Desire And Discontent
The world became another since the release of »Decadent yet Depraved« and Belief Defect's reflection of it: now darker, political, honest - end times in Cinemascope. When the duo reunited in the studio after the 2 year fracture COVID inflicted on reality, the album that had been on pause all this time seemed insufficient against whatever life had morphed into, while humanity hid from itself. Finishing an album coherent to the present moment took prolonged studio shut-ins that proved to be as cat…
The Itself Of Itself
Huge Tip! *Limited edition of 400 copies.* Since 1983, Justin K. Broadrick (Godflesh, Jesu, Council Estate Electronics, The Sidewinder, etc.) has been producing largely solo, but sometimes collaborative, work under the Final moniker. Beginning as a more obviously power electronics-inspired project it has during the past two decades or so evolved into one which still retains that sonic intensity but has a more expansive sound. 'I Am the Dirt Under Your Fingernails' is the latest album, closely fo…
Caelum
Caelum is the third entry in an ongoing series of longform, loop-based sound sculptures from zakè (aka Zach Frizzell), sustaining the tranquil beauty explored on Unfurled Works (2020) and Deep Into the Unknown, We Shall Endlessly Roam (2023). Its four pieces were selected from more than two dozen sketches born out of experimentation in the quiet hours, and refined through Frizzell’s signature treatments, which conjure new worlds from antiquated means.
“Caelum (No. 2)” is led by a cycle of breath…
13
For its inaugural release of 2025, Past Inside The Present proudly offers a powerful set of new pieces from experimental ambient veteran bvdub (aka Brock Van Wey), simply titled 13. Across its duration, spacious arrangements nest in clouds of reverb, underscored by granular details and entrancing synth arpeggiations. According to Van Wey – a long time scholar of Eastern ideas and literature – every section represents one edict or idea from chapter 13 of the Tao Te Ching, the foundational text of…
A Juxtaposition Of Distant Realities
*300 copies limited edition* Paw Grabowski, known artistically as øjeRum, is a Danish visionary whose work exists in the evocative realms between memory, dreams, and the passage of time. Renowned for his intricate and meditative collages and musical output, øjeRum transforms fragments of vintage materials into timeless compositions that resonate with haunting beauty. His art invites viewers to engage with a dialogue of silence—one that whispers of loss, transformation, and the fragility of exist…
Tonarium Live
The Tonarium is an idiosyncratic instrument comprising of two sets of modular synthesizers: Serge by Random Source, and another one by Bugbrand, both of which operate alongside a mixer constructed by Piotr Ceglarek and Jan Dybata. This intertwinement facilitates precise control over audio and CV signals and integrates technology with analog sound, offering the artists a distinctive sonic palette to delve into.
There's no wifi in the barn
“… Seeing the deepest night still bright, waking up at 9pm to get in the zone. Its foggy landscape was a newly found home, a spiritual one we unconsciously yearned for. Feeling nostalgia from something new, here we instinctively use our most comfortable language to create.”
This project started from our visit to Hosanger, a suburban town near Bergen, Norway. Field recordings were collected all thoughout Europe; the Hosanger cabin, train track apartment in Düsseldorf, and more.Both grown up in mu…
Ancient Death Cults And Beliefs
Profound, ritual dark ambient and apocalyptic drones from Italy’s Sonologyst. The veneration of the dead plays an important role in mythology and (nature) religions. It is inspired by fear for wrath of the deceased, and by obtaining their council and favours. A large part of the religious life concentrated therefore around the death cults. This led to the erection of huge monuments (mastabas, pyramids, grave-temples, and rock-graves) in Egypt… but in ancient China, Mesopotamia, and India the dea…
Colluvio / Mutatio
*100 copies limited edition* This is two new pieces by Swedish trio Organ of Corti. Tape loops by Dan Johansson of Sewer Election/Enhet för Fri Musik etc and Mattias Gustafsson of Altar of Flies. Synths and mixing by Joachim Nordwall.
Not Around But Through
On "Not Around But Through", Portland-based experimental musician and tape wizard Amulets
navigates the process of acceptance and the tumultuous journey of looking within. Over the course of 8 tracks he explores the emotional path of moving through rather than circumventing, in the process soundtracking a purposeful desire to face trauma and vulnerability.
