Passed Recordings

New Release: Christian Schwöbel – Retooled OST

Another new release from Berlin-based, experimental producer Christian Schwöbel is out now on all streaming platforms and on Bandcamp!

This time Christian has been hard at work completing the first Original Soundtrack released on Passed Recordings. The music released here will feature in the upcoming First Person Shooter, Retooled. The demo for this game is already available on Steam:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1997590/RETOOLED/

The actual score for the game consisted of little loops and transition parts that could be chained together. These little snippets appear in the more quiet parts of the game and add to the atmosphere. For the full release, the loops were arranged in an evolving structure, allowing them to flow as fully realised tracks.

https://linktr.ee/christianschwoebel

This time Christian has adopted a style with beats and IDM influences more at the forefront, while still retaining his penchant for evocative, surreal and mechanical atmospheres and timbres.

As with other Christian Schwöbel releases, the profits from this release will be donated to various rainforest conservation projects.

Cavern Cult – Top 5 Albums of 2022

With 2022 drawing to a close there’s still time to sneak one more top 5 post in before the end of the year! And what better way to end it is there than introducing Cavern Cult, who quietly joined us last year after leaving a big impression with his upcoming tracks!

And so, one last time for 2022, we asked Cavern Cult for the 5 albums that left the biggest impact on them this year.

Each post from this series will see the 5 albums added to the “Our Favourite Albums of the Passed Year” playlist – so you can listen along with each post as we count down to the end of the year!

Russian Circles – Gnosis

They have been my favourite band for a long time. I just love this new record’s sound, just the right amount of fatness.

Moderat – MORE D4TA

Great, German band. I wish this was mainstream pop music. The new record is gritty in way that I appreciate a lot.

Rival Consoles – Now Is

This guy makes synths move like they’re alive. It’s amazing.

Bonobo – Fragments

Just beautiful.

Polyphia – New Levels New Devils

This mix is crazy! Ridiculously virtuosic. Catchy, instrumental, mainstream Pop music.

And that’s it! Our very last post of 2022. It’s been a pleasure sharing all of these with you all. Did your favourite album make the list? What others have we missed? Which were your favourite Passed Recordings releases of the year!

With a heartfelt thanks to anyone who is reading this, who has listened to/shared/thought about any of our work this year – we look forward to everything that we will continue to share with you in the new year.

See you in 2023!

Chris Hobbs – Top 5 Albums of 2022

So, five posts down and now it’s the turn of me, the blog writer, to list the 5 albums that left the biggest impact on me from this year!

With future releases promising various moods, genres and instrumentation where 2023 will take me is a mystery even to myself, but I’m hoping to share many more of my creations with you!

2022 was a steady year for Chris Hobbs, with a track on both the Christmas Passed & _scapes compilations seeming to suggest a movement away from his Acousmatic routes into something entirely more Ambient.

It also marked the year in which the seemingly previously empty Sound Toys page on his webpage was finally populated.

Continuing the theme of Passed Recordings artists listing the 5 albums that left the biggest impact on them, here are five more from Chris.

Grace Ives – Janky Star

It’s rare for a Pop record to grab my attention. Janky Star was probably the first contemporary Pop release to do so since Grimes’ Art Angels. I love everything about the way this record sounds – little flurries of eclecticism balanced into easily consumable, compact songs.

Florist – Florist

While I quite like some Folk music, it’s fair to say I don’t know it inside out. But this release really captured me. Simple, intimate-feeling songs interspersed with field recordings and sparse instrumentals give Florist an air of individualism that is calming and maybe even teetering into lightly psychedelic.

Chihei Hatakeyama, Habokune – It is, it isn’t

I can’t remember when I first heard this album, but I remember the impression it left on me. Rich, calming and pastorally evocative droning work that I have just found endlessly enjoyable throughout the year.

Ellen Arkbro, Johan Graden – I Get Along Without You Very Well

This release was the first that came to mind when writing this list. Everything about the instrumentation, vocal range and performance resonated deeply with me from the first listen. The woodwinds feel perfectly orchestrated in this and the constantly complementary vocals have kept me coming back ever since its release.

Rachika Nayar – Heaven Come Crashing

There’s a really sleek finish to this record which belies some quite innovative and spectacular compositions. I often listen to new music in expansive playlists on shuffle and this album consistently had me checking my “now playing” as I became more and more hooked on it.

And that’s it! We’ll be aiming to release these posts every weekend, so keep an eye out for your favourite album! We’re looking forward to hearing your views on this years releases from Passed Recordings too!

