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PGM 970 'WINTERSCAPES 2' : jan. 27 - feb. 3

The winter atmospheres range from airy transparent blues to dense monochromes; from brilliant sun to chilled mists, and skies overcast by sullen clouds. Winter drains the color from the landscape and leaves behind a subtle palette of grays, browns, and blues. And after the snow...a world of whites.

In the far north, the earth freezes hard and time seems to slow. It's a silent, contemplative environment that's inspired electronic musicians to create a sub-genre called "glacial and isolationist ambient."

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, we take a deep dive into the winter atmospheres on a program called WINTERSCAPES 2. Music is by ERIK WOLLO, MAX CORBACHO, IGNEOUS FLAME, PAUL VNUK JR.+OOPHOI, NETHERWORLD, and MARKUS REUTER.

[ view playlist ] [ view Flickr image gallery ] [ play 30 second MP3 promo ]

PGM 969 'CRYSTAL COSMOS' : jan. 20-27

Winter brings crystals called ice and crystals called snow. And in the music of the season, we find crystalline sounds, made by instruments of metal, glass, and quartz — crystal molecules all.

Whether bells, singing bowls, quartz crystal bowls, "glass harps" of tuned wine glasses, or the "glass harmonica" invented by BENJAMIN FRANKLIN — these instruments in the resonant percussion and rubbed autophone families are all made from crystalline
materials and share a sonic signature often called "ethereal."

They're beautiful, quiet and powerful, and want to be heard together. And that's exactly what we're going to do on this transmission of Hearts of Space called CRYSTAL COSMOS. Music is by WILLIAM ZEITLER, ROBERT TISO, DENNIS JAMES, YATRI, DANIEL LENTZ, and MICHAEL STEARNS.

[ view playlist ] [ view Flickr image gallery ] [ play 30 second MP3 promo ]

PGM 968 'ICE CASTLES' : jan. 13-20

Here in these early days of changing climate, our concept of winter may need some adjustment. While we're enjoying t-shirt weather in California, south Texas and Florida, other parts of the U.S. are getting hammered by record rain, sleet, and snow. It's a disruptive challenge for the entire country, and we may be dealing with a lot more of it in years to come.

OK, that's the hard news, but one of the good things about winter storms are the visual and sculptural effects of frozen water — ice crystals on windows, icicles on trees and buildings, and blankets of snow airbrushed on the landscape that transform our world into something magical.

Among the most magical of winter's artistic delights are ice castles. Whether naturally occurring where moving water meets freezing cold, or artistically created — ice castles are a yearly attraction in many cold weather climates. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, we search for the sound of frozen water, on a program called ICE CASTLES. Music is by KIRSTY HAWKSHAW, ANDREW LAHIFF, BRIAN ENO, MAITREYA, BETWEEN INTERVAL, MICHAEL KASTRUP, and JUSTIN VANDENBERG.

[ view playlist ] [ view Flickr image gallery ] [ play 30 second MP3 promo ]

PGM 862R 'ABSOLUTE ZERO' : jan. 6-13

In the brief days after the winter solstice, we pass the apogee of the yearly cycle of earth and sun, and plunge into the season of cold and dark. 

For our friends in Alaska and the Arctic north, the days become mere formalities. The distant sun struggles to reach the horizon, appears briefly, then retreats into darkness. Water hangs suspended in the blue-gray atmosphere, and we enter a world of deep, silent spaces, muted by fog and snow. 

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a journey to the quiet heart of winter called ABSOLUTE ZERO, with frigid electronica by JOHAN AGEBJORN, CRAIG PADILLA, JEFFREY KOEPPER, BROEKHUIS, KELLER & SCHONWALDER, STEPHEN PHILIPS, OOPHOI, PATRICK O'HEARN and STEVE ROACH.

[ view playlist ] [ view Flickr image gallery ] [ play 30 second MP3 promo ]