I have hosted more guest mixes than ever this year, which I love because it exposes me to new artists and new mix concepts. Many of these mixes have come through the fine folks at Nettwerk Music Group . It's appropriate then that this final guest mix of the year comes from one of their artists - Hollie Kenniff. I absolutely love the way this mix ebbs and flows, the tracks blend together perfectly. Hollie just released her fourth album, For Forever , which is a lush, melodic ambient record that u...
Dec 11, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 326
At the beginning of September when I posted my " Sequencer City " mix, I said I'd been on a berlin school bender. Well, now three months later I'm still on that sequencer synth kick. At the end of October the analog synth itch was scratched by a stellar guest mix from Erwin Broers called " Capturing The Voice Of A Galaxy ." It featured tracks from the Klaus Schulz label, "Innovative Communications. Now we have have a follow up mix from Erwin called "Back to the Roots of Berlin School." Oh man, t...
Dec 04, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 325
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Just hanging out all day with family, eating and drinking. Perfect. The songs in this mix were all chosen for the titles, which all fit the Thanksgiving theme. Besides the obvious titles with the word "thanks" my favorite track titles are "my dad's famous potatoes", "Give me cornbread when I'm hungry", and "An Awkward Conversation at a Family Gathering." Play this in the background as you eat way too much food and hopefully not way too much beer. Cheers &...
Nov 27, 2024•59 min•Ep. 324
I'm not exactly sure how this mix started. I think I was listening to the track, Outlook Remains Untouched, by |||||||||||||||||||| , yes that's the actual name the artist goes by. |||||||||||||||||||| on bandcamp I like the jazzy vibe the tune has. It reminds me of similar tracks from the heyday of glitch and idm that also have a jazz feel to them. Sort of Jazz-ish. So I grabbed some older tracks from 2001, 2002, 2006, and mixed them with new tunes to come up with this electronic mix that isn't...
Nov 13, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 323
Thanks goodness election season is almost over. Election night can be a stressful time so here's a mix of new ambient tunes to help us all get through the night. Cheers! T R A C K L I S T : 00:00 Logic Moon - Lifelines (Lifelines 2024) 03:15 Bruce Brubaker - Music For Airports, 1/2(Bows Version) (Eno Piano 2 2024) 07:00 Feeling Flying - Shimmer (Spirit Level 2024) 13:15 Andrew Lang - Tristan's Ascension (Frailty 2024) 17:15 Martin Stürtzer - Radiance (Dawn of Time 2024) 24:50 Steve Roach - One D...
Nov 05, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 322
Another stellar guest mix comes our way courtesy of loyal listener, Erwin Broers. He asked if I was interested in a mix of electronic music from Innovative Communication, the label founded by Klaus Schulze in the late 70s. Yes, please! Here's what Erwin says about this fantastic mix: "I was in my teens when I got in touch with Electronic Music by means of well-known artists such as Jean-Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk and Vangelis. Searching for more similar music in the local library, I came across an ...
Oct 30, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 321
This mix is a continuation of a trend I noticed several years ago - the use of sax or other wind instruments in ambient music. I think I've done 3 other mixes that feature wind instruments. This one came together fairly quickly as there is a lot to choose from. Most of the tracks are 2023 or 2024 with 4 of the 14 a bit older. I really like the flow of this set, one song bleeds right into the next with the beginnings and endings slightly obscured. This also seems to work well as and autumn themed...
Oct 17, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 320
I fell in love with the music of Andy McNeill, who records as Maple Mountain Sunburst, back in 2010 with the release of the album The Maple Mountain Sunburst Triolian Orchestra. Combining a wide variety of instrumentation, electronics, loops and samples to create a unique album and listening experience. The album was one of my favorites of 2010. When I found out that, after a long hiatus, there was new album this year, I was totally hyped. The new recording, Ecstatic , is everything I'd hoped fo...
Oct 11, 2024•59 min•Ep. 319
I have a whiteboard on the wall outside my office at work where we compile random lists of things - "Best Pizza Topping", "Favorite Kitchen Utensil", "Best First Track of an Album", etc. Recently the category was "Songs for Fall/Autumn." I posted about the list on Mixcloud here - https://www.mixcloud.com/lowlight/posts/songs-about-fall-autumn-fall-colors/ So I grabbed a few tracks from the suggestions, some of my own favorites & some instrumentals to come up with this new Fall Colors mix. Th...
Oct 03, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 318
This mix is another great example of why I enjoy guest mixes so much. This collection of tunes starts off rather noisy, hence the title. It's a style of music that I don't go to very often. But it's very cool to hear in this mix. Our guest this time is Ethan Helfrich, who records under the name Black Brunswicker. They have a new album out called "Been Around Here Before" and you can find it here: https://blackbrunswicker.bandcamp.com/album/been-around-here-before Here's what Ethan says about the...
