Currently listening to: Cmon (LATIN MAFIA, KatzPascale, Fred edit) by Fred again.. & Brian Eno
Hello, friend.
Lately, the words have filled my lungs like air. Their oxygen rushes from my alveoli into my blood, flooding straight to my brain, a linguistic, nitrous-like headrush. In shallow trances, my fingers dance on pencil legs, prescribing the striking of my fancy for the day.
Here they come now, riding on the wind like horses from heaven—though on darker nights they may arrive like bats out of hell. I hear their hoofbeats in rhythm, their patterns of intention. They require only my ears for the listening and my hands for posterity. Mark them now, I must. Otherwise, in a gust, they will swiftly breeze by, never to be seen again by eyes beside mine.
I’ll share with you now, my friend, a stringing of these words. It took form on Tuesday amid a circle of sorcerers, a coven of conjurers channeling this enchanted air. Read it and tell me—who do you see?
Born again
The day you’re Born again I'll be dying To see you Whenever that may be Wherever, however Whoever sets you free Or brings you back to me And even if it seems It was the other way around As long as you're no longer lost Then I will be found In songs that sound like What you liked I like to find The highest note I send my voice Up ladders 'til It flies off key And freely floats For up there In the shaky air I'm taken by your face It's the only place I remember why I think of you and never cry
***
There is one thing more that I must share before the music starts. A stage, a crowd, a set of spotlights shining down. My words from years ago were flowing outward from my mouth. An ancient dream of moonlight, of this life and our mysterious meaning. Listen closely now as I speak it out and tell me what you are seeing:
Moonlight Bounce (recited at Boonton Coffee Company’s Literary Open Mic, July 16, 2026)
The Living Music List
Hello again, friend. I hope you enjoyed today’s poems—and I hope you saw and felt something meaningful in my words.
Before we get to our usual new music recommendations, I wanted to note that paid subscribers can now listen to July’s Melted Mix. This month, I did something different and made a single mashup of 2 tracks I love, rather than a longform mix of multiple tracks.
Rush My Computer is made up of Rush by Troye Sivan (Valente Extended) and Fuck My Computer by Ninajirachi. Both bangers in their own rights, and I hope I did right by them in your eyes. I’ve been quite enjoying blasting it in my car.
This mashup track will unlock for free subscribers on August 14th, but if you don’t feel like waiting, you can upgrade to paid to help support my work. Some other fun benefits too, like a free digital copy of my poetry book Shifting Senses, Lifting Lenses that I self-published in 2023.
Anyways, let’s get on to more music from the digital new release crates. Happy listening.
The Silent Harvest Volume Two by Various Artists (compilation / electroacoustic, drone, experimental) [Folk Police Recordings]
For some background (per the Bandcamp description): in the late 1960s, folk singers Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger recorded a ten LP set of English, Scottish, and American variants of traditional folk songs and ballads, released by Argo Records as The Long Harvest. Now, the label Folk Police Recordings is auditing those LPs through The Silent Harvest, a series of compilations in which they bring together artists to interpret the imagery of the original tracks as inspiration for new works. On Volume Two which released earlier this month, you’ll hear a variety of sounds from artists within the Inner Echo ambient community (including some friends of Hum, Buzz, & Hiss like ant (ellipses) and David Aimone). All proceeds from this name-your-price comp go to ClientEarth, an environmental law charity working to bring about systemic change to protect life on earth—holding companies and governments to account over climate change, nature loss, and pollution.
Halfway from nowhere by Far away Nebraska (album / lofi, drone) [Kordel Records]
I wasn’t aware until now that German label Seil Records (think: Jogging House and friends) had expanded with a sub-label called Kordel Records. Quite exciting news given the brilliant output of Seil, primarily known for lofi tape-saturated minimalism, with subtle loops and a hint of downtempo pacing. This new record by Far away Nebraska, an Italian ambient artist whose real name is Alessio Bertuzzi, sits perfectly in that space. There’s a bit of a dim cloudy quality to this record, though. Some extra piece that feels intentionally missing or incorrect, like a classic liminal space. Loving it.
vertical railsides by psychedelic source records (album / instrumental, field recordings) [psychedelic source records]
This Hungarian psych rock collective occasionally wanders into ambient territory, and this new album was improvised and recorded outdoors by the side of a railway. The band’s traditional rock instruments like drums, electric guitar, and bass guitar feel more like acoustic instruments in these spacious recordings where structure falls away and the music simply moves onward to the sound of the world around it.
Peace Anthems by Various Artists (compilation / jazz, electronic, ambient) [Red Hook Records]
This compilation urges global peace through the abstract expressions of artists like Moor Mother, Taylor Deupree, and Qasim Navqi. These tracks tend to float somewhere in the jazz realm, with experimental electronic and ambient tendencies regularly seeping through the cracks. Was pretty close to putting this in the ambient list honestly, but there are some vocals in a few places from the poet and singer Moor Mother. All proceeds benefit the International Red Cross.
XXXXX by Arca (album / experimental electronic) [XL Recordings]
I am a new fan of Arca. I’ve heard her name tossed around in certain circles, though seemingly not as often as it should be. In a way, her work reminds me of SOPHIE’s with its absolutely singular feeling among the electronic landscape. Arca just livestreamed an odd but engrossing live performance along to her album release and it’s certainly something to behold. I feel as though I’ll be parsing through these tracks for years, losing myself in their jagged edges, curvy bends and folded layers.
Cicada Burnt by leo (album / electronic) [peak oil]
This album popped up on today’s Bandcamp Daily, with a review from Mike Steyels who wrote that it is “an abstract, dubby journey full of pristine sub bass; the swing and syncopation of UK and Detroit dance music; and an ultra-clear sound design.” That’s as good an introduction as any, and I’ll only add that listening to this album is a bit like listening to an ambient album—it rewards close listeners with little nuances to its out-there sounds, displaying a careful consideration for every second of music that one may otherwise miss thanks to the seamlessness of its composition. Also, it just sounds like it would be cool as fuck in the background of a scene from a TERMINATOR film or a car chase at night.
Music List Reminders: Bandcamp links provided first when available—if an album is not on Bandcamp, then YouTube or other preview links are provided. List format: Title by Artist (release type / approximate genre or subgenres) [Label].
That’s all for this week’s issue. Thank you for reading. Until next time.
Your friend,
Melted Form
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Listen to the latest Melted Mix (paid subs only until August 14):
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As always, I would love to hear and recommend your music, especially if it’s new and ambient/electronic/experimental. However, please note that I am not able to respond to every inquiry I receive.
great poem! you did great at the open mic!
also thanks for sharing the inner harvest! it was a lot of fun contributing a track to that compilation!