Christmas Passed featuring Chris Hobbs and many other artists (Passed Recordings labelmates & more) available now!

https://passedrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/christmas-passed

New Release: Christmas Passed – Various Artists

21st December 2022 is the release date for the new Christmas Passed compilation album on BandCamp. Containing multiple releases from Passed Recordings artists, but also our friends on the Ambient Soundscapes Discord server. All proceeds from this release will be donated to Doctors Without Borders.

Christmas Passed is a compilation album – there were very few rules for what could/couldn’t be made other than one thing:

All of the tracks on this album had to be made primarily from one or more recordings of a Christmas Market.

Once the challenge went live, our contributors went away and collected field recordings from Christmas markets around the world: Cardiff, London, Berlin, Offenbach, Maryland, Falun & Warsaw.

These samples were then sliced, spliced and distorted into the pieces on the album.

The final release contains tracks from Passed Recordings’ Chris Hobbs, Christian Schwöbel, Exit Chamber, Take Me There & our newest member G!GA LURGH.

It also contains tracks from our friends: Toys In The Static, Ben Bork, Few Genes, SkyLore & Twilight Sleep.

Additional thanks to Hello Spiral for his submission of a field recording and photograph of a Christmas Market which was used as a sound source and on the cover of the album respectively.

Also to a____ne for providing a field recording.

Christmas Passed is available now on Passed Recordings!

https://passedrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/christmas-passed

YAROSLAVA! – Top 5 Albums of 2022

It was a heck of a year for YAROSLAVA! – the only Passed Recordings artist you could catch live this year.

She went on a journey documenting her angel sightings before releasing the beautiful SILVER SACRAMENTS, her 3rd album.

We asked her to list the 5 albums that left the biggest impact on her this year.

CAPRISONGS – FKA twigs

This mixtape is such a new pace for twigs this one has a lot of songs to move to changing the flow from her last album release and moving to a new sound while also being nostalgic to her old M3LL155X ep.

You Can’t Kill Me – 070 Shake

She’s always had an ethereal sound that sounds like R&B lost in space. Just an amazing album to get lost in.

Once Twice Melody – Beach House

For years Beach House has been so classic shoegaze and slowcore while having such a unique take on it shaping it into something that can easily be recognized as their own.

Fossora – Björk

As most Björk albums are – it takes a few listens to really start to click then, when it does, it becomes a whole ecosystem connected by mushrooms and love.

HUMAN DEATH REHEARSAL – Serpent

Serpent has always had an almost scary take on internet music with fast chops ghostly vocals and a distorted energy, truly someone to look out for.

Christian Schwöbel – Top 5 Albums 2022

There is depth and elegance to the way Christian Schwöbel documents mankind’s self-destructive tendancies in his music.

2022 saw a continuation of his first album “Der Große Filter I+II“, allowing a growing Industrial influence to colour his Passed Recordings debut: Dystopian Pulse.

He’s also the next artist that we asked to list the 5 albums that had left the biggest impact on them this year.

Läuten der Seele – Läuten der Seele

I love it when freakish samples are use in a creative context. In this case, the samples are taken from German “Heimatfilme” from the post war era. These movies probably fed the longing for harmony of the people after the horrors of WW2. This album has all the cosiness from the movies, but not quite the kitsch-factor.

Gilla Band – Most Normal

I’ve been a fan of this band since day one. This band has the rare talent to create a noisy chaotic atmosphere, which never spirals out of control. With this release they have proven once again that they haven’t lost a bit of their fire from previous albums.

Abul Mogard – In a Few Places Along the River

He is the king of textures in my opinion. It slowly builds up, occupying more and more space in your consciousness. But he can also do beautiful melodies as he shows in the last track with a melody that stays with you long after the album has stopped playing.

Trupa Trupa – B Flat A

This Polish band is highly underrated. On this album again they have shown that they have a sense for catchy melodies and awesome song writing. Nothing more to say, just check them out if you haven’t!

Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You

I was sleeping on this album for a while when it first came out. It took almost until the end of the year that I learned to appreciate the direction this album takes. The country style probably put me off at first and I wasn’t in the mood for Big Thief, but now that winter kicked in this album is like a cosy warm blanket to me.

And that’s it!

