After recording his well-received ambient trilogy (Passage In Beauty, Shadowing In Sorrow and Ending Mirage), Vidna Obmana got in touch with Belgian percussionist Djen Ajakan Shean. It was this injection that led him to slowly incorporate more rhythmical passages and tribal influences. Almost simultaneously interest in Vidna Obmana’s music grew which led to the connection with Australian Extreme Records. Armed with only his KORG workstations and a Roland R8 drum computer, Vidna Obmana had no access to multi-track recording back then so everything was created in overdub modus, using two DAT machines. Of course limiting his options in editing, recording the acoustic parts and better mixing.
ECHOING DELIGHT was released in 1993 on Extreme Records and ranked for weeks as number one on the New Musical Express ‘techno’ charts in the UK. Sadly the label never shared any reports so the reason why so high and long on these charts remains unknown. After The Spiritual Bonding in 1994, Vidna Obmana, among many others on the label, broke connection with Extreme Records and the masters were eventually, after long debate, returned.
For a short period, you can enjoy this lo-fi recordings of that tour at ‘name your price’.
Photo is the press release sheet of ECHOING DELIGHT….
Before heading out to France for another chapter in his life, DIRK SERRIES played one more concert at this beautiful chapel in Belgium. The Oude Klooster chapel in Brecht has been the stage for many of his activities. With A NEW WAVE OF JAZZ the chapel transformed to a recording space for several albums and a concert space for some ad-hoc improvisations while MARTINA VERHOEVEN organised her well-received DEEP LISTENINGS concerts. On October 16th, 2025 at a sold-out chapel, Belgian Dirk Serries (acclaimed for his work as vidnaObmana) sculpted a melancholic deep ambient atmosphere with just one electric guitar and a handful outboard effects. Fully in vein of his renowned STREAMS OF CONSCIOUSNESS series, this concert is now available as a digital-only release.
KRAUTNICK REVIEW : Dieses Album markiert einen besonderen biografischen Punkt im Leben des vielsaitigen Gitarristen Dirk Serries: „Live Oude Klooster Chapel 2025“ war am 16. Oktober das letzte Konzert des Antwerpeners, bevor er ins Nachbarland Frankreich umsiedelte. Ausgestattet mit seiner E-Gitarre und Effektgeräten, machte er sich den ihm bereits mehrfach vertrauten Hallraum der Klosterkapelle in Brecht zunutze und ließ die Töne eine Stunde lang frei schweben. Man darf gespannt sein: Wie setzt er seinen künstlerischen Weg in der meeresfernen Fremde fort?
Stille leitet diesen Livemitschnitt ein. Es dauert, bis sich überhaupt Töne erheben. Serries lässt sich und uns Zeit, sich daran zu gewöhnen, dass in dieser Stille Leben existiert, dass es sich behutsam und zögerlich erhebt, woher auch immer, möglicherweise aus dem Staub, der sich in Jahrhunderten in der Kapelle angesammelt hat, und dann raumgreifend über die Hörerschaft legt, um sie herum einen transparenten neuen Raum im Raum bildet, in sie dringt. Von irgendwoher, eher oben vermutlich, schickt die Sonne einige Strahlen ins Gemäuer, und diese Strahlen erhellen den Ton, der vom organisch mäandernden Staub ausgeht, heben ihn an, senken ihn ab, folgen der Bewegung des ätherischen Korpus, konterkarieren diese, lassen der Kapellenatmosphäre wieder die Gelegenheit, sich zu beruhigen, und heben erneut an, werden beinahe melodisch, bleiben auf jeden Fall harmonisch. Stille leitet diesen Mitschnitt nach einer Stunde auch wieder aus.
Serries‘ Gitarre klingt mal wieder gar nicht nach Gitarre. Die Töne stehen für sich, langanhaltend, unendlich, chimärenhaft, sogar vielgeteilt, mit mehreren Tönen nebeneinander, umeinander. Der Geist sucht Vertrautes, und so meint man bisweilen, eine Orgel wahrzunehmen, aber das kann auch daran liegen, dass man sich in einer Kapelle wähnt. Manchmal erinnern die Sounds auch an Ambient aus Synthesizern, da muss man sich dann kurz bewusst machen, dass da in Wahrheit ein Mann mit seiner E-Gitarre in der Kapelle sitzt. Da wäre man gern dabei gewesen, irgendwo in den Bänken, und hätte dieser Musik beim Entstehen zugesehen.
