It came to a bit of a surprise that recently Mixcloud started charting releases. With each tag, there is a weekly rating of how each mix is with reference to the ratio of plays to likes (or some such sorcery and math, it all confuses me). FOR THE LONELY SOULS somehow has ended up on the chart for electronic music and also for ambient music. Not only that, it's doing well (not as many plays as everything around it, but the likes per play make a huge difference, I assume). I've reached 12th on the electronic charts (with Mixmaster Morris leading the march!), and 13th on the ambient charts. Very, very happy and stoked to be supported like this from listeners in the biggest way. It really makes my day, no doubt, and I thank everyone that listens and likes. I have some great things planned this year, and glad to be a part of the Mixcloud family! Peace.
//tonepoet//
(edit: as of the 2nd of June, the mix reached 10th in the Electronic charts and 11th in the Ambient charts...........so very cool!)
Most of the time that I do my really deep music listening, it's when I'm lost within my own thoughts. I don't have to converse with others, do any sort of active reasoning on anything, or have judgments or ponder solutions. My mind is a sponge, open and dynamic, my mood and feelings shaped by oncoming colors that slowly build castles in my mind.
I created this mix for the sleepers, for those needing time to put on headphones and breathe deeply, the ones who want to hear the thoughts within their own grey matter without obstruction, the souls that want to have a soundtrack for a moment in their lives, the ones who need a backdrop for contemplative pondering.........in the end, it's for the listener that craves a bit of solace in a chaotic world, and to aid your soul searching, surrounded by the colors of peace and solitude.
It seems as though the best mixes that I come across happen when I should be in bed, and have a lot of stressful stuff on my mind. Those mixes seem to break through the ice of turmoil, keep me awake in anticipation, and cause me to drift into the scene that they've created. There are checkpoints within the flow that develop themes and alter moods on a whim. With my mind engaged, I am able to reassess the balance of negative and positive vibe, and more often than not, I realize that music is just a great big part of my life that permeates my soul like a sponge picking up water. I am the sponge. I want you to be the sponge. Or something like that.
I cannot express the feeling that I get from listening to SILAS' newest mix entitled SCORE ONE. Every song has got me digging through the track listing, searching the artists, and eager to flesh out my music collection with new sonic morsels. There are points within the mix that seem to almost dissolve, surrounding delicate sounds with dissipating clouds of tones. While it would seem like the mix could end (and it would be perfect as it was), Silas picks it up, fills it out, and brings the whole thing back to life as if he were blowing up a balloon. And the world begins anew for another ride. If Silas had just made only BREATHWORK and Score One, I would easily have said that he was above and beyond one of the best at doing what he and his peers do, but with a larger wealth of music than most, and a much better sense of how to connect the dots than the rest of us. Ah, jealousy sets in! Hahaha!
I've had the opportunity to host some music by THE SILENT PROJECT (which you can see HERE), and I was pretty sure that I'd have that chance to do something more in the future. Well, it's the future. I was playing one of the many things that I have in the PREVIEW PLAYLIST on my Mixcloud account, and THÉURGIE comes along that stops time completely while it's spinning. I actually had to concentrate to keep from holding my breath. There are many classical influences throughout this mix that create the tension and release of harmonic depth that pull me in. While I'm listening to this, I keep thinking 'it can't be this amazing for the entire piece of music, it has to taper off'. But luckily, I'm wrong. There is no real zenith to this mix, it keeps climbing and taking me right along with it. By the time it does end, I'm ready to listen to it again. Like a good book or movie unfolding, I never stop to look at the time or even have the urge or ability to let my mind wander. My thirst for finding the perfect mix is quenched.
If you've been keeping up with me (or not) on this blog, you know what a huge amount of debt that I owe to Dave Michuda at LOW LIGHT MIXES. He got me set up in every way, answering each and every one of my annoying questions in great detail about how to host MP3's, starting a site with Blogger, all about Mixcloud, and a whole slew of other great resources. He was incredibly cool about everything, and offered his extensive knowledge freely. Because of him, my bike rides are colorful with sounds, my waking moments are engulfed in taking new sounds, and my ears are enriched with fresh vibe. That's why I love to host mixes; while I can't repay him directly, I try to pay it forward and lift up others. Yep, Dave is like my Papa Bear! Ha!
Well, he recently posted on his blog a spot on MIXCLOUD FAVORITES. I don't know if he intentionally put me at the top of this list, but I'm going to take a moment to stroke my ego and imagine so. Haha! But seriously, being a mention as one of his Mixcloud favorites is HUGE to me. Kind of like Elvis calling my dad. Only not as strangely morbid. Because we all know that Elvis lives on Mars with the Bat Boy. Thanks, Dave! Peace.
