The Relay Station – Details, episodes & analysis

In this program we’ll be celebrating Robert Rich and two of his recent transcendent collaborations, demonstrating the prolific nature and vast spectrum of Robert’s ability to dive head-first into the creative space with other artists. The first collab we’ll be featuring is with Barry Cleveland, taking us through an enrapturing musical journey made up of a complexly woven tapestry of sonic ideas that ranges from the quiet and contemplative to dramatic and near-cataclysmic spaces. Then later on in the program we will drop in on the incubative space that Robert created with musician and composer Markus Reuter — with an album that is contemplative, at times near unsettling, and an alchemic journey through the blending of two minds and two lived experiences.

Plus up ahead, new music from Andrew Lozano, Christian Alsemgeest and Metric System 1981, Beyond Sensory Experience and more. Strap in and make yourself comfortable, join us for the next hour for global ambient music, on The Relay Station.

Artist information

Barry Cleveland and Robert Rich

Robert Rich carries near legendary status among ambient music lovers to almost no exception — there’s a sort of signature sound to his compositions bearing the influence of mystical traditions, contemplative drones and sound beds, flute motifs that beckon to the heavens within us, and rich layers of sound to provide a near endless sonic vista for exploratory listening sessions. Robert is also no stranger to collaborations with nearly a dozen to his name, working with the likes of Steve Roach, Luca Formentini, Faryus, and our two other featured artists today, Markus Reuter and Barry Cleveland. This particular collab with Barry Cleveland involved the two collaborating over Barry’s decade-old guitar improv sessions, adding numerous additional instrumental layers, trimming a variety of sections down, and them mixing into a seamless experience. The resulting album is an enrapturing passage through musical terrain, ranging from the ornate and delicate, to contemplative and meditative spaces, and majestically expanding to near cataclysmic vistas of sound. It’s an amazing journey to be had, and my privilege to share a small leg of this journey with you. The track we’re featuring is the opening sequence to this six-song trek through the minds of Barry Cleveland and Robert Rich.

https://robertrich.comhttps://barrycleveland.com

Robert Rich and Markus Reuter

What do you do when your tour gets unexpectedly cancelled and you’re left with nothing but time on your hands? Well if you’re Markus Reuter and happen to be passing through northern California, you bunk up with Robert Rich and spend numerous long days and late nights experimenting, drafting ideas onto tape, following trails of intrigue, and see where the musical exploration takes you. Fortunately for us, this led to a deeply pensive, subterranean musical quest for equanimity within the dark days in which we find ourselves within. Their album “Incubation” uncannily resemble the sort of awkward incubation period we find ourselves at this time in history, straddling the gaping distance between comfort and distress. It’s a dark, but beautiful and transcendent blend of washed out guitars, near shamanic flute patterns and motifs, slow swells of sound resembling the slowed breathing we experience in deep contemplation or meditation. It’s an album that is worth coming along on the journey with — an alchemical process and shamanic ushering in of the process of creating a reflection of their unique and intertwined journeys through life.

https://www.markusreuter.com/

Playlist

* [0:00] INTRODUCTION

* [01:52] "Purity (Ancient Astronaut Remix)" by Andrew Lozano from "Ambient Cat Remixes, Vol. 2" (Ambient Cat Records, 2025)

* [06:00] "Cathree" by Christian Alsemgeest + Metric System 1981 from "Everything Glows" (Mare Nostrum, 2025)

* [10:16] "Numb to It" by Beyond Sensory Experience from "In This Our life" (Cyclic Law, 2025)

* [15:38] Featured Artist Segment

* [17:52] "Tangible Silence" by Barry Cleveland & Robert Rich from "Elliptical Passage" (Robert Rich, Barry Cleveland, ElevenEleven Music, 2025)

* [24:58] "Open Safe Space 2" by Rising Galaxy from "Open Safe Space" (Cosmic Leaf, 2025)

* [33:58] "Chapter I – Nature" by Michael D. Tidwell and Piscean Daydreams from "Natura" (Independent / Identity Music, 2025)

* [38:40] "Alter Ego" by Dellasollounge from "Minimal Meditation" (Ambient Cat Records, 2025)

* [40:38] Featured Artist Segment

* [42:50] "Erased In Shadow" by Robert Rich & Markus Reuter from "Incubation" (Robert Rich, Markus Reuter, Amoeba Music, and All Matter In The Universe,, 2025)

* [49:18] "Participation Mystique" by Dionisaf from "Participation Mystique" (Ambient Cat Records, 2025)

* [54:40] "ninetwentyone" by Peter Bark from "time shelter" (Sound Ghost, 2025)

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In this program I’ve got two vastly different, but emotive tracks that I think you’re going to absolutely love. Eighteen-year-old pianist and composer Alanna Crouch has a moving four-song EP that is somber, delicately ornate, and unconditionally gorgeous. And the duo Chris Wood and Albert Sapsford have a new album out that is quite imaginative, deeply experimental, and sets a liminal atmosphere for the imagination.

Plus up ahead, new music from Atmøsphäre & Dionisaf, BinJa, Adrian Lane, Ambiente Solstice, and more. Strap in and make yourself comfortable, join us for the next hour for global ambient music, on The Relay Station.

