KMXT FreeForm Radio: touch guitar

Showing posts with label touch guitar. Show all posts

02 June 2026: Markus Reuter "Blind Architectures"; Ian Boddy & Markus Reuter "Distant Rituals" (Ambient Mix); Variant "While the Universe Sleeps" QD50

Be sure to follow KMXT FreeForm Radio on Facebook and Bandcamp and Spotify.

You can now listen to the livestream of the show through the KMXT app; it's available through the Mac App Store or Google Play. The stream is also available at www.kmxt.org

Please support FreeForm Radio and KMXT by going to www.KMXT.org and pledging your support.

The music you hear on tonight's show is available on the artists' Bandcamp pages and websites. (links below)

We urge you to support the musicians you hear on FreeForm Radio

I am also hosting Rural Electric, so tune in for some great country music from 7-9 before FreeForm!

Blind Architectures - Markus Reuter

These ambient miniatures were born over two days in May 2026, serving as both a sonic laboratory and a foundational exploration for an upcoming recording session. The guiding principle behind these sessions was the creation of atmosphere through intentional obscuration.

By routing the touch guitar through a heavily altered signal chain, incorporating a new array of effects pedals, deliberate distortion, and manipulated noise floors, the goal was to render sonic environments that evoke distinct "rainscapes" and "cityscapes."

The defining methodology of this collection is the "blind" recording process. The initial improvisations and textures were tracked entirely without monitoring, the faders pulled completely down. The act of composition then became an act of excavation. The music only revealed itself in the final stage, pushing the faders up to make the invisible architectures suddenly, and sometimes startlingly, visible.

The resulting pieces are brief, concentrated vignettes, averaging two to three minutes in length, capturing the exact moment a hidden landscape comes into focus.

credits

released May 21, 2026

Recorded: May 18–19, 2026
Instrumentation: 8-string Touch Guitar, Effects, Faders
Player and composer: Markus Reuter

ambient classical experimental modern jazz Berlin

Distant Rituals (Ambient Mix)

Markus Reuter & Ian Boddy

VIP membership exclusive

Join now to receive all the new music Markus Reuter creates, including 50 back-catalog releases, delivered instantly to you via the Bandcamp app for iOS and Android. You’ll also get access to supporter-only exclusives like this album. Learn more.

Join Now €50 EUR/year or more

Distant Rituals (Ambient Mix) 36:50

about

Remix produced by Ian Boddy in 2025. The album was originally released in 2000. You can find the original album here:
dinrecords.bandcamp.com/album/distant-rituals-din2

credits

released May 21, 2026

Variant - While the Universe Sleeps

For the fiftieth release in the series, Quiet Details is thrilled to share an extended-length interpretation from a foundational figure in the electronic music world, the Detroit-based Stephen Hitchell, here as variant with while the universe sleeps.

Describing the importance of Stephen’s contribution to electronic music is a huge task - born out of the visionary axis between Detroit, Chicago and Berlin, he built on structures laid by those before him to create a universe of vast depth and sonic beauty. Along with many collaborators, his label echospace [detroit] became a home for forwarding-thinking dub-spirited music.

This, and numerous releases on other labels, including the seminal The Coldest Season on Modern Love with regular partner Rod Modell, and ground-breaking live performances everywhere from Berghain to Movement, made Stephen indivisible from any conversation of the most important artists of our time.

Under the guise of variant, we might find Stephen at his deepest, as he puts it:
"score the constellation of mystical events occurring in the depths of space”

With while the universe sleeps, he has achieved something remarkable. As with all the variant music, Stephen takes influence from the vast recesses of the cosmos, both imaginatively and sonically.

Drawing on NASA’s sound archive, “the vast echoes of space have been manipulated and resynthesized throughout the duration of this sonic experience.”

Through decades of dedication to his craft, Stephen has become a producer of almost unparalleled skill - all seen through the lens of formative years immersed in the inception and evolution of techno, house, ambient and countless detours.

All this is brought to bear on while the universe sleeps - a truly masterful deep-space voyage, eighty minutes submerged in cathartic waves of interstellar bliss.

Infinitely spacious - echoing chords and endlessly sustaining pads establish an emotional core, surrounded by highly-processed astral transmissions and organic analogue noise. Always underpinned by sub-bass reminiscent of the lowest frequencies emanating from the studios of Jamiaca, that are also of massive significance to Stephen’s work.

Huge thanks to Stephen, an incredible addition to the series.