Und nun lebt der Antwerpener Experimental-Tausendsassa also in der Region Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, einer Gegend, so groß wie nebenan die ganze Schweiz. Zumindest erklärt es, warum es dieser Tage so wenige Veröffentlichungen des Vielbeschäftigten gibt: So ein Umzug bindet Energien. Wie er die wohl künftig entfesseln wird?
SPONTANEOUS MUSIC TRIBUNE REVIEW : Na tych łamach nie trzeba nikogo specjalnie zachęcać do odbywania sennych, mrocznych, ambientowych podróży w towarzystwie samotnej gitary tego belgijskiego artysty. Ta najnowsza jest nagraniem koncertowym, powstałym w świetnie nam znanym obiekcie w Brechcie. Ta akurat epopeja dźwiękowa Serriesa wydaje się wyjątkowo spokojna, dramaturgicznie wyważona, ale niesie też w sobie ziarno niemal egzystencjalnej wątpliwości, a nawet trwogi. Jest tradycyjnie piękna, niemal relaksacyjna, ale po ostatnim dźwięku pozostawia nas w stanie, który nie pozwala na spokojny sen.
Opowieść nadciąga z błogiej ciszy, leniwie płynie ciepłymi podmuchami powietrza, zdaje się koić nasze utrudzone zmysły mocą frasobliwej łagodności. Trwa, bo nie ma początku i nie będzie miała końca. Początkowo wydaje się lekka jak puch, z czasem zostaje doposażona dodatkowymi warstwami, niekiedy bardziej mrocznymi. W połowie zdaje się konać w kolejnej chmurze ciszy, ale odradza kroplami rozpaczy i strzępami tajemniczej nerwowości. Dopiero ostatni kwadrans niesie nadzieję, można bowiem odnieść wrażenie, że niektóre dźwięki stają się jakby bardziej jaskrawe.
ROCKERILLA REVIEW : Un concerto registrato durante il trasloco che ha visto il musicista belga trasferirsi dopo 50 anni in Francia. Un omaggio alla sua terra suonato seguendo le ispirazioni che hanno dato vita a tanti capitoli della serie A Streams Of Consciousness. Dirk Serries solo con la sua chitarra elettrica e la solita montagna di effetti che ne trasfigurano la natura fino a rendere le sinusoidi generate dalla sei corde delle onde marine più simili a drone sintetici in grado di avvolgere chi li ascolta. Come da prassi oramai consolidata, il flusso di coscienza si presenta come una lunga traccia della durata di poco piu di un’ora, da ascoltare tutta la notte in infinite repeat. Intimo e solenne.
In Dirk Serries’ exclusive Streams Of Consciousness‘ series, a new episode is now out. Duet ‘Glimmering Below’ and ‘Outside Twilight’ are two new slabs of beautiful harmonic space. Slowly progressing, refining and expanding his trademark ambient music on the electric guitar (and a handful of outboard effects).
Available here :
Also check out the subscription option as you’ll save a lot of money while enjoying the ongoing story and supporting the artist in his creative process…
Before we start to highlight the new releases, what is out already and what’s forthcoming, here’s another bit of lovely news.
We’ve debated among ourselves about this for a long time and even checked in with some of the die-hard fans but it’s time to unleash a subscription option for Dirk Serries’ Streams Of Consciousness series.
This is what Dirk Serries wrote on the subscription series :
Welcome to the home of my Streams Of Consciousness music series. An assemblage of my ongoing drive to compose, perform and record the ambient music I’ve been known for under main pseudonym Vidna Obmana and more recently under my own name. What distinguishes the Streams Of Consciousness series is that this is the purest form of creating the ambience. The constant factor in my expansive oeuvre and the artistic hunger to keep on growing and learning. Those who know me and have been following me over these past 4 decade can confirm that there are almost no artistic boundaries in my musical experiments. From the harsh industrial music early on to the free improvised live events throughout Europe and releases on A New Wave Of Jazz. Even when a new ‘ambient’ album appears on a label, it still holds enough twists and turns. However there isn’t a month that passes without having the need to go full into the purest form of soundscaping. The set-up is simple : an electric guitar, a very small pedal board of four effects. Each idea/theme/motif is performed live into my DAW and mixed/mastered for instant release here.