Artist information

Alanna Crouch

Brace yourselves for Alanna Crouch — she’s an eighteen-year-old pianist and composer from the United Kingdom, a composer of classical, contemporary, and electronic music, and has a captivating new four-song EP out now on Bigo and Twigetti. The EP is this beautiful story filled with drama, intrigue, sadness — layered with piano and delicate strands of cello woven throughout. Alanna writes about her EP, “It unfolds like a myth. A tremor stirs beneath the earth, awakening a soul of light long forgotten. It rises as a false crown, chaining the villagers to its shadow. The roots that once held life and memory now twist into bonds, binding them to a fate they cannot escape.” I’m captivated already.

https://www.alannacrouchmusic.co.uk/

Chris Wood + Albert Sapsford

Long-distance collaborations never cease to amaze me — I’ve heard some pretty fantastic works, imaginative releases by two or more souls from across the globe coming together to create something new and original… and something new and original is what we hear from Cape Town-based musician Chris Wood and the electronic composer Albert Sapsford from Johannesburg. The two have put together an imaginative album that pushes the boundaries of the ambient music genre to produce a work that is sonically inventive. Itn their own words, this album “embodies a shared search for a future state of wholeness — where opposites meet, where doubt gives way to presence, and where listening becomes an act of crossing into the beyond.” The album is gritty, liminal, at times abrasive, laced with percussive swells, compelling atmospheres, and experimental motifs that create something to behold.

https://pharmafabrik.bandcamp.com/

Playlist

* [0:00] INTRODUCTION

* [01:25] "Behind the Waterfall" by Atmøsphäre & Dionisaf from "Northern Dreamscapes" (Chitra Records, 2025)

* [05:07] "Sunny Morning" by BinJa from "ShaktiMan" (Chitra Records, 2025)

* [10:25] "Memories Become Treasures" by Adrian Lane from "Where Once We Danced" (Whitelabrecs, 2025)

* [13:17] Featured Artist Segment

* [14:59] "Roots" by Alanna Crouch from "Fragments" (Bigo and Twigetti, 2025)

* [18:55] "His Name in Every Breath feat. Dashmesh" by Ambiente Solstice from "The World Above The Clouds" (Wayfarer, 2025)

* [22:19] "Flores Veritatis (Rework)" by Edoardo Gastaldi + Le Code from "The Sleeping Oceans Vol.1" (Mare Nostrum, 2025)

* [26:42] "Transient Clouds" by Alessandro Barbanera from "Nothing Like Home" (Chitra Records, 2025)

* [31:05] Featured Artist Segment

* [32:48] "I Remember" by Chris Wood / Albert Sapsford from "Pristine" (Pharmafabrik, 2025)

* [36:34] "Inner (Horizon)" by Jason van Wyk from "Horizon" (n5MD, 2025)

* [40:57] "Akira Film Script - D" by Akira Film Script from "Live at the Modern" (Whitelabrecs, 2025)

* [51:00] "Spire" by Michael D. Tidwell & Suseti from "Glow EP" (Independent?, 2025)

* [56:07] "Dreaming of the Stars" by Ancient Astronaut + Brannan Lane from "Through Nebulae" (Independent, 2025)

The Relay Station is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts, support the program, and help us strive towards carbon neutrality, consider becoming a paid subscriber.

In today's program, I’ve got two new albums that have both made my essentials list for 2025 and are captivating new albums in the ambient genre. In the first hour, the enigmatic Aiko Takahashi enchants us with their transcendently beautiful album “The Grass Harp” out now on Laaps Records. And later on in the program, Vancouver-based electronic artist Loscil treats us to a spell-binding listening experience with his minimalist, yet engaging ambient release “Lake Fire” released through Kranky. Both artists have physical media accompanying their releases — you really should check it out.

Plus our conversational topic for today: tell us about the most transcendent moment you’ve had with ambient music! Where were you? What were you listening to? And what was the culmination of your listening session? Let’s strike up a conversation.

I’ve got some fantastic tracks ahead — new music from Andrew Lozano, Kilometre Club, Observable Universe & Piscean Daydreams and many more ahead.

Strap in and make yourself comfortable, join us for the next two hours for global ambient music, on The Stolace Relay Station.

Featured artists

Aiko Takahashi https://aikotakahashi.bandcamp.comhttps://laaps.bandcamp.com

Loscil https://loscil.bandcamp.comhttps://kranky.bandcamp.com

Featured album /// “The Grass Harp” by Aiko Takahashi

Aiko Takahashi is back with another captivating release through the awe-inspiring French label, Laaps Records. Aiko does not disappoint with the delivery of their most recent album “The Grass Harp” — a soothing release rich with heavily manipulated loops woven together in a dreamy tapestry of truly inventive sound design, minimalist piano, and delicate textures. Aiko’s intentional use of silence and elongated pauses feels like a pensive, meditative walk through story-like groves of old trees whispering a gentle wisdom through the rustling leaves, in every drop of falling rain, and every blade of grass rising to meet your bare feet. It’s that beautiful, and has made my essentials list for 2025. “The Grass Harp” by Aiko Takahashi is available now on most streaming music services as well as at https://laaps.bandcamp.com.

Featured album /// “Lake Fire” by Loscil

Vancouver-based artist Scott Morgan who operates under the name Loscil, is out with another stunning release available through Kranky. “Lake Fire” reflects the vast expanse of Morgan’s creativity, ingenuity, and deeply artistic prowess for sound manipulation and texture design. The album’s esthetic feels like a sort of dystopian David Lynch-inspired film, rich with mystique and intrigue, densely layered textures, and a lightly opaque veneer that ties it all together into a cohesive story. The instrumentation with both their compositional and stereoscopic arrangements are inventive and extremely well done, and makes for a truly rewarding and memorable listening experience, worthy of your undivided attention. “Lake Fire” by Loscil is available now on most streaming music services, as well as on vinyl, CD, and digital media at https://loscil.bandcamp.com.

