cover artwork by NCThompson

audio preview (medium quality):

Introducing and welcoming a new discovery, meet artist called NCThompson. We are
pleased to announce the debut release from this american musician, who’s provided
us with six wonderfully melodic little pieces that connect together as “Another Quiet
Winter” EP. While the winter is still cold, one could absorb tiny bits of warmth through
these dreamy, slightly melancholic tunes with plenty of beautiful piano lines, along with
strings and downtempo rhythm. The day seems a bit lighter, we’re left hoping we could
let you hear more works from this promising new talent in the future on Soft Phase.
Few thoughts from the artist himself:

“I think the title of this release almost says it all. These songs just seem connected by
the loneliness of looking up and seeing nothing but a cold gray sky; when all that’s left
is a longing feeling for times once passed. And as depressing as that may sound, I think
there’s something to be said for the kind of emotions that such longing can inspire.”

Additional credits: mastering by Christopher Leary at Melograf Mastering
__

download the invidual tracks (high quality MP3):
01 “Another Quiet Winter” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
02 “For A Million” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
03 “A Silent Goodbye” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
04 “Nakukosa” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
05 “Over The Horizon Pt. 1″ [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
06 “Saying Goodnight” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in MP3 format, 49 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in FLAC format, 127 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Licensed under the Creative Commons 3.0 non-commercial license.

cover artwork by Pedro Julien (high resolution version included on the complete release)

audio preview (medium quality):

Bad Loop is finnish artist Petteri Karjalainen, who’s been making music since the early 90’s.
During all these years, he have established his very own, recognizable style where melodies
collide with lush pads in subtle ways, driven by the layered rhythms, all these blended together
form the Bad Loop sound. And close to five years have passed since the last release “Luo“,
which appeared on the One netlabel.

At the time being, the focus was on the idm flavored melodic downtempo material, while
the new EP titled “Fragments” takes a new, more edgy and slightly darker direction. Being
a more beat oriented and occasionally even hectic in tempo, compiled from tracks originally
designed for live performances. Developed and mangled further into a piece that captures
the essential vibe of a Bad Loop gig.

Additional credits: track 6 remixed by Planet Boelex.
__

download the invidual tracks (high quality MP3):
01 “Sinner” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
02 “Nth” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
03 “Sometimesrmx” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
04 “Pinta” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
05 “En sure sinua” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
06 “Nth” (Planet Boelex remix) [download] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in MP3 format, 63 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in FLAC format, 210 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Licensed under the Creative Commons 3.0 non-commercial license.

cover artwork by Jourdan Laik (high resolution version included on the complete release)

audio preview (medium quality):

Carl Sagan’s Ghost is a project of american composer Daniel Davis. The focus is on
the ambient side of electronic music and the latest output, titled “At The End Of It All”
is certainly no exception. Carefully designed and constructed, sonic landscapes you
can drown yourself in completely. For a moment, listening to multiple layers of sounds
echoing in spacious environments, discovering new subtle nuances on the sounds can
easily transport you to a place, where you can completely forget the surrounding world
momentarily. Just put on the headphones, find a comfortable position and switch off
the lights. Also recommended, the previous album “Darkness and the Light” on the
Earth Mantra netlabel. Some thoughts from the artist behind the sounds:

“Initially, this album was supposed to be an atmospheric celebration of spring
and summer, something warm, something happy. However, that didn’t quite pan
out. As I began to compose and then finalize these compositions, I noticed that
the album was taking on a darker tone. What I ended up with was an album that
seemed to contemplate death, although I don’t think the album is overly depressing.
It is somber, but there is still a hint of hope and happiness in a number of songs.”

Additional credits: guitar on tracks 1 and 9 by Travis Hartnett
Field recordings on tracks 6 and 7 by Specta Ciera
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download the invidual tracks (high quality MP3):
01 “At the End of it All” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
02 “Increasing Pressure” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
03 “Hallowed & Hungry” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
04 “Solitude I” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
05 “Solitude II” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
06 “The Patience of a Saint I” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
07 “The Patience of a Saint II” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
08 “The Patience of a Saint III” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
09 “Take a Moment” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in MP3 format, 97 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in FLAC format, 240 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Licensed under the Creative Commons 3.0 non-commercial license.

Cover artwork by Vincent Fugère (high resolution version included with the complete release).

audio preview (medium quality):

Muhr is canadian Vincent Fugère, the man behind the influential Camomille netlabel
and also the record label Apegenine. Sadly, some months ago he made the decision of
focusing his efforts to other areas and the labels closed down. Muhr has released
albums on several notable netlabels including 12rec, Serein and Miasmah. The new
album carries the title “Farewell Anthology”, which might signal something
that could be interpreted as being the last Muhr album. But such artistic decisions
are often not final, conditions and life situations change, but the desire to
create music stays in you. Naturally, Muhr is warmly welcomed back any time.

The artists words: “This is an album about parting ways.
A soundtrack to many goodbyes I’ve had to commit to and an ode to
the tiny tragedies of life. As we all turn the page to a new chapter
of our lives, somethings need to stay behind.”