The artwork was made as always influenced by the music and idea behind the album - originating from a photo from Stephen which was then captured with analogue photography and processed here at quiet details studios.

As usual, the album is presented on the physical edition, a custom six-panel digipack with a separate fine art print too.

The CD also has a special long-form continuous mix of the album, unique and representing the music in its purest form.

From Stephen:
written and produced by variant in ann arbor, mi. [2020-2025]
additional modular synthesis provided by antiquemodulations, detroit, mi. usa.

mixdown and premastering by alex gold. mastered by stephen hitchell in echospace.

thanks to: alex gold, chris federsen, gerard hanson, martin, richard, jimmy, kevin martin, rod modell, sam valenti, steve barker, tomoko and family at disk union and everyone around the world supporting this sonic art.

Credits:
Music by variant
Mastered by Stephen Hitchell in Echospace and Alex at quiet details studios

Artwork by quiet details in collaboration with Stephen Hitchell
Design by quiet details
© quiet details 2026 all rights reserved

10 September 2024: Gilgamesh; M.B. & Sonologyst; Markus Reuter & Stephan Thelen

Be sure to follow KMXT FreeForm Radio on Facebook and Bandcamp.

Please support FreeForm Radio and KMXT by going to www.KMXT.org and pledging your support.

The music you hear is available on the artists' Bandcamp pages, websites, and Spotify.

We urge you to support the musicians you hear on FreeForm Radio.

I am also hosting Rural Electric (Mostly) Country Music after the Meet the Candidates live broadcast beginning around 8 pm.

Gilgamesh (1972–1975, 1977–1978) were a British jazz fusion band in the 1970s led by keyboardist Alan Gowen, part of the Canterbury scene.

History

The original basis of Gilgamesh was keyboardist Alan Gowen and drummer Mike Travis, the two working together on a band project with guitarist Rick Morcombe. The original Gilgamesh line-up consisted of Gowen, Travis, Morcombe, Jeff Clyne and Alan Wakeman on saxophone.^[1]

Review by sgtpepper

Gilgamesh was formed at the peak of progressive rock era when ambitions met with sophisticated and maturity. That characteristics matches their music well. Though labeled as Cantebury band (and they definitely match that comparison when looking at the line-up), they are actually closer to the jazz-rock/fusion area. Music on that album is quite nuanced with proficient playing that is exploratory rather than rigorous, more atmospheric than energetic. It is one of the less accessible "Canterbury" music which may be an advantage for instrumental freaks and may put off folks looking for good compositions. The first composition (over 10-minutes) is, in my opinion, the landmark of Gilgamesh, blending several advanced motives to create an impressive instrumental suite. Shorter pieces are less substantial but we still have two tracks well worth attention - number 5 and 7 (their names are too long to write here ;-)). The 5th track evolves from a fine jazzy keyboard-guitar tandem into a "Hatfieldesque" fiery upbeat piece. The seventh track graces us with the female vocals again in the "Hatfield" way, but before that, I must again highlight the excellent guitar leads supported by Rhodes. Really tight playing by all band members.

I wanted to give it 3.5 stars but due to highly proficient playing, will round it up to 4.

Forme by M.B. & Sonologyst

Maurizio Bianchi, referred to as the father of Italian electronic music, rarely looks backward. When asked where to start exploring his extensive discography, he recommends an album from his early period in the 1980s and whatever release is his latest. This relentless push for novelty has been at the core of his experimentalism for almost five decades. Despite his long career, he remains in the vanguard. Bianchi’s early work is a departure from traditional musical forms, using a textural and process-oriented approach. His pieces explore psychological states, using sound as a medium. He often discusses his music as a form of resistance against the commodification of culture, seeking to maintain an integrity that challenges both the listener and prevailing norms. Bianchi’s intellectual and artistic independence is central to his explorations of sound, technology, and their impact on emotion.
A similar form of unquiet exploration has defined the career of Raffaele Pezzella. In addition to music recorded under various pseudonyms, Pezzella publishes two or three releases per month across the four labels making up his Unexplained Sounds Network. Pezzella is curator in addition to sound engineer, artist, and label head, finding a wide variety of music from around the world that falls somewhere in the Venn diagram of ambient, acousmatic, post-industrial, sound art, and the outright weird. His Sound Mapping project consists of more thirty-five releases, a valuable document of modern sonic avant-garde from around the world. As Sonologyst, Pezzella integrates digital methods with analog instruments, producing abstract, dreamlike soundscapes haunted by phantoms of the mind. His work is deeply influenced by musique concrète, sound libraries of old documentaries, and he looks to figures such as Brian Eno, Pauline Oliveros, Terry Riley, Jon Hassel and - of course - Bianchi as inspiration. His interdisciplinary approach also draws from literature (Lovecraft, Burroughs, Ballard), film (Tarkowskij, Cronenberg), philosophy (hauntology, nihilism), and science (particle physics).
While Bianchi and Pezzella differ in generation and sound, their artistic philosophies align - the urge to innovate and willingness to push against artificial boundaries of genre are manifested in restless manipulations of the raw fabric of sound. While from different eras, the Euclidean distance between Bianchi and Pezzella in musical space is quite small.

