AMBIENTLIVE ALBUMS

Here are all the various albums released by
Ambientlive, that don't have an 'artist' page.
You'll know you've been there..

Quadra
Entity
Ambient Ashand
Plus more ... SCROLL DOWN



QUADRA
Quadra is Brendan Pollard, Jez Creek, John Sherwood, Steve Humphries
This is a 2 CD set of very Berlin school music
First Contact

Quadra came about after Brendan Pollard (Rogue Element) invited
some friends around for a jam at the Rogue Element Studios one 
fine and sunny weekend in February 2006. 
Participants were Brendan, Steve Humphries (Create, Astrogator),
John Sherwood (Entity) and Jez Creek (Modulator ESP, Astrogator).
The jam turned into an improvised recording session, the fruits of
which are now available for release. 

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CD 1
 

1. Convergence

41:27

2. Pastorale 10:20

3. Starbirth 6:17

4. Heritage 11:01

CD 2
1. Emergence 44:19
2. Astral Plane 11:41
3. Callisto 5:45
4. Take-Off 12:20

HAMPSHIRE JAM 'JAM' 2006
The evening before the Hampshire Jam proper a group of musicians
got together to play new music in a Berlin school style
 

There were seven musicians in total but only three would
be on stage at any one time. One musician would leave 
(to come back later) to be replaced by a fresh pair of hands. 
The musicians featured on this 2 CD set are: Dave Gurr and 
Xan Alexander from The Omega Syndicat, Jez Creek and 
Steve Humphries from Astrogatore, Brendan Pollard from 
Rogue Element; John Sherwood and Stephan Whitlan


Scroll down for Review


CD 1
 

Parts 1 to 6

CD 2
Parts 7 to 12

ENTITY
Entity do not do studio albums, everything is a live recording.
They are definately on the 'edgey' side of the EM spectrum
Entity 1 Entity 2 Entity 3 Entity 4
This is the entire live set performed
by Entity at Awakenings in Leeds
on December 2nd 2005. 
This is the entire live set of over
70 minutes performed by Entity
at Awakenings in Leeds on 
May 6th 2006
Bootleg in name but this is a
soundboard recording of is the
entire live set performed by 
Entity at the Guerilla Zoo event
in London on 10 February 2007
This is the full concert recorded
at Awakenings on 19 April 2008.
This time with an RMI-esque 
encore piece

Tracks
 


Tracks
 

Tracks 

Tracks 
1. Fanfare 6:30 1. Part 1

14:28

1. Moderato

20:56

1. Maniac

13:19

2. Entity part 1 5:46

2. Part 2 17:49

2. Presto 12:17

2. Knobbly 9:09

3. Entity part 2 6:15

3. Part 3 16:54

3. Andante 11:14

3. Gentle 5:40

4. Flute 4:05

4. Part 4 14:55

4. Oriente 10:15

4. Bouncey 11:33

5. Spatial 6:19

5. Part 5 12:28

5. Allegro 16:53

5. Berlin 13:46

6. Clocks 7:18 6. Plod (Encore) 10:13
7. Deep 6:39
8. Space and Time 5:27
9. Finale 6:09

AMBIENT ASHAND
Originally a side-project of Cult of Ashand, Ambient Ashand 
is where John and Steve take on a much more mellow aspect, 
mixing laidback synths with ambient guitar work to create 
huge soundscapes that you can fall into and drift away
The Journey
Towards Ashand
Space Dub
Beautiful, detailed textures,
combined with wonderful melodies. 
The perfect music to chill to
Two wonderful rhythmic ambient
excursions separated by a long
beautifully made intermission piece 

Tracks
 


Tracks
 
1. Meditation

8:15

1. Space Dub part 1

23:46

2. Transference 13:21

2. Connection 16:11

3. Dimensions 17:31

3. Space Dub part 2 23:46

4. Arrival 13:52

ETHEREAL ELECTRIC ELIXIR
EEE usually consists of John Sherwood and Phil Booth
with guest guitarists such as Michael Daniel, Lee Shepherd
The Ritual Live
at Awakenings
Live at the Edge of Time
Here they play Sherwood's The 
Ritual in its entirety. Lee Shepherd
guitar. Awakenings 2009
CD+DVD set
EEE this time has guitarist Michael Daniel, recorded at Awakenings in 
Burton-on-Trent in 2010
CD + DVD set

