Ambient????????

relman · #1 07-14-2002, 08:44 PM

I was checking out a couple University radio stations the other day and i heard about 1/2 hour's worth of Ambient music, and i truly LOVED it. Can anyone suggest some artists of such genre?

**Steve Lawson** · #2 07-15-2002, 08:25 AM

Hi Relman,

check out www.ambientvisions.com - for some great reviews and write-ups on ambient music.

Ambient is quite a wide ranging genre. from just 'sound' stuff with no pitch or whatever (bird song, nature noise) through to real abstract stuff.

A few of my favourites are David Sylvian's Approaching Silence, some of Robert Fripp's soundscape CDs, and Scott Kungha Drengsen's bass scapes - I've got an advance copy of Scott's newest album (not out yet, I think) which is stunning.

check out http://www.bearheartltd.com/nas/home.htm

as well - cool ambient radio station, that I think broadcasts on line.

Some of my stuff has made it onto Ambient radio - so check out both my albums! :o)

cheers

Steve
www.steve-lawson.co.uk
www.pillowmountainrecords.co.uk

stephanie · #3 07-15-2002, 03:19 PM

I love Ambient music. I listen to it most of the day, more than any other genre. If you live in the USA and have Digital Cable TV you might want to look for the station called 'Atmospheres' (soon to be called 'Soundscapes') that plays Ambient/New Age music 24/7!

It plays a broad range of artists: Enya, Vangelis, Tony Levin, Clannad, the late Michael Hedges, David & Steve Gordon...I can go on...From soft music played over nature sounds to synthesized brainscapes to acoustic melodies to Celtic lyrics, like Steve said, ambient is a wide-range genre.

Hehe. I just flipped on the station and under the Artist Facts that pop up it just mentioned Michael Manring being a part of Windham Hill.

JimK · #4 07-15-2002, 04:10 PM

...you know, I kinda consider Miles' In A Silent Way to be "ambient".

Now there's a genre called "Ambient"?

relman · #5 07-15-2002, 11:19 PM

well, to be more precise, it was more of a very, very, very minimalistic type of music. Just a few sounds, mainly one or two at a time.

**Steve Lawson** · #6 07-16-2002, 03:08 AM

Then definitely check out Approaching Silence by David Sylvian.

cheers

Steve
www.steve-lawson.co.uk

JimK · #7 07-16-2002, 04:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by relman
well, to be more precise, it was more of a very, very, very minimalistic type of music. Just a few sounds, mainly one or two at a time.

...then how 'bout John Cage's 4'33"?

oddentity · #8 07-16-2002, 07:55 AM

Brian Eno's Music for Airports
Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works Vol. 1 & 2
Robert Fripp's Soundscapes series -- my favorite is Cathedral of Tears

Are you in the US? If so, check to see if your local public radio station carries either Star's End or Echoes, which are syndicated ambient/space music programs produced out of WXPN at the University of Pennsylvania.

www.starsend.org
www.echoes.org

grindmore · #9 07-17-2002, 07:23 AM

boards of canada- music has the right to children

not so much ambient, but amazing.

the-lizard-king · #10 07-17-2002, 07:26 AM

Check out the french band Air.
Jim

KB · #11 07-17-2002, 11:38 AM

Another vote for

Brian Eno - Music for Airports

That is a great album. very peaceful and very ambient. It was recorded originally as back up music for an art display at LaGuadia (sp?) airport I think.

Stachio · #12 07-17-2002, 01:41 PM

I second Aphex Twin's SAW II for some pure ambient. He said he did that album while dreaming and in a semi-conscious state.
SAW I isn't as ambient to me...On a side note, some of that was done when he was 14 !!!
I'll throw Autechre in the mix too.

jerry · #13 07-17-2002, 03:15 PM

Bill Laswell had a pretty cool double C.D. out of his ambient work!

Diezel420 · #14 07-17-2002, 03:24 PM

Another vote for Bill Laswell, Brian Eno, and Aphex Twin. And I had no idea anyone else knew of the band Air!; I LOVE them!

nikofthehill · #15 07-18-2002, 12:31 PM

hey!
i am currently working on a mostly ambient music CD with a good friend of mine. he has done some previous recordings, which can be found here (http://www.soundclick.com/bands/calvinyu.htm), but the new stuff for the CD is a lot better. It'll be $5 excluding shipping. Nothing like shameless self-promotion...
-nik

BigBohn · #16 07-19-2002, 01:11 PM

Aphex Twin

SAW II
Richard D. James Album
SAW I
I Only Care Because You Do

Good stuff that Aphex Twin.

fhodshon · #17 07-20-2002, 01:55 PM

i've read that Brian Eno credits Miles Davis' IN A SILENT way as a MAJOR influence.

someone who's worked with Eno, whom i consider an other wordly master of ambient texturescapes:

JON HASSEL!!!!

Hassell, Jon - The Surgeon of the Nightsky
US Opal 45880

Hassell, Jon - Fourth World Vol. 1-Possible Musics
US EG EGS 107

Hassell, Jon - Fourth World Vol. 1-Possible Musics
Japan Polydor MPF 1322

Hassell, Jon - Aka Darbari Java
Japan Polydor 28MM0277

Hassell, Jon - Fourth World Vol. 2-Dream Theory…
US EG EGM 114

Hassell, Jon - Earthquake Island
US Tomato TOM-7019

Hassell, Jon - And Farfina – Flash of the Spirit
US Capitol C1-91186

Hassell, Jon - Power Spot
Germany ECM 1327

Hassell, Jon - City: Works of Fiction
US Opal 26151-1

these are all vinyl listings.

check out my web site for a listing of some interesting ambient jazz as well...the ECM label has some nice stuff.

http://www.hodshon.com/LP_Navigation/lp_navigation.html

not quite ambient, but RALPH TOWNER's SOLSTICE is a masterpiece!

moving a bit left of ambient: early german electronic such as Kluster and the offshoots are quite good.

Hans-Joachim Rodelius is excellent!!!

fred

ChaosGwar · #18 07-20-2002, 09:45 PM

Kinda ambient, but I label it as Etherial Gothic,

but check out Lycia and Black Tape for a Blue Girl

Good stuff.

oddentity · #19 07-21-2002, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fhodshon
Hans-Joachim Rodelius is excellent!!!

Yes! Stars End plays a lot of him, and I think I saw him live at one of the Stars End Gatherings here in Philly... I've been to a few of them, all really good.

mans0n · #20 07-23-2002, 07:05 AM

ive been a big fan of ambient music for a few years
the ppl here seemed to miss some of my favs.... i would recoemend..........

Klaus Schulze (the GOD of synth ambient music) <--highly recomended to ANYONE www.klaus-schulze.com BTW he has been doing it since 1972 !! (originally a member of Tangerine Dream.... another HIGHLY recomend ambient type group ppl seemed to miss......)

Nurse With Wound (the GOD of DARK ambient (evil sounding)

Biosphere (lighter ambient)
Penguin Cafe Orchestra (very light)
Muslimgauze

(below arent strictly ambient)
Nusrat Fetah Ali Khan - The Final Studio Recordings.

early music from Current 93 is HIGHLY almost 100% ambient

early music from Death in June
almost all music from Sol Invictus

Mouse on Mars could be considered ambient, as well as The Legendary Pink Dots

select Autechre tracks are Ambient....

(and lets not forget! CLASSICAL MUSIC)
im sure there is more, but its 8am and i cant think of anymore..... maybe more will be posted as i wake up