Tag: drone music

Two new Venus Vulture releases

~ Sean Monaghan ~ Leave a comment

When taking breaks from tickling away at a Qwerty keyboard, I sometimes noodle around with music. It’s always fun to activate different parts of my brain and still be creative.

First up is “Coiled Within Mountains“, released on Zenapolae.

Four ambient tracks filled with drifty loops and occasional snatches of melody.

Free download.

The second release, direct through bandcamp, is Salt.

Six ambient tracks filled with drifty loops and occasional snatches of melody.

Free to listen to on bandcamp, $US4- to buy the download.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December Nightskies – Rainbowdrone

~ Sean Monaghan ~ Leave a comment

rainbowdroneKendall-my Shadows on the Snow bandmate- has a solo adventure as December Nightskies. Prolific ambient musician that he is, he has numerous releases on various netlabels – Haze, Petroglyph, Zenapolae, etc.

His latest release, however, is a physical CD from This Winter Will Last Forever. Kendall’s CD is right at the edge of the label’s usual fare, which tends more toward the metal end of the music spectrum. I guess the dark-metal, dark-ambient collision makes for a good fit.

Anyway, after many years of collaborating with Kendall, and listening to numerous downloads of his, it was very cool to listen to a physical CD. Yes I do like CDs.

Rainbowdrone fits right there with my list of “music to write to”, or perhaps Eno’s “interesting enough to be engaging, discreet enough to be ignored” (I can’t find the exact quote). An hour of background drones, at times deep and dark, at other lighter. Perfect to put on to unwind, chill, relax. Or write to.

When I first began listening to ambient music it came from a love of that background soundscape that worked well with my writing. It’s cool to personally know someone who’s creating exactly that.

Rainbowdrone is available for €7 from This Winter Will Last Forever’s store.

Ganymede – new album from Shadows on the Snow

~ Sean Monaghan ~ Leave a comment

ganymede20coverKendall’s been busy again, keeping up the releases from our band Shadows on the Snow. This one has sounds mostly by me, recrafted and textured brilliantly by Kendall. This is the kind of thing I like about our collaboration – how we each bring in something new.

You can download Ganymede for free from archive.org.

Check out Kendall’s new December Nightskies album Rainbowdrone from This Winter Will Last Forever records.

 

To check out the full catalogue of Shadows on the Snow releases, see archive.org – here.

 

Nudibranch – new ambient album on Zenapolæ

~ Sean Monaghan ~ Leave a comment

Nudibranch on Zenapolae
Nudibranch on Zenapolæ
No writing news lately, but the Zenapolæ netlabel has just released my Venus Vulture ambient album Nudibranch.

On a visit to the small but cool Santa Monica Aquarium, I saw these wonderful, graceful and peaceful creatures, drifting and swimming. Their langorous movements and transparent bodies inspired some tranquil music and I’m glad it’s found a home.

The cover is from a photo I took at the aquarium. These are Lion’s Mane nudibranches, one of dozens (well 2300 maybe) of species. Nudibranches are molluscs that shed their shells when they move into adulthood.