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PGM 1099R 'POLARIS' : feb.1-8

WINTER BRINGS CRYSTALLINE BELLS and metallic tones reverberating in chilled electronic soundscapes. In the far north, the long night sky fills with the hypnotic lights of the auroras, while infinite stars sparkle in the frigid air. Warm harmonies and fire in the hearth bring a sense of peace in an uncertain world.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space we set a course on the north star, with a wintry journey to the electronic north, on a program called POLARIS.

Music is by GEORGE WALLACE, ERIK WØLLO, BRYAN CARRIGAN, CHRISTEL VERAART, KLAUS SCHULZE & LISA GERRARD, OÖPHOI & PAUL VNUK JR., and JEFF PEARCE. 

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PGM 1132R 'POLAR FLIGHT 2' : jan. 4-11

We're flying over the north polar icecap — in winter, a dazzling wonderland of white and deep blue. It's a vast glacial world of snow and ice, fractal patterns shot through with veins of melting water. Ambient electronic music, with its chilled harmonies, slowly changing rhythm patterns and endless reverberant sound images, creates the perfect soundtrack for this spectacular landscape.

In the polar night above the Arctic Circle, the winter sun never rises above the horizon; only the hypnotic ion curtains of the auroras relieve the darkness, while the sounds of moving water and breaking ice punctuate the solitude. It's a contemplative environment of sublime majesty and depth.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a journey to the Arctic north, on a program called POLAR FLIGHT 2. Music is by ASCENDANT, YAGYA, BANCO DE GAIA, SIMON LOMAX, WINGS OF AN ANGEL, and EASYCHORD.

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PGM 1064R 'MAGNIFICAT' : dec.21-28

The great tradition of choral singing has a glorious history extending over thousands of years. Even in these diverse, multicultural, often secular days, the tradition endures because there is something deeply satisfying and essentially human in the sound and the practice of group singing.

Choral groups range from trios to 200 voice chorales; they're often unpaid and done purely for the love of it. The genre has attracted specialist composers in every era, some working within churches and religious institutions, others as solo artists. During the winter holiday season, we enjoy choral classics like The Messiah and traditional hymns and carols in sacred spaces from cathedrals to street corners.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, another sacred music journey from our longtime guest producer for classical and sacred music ELLEN HOLMES, on a program called 'MAGNIFICAT.'

From the Western Christian tradition, we have music by MOZART, HANDEL, CHARPENTIER, COUPERIN, GUERRERO, ANDREA GABRIELI and JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH; from the Eastern Orthodox sacred service, music by ANONYMOUS MASTERS, by ARCHBISHOP IONAFAN, NIKOLAI KEDROV SR., DIVNA and the MELODI CHOIR, N.FRUNZA, ANATOLY LIADOV, and OTTO OLSSON.

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PGM 1130R 'TOWARDS THE LIGHT' : dec.7-14

In the early days of December, we leave behind the trials and tribulations of the year past and focus on the annual rituals of the holiday season. In the shortest days and longest nights of the year, light itself becomes the theme, and an integral part of the year-end religious celebrations.

Whether it's traditional, commercial or spiritual, the music of the season takes on a festive, energetic air, culminating in the dazzling celebrations of the new year. It's a time for generosity, optimism, and hope.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space we celebrate the spirit of the season, on a journey called TOWARD THE LIGHT.

Music is by MATTHEW STEWART, SUBDREAM, FORT FAIRFIELD, DAVID HELPLING, TRENTEMØLLER, JUTA TAKAHASHI, STEVE ROACH & ROBERT LOGAN, BRIAN ENO, and MAX RICHTER.

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PGM 1028R 'SHADOWLANDS' : nov.23-30

Now there's a winning combination: the classic floating keyboard sound of German synthesist KLAUS SCHULZE, and the cor Anglais or English horn — actually neither English nor a horn, but an alto oboe, a member of the double reed family. They go together like peaches and...well, just pick your favorite food analogy.

While earlier artists often drew purist lines between electronic and acoustic instruments, today it's all fair game for the architects of space and Ambient music. And why not? It brings us the magic combination of unlimited electronic sound design, and traditional instrument expression.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space...a journey in the dark forests and electro-acoustic soundscapes of late autumn, on a program called SHADOWLANDS. Music is by KLAUS SCHULZE, HAROLD BUDD, CHRONOTOPE PROJECT, FRORE, DIATONIS, MARK BANNING, and DAVID HELPLING & JON JENKINS.

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PGM 1160R "ARCHAIC CONCERTS' : nov. 2-9

Hearts of Space was born and raised during the formative years of electronic music in the 1970s and 80s. Because we've been covering the ambient side of its evolution for over forty years, the program has often been associated primarily with electronic music. 