Track 9 is a remix of Entertainment For The Braindead “Colours”.
__

download the invidual tracks (high quality MP3):
01 “Intro ( The fall )” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
02 “Dessous le mur de planck” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
03 “As we hover” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
04 “De la neige dans la tête” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
05 “Variable” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
06 “Dreams, dreams” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
07 “And you will know” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
08 “Farewell” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
09 EFTB “Colours” (Muhr take) [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
10 “Crier” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
11 “Dust Settles ( She’s not coming back )” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
12 “Yesterday” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
13 “Outro ( Fall again )” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in MP3 format, 89 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in FLAC format, 206 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Licensed under the Creative Commons 3.0 non-commercial license.

Cover artwork by fthr productions

audio preview (medium quality):

Return to the cold north for the autumn time, this time presenting you
a new EP from swedish Mosaik, for many people also known as Radix.
While listening to these five tunes, one might get a wonderfully nostalgic
feeling, as the music has slightly retro styled mood to it, where melodies
are the heart of it all, truly faithful to his unique style. And while the
surrounding sounds carries a modern edge, all this together makes you wish
the atmosphere and the warmth from the songs would remain in the room
long time after it has finished playing. Collaborating on this release,
Nummelin on “Tickles” and closing the EP together with Planet Boelex
on “Nanomies”. Here’s how the man himself describes the release:

“So, here it is. Leandi is my spring and summer of 2009. More specifically
it’s my most sincere release in a very long time. It’s the result of looking
at the creation process in a different light, without engaging in reasoning
and just letting the music come as it may. Normally I would venture into
more ambient landscapes and experimental sounds, but I wanted this release
to be simple and open. Heavily inspired by childhood, fatherhood, watching
my son grow up, play, communicate and learn the ways of the world.”

__

download the invidual tracks (high quality MP3):
01 “Leandi” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
02 “Sporel” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
03 “Tickles” (with Nummelin) [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
04 “Melo” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
05 “Nanomies” (with Planet Boelex) [download] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in MP3 format, 45 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in FLAC format, 135 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Licensed under the Creative Commons 3.0 non-commercial license.

(download bandwidth provided by Currahee Hosting for the mirror, thank you.)

Cover artwork by psion005

audio preview (medium quality):

Transient is Carl Martin, american musician with netlabel discography second
to none. The list of releases he have been putting out on his own Noisy
Vagabond outlet and most of the big netlabels is simply quite staggering,
not to mention the overall playing time is over 30 hours! It is not easy
to categorize his output, the styles vary from beatless ambient to
bottom heavy dancefloor rollers, everything in between. So in case
he is a new discovery to you, head over to his website and be amazed
of the versatility of music, almost all of it to be downloaded for free.
“Nothing is everything when everything is nothing” being the lengthy
title for this album, it’s slightly more beat-oriented Soft Phase release,
while still preserving the importance of melodies and harmony. The album
carries influences from floaty atmospheric ambient, dub, some melancholic
piano, all accompanied with some cleverly programmed beats. Finally,
some selected words of wisdom from the man himself:

“The record is a furthering of my approach to casually inform the listener
of the potential positive life. For me this has always been the purpose
of musical creation, to spread good vibrations to the masses and
to fight fear and hate. Do not despair!”
__

download the invidual tracks (high quality MP3):
01 “Old ones” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
02 “Do not despair” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
03 “Beauty unfolds” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
04 “Rainboweyes” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
05 “Blotter” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
06 “Interlude” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
07 “Push it off the waterfall” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
08 “Redeyes” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
09 “Tapeorch” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
10 “Breezyeyes” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in MP3 format, 89 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in FLAC format, 309 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Licensed under the Creative Commons 3.0 non-commercial license.

(download bandwidth provided by Currahee Hosting for the mirror, thank you.)

Cover image: oil on canvas by Marina Mazzega, digital artwork by Mauro Favaron
(printable PDF-version included with the complete release)

audio preview (medium quality):

HALO XVI is the project of italian musician Gianpaolo Diacci,
who’s been playing bass, among other instruments in several bands over the years.
For the album “The Sixteenth Hour” he is accompanied with Giorgio Ricci and
Massimo Berizzi. Together, they have created an ambient album that’s full of misty
atmospheric soundscapes, fused together with guitars and something that’s not often
heard in context of electronic music, the trumpet. A word from the artist himself:

“The Sixteenth Hour is indeed a weird title for a record, given that there are little
or no connections with the band’s name. It has it’s roots in not so distant time,
when the sixteenth hour was the hour in which a lot of things, real and fantastic,
were accomplished. It was the magic time of the day, a new beginning, the end
of the daily routine and the start of lucid dreaming. The atmosphere and the
soundscapes we tried to summone on the EP come directly from that time.
We tried to obtain all this by the means of an array of modern electronics, electric
vibrations from some bass and guitar, and, most of all, the breathe of a trumpet.”
__

download the invidual tracks (high quality MP3):
01 “Soft G-Skin” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
02 “Maximizing the intro” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
03 “The year of the quiet sun” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
04 “What remains of a breath” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
05 “Apollo” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
06 “Another way” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
07 “A night in the city” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
08 “Moon” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
09 “The voice of the angel” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
10 “Atlantean” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in MP3 format, 94 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in FLAC format, 285 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Licensed under the Creative Commons 3.0 non-commercial license.

