guest mix: mantraman

I'm very proud to be bringing the music of MANTRAMAN to the masses for this outing on Spaceman's Transmissions. I've been digging on Mantraman's mixes for a bit now, and I finally get a chance to show the love. I've been blessed with having the opportunity to host 3 mixes. 

Within his mixes you will find a colorful mindtrip of perfectly balanced moods, reflecting his quest for peace and solitude. Even his profile picture exudes tranquility and is the epitome of chill. When I'm in need of a deep mental massage or that escape pod that houses my turbulent mind for intergalactic travel, I look no further than Mantraman's mixes. His quest for the perfect mix to calibrate the soul is not without merit.

guest mix: faction (part II)

I got contacted recently by FACTION (Ben Selby) about a new mix that he's created. Out of all of the artists that I follow, Ben is probably one of the guys that blow my mind in the biggest way. His sonic tapestries are a huge journey into the subconscious, stopping at the various synapses which bring light and sound into focus. Given the vast amount of influences and music, Faction flawless (and consistently) pieces together the most seamless mixes ever.  I can never seem to find edits in his mixes. His canvases are a perfect blend of light and dark colors that are pleasing, challenging, and ever shapeshifting. Not only are they musically gratifying, but the work ethic that he displays is unrivaled and unparalleled.

For this guest mix, I am absolutely honored to be a part of hosting [ TIME IS WHAT KEEPS THE LIGHT FROM REACHING US ]. Make sure that you are well prepared with open ears and open mind. This will allow the music to ebb and flow into your mind's ether, penetrating the pores that drink color and taste sound. If you choose to only listen, you will miss the finer points of the mix. The best option is to experience the mix while fully disengaging distractions and fully engaging undivided attention. Upon taking in the mix, your sense of gravity will calibrate, your senses will be renewed with extreme precision, and you mental state will have increased to absolute efficiency. Or your money back.

memories of the unknown

Deja vu (sorry for the lack of correct characters over the letters) can be described as a sensation of realizing the remembrance of a certain event or place, whether you've actually experienced it or not. We see things, and we remember. We hear things, we remember. Our entire lives are based upon memories, and how they stitch us up shapes who we are. We are formed like clay from the sights and sounds that were with us longer than we can remember.

I spent a bit of time this summer at my childhood hometown, and seeing so many familiar things brought back floods of intense feelings. But for the life of me, I couldn't quite put my finger on why. Everything was very much a part of my life, but at the same time very distant from me. I tried to recapture and revive the initial moments of certain landmarks that had meant so much to me many years ago. But in the end, I gave in, retiring the fuzzy thoughts to my gray matter as balloons that I had let go so many years ago. Like most, I could spend all of my time and energy seeking the puzzle pieces that have long turned into a wind-torn memory. 

ben woods

I'm about 90% done with my next mix as I'm finishing up some transitions and searching for the last epic closer. I really wanted to share some music of a musician that I've been using a bit and that has really been drawing me in with some of the best compositions that I've been coming across. 

For those of you that dig into the track listing, you'll see that I'm been taking advantage of sharing the amazing compositions of Ben Woods, and ambient pianist that weaves pure gold. The more that I listen, the more I'm really pulled into his colorful universe of sound and light. His music is highly inspiring, soothing, and created with such honesty and intensity. The most unreal part of it all is that his music if free from BANDCAMP (above is his latest release). Highly unbelievable. Pay Ben a visit, and take in his unrivaled mastery channeled through beautiful compositions. 

Also, be sure to follow him on TWITTER and FACEBOOK as he posts new music every now and then. Like Christmas all year round. Peace.

//tonepoet//

collaboration: fading light (part I & 2)

Tonepoet: 
I can say that for me, it's a dream come true to have finally been involved in a collaboration with a mix-artist that is without a doubt one of my favorites. I've been digging on JUNKYARD ANGEL's mixes since he first started uploading mixes on Mixcloud. I've hosted his mixes here quite a bit (more than anyone else), and have had such candid and (dear I say?) brotherly contact with him despite our differences in time, culture, and location. All of his music lives on my media player, and accompanies me on my bike rides, in my car, or anywhere else that I use it (which is everywhere) for getting my fix of great new music. I save his comments, and mark his emails as 'unread' so that I can take in his wit and gather the positive vibe that he exudes again and again. 

We've talked long about our musical interests, and lives in general. We've actually bounced a few original ideas (that we'll get to at some point) back and forth. This, hopefully, serves as a springboard for that. I have to say, that after listening to so many of his mixes repeatedly, I would definitely have to bring my 'A' game with a mix. His vision for melding the bizarre, accentuating the awe-inspiring, and conjuring the twist of fear is something that marvels me. I brought the suggestion of a sort of final swan song or opus, as I've had mostly lighthearted mixes, and I knew that he would be able to pull out his magic wand and develop such a great story. Hence the name 'fading light'. It could mean the close of a day, a final breath, a dying thought, or a moment that has expired. While I could ramble on with all of this, I'm passing the torch over to Junkyard Angel for the remainder of the narrative. One last thing: if feels good to ride on the backs of angels.

rusted sun collective

Just did a collaborative EP with 2 other musicians (Javier Bilbao and Jon Wheeler aka PETAL) in a group effort entitled RUSTED SUN COLLECTIVE. We call the release 'Communicate'. With the download comes all the artwork that tags the files (each song has a different set of artwork tagged to it). We were blessed by CARAS IONUT to be allowed to tag our song 'For The Father We Never Found' with his artwork entitled 'Fresh Air' (many, MANY thanks to him for that!). Please pay him a visit on his website! To quote the narrative from the Bandcamp page:

mixcloud charts

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!)

for the lonely souls

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.

guest mix: silas (part II)

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!

guest mix: the silent project (part II)

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.