It’s a total win-win so head to the Hidden Shoal Store and check the specials on the front page. The sale ends on the 1st of Jan 2012 and some CD stock is very limited so do be quick.

Featuring Antonymes, Boxharp, City of Satellites, Elisa Luu, Hotels, Iretsu, Jumpel, Liam Singer, Markus Mehr, Mukaizake, My Majestic Star, Rich Bennett, Salli Lunn, Slow Dancing Society, Stray Ghost, Toby Richardson, Umpire and Wes Willenbring, Hydrozoa touches all the bases that make the Hidden Shoal roster unique, and massages them into a broad-ranging and utterly engaging whole. The release accompanied by a pdf booklet containing stunning artwork by Hidden Shoal’s Stuart Medley.

Download the sampler here.

Since starting up in Perth, Western Australia in 2006, Hidden Shoal has developed an enviable roster of genre-defying global and local recording artists. With 40+ acts from 10+ different countries ranging from the gorgeous neo-classical/minimal ambient of Antonymes through to the genius space-pop of Hotels and beyond the visionary team at Hidden Shoal continues to play an integral role in promoting exciting new independent music.

Stray Ghost – Part 4 Stray Ghost – Part 4

Stray Ghost – Part 4 Stray Ghost – Part 4

Stray Ghost – Au Revoir a la Belle Samaine  Stray Ghost – Au Revoir a la Belle Samaine

Nothing, But Death is the epic full-length reply to Stray Ghost’s widely acclaimed 2008 album Losthilde. On this immersive new release, Anthony Saggers mines the rich depths of melancholy and longing, crafting a slow, sad drift of distant melodies, cloaked in smoky ambience. The album signals further development in Saggers’ masterful handling of drone, minimalism, shoegaze, ambient and electro-acoustic music, leading the listener through highly emotive soundscapes, rich in cinematic sound design. This is music of almost unbearable poignancy and colossal scope that rewards deep listening.

True to its song titles, comprising ‘Part 1’ through to ‘Part 8’, including the single ‘Part 4’, Nothing, But Death is a complete yet perpetually shifting experience, taking the listener through half-remembered landscapes with slow, descending lump-in-the-throat melodies. Each rise and fall feels like a slow-motion chapter in some narcoleptic romance. And while the album is melodically rich, it never compromises its larger ideals and its over-arching sense of movement.

“Things just sort of came to a standstill when I began listening to Stray Ghost’s three-piece offering, Each Paradise Is A Lost Paradise. Anthony Staggers’ work will set you floating, relaxed and completely trusting, in the deeper waters of his slow, hushed drifts and dimly described environments…. Nothing is wasted here; every sound, musical or otherwise, is crucial and placed just so—and the attention to detail shows in how well the music stands up to a deep listen.” – Hypnagogue on the Each Paradise is a Lost Paradise EP

Nothing, But Death is available in CD and digital format through Hidden Shoal Recordings. Head to the Hidden Shoal Store for all CD and digital distribution info.

Stray Ghost – Part 4  Stray Ghost – Part 4

Luna Kafe

Stray Ghost – Part 4 Stray Ghost – Part 4

Stray Ghost - Reminiscences Et Reves De Beaute Stray Ghost - Reminiscences Et Reves De Beaute

The artwork looks beautiful and the album itself is truly sublime. If you need proof over faith then download the first cut from the album ‘Part 4′ for free from the Hidden Shoal Store. Also be sure to check out Stray Ghost’s recent release on the wonderful Dead Pilot label, An Avalanche of Swollen Tongues.

Elisa Luu – The Garden Elisa Luu – The Garden

This awesome EP is available in digital format from the Hidden Shoal Store.

Stray Ghost – La Belle Semaine Stray Ghost – La Belle Semaine

On his immersive new release, Anthony Saggers mines the rich depths of melancholy and longing. ‘Part 4’ is a slow, sad drift across a half-remembered landscape of distant drones, with a slow descending lump-in-the-throat melody, all cloaked in smoky ambience. Each rise and fall feels like a slow-motion chapter in some narcoleptic romance. ‘Part 4’ is a bittersweet taster for the forthcoming release of the long-awaited new Stray Ghost album Nothing, But Death in February 2010. The track follows on from the stunning Stray Ghost EP Each Paradise is a Lost Paradise released in October 2009 through Hidden Shoal Recordings.

“Of all the daring new punks giving old ambient stalwarts a run for their money, Saggers is at the top of the heap, a prime example of the refreshing and beautiful ambient renaissance of the past few years” – Jack Britton, The Silent Ballet

One of England’s most innovative sonic artists, Stray Ghost creates highly emotive soundscapes, rich in cinematic sound design and employing elements of drone, minimalism, shoegaze, ambient and electro-acoustic music. Born in Oxfordshire 22 years ago, Anthony Saggers has only been making music for three years, but has quickly received widespread acclaim. In August 2008, the label Highpointlowlife Records released Stray Ghost’s debut release, Losthilde, a semi-autobiographical exploration of lost love, which received glowing reviews and featured in Textura’s top-of-the-year list.

