Announcing Terminus Void Debut Album Release Interstellar
4 November 2021
Terminus Void, the solo electronic music project by Seattle area based American composer, J. Ronald Smith, released the debut album Interstellar on November 4, 2021. The album was produced by A.H. Backersmith and features cover art by Gleb Alexandrov.
Interstellar is available on all major digital media platforms including Soundcloud, iTunes, Amazon Music, Pandora and Iheart radio. Compact discs are also available on the Terminus Void Bandcamp webpage and various online retailers.
Terminus Void Featured in The Innerspace Connection
12 February 2022
James Piazza of Innerspace Lab discusses the debut album of Terminus Void, Interstellar, with music composer J. Ronald Smith. Read the full article here.
Terminus Void Interstellar Featured on Hearts of Space
2 April 2022
Terminus Void’s debut album Interstellar was featured on Stephen Hill’s nationally syndicated radio program, Hearts of Space, on the April 1st episode entitled Stellar Quest. This was the 1314th transmission of the longest and most successful weekly ambient space music radio program that first aired nationally on January 1st, 1983 and is currently aired on 176 public radio stations with an estimated audience of over 200,000. In addition, the show is heard world wide via the HOS Archive service. Hearts of Space is the #2 contemporary music program on public radio on station carriage and is in the top 20 list of all syndicated programs which include All Things Considered and Morning Edition.
Commenting on the debut of Terminus Void on the program, founder and composer J. Ronald Smith stated, “This is truly a full circle moment in my life as it was Stephen Hill and his initial broadcasts in 1983 that began my lifelong passion for ambient electronic music.”
Hearts of Space began as a San Francisco late night radio show in 1973 and is currently produced and hosted by Stephen Hill and Associate Producer, Steve Davis. To hear the program online or to locate the program on your local radio station, visit the Hearts of Space website at: www.hos.com
Announcing Terminus Void’s Second Album Release, Origins Unknown
25 April 2022
Terminus Void has released Origins Unknown the follow up to the debut album Interstellar. The album was produced by Nicol Smith and the cover image was provided courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill.
The album highlights feature tracks that incorporate audio recordings from NASA’s Juno spacecraft as it passed though the Jovian atmosphere of Ganymede, along with the first audio recordings from the Martian surface.
Origins Unknown is available on all major digital media platforms, including Soundcloud, iTunes, Amazon Music, Pandora and iheart radio. Compact discs are also available on the Terminus Void Bandcamp webpage and various online retailers.
Origins Unknown Reviewed by The Innerspace Connection
30 April 2022
James Piazza of Innerspace Lab once again delves into the world of Terminus Void with a full review of Origins Unknown, the second album by J. Ronald Smith’s solo space ambient project Terminus Void. Read the full article here.
Bert Strolenberg reviews Terminus Void’s latest release, Origins Unknown, and receives the prestigious ‘My Choice’ award
2 July 2022
Sonic Immersion’s Bert Strolenberg reviews ‘Origins Unknown’, Terminus Void’s second album release. Read the full review here.
Expose’s Peter Thelen reviews Origins Unknown, the second release by Terminus Void
26 August 2022
Expose’s Peter Thelen reviews “Origins Unknown’, the second release by Terminus Void. Read the full review here.
Terminus Void receives its first print magazine review of Interstellar and Origins Unknown by iO Pages’ magazine writer and critic Paul Rijkens.
8 September 2022
Paul Rijkens reviews Interstellar and Origins Unknown in IO Pages, a print magazine based in the Netherlands. IO Pages is celebrating its 25th year covering progressive rock and alternative music, including ambient electronica. Below is the translated review:
TERMINUS VOID
Interstellar, Origins Unknown
by Paul Rijkens, IO Pages Magazine
Terminus Void is the musical project of American electronic musician J. Ronald Smith. His sources of inspiration are artists such as Michael Stearns, Brian Eno, Steve Roach and Vangelis. In 1983 he became acquainted with the American radio program (and record label) Hearts Of Space, which specialized in symphonic space music, and he wanted to make such music himself. He has since released two albums: Interstellar (2021) and Origins Unknown (2022).
The great thing is that Smith mentions Michael Stearns and Vangelis, because when I listen to both albums, I hear a clear link to the space sounds of Stearns and the symphonic grandeur of Vangelis, but connected. Especially on Interstellar, he uses an impressive, long held synthesizer sound that could have come from Vangelis’ Yamaha CS80. This sound is used as the solo sound, supported by the finest ambient sounds. When this is combined with melancholy (e.g. in Arrival Home), it results in a wonderful atmosphere. Sometimes (Beyond Static Tolerance, Lost In (Time) a cautious sequence is also used, in service of the music. What a beautiful album!