Forme is the first collaboration between this duo. It is not so much a combination of discrete contributions from Bianchi and Pezzella as a deep integration between two minds. There is no roadmap to where Bianchi ends and Pezzella begins - Forme is not a Frankenstein’s monster constructed on an ad-hoc basis from spare parts. Instead, their musical processes and philosophies merge to the point of being largely indivisible. The resulting seven tracks fit well into either’s oeuvre. The album includes electronics and hypnotic bassy oscillations, suggesting themes of psychological horror, societal breakdown, and dystopian futures. The compositions use dense, layered soundscapes that incorporate industrial noises, shifting sound walls, and detailed textures, evoking a range of sensations from cosmic expanses to the claustrophobic intensity of sleep paralysis.
Culturally and aesthetically important art asks you to think and feel differently. It can be challenging, difficult, and even frustrating. It does not spoonfeed its message and it may not provide any answers. But this type of art is the most worthwhile. While Forme may be challenging and difficult, when approached with a curious mind it is also intriguing and immensely enjoyable. The previous works of both Bianchi and Pezzella have consistently engaged with fundamental questions about the very nature and potential of music. Forme not only continues this exploration of music's essence and its boundless possibilities but also invites listeners to actively participate in these inquiries.

Mike Borella

In music, the definition of "form" describes a musical structure in two or more sections, with various characteristics in the articulation, melody, and rhythm of a composition. But when it intersects with experimentation, the form takes on a more autonomous and uncompromising characteristic, so that a connotation of such research is the meeting between tradition and innovation. This is intended to be "Forme," a work pervaded by investigative exploration of the unknown electro-modulatory. And the user of such emotional torrentiality will be able to receive an existential fulfillment that leads to formal irrationality.

Maurizio Bianchi

credits

released July 25, 2024
Our thanks to Raffaele Pezzella for providing us with a copy of this release.
REVIEWS

Vital Weekly
Does Maurizio Bianchi need an introduction? I hope this name is familiar, playing unsettling electronic music since the late 1970s. Raffaele Pezzella is from the next generation of likewise unsettling electronic musicians and works as Sonologyst. His work was also reviewed a lot. The two of them would one day work together, and it’s perhaps a mystery why this didn’t happen sooner. Whereas Bianchi’s influences may lie in very early industrial music and musique concrète, without any specific names, for Pezzella, it’s a lot more, Brian Eno, Pauline Oliveros, Terry Riley, Jon Hassel and, no surprise, Bianchi, besides influences from films books, philosophy (hauntology, nihilism), and science (particle physics). “Forme” is a work pervaded by investigative exploration of the unknown electro-modulatory. And the user of such emotional torrentiality will be able to receive an existential fulfillment that leads to formal irrationality”, which is, I guess to say there isn’t much form here, but more of a flow of sounds, electronic in nature. Who does what on these seven tracks is unclear and hardly necessary. Whatever they do, it all blends well. There is a consistent flow in these pieces, rather than tight composing, almost as if mistakes were left in, creating odd shifts. Maybe I read too much into it, and is all of this carefully planned? I love this sort of rusty spaceship accident waiting to happen soundtrack; the leaky nuclear reactor minutes before combustion and we feel the burn slowly arriving. Enough metaphors to describe the music, and I am sure you’ll get my drift. Bianchi, in particular, produced a massive catalogue in his 40-plus career, and pinpointing the masterpieces was not easy. I couldn’t say if this is one of those, partly because I haven’t heard all of his output. I can say I enjoyed this one a lot! (FdW)

Avant Music News
avantmusicnews.com/2024/07/26/amn-reviews-m-b-maurizio-bianchi-sonologyst-forme-2024-unexplained-sounds-group

Ver Sacrum
www.versacrum.com/vs/2024/08/maurizio-bianchi-sonologyst-forme.html

This Is Darkness
The latest release on the wonderful Unexplained Sounds Group label is this delightful album from M.B. & Sonologyst in which playful electronic music is blended with dark ambient undertones. The end result is absolutely gorgeous and reminds me in places of early 19070’s Tangerine Dream. This is one of those albums that reveals something new with each and every listen, and deserves to be listened to as you lie back in a darkened room and lose yourself to the unfolding music. Stunning!

