(Cover photo by Laurent Baheux) n5MD, an independent record label based in Oakland, California, has announced the International Animal Rights Day (December 10th) compilation “Fauna”, curated by Bordeaux-based composer Franck Zaragoza (A.K.A Ocoeur).

The compilation holds 11 tracks from contemplative ambient, over neoclassical, to emotive electronica and showcases some rising talent arm in arm with familiar names. All proceeds from Fauna will be donated to the French animal rights organization L214 and you can show your support now by preordering “Fauna” at n5MD’s Bandcamp page.

Bands included are Memory Noise, Stray Theories, ILUITEQ, Ocoeur, SineRider, Memory Scale , Zinovia, Shedir, Mikael Lind , Jason van Wyk and vssp.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Genre/Influences: Ambient, IDM, Cinematic, Experimental.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: This work resulted from the collaborative efforts between Sergio Calzoni and Andrea Bellucci (aka Iluiteq) and long-time active artist Lorenzo Montanà. The work and title are inspired by Ancient Greek culture and can be resumed as ‘emphasizing living in harmony with oneself and nature.’

Content: The work is mainly driven through Electro-Ambient music creating a wafting sensation. The long sound waves are inviting the listener to visit a dreamy landscape although darker parts are joining in. The album becomes really accessible by the addition of slow rhythms.

+ + + : I like this work for its sound intelligence and subtle sound treatments. There’s a minimal IDM touch which sounds in perfect harmony with the omnipresent Ambient input. So there’s not only harmony in the central theme of the work but still in its global production. “Pneuma” is my absolute favorite cut from the album but there’s something to say about each track.

– – – : From a pure personal point of view I would have liked to hear more IDM-driven elements.

Conclusion: This album is a meaningful and artistic achievement between experienced artists. It sounds a bit like visionary Ambient music.

Best songs: “Pneuma”, “Apeiron”.

Rate: 7½.

Artists: www.facebook.com/iluiteq / www.facebook.com/lorenzo.montana.52

Label: https://n5md.com / www.facebook.com/n5Mafia

About Iluiteq and Lorenzo Montanà

Iluiteq is an Italian ambient project founded by Sergio Calzoni and Andrea Bellucci, who have also released music under the names Red Sector A, Subterranean Source, Orghanon and Colloquio, combining sampling and synthesis with electric guitar, acoustic piano and field recordings. Iluiteq released the album “Reflection From The Road” in 2023. Lorenzo Montanà is an Italian soundtrack composer, sound engineer and producer based in Bologna who has been active since the 1990s, producing and arranging more than 40 albums across electronic, ambient, IDM, jazz, classical and rock genres; his solo debut, “Black Ivy”, followed in 2009, and his 2019 collaboration with Alio Die, “The Threshold of Beauty”, was Projekt’s best-selling release of 2021. “Katà Métron”, the pair’s first album together, was released by n5MD on limited white vinyl and digital formats on March 8, 2024.

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The Italian ambient duo ILUITEQ has collaborated with Bologna-based producer Lorenzo Montanà to create the Greek Mythology-inspired album “Katà Métron”. The album is set to be released by the Oakland based label n5MD on March 8th. It will be available on limited edition white vinyl and is now preordering at n5MD’s Bandcamp as well as their global presale partners Norman Records (UK), Deejay.de (EU), and Linus Records (JP).

ILUITEQ is an ambient music project founded by Sergio Calzoni and Andrea Bellucci. They have released several albums under various monikers and bands such as Red Sector A, Subterranean Source, Orghanon, and Colloquio. They use a mix of of sampling and synthesis techniques with parts of electric guitar, acoustic piano, and field recordings.

Lorenzo Montanà is an Italian soundtrack composer, sound engineer, and producer. His 2019 “The Threshold of Beauty” collaboration with Alio Die was Projekt’s most successful release of 2021,. Montanà started in the 90s, producing and arranging more than 40 albums across the electronic, ambient, IDM, jazz, classical, and rock genres. He released his first solo album (“Black Ivy”, 2009) and the 5-CD Labyrinth collaboration series with Pete Namlook on the label FAX +49-69/450464. His work as soundtrack composer landed in the trailer of “The Hunger Games 1 & 2”, “Blade Runner 2049”, “Coriolanus”, and more.

n5MD is an independent record label based in Oakland, California . The label primarily releases electronic music which focuses more on melody and emotion but also now releases music in compatible genres such as shoegaze, post-rock, IDM and electro-acoustic.

Check out a first preview below.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Electronic-ambient project Iluiteq is back with an all new album “Reflection From The Road”, out via Oakland based label n5MD on February 17th.

Loosely inspired by the book “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy, Iluiteq’s fourth album, “Reflections From The Road”, expands the novel’s theme, where human beings are overwhelmed by an ordeal that completely changes the course of their lives.

Here is the videoclip of the first single “In Danger”.

About Iluiteq

Iluiteq is an ambient music project founded by Sergio Calzoni and Andrea Bellucci, well known musicians within the Italian experimental ambient scene, with several albums released under various monikers and bands such as Red Sector A, Subterranean Source, Orghanon, Colloquio.

With the Iluiteq project the duo explores the many facets of ambient-electronic music. All the tracks have been conceived with a unique palette of sound timbres, making use of a wide range of sampling and synthesis techniques. Their sound is further enhanced by parts of electric guitar, acoustic piano, and field recordings.

The project’s debut album “Soundtracks For Winter Departures” was released in 2018 by the English label TXT Recordings. Shortly afterwards, The Ambient Zone/Just Music released the EP “No Longer Know (follow the light mix)”. At the beginning of 2020 the 5 CD compilation boxset “Nagual 5” was released by TXT Recordings, featuring four new Iluiteq tracks.

In 2021 the duo joined the Oakland based label n5MD and shortly afterwards released their sophomore album “The Loss of Wilderness”. During the same year Iluiteq collaborated with the art design company Lucid Creates, providing background music for their installation “Together”. In May 2022, the new album “The Light Inside, The Dark Outside” was released.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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