Tracks
 


CD
 
1. The Ritual

58:09

1. Steelphony

16:37

2. Interval Divisibility 7:35

3. Plod 22:49

DVD DVD
Awakenings
performance

60:13

Awakenings performance

48:02

AMBIENTLIVE 2K1, 2K2 and 2K3
Live recordings from two concerts from 2002 and 2003
First was Ambientlive 2K2 from Lincoln UK, featuring 
four artist sets. Then the amazing Ambientlive 2K3 
event at the Notting Hill Arts Club on 31 May 2003
 
Ambientlive 2K2 Ambientlive 2K3
Four great sets from different artists.
In differing styles, melodic, edgey,
industrial, and IDM
4m33s and HyperEx Machina did
alternate short sets in a continuous
mix. The companion bonus CD 
contains more great stuff, including
a huge ambient jam track

Tracks
 


CD 1
 
1. Noise Kommandoh HyperEx Machina - NotCage, Dec Inc,
    Steel, Steelworks, Plasmastreams,     I am HyperEx Machina

    Steel Chimes, Steel Dream

4m33s - Atomsphere  

2. Stefan Koopmanschap

HyperEx Machina - Divine Flow

    269, Drugged with Morphine, 4m33s - Ritual part 4 
    Prelude to the End HyperEx Machina - Dark Ages
3. Ganzfeld 4m33s - Neuronium
    Kings of the Underworld,  HyperEx Machina - Lest We Forget,
    On a Wing and a Prayer     Herbs, Hyper13
4. 4m33s 4m33s - Daliesque Cloud Formation
    Whispers, Schulze, Bowser,
    Summer Rain, Rings of Saturn CD 2
1. Fanfare 5:16
2.The Afternoon 53:34
3. Atomsphere Electrons 12:31

AL2K1, AL2K2, AL2K3 Samplers
These are the samplers that were given at the three Ambientlive
events : AL2K1 Upstairs at Tthe Garage, London, AL2K2 Robeys 
Club, Lincoln, and AL2K3 at the Notting Hill Arts Club, London
You get all 3 samplers as a "bundle", These are in pvc sleeves, 
exactly as they were at the events
AL2K1

AL2K2 AL2K3
Improvisaties - Nun, Molenstraat HyperEx Machina - Vitriol 4m33s - Marsh-Wisps
4m33s - Cage

4m33s - Trance

HyperEx Machina - Divine
4m33s - Cage

Stefan Koopmanschap - IDM,

    Flow with Cold Joy
Ganzfeld - Come with Me,    Tribal Wars Stefan Koopmanschap - Wise
    Moments of Madness Stereofect - Magnetars in the Sky Negative Thought - Vacuous
HyperEx Machina - Midnight HyperEx Machina - Battles End
     Remembered Stefan Koopmanschap -
Skinstatic - Colliding, Sex Appeal     Drugged with Morphine
Stefan Koopmanschap -  HyperEx Machina - War Poet
    Alien Fly-By, Silent Running, Noid 4m33s - The Ritual part 4
    
REVIEWS
Quadra - First Contact

Quadra comprise four of musicians: Brendan Pollard, Steve Humphries, John Sherwood and Jez Creek. 
Deep reverberating drones and a bass throb provide a very atmospheric introduction for 'Convergence'. 
Little melodies shimmer over the top accompanied by soothing mellotron. A rapid sequence nestles 
perfectly amongst the other instrumentation. A second comes to join it and we are soon motoring along 
in energetic, head nodding, fashion. In the eleventh minute things wind down to soft tron. A little melody 
shines above it all, echoed by the mellotron. Soft meandering tinkling piano adds to the gentle atmos 
still further. The track then seems to spend the next few minutes searching for direction. A sequence 
can be heard low in the mix but that is where it stays whilst various lead flourishes come and go but 
without really making their mark. In the twenty first minute a more substantial sequence surges forward, 
mutating this way and that only to subside back to tron and piano a couple of minutes later.

We then get a section of pleasant atmospherics which gradually becomes more metallicly percussive 
and sparse sounding. Images of dank rat infested dungeons come to mind. A heartbeat sound can be 
heard, soft drones lightening the mood which becomes brighter still as wordless vocal pads give an 
ethereal presence. The heartbeat fades away and is replaced by a tinkling sequence, slow rhythm then 
more sequences as things surge forward nicely once more. In my opinion this track was good for two 
thirds of its over forty minute duration, it just had a bit of a dodgy middle section where things became 
a little aimless. Initially 'Pastorale' is wonderfully soothing, with gentle tron and flutey synth combining 
beautifully. A tinkling sequence emerges in the second minute, then a rhythm starts up skipping along 
nicely. Flute sounds are particularly effective but the other leads aren't bad either. Sequences become 
more prominent as things get increasingly energetic. 'Starbirth' acts as something of a fest for mellotron 
and string pads. A faint beat low in the mix gives a hint of structure rather than any driving force, which 
in the context of the track is a good thing but I thought the track lost its way for the last three minutes 
as layers of percussion etc were added that weren't really necessary and only resulted in the track losing 
its focus. 'Heritage' starts in a similar tranquil way to the previous track, dreamy vocal samples adding a 
little detail whilst a slow strangely comforting throb can just be heard low in the mix. A gorgeous way to 
finish the first disc.