FreeForm Radio thanks Raffaele Pezzella for providing us with a copy of this release.
M.B. music credits.
Material composed at the beginning of the second decade of the third millennium, using digitized equipment mixed with outdoor soundscapes. Amorphous collages, compiled at the beginning of 2024.

Sonologyst music credits
Analog synths, processing, sampling, mix intersections, and mastering.

Special thanks to P.U.M.A. for contributing to the tracks "Forma Farraginosa" and "Forma Farraginosa Estesa". Also thanks to Monica Calanni Rindina for making M.B. and Sonologyst terrestrial forms interact on so many planes; and to Mikko Saarikoski for the electric guitar part in "Forma Siderale".

Published by ©Unexplained Sounds Group
Mastered by Raffaele Pezzella (Sonologyst)
Artwork (Policromie) by Maurizio Bianchi
Layout by Matteo Mariano
Cat. Num. USG098
© 2024. All rights reserved.

license

22 August 2023: Quatermass; Tu-Ner

KMXT is live broadcasting the Kodiak City Council work session which may run past 9 pm.

The show will begin as soon as the work session ends or 9 pm if the meeting ends early.

Be sure to follow KMXT FreeForm Radio on Facebook and Bandcamp.

Please support FreeForm Radio and KMXT by going to KMXT.org and pledging your support.

The music you hear on tonight's show is available on the artists' Bandcamp pages and websites. (links below)

We urge you to support the musicians you hear on FreeForm Radio.

Quatermass is the only studio album by English progressive rock band Quatermass, released in May 1970 by Harvest Records. It was produced by the Swedish producer Anders "Henkan" Henriksson [sv].^[2]

Critical reception

Despite the album not performing well on the charts at the time of the release, it started to attract considerable attention in 1975, when guitarist Ritchie Blackmore covered the second track, "Black Sheep of the Family", for the debut album from Rainbow. As a consequence of the revived interest, Quatermass was re-released and sold further 20,000 copies. Since then, it has gained a cult status ^[3] and has received favorable retrospective reviews. Mike DeGagne has given the album a rating of four stars out of five on AllMusic. He has called Quatermass "a must-have for prog rock enthusiasts, especially lovers of the keyboard-dominated style which flourished in the early '70s".^[1]

2013 Esoteric Records CD edition
	Title
1.	"One Blind Mice" (bonus track - 45 A-side)
2.	"Entropy"
3.	"Black Sheep of the Family"
4.	"Post War Saturday Echo"
5.	"Good Lord Knows"
6.	"Up on the Ground"
7.	"Gemini"
8.	"Make Up Your Mind"
9.	"What Was That"
10.	"Make Up Your Mind (reprise)"
11.	"Laughin Tackle"
12.	"Punting" (bonus track - 45 B-side)
13.	"Afraid Not" (bonus track - rehearsal)
14.	"Bluegaloo/Broken Chords/Scales" (bonus track - live 1974)

^[4]

Personnel

Quatermass

J. Peter Robinson – keyboards
John Gustafson – vocals, bass guitar
Mick Underwood – drums

T1 - Contact Information

NOTE > Tu-Ner is on the road in the NE and Mid-West USA this August/September 2023. For dates go here: Tu-Ner.com

From the kitchen of the original King Crimson R&D fraKctal units & Stick Men. Defying logistics to grab four days together, the immersive session included repertoire rehearsal; as well as recording semi-prepared pieces and several full improvisations. The band's chemistry has deep roots and connections are made quickly so large slabs of music appear unedited. Purchase this release on Bandcamp.

These two hours of recordings are the outcome.
Well...only part of it.

- - -

Pat Mastelotto - Very rarely does a drummer go on to forge the most successful career on the demise of their former hit band. Phil Collins and Dave Grohl have managed it, and so too has Pat Mastelotto, a self taught drummer from Northern California, who has also been involved with pushing the envelope of electronic drumming. Pat has spent a lifetime jumping genres from pop, to prog, to electronica to world music with – among others – Mr. Mister, XTC, David Sylvian, The Rembrandts, Kimmo Pohjonen, and for the last 25 years with King Crimson and Stick Men.