But since the very beginning, we've always given almost equal time to traditional, purely acoustic forms of contemplative, space-creating music, as well as "electro-acoustic" hybrids. The reason was simple: long before electronics, there were centuries of music from dozens of world cultures that not only offered profound listening experiences — they defined and set the standard for what music can be. 

To be sure, electronics opened up vast new tonal and expressive dimensions for contemporary music — but we still return to traditional acoustic music, sit in virtual palace halls on ancient nights, and drink from the source of musical language. 

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, contemplative sounds on venerable acoustic instruments, on a program called ARCHAIC CONCERTS. The title is taken from the 1976 debut album of the unique German musician STEPHAN MICUS, who inspired, and is featured, in this program. 

Music is by STEPHAN MICUS, MYSTIC JOURNEY, MICHEL BANABILA & MEHMET POLAT, HANS CHRISTIAN, DJIVAN GASPARYAN, and SHUNSUKE MIZUNO.

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PGM 1022R 'TIMELESS STRINGS' : oct. 5-12

From the prehistoric days of musical instruments, we have the flute, the rattle, and the drum; later, primitive trumpets and reeds; and from ancient Mesopotamia more than 4,000 years ago, early members of the chordophone family of plucked strings — lyres, zithers, harps, and lutes.

Stringed instruments have come a long way since then. In Europe, bowed strings were refined into the violin family we know today, while lutes evolved into the guitar. Music for strings developed along with the instruments, and Western classical music is rich with variations.

Among stringed instruments, perhaps the most versatile is the cello: a virtual solo string orchestra. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, contemplative music for strings with a focus on the cello, on a program called TIMELESS STRINGS. Featured cellists are JAMIE SIEBER, DAVID DARLING, JONATHAN HUGH, and MARTIN TILLMAN.

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PGM 1023R 'FALLING DARK 4' : sept. 28 - oct. 5

Descending into the autumn soundscape, we return to the slower, darker, burnished electro-acoustic sounds of the season: cello, piano, electronic keyboards. It's a time for descending progressions, dark drones and minor key harmonies, as the music echoes the shorter days and declining light after the fall equinox.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, an ambient journey for early autumn, on a program called FALLING DARK 4.

Music is by TIM STORY & HANS-JOACHIM ROEDELIUS, JEFF GREINKE, HAROLD BUDD, HERION, JEFF PEARCE, RICHARD BONE,  and from Finland, JANNE HANHISUANTO.

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PGM 1119R 'SUMMERTRONICA 7' : aug.31-sept.7

GLIDING IN in on sleek electronic waves, marking time with a subtle four-note sequence, drifting across ethereal atmospheres, and riding off on the solar wind. Yes, spacefans, we've arrived at that timely combination of chilled electronics and the season we call... SUMMERTRONICA.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, ambient electronics to cool your summer, on a program called SUMMERTRONICA 7. Music is by ASCENDANT, ROBERT RICH, BLUETECH, LEMONGRASS, and STEVE BRAND.

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PGM 922R 'SONG OF AFRICA' : aug. 24-31

The Zulu harmonies of LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO from South Africa have a special place in the history of contemporary music. Established in the 1960s, their fame in their homeland attracted the attention of American pop singer/songwriter PAUL SIMON, who went to South Africa to record with them in 1986. The resulting album GRACELAND sold 16 million copies, and arguably kicked off the 'world music' trend in the United States.

Of course, there's a lot more to African music. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, we immerse ourselves in the buoyant rhythms, earthy sounds and charming melodies that make African music such a delight, with songs by LADYSMITH BLACK MOMBAZO, HABIB KOITE & BAMADA, WILL RIDENOUR & BETSY BEVAN, SAMITE, KEVIN NATHANIEL, DAVID GILDEN, AYUB OGADA, and DANIEL BERKMAN.

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PGM 1121R 'DESERT REFLECTIONS' : aug. 17-24

After two centuries of novels and a century of films, the endless desert spaces of the American southwest have taken on a mythic identity. The desert has become a metaphor for expansion, infinite opportunity, and the wild frontier — the scene of rough justice and adventure, and a place for self-discovery and reinvention.

For Ambient musicians, the desert has long been a prime source of inspiration, a visual and spatial touchstone, a realm of vast vistas and profound silences. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, another journey in the sun-dried spaces of the American Southwest, on a program called DESERT REFLECTIONS.

Music is by STEVE ROACH, DAN POUND, D LOOP, BRIAN PARNHAM, and RUDY ADRIAN.

