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Written, performed and produced by Thomas Moen Hermansen @M57 Studios Asker Jan-Sept 2016

Published by Smalltown Supermusic/Sony ATV Scandinavia

Mastered by Schnittstelle , Photos by Ragnhild Fors, Design by Metric Design

After the slightly more conceptual "Principe del Norte"album, "5" takes two steps forward and one step back
collecting a batch of tracks that was recorded right after it's preceder and in tandem with the recent "Square One"album with Bjørn Torske.
A "freedom"album of sorts, beyond the slightly misleading album opener "Here comes the band" there's a variety in these tracks tracing inspiration from 35 years (unhealthy)obsession with all things "good music" played enthusiastically.
"5" also marks the launch of my new label "Prins Thomas Musikk".

A run through the tracks with a couple of hints to titles and inspiration:

"Here comes the band"
A planned album of a fake band consisiting of me only was ditched. This is their only entry...
Very loosely inspired by "Bandwagonesque"era Teenage Fanclub

"Villajoyosa"
Melodic ideas hummed into a handheld recorded and specific notes about instrumentation scribbled down while on holiday in Villajoyosa in Spain turned into this little ditty when back in slightly colder Norway.

"Bronchi Beat"
Made in bed during a rough patch of bronchitis. Heavily influenced by prescription cough medicine.
Orbe from Madrid made a dizzy techno version which comes out soon enough...

""
I find great inspiration in working on new ideas while travelling the skies. Partly inspired by a detour into the soundtrack of my early teens (Paul Hardcastle, Warp 9, Maze, Mtume...)this particular one was started on a bumpy flight home from Athens and later finished in my tiny M57 Studio(R.I.P.)

"Æ"
Another bronchitis-ridden idea. Slow and low is the tempo. Beat originally inspired by Brian Briggs "AEO", melodies beamed in from Wally Badarou.
"Æ"is the norwegian pronounciation of the A in Acid refering to the 303 screeches going through the "song"

"Ø"
By the title you might think I'm running out of ideas. Not sure what happened here and why...

"Lunga Strada"
The track that took me the longest to complete hence the "long road".
Personal favourites The Pilotwings from Lyon sent over 2 ridiculously good and fun remixes which will
be released on a separate 10"

"London til Lisboa"
Another idea made on a plane when I should have tried to catch some sleep.
Direction steered by Plaid and Pat Metheny. Thank you for the inspiration

"Å"
Initially the final track AND then: scrapped idea for the alphabet soup of "Principe del Norte".
Later evolved into what we have here. Comes with a really nice remix by Pional on a separate 12"

"Venter på Torske"
The final recorded addition to the album. Made while waiting for Bjørn Torske to reply on a text message...

"Aske Hermansen"
In all seriousness, this is probably as soppy as it gets with me.
Tears into my computer keyboard, made on the road missing my wife and kids.

2022 Repress

Our POP AMBIENT compilation series returns for its 2018 instalment, with series curator Wolfgang Voigt presenting another batch of hand-picked recordings from genre veterans and newcomers alike. The more seasoned among this year's contributors are easily identified by their individual artistic sensibilities, ranging from the morphing, organic rhythms of THE ORB's sample collages (on SKY'S FALLING) to KAITO's ethereal, trance-infused soundscapes (TRAVELLED BETWEEN SOULS) and MIKKEL METAL's intimate ambient songwriting (SHAME).
They join the ranks of Pop Ambient scholars such as MAX WÜRDEN & THORE PFEIFFER (co-authoring the sparkling PANORAMA), Magazine's JENS-UWE BEYER (creating rich drama out of cinematic textures on ATHOS) or Adjunct's KENNETH JAMES GIBSON (who pairs soaring strings with bubbly percussion on DISINCLINED TO VACATE). Pfeiffer can also be found working with genre mainstay LEANDRO FRESCO on opener SPLINTER, crossing the growth rings of the Pop Ambient family tree with a subtle, atmospheric collaboration. Another welcome return to the roster, Jörg Burger dusts off his iconic TRIOLA project last heard on Pop Ambient 2013 (KOMPAKT 269 CD 103) with the floating, echo-drenched cut L'ATALANTE.
After making his Pop Ambient debut on last year's instalment (KOMPAKT 365 CD 135), YUI ONODERA continues his exploration of deep, intricate string sounds on PRISM and NINE CHAINS TO THE MOON (CD only) - it's compelling material that shows the Tokyo-based musician and architectural acoustic designer as a strong addition to the Pop Ambient talent pool. He's joined by the two latest recruits to the series, both well-established artists in their own right: techno provocateur T.RAUMSCHMIERE flexes his drone muscles on the elegiac ETERNA, while pedal steel guitar maestro CHUCK JOHNSON creates expanding sonic spaces on the meditative BRAHMI - a uniquely immersive cut that draws from the idiosyncratic country post-rock he established on his acclaimed 'Balsams' full-length released earlier this year.
(de) Unsere POP AMBIENT Compilation-Serie kehrt für 2018 ins Rampenlicht zurück, natürlich kuratiert von Wolfgang Voigt, der auch für die aktuelle Ausgabe eine handverlesene Auswahl an Genre-Veteranen und Neuzugängen präsentiert. Bereits vorhandene Erfahrung mit der Mission macht sich unter den diesjährigen Beiträgen schnell bemerkbar - dank individueller Künstlerperspektiven,

