The album includes the now iconic and seminal track 'Weightless' widely considered to be the most relaxing track in the world' with hundreds of millions of streams worldwide

"The world's most relaxing song: aural bliss" Time Magazine

"One of the most popular ambient tracks of all time" Yahoo

'Weightless' topped a scientific list of the most relaxing pieces of music of all time, research suggesting that it can slow the heart rate, reduce blood pressure and decrease cortisone levels

Continuous worldwide spotlight on this track sparks new interest daily in Marconi Union and all their music as the story continues its viral reach across the globe online and in print, on radio and TV.

Consistently topping the Billboard Digital Song Sales Charts, iTunes Electronic Music Chart, UK Independent charts, European and Australian charts and the Amazon Ambient Music bestsellers list, Marconi Union are considered one of the leading ambient (and electronic- synth) acts in the world, continuously topping many lists as the most important contemporary ambient artists around today.They have released 12 albums on the Just Music label since their 2003 debut, continually refining and developing a unique musical identity that seamlessly blends elements of dub, jazz, ambience and electronic music.

Originally released in 2014 and their most successful album to date, the band's 7th studio album Weightless (Ambient Transmissions Vol 2) is now to be released on vinyl.

The album includes the now iconic and seminal track Weightless together with 5 more tracks, the latter derived from the ideas of the former, simply entitled Part 1 – Part 6. The tracks are minimal, combining warm drones and drifting sounds with occasional sparse rhythms. The inspiration for the album came after the band were commissioned to collaborate with a sound therapist from the British Academy of Sound Therapy and write a piece of relaxing music, the first "Weightless" track. When scientifically tested for its effectiveness scientists reported that their research indicated that the music slowed the heart rate, reduced blood pressure and decreased levels of cortisol, a steroid hormone that is released in response to stress. When the research was made public there was an instant and intense media reaction which continues to this day.

"Minimal, introspective, ethereal electronica – gorgeous" The Guardian

"Exquisite, subtle soundscapes, an essential purchase for ambient addicts" DJ Mag

"Amongst today's most talented musicians" The Sunday Times

TRACK LISTING

Weightless Part 1
Weightless Part 2 
Weightless Part 3
Weightless Part 4
Weightless Part 5
Weightless Part 6

Marconi Union are considered one of the leading ambient and electronic-synth acts in the world, continuously topping many lists as the most important contemporary ambient artists around today. The Manchester band often draw comparisons with Brian Eno and Biosphere, perhaps Sigur Ros, but the graceful manner with which their richly melodic compositions unfold and the emotion these evoke sets them apart from their peers.

Signals is the latest addition to Marconi Union’s highly acclaimed discography. Despite having released twelve albums in the last eighteen years they continue to experiment and push boundaries.

‘In some respects Signals is a more traditional songwriting album than anything we’ve done before, but it draws on the same techniques we’ve used on our previous albums’

After their previous album, the largely beat-less Dead Air, one might think that Marconi Union would be primarily influenced by synth players or guitarists. However, it turns out that Signals was actually informed by the bands’ admiration of a number of different drummers and this played a significant part in helping shape its sound.

‘We were quite inspired by various players like Jaki Liebezeit, Clive Deamer and Tony Allen and tried to imagine what our music would sound like with them playing on it.’

Signals combines synthetic textures with organic sound, and merges the familiar with the unknown, transporting the listener deep into their imagination. The one-word title is both mysterious and evocative, suggesting a multitude of images that range from high-tech electronic messaging to ghostly abandoned radio stations and even that most basic level of human expression, body language.

It Is both ironic and yet somehow so right, that a group so regularly described as ‘enigmatic’ should make an album that alludes to communication. Although, long-term fans will be relieved to note that Marconi Union decline to enlighten us on what all this means.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
Cycles Repeat
The Halo

Side B
Blowback
Strata

Side C
Citizen’s Dream
Breaking Point

Side D
Looking Through The Ilex

Originally released in 2009 Insides is Jon’s third solo album. It paved the way for both Immunity (his hypnotic breakthrough solo album) and Diamond Mine (his collaboration with King Creosote) which attracted Mercury nominations and for his recently released fifth solo artist album, Singularity. The epic Light Through The Veins from Insides, which bookends Coldplay’s Viva La Vida album, is always a crowd favourite and is played by Jon as one of the closing tracks at almost all of his venue and festival shows. Small Memory, also from Insides has been streamed almost 57 million times on Spotify alone where Jon has 355, 462 followers and nearly 2 million monthly listeners.

Cited by The New Yorker as “One of the most celebrated electronic musicians of his generation”, electronic artist, producer and composer Jon Hopkins has forged a reputation for music that marries the dance floor to the devotional, and for live performances that are visceral, generous and charged with a rapt, sensuous beauty. Jon has remixed artists as diverse as Flume, David Lynch, Moderat, Disclosure, Four Tet, Wild Beasts and Purity Ring. Other projects include collaborations with Natasha Khan of Bat For Lashes and Bonobo, as well as productions for London Grammar and Coldplay. His film credits include his Ivor Novello nominated score for the indie sci-fi classic Monsters, The Lovely Bones (scored with Brian Eno and Leo Abrahams), How I Live Now, Uwantme2killhim? and Rob and Vanentyna in Scotland. He also scored the National Theatre Live production of Hamlet and his work has appeared in many films and adverts.