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PGM 1086R 'SUMMERFLIGHT' : aug. 3-10

One of the most successful innovations of the early days of popular electronic music was the "sequencer" — an easy way to make repeating electronic patterns. Beginning in the 1940s as a crude electro-mechanical device, it was refined in the 1960s by DON BUCHLA as part of his modular analog synthesizer. The sequencer was so musically useful that it was quickly adopted by ROBERT MOOG and soon became a standard feature of analog synthesizers.

Moog's legendary instruments were snapped up in the 1970s by cutting edge European musicians. In Berlin the artist behind (the music you're hearing), a young drummer named KLAUS SCHULZE, was a founding member of several early electronic bands before going solo.

The rest is electronic music history. The hypnotic rhythms that Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream and others created with their sequencers were so influential that the "Berlin School" style lives on today and enjoys periodic revivals. It's addictive, enjoyable music: for some, a descendant of Baroque counterpoint; for others, an infinite playground of music for virtual flight across electronic soundscapes; and for listeners, an appealing rhythmic music...without drums.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space...flying and floating on electronic rhythms, on a program called SUMMERFLIGHT. Music is by KLAUS SCHULZE, ASCENDANT, DITHMAR, CHRONOTOPE PROJECT, NATURAL FREQUENCIES, PETE NAMLOOK & DR. ATMO, ISHQ, and ALPHA WAVE MOVEMENT.

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PGM 978R 'FLOATING WAVES' : july 6-13

Of all the psycho-physical sensations produced by ambient music, perhaps the most widely enjoyed is the feeling of weightless floating.

Of course, there are other ways to achieve this sought-after state: scuba diving, for example, is an exercise in "neutral buoyancy," where the diver floats suspended in the water column, weightless and serene. And scientist JOHN LILLY and others famously promoted "floatation tanks" filled with body-temperature salt water for floating psychonauts.

At the extreme sports end of the weightlessness experience, we have roller coasters, tethered drops like bungee jumping, high pressure air columns, and diving planes with padded interiors.

But let's face it spacefans — music is safer and more accessible than all the others. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, we take an anti-gravity journey in the ambient soundscape called FLOATING WAVES. Music is by THOUGHT GUILD, CARL SAGAN's GHOST, JONN SERRIE, COYOTE OLDMAN, STU JENKS, and CONSTANCE DEMBY.

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PGM 1148R 'INNER RHYTHMS' : june 8-15

The trance rhythms of the Middle East, Asia and Africa are steady, continuous, and slowly changing. Rather than driving you forward like the ubiquitous military march beats of western rock, they patiently insinuate themselves on your nervous system, steady the breath, slow the pulse, and ultimately...transform your awareness. Psychologists call it "entrainment" or "dissociation." The rest of us call it enchantment, rapture, ecstasy, or euphoria. It's all part of the wide world of trance.

Trance rhythms have been used by priests and shamans in non-western cultures for centuries. More recently they've been rediscovered by western musicians seeking an alternative to conventional beats, used by so-called "minimalist" classical composers, and adopted by experimental musicians around the world for their psychoactive power and popular appeal. Trance is also a major genre of Electronic Dance Music, with mind-altering beats heard on dance floors around the world.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space...we're going to insinuate ourselves on your nervous system — in a good way — with soft summer trance music, on a program called INNER RHYTHMS.

Music is by JAMES HOOD, BYRON METCALF, LOREN NERELL, DREAM JUNGLE, and DON LI.

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PGM 1019R 'OCEANIC REALMS' : may 18-25

What's the biggest thing on earth? It's the World Ocean — the total salt water of all the named oceans: Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, Arctic.

The world ocean is the largest part of the hydrosphere— the system of water, atmosphere and time that gives rise to the water cycle, weather and climate. Over 70% of earth is covered by the oceans, with an average depth of over 12,000 feet. That...is a lot of water. So though we're not an all-ocean planet, we're definitely a water planet.

Everything about the ocean is almost incomprehensibly vast, deep and powerful. Little wonder then, that it's a major inspiration, theme and metaphor for Ambient musicians.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space...we journey across oceans of electronic sound, on a program called OCEANIC REALMS. Music is by MEG BOWLES, MOODSWINGS, DAN POUND, MAX CORBACHO, STEVE ROACH, IGNEOUS FLAME, and PATRICK O'HEARN.

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PGM 1108R 'VERNAL TRANSIT' : april 20-27

The arrival of spring is, as they say about the future, "unequally distributed."
While our friends in the northern states are enduring a last round of snow, the seasonal transition has been underway here in California for over two months.

Whatever your weather, after the grey skies and dark drones of winter, we're due for some spring spacemusic: light, airy, energetic, ready to venture out and enjoy the world around us. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, an hour of sparkling Ambient electronics for spring,on a program called VERNAL TRANSIT.