Infusing his trademark ambient soundscapes with ambitious blends of post-hardcore, emo, and metal, "Not Around But Through" connects the dot…
Skaeliptom
Sincere dysphoria is a disarming tonic, and 'Skaeliptom' is steeped in it, if not fortified by it. Quietly appearing on the Periferin label in 2013, Varg's debut recording presents with grave intent filtered through a pacifying melancholic haze. A remastered version now arrives on Northern Electronics.
Originally disclosed on cassette with a ziplocked excerpt of a cindered church, 'Skaeliptom' is a depressive tour of Varg's early experiments. As if bleached unconscious by northern winters, his t…
In Veil
Refracted's "In Veil" materialises as the third emission in the Titrate series. A gradual unfolding across six passages, each step a study in the dissolution of boundaries. Here, time becomes elastic - synthetic textures breathe alongside captured moments of reality, neither demanding prominence nor seeking refuge in the background. Percussion appears as memory rather than rhythm, while drones hover like fog over unknown lands. Cut to 180g vinyl and embraced by 350gsm reverse board, "In Veil" do…
Never Say When
A limited edition CD reissue of this classic compilation album originally released by Gary Mundy's Broken Flag imprint in 1987. Remastered by Puppy38, this also features two bonus tracks not included on the LP but only previously found on the even rarer cassette, this is a timely reminder of this fantastic archive document full of artists mostly still active in one form or another.
Iskra
*300 copies limited edition* Iskra is the debut album by Polish multi-instrumentalist and composer Olga Anna Markowska. Starting at “Dawn” and ending at “Dusk”, it is a journey of melancholic depth and true beauty filled with warm memories from what was & what could be.
Using zither, cello, electronics and occasional wordless voice, Olga weaves together something so affecting and under the skin beautiful that it is hard to shake, bringing to mind classics from artists like Jacaszek and William B…
2024 | Past/Present Compilation
To commemorate its most fruitful and diverse year of releases to date, the label trio of Past Inside the Present, Healing Sound Propagandist, and Fallen Moon Recordings is proud to offer Past/Present 2024, a compilation featuring more than three hours of blissed-out ambience, dark drone, gritty experimentation, and everything in between. Across its varied climates, tracks from legendary producers like 36, bvdub, ASC and James Bernard flow alongside those by mainstays like Slow Dancing Society a…
A Recasting of Indices
*Limited edition of 170 hand-numbered copies. All include an additional art card on 300gr satin-paper. Packaged in clear vinyl sleeve with folded insert* "The first thirteen years of my life were inscribed, in part, by movement. During these formative years, our family relocated on a nearly annual basis, each shift in space uncovering a new stratum of surroundings, faces, and questions of belonging. Despite the magnitude of these upheavals, it wasn’t until recently that I began to question how t…
Void Sessions
*Limited edition of 180 hand-numbered copies. All include an additional art card on 350gr satin-paper* "“Void Sessions” is an immersive sonic experience aiming to explore the boundaries of the listener’s auditory and emotional perception. The piece delves into the concept of emptiness, both in its physical and metaphorical sense, inviting the listener to immerse themselves in a sonic space where the boundaries between the tangible and intangible blur.
“Void Sessions” is a sonic piece produced i…
10th Annual Report - Anniversary Edition
"Unexplained Sound turns 10! Ten years of aural disorientation and exploration in the field of the most experimental and adventurous music from the international panorama, involving hundreds of projects from over 70 countries across the globe. A journey marked by passion and dedication, enthusiasm and effort, cultural exchange, and intellectual challenges. We extend our deepest gratitude to all the musicians, artists, technicians, listeners, labels, partners, and everyone who has supported us on…
If We Land On Water
These two are friends. You can tell. They converse with each other, musically speaking. They connect in the way that only really happens when words aren’t needed to explain what you’re getting at. You’ll know when you listen because you’ll hear the trust between them. No fear of self expression to be found here, it’s direct.
They’ve each done great things. Brilliant releases on wonderful labels of varying types, shapes and sizes. They might even have had a hand in running some of them. You can l…
Lume
*100 copies limited edition* Nitechord is an intercontinental ambient-tech duo that has so far issued only two remixes, but they emerge in full form on Lume, a début that extols the calm and mystery of night through mid-tempo pulses and shadowy whispers. Their initial cassette demo landed in Past Inside the Present's mailbox in 2022, devoid of credits or other biographical information, accompanied only by a brief quatrain:
“We hopethere is room enoughin your worldfor this work.”
Those original r…