Report: "Second Gift of Life" out on Databloem

After a fruitless first week of searching, we have stopped in port to resupply only to learn that meanwhile in Europe, the excellent Databloem label (which just happens to be the main gterma distributor as well...) has just released a new album by Mathias Grassow called "The Second Gift of Life". No further data is available here at this time, please head over to the label website for more information. Looking forward to hear this album myself when returning from these southern waters.

Note of absence - December expedition

As the rainy season comes to a halt it is time to relaunch the quest for the mysterious Nagas, the sacred sea serpents of old. We'll be launching a new expedition in late November and return after the Christmas holidays. Please note that the webshop will be open for one more week and then go into hibernation for the remainder of the year. Wish us good hunting, who knows what artefacts they safeguard.

Four hours until sunrise...

gterma is happy to announce the last titles of 2012, a magnificent four hour crescendo to the activities of 2012. We wish to take this opportunity to thank all the artists, contributors, listeners and supporters around the world who have made this journey so enjoyable.

[gterma023] : Mathias Grassow & Carsten Agthe - Beyond The Silence (out now)

This summer, Mathias and Carsten performed live at the Gut Saunstorf, a retreat in Northern Germany. The concert marked the end of an extended period of silence for the people attending. The recording captures two hours of raw and ritualistic music and also features some new improvisations which were recorded during the night shift at the local hotel. Double album in jewelcase with 16 page booklet.


[gterma024] : As If  - Faraway Trees Standing Still (out now)

Danish musician and artist Kenneth Werner invites us to a journey away from the chaos of today's frenzied cities and into the quiet realm of the distant mountains and serene forests, an escape from ourselves and a home away from home. A vision painted with ambient and dubtechno crayons. Comes in a jewelcase with 16 page booklet.

And now for a word...

The great crew of the Polish webzine Santa Sangre recently asked the label a few questions and have published a little interview which gives some insights into the origins of gterma (found here). Those who enjoy dark ambient and industrial music will also find lots of competent in depth-reviews and interviews with interesting musicians on the site.

Solar Ocean goes under

As of October the Solar Ocean project has gone under the surface and is now swimming in the murky depths of the Bardo. it is yet too early to tell if this is a complete write-off or a prolonged hiatus, thought something tells me we have not seen the last of young Eugene's musical wanderings. While we anticipate his possible future resurfacing he has left behind a collection of loose ends on soundcloud.

Goodbye, Solar Ocean by Solar Ocean

Just landed...

Today we had the very first snow of the season, and with it the arrival of two scheduled flights, the former delayed due to unfavourable weather enroute. Please inspect the arrivals board below for more information. The airline extends it apologies for any inconvenience.

[gterma018] : Patterns Of The Sky - The Long Flight (out now)

Looming underneath these towering creatures we normally refer to as clouds, it is easy to stop and stare with fascination and introspection at their cyclic drifting across the heavens. The pattern looks much the same from above, watching these silent skyriders fall prey to unrelenting winds, sweeping them away underneath and above, while they muster all their strength to stay with the sun. The Long Flight is a retrospective glance down the ambient side of Texas based project Patterns of the Sky and comes in a jewelcase with 16 page booklet.

[gterma021] : Last Industrial Estate - Last Industrial Estates (out now)

Last Industrial Estate is one of the various projects of Anders Peterson of Ghost Sound and gterma fame, a warm and melancholic twist upon the dark ambient canvas. LIEs is an ode to the remnants of the industrial era and expands upon of the self-titled album released on Kalpamantra netlabel earlier this summer. The album now features a more sinister edge which stands out like a jet-black pool of oil upon an overlooked dusty tarmac. Album in jewelcase with 16 page booklet.

October Tidings

Two new releases out to celebrate that the dark season is throwing its misty veil all over. We aim to have a few more releases out later this autumn, keep an eye open for more good tidings as the umbra gets more dense over us.

