Start 2025 Right.

A couple of ambient masterclasses, psilocybin soaked Fourth World ritualism, classic acid tickled folk rock, Lithuanian folk futurism, leftfield downtempo & 80s aping post punk nodding earthiness.

And so 2025 begins, let’s make it a good one, although if history has taught me one thing then it’s largely going to be the same old shit just a new number, so I’d strongly advise ditching the doom scrolling, perhaps just check the news once in the morning, then get on with things that you can actually influence like personal goals, family, friends or even doing something positive on a local level - community is the new me. Change at the moment seems more likely to come from the bottom up than the top down, especially now the money men and politicians are emboldened enough to leave their gentlemen clubs and hold hands in public. Don’t let me stop you from having a crack at the bigger picture though, one of my favourite organisations is Client Earth, who are fighting lawyers with lawyers and aiming for legally binding change at local, national and international levels.

Personally I’ll be trying to find a bit more balance in my life this year. The last five months since the birth of my daughter have been intense to say the least - coming to terms with parenting responsibility, struggling bleary eyed through the bill paying day job and trying to keep TSMM rolling. Just before Christmas some of the plates started to fall and if the holiday taught me anything it’s that I need more of them, holidays that is, not plates.

The newsletter has been a real blessing and something of a time consuming curse. Its launch has surpassed all expectations with subscriber numbers now just north of 2000 after 5 months, so a BIG thank you to everyone who is tuning in. As the social media enshittification continues apace - I can’t wait for Meta’s AI profile proliferation, blog readership continues its steady decline and with Universal Music on a ruthless mission to decimate the independent music sector, that’s been steadily eating into its profits over the last ten years, to have this direct and meaningful connection to the musically curious and people on a similar wavelength is increasingly important. So once again, THANK YOU.

I’m not sure how representative TSMM is, but if you’re at all curious about the ratio of paying to free subscribers on Substack, I now have 15 paying subscribers. Whilst the dream of being able to ditch the day job is currently 210 shy of reality, Substack now pays for my new website hosting, email services, some music purchases, as well as Tidal, Apple Music and Soundiiz (playlist transfer and sync tool) subscriptions so I can make the playlists as accessible as possible. For someone on a relatively low income that is a huge help, so to the fantastic fifteen AN EXTRA BIG THANKS.

Obviously I’ve considered putting up a paywall, but the thought of hiding these lesser known artists that deserve more attention and who need supporting the most for financial gain, goes against all the work I’ve done over the years to support independent, alternative music. In this age of (hopefully) peak capitalism, it’s also a bloody minded “f*^k you” to the rat race rodents and our billionaire overlords, not to mention a curious exercise in human nature, although I’m fully aware of subscription fatigue and the lure of “free”. Ultimately I have to justify the cost to you, and I’ll attempt to do that in future newsletters by pointing you in the direction of some great music that might have otherwise passed you by.

I’m loathe to commit to a strict newsletter schedule this year, last year’s attempt at two a week was a bit stressful to deliver at times. As my normally diligent music discovery stuttered, one or two of the releases were a touch hurried and on reflection questionable. Ideally I’d like the process to be more considered and enjoyable, rather than a rushed attempt to provide content. Now the plates have smashed I don’t really want to start gluing them back together. Once a week, with the odd bonus during peak release periods sounds about right.

I’m also aiming to leverage TSMM in other ways, now that the project is fairly established. In my past Barcelona life I worked with some stores to provide background music, compiled CD compilations for a lifestyle chain and organised brand sponsored club nights. After serious thought I now have what I believe to be a compelling, holistic approach to music branding which, if I ever find time, I’ll be pitching to boutique hotels and ethical, alternative brands who wish to sound a bit different to their competition and are serious about integrating music into their marketing strategy. Message me for a chat if it’s something that your organisation is considering, or with any tips on otherwise amazing hotels that forgot their soundtrack and sound like an accommodation offshoot of Zara.

Anyway let’s talk music, especially as it’s been three weeks since the last newsletter. To make it up to you I’ve got a quick fire, bumper selection that mostly rounds up a few December and 2024 releases I needed to get off my chest before the 2025 deluge begins.

Lantscap - Fragile Peaks (Home Normal)

TSMM would be a lot poorer without Home Normal's impeccable curation and best in class ambient roster, so it was nice to see them dropping this statement of intent on January 1st. It’s a long form ambient joy, with label gaffer Ian Hawgood teaming up once again with Warren Forrest Kroll (aka Forrest, Dorosoto & High Tides) to fine, iridescent, patiently evolving effect. Simplicity, gentleness and purity are the order of the day here, and I couldn’t think of a better Sunday soundtrack if you’re planning to put your feet up.

Etelin - Patio User Manual (Beacon Sound)

Arriving a month after my daughter popped her head out into the world to finally have a look around, this release from Etelin unsurprisingly got overlooked, but I urge you to sink into it. It’s had repeated listens at TSMM HQ the last few days since my belatedly discovery.

