PT:2011.12.27 - if this mail does not display properly, please click here Keeping it short... Eight years is a long time and, when I began Connexion Bizarre as a webzine, I never imagined that it would last this long. A few months, at best a year, and then I’d move on to something else. Before I knew it, other people had joined the project, in a couple of years we were doing podcasts (in 64 kbps MP3 format because bandwidth wasn’t free), then playing netlabel and so on... It was a fun ride but things change. In the last couple of years, I had less time to dedicate to the project and somewhat less enthusiasm as well. Better to leave it on something of a high note rather than let things fade. Along the way I had the opportunity to meet and collaborate with a number of interesting people, and forge some solid friendships which will certainly outlast Connexion Bizarre. There is, of course, the music. Without Connexion Bizarre, I doubt I would have discovered as many interesting artists, projects and labels as I did. Hopefully, our work made some difference in spreading the word and brought additional exposure to these artists, projects and labels. A "thank you" note of sorts is needed towards the end... Connexion Bizarre certainly wouldn’t have been what it was without the work of all our all our past and present staff or without the support of the Cenobytes who provided us with free hosting for most of Connexion Bizarre’s existence. Respect! And that's about it. Onwards to the contents of the final update! During the past couple of weeks, Connexion Bizarre was updated with several music reviews and two podcasts, one by Sleep Clinic and the other by M. Podcast "Light In An Optical System, Which Was Not Intended In The Design" with music selection by Sleep Clinic (tracklisting | MP3) "Xill Pill" (originally a guest podcast for Xiled Radio) with music selection by M. (tracklisting | MP3) Reviews Various – Drone-Mind // Mind-Drone Vol. 1 What makes this release a definite must-have is the same reason why you visit festivals with sounds, music and sound-art. Even if you don't know all this artists or there is a track you maybe don't like at the beginning, it fits the release as a whole. Exploration of artistic depths and differences, very well combined by 'His Masters Drone', Stefan Knappe. Read more... Coph’antae Tryr / Kolpakopf / Neuf Le Muet / Nedicry Cold Graey is a Russian label (or more precisely from Novosibirsk, Siberia) which work with extremely limited CDR edition releases (57 copies) of noise, dark ambient and experimental music. After they sell out, the releases are put up for free... Read more... Dreissk - The Finding Perhaps it’s the time in Seattle, or the overall feel of our age that has influenced Dreissk’s work, but one cannot help but draw parallels to post-apocalyptic or dystopian imagery and thoughts when listening to the album. And any record managing to do that is a good record in my book. Read more... Koji Asano - Polar Parliament The whole thing should have been recorded better. The choking frequencies on certain moments ruin the flow and atmosphere. It has it's charm in some noise music, and certainly when it's recorded on tape, but with a probably laptop-based recording it's a big 'no'. Read more... Steve Roach - Journey Of One The main style under which is should be ordered is a mixture between ethnic, ethereal, ritual, drone and ambient. If you are interested in the before-mentioned styles, and are still missing a bit of ethnic, ethereal and ritual music in your collection, this is a great release to get. Read more... Erik Wøllo – Silent Currents To make a long story short, an absolute "Do Try This At Home" for ambient lovers who don't mind the progressive use of guitar and other melodic instruments, and who do know where and how ambient music started. Read more... Kristoffer Nystroms Orkester – Overlook Hotel As a whole, this may be one of the better albums released this year and a great find for those who enjoy industrial/ambient. Read more... Koji Asano – Solstice Eclipse There are no real dull moments and the structures and modulations are impressive enough to listen to the whole composition. But if you reach the end, there is a good chance you will think if that was it. Read more... Ukkonen – Erriapo Ukkonen creates rounded, mellifluous and pulsing ambience structured (or deconstructed) with understated anomalies. “Erriapo” thaws the gap between minimal techno and deep house, swaying occasionally one direction or the other, but always maintaining a delicate fluidity, nurturing the in-between space it establishes. Read more... That's it for this week and that's it for Connexion Bizarre. Connexion Bizarre is dead, long live whatever comes after it! All the best, Miguel de Sousa (editor, etc @ www.connexionbizarre.net)      To change your subscription options to this newsletter, please click here.