The second CD starts with 'Emergence'. The first few minute or so are a little like 'Epsilon in Malaysian Pale' 
but then we get lots of twittering effects. A slow bass sequence starts up and I found my head gently nodding 
to it. We descend to electronic twitters once more in the eighth minute. Whining drones go up and down the 
sonic spectrum like an alien craft swooping high into the air then plunging Earthward. In the thirteenth minute 
a brace of sequences pick up the pace. They bounce off each other nicely, various 'melodies' coming and going 
over the ever-present tron. The sequences mutate beautifully but the lead lines were maybe a little over done. 
This stage of the track finishes at about the twenty-minute mark. Mournful plucked strings lead to a slow 
sequence (backed by more mellotron of course) then restrained drums and yet another sequence. Things 
quickly build to quite a head of steam before just as suddenly subsiding, allowing the musicians to regroup 
for the next sequencer based section. The swirling pulsations work well enough but the leads seemed a bit 
directionless to me. 'Astral Plane' is a slow dreamy track, the atmospherics working wonderfully along with 
a subtle bass line. From around the six-minute mark the pulsations become more prominent and things chug 
along very nicely. 'Callisto' is a lovely track featuring soft tones over fizzling pads. There's something rather 
melancholy, even spooky about it all. 'Take-Off' creates tension with the use of choral pads. The sequences 
slowly start to build developing into a strange sort of manic groove. It's like listening to some bizarre satanic 
ceremony 

David Law

Hampshire Jam 'Jam' 2006

On the back of the artwork 7 phases are mentioned. Each phase refers to a new change in line up but 
they do not relate directly to the individual tracks here (all eight of them). The index points are just put 
there to identify when there is a significant change in the music. Electronic twitters aren't exactly an 
original way to start a track but they certainly work for me. And these are especially good twitters! 
It doesn't take long before a tinkling percussive sequence starts up, soon to be followed my a more 
substantial melodic one and a real cracker it is too, sounding all rather 70s TD. A steady rhythm 
comes to join the pulsations then a lovely delicate little melody. A more substantial lead line flashes 
forth. The mood becomes much darker on the back of a very deep rumbling pulse. A menacing slow 
rhythm joins it, a sequence being heard very low in the mix. A moody lead plays over the top which 
is just spot on. I found myself closing my eyes as I blissfully floated along with it. This really is a very 
impressive opener. 

The Second Part commences moodily, a deep throbbing sequence starting real low. Mellotron comes 
to join it then the sequence mutates taking us to Berlin School heaven once more. The pace quickens 
as little dreamy lead lines shimmer away, adding that last finishing touch. If anything this is even better 
than the opener.

The Third Part starts with more mellotron, this time sounding all rather melancholy. Another sequence 
starts low in the mix as a Dysonesque lead strikes up accompanied by deep organ sounds that again 
reminded me of early to mid 70s Tangerine Dream. This Incredibly moody stuff continues through to the 
beginning of the next part. A rapid exciting sequence imparts a sense of real attitude. 
The Fifth Part takes things on with a feeling of menace as the sequence gains added oomph then morphs 
to become rather metallic. The sound of an owl can be heard then another sequence and tron become the 
main features whilst meandering leads fill the middle ground. The sequences start to play against and off 
each other. The Final Part of the first disc presses the Mellotron into even greater flourishes as mournful 
pads build to quite epic proportions. Again, two sequences duel against each other. The pulsation depart 
and we begin what I thought was a slow wind down but with two minutes to go the track erupts again 
finishing energetically.

The Second Disc starts, of course, with yet another sequence, a really nice mid 70s sounding one. 
Strange animal noises wail underneath. Low bass thuds add to the tension as we go through all manner 
of sonic stabs, mellotron choirs completing another extremely exciting homage to the golden era of analogue 
sequencer based music. The leads become increasingly euphoric in a rather Wavestar sort of way, getting 
the second disc off as impressively as the first. 

