Coldcut have curated a new ambient compilation for Ninja Tune sub-label Ahead Of Our Time, titled i>@0</i.
Due out in November, the release takes in 30 new and old ambient compositions from artists such as Suzanne Ciani, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Helena Hauff, Skee Mask, Julianna Barwick, Steve Roach, Laraaji and Mira Calix, among others. Coldcut have overseen curation and sequencing on the digital and vinyl release of the compilation, while the the duo, with the help of Mixmaster Morris, have also pieced together a mix of the tracks for the CD edition.
Ninja Tune will be donating its share of profits from the release to three charities: CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), Mind and Black Minds Matter. Several pairs of tracks from the compilation will be released together over the coming weeks, which will see a more established name in ambient music partnered alongside a relative newcomer. That starts with Suzanne Ciani’s ‘Morning Spring’ and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith’s ‘Mt Baker’, which you can check out above.
"i>@0</i refers to that liminal state experienced many times where my mental and emotional stability was not solid and it felt like teetering on a zero axis about to fall into depression, or more rarely, mania," says Coldcut’s Matt Black. "I found that ambient music, by making no psychic demands, often opened some space and with its soft fascination, subtly raised the energy, helping to avoid that downward spiral and navigate slowly up and out. i>@0</i is a balance point."
Ahead Of Our Time will release i>@0</i on November 19, 2021.