No edits, no additional layering. Music that is part of my DNA, the heartbeat of my passion for the purest form of what I call my vintage ambient music. Music that I once, long time ago, performed on synthesizers and a lot of outboard gear during the early ambient years of Vidna Obmana. Think of Gathering In Frozen Beauty (1989), Near The Flogging Landscape (1990) or my trilogy uniting Passage In Beauty (1991), Shadowing In Sorrow (1992) and Ending Mirage (1993). Of course now, thanks to the digital evolution, upgraded and trimmed down to the most minimal set-up to re-imagine that minimalism and introspective quality in my music. A set-up that allows me to just sit down, take a breath and create/perform/record.
Subscribing to this collection will help me to sustain this creativity, to bring a bit of comfort to the technical side of things like instrument maintance, upgrading the studio and giving me the space, time and foremost artistic freedom to continue to create this streams of consciousness. On top of that is the annual subscription price of 55 EUR way below the amount of albums that will be published and when bought individually. Annually there’ll be at least 10 albums.
TODAY IS BANDCAMP FRIDAY ! As you know on this day bandcamp generously waive their fees to support independent musicians, bands and labels across the globe. This means that when you buy on this particular Friday no fees will be deducted from your purchase to us.
As you can imagine this extra will help us to continue, record new music and maintain the system to do this all. But without your support this doesn’t work so for us a moment to send back our gratitude and offer you some interesting discounts on the music we share.
For any digital purchase you’ll be able to use a discount of 50%. Use the code : bcmay26 on these platforms :
TODAY IS BANDCAMP FRIDAY ! As you know on this day bandcamp generously waive their fees to support independent musicians, bands and labels across the globe. This means that when you buy on this particular Friday no fees will be deducted from your purchase to us.
As you can imagine this extra will help us to continue, record new music and maintain the system to do this all. But without your support this doesn’t work so for us a moment to send back our gratitude and offer you some interesting discounts on the music we share.
For any digital purchase you’ll be able to use a discount of 50%. Use the code : bcmay26
MAX DEVEREAUX/HAYASHIPOOO/NAMEBYNAMES – LIVE AT ENVIRONMENT0G, OSAKA – 04.10.2024
(digital exclusive – A New Wave Of Jazz)
When guitarist MAX DEVEREAUX reached out to our label for a possible release, we went together through a variety of recordings. And it was this striking performance that really triggered our ears. A live room recording that, despite its quality restrictions, still documented this incredible concert with all its nuances, strength and stream of instant ideas between the 3 protagonists. LIVE IN OSAKA is an electrifying, multi-layered and provocative performance. We’re very thrilled to release this gem on our label in our digital exclusive series.
Recorded on Max Devereaux’s 30th birthday during his 2024 tour of Japan, Live at environment0g, Osaka — 04.10.2024 captures the final performance of his journey south through the country. The event took place at the renowned subterranean experimental venue, environment0g, in Osaka’s Nishi ward—a district defined by its stark, modern reconstruction following significant air-raid bombing devastation in WWII.
The performance was envisioned as a birthday celebration, organized with the help of Osaka-based electronic musician and longtime collaborator Chie Otomi. While Otomi initially suggested a solo set, Devereaux opted for a collaborative trio, inviting the night’s opening electronic artists, hayashipooo and nameBYnames, to join him. This arrangement allowed Devereaux to study their sonic palettes from the audience during their opening sets before introducing his electric guitar stylings into the mix.
The performance was deeply informed by the environment; Devereaux cites the relentless construction noise outside the hotel he was staying at in Osaka, Zone Shinsaibashi West, as a primary influence. The sounds of a city perpetually “under construction” mirrored his own artistic transition into a new decade. To reflect this, he utilized a “dislodged,” unfinished guitar style, stitching broken melodies into unpredictable electronic landscapes and broadcasting a small portable radio through his pickups—inspired by his hero, John Cage.
