Canadian ambient composer Alaskan Tapes has joined forces with Portland-based multi-instrumentalist Blu Miles for Blank Slate, Open Space, a seven-track collaborative album that explores the quiet beauty of connection across distance. Led by the evocative single In-Cloud (feat. Ann Annie), the release showcases an understated yet emotionally resonant approach to contemporary ambient music. Created between Toronto and Portland before being completed together in person, the album demonstrates how creative intuition can transcend geography.
What began as an exchange of piano and saxophone ideas gradually evolved into a richly layered collection of compositions. Working remotely for much of the process, Alaskan Tapes and Blu Miles shared stems across more than 4,000 kilometres before Miles travelled to Toronto to complete the project. That collaborative workflow is reflected in the album’s seamless flow, where individual contributions dissolve into a singular artistic voice that feels cohesive from beginning to end.
Lead single In-Cloud, featuring acclaimed ambient artist Ann Annie, expands the project’s sonic palette with delicate arrangements of piano, saxophone, guitar, and clarinet. Built from a foundation of piano sketches, the track gradually unfolds into an immersive soundscape where organic instrumentation is subtly reshaped through texture and atmosphere. The result is a meditative composition that perfectly captures the album’s themes of openness, patience, and shared creativity.
Across its concise twenty-minute runtime, Blank Slate, Open Space offers listeners a series of intimate musical reflections, balancing minimalism with cinematic depth. From its interpretation of Luke Howard and Nadje Noordhuis’ Oversky to the slow-building emotional pull of Rosewood, the album embraces stillness without sacrificing momentum. As one of ambient music’s most quietly compelling collaborative releases, it invites audiences to slow down, listen closely, and discover the beauty that exists within simplicity.
