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I haven’t been to a gig in over a week, so it’s OK for a quick talk about vinyl right?

Of course it’s more CD and even more MP3 these days, but my current favourite sounds on the silver disc are by Ulric Schnauss, particularly his first LP (under his own name) 2001’s Far Away Trains Passing By. If you like Boards of Canada and Fischerspooner then this German ambient will be right up your street.

There’s a real floaty, ethereal quality to Ulrich Schnauss music that hits the spot so sweetly. In particular Nobody’s Home really plucks the heart strings – simple and increasingly layered, there’s a childlike innocence to this track that breaks into a euphoric “chorus” before gently drifting back into a brief lullaby verse. Then he takes you off again on a magic carpet ride. Awesome stuff, especially if you crank it up on a decent sound system or some studio quality Sennheiser headphones if you’ve got a set

Between Us & Them from the same first album is also a drop of pure ecstasy in the same vein. Jangling ambiently into dreamy signatures before kicking into a lazy drum beat, this class track is another gentle crescendo of sheer bliss that eases off just to give you a chance to catch your breath before journeying onward again.

There’s half a dozen more tracks on this LP and they’re all good, so if you love your ambient tunes then dive in; I just picked my two faves because they’re awesome.

I’m a sucker for good quality ambient sounds and if I’d died and gone to heaven then Ulrich Schnauss would provide the theme tune. In the meantime I have to seriously consider buying a property where one room can be empty apart from an ace quadraphonic hi-fidelity system and a comfy armchair right in the middle of the floor

Lever music ambient, ulrich schnauss