Playlist

* "param" by Alexis DElozanne from "Abréviation"

* "X-Mark (with Marie)" by Kilometre Club from "An Alphabet Of Distance (Deluxe Expanded Edition)"

* "Till we meet again" by Tamer Elshabrawy from "Clown code"

* "A Beacon" by Giuliano Favata from "Inescapable Reality"

* "Field of Memories" by Arrival In Eden from "Field of Memories"

* "Yoke" by Purelink from "Faith"

* "La Leçon" by Aiko Takahashi from "The Grass Harp"

* "Voyager" by Andrew Lozano from "Voyager"

* "Reflections of the Pure Land [Daydreamers]" by observable universe + Piscean Daydreams from "Zenscapes"

* "Covered In Noise" by Hara Alonso from "touch•me•not"

* "Not Alone" by Six Missing from "Without Mind: Accept (EP) - part two"

* "Heartwood" by Hiram from "Green Green Earth"

* "Harmony in Chaos [Live] Part 1" by City Of Dawn from "Harmony in Chaos (Live from Run Pony Run)"

* "Apparition" by RL Huber from "Hafgufa"

* "Walk on the Roof" by Dionisaf from "Lost Rarities"

* "Everyday Dread" by Gregory Paul Mineeff from "Exhumed"

* "Lake Fire" by loscil from "Lake Fire"

* "After the Sun Has Set" by HERE from "Hues of Amber & Rose"

* "Warden's Bacillus" by ab9st8 from "Glory to the Victor"

* "Still Visible" by Jason van Wyk from "Inherent"

* "Incandescence" by E J R M + Unusual Cosmic Process from "Incandescence"

* "Low Motion (Dionisaf Remix)" by KapTep from "Exhale"

* "Kafka" by First Snow of the Year from "Hibernation"

* "Yielbongura" by Ozbolt from "Chasyng Drakens"

* "sixteen" by Stolace from "Jamuary 2025"

In today's program I have a ton of new tracks from new artists to The Relay Station scene and some pretty fantastic new albums as well. My two featured artists are new to the program but have been around for some time and both have simply remarkable albums that I want you to check out. In the first hour, I’ve got music from Tides who’s got a tremendous release out now on Whitelabrecs that is ruminative and introspective, and later on in the program, Jason van Wyk with a spell-binding new album out now on n5md.

Plus our conversational topic for today: What are some of your favorite settings to enjoy ambient music in? Do you have a sweet setup? Or throw on some ear buds and go on walks with it? Where do you enjoy ambient music? Let’s strike up a conversation.

I’ve got some fantastic tracks ahead — new music from Ben McCarthy, RL Huber, Rose Riebl, and many more ahead.

Strap in and make yourself comfortable, join us for the next two hours for global ambient music, on The Stolace Relay Station.

Featured artists

Tides https://t1d3s.bandcamp.comhttps://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com

Jason van Wyk https://jasonvanwyk.bandcamp.comhttps://n5md.bandcamp.com

Featured album /// “Where Her Flowers Still Bloom” by Tides

New from Whitelabrecs comes an eight-song album from Scottish ambient artist Tides. “Where Her Flowers Still Bloom” is a response to his mother’s diagnosis of early-onset dementia, the sort of plight that is difficult to express in words. Through his exploration of grief, fading memory, and the changes in relational dynamics, the album respectfully invites you to sit, and listen to his story conveyed through distressed audio, intimate sound manipulation, sculpted textures, and tarnished instrumentation. There’s a tangible feeling of grief coupled with love and longing, clinging desperately to that which cannot be held — it’s beautiful and heart-breaking, and leaves the listener in a state of reflection and gratitude. You’d be remiss to let this album pass you by. “Where Her Flowers Still Bloom” by Tides is available now on most streaming music services as well as at https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com.

Featured album /// "Inherent" by Jason van Wyk

South African electronic ambient artist Jason van Wyk has a new album out now on n5md that is inventive, intricate, and intense. “Inherent” is his sixth album, displaying a continued sense of progressive evolution and compositional prowess. The album escorts you through epic soundscapes, sinuous patterns and motifs, satisfying textures, and other meticulously woven elements throughout. Every listening session affords you with a perennial listening experience, picking up new strands of intrigue and fastidiously placed details in the wide stereoscopic space he’s created. It’s an album full of pleasant surprises, intrigue, and electronic bliss — one that you simply can’t afford to miss. “Inherent” by Jason van Wyk is available June 13th on most streaming music services, limited edition vinyl, as well as at https://n5md.bandcamp.com.

Playlist

* "Echoes from away" by Stokfisz from "Aether Drift"

* "eileen myles unrung phase" by Ben McCarthy from "decorative arts ii"

* "Telos" by RL Huber from "Dagos"

* "Hores" by Aries Mond from "Edge Angles"

* "Into Night" by William Thomson from "As It Goes"

* "Skies Have Fallen - Rose Riebl" by Rose Riebl from "DUST"

* "Fade" by Tides from "Where Her Flowers Still Bloom"

* "Begin Again [single]" by Six Missing from "Without Mind: Accept (EP) - part two"

* "Aerosol" by Vermilion Rhombus from "You'll See Me Through The Fog"

* "a sacred name" by anthéne + simon mccorry from "wellspring"

* "Particles" by Diogene from "The Ocean in Our Minds"

* "Untitled 2 [theme for a film]" by Brady Cohan from "Wash"