von den organisch-rhythmischen Samplecollagen THE ORBs (zu hören auf SKY'S FALLING) zu KAITOs ätherischen Trance-Klanglandschaften (TRAVELLED BETWEEN SOULS) und MIKKEL METALs intim wirkendem Ambient-Songwriting (SHAME).
Im 2018er Line-Up treffen sie auf die neue Pop-Ambient-Schule, vertreten durch MAX WÜRDEN & THORE PFEIFFER (die gemeinschaftlich für das glitzernde PANORAMA verantwortlich zeichnen), Magazine-Mitbetreiber JENS-UWE BEYER (der auf ATHOS reiche Dramatik aus Texturen zaubert) oder Adjunct-Boss KENNETH JAMES GIBSON (mit aufsteigenden Streichern und sprudelnder Percussion auf DISINCLINED TO VACATE unterwegs). Pfeiffer findet sich ausserdem auf dem Albumopener SPLINTER wieder, eine subtile, stimmungsvolle Aufnahme, die er zusammen mit Genre-Wegbereiter LEANDRO FRESCO produziert hat - gewissermassen generationsübergeifend über die Jahresringe des Pop-Ambient-Stammbaums hinweg. Als weiteres altvertrautes Gesicht der Serie entstaubt Jörg Burger sein beliebtes TRIOLA-Projekt, welches wir zuletzt auf Pop Ambient 2013 (KOMPAKT 269 CD 103) gehört haben, und legt das durch die Wellen gleitende, echogetränkte

L'ATALANTE vor.
Nach seinem Pop-Ambient-Debüt auf der letztjährigen Ausgabe (KOMPAKT 365 CD 135) führt YUI ONODERA seine Erkundung tiefer, vielschichtiger Streicherklänge mit PRISM und NINE CHAINS TO THE MOON fort - zwingendes Material, dass den in Tokyo ansässigen Musiker und Architektur-Klangdesigner als besonders überzeugenden Zuwachs zum Pop-Ambient-Talentpool kennzeichnet. Zu ihm gesellen sich zwei Serien-Neuzugänge, die bereits äusserst erfolgreich an anderen Fronten tätig waren: der Techno-Provokateur T.RAUMSCHMIERE lässt auf dem elegischen ETERNA seine Drone-Muskeln spielen, während der gefeierte Pedal-Steel-Gitarrist CHUCK JOHNSON mit dem meditativen BRAHMI stetig wachsende Klangräume erschafft - ein herausragender Track ganz im Stile des eigenwilligen Country Post-Rocks, den er auf dem zuvor in diesem Jahr erschienenen 'Balsams'-Langspieler verewigte.

Following their much-acclaimed surprise debut album VERMONT from 2014, Motor City Drum Ensemble's Danilo Plessow and Innervisions' Marcus Worgull reunite for more synth daydreaming on the suitably titled II'. The new outing continues where the first full-length left off, strolling further down the luminous and undulating path that the duo turned into, influenced in equal measures by kosmische, krautrock, minimal wave and synth soundtracks.
This latest batch of instrumental cuts opens with the strictly balearic vibe of NORDERNEY, a softly swinging, light-footed recording with a keen sense for structure. Featuring a guest performance from Robbert Van Der Bildt (aka Kaap) on guitar, it's a telling starting point for the album that - similar to Vermont's self-titled debut - successfully navigates between economic, careful studio arrangements and playful, incidental exploration further pushing into jam session territory. Van Der Bildt's guitar returns on the plucky, curious UFER, where Vermont showcase a renewed sense for jazz-like improvisation - same as on the cuts DSCHUNA, CHANANG and WENIK, which also include contributions from Dermot O'Mahony and Tadhg Murphy on strings.
Still, Vermont's synth contraptions remain the album's main attraction, with the extensive array of gear encompassing an entire panopticon of analog bling - from Arp Oddysey and Moog Prodigy to Fender Rhodes, Juno and Prophet, list-studying gear heads will find lots to drool upon. Consequently, tracks like CHEMTRAILS, UNRUH or GEBIRGE err on the machine side of things, expertly interweaving arpeggiated sequences for maximum atmospheric effect. Foreboding, slightly menacing synth motives as on SKORBUT or CHEMTRAILS are perfectly balanced with the casual ambient of HALLO VON DER ANDEREN SEITE and the nostalgic warmth of DEMUT - while the gentle push of the masterful KI-BOU even carries a whiff of classic deep house, linking the Vermont project to Plessow and Worgull's main careers as dance floor movers and shakers.
Continually intriguing, immersive and texturally rich, each one of Vermont's new pieces betray the experience, precision and determination of the producers involved - while opening up Worgull and Plessow'a vocabulary for patient experimentation and subtle discoveries. A musical treat for synth aficionados - and everyone else, if you ask us.