The amusingly entitled Patio User Manual is beautifully crafted, and with an extraordinary level of sonic detail. Etelin, otherwise known as Alex Cobb and head honcho of the excellent Students of Decay and Soda Gong labels, blends field recordings, the odd acoustic instrument and gloriously ambiguous machine sounds to otherworldly, reality escaping and quite mesmerising ambient effect. It’s a magical place where electronic music not only imitates but synergises with nature, quite possibly to Anthropocene averting effect. Just wonderful.

Merope - V​ė​jula (STROOM)

I’ve been following Merope’s ascent from their more acoustic roots to folktronic royalty with interest for a few years now. Consisting of Lithuania’s Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė, who takes care of vocal duties and kanklės (yes I had to look it up too) and Belgian Bert Cools who’s responsible for guitars and electronics, the project has its roots in Lithuanian folk, revels in today’s golden age of musical fusion whilst gazing curiously into the future.

This latest album is another intricate and arresting listen, honestly they haven’t made a bad song yet and I urge you to dip into their back catalogue, but on V​ė​jula they’ve dialled up the electronic density and increased the cosmic intensity to create an ambient kosmische folk wonderland. Join the Lithuanian folk space program now.

Various Artists - TEN YEARS: A Retrospective Anthology 2014​-​2024 (Youngbloods)

Although I missed the first three years of their existence, I’ve been following Youngbloods with increasing interest ever since. Based in Brooklyn, they’ve been releasing, “leftfield downtempo music on new & archaic mediums” since day one, and have kindly introduced me to a whole heap of great artists through their efforts, so the least I can do is repay the favour and urge you to give them a follow and a like, especially as they’re so TSMM adjacent.

The first twelve tracks are defined by their daytime energy levels, well presuming you’re not a cross-fit instructor that is. Think neoclassical, ambient pop, freak folk, contemplative hip hop, jazz laments, outsider ballads and slowtronic waywardness. If you need something with a bit more oomph, the second half of the compilation sees more urgent electronic excursions, subwoofer worrying bass levels, late night soundtracks of varying intensity and some beat science.

The label has been ageing like a fine wine so I’m looking forward to the next ten years already.

Steven R. Smith - Triecade (Worstward)

Librarian Steven R. Smith is a man of many instruments and monikers (Hala Strana, Ulaan Khol, Ulaan Markhor, Ulaan Passerine, Ulaan Janthina for starters). If you like this release then you can find a repository of his works and start piecing together his solo catalogue and collaborative jigsaw, over at his website.

Triecade sees him variously playing guitar, bass, drums and keyboards to an enviously high level, and not only that, but managing to create that rare thing, a cohesive, start to finish listen. If you want some classic guitar rooted sounds that stand up to the 60’s and 70’s, and will still sound good in fifty years then don’t delay, hit play on this astrally inclined voyage into psychedelic folk rock realms.

Mystery Tiime - Maudlin Tales Of Grief & Love (Vicious Charm)

This debut LP from Mystery Tiime appeared in my Bandcamp feed recently courtesy of some trusted taste makers that I follow and on a cursory listen sounded good. On further investigation I was pleasantly surprised to find out it’s the new vocal project of Ayman Rostom, aka The Maghreban whose global dance music jot joining exploits I’ve been enjoying and shouting about for a while. The LP also sounds great, not just good.

Off the top of my head I can’t think of any dance music producers who’ve been brave enough to start putting pen to paper, let alone vocalising their deepest thoughts, and if there are then I doubt they did it to such good effect. Thankfully he didn’t take singing lessons and go all Chris Rea, preferring not to sugarcoat his deadpan, almost Terry Hall vocal style, which is actually just perfect for delivering these largely depressive tales.

Needless to say the production is spot on with hints of his dance music deviance littering the low lit 80s and post punk nodding instrumentals. Life’s not all enviable social media stories and I’m here for Mystery Tiime’s sonic realism and real talk.

Ak’chamel, The Crazed and Sunchalked Bones of the Vanished Herds (Akuphone)

In 2020 I described Ak’chamel, The Crazed and Sunchalked Bones of the Vanished Herds’ debut LP thus, “Ak’chamel inhabit dimly lit Fourth World backstreets where the false gods of neo-liberalism are sacrificed in psilocybin fuelled rituals on upcycled alters & questioning Americana floats effortlessly over borders to joyously copulate with North African & Oriental folk on Akuphone’s human folly circumventing trade winds”

If anything they’ve got weirder on their new LP.

DON’T FORGET THE PLAYLISTS

I’m guessing I’ll probably be recommending between three and four hundred EPs and LPs in 2025, but good, start to finish long form releases are seemingly getting harder to find, content has long supplanted quality. This is where playlisting comes in.

Often on pretty bad LPs there is a killer track and even average artists can have the happiest of accidents. I delight in dropping those tracks alongside the cream from more accomplished independent, lesser known and alternative artists into my twenty playlists that cover the worlds of ambient, house, new age, jazz, folk, dub, psychedelic, soul, global, electronic, pop, beats, Balearic and all sorts of genre ambiguity, on a regular basis.

If you use Tidal, Apple Music, Soundcloud, Amazon, Deezer, Youtube Music, Youtube or Spotify (boo hiss) then you’re in luck. I have profiles and replicate the playlists on all of those services. Hit the service of your choice or this smartlink to have a listen.