* "Memory Loss" by Edoardo Gastaldi + Le Code from "The Sleeping Oceans Vol.1"

* "Wisdom Of The Sky" by Ambiente Solstice + Billy Denk from "Stone Eclipse"

* "Poissons Rouges" by Aiko Takahashi from "The Grass Harp"

* "By The Gates" by Henrik Meierkord + Marco Lucchi + Pawel Kobak from "The Book of Dreams"

* "Shine" by Jason van Wyk from "Inherent"

* "Vara" by Sons of Melancholia from "Hyperliquid"

* "Remain, True" by ILUITEQ + Eraldo Bernocchi from "Fade, Remain"

* "Postcards" by First Snow of the Year from "Hibernation"

* "The Sun Erases Wet Footprints" by Adrian Lane from "Desire Paths"

* "Sketch #10" by Kilometre Club from "An Alphabet Of Distance (Deluxe Expanded Edition)"

* "Momentum" by Christian Alsemgeest from "End of Summer"

* "Surfacing to the iridescent firmament" by Spectrical from "Among Lunar Glaciers"

* "30" by Stolace from "Jamuary 2025"

In today's program we’re deviating ever so slightly from the typical format and taking a week off from the usual featured album segments, less talking, and focusing on a more seamless listening session. Our program today, dubbed Flow State, is a special mixtape edition of The Relay Station — featuring back to back mix sets of ambient, atmospheric, and neoclassical tracks — providing you an immersive listening experience from start to finish.

I’ve got some fantastic tracks ahead — new music from Thme, HERE, Spectrical, David Cordero & Rhucle, and many more ahead.

Strap in and make yourself comfortable, join us for the next two hours for global ambient music, on The Stolace Relay Station.

Playlist

* "those who saw him dance saw his soul" by Paul Beaudoin from "1514 Lee Street"

* "Anti Atlas" by Thme from "Anti Atlas"

* "Saturn" by Ashot Danielyan from "Awakening"

* "So Close" by David Cordero + Rhucle from "So Far, So Close"

* "Remain, Behind The Shadow Of Time" by ILUITEQ + Eraldo Bernocchi from "Fade, Remain"

* "Light of Another World" by Danielle Nia from "A New Light"

* "Humility Point" by Ozbolt from "Chasyng Drakens"

* "Calming Shadow" by Michael D. Tidwell + Piscean Daydreams from "Ghost"

* "N-acetylserotonin" by PJ HEN from "Rather sleep"

* "The Pianola Dreams of Its Former Glory" by The Bird's Companion from "A Place Outside of Time"

* "Energy" by Ed Herbers from "Confluence"

* "Tainted Moon" by HERE from "A Quiet Unease"

* "Threading glacial depths" by Spectrical from "Among Lunar Glaciers"

* "Losing Yourself in the Answer" by KapTep from "Exhale"

* "Cascades" by Jason van Wyk from "Inherent"

* "Melancholic Night" by Eguana from "Melancholic Night"

* "29" by Stolace from "Jamuary 2025"

The Relay Station is a listener-supported program. Consider becoming a free or paid subscriber today!

In today's program, my two featured artists have delightful new albums that are contemplative in their own right and invite you along for a reflective listening session. In the first hour, we feature the new release from Arrival in Eden on Ambient Cat Records that is ruminative and tastefully somber, and later on in the program, The Bird’s Companion treats us to a stunningly beautiful neoclassical album out now on WhiteLabRecs.

Also in the chat, our conversational topic for today… what’s your origin story with ambient music? When did you first learn about it, and who were you listening to? Let’s strike up a conversation!

Plus new music from Eguana, Flying Tulpa, Sonic Dream Machine and plenty more ahead.

Strap in and make yourself comfortable, join us for the next two hours for global ambient music, on The Stolace Relay Station.

I hope you’re enjoying The Relay Station! Please share this with your fellow ambient fans.

Featured artists

Arrival in Eden https://arrivalineden.bandcamp.comhttps://ambientcat.bandcamp.com

The Bird’s Companion https://thebirdscompanion.bandcamp.comhttps://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com

Featured album /// "Field of Memories" by Arrival in Eden

Arrival in Eden is out with a brand new full-length album out now on Ambient Cat Records. “Field of Memories” is the sort of cinematic album that so delicately captures the liminal spaces found only in the contents of our dreams and half-wakened imaginings of the mind. Maximillian, who operates under the name Arrival in Eden, has done a splendid job with his somber mix of cinematic string arrangements, delicate melodic felt piano, soft textures and atmospheres, and other evocative elements that tie it all together into a brilliantly moody album. This also serves as his first release with Ambient Cat Records, a fitting outlet for Arrival in Eden’s enigmatic brand of ambient music. For cinematic ambient fans, be sure to add this album to your playlists! “Field of Memories” by Arrival in Eden is available now on most streaming music services as well as at https://ambientcat.bandcamp.com.

Featured album /// "A Place Outside of Time" by The Bird's Companion

New from Whitelabrecs comes the transcendent nine-song neoclassical album from The Bird’s Companion. “A Place Outside of Time” is a discreet blend of neoclassical and ambient music with a hint of post-rock sentimentality — ornately layered with unconcealed and expressive felt piano, spacious guitars that weave in and out of view, and held together with a delicate minimalism. When I find myself immersed in “A Place Outside of Time”, I feel like I’m looking over the artist’s shoulder as they linger from page to page in a photo book of precious memories — each song a page from another place in time. It’s an album that you simply cannot pass up and is a must for neoclassical fans. “A Place Outside of Time” by The Bird's Companion is available now on limited edition gatefold vinyl-effect CD, on most streaming music services as well as at https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com.