TRACK LISTING

The Wilder Sun
Vessel
Insides
Wire
Colour Eye
Light Through The Veins
The Low Places
Small Memory
A Drifting Up
Autumn Hill

Starting with the following year’s Under Wires And Searchlights, they’ve created an explorative body of instrumental work that’s shifted between electronica, dub, minimalism, avant-jazz and ambient music. Along the way they’ve collaborated with the likes of Jah Wobble, remixed Max Richter and Vök and provided soundtracks for art installations and other visual media. They’ve also had their own music remixed by Biosphere and Japan’s Steve Jansen, among others. The new album offers ample evidence of a band in its prime. Marconi Union still sound vital and original, enthused by the possibilities that music has to offer. “We’ve never wanted to repeat ourselves,” states Talbot. “We’ve made ten albums and have been going for 17 years, but it still feels fresh. That’s been so important for us all the way through. We’re looking to do new things all the time” co-founder Richard Talbot says.

Indeed, the exquisite Dead Air bears only a passing resemblance to its 2016 forerunner, Ghost Stations. The trio have dispensed with beats, brass and guest musicians this time around, opting instead for a more intimate and textural approach, a constantly evolving soundworld of tones and sensory impressions. Dead Air also bears little resemblance to the trio’s initial vision for it. “The album we set out to make had far more of a rhythmic element,” explains Talbot, “ but fairly late in the process, we decided to completely change direction.” This is entirely in keeping with Marconi Union’s guiding methodology. Ideas remain fluid throughout the writing process, until Talbot and bandmates Jamie Crossley and Duncan Meadows ultimately settle on what feels right to them.  As such, Dead Air is a sublime testament to their collective instinct.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Marconi Union have been a constant source of pleasure for me here, with their wonderful capability to imbue any sound with all sorts of majestic overtones and euphoric, airy ambience while still retaining a momentum and sense of progression. Lovely stuff.

TRACK LISTING

A.M.I.D.
Mossfield 
Imbalance
Permafrost
Fractured
Dead Air
Burned

‘Ghost Stations', the ninth studio album by Marconi Union, will be released in August. With Ghost Stations, Marconi Union’s music continues to straddle the world’s of artistic credibility and musical accessibility. They were not afraid to accept the challenge of making new music rather than just repeating their earlier work and were well aware of the risk of trying new things.

After fourteen years of writing and performing, the trio – founder members Richard Talbot and Jamie Crossley with keyboard player Duncan Meadows – are thought to be “amongst today's most talented musicians” The Sunday Times. They have continually steadily refined and developed a unique musical identity, gracefully blending together elements of dub, jazz, ambience and electronica within their richly melodic compositions, evoking emotions that set them apart from their peers.

Before making a record Marconi Union usually have a clear idea about its ultimate direction. But this time, they decided to set aside any preconceptions, they spent the last two years experimenting with playing, programming, editing, re-editing, (agreeing and disagreeing) until Ghost Stations naturally evolved. Once the title was decided upon, everything fell into place connecting ideas of abandonment, empty spaces and dereliction.

“We always want to move forward and try new things, there's no point in just treading water, so it was great to use a couple of guest musicians [Digitonal's Andy Dobson on clarinet and Girogio Li Calzi on trumpet]. Sometimes you need real playing, especially when it comes to feel”.

Over the last fourteen years, their studio albums, 'Under Wires and Searchlights' (2003) (“sonically immaculate” Uncut), 'Distance' (2005) (“one of the most successful ambient albums of recent years” The Sunday Times), ‘A Lost Connection’ (2010) (“minimal, introspective, ethereal electronica – gorgeous” The Guardian), ‘Beautifully Falling Apart (2011) (“places MU firmly in the vanguard of acts making atmospheric, ambient music” Music OMH, Different Colours' (2012) (“a work of be-witching beauty” DMC), and their last album, Weightless (2014) (“an ethereal sense of free flowing dimensions” DJ Mag), have brought them to the attention of larger audiences and international critical acclaim.

'How I Live Now' is the big-screen adaptation of the award-winning young-adult novel by Meg Rosoff, directed by acclaimed Academy-Award winning director Kevin Macdonald (One Day In September, Marley, The Last King of Scotland) and starring Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan (Atonement, The Lovely Bones, Hanna) as Daisy.

London based Jon Hopkins, a classically trained pianist who has collaborated with Coldplay and Brian Eno amongst others, received a Ivor Novello nomination for his score for the Sci-Fi classic, 'Monsters' and he also co-wrote with Brian the music for 'The Lovely Bones'. He also scored the Andrew Douglas / Bryan Singer feature film 'You Want Me to Kill Him'.

'How I Live Now' features the single 'Garden's Heart' by Natasha Khan (Bat For Lashes) & Jon Hopkins, a Jon Hopkins Remix of Daughter's 'Home' and Amanda Palmer 's 'Do It With A Rockstar'

STAFF COMMENTS

Philippa says: Includes his track with Bat For Lashes Natasha Khan, 'Garden's Heart', a remix of Daughter, Amanda Palmer & Grand Theft Orchestra's 'Do It With A Rockstar' and lots of electronic film pieces.

TRACK LISTING

1. Amanda Palmer & Grand Theft Orchestra - Do It With A Rockstar
2. The Field
3. The River
4. Rain And Ash
5. The Hawk
6. Distant Fire
7. Nightfall / Love Theme
8. Taken Away
9. Daughter - Home (Jon Hopkins Remix)
10. Escape
11. The Forest / Plane Wreck
12. Gatesfield
13. Hunted
14. Lost Map / The Hawk
15. How I Live Now
16. Natasha Khan & Jon Hopkins - Garden's Heart