[gterma015] : Peter Hennix - Ocean (Out now)  

Originally released in 2004 this remarkable album presents a flow of ambience carried ashore on the ethereal waves of a mysterious but recurring tide. Based around the ancient Indian rudra veena instrument this is a warm flood you do not want to ebb out. "Ocean" is produced in cooperation with Sangha Records and presented in memoriam to this talented musician. Album comes in a jewelcase with a 16-page booklet.

[gterma020] : Mathias Grassow - Bloodmoon (Out now)

As the harvest season is over the cold and dark autumn is already creeping upon us. In October, the Hunter's Moon sits high atop the sky, bathing the landscape in its eerie bright light. The hunters would welcome this change which gives them a better chance of catching their next prey. Meanwhile, the people sit by candle light in their cottages on the edge of the forest, awaiting their soon return. Deep inside the woods, others bide their time. Album in jewelcase with 16 page booklet.

Report: new boreal sounds from Havdis...

As the game for resource domination continues into the 21st century the global powers turn and lift each and every stone in their quest to satisfy the needs of their hungry markets, like Passerines feeding their young in the summer nest. Living and working on the northern fringes of Scandinavia means that our Norwegian friend Havdis is close to the events now unfolding in the Arctic. Powerful players seek to claim and extract precious materials from the seabed and meanwhile the ice cap keeps on melting. Arcticmantra is a haunting soundscape from the frozen vistas of the north and a poignant reminder of a world that may well disappear in a near future.

Arcticmantra (let us keep the ice) by havdis

A dark embrace

With last weekend's equinox firmly behind us we can now look forward to six months of darkness, wet and cold here in Scandinavia. Already the nights have turned pitch black and soon the afternoons will begin to follow suit. We'll have a new batch of releases out in a few weeks, doing what we can to combat the darkness.

New track "And I Touched The Sky" by Solar Ocean

Available on the artist's soundcloud page since a few days ago is this wonderful new piece by Solar Ocean. An assembly of old basic tracks and inspired by a recent trip to Mount Elbruz (Caucasus, 5 642m) by some of his friends. Dreamy floating ambience with a rugged lava foundation. And I touched the Sky by Solar Ocean

Enter September

Arriving just in time for the mental gap which bridges summer and autumn, our meteorologists have indeed announced the spread of autumn inside our realm. Many of us already look back at the long summer nights, now lost beyond the clouds which hang over wilting flowers, puddles of mud and dark water. Meanwhile, work continues at gterma headquarters and we look forward to announcing some new projects shortly.

Report: "Suns" out now on Phonospheric

Well known collaborators Mystified and Seetyca have joined forces again and their most recent work "Suns" has just been released on the small British label Phonospheric. Vivid drone works perfect for late night listening. Copies appear to be low in number so don't snooze for too long if you are interested. Available on CDr via the label website. Mystified & Seetyca - Suns - Phase 1 by Phonospheric

When it rains it pours...

It seems the only holidaymakers who can claim to be really pleased with this year's summer are the snails. In a not exactly atypical fashion, most of the Scandinavian (and I'm sure elsewhere...) summer disappeared in a fuming, chilly cloud of moist. What better then, than to escape into the foglands with some deep mesmerizing soundscapes? We do have a few brand new suggestions for you, of course...

[gterma003] : Parsick & Reuter - Lament (out now)

Stephen Parsick and Markus Reuter have once again met up to brew their own kind of dronescapes. The path leads into sonic hinterlands where processed guitar fuses with experiments of a decidedly electronic nature. Complex structures are erected from out of a mysterious tonal language, and the journey meanders between cold and harrowing audioscapes into the blooming fields of the outer reaches of the psychosphere. Comes in a jewelcase with a 8-page booklet.

[gterma005] : V/A  - Gyalpo (out now)
 
Dedicated to the great protectors of our realm comes this tributary to the Four Heavenly Kings of Caturmaharajika. Four artists (A.P, Earth Vibration, Mathias Grassow and Indo) each provide an interpretation of one of the four guardian kings and their continuous efforts to ward off all evil that threatens our world. Expect longform ambient with a mysterious twist. The album comes in a jewelcase with a 16 page booklet.