We’ll be aiming to release these posts every weekend, so keep an eye out for your favourite album! We’re looking forward to hearing your views on this years releases from Passed Recordings too – maybe there’s even time for one more release before the end of the year…

Virga Drought (Passengers & Fervorvore) – Our Top 5 Albums of 2022

In late 2019 Passengers “I” was seemingly a catalyst for a torrent of creativity – not least of which was the formation of Virga Drought (a collaboration Passengers & Fervorvore).

When Passed Recordings launched in May of this year, it became the home not just for Virga Drought, but Passengers and Fervorvore too – with each of them producing a track for the seminal Passed Recordings compilation, _scapes.

We asked each of them to list the 5 albums that left the biggest impact on them this year.

Passengers’ Top 5 Albums of 2022

Callous Daoboys – Celebrity Therapist

Black Country, New Road – For the first time

Chat Pile – God’s Country

billy woods – Aethiopes

Mamaleek – Dinner Coffee

Fervorvore’s Top 5 Albums from 2022

Iceage – Plowing into The Field of Love

Idles – Joy as an Act of Resistance

Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers

Lupe Fiasco – Drill Music in Zion

Black Thought & Danger Mouse – Cheat Codes

We also gave them both the opportunity to expand on these decisions and in the spirit of another great artist…

And that’s it! We’ll be aiming to release these posts every weekend, so keep an eye out for your favourite album! We’re looking forward to hearing your views on this years releases from Passed Recordings too – maybe there’s even time for one more release before the end of the year…

Exit Chamber – Top 5 Albums 2022

On Friday, we heard Take Me There‘s end of year round up. Today, the composer of this year’s phenomenal Deep Stasis, Exit Chamber, is weighing in with the 5 albums that have made the biggest impact on him this year!

Blood Incantation – Timewave Zero (Century Media, 2022):

Not so much a gear change as a full change of transportation method from a band previously known for some pretty ferocious death metal. 40 minutes of classic analog-synth based ambience/kosmiche in the style of Tangerine Dream et all that has been my go-to working music for quite some time.

Elizabeth Crompton – Problems of Other Minds (Werra Foxma, 2022):

Delicate and emotive female-vocal led piano and electronic ambience. Elizabeth’s vocals remind me of Beth Gibbons at times, powerful yet fragile. Deserves to be massive.

Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan – Districts, Roads, Open Spaces (Castles in Space, 2022):

A (mostly) ambient synth album based on a 70’s UK new town project? Sure, why not, particularly when it’s this good. Top tier hauntology, music for the future we could have had.

Panaiotis, Pauline Oliveros and Stuart Dempster – Deep Listening (New Albion, 1989):
Not sure what I can say about this that hasn’t already been said, but it’s an album that’s really resonated with me this year. Very much deserves headphones and the dark.

Final Light – Final Light (Red Creek, 2022):

Something a little different to finish, a collaboration between Perturbator (IMO the undisputed king of the more industrial end of synthwave) and Johannes Persson of Cult of Luna. Epic cinematic synths from the former and thunderous guitar and vocals from the latter makes for the perfect combination. Hopefully this won’t be their only collaboration.

P.S. Make sure to still check out those releases from these lists that don’t make their way to Spotify! Specifically, Susumu Hirasawa & Elizabeth Crompton so far – but that list is bound to grow!

Take Me There – Top 5 Albums 2022

Another year and another round of inevitable end of year round ups! This year, Passed Recordings will be adding their opinions to the mix – with each of us listing 5 albums that really impacted us over the last year.

Following their Passed Recordings debut, All you will ever wish for is to get back there, Take Me There tells us a little about their top 5 albums of 2022:

Susumu Hirasawa – Technique of Relief:

I became absolutely addicted to Susumu Hirasawa’s music in the second half of 2022, especially this album which is just a masterpiece. He has such a unique style and blend of genres that I have never heard before, it’s like a mix of classical march music with electronic and art pop music. His music has this epic “wall of sound”, that is so inspiring and otherworldly.

Robert Schumann – Carnaval:
I listened to a lot of classical music this year, but this is the one that stuck with me the most. I found out about this piece through a Haruki Murakami short story, where two classical music enthusiasts were discussing what the best piano piece was. And I would have to agree with them, as this piece throughout 20 different sections produces some of the most joyous and wonderful melodies I have ever heard from a piano. It’s a timeless masterpiece that boosts my mood as soon as I hear the opening phrase.

Carissa’s Weird – Songs About Leaving:
Quite a contrast from the other two releases as this album is very dark and depressing, but also comforting at the same time. The slow guitars along with a piano and a violin fill up the soundscape with a sad but also beautiful feeling. The lyrics are sung and written so well, and are often absolutely heart wrenching as it tackles depression, suicide and loneliness. Not an album for the faint of heart, but it’s an album that stunned me the first time I heard it and has stuck with me throughout the year.