Playlist

* "Broken Heart" by Eguana from "Doomed Love"

* "Accepting This Gift" by Flying Tulpa from "Forever Lost"

* "Fragile Forest - Solo Version" by Sonic Dream Machine from "Fragile Forest"

* "Deceitful Star" by RL Huber from "Hafgufa"

* "Willow" by First Snow of the Year from "Hibernation"

* "Secrets Are Behind Us (Solo Version)" by Winter Silhouette from "Left For History"

* "The Wind on Your Skin" by Arrival In Eden from "Field of Memories"

* "A wish for stars" by odysmod from "Reminiscence"

* "Event Horizon" by Ben Bertrand from "Relic Radiation"

* "February 6, On the Shore of Lake Ontario" by Kilometre Club from "It Doesn't Snow In Toronto Anymore"

* "Take Me To Somewhere Liminal - Remastered" by Ghost In The Loop from "Selected Soundtracks For Lost Media"

* "Soft Materials: Permanent Rose" by Sadie Powers from "Souvenir"

* "Pomegranate" by Moonfeld from "Spectral Worlds"

* "Northern Lights (Dionisaf Rework)" by Brannan Lane from "Northern Lights"

* "Chapter VI – Idealism" by Michael D. Tidwell and Piscean Daydreams from "Natura"

* "Tendril 4" by Leafblighter from "Vine"

* "Poudre a Couleurs" by Alexis Delozanne from "Acclimatation"

* "Take Shelter" by Morning Haze from "Between Wake and Sleep"

* "Lost Light" by Danielle Nia from "A New Light"

* "Unseen Footprints" by The Bird's Companion from "A Place Outside of Time"

* "Oscillating Perspective" by Philippe Deschamps from "Endless Vanishing Lines"

* "Vanishing Point" by Loneward from "Gossamer Wings of Illusion"

* "Flowing (Brannan Lane Rework)" by Ancient Astronaut from "Flowing"

* "Peaceful Glen" by Carl Lord from "Illuminated Expanse"

* "Zehn (10)" by Stolace from "Jamuary 2025"

The Relay Station is a listener-supported program. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

In today's program, I’ve got a whole slew of new artists and ambient tracks for you that you’re sure to love. My two featured albums on the program are worthy of your time and attention and come highly recommended. First up, I’ve got new music from First Snow of the Year with a new release out on Whitelabrecs that I absolutely enjoyed from start to finish; and ILUITEQ is back with another collaboration, this time with renown Italian composer Eraldo Bernocchi — it’s everything you’d expect from ILUITEQ and more!

Also in the chat, our conversational topic for today…new and emerging techniques and technologies used in ambient music — have you been exploring new ideas and techniques in your music, or as a listener have you heard something new and different that piqued your interest? Let’s strike up a conversation!

Plus new music from Jason van Wyk, Six Missing, Aiko Takahashi and plenty more ahead.

Strap in and make yourself comfortable, join us for the next two hours for global ambient music, on The Stolace Relay Station.

Enjoying The Relay Station? Share this episode with your friends and aquaintances!

Featured artists

First Snow of the Year https://firstsnowoftheyear.bandcamp.comhttps://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com

ILUITEQ + Eraldo Bernocchi https://iluiteq.bandcamp.comhttps://eraldobernocchi.bandcamp.com

Featured album /// "Hibernation" by First Snow of the Year

Drop what you’re doing, and give this artist your full attention. Belgian electronic artist First Snow of the Year has a new album out now with Whitelabrecs that is unmistakably enthralling. “Hibernation” is the type of album you’d listen to on repeat while watching the moon rise over the horizon, or day-dreaming on the shoreline, or pretty much any act that calls for a contemplative, dreamy soundtrack — I know, because I’ve done the very same. Though content to serve as placid background music, this album is captivating and lures your senses in effortlessly. The subdued piano, the near melodic bass, the mesmerizing synthetic layers, and the subtle intangibles that bring it all together — it’s the sort of album that you simply cannot pass up. “Hibernation” by First Snow of the Year is available now on most streaming music services as well as at https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com.

Featured album /// "Fade, Remain" by ILUITEQ + Eraldo Bernocchi

ILUITEQ is back with a new collaboration with renown Italian artist and composer Eraldo Bernocchi. “Fade, Remain” is a stunning eight-song album that will take you on an existentialist sojourn through the liminal spaces of departure, exploring the themes of one’s own egress to a new state, and the vacancy that’s left behind. ILUITEQ and Bernocchi musically escort you through deeply contemplative spaces with an album that is intimate, somber, and profoundly pensive, receding back to their drone-driven roots, and together with Bernocchi craft layers of rich textures, gritty veneers, ruminative bass lines, immersive field recordings, and wistful analog synth phrasings — a compelling album that is deserving of your time and attention. “Fade, Remain” by ILUITEQ + Eraldo Bernocchi is available now on most streaming music services as well as at https://iluiteq.bandcamp.com.