Markus Reuter is a composer, guitarist, and producer. He began his musical journey as a composer before delving into Robert Fripp's Guitar Craft, mastering the Chapman Stick, and eventually transitioning to the U8 Touch Guitar. Reuter has released numerous solo albums and has collaborated extensively with various musicians. He holds a prominent position in the experimental band Anchor and Burden and forms the duo Tuner with Pat. Additionally, he was a member of Europa String Choir and has worked alongside notable artists such as Gary Husband, Robert Rich, J. Peter Schwalm, Mark Wingfield, and many others. Reuter's versatility is evident through his involvement in Devin Townsend's touring band. Notably, he also performs in power trios including Stick Men with Pat and Tony Levin, TRUCE with Asaf Sirkis and Fabio Trentini, and Markus Reuter/Tim Motzer/Kenny Grohowski.

Trey Gunn, the extraordinary Warr guitarist and musician, has left an indelible mark on the world of progressive and experimental music. Renowned for his virtuosic talent, he has graced the stages and studios with legendary acts such as King Crimson, David Sylvian, Robert Fripp, Brian Eno, Happy Rhodes, Puscifer, Tool and John Paul Jones, contributing his unique blend of mesmerizing and innovative playing. As the founder of the esteemed 7D Media record label, Gunn continues to be a guiding force in curating exceptional musical experiences. Trey Gunn’s visionary artistry and unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound make him a true luminary in the realm of progressive music.

credits

released August 14, 2023

Markus Reuter - Touch Guitar, Soundscapde
Pat Mastelotto - Drums, Electronics, Vocoder
Trey Gunn - Warr Guitar, Fretless Warr Guitar, Vocoder

All pieces by Gunn/Mastelotto/Reuter

Recorded by p@ & Bill Munyon @ p@‘s place
Mixed & Mastered by Erik Emil Eskildsen
Booking by Leonardo Pavkovic (MoonJune)

Design by AJ Chippero

license

Tags

alternative experimental ambient electronic drone improvisation industrial instrumental noise ambient post-rock prog rock progressive progressive rock psychedelic rock synthetic trance Texas

21 December 2021: Winter Solstice Celebration with the California Guitar Trio, Markus Reuter, and Cousin Silas

Be sure to follow KMXT FreeForm Radio on Facebook and Bandcamp.

Please support FreeForm Radio and KMXT by going to KMXT.org and pledging your support.

The music you hear on tonight's show is available on the artists' Bandcamp pages (links below) and makes a great gift for the holidays as well as brightening the musicians' holidays.

California Guitar Trio - 10 Christmas Songs

AllMusic Review by Glenn Astarita

Not that there is an abundance of progressive rock-tinged acoustic guitar trios among the ranks, but this aggregation stands tall among its peers as the guitarists' inventiveness surges forward with this altogether warmhearted reckoning of Christmas carols and other pleasantries. The guitarists' nimble yet at times forceful approach is wholly evident during their highly rhythmic spin on "Jingle Bells." They perform the classic "Greensleeves" with a sensitive, chamber-like approach while also tackling the Lennon/Ono favorite "Happy X-Mas (War Is Over)." However, part of the magic resides within the trio's ability to delve into the inherent frameworks of each song, while also reformulating themes and rhythms into personalized statements. Essentially, the artists have produced a rather poignant Christmas outing, awash with interweaving lines and lilting harmonies, as they complement their superior artisanship and forward-thinking deployments with a cheerfully rendered collection of holiday favorites.

Comet is the follow-up to "Winter Solstice" is my second release of ambient versions of melodies that are associated with Christmas here in Germany. My intention was to present these melodic cells in a new context. I hope you enjoy the results.

Much love,
Markus

credits

released December 9, 2021

Markus Reuter: Touch Guitars® AU8, Guitar Synth, Dual Looping System
Recorded live at home in Berlin on Saturday, November 20 2021.

