End of Year adventures

Darkness is closing in on us in November so it is the high season for another type of darker ambient. I must prefer I do prefer the open skies of summer nights but cannot argue the fact that the heavy overcast is also a pleasant backdrop (as long as you stay indoors that is...).

[gterma051] : Silentwave - Daiyuzan (out now)

The temple complex at Daiyuzan Saijoji is but one of many shrines in Japan hidden away among trees and hills. These places offer a welcome change of pace from the busy cities and a chance to experience a very special type of quiet and tranquility. Composer Noguchi Yoshinori paints a minimalistic path along the winding steps that lead through the Daiyuzan grounds. An introspective walk along the remote path that leads to past, present and future. Album in jewel case with 8-page booklet.

[gterma052] : Mathias Grassow - The Nightquest Sessions (out now)

Cold and darkness once again descends upon Northern Europe and we huddle within the walls of our confines, creep up to fireplaces and hide under thick blankets. Those who brave the foreboding climate and venture outside into the blackness find a nocturnal world under heavy clouds, or perhaps find themselves under the scrutinizing gaze of the coldest of piercing starlight. "The Nightquest Sessions", an enigmatic dream by itself, is a trusty partner under these circumstances. Comes in jewel case with 8-page booklet.

Summer highlights

After a rather wet July the recent week has finally seen a return of the heat, and with it the damp grey clouds floated away to the east. We are once again blessed with a nightsky that is filled with both colours and stars. It is nights like these you never want to be turned into day. Dreams and thoughts collide on a smell of wild flowers and the calls from the young Grebes nearby. We celebrate summer with two new albums.

[gterma047] : Mathias Grassow - The Darklight Quest (out now)

One of the strangest and most fascinating aspects of ambient music is the way it can sometimes morph from sonic wallpaper -where it basically functions as a soundtrack- into an agent of transformation, allowing the reshaping of the perceived world around the listener. Some of Mathias' albums have had this effect on me before, and the Darklight Quest definitely falls into this territory. gterma is happy to shine a light on this now mostly forgotten treasure, originally released as a DIY CDr in 1998.
 

[gterma049] : Sergey Gabbasov & SiJ - Perseides (out now)

Welcome along on another trip into the forgotten hinterlands of the Eurasian plateau. Sergey and Vladimir once again skillfully guide us through the dusty backwater trails of the Mongol steppe, along the winding mountain roads that slither through the steep valleys of the Central Asian mountain ranges past crumbling old villages where hardship and beauty go hand in hand. No manmade light disturbs the eternal slumber of the starry nightsky and every cave, every hill, seems under the influence of some forgotten deity or spirit being.

The Promise of Spring

It seems we have survived through yet another cold season. The grip of the cold is waning and the days start to grow longer. This is a battle that Winter cannot win. We say our thanks and give our offerings.

[gterma048] : David Parsons - Puja (out now)

David Parsons revisits gterma with a new album which was completed in 2015. Although perhaps mainly known for his panoramic and almost cinematic Himalayan soundworlds, on Puja he continues his more recent tradition of travelling the inner horizon. And in so doing, he also invites us listeners to undertake similar journeys of our own. Puja is a mysterious and magic constellation, fuelled by the spirit and discipline of the age old Asian cultures and philosophies. Comes in jewel case with 8-page booklet.

Peak Ice

The new year is already washing over us, overwhelming in its intensity. Seems a good time then, to escape the noise into a peaceful abode in the northern hinterlands. Spring will come soon enough, but for now we can enjoy the magnificent and mysterious November light. And just exactly what was it those fishermen saw that day, all those years ago?

[gterma044] : Havdis - Novemberlys (out now)

When the darkness of the wilting season seems the most compact, when the abyss is staring back at us through the naked branches of every tree and the forests turn eerily silent, we are also reminded of the stark beauty that encapsulates us. It is the season of introspection, and of winter sleep. On Novemberlys we collect seven pieces that immerse themselves into the strange light of winter. Album in jewelcase with 8-page booklet.

Santa Sangre yearly review - Interview with Mathias Grassow

The always excellent webzine Santa Sangre continues with its ambitious and interesting year through my eyes review series, checking in with many of the household names in the ambient/industrial scene, feeling the pulse of individual artists. Follow this link to learn more about what Mathias has been up to during 2015.