Sep 27, 2024•55 min•Ep. 317
This is a collection of tribal ambient tunes. Think frame drums and synth washes. Think Steve Roach & Robert Rich - "Strata." Think Byron Metcalf. There's really not much else to say, if you like the sounds mentioned above, you'll enjoy this mix. Cheers! T R A C K L I S T : 00:00 Louigi Verona - Geothermal Rising (Abiogenesis 2024) 06:30 Steve Jansen & Richard Barbieri - Remains Of A Fragile Illusion (Other Worlds In A Small Room 1995) 11:11 Byron Metcalf & Mark Seelig - A Teacher Ap...
Sep 19, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 316
I have been on a huge sequencer/Berlin-school bender for the last few months. I think it goes back to Paul's train mix back in May. Through that mix I found the music of Gert Blokzijl - https://gertblokzijl.bandcamp.com/ . I gobbled up a number of his albums immediately. Then last month I discovered the music of Martin Stürtzer - https://phelios.bandcamp.com/ He's got a ton of stuff out there and it's all good. I'm not sure how I missed him until now, but I'm glad I found him. While listening to...
Sep 11, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 315
Sometimes a mix comes along at just the right time. This new mix from Paul comes as summer has ended and the weather, at least around here, has turned a bit chilly. There's something about this collection of tracks that seems to work well with this change of seasons. This mix is different from the usual LLM fair and definitely a change in direction for Paul, a temporary change but a welcome one. These are all vocal tunes, each with its own story to tell. Here's what Paul says about this compilat...
Sep 04, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 314
Sometimes I go off on tangents with nostalgia mixes, guest mixes, jazz mixes, etc. and I can lose sight of the fact that this is primarily an ambient mix site. So now it's time for a straightforward ambient mix. All the tracks in this set are from summer 2024, with a couple not even released yet. So super fresh. Here are some links to all the music used in this mix: https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com/ https://pjsmusicsound.bandcamp.com/album/flora https://lontanoseries.bandcamp.com/album/plumage ...
Aug 28, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 313
When I was in college, a million years ago, I worked at the student radio station. There were some cool people there that turned me onto all sorts of new music. I had cassette tapes of several of the albums they introduced me to and I played them for years. I can't remember to put my garbage out on time but I can still picture the handwritten spines of cassette cases for albums like David Sylvian - Gone To Earth and Tangerine Dream - Hyperborea. A few of my prized cassettes were from more obscur...
Aug 14, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 312
The guest mix hits just keep coming! This set come to us courtesy of Old Amica, a two-person band originally from Norrbotten, Sweden. Today they are separated by 1864km with one part in Stockholm, the other in Genève. https://oldamica.bandcamp.com/ I was familiar with their work on the Whitelabrecs label: https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com/album/taiga https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com/album/fyr So I was excited to hear about a new album coming out on August 9th. And then I was even more excited w...
Aug 07, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 311
One of my favorite albums this year is Eleven Fugues For Sodium Pentothal by Adam Wiltzie. https://adamwiltzie.bandcamp.com/album/eleven-fugues-for-sodium-pentothal Adam has an extensive discography of work - ranging from solo albums & soundtracks to work in the groups Aix Em Klemm, The Dean Texan, and A Winged Victory For The Sullen. But he is most well known for his work as part of Stars of the Lid, one of the best ambient duos/groups of all time. After listening to his new album I hauled ...
Jul 31, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 310
This year we've had quite a variety of mixes here at LLM headquarters. From underwater ambient to space rock guitar to alternative soundtracks to Thai funk/soul/psychedelia/surf rock. Now we take another turn, this time to atmospheric jazz. I've done similar mixes in the past with Halloween sets and the original Mysterioso mix 7 years ago - https://www.mixcloud.com/lowlight/mysterioso/ This set comes to us from Kevin, a loyal listener & a man with excellent taste in music. He has provided us...
Jul 24, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 309
After the road trip music of Khruangbin, it's time to get back to some ambient tunes. There's not much to say about this mix other than I was going for a vibe of sitting outside on a warm summer night, gazing at the stars. That's it simple, straightforward ambient music. Most of the tracks are from 2024. Here are links to all the music used in this mix: https://innesti.bandcamp.com/album/contemplate https://thealbumleaf.bandcamp.com/album/blast-feat-aaron-d4vd https://noton.info/product/n-064/ h...
Jul 17, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 308
I've been following the rise of Khruangbin since 2018 when they released their album "Con Todo El Mundo." Khruangbin is a musical trio that mixes global influences, including Thai funk, soul, psychedelia, and surf rock, into their mostly instrumental music. The New York Times has described their sound as "extremely slippery, genrewise." It's been crazy to watch them go from relative obscurity to a band that now has nearly 8 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Check out their stuff here... http...