Stereo version mixed and mastered by Markus

Surround mixes by Jan Printz
surroundmusic.one/album/comet/

---

1 Comet
based on a melody by Johann Abraham Peter Schulz ("Ihr Kinderlein kommet")

2 Amid The Thorn
based on a traditional melody ("Maria durch ein Dornwald ging")

3 Rose
based on a traditional melody ("Es ist ein Ros entsprungen")

4 The Gates Draw Wide
based on a traditional melody ("Macht hoch die Tür")

5 Here I Stand
based on a melody by Johann Sebastian Bach ("Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier", BWV 469)

6 Cometh
based on a melody by Mike Oldfield ("The Time Has Come")

5.1 christmas christmas music free download natale quad surround weihnachtslied x-mas Berlin

Cousin Silas - Variations on a Theme of Winter

There are many things that 'inspire' the music I do, but perhaps one of the most endearing is Winter. Apart from the usual cliches of transformation, and the memory echoes from childhood with its association with Christmas. It's also the way in which, at night, sounds are strangely muffled, morphed almost and how the landscape glitters and glows as though we have two full moons.
I guess all that sounds a little pretentious, but as I say, I do have a rather abiding passion for Winter.

My thanks to Thomas Mathie for the cover/artwork.

credits

released November 16, 2020

Cover/Artwork by Thomas Mathie

ambient electronic experimental guitar sound alchemy soundscapes thomas mathie cousin silas United Kingdom

13 April 2021: Ian Boddy, Markus Reuter; Drone Islands

Be sure to follow FreeForm Radio on Facebook and Bandcamp. This week is the Spring Fund Raiser for Public Radio KMXT; please support FreeForm Radio and KMXT by going to KMXT.org and pledging your support.

Outland (DiN66)

Renowned touch guitarist Markus Reuter has been one of the stalwarts of the DiN label, having been there right at the beginning in 1999 with his initial collaboration (Distant Rituals DiN2) with label founder Ian Boddy. Since then he has been involved with several other collaborations with Boddy, as well as with other artists such as Zero Ohms & Bernhard Wöstheinrich.

Looking to do another collaboration with Boddy, Markus composed several long soundscape improvisations over the summer of 2020. The duo realised that with the pandemic they would not be able to physically work together in the same studio this time, as they had with all their previous work. Boddy then took these ambient starting points and using his vintage Roland System 100M modular synthesiser started to arrange, cut up and shape these into a coherent album. As well as a CD release this time both artists wanted this music to be presented on vinyl, so the work was conceived as two long 20 minute suites that would take up one side of a record each.

Each suite is comprised of three distinct sections that seamlessly segue into each other. The music feels like a sonic journey, opening with the grandeur of “Citadel”, before heading off with the rhythmic slice of electronica that is the second track “Parallels”. Interlocking sequence lines and modular rhythmic treatments of Reuters soundscapes propel this piece along overlaid with beautiful guitar parts soaring overhead. The first suite closes with the title track “Outland” with a gentle, yet slightly unsettling atmosphere.

The second side opens with “Brood”, a huge claustrophobic track, before taking a gentle breath before the journey recommences with the beautiful rhythmic piece “Trails” that once again features Reuters trade mark liquid guitar solos. Finally all comes to rest with the end of the album and “Home”. A beautiful pastoral combination of Reuters exquisite guitar playing and Boddys emotive synth solo using his analogue Ondes Martenot style keyboard.

Composed to make the most of the vinyl format the fascinating musical collaboration between Boddy & Reuter continues to produce music of the highest quality.

Our thanks to Ian Boddy of DiN for providing a promotional copy of this release.

credits

releases April 16, 2021

All tracks composed, programmed and recorded by Markus Reuter & Ian Boddy September - October 2020.
Mixed by Ian Boddy November 2020.
Mastered by Lee Fletcher November 2020.

Ian Boddy
Serge & Eurorack modular systems
Roland System 100-M
Moog Voyager & Matriarch
Analogue Systems French Connection
Spectrasonics Omnisphere

Markus Reuter
Touch Guitars® AU and U8 Custom
Electronics
Looping

	1.	Citadel 06:24
	2.	Parallels 07:32
	3.	Outland 06:27
	4.	Brood 06:17
	5.	Trails 08:33
	6.	Home 05:22

Tags

ambient em electronic electronic music electronica downtempo looping markus reuter modular synth touch guitar Sunderland

Third volume of the series Drone Islands, "Drone Islands - Stellar" continues Eighth Tower Records' deep explorations into the realm of "drone music". The volume mainly focuses on drones inspired by astronomical events, and were originated through various musical approaches, from the well established synthesizer sounds and onto orchestral arrangements sounding like drones; furthermore, it showcases many young and talented musicians involved in the latest "drone dreamers" wave.

