The AV Signal Begins: A New Season of Music and Meaning

New Growth, New Sounds, New Responsibility

Even as a new season of growth begins in the natural world, a new season of activity is stirring at Ambient Visions. After a long period of dormancy—or at least minimal movement—the site is coming back to life. If you’ve stopped by over the past month, you’ve likely noticed the renewed energy: reviews appearing regularly, interviews blooming like spring flowers, and editorials beginning to reshape what readers might expect in the years ahead.

One of the ideas we hope to plant this spring, in the fertile soil of the minds and hearts of AV readers, is simple but important: the love of music we share creates a two-way street between listeners and artists. We’re always delighted when new music from our favorite artists appears as if by magic on Bandcamp, or when it shows up on the major streaming platforms we use so casually. Yet we rarely stop to ask how that music actually finds its way into our hands. What does it cost the artist—not just financially, but in time, energy, and sacrifice—to create it?

Most independent artists are still balancing their creative work with day jobs, carving out precious hours to produce the music we love. And yet, as listeners, we often only reflect on this reality when something is lost. We shake our heads when an artist announces they are stepping away because they can no longer afford the time to create. Or we find ourselves wondering whatever happened to someone whose music once meant so much to us.

Recently, there was news that Dead Can Dance would be removing their music from Spotify and other major streaming platforms. Interestingly, their decision wasn’t driven by inadequate compensation, but by a moral stance: they objected to how Spotify was allocating its money, particularly in ways they felt supported war and violence. Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard made a choice rooted in principle, and it’s one worthy of respect.

However, their situation differs from that of most independent artists. For smaller creators, the issue is often far more immediate and practical. Streaming platforms typically pay fractions of a cent per play—far below what most would consider fair compensation. While there are exceptions, with a few platforms offering slightly better rates, these are rare. The overwhelming reality is that artists are being paid only a tiny fraction of what their work is truly worth.

At Ambient Visions, we’ve been emphasizing a new motto: Own the Music, Support the Artist. It’s a call to action we hope resonates. When you purchase music directly from artists on platforms like Bandcamp, roughly 85% of the purchase price goes straight to them. To put that into perspective, a $10 purchase (netting about $8.50 for the artist) is roughly equivalent to 2,800+ streams of a song on Spotify, assuming an average payout of $0.003 per stream.

And on Bandcamp Fridays—special days scattered throughout the year—Bandcamp waives its fees entirely, meaning artists receive 100% of the purchase price. These days are designed specifically to help independent musicians move a little closer to earning a sustainable living from their art. It’s a small shift for listeners, but one that can make a meaningful difference for creators.

It’s tempting to imagine a scenario in which major artists remove their music from streaming platforms in solidarity with independent musicians, forcing large corporations to adopt fairer compensation models. While that kind of collective action could be powerful, the reality is more complicated. Established acts often earn substantial income from streaming and have little incentive to disrupt a system that benefits them. Simply put, they are unlikely to bite the hand that feeds them.

This brings the responsibility back to us—the listeners. Just as voters hold power in shaping political systems, fans have the ability to influence the music ecosystem. We can choose to support artists directly rather than passively enriching the corporations that profit most from their work. Streaming remains an excellent tool for discovery, and it has its place. But when music truly resonates with us—when it becomes part of our lives—there is value in giving something back.

We don’t need to buy every album we encounter. That would be unrealistic. But the artists who have consistently moved us, inspired us, and provided the soundtrack to our lives deserve more than passive listening. In many ways, this echoes the patronage systems of the past, where supporters enabled artists to continue creating. Today, we have the opportunity to play a similar role, even in small ways.

Before you begin to wonder if this is all we’ll be writing about here on Substack, let me reassure you: it’s not. Supporting artists is a core value, but it’s only one part of what we aim to do. We’ll continue to highlight new music you should be seeking out, as well as older releases worth revisiting. From time to time, we may explore books about music—whether broadly focused or specifically tailored to fans of ambient and electronic genres.

We also plan to revisit the history of Ambient Visions itself. If you’re new to the site, you may not realize that we’ve been doing this for 28 years. If those were dog years, we’d be approaching prehistoric status—but let’s simply say we’ve been around long enough to witness significant changes in the music industry since the late 1990s. Some of those changes have been exciting and transformative; others, less so.

Looking ahead, there’s plenty to be excited about. On the first Friday in April, a new album from Steve Roach and Serena Gabriel, Entering Elysium, will be released. After several listens here at AV, it’s safe to say this is a work many of you will appreciate. Their third collaboration feels like the culmination of years of shared exploration, blending the ancient and the modern into something that reaches beyond the studio and into a more transcendent, almost sacred space. Look for the review on Ambient Visions next week so you know what’s coming on Friday. It’s Steve Roach and Serena Gabriel so of course it’s going to be good.

On a more personal note, one of my recent discoveries is Residual Signals by Echo Season, released on March 17. It’s been a rewarding find. One of the great joys of doing what I do is feeding the constant hunger for new music, and when something truly stands out, sharing it becomes part of that experience. This album offers expansive atmospheres, smooth grooves, and laid-back beats that gently carry you along. It’s the kind of music that can soften the edges of a difficult day or bring a sense of calm to a hectic morning, no matter where you begin.

As we move forward, The AV Signal will arrive once a week, every Friday, beginning March 27. From there, we’ll see where the journey takes us. Having worked in a physical record store in my younger days, I bring a pre-streaming, pre-digital-download perspective to this space—one shaped by the tactile and communal experience of discovering music in a different era. If you share that mindset, or are simply curious about it, I invite you to join us each week.

Feel free to share this with friends who might also be interested. At the heart of it all, what connects us is simple: the discovery of new music and the desire to support the artists who create it.

Have a great weekend—and keep listening. The music, as always, will guide you home.

Cheers,
Michael Foster, editor
Ambient Visions
https://www.ambientvisions.com