Various Artists - Passed Winter

Released: January 31

A sprawling nearly four hour long compilation, Passed Winter is packed full of icy tones and textures that perfectly embody the feeling and aesthetic of deep winter. I finally got a chance to listen to this compilation over the last couple of days as harsh winter weather move in, plunging temperatures well below freezing and bring in the snow and ice. The compilation accompanies this weather exceptional well with its altogether slow moving and rather quiet approach. With nearly 40 tracks from almost 40 different artists, it is difficult to give an in-depth breakdown of everything here, but the overarching theme of the compilation is captured well throughout and there is a rather interesting consistency in each track.

The focus for most of the tracks is large and unrestrained textures, pads that are so airy they border on slightly tonal static. But even with this being the theme, many of the artists on this compilation add in these interesting motifs on top of it. “The Silo of Silence” begins much in this them but then adds in a springy tonal motif that is accompanied by gentle rhythmic elements, giving a sort of mysterious vibe that also remains icy and cold. Compare this to “transparent blue lights” which opts to behave more like shifting mist and fog, keeping itself in a more liminal place that eschews concrete definition. Much of this compilation dances between these two points, teetering between well-defined musical motifs and vague soundscapes, creating an engaging back and forth that soundtracks a season quite well. 

In addition to being a fantastic compilation, this release is also in support of Doctors Without Borders - an organization responsible for saving countless lives in countries and regions around the world. 80% of all proceeds from the sale of this compilation will go directly to the organization to support its mission.