by Ben Hogwood

It is relatively rare for Arcana to recommend a radio program, but we are more than happy to make an exception for this rather wonderful two-hour slot. Taking the reins are Cornelius and Terry Riley, with two hours of ‘handpicked tracks curated in collaboration…featuring field recordings made in Kyoto by radio producer and sound artist Nick Luscombe. This Ambient Focus special celebrates the Ambient Kyoto Festival (2023), featuring performances by Terry Riley and Cornelius, both based in Japan.

There is a delicate intensity to the first two tracks we hear from Sleepy Dragon and Raymond Scott, before the beautiful Dream from Ryuichi Sakamoto. Riley’s own Journey From The Death Of A Friend picks up a compelling, understated momentum, as does the colourful orchestration of Toumani Diabeté’s Elyne Road in the hands of the London Symphony Orchestra. To be continued…with ever more adventurous work from John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Julien Lage and Gyan Riley (The Forking Path), Terry Riley (The Harp Of New Albion), and Jon Hassell (the gorgeous if haunting Last Night The Moon Came). The mix moves to beatific waters with Cornelius’ own Dream In The Mist and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith’s Milk, finishing with restrained, thoughtful and exotic music from La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela, The Well-Tuned Piano in the Magenta Lights.

You can listen to the mix on BBC Sounds until the end of the year, here