The Eighth Part begins with gorgeous ethereal wordless vocal 
pads. A delicate melody adds to the gentle, serene atmos still further then fades away. This time we have to 
wait about ninety seconds for the sequence to arrive. It is a sedate one providing a little gentle movement 
whist a second comes to join it- then a third bass one, rising and falling through the sea of pulsations like a 
whale breaking through the surface only to plunge down to the depths once more. Things become increasingly 
complex and exciting as we go- almost reaching overload but just staying on the right side of manic mayhem!
The Ninth Part gets underway with a slow relaxed rhythm giving space for some lovely mellotron flute to weave 
its gorgeous spell. Tinkling percussive piano adds to the beauty still further all topped off with groovy organ. 
Loved it. 

Part Ten continues on in a similar mood but is a meandering little number featuring tron strings until a sedate 
sequence gives a little structure. More mellotron is used but this time of the flute variety. We now get to the 
much meatier Part Eleven which brings back tinkling electronics then a period of float until things take a darker 
turn in the fifth minute. Subtly, it all becomes rather tender. A slow chugging sequence starts up but doesn't 
set the world alight.

The Final Part has a rather meditational quality as pulsation and loops mix. It then becomes a little more 
abrasive using a similar style of sequencing to the previous part. So, to sum up, there is some very fine music 
here, especially on the first disc and first half of the second

David Law

Ambientlive 2K3

We start with a very effective track 'NotCage'. A nice little 
melody stands in isolation echoing into the distance. A 
slightly overdriven bass twang comes to join it followed by 
lovely electronic shimmers. Soft drones take us into 'Dec Inc'. 
It's a rather relaxing piece with something of a symphonic feel.
Percussive piano acts as a bridge to 'I am HyperEx Machina'.
The tranquillity from before is still here but there is a slightly
edgier feel. A melodic guitar loop strikes up along with wispy
unintelligible chatter, pads swelling underneath. 

The baton is now passed from HyperEx to 4m33s as we float
into 'Atomsphere'. A tinkling little loop is the main focus
throughout the track though there is constant shift to the 
backing sounds. It all becomes quite hypnotic actually. 
For the next 5 tracks we alternate between HyperEx and 
4m33s so the baton is handed back for 'Divine Flow with Cold
Joy'. The pace quickens as a chugging sequence nestles in 
the middle of the mix. At about the half way mark we get a
passage of carefree drift before fore a squelchy rhythm takes
us closer to the end. 

On 'The Ritual Part 4', fizzing high register drones give way 
to a really big church organ sound which eventually fades 
back to atmospherics. At first all is quite calm and relaxed 
but tension builds with a hissing sound, sonic rumbles and
whooshes then metallic percussion, all going together to give
things a rather uneasy feel. Quite out of the blue, with just 
over a minute to go, in comes a quite delightful melodic loop. 
A lovely way to finish. 

`Dark Ages' is all rather moody with a repeated slow four note
motif providing some structure over which a rhythm bounces, 
the motif developing into a more substantial melody as we go.

'Neuronium' must surely have been inspired by the group as 
there are a couple of very familiar melodies in there that I really
should be able to identify but just don't have time to blow the 
dust off my old vinyl. I am sure they are fairly early though.
4m33s has put it all together very nicely. 

The next three tracks are all by HyperEx Machina 'Lest we
Forget' is a very pleasant track with a hint of melancholy. 
The lead line uses a curious sound, sort of half way between
keyboard and guitar. A shuffling rhythm picks up the pace 
nicely. '4 Seasonings extract (vl Herbs)' is a syncopated
track with a real mean edge. Quite a groove is developed, 
just wish it could have gone on for longer. Muffled explosions
get 'Hyper 13' underway, then throbbing electronic machine 
type noises and sonic twangs. An excellent lead and very 
quirky rhythm certainly gives it oomph. It's all rather fun 
actually, something I don't usually associate with HyperEx
Machina (sorry!). 

4m33s finishes the first CD with 'Daliesque Cloud Formation'.
A slow steady bass drum provides the base for a high hat line
then deep rumbles and other loops. A high register sequence
also joins in the party. It's all rather melodic actually. Lead
lines become more prominent as we progress, as does 
sampled text. 

This CD is by far the most accessible of any disc I have 
heard by either of these acts before.

The second disc is labelled as a Bonus Album and I did find
it a much more challenging listening experience.
Things start excellently with 'Fanfare' by HyperEx Machina. 
A very appealing melodic flourish issues forth then a rapid 
rotor blade type sequence comes to join it. Before we know
it the five-minute duration is up. 'The Afternoon (after the night
before)' combines both bands and begins with a rather urgent
sequence, though it is quite low in the mix. Things then speed
up, slow down and morph in various ways but it didn't really do
enough to keep my attention for its over fifty minute duration.
The final track is a different version of `Atmosphere', this time
by 4m33s. I still prefer the version from the first disc

David Law