Playlist

* "If Only" by Jason van Wyk from "Inherent"

* "Become Am" by Six Missing from "Without Mind: Identify (EP) - Part One"

* "Vases À Iris" by Aiko Takahashi from "The Grass Harp"

* "The Near Edge Of Forever" by Ian Crawford from "Slow Pull on a Long Thread"

* "Sweet Silence (Solo Version)" by Fjordscape from "Inner Joy"

* "Myria" by Sons of Melancholia from "Hyperliquid"

* "Sail" by First Snow of the Year from "Hibernation"

* "Sacre" by Hiram from "Green Green Earth"

* "Serenity" by Ed Herbers from "Confluence"

* "Muselet" by Ghostmarble from "Bestmarble"

* "Electromagnetic pools" by Spectrical from "Among Lunar Glaciers"

* "The Battle Cave Biltong Robbery" by Ozbolt from "Chasyng Drakens"

* "Pulse of Light" by Danielle Nia from "A New Light"

* "Fade, In The Wind" by ILUITEQ + Eraldo Bernocchi from "Fade, Remain"

* "Hollow" by Michael D. Tidwell + Suseti from "Glow EP"

* "Moments of Shared Silence" by HERE from "Hues of Amber & Rose"

* "Through The Prism" by Ben Chatwin from "KLASIS"

* "Slow Rise" by Giannis Gogos from "Light Within"

* "Relapse" by Ross Christopher + Eddy Ruyter from "Neue"

* "Doux" by loscil from "Lake Fire"

* "Luminous Heart" by Arrival In Eden from "Field of Memories"

* "19" by Stolace from "Jamuary 2025"

Happy May the Fourth!

In today's program, we’re going to be celebrating the spaciousness created in ambient music. Yes, May the Fourth may have influenced today’s choice in music, but you won’t find any John Williams anthems here — just fantastic new ambient music. My two featured artists have some pretty fantastic music in their own right, creating a spaciousness of their own: M. Cross Dougherty has a new EP out on Heart Dance Records that brings a new interpretation to ambient music, and German artist Ozbolt hits my essentials list with his new album issued out through Whitelabrecs, it’ll take your listening session to new heights!

Also in the chat, our conversational topic for today… space soundtracks. What are some of your most favorite science fiction composers and film scores? Dune, Interstellar, and Star Wars have some of the most iconic scores — what are some of your favorites? Let’s strike up a conversation!

Plus new music Ben Kaya, Sinemis, Arrival in Eden, Will Bolton and plenty more ahead.

Strap in and make yourself comfortable, join us for the next two hours for global ambient music, on The Stolace Relay Station.

Are you enjoying The Relay Station? Consider becoming a monthly supporter today! Your financial contributions help advance the programming!

Featured artists

M. Cross Dougherty https://m-cross-dougherty.bandcamp.com https://heartdancerecords.bandcamp.com

Ozbolt https://andyaquarius.bandcamp.com https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com

Featured album /// "Interpretation" by M. Cross Dougherty

New from Heart Dance Records comes an experimental, four-song EP from electronic artist M. Cross Dougherty. “Interpretation” is a short collection of electronic compositions that were created and recorded on a vintage four-track cassette recorder, paying homage to ambient music’s electronic roots but with the modern era’s love and obsession with warm, analog tape. The album is rich with soft noises, warbles and tape flutters, variable pitch shifts, and all that you’d expect from cassette tapes, and the compositions have a drone-like quality, inviting you to sit back and absorb the synthetic resonance. The overall vibe of the EP is a slow burn, with a molasses-like evolutionary stride and patiently introduces progressive changes at a meditative pace — a perfect companion to your next flow state. “Interpretation” by M. Cross Dougherty is available now on most streaming music services as well as at https://heartdancerecords.bandcamp.com.

Featured album /// "Chasyng Drakens" by Ozbolt

New from Whitelabrecs comes a unique seven-song album from German harpist Andy Ozbolt, who operates under the moniker Ozbolt. “Chasyng Drakens” is one of those ambient albums that surprised me with each layer that bloomed, revealing itself the more I listened and the further I probed into the album’s history. Inspired by the Drakensberg mountains and the coastline of South Africa, along with some experimental field recordings involving a harp, a tree, and coastal winds, Ozbolt has crafted a truly unique listening excursion, a ‘time capsule’ of his travels. Along with field recordings, a wind-blown Celtic harp, and a variety of other instrumentation, Ozbolt has left us with an album that is worthy of your time and attention, and is an essential addition to your ambient music library. I can’t recommend it enough! “Chasyng Drakens" by Ozbolt is available now on most streaming music services as well as at https://whitelabrecs.bandcamp.com.

Playlist

* "grasp" by Ben Kaya from "Advanced Comp"

* "sleight of hand" by anthéne from "frailty"

* "It's Not Fate, It's You" by Sinemis from "Farewell"

* "Childhoods End" by Arrival In Eden from "Field of Memories"

* "Sumerian Green" by Arborra from "Mind Over Matter"

* "Solitude's Labyrinth" by Loneward from "Gossamer Wings of Illusion"

* "Interpretation III" by M. Cross Dougherty from "Interpretation"

* "Floating" by Ancient Astronaut from "Flowing"

* "Voyager 1 Departs Solar System" by Interstellar Data Unit from "Crossing The Heliopause"

* "Beneath the Peaceful Sky feat. Sean O'Bryan Smith" by Billy Denk from "Beneath the Peaceful Sky"

* "Liminal Space (feat Leif Wyn)" by Flying Tulpa from "Forever Lost"

* "talents" by andarctica from "measures of the old earth"

* "Quill" by Wil Bolton from "Slow Shapes"

* "If" by Federica Deiana from "Fragments"

* "Social Distance" by David Cordero + Rhucle from "So Far, So Close"

* "Exhumed" by Gregory Paul Mineeff from "Exhumed"

* "Peace Rain Prosperity" by Ozbolt from "Chasyng Drakens"

* "The Fairies of FernGully" by Michael D. Tidwell + Natureland from "The Fairies of FernGully - Imaginary North Transmission 010"

* "The Lights Below" by Le Code from "Vol de Nuit"

* "You Don't Have To Smile" by The Choir from "Translucent"

* "Forgotten" by Tides from "Where Her Flowers Still Bloom"

* "18" by Stolace from "Jamuary 2025"

Spread the love and share this episode with your friends and conspirators!

