has been fighting for the pure ambient style for over 10 years now. The name 'Lepque' is a play on the word 'Lepke', which means butterfly in Hungarian. She claims that it comes from the moth symbol. Just as a moth seeks the light, but dies when reaching it, Lepque also prefers to stay in the background, within the cool and soothing darkness.

When not preaching the gospel of ambient at a number of festivals at Ozora, the Sziget Festival, VOLT Festival, Waha, and many others, she's afforded the opportunity to spread her art in the club scene as well as radio. When performing at festivals, she is the lone wolf, representing the weary in their unique and mysterious space. In this world, she takes pleasure in witnessing thousands giving in to the sandman as she weaves her sleep-inducing sonic yarn. Seeing the happy faces the next morning proves that it's not just dance music that is welcome at festivals.

guest mix: junkyard angel (part II)

I know that I've already had JUNKYARD ANGEL recently guest on a mix, but this one to me is a real mind blowing epic. I'm really drawn in by the theme of it, and the subtle blend of each approaching color. I grew up on the coast, and visiting the oceans is nowhere near the same as growing up there. There is a sense of comfort for the soul that lives there, and in my opinion, this mix by Junkyard Angel captures the peaceful and beautiful vibe with an extreme accuracy.

We've conversed about the importance of the ocean in our lives, and it has equal impact upon us. The waters can be unforgiving for those who seek to conquer it, but offer solace for those who respect it. Perhaps Junkyard Angel can put his thoughts into words best:

lose yourself, find yourself

(from Webster's Dictionary)

imag·i·na·tion noun \i-ˌma-jə-ˈnā-shən\

1: the act, process, or power of forming a mental picture of something not present especially of something one has not known or experienced
2: creative ability
3: a creation of the mind

Creative thought is a basic sense that we are born with, but grows dull as we suppress its misalignment within modern society. Stop saying silly things, stay within the lines, act like a grown up. We are molded to learn how to act based on 'more mature' peers within our age group, sacrificing our creative soul. I have say, when you have kids, you go one way or the other. On one hand, you can act like a 'normal' parent, with strict rules and norms that society expects, monitoring the 'fun meter'. On the other hand, one could revert to being  a child, in order to gain a greater understanding. The alleged 'adult child' will begin adopting the mannerisms of their offspring, gaining a second wind of their childhood and doing such juvenile things such as making faces at the dinner table for a laugh, reading comic books and watching cartoons together, and so on.

guest mix: L.D.R.

I'm very excited to be awarded the opportunity to host a mix by this gentleman. L.D.R. hails from Sweden, and has some of the most eccentrically cool and diverse music that graces Mixcloud. I originally asked for a single mix quite a while back, just to give it a few listens to when on my daily commute. Those listens warranted an addition to my media player's 'Bike Ride' playlist, which is highly restricted to the best of the best (fewer than 4 tunes have made it on there in 2 years). FROM DUSK TILL DAWN HANGOVER MIX 2013 happened to be the mix that made it to the coveted playlist. What that means is that on my bike rides (13 miles, 20 kilometers or up to 30 miles, 48 kilometers if I'm not being a sissy) I play this playlist in shuffle mode, and for that one hour I'm locked in. Everything that I play in this playlist gives me the same buzz I got when I heard it the first time. Basically the music is my fuel, and without it I'm a hot mess.

amazing time-lapse space video

I surf the web at night (like most people), and found an amazing video I want to share. For some reason, it really made an impact on me. Enjoy!

Turn on, tune in, sleep...