Music is by ASCENDENT, CONNECT.OHM, STATE AZUR, RAY SAMMARTANO, CHRONOTOPE PROJECT, and ISHQ.

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PGM 981R 'FINGERSTYLE 2' : apr.6-13

The complex, resonant harmonies of the acoustic guitar. Emerging out of Central Asia by way of North Africa, Spain and Italy, the modern Spanish-style guitar has become the world's most popular musical instrument. What, you might ask, is so special about six strings on a medium size box?

Well first, size matters. The guitar has a four octave range; it's flexible, yet small enough to be portable. Second, the acoustic guitar promotes a certain intimacy. Like the harp, it's an instrument that wants to be caressed. It's generally played with the fingers, which are always right where you need them. Finally, the guitar is versatile; it plays notes and chords with equal grace, can be simple or complex, and melts into the music of many cultures. In short, the acoustic guitar has made itself indispensable.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, another exploration of the acoustic guitar, on a program called FINGERSTYLE 2. Music is by DOUG YOUNG, TOMMY EMMANUEL, WALL MATTHEWS, STEVE GRAHN, RICH OSBORN, WILLIAM ACKERMAN, ALEX DE GRASSI, ESPEN JØRGENSEN, JOHN DOAN, and MURIEL ANDERSON.

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PGM 1007R 'TIME LAPSE' : march 9-16

The perception of time is as elusive as a subatomic particle. As soon as you concentrate on it, it changes.

Something similar happens in the contemporary music genre called Minimalism. Invented in the 1960s by composers looking for an escape from the bitter dissonances and static textures of academic Serialism, artists like LA MONTE YOUNG, TERRY RILEY, STEVE REICH, PHILIP GLASS and JOHN ADAMS created a new approach to composition that changes our sense of time.

Simplicity, silence, repetition, slowly changing phrases, continuous drones, modal tunings and hypnotic patterns created flowing textures and a meditative quality that's influenced Classical and Electronic, Rap and Rock. And the foundations of Minimalism were absorbed by BRIAN ENO in the 1970s and applied to the new language of electronics to create Ambient music.

Today the characteristics of minimalism are so embedded in contemporary music that we hardly notice them. And since the turn of the century, there's been a move to "humanize" the strict forms of Minimalism by adding back the melodic and harmonic sensitivity of Classical music.

No one has had more success at this than Italian composer and pianist LUDOVICO EINAUDI. As I said about him in 2008: "Like fine Italian food, fashion and design, Einaudi's music has a humanized opulence and sensual appeal. The elements are simple and often repetitive, but the effect is subtle, contemplative, satisfying, even profound."

On this transmission of Hearts of Space...the timeless sound of humanized Minimalism, on a program called TIME LAPSE.

Music is by LUDOVICO EINAUDI, JIM FOX, HAROLD BUDD, JERI-MAE G. ASTOLFI, and BRUNO SANFILIPPO.

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PGM 1004R 'ELECTRONIC NORTH' : feb.9-16

In winter, the kinetic rhythms, crystalline tones and subtle timbres of the synthesizer seem to resonate with the chilled landscape. Whether flying over silent fields, frozen lakes and snow-covered hills, evoking the latent energy of the sleeping flora, or sounding the deep notes of a cold and barren world — electronic music creates a soundscape for the season.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, an hour of superchilled winter electronica, on a program called ELECTRONIC NORTH.

Music is by CHRONOTOPE PROJECT, MARCONI UNION, CONNECT.OHM, OOPHOI & PAUL VNUK JR., and PATRICK O'HEARN.

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PGM 1135R 'OVERCAST' : jan.12-19

 

The typical winter atmosphere is muted and monochrome, under a sky of dense grey-blue clouds. Above, chilled vapor waits to return to earth as cold rain, sleet or snow. On the ground, it's a world of desaturated colors and diffuse shadows, punctuated by storms and relieved briefly by short bright days. Nature sleeps, awaiting the awakening of spring.

The sound of winter is slow, ethereal, subtle, with occasional accents of brilliant white or deep black. Bell sounds and the metal strings of the piano ring across the landscape, supported by profound dark drones.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, we ride the sounds of winter to a place of deep calm, on a program called OVERCAST.

Music is by BEN LUKAS BOYSEN, JANNE HANHISUANTO, LIBRARY TAPES (DAVID WENNGREN), BRUNO SANFILIPPO & MATHIAS GRASSOW, BIOSPHERE, and SIGUR ROS.

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PGM 1011R 'ELECTRON TRAVELER' : dec.29 - jan.5

Even in the early days, the pioneers of electronic music knew they were on to something special.