In today's program I’ve got some off-the-charts gorgeous ambient, neoclassical, and atmospheric gems in store for you — a little bit of ambient guitar, a set showcasing gorgeous piano work, and some other compositions that have become new favorites of mine. My two featured artists on the program deserve this moment in the spotlight — my first featured artist hails from Sardinia, Italy — Federica Deiana has a brand new release out on the Home Normal label, and Minnesota-based ambient guitarist Ian Crawford has a new release on Wayfarer Music that absolutely hits the spot!

Also in the chat, our conversational topic for today… memorable albums in the ambient genre. Most of us know the famous Brian Eno quote — ambient music being both forgettable and memorable — what have been some of the more memorable ambient albums that have stuck with you over the years. Let’s strike up a conversation!

Plus new music from Leafblighter, William St. Hugh, Thorny, The Bird’s Companion, Henrik Meierkord and plenty more ahead.

Strap in and make yourself comfortable, join us for the next two hours for global ambient music, on The Stolace Relay Station.

The Relay Station is a listener-supported program. Consider becoming a monthly sustainer and help the program grow!

Featured artists

Federica Deiana https://federicadeiana.comhttps://homenormal.bandcamp.com

Ian Crawfordhttps://iancrawford.bandcamp.comhttps://wayfarermusicgroup.bandcamp.com

Featured album /// "Fragments" by Federica Deiana

New from the Home Normal label comes the four-song EP from Sardinian-Italian composer and electronic artist Federica Deiana. “Fragments” is Federica’s third album with the UK-based label and feels like vivid moments suspended in time for us to experience in our listening sessions — each track with its own unique signature. The EP leads you through dreamy, contemplative moments of reflection, richly textured genre-defying motifs, evocative and overdriven peaks, and soft moments of introspection. Federica’s sense of freedom and the open landscape of her musicality shows in the end-to-end uniqueness of each track, approaching each composition with its own unique storyline. Perhaps that’s why I was left wanting for more, to hear more of her story in each unique phrase and line. “Fragments” by Federica Deiana is available now on most streaming music services as well as at https://homenormal.bandcamp.com.

Featured album /// "Slow Pull on a Long Thread" by Ian Crawford

Where to begin with the latest release from Ian Crawford? Ian’s latest release, “Slow Pull on a Long Thread” is some seriously high-end ambient guitar work. In fact, this album — in my opinion — sets a higher bar for ambient guitar music. Ian displays masterful levels of creativity in his compositional skills — every instrument, ever note and phrase has purpose, there’s a deep cohesiveness woven from start to finish, and the care and attention that he shows in the spaces between notes leaves me feeling at complete ease. There’s a sense of magic and wonder in this alluring and mystique-rich album that expresses itself with virtuosic levels of guitar, evocative and expansive ambient layers, and a beauty unparalleled in the ambient guitar genre. “Slow Pull on a Long Thread” by Ian Crawford is available now on most streaming music services as well as at https://wayfarermusicgroup.bandcamp.com.

Playlist

* "Streams And Dreams" by Niclas Lundqvist + Christian Alsemgeest from "Streams and Dreams"

* "Strange Beach" by Diogene from "The Ocean in Our Minds"

* "again a stranger" by anthéne + simon mccorry from "wellspring"

* "Vine" by Leafblighter from "Vine"

* "Concave" by William St Hugh from "To Forge a Darker Path"

* "Thoughts Mingle In Rain" by City Of Dawn + Rhucle from "Threads"

* "Departure" by Federica Deiana from "Fragments"

* "Crystals gleaming amidst cavern mists" by Spectrical from "Among Lunar Glaciers"

* "Unheard, Unseen" by HERE from "A Quiet Unease"

* "A Long Dusk (radio cut, part one)" by Thorny from "A Long Dusk"

* "An Imaginary Reality" by The Bird's Companion from "A Place Outside of Time"

* "By the Fire Safe and Warm" by Paul Beaudoin from "A Deep Winter's Snow"

* "Spatial Relation" by Naneum from "Dreams Remembered"

* "Fade, In The Dusk" by ILUITEQ + Eraldo Bernocchi from "Fade, Remain"

* "Go Home" by KapTep from "Exhale"

* "Savikalpa" by Ashot Danielyan from "Awakening"

* "The Long Thread" by Ian Crawford from "Slow Pull on a Long Thread"

* "String Drone Adagio V" by Henrik Meierkord from "String Drone Adagios"

* "Improv Session 20250313" by Stolace from "Improv Session 20250313"

BONUS Download!

Enjoy one of my improv sessions from March of 2025 — I think you’ll like this one. You can stream it right here, or download the mp3 file with the link provided. Have a great week!

Download the MP3

Thanks for listening to The Relay Station! Please share this episode with people you think might enjoy the programming!

PRELUDE /// Before I type up anything here and fire off the episode to be published, I wanted to take a brief moment to say a sincere thank you to everyone who has supported The Relay Station and my efforts here to promote all this fantastic ambient music and cultivate a community of amazing musicians and deeply appreciative listeners. Your support in the wake of last week’s tech debacle was encouraging. I’m glad that the interruption was simply a power supply gone rogue and not an all-out defunct computer. All those that donated — thank you. Those funds will all be appropriated towards a new computer later this summer (or sooner).

