The Chillout Lounge Mix - Deflection

I love to make music and mixes that deflect in an imaginative direction, a story that unfolds in interesting and surprising ways.

Oliver Henry returns to Alan Fitzpatrick’s imprint Apex Faction for his second release From The Ashes. Classically trained at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Henry’s technical proficiency is evident in his productions. Transcending genres from breakbeat, house, brooding electronica and more to create forward thinking music. The Sydney-based producer encapsulates his state-of-the art creations across three exceptional tracks, each is crafted by his impressive instrumental abilities, with tight drum productions, mesmerizing sound designs and beautifully composed chord progressions. Forming a delicate aesthetic with engaging textures that take you on an ambient journey tinged with nostalgia. Timothy and the Apocalypse next with Dreaming When You Hold Me from his superb album All Busted Up. His music is so creative and the perfect example of imagination having fun. Nikko Mavridis (3rd Avenue) delivers a stunning track Eterna, love the vibe of this, epic. Where The Shadow Ends the superb label of Madraas delivers another stunning release with one of my favourites for some time now, Ilias Katelanos who teams up with Plecta. German producer and live act Nils Hoffmann (Anjunadeep) shares his A Radiant Sign (Remixed) package, featuring three new remixes from Swedish producer Jeremy Olander, Oregon-based electronic act Emancipator and multi-instrumentalist and producer OLAN. Hailed as a key figure in the melodic house & techno scene, Jeremy has released on Bedrock, Last Night On Earth, Watergate Records and his own imprint Vivrant. Alexander Church kicks off a new concept series with Vincenzo on his own Configurations Of Self label. Blackheart Part 1 is the first instalment and is a five track EP. Church is both a solo artist and frequent collaborator with the likes of James Welsh and has been for many years under several guises. His adventurous productions combine techno, ambient, electronica and breakbeats into always high concept and deeply thought provoking new soundscapes. The Configurations Of Self team also delivers something special, and a little cheeky, get ready for those sunset moments with Heard About It, choose between three blissed out versions or take them all. Mick Whitehouse (Crossfade Sounds) - Rosa is a deep groovy dubby techno affair, very cool sound. South African spoken word artist Lazarusman debuts on Connaisseur Recordings, presenting two stunning collaborations with Stimming and Fka Mash. In the words of Lazarusman: “I’ve often had the freedom to write and speak about several things in my previous collaborations but it’s rare that I have the confidence to dig deep down and discuss emotional ideas and concepts that I feel truly passionate or moved by”. “This level of confidence I can only find in a handful of artists, in this case Martin Stimming and Fka Mash”. In a world in flux, we sometimes need to halt and trace our steps to progress. Enter Almost Falling, this dynamic duo, made up of Esther Silex and Kotelett, is blazing a new trail with Trace Your Steps, the debut single of their forthcoming album on Stil vor Talent, that’s effortlessly unifying undulating broken beats with Esther’s mesmerizing vocals and spoken-word musings. With a sound that’s strikingly contemporary while nodding to classic dubstep, Almost Falling invites listeners to dance, reflect and immerse themselves in the energy of the moment. But Now We're Not In The Dark is the first single from the Russian Linesman’s forthcoming album If Miniature World Is Our Safe Space, Then Pass Me The Shrink Ray. The project features a number of collaborators, most significantly Mercury Music Prize nominated Maps (Mute Records) and one of Lil Peep's producers Lederrick. "The album was inspired by a rummage through old boxes of lyrics and diaries during lockdown, this musical journey explores the emotional complexities of navigating modern life while yearning for the simplicity of the past. It delves into the weight of expectations and obligations, transporting listeners to moments of wonder and enchantment and rekindling a sense of curiosity long forgotten.” A beautiful soundscape from Freezabox next, Atman is another sunset ready track from the album Lost In Time, perfect for when the sun hits the horizon over the sea. The ultimate intelligent deflecting music from Reid Willis who is a big inspiration for me along with Mesh label owner Max Cooper. Reid’s album Sediment, a carefully arranged collection of disparate movements, joined and made whole by tendinous themes of birth, erosion, decay and triumphant renewal is out soon. Nirvana Motion on the new label Ambient Avenue takes us back toward a more flowing gentle ambient feeling as we approach the end of the mix, cuing us up for a legend in my book, Loscil who has such a grasp for deep dark moody ambient sounds. My ambient cinematic piece, deeply atmospheric and spacey, Deflection (Numen Records) out soon which is the inspiration for this mix next, I’m enjoying going deeper into new ideas combining various music genres and experimenting always. Lovely track from Gelka (Café del Mar) called Garden next, always a sublime sound, check the collaborations with the gifted singer Natalie Holmes, very nice indeed. Fans of Erased Tapes, Nils Frahm, Hauschka would do well to take note of the forthcoming album from the talented trio of Tristan de Liege, Gregory Allison & Taylor Mackall on Allison's Holy Volcano imprint this year. Gregory Allison plays violin and viola here with a feathery softness to extraordinary effect as an accompaniment to gentle felted piano chords. The piece brings to mind the invisible threads of intimacy and human connection that bind us to each other, utilizing a deceptively simple melody to create a powerfully emotive result.

Tracklist:

Whispering (Original Mix) - Oliver Henry

Dreaming When You Hold Me - Timothy and the Apocalypse

Eterna - Nikko Mavridis

Jumanji (Dowden Remix) - Ilias Katelanos, Plecta

Far Behind (Jeremy Olander Extended Mix) - Nils Hoffmann feat. Panama

Heard about It (Version Two Dub) - Configurations Of Self

Rose (Original Instrumental) - Alexander Church & Vincenzo

Rosa - Mick Whitehouse

Mend It (Stimming Remix) - Lazarusman

Mountains of Madness - Almost Falling

But Now We're Not In The Dark feat. Maps - Russian Linesman

Atman - Freezabox

Shoulder The Burden - Reid Willis

Think of Time - Nirvana Motion

Two Chambers - Loscil

Deflection - Tim Angrave

Gelka - Garden

Confessions - Tristan de Liège, Gregory Allison, Taylor Mackall