Here was a way of sculpting sound that made it like clay — something you could shape to your own creative vision. Today every artist can have electronic tools of almost unlimited power at their fingertips. We've had several generations of musicians tending the electronic vineyards, and these days the sonic wine is available in many varietals.

For example, "Downtempo" is a name invented in the 1990s to describe slowed-down, less intense electronic dance music. It's still beat-y but the atmosphere is chilled; rather than pumping you up, it floats you along with a relaxed vibe that leads to pure Ambient realms.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space...a journey from Downtempo rhythms to Ambient space, on a program called ELECTRON TRAVELER.

Music is by MYTHOS, AES DANA, HIBERNATION, MARCONI UNION, HEALER, and RADIANT MIND.

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PGM 826R 'TO THEE WE SING' : dec.22-29

The legacy of choral singing is never more cherished than during the holiday season, when it brings warmth and light to the winter darkness by opening the heart and feeding the soul. From the Christian churches and cathedrals of Europe and the U.S., to the Orthodox churches of Russia, central Asia, and the Holy Land, the human family gathers to listen, sing, and worship together. 

After more than ten centuries of evolution, some of the finest choral music has been written in the last 100 years by a special breed of contemporary composers, who respect and extend the tradition. 

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, another compilation of sublime choral pieces from our longtime guest producer for sacred and classical music ELLEN HOLMES called TO THEE WE SING.

Music is by ARCHBISHOP IONAFAN, NIKOLAI KEDROV SR., SERGEI RACHMANINOV, N.FRUNZA, GEORGIA KELLY, DOBRI CHRISTOV, GEORGIY SVIRIDOV, URMAS SISASK, MORTEN LAURIDSEN, and M.KONSTANTINOV.

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PGM 1129 'ELECTRON TRAVELER 2' : nov.24-dec.1

If you make music with conventional acoustic instruments, you know in advance what each of them will sound like; your sonic choices are in the combination of instruments and how they're played.

On the other hand, if you're an electronic musician, you have to choose or invent every sound you work with, a process we now call "sound design." These days there are pre-designed electronic sounds built into instruments and software, but the variety is much greater, and the choices...are endless.

So the electronic sounds you select or create are as much a part of your artistic identity as the music you make with them. And when it comes to ambient electronic music, you have to add the virtual dimensions of space and atmosphere. Taken together, these elements give electronic music its unique psychological character.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, ambient electronics for the fall/winter transition, on a program called ELECTRON TRAVELER 2. Music is by ENIGMA, SOLOMON GREY, NERVOUS_TESTPILOT, BIOSPHERE, MARTIN KENNEDY, CHRONOTOPE PROJECT, RUDY ADRIAN, TOM EATON, and DEEPSPACE.

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PGM 993R 'CATHARSIS' : oct.27-nov.3

We owe our Pagan ancestors thanks for their recognition of the special days of late autumn — a time of restless spirits, spawned by all things dark and fear-full.

The advent of the house of Scorpio each year brings the ambient genres of gloom, Gothic, and dark atmospheres to the fore. This music displays a romantic quest for strangeness, a taste for the ominous, and a fascination with death and decay that's appropriate for the fall season, even celebrated on All Hallow's Eve by fans of the macabre, the ominous, the morbid, and the diabolical.

It's a taste that's both aesthetic and cathartic: a willful immersion in our ancient limbic emotions of terror and fear. And (to look on the bright side of a dark picture) a reassuring exercise of our impulse for self-preservation.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space...a Halloween experience called CATHARSIS. Music is by CAUL, SCEPTRE, LIGHTWAVE, JOE RENZETTI, HAR, MINGO and BETWEEN INTERVAL.

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PGM 958R 'AFTERGLOW' : sept. 29-oct.6

In the golden days that follow the autumn equinox, the natural world enters a period of recession. The heat of summer often lingers while the light declines; the evening crickets sing their hearts out in a final quest for immortality, and the withering leaves crackle underfoot as the trees begin their seasonal transformation.

It's a time that calls for a special music: contemplative, melancholy, austere...beyond ambition. A music of pure tones and slow melodies — elegant, unassuming, suffused with quiet beauty. The classic combination of the piano and the cello sounds the season perfectly, with clear, bell-like notes ringing over a rich, dark foundation. For this sound, we return every autumn to the immaculate recordings of the German ECM label.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, sublime chamber music for the autumn transition, on a program called AFTERGLOW.

Music is by pianist KETIL BJORNSTAD with cellists SVANTE HENRYSON and DAVID DARLING, and French pianist FRANCOIS COUTURIER.

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