Hypnos
Profile:
Hypnos is an ambient label based out of Portland, Oregon, USA, founded in 1996 by Mike Griffin. Artists who have released albums on Hypnos include Vidna Obmana, Jeff Pearce, Jeff Greinke, A Produce, and Robert Rich.
In 2001 the Binary sub-label was created to feature more dynamic electronic music, closer to techno and Berlin School ambient.
Also in 2001, Hypnos began a partnership to distribute releases from The Foundry, an ambient and experimental label from Berkeley, California. All releases under this partnership have the Foundry/Hypnos logo on them, but maintain the Foundry catalog numbers. The first combined release was fou.11. The partnership was since dissolved.
Distributed in the USA by Soleilmoon Recordings.
In 2001 the Binary sub-label was created to feature more dynamic electronic music, closer to techno and Berlin School ambient.
Also in 2001, Hypnos began a partnership to distribute releases from The Foundry, an ambient and experimental label from Berkeley, California. All releases under this partnership have the Foundry/Hypnos logo on them, but maintain the Foundry catalog numbers. The first combined release was fou.11. The partnership was since dissolved.
Distributed in the USA by Soleilmoon Recordings.
Sublabels:
Contact Info:
P.O. Box 6868
Portland, OR 97228
USA
mgriffin@hypnos.com
Portland, OR 97228
USA
mgriffin@hypnos.com
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Reviews & Discussion
Review by
Sep 08, 2004
(edited over 5 years ago)
I have to disagree with the comment above. How you can define new age or ambient as a genre. Using only the classifications in store is not a good idea, I went to many store where hypnos releases are under ambient and not new age. If you want new age you got Yanni, but in no way hypnos releases are new age, though I think that new age is a subgenre of the ambient music. In most of the releases of hypnos you have to think and search about gears used for the releases and you'll find out that the gears used there are also used in other ambient productions from other artists from other labels.
Hypnos has released some nice New Age Music. But there are also many forgettable ones as well. If you're into lighter New Age ambience then you may want check this label out. I suggest listening to audio files (mp3s) of the CDs you're curious about first before buying.
One of the leading light labels of today's new ambient scene. Though their output has slowed somewhat in the last few years, Hypnos has more than justified its reputation by releasing some of the finest pure ambient releases of the last decade.
The label's output (aside from certain early releases) could hardly be called difficult or purely experimental; most CDs fall along the ambient spectrum that could be appreciated by both fans of deeper Hearts of Space or Fax style music and more rigorous experimental ambient work. That said, much of Hypnos' catalog can be considered equivalent to the best among the lighter style of ambient music.
In my personal opinion, Hypnos was never more vital than in its 1998-2001 period. Recent releases of the last two years have largely tread along the safe lines of purely vaporous synthetic ambient atmospheres and have suffered from a lack of depth as a result. It remains to be seen if the label will stretch out again with more varied and dynamic releases, or if it will remain within its current comfort zone of innocuous tone-float ambient.
The label's output (aside from certain early releases) could hardly be called difficult or purely experimental; most CDs fall along the ambient spectrum that could be appreciated by both fans of deeper Hearts of Space or Fax style music and more rigorous experimental ambient work. That said, much of Hypnos' catalog can be considered equivalent to the best among the lighter style of ambient music.
In my personal opinion, Hypnos was never more vital than in its 1998-2001 period. Recent releases of the last two years have largely tread along the safe lines of purely vaporous synthetic ambient atmospheres and have suffered from a lack of depth as a result. It remains to be seen if the label will stretch out again with more varied and dynamic releases, or if it will remain within its current comfort zone of innocuous tone-float ambient.
This label seems to try to convince people that they are a ambient label, when in reality they are another New Age Hearts of Space.
Many artists on this label are in fact New Age artists. Arguments against this are that stores/distributors are the reason why most of these artists are placed in the New Age section (to try to move more product perhaps??). I tend to agree with this to a certain extent, but in the case with Hypnos I feel that this is not the case.
They have a good selection of music to offer and by all means I salute and respect their work. But New Age / ambient is a fine line that seems to be crossed constantly with this label, and mostly ends up on the New Age side.
One of their greatest releases, and now I hear it is out of print, is a collaboration with former Silent Records artists Rod Modell and Michael Mantra.
Many artists on this label are in fact New Age artists. Arguments against this are that stores/distributors are the reason why most of these artists are placed in the New Age section (to try to move more product perhaps??). I tend to agree with this to a certain extent, but in the case with Hypnos I feel that this is not the case.
They have a good selection of music to offer and by all means I salute and respect their work. But New Age / ambient is a fine line that seems to be crossed constantly with this label, and mostly ends up on the New Age side.
One of their greatest releases, and now I hear it is out of print, is a collaboration with former Silent Records artists Rod Modell and Michael Mantra.