**we'll get that beer we had planned, I'll make my way back at some point, I promise!**
I have received an incredibly amazing mix-gift from an artist known as HALFTRIBE. This will blow your mind in a very non-abrasive and tranquil sort of way. I'm really lucky to have been contacted by Halftribe (aka Ryan Bissett) asking to host a mix. Normally, I contact the DJ and am (luckily) always given a green light to host the mixes. I have to say, I was really happy to have received contact from Ryan to host this mix. It's not often that I get goosebumps from being taken in by such intense sets, but this one is one of the rare ones that did the trick. This one sits where I want, in the foreground, in the background, bathing in the aura of its intense harmonic vibe. Halftribe has been very busy, creating amazing mixes as well as churning out some original music (links for everything are below).
Halftribe got into electronic music long ago through way of New Order (1986 on CD and Technique on Vinyl), which opened a gateway to the rave scene in the UK during the late 80's and early 90's. It was at these raves that Halftribe gotten taken in by the post rave chill music, and his fascination for ambient music sparked an interest in exploring its history. As with many frustrated creative artists with an ear for music but without means to create, that path seemed to be expensive and inaccessible. When DAW's became available, Halftribe finally had the opportunity to begin producing deep house, techno, and (mainly) ambient and downtempo. He has released on VENT SOUNDS, ATRIUM DIGITAL, and ASSEMBLY FIELD. When not creating original compositions, he spends his time remixing and has been fortunate, through his links within the industry, to be asked to do a remix for Karl Hyde from UNDERWORLD for his solo album (as well as commissioned for other remix work).
Let's take a bit of time to delve into the inner workings of our cerebral cortex, to the place where sight becomes sound, color has flavor, and moods create life. We'll use this area of our minds to take in the sounds of this mix, and sail gently into the ether of peace and tranquility. Allow the sounds to rinse away the bad vibes and negative moments that plague you, as they are replaced with a renewed sense of creativity, clarity, and focus.
As I come home from a long 32 day tour of playing music and a lot of traveling, it is nice to have my first day blessed with amazingly sunny and warm weather (after being in states like Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and so on....). I'm greeted by birds singing outside, and the smell of the fresh sunshine-laden earth. Nothing can be better than that, and the sense of peace and joy is reflected in this mix that I present to you. While I did buy quite a bit of new music on tour, I decided to create something from what's been on my secret mixtape rather than use my new morsels (which are being saved for the next mix). It took me quite a bit of time to fully realize and bring into fruition what I've put together here, and I really hope that you like it.
Well, the blog made it to 2 years (and still going). I assumed that I would have wrapped things up after 1 year and said 'yeah, well, I did something different for a while'. But I'm enjoying the new music that I get to hear, the guests that I get to host that might otherwise not have a chance to have their creations heard, and basically looking at something that I did to be a bit proud of. Thanks to all that have tuned in, turned on, and slept. Or stayed awake to take in new sounds and be inspired by them. Peace.
//tonepoet//
It goes without saying that I'm a huge fan and follower of Paul Simmonds aka JUNKYARD ANGEL. Every time I find out that he's posted a new mix, I have to plan WAY ahead to prepare the uninterrupted space in which to take in the flow of his vision. If I'm bothered in the least bit during one of his mixes, it upsets the life cycle of his mix and takes me back to square one. That's not cool. But when I do finally settle down and take it all in, he puts me in a time machine where time has stood still for my entire listening session. Voodoo? Maybe.
For the listening pleasure of those that seek an aural journey, I was blessed by JA to host this mix. Within the first few minutes, I hear many familiar sounds that are twisted, cut, and reassembled into his latest cinematic concoction entitled THE BLACK STAR TRANSMISSIONS.
Fresh and hot off the presses comes tasty new sounds for the mental space travelers that need some colorful and harmonically charged transitions and segues for their life's soundtrack. For this mix, I found a way to put together a lot of things that have been really getting my attention lately. I also worked with getting some samples from the FREESOUND site (that I've used on various original projects).
There are many things throughout the day that we hear and take for granted. The many sounds that we hear provide our day with color, experiences, moments, and memory. We are influenced by what we hear our whole lives, whether it's music, communication, sounds, or what-have-you. The music here represents to the beautiful colors that I've managed to be fortunate enough to have taken in within the last few months. I'm gifting this aural experience to you, the listener.
