ssg special - mike pollard / arbor

earlier this year PC suggested i check out the 'shades of grey' EP by pale blue sky. it was a new name to me, but i trust my fellow ssg, so i got a copy of the record. on the sleeve was written, 'intended for listening at a modest volume in a quiet room'. after reading this i had a feeling i was going to like it. and i did. after a quick look at discogs, i discovered pale blue sky is better known as mike pollard, the person who runs the arbor label. sometimes when we ask for a mix, it is because we've been following someone for a long time, but often it is quite the opposite: we are curious to learn more about an artist or label we don't know enough about. the three records i had quickly purchased from arbor had perked my interest and i was very keen to hear more from them. luckily mike obliged, and he has put together a mixtape of current and future releases from arbor records. what mike has constructed is perfect for where my head is at right now: careful, soothing ambient and synth sounds. what i like is the way this is music that can generate lost thoughts and emotions. in certain ways some of it reminds me of some of the old ambient music from the early/mid 90s, even though it is doing something quite different. anyway, i'm doing a bad job of explaining, just listen, it's beautiful.

mike pollard - arbor ssg special mix


01. ALEX COBB 'WISP'
     from forthcoming lp album "passage to morning"
02. EVERY HIDDEN COLOR 'PART 1 [excerpt]'
     from forthcoming lp album "luz"
03. MIRROR TO MIRROR 'LAUGHING AND UNDERSTANDING [excerpt]'
     from forthcoming c44 cassette "a personal reality"
04. PALE BLUE SKY 'SOMEDAY, SOMETIME [excerpt]'
     from split 12" ep with cloaked light
05. RENE HELL 'SURGERY'
     from forthcoming c20 cassette "lucifer pt. ii"
06. OUTER SPACE 'SCANLON'
     from self-titled lp album
07. THREE LEGGED RACE 'WHIPPED SECRETS I'
     from forthcoming split lp album with rene hell
08. RAGLANI 'FOR I.C.'
     from forthcoming double lp album "husk"
09. CONCERN 'MENDING [excerpt]'
     from forthcoming lp album "cæsarean"

since all the music is from new or forthcoming arbor releases, we didn't think there was much point delaying the tracklist. my guess is that for many ssgs these artists are going to be new names, just like many of them are for me. and that's a good thing. new avenues to explore!


for more information, check the arbor homepage. you can buy stuff direct there, or i've picked stuff on boomkat and other similar places. also the final track of the mix is from concern, who are touring with their new album. tour dates are here. they are playing in japan, and i'm planning to check them out on 12 october at super deluxe, tokyo. should be interesting.

thanks to mike for sharing this music with us. after labyrinth my head is sore and my body tired, these soothing sounds are just what i need. enjoy.