Our thanks to Raffaele Pezzella (Sonologyst) for providing us with a promotional copy of this release.

credits

released April 2, 2021

REVIEWS

AVANT MUSIC NEWS
avantmusicnews.com/2021/04/03/amn-reviews-various-artists-drone-islands-stellar-2021-eighth-tower-records

Curated and mastered by Raffaele Pezzella (Sonologyst)
Artwork by Francesco Di Stasio
Cat. N. ETR031
© 2021. All rights reserved

Tags

ambient dark ambient dark chamber drone industrial noise Italy

	1.	Infinexhuma - Astral Bridge Severance 10:00
	2.	PLUHM - Sospensione 06:25
	3.	MLS - Sidereal 06:55
	4.	Tarme Til Alle - Blood Moon Prophecy 07:48
	5.	Kloob - The secrets of the cosmos 07:05
	6.	Simon McCorry - Awakening (Feat. Harry Furness) 03:51
	7.	Grey Frequency - Planetary Chain 06:00
	8.	Nihil Impvlse - At The Springs Of Void 05:02
	9.	BlackWeald - Kapteyn's Darkness 06:41
	10.	Veronica Moser - Supernova 04:30
	11.	Thomas Grenzebach - Five Times Dormant 05:00
	12.	TITO+ - অন্ধকূপ (Black Hole) 05:45

10 September 2019: Lobate Scarp / Markus Reuter

We are honored to feature the new EP from Lobate Scarp, Spirals and Portals, released today. This is an outstanding release and highly recommended. We will also revisit their full-length release Time and Space. We urge you to support this band by following them on Bandcamp and purchasing their music.

From the Lobate Scarp Bandcamp page:

Somewhere between Pink Floyd, Queen, Yes, and Nine Inch Nails, Lobate Scarp's unique Progressive Space-Opera Rock music will surely take you on a musical journey you won't forget.

“Highly recommended for fans of symphonic prog”- Jerry Lucky,
Prog Rock Files

“Absolutely brilliant stuff!”- Kevin Mulryne, Yes Music Podcast

Spirals and Portals track list:

	1.	Nothing Wrong 06:56
	2.	And We Tried
	3.	Beautiful Light

Songs and Lyrics by Adam Sears

Woodwinds and Strings Arrangement on "Beautiful Light" by Steven Leavitt

12-string acoustic guitar arrangement on "Beautiful Light" by Rich Mouser

Adam Sears- lead vocals, synths, piano, and organs.
Andy Catt- bass (and vocals on track 3)
Mike Gerbrandt- drums
Andrea Whitt- viola (and pedal steel guitar on track 3)
Hoyt Binder- electric guitar (tracks 1, 2)
Rich Mouser- dilruba (1), additional guitar (2), 12-string acoustic guitar, mandolin, shaker (3), additional vocals (1,3)
Rachel Grace- violin (1,3)
Danica Pinner- cello (2)
Nate "The Fish" Olmos- electric 12-string and 6-string electric guitars, vocals (3)
Charlie Adelphia- oboe, English horn, flute, clarinet (3)
Steve Leavitt- additional piano and vocals (1,3) harmonium, reverse snares (1), B3 organ (2), and Moog, synth programming, maracas, tambourine... more

credits

releases September 10, 2019

Thank you to the following backers for help creating "Nothing Wrong" and "And We Tried":

Skot Fuchs
Andrew Griffin
Kim Henderson
Stefan Pietsch
Jean-Luc Putaux
Mason Rourman
Kelly Russo
Bill and Mary Ann Sears
Joel Sears
Judy and Steve Sears
Diane Stroud
Wolfram Wiessbrodt

Special thanks to backer Thomas Wunram.

license

Tags

progressive rock rock prog progressive progrock Los Angeles

Time and Space is an AOR rock-opera complete with Trumpets, Saxophone, Viola, Violin, Cello, Theremin, Glockenspiel, and a 30+ person choir singing in Latin. Alex Acuña (Weather Report) appears as a special guest percussionist in the opening 15-minute track and Rich Mouser (Spock’s Beard, Transatlantic, Neal Morse) mixed and mastered the album. Steve Leavitt produced and engineered.