Perfume Genius – Ugly Season:
An experimental masterpiece which mixes avant-garde ambient music with art pop. The lyrics resolve mainly around issues such as body image, gender identity and ugliness. The album art cover is also absolutely gorgeous and fits the sound of the album so well. This album handles the topics mentioned before so well, and has such a unique sound that stands out. “It’s ugly season, and I love it.”

Kali Malone – Living Torch:
The best ambient album released this year in my opinion. Kali Malone has a unique and wonderful style, where she creates slow moving drones using a pipe organ and a synthesiser. The sound is absolutely hypnotising and so relaxing to me. I often put it on late at night before going to sleep.

Are Angels Real? Chatting with YAROSLAVA!

Ahead of her third album & Passed Recordings debut, Portland based electronic & ambient producer, YAROSLAVA! gave a little of her time to answer some questions about herself, her new release and it’s mysterious cult/spiritual vibes...

Who are “are angels real”?

The creators of ‘are angels real’ is a duo of artists with me being the concept designer, main creator, and my friend who codes who laid the ground work for the website to even exist in the first place. I capture them and then my friends puts them on the internet forever.

Tell me about your first angel sighting.

I became enraptured with angels when my friend @cassi.angelmeat showed me that the holy can come in the most disgusting unappealing monsters possible. It brought me back to reality – everything is warped for whoever’s eyes see it at any given moment.

When I first made ‘ANGEL NOISES’, I was inspired by being sleep deprived for two days. I almost felt like my skin was vibrating which I transferred into sound.

Do the angels speak to you?

If you consider everyone you love an angel, they talk to you all the time! I wouldn’t be where I am without my supportive angels. Angels inspire me to do better and work harder.

Do you struggle with online trolls, non-believers?

I think just being a woman on the internet attracts a lot of unsavoury characters… Particularly in the music scene, where you’re seen as less than or not as valued as your male producer counterparts.

I’ve been sexually harassed, talked down to; made to feel like my music was weird and that I don’t have a place – but that makes me want to work harder.

Nonbelievers? Blasphemy.

If you have eyes and ears and cusp your hands over them, that’s not my responsibility. Can someone with no eyes see the light?

Would you want to convert people? What will the world look like when people accept the existence of angels?

Conversion, no. Subliminal messaging over the course of years until reality bends backwards and creates shapes we’ve never seen before? Perhaps.

I’m patient. I can wait.

Switching more directly to your music – how does your new release reflect the theme of angels?

Silver Sacraments is loosely based off of my experience with religion and how I wanted to feel about it. I identify as agnostic and the EP is filled with ups and downs. The idea of angels is my naïve vision that anything can be pure, even when it isn’t.

I love the idea of angels and protectors and I want to will them into existence, even if it’s not possible.

Angels are usually seen as spiritual beings – is this album spiritual?

I do think this album is spiritual. Ambient music is a really intimate experience for me (rather than electronic and all other sub categories).

This is about my experiences and the feelings I wish I could feel normally. I’m not a spiritual person, but I do feel like this album was an out of body experience where I could make a fantasy land where everything is ok… Sometimes that’s scary, too!

What’s new about this release? Is it full of things you didn’t/couldn’t do on your previous release?

I think overtime you get better at things and my first ambient experience was a 3 song release – maybe 7-10 minutes of me, just experimenting. Now that I’m using Logic, it’s expanded what I can do. There are also features from two label members: Exit Chamber and Conno. Exit Chamber has such a talent for creating soundscapes and filling the ears with dread while Conno is really good at rhythmic melodies. I couldn’t have done this without them!

Are there any particular inspirations for this release?

For ambient music my main biggest inspirations is Loveliescrushing’s album bloweyelashwish which may be my favourite album of all time. I’m also heavily inspired by Nine Inch Nails’ “Ghosts” series.

What do you think might be next for YAROSLAVA!?

I’m going to take a little break from ambient and work on my electronic albums. I really want to work with vocals and see where that’s able to take me. This EP was suppose to have lyrics, but I feel like it subtracted from the album. However, ‘ECHO IN FOG’ does have my vocals (pitch shifted, where I’m just wailing). I want to work on projects like that and see where it takes me.

Silver Sacraments’ is due out on the 23rd September on Passed Recordings. You can view YAROSLAVA’s angel sightings here.