Originally a string quartet formed by four girls at the Reykjavík College of Music just before the turn of the century, Amiina went on to cut its teeth as Sigur Rós' string collaborators for the next decade. After releasing debut album Kurr and several EPs, the group's sonic palette was broadened by the contributions of drummer Magnús Trygvason Eliassen and electronic artist Kippi Kaninus, who have been permanent members of the group since late 2009. They released their second full-length album, Puzzle (SHAKE 011CD/LP), in 2010. About four years ago Amiina, then a four-piece band, set out on a journey across Iceland performing in lighthouses and other unusual locations. The music had been written especially for performances in small spaces, and in great proximity to the audience. The inspiration behind the journey came the first time the band performed in a lighthouse. A man in the audience described how he had experienced the music in those surroundings. Standing on the top floor of the lighthouse, he had felt the music travel up through the structure and out across the ocean, as if the lighthouse were now projecting music instead of light. The group set off in a big van packed with instruments, accompanied by a photographer, one spouse, one newborn baby and another about to be born, and together they drove over rugged roads, seemingly to the end of the world, to perform music. The songs were a mix of old and new, little nocturnes in simple arrangements. Among them was a cover of Lee Hazlewood's "Leather and Lace." Amiina had previously collaborated with Lee only weeks before he passed away, on a song that ended up being his last recording. On the flip-side was Amiina's arrangement, and cover, of "Leather and Lace." The simple arrangement of the song fit perfectly with the other songs and the spirit of The Lighthouse Project. In late 2012, Amiina decided to revisit The Lighthouse Project -- to record these songs in their original arrangements, and give the music the prospect to travel out and across forever. The band felt it was important to convey the intimacy of the original performances, so the songs were recorded "live" in the studio, as if at a concert.

Ukrainian pianist Lubomyr Melnyk -- the pioneer of Continuous Piano Music -- presents his first release on UK label Erased Tapes. Entitled Corollaries, the album was recorded and produced by Peter Broderick with the additional help of Nils Frahm and Martyn Heyne. Erased Tapes founder Robert Raths knew it was time to share the great musical legacy of Melnyk, to which he simply responded: "Where were you guys when I was thirty?" Melnyk is a true innovator, exploring new directions in contemporary music. Classically-trained and greatly affected by the minimalist movement in the early 1970s, the Ukrainian pianist developed his own unique language for the piano, named after the principle of maintaining a continuous, unbroken stream of sound. Melnyk has shown a remarkable devotion to the instrument, always striving to discover new ways of composing music in the continuous mode. His focus is on the actual sound of the piano as much as the harmonies and melodies of the music. Playing rapid and complex note patterns made Lubomyr one of the world's fastest concert pianists. His virtuoso piano technique forms overtones that blend, collide or even create new melodies in rare moments, and thereby shape the composition beyond its original form. In the artist's own words: "My first encounter with Peter was at the Ambient Festival in Cologne, when I came into the cathedral where he was playing along with Nils. I was amazed and enthralled by the beauty and power of their music. The colors and majesty of the cathedral coupled with their music made it a great experience I will never forget. Some time later, Peter contacted me with an invitation to come visit him in Berlin and try creating some music together. I had not played improvisation with other ambient musicians before, having worked solo for all these past years. So it was such a relief to start playing at his studio and hear his wonderful input. He was adding a beautiful and delicate dust cover of sounds and pearly effects that cast a lovely sparkle over the piano music -- I loved it. It was a thrill to hear Continuous Music in some new clothes! And with the addition of Nils and Martyn, we all felt the beautiful spell of the communal flow as the music carried us into wonderful spaces." The album artwork and design was created by American contemporary artist Gregory Euclide, known for his cover art for Bon Iver's self-titled album.

The idolized and enigmatic duo are back. After considerable speculation by their rabid fan base (not to mention the media following every step of the way), Boards of Canada have revealed that their new album Tomorrow s Harvest will be released on June 11 via their long time home, Warp Records. Musically, the album is somehow dark yet positive, with atmospheric dissonance and mind-bending melodic creations.