[gterma017] : Seetyca - The Luminous Deep (out now)

When the final faint rays of light shine upon motionless limbs, colours begin to fade as the pelagic darkness bides a welcome with its cold and soft embrace. The descent continues, unevenly adrift on an unknown current. The boundaries of time and space no longer apply. Finally at rest on the distant seabed new life is destined to spring from this empty shell anew. Comes in a jewelcase with 16-page booklet.

Report: Mathias Grassow live at Gut Saunstorf, Germany

On Saturday Mathias was to perform at an event held at the Gut Saunstorf, a recently restored mansion in a farmland region of northern Germany. Hidden deep between rolling fields and alleyways surrounded by an army of trees, the Gut is now home to a retreat led by OM C. Parkin. The performance marked the end of a ten day vow of silence on behalf of the guests staying there. During a reconnaissance visit on Friday the arrangements were therefore discussed in hushed and whispering tones. Quite an unusual environment for a performance I gather.

The local weather had been shifting between warm sunshine and chilly rain showers for most of the week. After inspecting various indoor locales Mathias opted to play at a large tent arena erected in the courtyard. The Saturday saw a heavy rain falling just before the concert, which seemed a given signal for all the region's brown snails to come out of the woodworks and invade the arena, there were dozens if not hundreds of them present. It was quite amusing to watch the little creatures slither around on the wooden floor panels.

For this performance Mathias was joined by longtime collaborator Carsten Agthe (the two perform in the bands KarmaCosmic and Nostalgia together with Rüdiger Gleisberg for example) who had brought with him various forms of drums, including a wavedrum as well as a didgeridoo. Mathias mainly used a pair of Roland SP-808 samplers, a Roland Gaia synthesizer, a cd player and a frame drum.

As usual the music of Mathias was semi-improvised in that he worked with certain "basic tracks" and then modified them, adding more layers, patterns, rhythms, voice or drums, all the while accompanied by Carsten's percussion. The performance was mainly based on material from the recent "Wisdom Of Fate" album, which means a very rhythmic approach which was also complemented by subdued drones from "Dämmerung" which is normally a loud and powerful piece.

It was interesting to see the reactions of the audience, most of them being unfamiliar with Mathias' music. At the start there was an uncomfortable twist and turn here and there, though most listeners simply closed their eyes and allowed themselves to be transported far away by the opening drones. During the progression of the concert more and more onlookers began spontaneously rising from their seats and starting to sway to the tune of the rhythm. This also reflected back on Mathias and Carsten and during the second hour they began building a powerful and captivating pulsating rhythm that led more and more people to start dancing in random patterns and stomping their feet to the beat sending vibrations through the floor panels. It was a really magic moment and a new direction for the music of Mathias, something we can hope to see explored further within the Alchemy concept.

Report: "Silent Ritual" by Arjen Schat released

Prolific electronic artist Arjen Schat is back with another deep ambient/drone album called "Silent Ritual", released as digital only via bandcamp. Two half hour long tracks make up a mesmerizing and spiralling drift into the beyond. Strongly recommended!

Report: New track by Havdis available

Our Norwegian friend Havdis has just released a new dreamy piece of floating ambience that you can listen to at his soundcloud page. Wonderful aural paintings from the northern shores of Scandinavia. Sweet Silent Solitude (sigh heart,but do not burst) by havdis

New releases are just around the corner, but ye olde computer is currently undergoing a dip in the Bardo, we'll be back following its rebirth.

Report: Urenga sees new remix version of "Floating Islands" on Stasis Recordings

The five track "Floating Islands" mini-album by Urenga is a gterma favourite and was mentioned previously here on the blog when it was released in March. Now Stasis Recordings are following up with a remix EP which sees two alternate takes each on three of the album tracks, with artists such as Sascha Barts, Off Land  and David Roiseux. Two bonus mixes are also added by label owner Sanderson Dear. Available as digital only via the label's bandcamp page.

