hearts of space | news

PGM 849R 'THE FLOAT ZONE' : aug.31 - sept 7

Here in the days of "water cubes" and Olympic pools, summer is the time we renew our relationship with water. In ocean, lake, river and pool, we immerse ourselves in earth's most precious fluid. And when we do, one of the most agreeable sensations is one of the simplest: just...floating.

Floating is the goal-less, relaxed, "here and now" side of swimming. And it's also something we enjoy in space and ambient music, as we float in oceans and rivers...of sound. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a journey called THE FLOAT ZONE, with music by DARSHAN AMBIENT, AL GROMER KHAN, JAMES ASHER, BIOMUSIQUE, PARADISO and more.

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

PGM 950R 'RECUERDOS' aug. 24 - 31

The sublime nostalgia of Recuerdos de la Alhambra —"Memories of the Alhambra" — a classic tremolo study for Spanish guitar by FRANCISCO TARREGA. It recalls a golden age in the Andalusian city of Granada in the 13th and 14th century, during a perhaps more enlightened period in human history.

It was an era of some 800 years, from the 8th to the 15th century, when the Moors of North Africa ruled "Al-Andalus" (as Spain was called) and religious and political tolerance was the order of the day. Art, music, architecture and poetry flourished, and Muslim, Jewish and Christian cultures co-existed in harmony. It stands today as a shining reminder that we can, in fact, get along.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, music inspired by this great Spanish/Moorish/Mediterranean tradition, on a program called RECUERDOS. Music is by MILOS KARADAGLIC, ARMIK, AMINA ALAOUI, and THE AL-ANDALUS ENSEMBLE.

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

PGM 988 'STRATOSPHERIC' : aug. 17-24

Miles above our summer droughts, heat waves, fires and thunderstorms is a serene layer of earth's atmosphere called the stratosphere. Here the air is always blue, calm and cold — turbulence free and dynamically stable. And while jet planes can touch the lower edge of the stratosphere, the easy way to travel there is on ambient electronics.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, we ride the deep blue jet streams of high summer to the middle layer of the atmosphere...on program called STRATOSPHERIC. Music is by STEVE ROACH, DIRK SERRIES, DAVID HELPLING & JON JENKINS, PHILLIP WILKERSON, HAR, DAVE LUXTON and JUTA TAKAHASHI.

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

PGM 987 'AFROSPACE' : aug. 10-17

The polyrhythmic music of sub-Saharan Africa has a character all its own. Originally tribal and tied to the events of everyday life, as a result of the African diaspora it became a strong influence on music of the western world, including blues, R&B, jazz, and rock. These days it works both ways: western instruments and recording techniques now influence sub-Saharan music.

A case in point: this music by KOUAME SEREBA, an African musician from Ivory Coast who now lives in Norway, with Norwegian electronic musician ERIK WOLLO. They call it "African Ambient."

But there's always been a softer, slower side to African music, featuring melodic rhythm instruments like the kora, the kalimba, the mbira and the talking drum, and gentle vocals with an infectious lilt. On this transmission of Hearts of Space we look for the ambient and contemplative sounds of sub-Saharan Africa, on a program called AFROSPACE.

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

PGM 883R 'DESERT REALMS' : aug 3-10

The desert...a place where sun, heat, wind and sand conspire to make life a challenge for even the strongest organisms.

For humans, it's where civilization ends, and we confront the earth at its most elemental — vast space, rugged terrain, extreme conditions, contemplative solitude, and often, eerie silence. It's no wonder the desert continues to be a major source of inspiration for ambient musicians.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, another superheated journey in dehydrated spaces called DESERT REALMS. Music is by STEVE ROACH & BYRON METCALF, RUDY ADRIAN, BRUNO SANFILIPPO & MAX CORBACHO, and MARTIN, KLAMPT & ROWND.

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