Smith manages to match or exceed this on Origins Unknown. In the opening track Discovery, there is also another sequence here and further a particularly impressive sound world. On this album, the comparison to Vangelis is somewhat less present, with the exception perhaps of the Star Field piece, but that is not to say that the grandeur is absent; it is perhaps even greater than on Interstellar. The music in songs like Inception and the title piece manages to transport me to distant galaxies. I feel like Carl Sagan or Neil deGrasse Tyson being transported on the bridge of their imaginary starship to fascinating worlds. These are two exceptional albums by a particularly intriguing artist.
(2022, September 8) Terminus Void; Interstellar, Origins Unknown IO Pages Magazine, volume (180), pp36-37
For more information about IO Pages, including subscriptions: https://www.iopages.nl
Terminus Void releases the third studio album and the first release on the highly acclaimed Groove Unlimited label.
14 October 2023
Terminus Void, the solo electronic music project by Seattle area based American composer, J. Ronald Smith, released the much anticipated third studio album, APERION, on the highly acclaimed Groove Unlimited label on October 14, 2023 during the E-Live event in The Netherlands. The album was produced by NICOL SMITH with album photo credits by Albert H. Backersmith.
APEIRON is available on on compact disk and high resolution digital audio download on the Groove Unlimited website and the official Groove BandCamp page along with various online retailers.
Synth&Sequences’ Sylvain Lupari reviews Apeiron, Terminus Void’s third studio album
1 November, 2023
(excerpt) When Ron Boots gets excited and carried away, we have to be curious. And when he praises an artist, his music. We have to listen! The man’s knowledge of electronic music (EM) is immense, and his knowledge of the art, as he plays and produces it, has built his credibility over the years.
Terminus Void’s APEIRON is the reason for the Groove.nl boss’ latest enthusiasm. Since the album is available on the famous Dutch label, is this a cultural conflict of interest? Yes and no! Yes, because it is! And no, because Ron is absolutely right! In a musical envelope with an essence of sonic renewal, APEIRON brings you a hefty 65 minutes of EM that breathes the analog years while throwing into the ambiences those futuristic visions with the unique tones of Vangelis. In short, a unique blend thanks to the use of the Waldorf Quantum synthesizer, which harmonizes the sounds of the analog era with the more contemporary sounds of digital synthesizers. The imprint and influences of the Greek keyboard wizard are everywhere in APEIRON, so much so that the Seattle musician-synthesist multiplies floating harmonies and arrangements in a tonality that is very close to the Greek legend. Sharp blades of lament and rotating waves that make apocalyptic sirens wail are legion on this album, flirting with Papathanassíou’s cosmic, sci-fi dimensions. Not only is the music beautiful, with a seductively warm imprint, the rhythms are in evolutionary mode, with a sequencer that can structure up to 3 lines of sequences in a single track. The beginnings are often quiet, evolving into catchy down tempos, and ultimately good rock and/or cosmic Berlin School. Electronic percussions underpin the sequenced rhythms with attractive textures. You’re free to read the long, very detailed review that follows… if not, this APEIRON is a must if you like creative, harmonious and catchy progressive cosmic EM.
Sylvain Lupari (November 1st, 2023)
Read the full review here: Synth&Sequences
Terminus Void featured in issue #189 of iO Pages magazine by writer and critic Paul Rijkens.
30 December 2024
Paul Rijkens reviews APEIRON, Terminus Void’s third studio album, released by Groove Unlimited. iO Pages is a monthly print magazine produced in The Netherlands. The magazine is distributed world-wide and is currently in its 26th year of publication.
Terminus Void Nominated For The 2023 Schallwelle Awards Best New Artist
17 January 2024.
(Schwerte, Germany) Terminus Void has be nominated by the jury panel for the 2023 Schallwelle Electronic Music Awards in Germany for Best New Artist of the year.
The award ceremony will take place in Schwerte, Germany on February 24th which will also include awards for Best National Artist, Best National Album, Best International Artist, Best International Album, ‘My Own Way’ award and the prestigious ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award. Past Schallwelle Award recipients include Klaus Schulze, Jean-Michel Jarr and Tangerine Dream.
About The Schallwelle Awards: Since 2009, Schallwende, together with media and event organizers active in the traditional electronic music genre, orchestrate the Schallwelle Awards where the best national and international albums and artists will be honored for their particular achievements on a per year basis. Besides artists and albums, further prizes are given to special categories for best newcomer, and, of course, a special award for great accomplishments or life time achievements, respectively.