If you wish to show your financial support for the program, please consider becoming a monthly supporter today — head over to stolace.com/support/ and give at whatever monthly amount seems prudent to you. Your financial contributions go a long way toward helping me keep this truly independent programming afloat.

Thank you!

In today's program we’re showcasing the collaborative space in ambient music, turning the spotlight on some notable compositions in the ambient, atmospheric, and neoclassical space. My two featured collaborations both have captivating results from working together over vast distances. I’ve got a new album from David Cordero and Rhucle that is beautiful through and through, worthy of your attention. And Edoardo Gastaldi and Jay Brewer bridge the divide between ambient and neoclassical with their memorable album!

Also in the chat, our conversational topic for today riffs off our theme of collaborations. What in your mind are some of the essential components to producing an effective collaboration? What are some of your favorite artists that have worked together? Let’s strike up a conversation!

Plus new ambient music from City of Dawn & Rhucle, Ambiente Solstice & Billy Denk, Robert Rich & Luca Formentini and many, many more....

Strap in and make yourself comfortable, join us for the next two hours for global ambient music, on The Stolace Relay Station.

The Relay Station is listener-supported. Subscribe for free, or become a supporter today with your monthly donation!

Featured artists

David Cordero & Rhuclehttps://davidcordero.bandcamp.comhttps://rhucle.bandcamp.comhttps://homenormal.bandcamp.com

Edoardo Gastaldi & Jay Brewer https://edoardogastaldi-music.bandcamp.comhttps://jaybrewer.bandcamp.com

Featured album /// "So Far, So Close" by David Cordero & Rhucle

New from the Home Normal label comes a mesmerizing ten-song release from the collaboration between Spanish electronic artist David Cordero and Japanese ambient artist Rhucle. “So Far, So Close” is one of those ambient albums that seems to stand apart in a league of its own — the synthesis has a voice unique unto itself, the minimalist piano feels more like rain drops falling from a tree after a storm, and the warmth of the album radiates a tangible connectedness — between the pair of artists, their relationship with the world around them, and their relationship with music itself. One of the things I appreciate most about this album is the delicate use of minimalism and taking great care to only present that which is truly necessary — to speak volumes with the fewest of words. Suffice to say, I love this album! "So Far, So Close" by David Cordero & Rhucle is available now on most streaming music services as well as at https://homenormal.bandcamp.com.

Featured album /// "Atlantic to Adriatic" by Edoardo Gastaldi + Jay Brewer

There’s a new collaboration out between ambient artist Jay Brewer and Italian composer Edoardo Gastaldi — and it is absolutely sublime. “Atlantic to Adriatic” takes us through a musical communion between two artists from near opposite ends of the world with extraordinary ambient and cinematic music that has a deeply contemplative vibe, introspective with every note and phrase, and is in no hurry to lead you to the finish line. With delicate minimalist piano motifs, alluring and evocative ambient guitar phrases and patterns, and other tantalizing ornamental sonic elements, “Atlantic to Adriatic” is the sort of album that you can expect to take you on a trip through memory, nostalgia, and expansive soundscapes of the imagination. "Atlantic to Adriatic" by Edoardo Gastaldi + Jay Brewer is available now on most streaming services as well as at their respective pages at bandcamp.com.

https://edoardogastaldi-music.bandcamp.comhttps://jaybrewer.bandcamp.com

Playlist

* "Petrichor" by City Of Dawn + Rhucle from "Threads"

* "Stone Eclipse" by Ambiente Solstice + Billy Denk from "Stone Eclipse"

* "Expression" by Exit Chamber + Ed Herbers from "SELF-"

* "Drēamcræft" by Philamelian + Elif Yalvaç from "Sediments"

* "Lunar Illusions" by Mirai No Hagaki + TL30 from "Lunar Illusions"

* "Primordial Awakening" by Byron Metcalf + John Gregorius + Sean O'Bryan Smith from "Primordial Awakening"

* "Horizontal Line" by David Cordero + Rhucle from "So Far, So Close"

* "minus seven degrees" by Le Code + Scarless Arms from "Absolute Zero"

* "Wind In Trees" by Gollden + Willows8ng from "Bathe In Colour"

* "Calming Shadow" by Michael D. Tidwell + Piscean Daydreams from "Ghost"

* "Door of Ornament" by Robert Rich and Luca Formentini from "Cloud Ornament"

* "Beyond, Winter Sun" by Seaworthy + Matt Rösner from "Deep Valley"

* "Backing Within the Mirrors" by City of Dawn + Ross Christopher from "Empty Rooms"

* "Radio Interference" by Ghostloop + Atmøsphäre from "Exosphere"

* "Reposado III" by Thorny and Matt Borghi from "Fragments of Distance"

* "Amare" by Hollie Kenniff + Helios from "For Forever"

* "That Saturday" by Edoardo Gastaldi + Jay Brewer from "Atlantic to Adriatic"

* "Space" by The Humble Bee + Offthesky from "Here In, Absence"

* "The Kraken" by Michael D. Tidwell + Henrik Meierkord from "In The Depths of Dreadful Waters & Menacing Seas"

* "Music for Migraines (Part 5) (Le Code Remix)" by KapTep + Brannan Lane from "Music for Migraines"

* "Fed On Lilies" by Benoît Pioulard + Offthesky from "Sunder"

* "Beyond Sleep (feat. Stolace)" by Billy Denk from "Beyond Sleep"