(download bandwidth provided by Currahee Hosting for the mirror, thank you.)

Cover artwork by Cory Zaradur (printable PDF version included with the complete release)

audio preview (medium quality):

Forlorn Memories is the debut album of Canadian artist Chris Tenz. The album
that is full of emotion, lovingly crafted mostly with acoustic instruments,
over a long period of time. The project faced a major setback due to a laptop
theft, but Chris was determined and dedicated enough to continue the album,
regardless of all the frustration caused by the loss of valuable work. All this,
so you could enjoy this delicate album of immensely peaceful guitar and
piano songs. Few words from the artist himself:

“Forlorn Memories is designed to be just that, the re-capturing of memories
and associated moods through wordless sound. The album is designed to tell
a story through emotion, in chronological order. Using old tastes, smells,
sounds, and sights, I would attempt to bring myself into the mindset of
various key moments that influenced me in some way, and attempt to
create those feelings again with the use of audio.”
__

download the invidual tracks (high quality MP3):
01 “Foreword” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
02 “Chapter One” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
03 “Chapter Two” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
04 “Chapter Three” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
05 “Chapter Four” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
06 “Chapter Five” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
07 “Chapter Six” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
08 “Chapter Seven” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
09 “Chapter Eight” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in MP3 format, 56 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in FLAC format, 105 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Licensed under the Creative Commons 3.0 non-commercial license.

(download bandwidth provided by Currahee Hosting for the mirror, thank you.)

cover artwork by Jeroen Advocaat

audio preview (medium quality):

“Our fourth release is a full length album from norwegian artist Coax,
who has previously made appearances on Kahvi and Monotonik netlabels.
Artifacts And Discovery being the title, the album is a wonderfully varied
combination of ambient softness, dramatic orchestral pieces, sensitive piano
interludes, science fiction movie atmosphere, all spiced up with the occasional
electronic rhythms. At times, you feel like you have landed on the surface
of an unknown planet, feel the tension build as you look around and there is
nothing but unexplored terrain surrounding you. Then, as the album goes
further, the next moment.. the dreamy string ensemble capture your attention,
you begin to feel safe and comfortable again. Enchanted with the beautiful
harmonies, you watch the clouds passing by, happy memories from the past
are filling your mind, you feel like floating. Close your eyes,
enter the intriguing world of Artifacts And Discovery.”

Coax is also in process of releasing a CD album titled “The Third Mobius”,
which includes 6 tracks already presented here. Professionally mastered
and including stunning cover artwork by Jeroen Advocaat. For more details,
see the micro-site for the album: http://www.coaxmusic.com/coax-the-third-mobius-cd-2009

__

download the invidual tracks (high quality MP3):
01 “Ziobelia” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
02 “Blue Racer” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
03 “Artemis Dream 1″ [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
04 “The Gate” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
05 “Sil” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
06 “Atomic Winter” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
07 “Reincarnation” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
08 “Xenolith” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
09 “The Journey” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
10 “Artemis Dream 2″ [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
11 “Abyss” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
12 “Evermore” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
13 “Waves” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
14 “The Jagged Edge” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
15 “Aura Reading” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]

__

Download the complete release in MP3 format, 85 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in FLAC format, 273 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Licensed under the Creative Commons 3.0 non-commercial license.

(download bandwidth provided by Currahee Hosting for the mirror, thank you.)

audio preview (medium quality):

We’ll make a departure from our familiar nordic landscape, across the Atlantic,
in order to welcome our new guest artist Lokua, all the way from Chicago, US.
With the album “Trails“, released last year on the Moment Sound netlabel,
Lokua displayed the versatility of his musical styles and fresh ideas.
“Water Rock” is more focused on the deeper ambient tones and textures,
here’s how the artist himself describes it:

“In comparison, Trails was like Summer, Water Rock is like Winter. The first
is a little more outwardly pleasing, one can enjoy it without effort. I think to
appreciate more ambient and experimental music one needs a certain level of
imagination. It takes some concentration to fully appreciate the entirety
of winter. What makes the cold unpleasant? How can I enjoy it? These are
the sort of questions I was asking myself when composing the selections on
Water Rock, only more music-techy like, how can these harsh unavoidable
audio clips be made pleasing? Or maybe it’s just that Water-Rock was made
in the winter, a time of introspection and isolation. In other words Trails
was more-so geared towards head-nod-factor, whereas Water Rock was
made by a fire while my toes defrosted.”

__

download the invidual tracks (high quality MP3):
01 “Water rock” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
02 “Nobodys fool” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
03 “Acheron” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
04 “Cold limbs” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
05 “Belle” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
06 “Snare ya” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]
07 “While she slept” [download] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in MP3 format, 70 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Download the complete release in FLAC format, 162 MB zip file from:
[main site] [mirror] [archive.org]

Licensed under the Creative Commons 3.0 non-commercial license.

(download bandwidth provided by Currahee Hosting for the mirror, thank you.)