Report: New release by Last Industrial Estate on Kalpamantra netlabel

Fifty minutes of mesmerizing dark rumbling audio nightscapes in the form of Last Industrial Estate, an alias of gterma contributor Anders Peterson (perhaps mostly known for his collaborations with Atheus and a host of excellent releases on his own Ghost Sounds label). Grab it in multiple formats freely via the Kalpamantra bandcamp site.

Note of Absence - July intermission

It is time to lay back, meditate and be consumed by the music. We will be back in early August, expect to see some new titles appearing in our catalogue in the late summer as well.

Report: "dr1ne_" ambient mix revealed

The ambient continuous mix "dr1ne_" was submitted anonymously and unlabelled for the Discogs ambient mix competition a few months ago. The event is now over and participants' names and tracklists are in the process of being revealed. The mix is a floating ambient wave which contains contributions from a number of gterma profiles as well as some other personal favourites. The mix is currently available for listening/download together with a group of wildly different ambient mixes over at Verdant Recordings for the time being.

Drone and sorted!

gterma have today begun distributing the new albums by Mathias, each release focuses on a different style. Excellent late night listening companions, now all that is missing is some decent summer ambience from the weather gods.

[gterma008] : Mathias Grassow - Dämmerung (out now)

The long and often dreary winters up here in the north are characterized by burning nightskies as the cold tears into the skin and the wind torments our eyes. Conversely the short summers with their bright colours and dreamlike nights have a very profound effect on the people and creatures dwelling underneath. One long flowing epos dedicated to the Sun and her voyage across the burning evening skies of Northern Europe. Comes in a jewelcase with a 12-page booklet.

[gterma013] : Mathias Grassow - Uttarakuru (out now)

Prepare for a bit of sound archaeology as we revisit two related drone pieces recorded back in 1999. Together they illustrate a difficult voyage to the mystical continent of Uttarakuru, believed populated by a highly refined people with deep spiritual capabilities. Journey across a treacherous ocean and gloom mountains in search of its floating cities. Double album comes in a jewelcase with a 12-page booklet.

[gterma016] : Mathias Grassow - Wisdom Of Fate (out now)

Continuing on his musical wanderings as seen on "Alchemystery", Mathias once again travels down the obscured path of the shaman. Solemn soundscaping with heavy elements of percussion and flute selected from material recorded in winter and spring of 2012. The search for the legendary springs of Mímir and Urðr has begun. Double album comes in a jewelcase with a 16-page booklet.

Report: "Tanmatra" by Arjen Schat out on Bandcamp

Arjen Schat, better known as Ohrwert in dub techno circles, also works in other genres such as EM and ambient. The recently released album "Tanmatra" is a crisp ambient dream with mystic flavour and brilliant drones and percussive elements.The five tracks on the album are each named after the five subtle elements through which we perceive the physical world around us. A strongly recommended musical companion for night and day. The album is out now on the artist's Bandcamp page.

Report: Undara to perform live on StillStream

Here is a chance to catch our shamanistic Portuguese friends live on StillStream online radio. Expect to hear live takes on the "Traveller" album as well as new themes. The show will be aired on the 3rd of June. See below for further more information.

Report: Tegelbacken Nightlights out on astrangelyisolatedplace

gterma friend and mastering wizard A.P - appearing here under his moniker relapxych.0 - has just seen "Tegelbacken Nightlights" released on the astrangelyisolatedplace blog. Third in a series of environmental soundscapes it is a new take on the beautiful album "City Nightlights", a condensed and reinterpreted mix which also inludes some brand new material. Dedicated to the exploration of a decaying urban environment and perfect for late night listening. Available as a free download via bandcamp.
  relapxych.0 - Tegelbacken Nightlights by astrangelyisolatedplace

Celebrating those long summer nights

We have some new material from Mathias in the works. As we prepare to enter the short but intense summer season where the massive darkness gives way to those humid twilight nights with their smells of summer flowers and distant calls of intoxicated blackbirds or nostalgic seagulls, we've been putting together a set of albums that will complement the season well. If all goes as planned the albums will start going into production shortly and hopefully make their way to distribution come early June.

