V.A. - Amulet Of Tears

The Lithuanian ambient mavericks Amulet of Tears are celebrating their 5-year anniversary with the release of this massive compilation showcasing the talent that has graced the grooves and tapes of their boutique label. Mutant Zones favourites Zhe Pechorin, Night Foundation, BODYXVIII, Script, and Volunteer Coroner all leave their mark, alongside a number of other acts new to me. Honestly, this is a fantastic project that demonstrates impeccable curation and a wholesome community. Happy birthday to the founders, I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next.

Buy the album here, and stream it in full down below.

Field Designer - Aesthetic Limitations

Lithuanian purveyors of the finest ambient albums, Amulet of Tears, secured the release of Greg Nunn's latest LP as Field Designer earlier this year. The cover art of "Aesthetic Limitations" might suggest dry, brutalist compositions lurking beneath - yet the long-play consists of nine tracks that, while embodying some of that raw craftsmanship, showcase textured aural landscapes that shift between ambient-noise, drone, and musique concrète.

You can still grab this album on tape here. Stream it in full below.

BODYXVIII - Closer

Fresh off the press, and likely the final release of the year from the Amulet of Tears label, is "Closer" by BODYXVIII. Layered with textures of field recordings, drones, and dark ambient soundscapes, the record feels eerily suspenseful and creepy. "Panacea" for example, could easily find its way onto a Twin Peaks soundtrack. Although the album's front cover depicts a desolate forest on a hill, the nine tracks in this project evoke the feeling of being composed for an industrial, haunted warehouse, where one can wander disorientedly through various rooms and spaces looking for exit (or survival). BODYXVIII created a great album that feels like it could score a 4D interactive experience.

"Closer" was released on lathe and tape, and you can get them here. Stream all nine tracks down below.

Anasisana - Transmogrify

Fascinating contemporary ambient record from Tbilisi-based producer and composer Anas Aissaoui aka Anasisana. "Transmogrify" is his debut album on Amulet of Tears, a rich blend of ambient soundscapes and droning textures that contribute to a vivid listening experience. From the early moments of "Reasoning", I felt like I was being transported to a tall forest, observing a predator slowly hunting its prey, and the feelings on anxiety, determination, and calmness are all embedded in the tracks that follow. To some degree, it reminds me of Ben Frost's epic "By The Throat". One to get lost in.

The album was released on super limited lathe records (sold out) and tape. Get the latter one here. Stream in full below.