Dead Pilot Records released the Fabula/Sjuzhet EP shortly after, followed by the release of A House of Gold and Oak through net-label Phantom Channel, which showcased a greater compositional ability, and a more controlled, minimal approach. Saggers is currently living in Canterbury and is recording a collaborative album with Eugene Robinson, of the band Oxbow, and playing as part of the band Bardo Thodol.

‘Part 4’ is available for free download from the Hidden Shoal Store until the release of the new Stray Ghost album, Nothing, But Death, on February 16th, 2010.

Stray Ghost – Part 4  Stray Ghost – Part 4

Crushed and Reminded takes the listener on a multi-dimensional sonic rollercoaster ride, showcasing tracks from recent 2009 HSR releases. Moving from bitcrushed remixes through cinematic instrumental rock to deliciously mellow ambient electronica, Crushed and Reminded shines a new light across the breadth and depth of the Hidden Shoal landscape.

It includes stunning songs from 11 Hidden Shoal artists and bands: The Caribbean, HC-B, Sankt Otten, Hotels, Down Review, Tangled Star, Apricot Rail, Tarcutta, Sleeping Me, Elisa Luu and Jumpel. Dip in, then explore each artist’s album and EP releases to experience their full splendour.

“a gripping, adventurous and touching journey across their catalogue of ambient, shoegaze, post-rock and indie-rock releases. The perfect introduction for the artists and bands, or alternatively, the perfect sampler for those who cannot decide which of these fantastic bands to pay attention to at the moment” – Post Rock Community review of Limit of Maps, volume 3 in the free sampler album series.

Crushed and Reminded is available for free download from the Hidden Shoal Store, along with volumes 1 to 4.

Stray Ghosts – Au Revoir a la Belle Semaine Stray Ghosts – Au Revoir a la Belle Semaine

On his latest EP, Anthony Saggers works his magic in reverse. Rather than begin at the bottom, exploring the depths of melancholy, Each Paradise is a Lost Paradise is dominated by waves of rich, major-key chords, which seem to be simultaneously advancing and receding, suspending the listener. It is perhaps one of the most light-filled and hopeful of the Stray Ghost releases thus far. However, Each Paradise is a Lost Paradise is still frayed at the edges and cut through with vulnerability. Although reinforced by glowing, enveloping drones, there’s ever the sense that everything is about to fall apart – albeit beautifully.

Ten-minute opener ‘La Belle Semaine’ blossoms into life with wavering Mellotrons and blankets of rich synths. Halfway through, the music begins to disappear, before shimmering back into life with a tremolo pulse. Shorter centrepiece ‘Au Revoir à la Belle Semaine’ reprises the wavering Mellotron, but fractured by metallic tones and distant ringing. Finally, ‘Réminiscences Et Rêves De Beauté’ takes all the elements of the preceding tracks, aerates them, then sends the tape loop disintegrating into nothingness across another ten spellbinding minutes.

“Of all the daring new punks giving old ambient stalwarts a run for their money, Saggers is at the top of the heap, a prime example of the refreshing and beautiful ambient renaissance of the past few years” – Jack Britton, The Silent Ballet

Each Paradise is a Lost Paradise is the first in a special new series of digital-only releases by Hidden Shoal Recordings. The EP is available now in all digital formats, including lossless. For all availability information, visit the Hidden Shoal Store. The release of Each Paradise is a Lost Paradise is a precursor to the epic full-length reply to Stray Ghost’s 2008 masterpiece Losthilde, to be released by Hidden Shoal on January 27th, 2010.

Read a full press release here.

Stray Ghost – Au Revoir à la Belle Semaine   Stray Ghost – Au Revoir à la Belle Semaine  

HSL comprises the constantly growing catalogue of over 600 tracks from the critically acclaimed Hidden Shoal Recordings music label. This wonderful selection of music covers a broad spectrum of sounds and styles, from filmic ambient instrumentals through to inventive indie rock and beyond. HSL provides a unique one-stop licensing source, handling both the master and sync rights.

If you’d like to be kept up to date with all HSL news, please join our mailing list or keep an eye on the pre-launch HSL website.

Stray Ghost is Anthony Saggers, who was born in Oxfordshire 22 years ago. He has only been making music for three years, but has quickly received widespread acclaim for his work. His 2008 release, Losthilde (through Highpointlowlife Records),  a semi-autobiographical exploration of lost love, received glowing reviews and featured in Textura’s top-of-the-year list. The music of Stray Ghost unflinchingly explores the depths of sadness, with fleeting glimpses of peaceful joy and solitude. One of England’s most innovative sonic artists, Stray Ghost creates highly emotive soundscapes, rich in cinematic sound design and employing elements of drone, minimalism, shoegaze, ambient and electro-acoustic music.

“Of all the daring new punks giving old ambient stalwarts a run for their money, Saggers is at the top of the heap, a prime example of the refreshing and beautiful ambient renaissance of the past few years… At the forefront of his scene, Saggers is an artist with extreme vision and a definitive brace on the current ambient sound.” – Jack Britton, The Silent Ballet

Stray Ghost’s first release through Hidden Shoal is the sublime EP Each Paradise is a Lost Paradise, out on October 29th, 2009. Then on January 27th, 2010, Hidden Shoal will drop the epic Losthilde II, the reply to Stray Ghost’s 2008 masterpiece.

Read a full press release here.