For the second and last EP of Contemporary Spaces remixes, Dynamic Reflection welcomes yet another batch of talented producers to the label. Just like the first remix EP, it is a mix between household names, and up and comers. First off, it's Perc's interpretation of Glide. The UK based artist, who is known for his use of distortion and aggressiveness, takes it down a notch on this occasion. He has made Glide into a echoing and glitchy track that doesn't reach its energy peak until the last couple of minutes. Matrixxman takes overwith his Biohazard mix of Future Existence, which contains a tensive synth, confined by a filter that gradually opens,and than closes again, retaining your attention at all times. On the Bside, SHDW and Obscure Shape reshaped The Hunt to provide the first outright dance floor track of the EP. With its thumping kick and epic pads around the breaks, it's bound to win crowds over in the club. Dutch talent Ben Buitendijk also remixed Future Existence, in his own distinctive, hypnotic style. A deep, though energetic track with a very mature sound. Lastly, as a digital bonus, Matrixxman remixed Immersion as well. The subby kick, old school rides and uplifting lead, make it into one of those secret weapons, waiting to be used on the night's most workedup moments.

After nearly a year of studio silence, the painfully mysterious Berlin-based stalwart DJ trio ItaloJohnson announces its latest batch of unbelievable limited-edition, hand- stamped black label vinyls since - Too Deep Underground wowed nightclubs around the world in spring 2015. ITJ10's two tracks are equally liable to ravage dance floors in big rooms and intimate clubs alike with rave-ready stabs on the A-side, a throbbing bass groove on the B-side and typically expert drums throughout. Who needs Facebook, Twitter or SoundCloud when you've got the magic recipe to supreme, banging house and techno DJ tools

After "III" Dusty Kid is back with a new album that is a trip and homage through and for his native land, Sardegna. "The Arsonist" anticipates this trip from its most dramatic part, touching upon an issue that haunts the island every summer: arsons. Setting itself apart from the contemporary techno music trends 'The Arsonist Part II" delves into 90's trance, reminiscent of legendary Jam&Spoon and rave parties. An intense explosion of pathos reminding us of the glorious Loveparade to describe a dangerous situation, a desperate attempt to save the Sardinian land. The pathos peaks with "Doa" when the fire leaves behind utter desperation and desolation, ashes and smoke. "Doa" is another stage in this new journey for Dusty Kid. It is an emotional and melancholic stop, drenched in the magic of the spaghetti western genre, honoring Morricone that has always been the artist's idol. The track is dedicated to the date of July 18, 1983,  when in the north ofSardegna the worst arson happened; here 9 people lost their lives and 15 reported terrible burns in the attempt to extinguish the fire. This has later become the European date to raise awareness against forest fires. The EP ends on the balearic notes of "Serpentara', little abandoned island in the south east of Sardegna, that represents a small batch of land that is untouched by men, their doings and their fires. 'Serpentara' recalls the likes of "Sueno Latino', the summer of love '88 and Ibiza, when ravers wanted to take a break from the hysteric acid house and needed softer and dreamier sounds. Dusty Kid is back with a masterpiece that cannot be missed, a perfect soundtrack to the Summer of 2015.

Late Night Tales welcomes back the cult figure and ultimate musical connoisseur, Bill Brewster to compile his second episode of the curated compilation series 'After Dark'. An obscure and timeless DJled journey which begins somewhere out in the near ocean, the waves are rolling and lolling gently into the shore, while a full moon shines on the surface. It's only faint, but somewhere nearby is the sound of bass, pulsing slowly, almost in time to the waves. Welcome back to 'After Dark: Nightshift'. Once again Bill Brewster comes armed with a sensitivity and sense of occasion that few other DJs possess. Delivering another batch of slow cooked musical stews, making sure the tempo stays nice and steady and the emphasis is on funk, soul, grits and corn fried chicken, Brewster has done so much digging, Late Night Tales had to hire a forklift truck and tractor. Among the unreleased nuggets, there's the Fernando mix of The Detachments; inordinate excitement about Gino Fontaine, a tune spotted a year ago but has languished in Andy Meecham's Stafford catacombs ever since. Also unearthed are some hitherto secret recordings between Robert Fripp and The Grid, and there are also some proper club faves here, too, like the daft but brilliant 'Mopedbart' by Hubbabubbaklubb and the luminous 'Boutade' by Mugwump, as well as killer oldies like Salsoul Invention and General Lee