Kali Malone
We're on that Kali Malone shit, 'ambient superstars' Claire Rousay and Mari Maurice sing on their autoironic Never Stop Texting Me; it's a perfect indicator of this Swedish artist's reputation and influence on the contemporary experimental scene. Malone is mostly known for her hypnotic and methodical compositions for pipe organ (like The Sacrificial Code, arguably the most important ambient release of 2019); on 2021's Living Torch, she swaps it for brass instruments and an ARP 2500 synthesiser (the same one used by drone pioneer Éliane Radigue). She enriches the meditative, minimalist forms with unusual harmonies resulting from the use of alternative tunings and microtonality. She has collaborated with the likes of Caterina Barbieri, Ellen Arkbro, Acronym and Drew McDowell (Coil, Psychic TV).