Notification of absence: August expedition

Yep, it is time for the little red-helmeted postman to take a break in August. gterma will continue to ship out orders throughout July, and then we will be catching our breath in August to muster up some strength for the autumn season. There are already a couple of albums in progress as well as advance work into some new titles, so keep an eye out on this page from time to time if you'd like to know more. Meanwhile, a good holiday to those of you who enjoy summer in the northern hemisphere and to those still slugging it out in the south, hang in there.

Two for the seemingly eternal summer nights

Having passed Midsummer a mere week ago we've now begun the slow descent back into the dark season. Before the chilly embrace of the dark umbra though, we will experience a short but graceful time period which lends itself well to those late night contemplative journeys when you can leave the window open and breathe in the life and light from outside. The latest gterma offerings will also fit like hand in glove in this environment.

[gterma031] : VelgeNaturlig - Húmus (out now)

Portuguese soundscaper VelgeNaturlig has a penchant for creating dramatic soundworlds where the elements interact freely with more complex constructs. His magical album Húmus, originally self-released some nine years ago, is a true gterma favourite and we are delighted to bring it once more into the spotlight where its regal stature can inspire a new generation of listeners. Album comes in jewelcase with 16-page booklet.

[gterma032] : Ashtoreth's Gate - Ashtoreth's Gate (out now)

gterma follows in the wake of Ashtoreth, goddess of love and war, known by many names and cultures. Experienced sonic excavators Lee Norris and Craig Murphy have backtracked her steps through the blue tileworks of the Ishtar Gate and beyond the Temple of Marduk, only to enter a state of inbetween, a possible portal to the very realm of the gods. Journey with us into the unknown. Comes in a jewelcase with 16-page booklet.

Report: New album by Mathias Grassow on Practising Nature

And so here is also the latest Practising Nature-album "Tara" by Mathias Grassow, a three part suite running for about 70 minutes. One must say that it has that evergreen minimalistic Mathias Grassow/Klaus Wiese sound with lots of singing bowls. "Tara" is dedicated to the two recently departed ambient community profiles Gianluigi Gasparetti and Nextera label mastermind Kristian Kotarac. The album is obtainable primarily through Practising Nature's distributor Databloem whose shop is currently in holiday mode, orders are planned to be shipped out by mid July.

Report: New albums by Oöphoi on Practising Nature

Following the departure of Gianluigi works of his are beginning to appear posthumously on labels and with artists whom he worked with. Earlier this spring a collaborative album together with Ran Kirlian surfaced on  Spanish label Altera Orbe titled "The Physics of Heaven". And as we enter the summer month of June the Dutch label Practising Nature, with a history of reissuing many of Gigis past Umbra releases now also sees two new and hitherto unreleased albums. Click the album covers to reach their respective pages with som samples attached.

Here is what the label says about the two releases: "Not long before his passing Oophoi gave us the recordings of two, previously unreleased parts from the "I Hear" trilogy. Part one "I Hear The Water Dreaming" was a collaboration with Louisa John-Krol and released in 2005. The other parts "I Hear The Wind Singing" and "I Hear The Woods Whispering" were initially meant for further collaboration but for some reason this never came off the ground. On Gigi's request we edited and released the basic tracks, with artwork from his beloved wife Alessandra. Both albums showcase, in retrospect, Oophoi's talents for creating aural paintings of nature in a pure and soothing way."

Stay tuned also for a new album by Mathias to surface on Practising Nature soon, called "Tara".

Report: New EP by As If on Biorecordings

Our Danish friend Kenneth has been busy lately, and out a few days ago is a new digital EP published on the Italian Biorecordings label. The release features both delicate and lush ambience as well as the more pulsating dubtech-sound, both which were found on last year's "Faraway Trees..." album. The digital release is available through some digital distributors such as Beatport and Juno. If you are considering a purchase, remember to keep an eye on the various file formats offered on each platform. AS IF - Lines From The Past Ep by Biorecordings

And since we are on the topic of Biorecordings... the label has several interesting artists in its catalogue, mostly sitting somewhere in the dubtech/ambient range. It feels only natural to remind Urenga fans to check out Andras' compilation appearance "Warming Ocean" on the label's first compilation EP released in 2011. If you enjoyed the sound on "After Rain" this should be right up your alley as well; the hypnotic, dreamy draw of the ocean. Urenga - Warming Ocean [VA Biology 001] (Biorecordings) | Out now on Beatport! by Urenga

Welcome summer!

gterma has returned after an expedition into the River Kwaee valley just in time to hail the appearance of the first warming rays of sunshine here in Scandinavia. Rest assured though, order has been restored and the sun is now veiled again in its usual blanket of cold rain and fog. Instead we choose to celebrate the promise of summer with a pair of new releases.

[gterma026] : Ornah-Mental - Excursions (2013-05-20)

Veteran cosmic travellers Dirk Schlömer and Carsten Agthe look back on journeys past and present, in preparing for the excursions of tomorrow. Music made for drifting out of consciousness into the higher understanding based on enlightenment and revelation. Expect a mix of instrumentation from past and present. Album comes in jewelcase with 16-page booklet.

[gterma030] : Mathias Grassow - Sonnenwende (2013-05-20)

Sonnenwende is the spiritual successor to Dämmerung and follows the sun along her passage through the seasons, the seemingly endless journey between darkness and light. Contemplative ambience, ominous droneworks and some dashes of folk. Double album in jewelcase with 16-page booklet.

Report: New As If-album available for preorder at ROHS! Records

Our Danish friend As If returns with a new album on the little Sardinian label .ROHS! (exclamation mark theirs...). The first (only?) physical edition in CDr format is limited to a mere 50 copies and since most of their previous releases are already sold out gterma advices interested listeneres not to sit on their laurels on this one. The physical release is due to be released on May 15 but the digital version is already available. Check out the label's bandcamp page for more information.