"One of the top 13 albums of 2013!"- Progarchy.com (USA)

"Intriguing, refreshing, and inspiring mix of prog rock."- Diego Camargo, Progshine (Brazil)

"Highly recommended for fans of symphonic prog."- Jerry Lucky (Canada)

"Absolutely brillant stuff!" - Kevin Mulryne, Yes Music Podcast (UK)

"Great debut! highly recommended!" - Jürgen Meurer, Empire Magazine (Germany)

"The production is exceptional, the music is also exceptional. The band demonstrates they know what they want to do and they do it very well." - Carl E. Olson, Progarchy (USA)

"Wil je eens een keer verrast worden, dan is dit plaatje daar uitermate geschikt voor."- Ruard Veltmaat, Progwereld (Netherlands)

"'Time and Space' is a great debut album, one of the best... more

credits

released December 12, 2012

Produced by Steven Leavitt
Executive Producer: Adam Sears

Mixed and Mastered by Rich Mouser at The Mouse House, Los Angeles, California

Songs and Arrangements by Adam Sears.
Lyrics by Adam Sears, except Time and Space and Jacob's Ladder-
lyrics by Lonny White with additional lyrics by Adam Sears
Music by Lobate Scarp

©2012 Lobate Scarp

We will end the show with TOAP Camp Soundscapes 2019, a free download from Markus Reuter.

18 December 2018: A Jethro Tull / California Guitar Trio / Markus Reuter Christmas

The Jethro Tull Christmas Album is the 21st studio album released by Jethro Tull, on 30 September 2003 (see 2003 in music). The songs are a mix of new material, re-recordings of Tull's own suitably themed material and arrangements of traditional Christmas music. In 2009, the live album Christmas at St Bride's 2008 was included with the original album on CD.
Ian Anderson about the song Birthday Card at Christmas: "My daughter Gael, like millions of other unfortunates, celebrates her birthday within a gnat’s whisker of Christmas. Overshadowed by the Great Occasion, such birthdays can be flat, perfunctory and fleetingly token in their uneventful passing. The daunting party and festive celebration of the Christian calendar overshadows too, some might argue, the humble birthday of one Mr. J. Christ. Funny old 25ths, Decembers…"

California Guitar Trio - 10 Christmas Songs

AllMusic Review by Glenn Astarita

Markus Reuter - Winter Solstice EP

Bizarre soundscape versions of traditional songs usually associated with this time of year, at least here in Germany. In addition to the meditative soundscapes (which are based on the series of pitches of each tune) I've also overdubbed straight versions of the original melodies. Enjoy this parallel universe... It's strangely hypnotizing. Only available from December 17th to December 31st.

credits

released December 17, 2018

1. Silent (Night) / Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht

5. Night (Silent) / Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht

credits

VIP membership exclusive

Join Now €50 EUR/year or more

about

credits

History

credits

license

tags

Tags

Stephan Thelen, Bucharest, July 5th, 2024

— Markus Reuter: Touch Guitars© AU8 Stephan Thelen: Orchestra and Choir Samples, Guitar, Arrangements

All tracks written by Reuter/Thelen, except ‘A Safe Haven’ and ‘No Way Out, Part 2’, written by Reuter/Thelen/Durant

Markus‘ touch guitar was recorded on April 22, 2024 at Castle Studios, Röhrsdorf, Germany Engineer: Arno Jordan

Mixed by Stephan Thelen, May/June 2024 in Zurich, Switzerland / Mastered by Alexandr Vatagin, June 2024 in Vienna, Austria / Dolby Atmos mix by Neeraj Khajanchi

— Special thanks to Jon Durant for additional samples, cloud guitar on ‘A Safe Haven’ and inspiration for the fugue-like theme on ‘No Way Out, Part 2’. His cloud guitar on ‘A Safe Haven’ was recorded on April 26, 2024 at Dead Aunt Thelma‘s studio in Portland, Oregon.

FreeForm Radio thanks Markus Reuter for providing us with a copy of this release.

— RELEASE DATE: September 6, 2024 https://iapetus.bandcamp.com https://www.markusreuter.com https://www.youtube.com/markusreuter

Critical reception

Personnel

Quatermass

credits

license

tags

Tags

AllMusic Review by Glenn Astarita

credits

credits

credits

Tags

credits

Tags

credits

license

tags

Tags

credits

AllMusic Review by Glenn Astarita

credits

Search This Blog

Progressive Music Links

Subscribe To FreeForm Radio

My Blog List

Blog Archive

Followers

—
Markus Reuter: Touch Guitars© AU8
Stephan Thelen: Orchestra and Choir Samples, Guitar, Arrangements

—
Special thanks to Jon Durant for additional samples, cloud guitar on ‘A Safe Haven’ and inspiration for the fugue-like theme on ‘No Way Out, Part 2’. His cloud guitar on ‘A Safe Haven’ was recorded on April 26, 2024 at Dead Aunt Thelma‘s studio in Portland, Oregon.

—
RELEASE DATE: September 6, 2024
https://iapetus.bandcamp.com https://www.markusreuter.com https://www.youtube.com/markusreuter