January is a time of promise, optimism, and hope that this new year will be better than the last. Music can be an important element to express this hopefulness as well as to spark the motivation to accomplish your new year’s resolutions and intentions. As we head into the depths of the winter season, listening to music can clear away the blues and bring joy into the dark, cold and solemn months ahead.
Essay Revisited by Warmth
Archives, the ambient music label, released a remixed version of Warmth’s first album, “Essay.” Various artists reworked this “collection of hazy textures, intricate soundscapes, and field recordings” by adding subtle tones, textures, and on a few tracks, electronica beats.
La Miserè by M. RUX
If you are feeling the winter blahs, check out these mesmerizing and funky remixes of African and South American tracks. The strong pulse of these four tracks along with their electronica beats, flourishes, and grooves will add power and intrigue to any vinyasa playlist.
Ektachrome by Midday Static
This new “retro chillwave” album out of Tulsa, OK, contains an interesting mix of lush ambient pads and drum machine beats. These songs were composed with the intention to create “warmth and happiness” as a springtime sequel to Midday Static’s last album, “Kodachrome.”
Lost by Ennuison
Three slow, soothing and beautiful piano compositions from Moscow-based artist Ennuison.
TinyTiny Trio by Blue Dot Sessions
These chill, spacious, and jazzy instrumental tracks are part of a series of improvised albums utilizing the performers who visit this New Orleans recording studio. I love the magical and mesmerizing interplay between this trio’s upright bass, drums, and piano.
Lost rivers by Black Hill
Processed with a heavy dose of echo and reverb, these spacious electric guitar compositions create a lush, pretty, and shimmering soundscape. This EP contains four mellow solo tracks in addition to an upbeat tribal remix from Silent Island.
Leave a Key for Me by Mirror Castle
Simple electronic beats and subtle keyboard flourishes and drones beautifully accent this album’s gentle and calming acoustic guitar compositions.
Still by WMD
This 18-track electronica album combines elements of chillwave and ambient genres with soothing synth pads and mesmerizing muti-layered vocal samples. This rather wide range of tempos and styles ties together through a theme of loss and melancholy.
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