First out would be "Dämmerung", this album is based on drones recorded in 2010 and is a celebration of the summer season.
[gterma008] : Mathias Grassow - Dämmerung by the lost gterma


"Uttarakuru" brings to life again two long drone pieces recorded in April 1999 which appeared on the then klauswiese.com CDr label.
[gterma013] : Mathias Grassow - Uttarakuru by the lost gterma

Continuing the Alchemy series, "Wisdom of Fate" sees selected pieces from the first months of 2012.
[gterma016] : Mathias Grassow - Wisdom Of Fate by the lost gterma

Typhoon Roke abates

In September 2011 the powerful cyclone Roke made it to the Japanese east coast where it proceeded to pound the people with angry winds and greedy waves. While passing overhead a sleepy little seaside town and shaking the house of Ian Handsley, also known as enh, it inspired him to compose a marvellous entry into the ambient places series on the fine A Strangely Isolated Place-label. More info about the release is found here.

ASIP002: enh - Roke by astrangelyisolatedplace

Report: Indo featured on OAN compilation "Vapor & Polvo Vol I"

Our Hungarian friend Indo makes an appearance on the compilation "Vapor & Polvo Vol I" from Organic Acoustic Netlabel, a minimalistic experimental ambient collection of tracks from this promising Chilean netlabel. All releases of the label are currently available digitally on Bandcamp free of charge and are worth to investigate. Find it here.

Report: Collaboration between Solar Ocean and Somnium announced

We've learnt that Solar Ocean has teamed up with drone/ambient artist Somnium for a collaborative effort. A first preview titled "Naked Cold" is now available on the artist's soundcloud page. At first glance it appears ambient lovers with a love of minimalistic dronescapes will be in for a wonderful treat.


Naked Cold (from forthcoming Solar Ocean\Somnium collaboration) by Solar Ocean

Note of absence - April expedition

Perhaps greater forces were at work here, but to us it appeared to be a mere coincidence. Our hunt for the mysterious Naga had yielded very few results. But a few weeks ago in the Gulf of Thailand, in a sleepy fishing village on the edge of the mangrove swamps, I'd encountered a rowdy pair of fishermen, the fine lines of age now running across their sunburnt faces. I had noticed the many Nagas painted on hulls of deep sea vessels in the region. Although we could not speak each other's languages, their experience sent a chill along my spine as they shared a story in the local dialect. The old man gestured vividly, the slightly younger man filling in. Apparently they had both been aboard a night fishing vessel in the bay, perhaps hauling in the nets, no doubt seeking out the pelagic squid and luring it to the surface through the use of intense green floodlights.

From what I could gather the ship was suddenly shaken and started listing to one side. It appeared something had got caught in the net; something powerful. One of the men made a snake like motion like a semi circle breaking the surface then disappearing. The net was apparently also lost or cut loose. I could see traces of humble reverence and cold fear in their eyes as they relived that night of terror. Our own expedition will commence shortly. Fresh water is being loaded onboard, as is canned food, blankets, torches, a ridiculously puny harpoon gun, and some fresh pineapple that smells absolutely divine.

You can still order our items for a few more days; April 5th will be last day of shipping. Then, if everything goes as planned, we will be back in early May to pick it up from there.

Postcards from the beyond

Today gterma happily announces three projects carried over from last year, where each album represents a world of its own. From the harsh but beautiful polar ambience of Havids, via the lush rainforest of a long forgotten archipelago in the Pacific, to the dark and ancestral inner world of Undara; a true journey of the mind awaits the curious. Visit the release pages by clicking the links below for samples and more details.

