#sonoton

[thesunlounge]

Alain Bergier - Light Breeze (from Silent Waves - New Age Music, Sonoton 1990)

[jonny-white]

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Listen to eight minutes of music from the Sonoton Library LP ‘Space Fiction’ (SON 106, Stereo, Germany, 1980)

Although the German music library Sonoton was formed in 1965, most of its recorded output floating around these days stems from the dawn of the 1980s and beyond. From the music on the records I do have, and the sleeves of the ones that elude me, I think we can safely say that Sonoton specialised in the contemporary, futuristic and progressive side of the ‘off the peg’ soundtrack business.

Much of this library’s music has an air of foreboding, menace, danger and desolation about it. As listeners, confronted with heavy percussion, electronic sound effects and synthesizers, we may find ourselves abandoned in a toxic wasteland, lost in a busy factory, plunged many fathoms into a freezing ocean or ravaged by the misuse of all manner of recreational drugs.

On this record we are flung into the eerie isolation of deep space accompanied by, according to the album’s rear cover overview, “Futuristic sounds with and without pop rhythms”. Well, thank goodness for the pop rhythms; when faced with the inconceivable vastness of the known, and unknown, universe (and one’s own undeniable insignificance) it’s nice to have something to tap a toe or click a finger to.

[moonsandmelodies]

Artists You Should Know / Claude Larson

Claude Larson (AKA Carlos Futura, Klaus Netzle) was a frequent contributor to the German library labels Sonoton and Selected Sound. Many of his albums focused on cinematic backdrops with a tech slant (plants, space, snow, fantasy) and early experiments with digital synths, being one of the first to make extensive use of the Fairlight CMI. As with a lot of 80s library music, his songs were an earlier example of the polished synth-pop/electronic sounds now popular with modern vaporwave/synthwave producers.

Several CL songs have resurfaced on Youtube in the past ten years. Aside from a Fiat LX reissue in 2018, though, they haven’t attracted the same attention as most of Youtube’s other revitalized 70s-80s favorites.

Youtube playlist

I’ve gathered my favorite Larson songs on Youtube with this playlist. Of course, the limits of Youtube's selection means I can’t aim for something ‘definitive’, but it should make a good sampler for the curious listener.

[moonsandmelodies]

Hidden Treasure / Sven Torstenson - Sky Odyssey (1987)

If you like Vangelis' 80s albums I can't rec this German electronic record enough. The diverse range of digital synth tones at play create images of cathedrals, nature, dark evenings and here, a 'flight of no return'. Two songs even imitate Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata which happens to be one of my favorite classical pieces. I have to say that this song’s title is accurate since the song closely combines a dramatic, airborne feel with suspense. The full album is hard to find, but a few other songs are on Youtube.

[dialoogid]

John Epping - Nice and Gentle (1987)

[aardwolfpack]

I couldn't remember the title, or the artist, or the collection where I discovered it, but I managed to find this song again. I'm sharing it on Tumblr in case I lose it again.

[srortegon]

Review of my album #LatinBoogaloo by Daniel Mariscal, for Javeriana Estéreo Cali. Reseña de mi álbum #LatinBoogaloo hecha por Daniel Mariscal, para Javeriana Estéreo Cali. Click en el minuto 1:51. https://soundcloud.com/bajofondoradioclub/latin-fusion-seleccion-bajo-fondo-radio-club?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing #LatinBoogaloo #Sync #Sonoton #Deutschland #cali #Chacha #salsa #LatinFusion #boogaflow (at Javeriana Cali) https://www.instagram.com/p/CgHfn0vgayc/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[doseprod]

CRUSHING

Album Title: CRUSHING Client: Sonoton Music Cat number: STT066 Description: Hybrid Rock action for trailer, promos, games, sports and all things epic. Massive grooves, driving intensity, dynamic sound design, synth and power rock guitars. Hits, edit points, downers, rises, short interludes and captivating endings. Music composers: Udi Harpaz, Or Kribos, Tiran Ezra, Elram Yerach. Project: Album Artwork Designer: Mr DOSE

https://www.sonoton.com/en/album/STT0066/