Accompanied by experimental visuals from nameBYnames and BGM by Otomi, the event served as a raw reflection on thirty years of life and a creative process that remains—much like the city itself—an experimental work in progress.
Scatterwound (Dirk Serries + N) return to Midira Records once again, this time with “SC01”. The journey together started 2017 with “SC00” the debut release of Scatterwound featuring two tracks recorded during their Microphonics + N Tour in 2010. Followed by their live debut as Scatterwound in 2017, when they played at the Moving Noises Festival in Germany at Christuskirche Bochum. After that show they did a tour and they also played at the Roadburn Festival in 2018. We documented most of those shows on CD and Tape releases.
Right before their debut show in 2017, Dirk Serries and N went to the Toppershouse Recording Studio in Duisburg to record their first ever Studio Album. That was the hour of birth of “SC01”, the debut studio album of Scatterwound.
On “SC01” you will find six extended tracks, showing the massive energy the duo already showed at live shows. The tracks move between noise and drone, creating rumbling soundwalls and meandering noise structures. But you also will find some quiet, ambient parts. All in all, Scatterwound creates a signature sound, different to the sounds of other projects Dirk Serries and N are involved in.
THE ARTISTS ABOUT THE ALBUM
Dirk Serries: “N and I really bonded on our little duo tour in 2010. What originally was a double bill tour, became something we both felt really natural about. The birth of Scatterwound. A blending both our soundworlds we create on the guitar and amps. The harshness of N’ signature sound mixed up with my constant melancholic approach, no matter how high it went in volume… The combination created something we both were very happy about. Spontaneous, improvised and foremost just plain fun. While the music shows a sense of seriousness and dedication, the humor in our friendship is perhaps what made Scatterwound so satisfying for me. And although our first studio recording took a long time to get completed, it still sounds fresh and relevant to what Scatterwound became.” N: “This is Scatterwound in a nutshell; Dirk nailed it!”
While the deluxe version sold out in a flash, we do carry a limited amount of copies of the standard version (limited to 80 copies triple vinyl : 3 x 180g black vinyl,
triple gatefold cover, reverse board printed, thick cardboard, black inner sleeves , including bandcamp download code).
Polish label ZOHARUM just released the third installment in VIDNA OBMANA’s TWILIGHT OF PERCEPTION REDUX VOLUME THREE with music dating between 1996 and 2006 on a triple cd.
For Italy’s SO WHAT critic CESARE BUTTABONI wrote a truly lovely review on this release. It’s in Italian but easily translated in google, if you’re interested.
The 3CD anthology is available here :
SO WHAT REVIEW : In un’epoca in cui la musica ambient rischia spesso di diventare un genere di sfondo, Third Instalment di Vidna Obmana emerge come un compendio che non si limita a documentare, ma riscrive — per chi ascolta con attenzione — la mappa profonda di un universo sonoro in continua espansione. Raccolti, ordinati e rimasterizzati da Dirk Serries, i tre CD che compongono questa terza parte sistematizzano registrazioni dal 1996 al 2006: frammenti scavati da cassette rare, tracce dimenticate su formati ormai introvabili e momenti sparsi in antologie diverse, ora riuniti in un unico flusso sonoro che pulsa come un organismo levigato dal tempo. Questa raccolta è al tempo stesso testimonianza e paesaggio — un territorio dove drone, minimalismo e ambient si intrecciano in modi che vanno ben oltre la semplice atmosfera di sottofondo. Le tessiture si dispiegano come ecosistemi sotterranei; i droni profondi non si limitano a ‘suonare’: respirano e si insinuano nello spazio attorno, trascinando l’ascoltatore in un cosmo stratificato di memorie acustiche e tensioni sottili. Ogni pezzo qui contenuto è un frammento di tempo dilatato, un momento catturato tra quiete e movimento, restituendo uno spettro di emozioni che va dal crepuscolare al trascendentale. Non si può parlare di questo archivio senza riconoscere l’importanza di Vidna Obmana nella storia dell’ambient contemporanea. Nome d’arte di Dirk Serries, Vidna Obmana è stato una figura centrale nel plasmare l’evoluzione del genere, in particolare negli anni ’90 e oltre, con composizioni che hanno saputo espandere i confini del drone, dell’ambient e della musica atmosferica in generale. Il progetto ha