Jul 10, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 307
While playing random tracks from my hard drive full music, I stumbled upon several tunes I hadn't heard in forever. I was filled with feelings of nostalgia. That can happen quite a lot when you're as old as I am, certain albums will always remind me of times and places. I remember wearing out a cassette copy of Tangerine Dream's "Hyperborea" on an old boom box when I first started my current job 30 years ago. I started collecting a few obscure, nostalgia-inducing tracks as I listened to music ov...
Jul 03, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 306
This mix was an accident. Well, the mix itself wasn't an accident but the vibe and theme was. I was listening to some new music and heard a new track - A Flock Of Birds Part 1 by Motionfield, and decided to start a new mix with it. Not having any idea where I was headed, I tossed the track on my timeline and went looking for more music. I grabbed one, then two, then three, four, five tracks and before I knew it the mix had a watery vibe. Some of the tracks have that great dubby, watery synth was...
Jun 27, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 305
I've been listening to the music of Rafael Anton Irisarri for a long time. The oldest album of his that I have is 2007's Daydreaming. I'm listening to it as I type this and wow, I'd forgotten how excellent it is. His music has changed a bit since then - now using drones, symphonic washes, tape loops, layers of distortion and "bleached out textures." So I was excited when he offered to do a guest mix. Um, yes please! This mix is everything that I love about guest mixes because it takes twists and...
Jun 19, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 304
As with many other mixes this one has a specific track that was the inspiration. The tune is called "Franky's Floyd" from the album "An Evening with Friends" by Ron Boots. It's a live album by Boots and his friends. The track is called "Franky's Floyd" because Frank Dorittke plays a nine minute variation of David Gilmour's solo from Comfortably Numb. It all sounds so familiar but with enough variation to make it interesting. Thanks to Paul Asbury Seaman for giving me the heads-up on this track. ...
Jun 12, 2024•59 min•Ep. 303
I am fortunate enough to occasionally have labels or artists connect with me about new music they have coming out. Sometimes those discussions result in a guest mix. Which brings us to this latest mix. Daniel Field, owner/founder of Imaginary North, reached out about some new music coming out on his excellent ambient label. He has a new album out under his Kilometre Club moniker so we figured it would be a great time for a guest mix. Here's what Daniel has to say about this collection: "I am so ...
Jun 05, 2024•1 hr 40 min•Ep. 302
Time for some fresh ambient tracks. This is a simple, straightforward mix featuring all very new music. These new tracks work very well together to create a nice, flowing listening experience. There's not much else to say other than enjoy the peace and tranquility. Links to all the music used in this mix, although the Braulio Lam album & the einwandeins album have not been released yet so you'll have to keep your eye on Bandcamp for those releases. https://archivesdubmusic.bandcamp.com/album...
May 29, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 301
I love getting a sequencer mix from Paul! I don't seek out Berlin school, sequencer based music very much anymore which is strange because I really enjoy it when I hear it. But I don't need to seek it out because I know the best sequencer music researcher - Paul Asbury Seaman. And he regularly provides me with my Berlin school fix. Every track included in this mix is top notch sequencer bliss. I knew a few of the artists but most are new to me which is why I love these mixes. Paul turned me on t...
May 22, 2024•1 hr 49 min•Ep. 300
We've had more guest mixes than usual the last 6 months and that is a great thing because it means we all get to hear some amazing music and amazing mixes like this one. This new mix comes from Matthew Ramolo, who records as Khôra. There is a new Khôra album that just dropped in April called "Gestures of Perception" and is described this way - "The album weaves ritualized instrumentals with alien textures and resonant melodies, inviting listeners to transcend into uncommon consciousness." You ca...
May 15, 2024•1 hr 44 min•Ep. 299
This was a tough list to compile. What criteria do I use? Influential albums? Ones I play the most? Critics favorites? Do I include ambient albums? Vocal albums? Oof, this was hard. The list I came up with was sort of a bit of everything. All these albums are personal faves but I also couldn't help thinking about things from a historical standpoint. Also, I couldn't help but view them from a personal historical standpoint - such as albums that turned me on to a different style or sound(DJ Shadow...
May 08, 2024•2 hr•Ep. 298
I am a big fan of the ambient artist Robert Davies. You can find his music here... https://dataobscura.bandcamp.com/ Most of his music is connected to nature which you can see in the album titles such as A Distant Glade, Lakeside Haven , Earthen Burrows , Tide Pools , Forest Mosaic , and on & on. The tracks are immersive, pastoral ambient journeys that sometimes use subtle natural sounds mixed in with the synths. Highly recommended. There was an album released in 2022 that reminded me of the...
May 01, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 297