Review, buy Ambient: Landscape in Obscurity, Myths Vol.3: La Nouvelle Serenite, Twilights Last Gleaming, Oxia on Monoid: Mixed By Oxia, Asana Vol.2: Moving Meditation, Balloon Mood, Future Sound of Jazz, Vol. 2, Northern Star, Seasonally Affective, Body Love 2, Pop Ambient 2005, Music for Relaxation, Meditation, & Concentration, Vol. 1, Selected Ambient Works, Vol. 2, Near Dark, Dub to Dub Vol.2: Beat to Beat, Volume 7, Plus 47 Degrees 56'37" Minus 16 Degrees 51'08", Sound of Channel One: The King Tubby Connection, Modern Mantra, Dark Side of the Moog 8

In Seasonally Affective , Glen Johnson, aka Piano Magic, has released his ruptured, sweetened, orchestral take on electronica and baroque pop (as initially dreamt up by Kraftwerk and later championed by diverse voices such as This Heat and Mercury Rev) on around 15 or so labels during 1996 and 2001. Great for obsessive (and rich) collectors, into tracking down 1997's Che 12" with the beautiful "Angel Pie/Magic Tree" or finding one of the 50 copies of Dutch radio station VPRO's Xmas compilation (which includes the minimal "Sketch For Joanne"), but not so good for those less flush. This double CD makes life easier: a collection of all the Piano Magic rarities, including the scarily prescient "Artists' Rifles". For the first five years, Johnson steadfastly refused to collaborate with the same artist twice-hence this compilation has an excellent breadth of vision, with contributions from Hefner, Wisdom of Harry and any number of gentle female voices keeping the music fresh. -Everett True.

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Body Love 2 (Klaus Schulze)

Tracks Body Love 2

Moogetique
Buddy Laugh (A Rock 'N' Roll Bolero)
Nowhere-Now Here
Stardancer II

Publisher: Revisited
Release date: 2007-12-03
RRP: ~~£14.99~~
Price: £9.93

Review Body Love 2 / Klaus Schulze:

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Review Various Artists / Pop Ambient 2005

Pop Ambient 2005 (Various Artists)

Tracks Pop Ambient 2005

Falkenbrück - The Orb
Hummell - DJ Koze
Pop - Gas
Sunbeams - Peter Grummich
Mondlied - Triola
Let the Snakes Crinkle Their Heads to Death - Klimek
With Oil - Thomas Fehlmann
Wasted Years - Ulf Lohmann
Gold
Innenfeld - Markus Guentner
Blue - Pass into Silence, Pass into Silence
Soft Bullets - Andrew Thomas

Publisher: Kompakt
Release date: 2008-04-14
RRP: ~~£10.99~~
Price: £8.54

Review Pop Ambient 2005 / Various Artists:

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Review Various Artists / Music for Relaxation, Meditation, & Concentration, Vol. 1

Music for Relaxation, Meditation, & Concentration, Vol. 1 (Various Artists)

Tracks Music for Relaxation, Meditation, & Concentration, Vol. 1

Neal
Tuesday Night in Memphis
Moulin
To the Cave
Dans la Nuit, la Neige
Carpe Diem
Gorodish
Autre Monde

Publisher: RCA
Release date: 1992-07-28
RRP: ~~£10.99~~
Price: £9.95

Review Music for Relaxation, Meditation, & Concentration, Vol. 1 / Various Artists:

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Review Aphex Twin / Selected Ambient Works, Vol. 2

Selected Ambient Works, Vol. 2 (Aphex Twin)

Tracks Selected Ambient Works, Vol. 2

Blur
Window Sill
Rhubarb
Match Sticks
Tassels
Z Twig
Domino
Blue Clax
Lichen
Grey Stripe
Tree
Parralell Strips
Radiator
Spots
White Blur 2
Shiny Metal Rods
Cliffs
Curtains
White Blur 1
Weathered Stone
Hexagon
Mold
Grass

Publisher: Warner
Release date: 1994-04-12
RRP: ~~£30.99~~
Price: £23.13

Review Selected Ambient Works, Vol. 2 / Aphex Twin:

British electronics wunderkind Richard James (alias Aphex Twin, AFX, Polygon Window, etc. ) claims he heard the compositions on Selected Ambient Works, Volume II in lucid dreams. Like abstract paintings composed of shades of a single color, James's resonant explorations of specific timbres linger close to a central idea on each cut, incorporating just enough variation to remain disturbing. While its predecessor, Selected Ambient Works '85-'92 drew on seven years' worth of material, the uniform quality of these untitled tracks, plus their judicious sequencing, suggests they were assembled over a shorter period. Clocking in at over 150 minutes, the double-disc set (if this is "selected," how many hours of outtakes remain?) provides an exemplary introduction to the quieter facets of James's expansive, idiosyncratic aesthetic. -Kurt B. Reighley.

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Near Dark (Tangerine Dream)

Tracks Near Dark