influenzato non solo l’estetica stessa del drone ambient, ma anche collaborato con figure chiave della scena, tra cui Steve Roach — con cui ha realizzato opere che vengono ancora considerate fondamentali nel corpus ambient internazionale — e molti altri pionieri del suono meditativo e oscuro. Questa terza parte funziona quindi su più livelli: come archivio storico, come esperienza immersiva e come ponte tra passato e futuro. La rimasterizzazione di tracce che altrimenti sarebbero perdute consente di percepire con chiarezza quanto l’arte di Vidna Obmana fosse già allora un punto di convergenza tra minimalismo, atmosfera e cosmica introspezione — un punto di vista unico che ha influenzato generazioni di artisti ambient successivi. Il digipack a otto pannelli, arricchito da una grafica meditativa, trasforma l’edizione fisica in oggetto contemplativo: non solo un contenitore, ma un artefatto che stimola l’esplorazione, come se ogni pannello fosse una porta verso un nuovo spazio di suono e silenzio. Third Instalment non è semplicemente un archivio di rarità: è un cosmo sonoro densamente stratificato, un invito a riscoprire una voce cardine dell’ambient che ha saputo guardare oltre l’orizzonte del genere e, trent’anni dopo, rimane essenziale per chi cerca nell’ambiente sonoro qualcosa di più di un semplice paesaggio passivo — ma piuttosto una profonda esperienza di percezione e memoria.
LOOP REVIEW : Vidna Obmana es uno de los proyectos fundamentales del músico belga Dirk Serries, cuya trayectoria experimental se remonta a 1984. A lo largo de su carrera, Serries ha colaborado en diversas agrupaciones; actualmente destaca su labor en Fear Falls Burning (su serie de paisajes sonoros en vivo), Microphonics, Loud As Giants (junto a Justin K. Broadrick) y Continuum (con Steven Wilson). Su obra transita por géneros como el post-industrial, ambient, música étnica, drone minimalismo, jazz de vanguardia e improvisación. «Vidna Obmana» es un término serbio/croata que significa «ilusionismo óptico». Dirk Serries lo eligió por su capacidad para evocar imágenes y proyectar un carácter cinematográfico a través de la música, logrando transportar al oyente hacia un espacio de profunda reflexión y contemplación.La vasta y prolífica obra de Vidna Obmana transita por diversos paisajes sonoros, desde el post-industrial hasta el jazz de vanguardia. Al integrar géneros y subgéneros esenciales de la música experimental de las últimas cuatro décadas, se consolida como una figura icónica e imprescindible del underground global. A principios de los 90, mi puerta de entrada a nuevos mundos sonoros fue la revista italiana Sonora, donde descubrí a visionarios como Alio Die, Etant Donnés y Randy Grief. Fue entonces cuando el nombre de Vidna Obmana apareció por primera vez en mi radar, aunque su universo no terminaría de revelarse ante mí hasta tiempo después, gracias a una reveladora entrevista a Dirk Serries en la publicación británica Music From the Empty Quarter. Durante años, condicionado por sus apariciones en diversos recopilatorios, tendí a asociarlo con la estética de proyectos como Hybrids, O Yuki Conjugate o Rapoon; sin embargo, su música conservó ese aura de enigma personal que solo logré descifrar por completo hace apenas unos años. “Twilight Of Perception Redux Vol. Three” es una tercera colección de tracks inéditos, rarezas y canciones ya editadas que han sido recopiladas, arregladas y remasterizadas por Dirk Serries, los tres CD que componen esta tercera entrega incluyen grabaciones de 1996 a 2006. Los otros dos volúmenes son «Twilight Of Perception Redux – Volume Two 1995-2002» y «Twilight Of Perception Redux – Volume One 1990-1998», estas tres ediciones fueron publicadas por el sello polaco Zoharum en abril y julio de 2025 y en octubre de 2024, respectivamente. “Twilight Of Perception Redux Vol. Three 1996 – 2006” de estética minimalista crea un ambiente propicio para un viaje que navega entre el ethno-ambient, el ambient electrónico y los infinitos drones. Varios de los temas habitan la estratósfera como nubes de algodón suspendidas, integrándose en un entorno ambiental realzado por etéreas voces aladas. En contraste, piezas como ‘Majestic Trip’, ‘System Heartbeat’ y ‘Travelworld’ incorporan una percusión de matices étnicos que dota al conjunto de un ritmo ancestral y profundo.Los 18 tracks de “Twilight… 1996 – 2006” contenidos en un conjunto de 3 CD’s, es un documento sonoro que se convierte en el legado de Vidna Obmana; cuya música se remonta a más de 35 años atrás, continua tan vigente por su gran calado y profundidad.