[gterma011] : Havdis - The Hidden Islands (out now)

Norwegian Havdis creates achingly beautiful aural paintings of a coastal world with streaks of romanticism and melancholy, a cold and unforgiving harsh environment of stark beauty and mystery for you to explore. Journey into the foggy waters and find a hidden archipelago to spellbind your soul. The album comes in a jewelcase with a 12-page booklet.

[gterma012] : Urenga - After Rain (out now)

The Urenga project draws its inspiration from nature and projects an aural sensation of a living, breathing world somewhere in the borderlands between dub techno and ambient. After the rain stops falling and the storm clouds withdraw beyond the horizon, the tide once again rolls in like a wave of evening colour glow. Hypnotizing and captivating music to spend half-awake in your bed through the thick tropical night. Comes in a jewelcase with a 12-page booklet.

[gterma014] : Undara - Traveller (out now)

The Undara project is a loose constellation of musicians and artists hailing from Portugal. Setting an interdisciplinary path through musical arcanum and artistic obscurity their journey of discovery leads into a dark and unknown wilderness, tripping over smoldering rocks and stumbling over the very roots of mankind's origin. Hear the distant call of the untamed lands and feel the beckoning of long forgotten places to which mankind rarely chooses to venture. Comes in a jewelcase with a 8-page booklet.

Report: Parikrama back in the studio

We've received word that Parikrama have once again departed for the realm of the shrouded mountains of the mighty Himalayas, in search of hidden secrets. We wish the crew a fruitful expedition and a safe return. This is also the perfect opportunity to recommend newcomers to investigate their outstanding debut EP which appeared on netlabel DNA Productions a few years ago. Large and captivating drones from a freezing realm of the purest light.

Report: Mathias Grassow to perform live in Germany in August

gterma has received information about a planned performance by Mathias this summer. An event will take place on August 4th at the Gut Saunstorf retreat in the vicinity of Lübeck. More information will be posted as details become available.

Report: "Sulphur VI" out now on Otium netlabel

The very latest installment in the long running Sulphur series, a collaborative effort between Seetyca and Etheocles Stevens, has just been released on Russian netlabel Otium. Sulphur VI, like its predecessors, follows a dark and somewhat twisted path through ambient and experimental realms, creating haunting and majestic passages of gloom. Be sure to check out the previous releases also available on Otium, especially Sulphur IV which has been a longtime gterma favourite.

Report: "Floating Island" mini-album out now on Stasis Recordings

With a new album "After Rain" just around the corner, gterma profile Urenga (a.k.a. Indo) has just released a new mini-album on the Canadian digital label Stasis Recordings. A bubbly laid back ambient/dub techno hybrid afloat somewhere on a tide that has carried it far away from any recognizable land. Hypnotic soundscapes from our much talented Hungarian friend. You can listen to harmonious and trippy previews on the release's bandcamp page. Stay tuned for more news about the upcoming full length album on gterma.

Re-entering the Zone

This year winter hesitated long before deciding to visit us here in Scandinavia. We were soaked in cold rain and the world around us disappeared in a fog under endlessly grey skies promising more of the same. When it finally did show up, it brought unusually cold temperatures and snow as if to compensate for the initial disappointment. Once again ambient explorer Havdis has captured a piece of it and channeled the crystalline glare of the small hours into a magnificent pice of music.

Nightbreeze by havdis

Worm signs

Thai news agency TAN reports that a farmer in Nakhon Ratchasima province claims to have been visited by the enigmatic and much reverred Naga, the giant snakelike creatures normally thought to inhabit Mekong river. Mr. Kangkaranok reports that his workers had recently finished constructing an 8 meter deep water reservoir in the swampland adjacent to his plantation when fresh snake-like impressions were discovered in the area near the pool. The impressions left in the mud suggested an 80-centimeter wide and 18-meter long creature had rested there. Mr. Kangkaranok is convinced that this is a sign of immense fortune for his family.

The hunt is on!