PLAYLIST
- [0:00] INTRODUCTION
- [01:26] “Neptune’s Requiem (feat. Edoardo Gastaldi)” by Piscean Daydreams from “Unidentified Ambient Phenomena, Vol. 2” (Ambient Cat, 2026)
- [05:41] “IV” by Ethan Syann from “Farewell To The Night” (Iikki, 2025)
- [08:18] “Idyll” by Chihei Hatakeyama & Jupi/ter from “Canopy / Idyll” (Ambientologist, 2025)
- [15:12] Featured Artist Segment
- [17:16] “Returning” by Marika Takeuchi from “Iridescence” (Bigo and Twigetti, 2026)
- [19:56] “Pagan” by BK Pepper from “Pagan” (Bigo and Twitgetti?, 2025)
- [22:40] “Esplanade” by Harry Towell & Guy Gelem from “Isla’s Calm Cloud” (WhiteLabRecs, 2026)
- [25:48] “2,1” by Clarice Jensen from “In Holiday Clothing, Out Of The Great Darkness” (FatCat / 130701, 2025)
- [29:51] Featured Artist Segment
- [31:51] “c33” by Lunar Ipona from “fragments” (Independent, 2026)
- [34:58] “Something in the Air” by Le Code from “Something in the Air” (Chitra Records, 2025)
- [40:12] “Fireflies” by Dionisaf from “Skazka” (Ambient Cat, 2025)
- [47:40] “What Is Left” by Catherine Tang from “Where Do Your Dreams Fly?” (WhiteLabRecs, 2025)
- [52:21] “Geomagnetic Chants” by Boreal Taiga from “Guovssahas - The Light You Can Here” (Wayfarer Music Group, 2026)
Artist Information
Marika Takeuchi
Japanese pianist and composer Marika Takeuchi returns to the neoclassical scene with a new album that has absolutely rocked my world. Currently based in Los Angeles, she writes music for film, commercials, music libraries, and video games in addition to her own recordings in the modern classical music genre. Following up her 2024 release “Wandering Notes”, Takeuchi lays out the emotive and transfixing new album “Iridescence” — a six song LP that reflects on loss juxtaposition to the seemingly fixed and unmovable giants of nature that stand equanimous and unmoved by our troubles. Takeuchi writes, “This EP was inspired by the beautiful scenery of Dolomites in northern Italy and a life event that happened to me there… I experienced a loss and was devastated… But the mountains were standing majestically like nothing had happened, and the contrast between the sadness and the beautiful views was something absolutely unforgettable.” Takeuchi’s command of the piano is powerful yet delicate and sensitive, her orchestral arrangements elevating yet poignant and somber — and the manner in which it all comes together in the end leaves you both breathless and pensive. From her album “Iridescence”, here’s Marika Takaeuchi with the track “Returning”, here on The Relay Station.
https://marika-takeuchi.com
https://bigoandtwigetti.bandcamp.com
Lunar Ipona
Norwegian electronic musician Lukas Ranum Brandt-Gravesen is a newcomer to the Relay Station and an independent ambient musician with promise. While some albums come my way, professionally produced and with the backing and support of a label or a large community of musicians, others come in simply expressing the heart and soul of independent artists, offering their gift back to the universe and to us lucky souls that get to hear their work. Brandt-Gravesen who operates under the name “Lunar Ipona” has released his sixth album on Bandcamp, entering the scene just two years ago with his first single “this is what insomnia feels like.” His new album “Fragments”, though quite simply noted as an exploration of the potential of his Nord Stage keyboard, feels more like witnessing his musical coming of age, like an open invitation to see the world through his eyes and his experiences. This nine-song release is pleasantly melodic at times, laced with soft textures and sweeping synthetic layers, and it’s ornately imbued with wide spatial instrumentation, comforting low end, and a range of spaces — each offering a unique glimpse into his esthetic. I look forward to hearing where his musical journeys take him next, and I encourage you to come along for the ride. From his album “Fragments” here’s Lunar Ipona with the track “c33”, here on The Relay Station.
https://lunaripona.bandcamp.com
ARTIST LINKS
Marika Takeuchi
https://marika-takeuchi.com
Lunar Ipona
https://lunaripona.bandcamp.com