(3xLP + limited edition with book, Midira Records)
official date of release : April 24th, 2026
Scatterwound (Dirk Serries + N) return to Midira Records once again, this time with “SC01”.
The journey together started 2017 with “SC00” the debut release of Scatterwound featuring two tracks recorded during their Microphonics + N Tour in 2010. Followed by their live debut as Scatterwound in 2017, when they played at the Moving Noises Festival in Germany at Christuskirche Bochum. After that show they did a tour and they also played at the Roadburn Festival in 2018. We documented most of those shows on CD and Tape releases.
Right before their debut show in 2017, Dirk Serries and N went to the Toppershouse Recording Studio in Duisburg to record their first ever Studio Album. That was the hour of birth of “SC01”, the debut studio album of Scatterwound.
On “SC01” you will find six extended tracks, showing the massive energy the duo already showed at live shows. The tracks move between noise and drone, creating rumbling soundwalls and meandering noise structures. But you also will find some quiet, ambient parts. All in all, Scatterwound creates a signature sound, different to the sounds of other projects Dirk Serries and N are involved in.
THE ARTISTS ABOUT THE ALBUM
Dirk Serries: “N and I really bonded on our little duo tour in 2010. What originally was a double bill tour, became something we both felt really natural about. The birth of Scatterwound. A blending both our soundworlds we create on the guitar and amps. The harshness of N’ signature sound mixed up with my constant melancholic approach, no matter how high it went in volume… The combination created something we both were very happy about. Spontaneous, improvised and foremost just plain fun. While the music shows a sense of seriousness and dedication, the humor in our friendship is perhaps what made Scatterwound so satisfying for me. And although our first studio recording took a long time to get completed, it still sounds fresh and relevant to what Scatterwound became.” N: “This is Scatterwound in a nutshell; Dirk nailed it!”
THE LIMITED FORMAT OPTIONS
Standard Version: Limited to 80 copies on Triple Vinyl, housed in a triple gatefold sleeve, reverse board printed. The black vinyl comes on 180g.
Deluxe Version: Limited to 20 copies. The Triple Vinyl is supplemented by a 30x30cm Hardcover Book with 38 pages, featuring photographs from all stages of the Scatterwound history, like the studio recording session or their live shows. All housed in a hand sewed pouch, made of grey 155g reflective polyester fabric.
PURCHASE INFO : we’ll be selling the standard version from its official day of release April 24th through dirkserries.bandcamp.com
MIDIRA RECORDS starts the pre-order today so if you want to grap a copy of the limited edition version, be fast and go here :
Right after VIDNA OBMANA‘s noise excursion, he did his first West US tour. Partially set up by das/Ubuibi of BIG CITY ORCHESTRA, VIDNA OBMANA played four concerts in the Bay Area. While initially this was a solo tour, it quickly turned out to be one with numerous guest musicians, cumulating in a larger band at Cafe Chameleon in the famous surfing costal town Santa Cruz. This is also where VIDNA met PBK in person. After a flawed duo concert at 455 10th St in San Francisco (due to technical issues), VIDNA OBMANA joined PBK for a week of friendship and jamming at the PBK studio in San Bernardino (California). This is where VIDNA OBMANA laid down the foundation for his classic GATHERING IN FROZEN BEAUTY. After an inspiring stay at PBK’s place, he flew to Tucson (Arizona) where he played a solo set on KXCI’s fantastic radioshow The Pain Bank.
For a short period, you can enjoy this lo-fi recordings of that tour at ‘name your price’.
Photo is the VIDNA OBMANA concert at Santa Cruz’s CAFE CHAMELEON with guests : Allegory Chapel, Brook Hinton, das of BCO and PBK (not on this photo).
dirkserries.com 