With so much music out just now, and a lot of it is really good, in an effort to catch up, I'm documenting the best of the best. You should check out all these if you have any sense:

• IE - Reverse Earth - for fans of Bowery Electric
  
• Surface Detail - Marea Nera - jazzy, downtempo and ambient
  
• JakoJako - Tết 41 - debut album for Mute showcases a more downtempo side to Sibel Koçer's hand, with restrained and delicate electronic sounds
  
• Khotin - Peace Portal - melancholy and downtempo... so so good, especially the dreamy acid of ‪Oasis Bioreference
  
• Joachim Spieth and Andrew Thomas - Nocturna - weathered and grainy ambient with piano
  
• Casanora - The Year of the Jellyfish - vibey ambient and vocals with "sounds that swim, float, and flow". Up there in my favs of the year so far
  
• Charif Megarbane - Habibi Funk 030: Hawalat - charming, retro, melodious and joyful. Another contender for AOTY
  
• Voice Actor, Squu - Lust(1) - dubby, droney, breaksy, vocals, downtempo.. it's a strong vibe
  
• Hiroshi Yoshimura - Flora - reissue for those, like me, who are perpetually catching up... this is simply glorious, lightweight and joyful
  

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  Saya Gray - SAYA - satiate your appetite for the finest electronic pop. Serious AOTY stuff here
  

Bandcamp wishlist

1. when I view a fan page, I want to see what we have in common (releases, followers and following)
2. when I view a release, I want to see who I follow has already bought it
3. when I view a fan's profile on a release page, I'd like to see: fans in common, size of their collection

Dr. Sean Albiez discusses Patrick Feaster's research on the early manipulation of recorded sound (phonomanipulation) highlighting that techniques like speeding up, slowing down and mixing were used long before the modern avant-garde movement.

The grains History of Ambient Music - The Ambient Boom - Stephan Kunze delivers the third part in his series on the development of Ambient music. Read part 1 and part 2.

Joe Muggs with The Best Electronic Music on Bandcamp, April 2025

As it's Bandcamp Friday (BF) today I thought it might be useful to share a bunch of BF-related things. First of all, here's a few albums I expect to be purchasing today:

• MEANS magazine
• JakoJako - Tết 41
• girl scout cookies (albums 1 and 2)
• Djrum - Under Tangled Silence
• Arvo Pärt - Silentium
• Eliana Glass - E
• Exit Chamber & Ed Herbers - SELF

And a few discount codes to use today (and potentially over the weekend too):

• The Future Sound of London - 10% off everything with code 10may10
• Local Action - 40% off everything with code maybandcamp
• Frozen Reeds - 50% off full discography with code discountme
• Gang of Ducks - 70% off everything with code springceremony
• Geographic North - 20% off everything with code woof
• Unseen Worlds - 20% off everything with code mayday
• Mystery Circles - 25% off everything with code bcfmay25
• Articificial Owl Recordings - 20% off everything with code FRIDAY
• Rhythm Section International - 10% off everything with code springsale
• Bedouin Records - 25% off everything with code mayday
• Mord - 15% off everything with code friday
• Donnacha Costello - everything pay what you can
• We Jazz Records - 20% off with code BCF0525
• !K7 - 10% off with code bf_may2025
• Gizeh Records - 25% off with code gimmedanger

New mix series called Injection Box from Danny Daze's label Omnidisc. The inaugural set is by Pilo

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George Grella on Arvo Pärt’s Delicate Minimalism.

Pärt’s new album Silentium is out now.

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Lawrence English remembers Alan Lamb, the pioneering sound artist from Australia

In praise of 7" vinyl - Dave Haslam on his lo-tech DJ gigs

Superb interview with Guy Brewer (aka Carrier, aka Shifted) by Shawn Reynaldo: What Is Carrier All About?

Remembering !K7 founder Horst Weidenmüller

Kayla Painter shares her journey of self-releasing music, highlighting both the challenges and rewards of the DIY approach

Bill Brewster interviews Sean Johnston (A Love From Outer Space) for the DjHistory Podcast (DJH027)

Six Tracks 67 - an upbeat half dozen this time featuring Baltra, Extrawelt, Pain Struck Stanley Dumb, Sarno Ultra, Nadia Struiwigh and the mighty Slam

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1. Baltra - Keep Coming Back
2. Extrawelt - Windschatten
3. Pain Struck Stanley Dumb - Breakfast At Brian's
4. Sarno Ultra - Rogue Replicants
5. Nadia Struiwigh - Echoing Glade
6. Slam - Kuture Version