Who's into ambient, electronica, etc? [Archive] - Squeezebox : Community : Forums

DrNic

2006-03-02, 05:03

I've always loved ambient/electronica stuff, and have been getting more heavily into it in recent years. The genre has really taken off with the availability of inexpensive, computer-driven production.

It also sounds *incredible* on high end audio systems.

My favorites albums lately:

Phutureprimite, "Sub Conscious"
Entheogenic, "Spontaneous Illumination"
Bliss, "Quiet Letters"
Jon Hopkins, "Opalescent"
Pitch Black, "Ape to Angels"
Kaya Project, "Elixir" and "Walking Through"
Almost anything on the Waveforms label

And of course all the classics, e.g. Future Sound of London, Spacetime Continuum, Higher Intelligence Agency, Orb, Starseeds, Shpongle, etc.

Anyone else? I'm always looking for more.

OH, and if you're new to the genre (or even if you're not), be sure to check out the RadioIO Ambient station, free on your squeezebox. In fact there are quite a few very good internet radio stations devoted to ambient, but RadioIO is one of my faves.

This "genre/s" forms the basis of a large part of my music collection. Being both an avid fan of the music and into the production of it myself (well most active during med school - when I had time!) I am always on the look out for new stuff too.

Check out *anything* by Global Communications - they are the dogs..

Suzuki K1 - Satellite Serenade is another splendid track

Floris de Haan does excellent remixes (ambient stylie!) of "electronica" dance tracks

There's a few for you to check out.

For me, ambient music is extremely involved - you can really listen and pick out the subtle changes and progressions in a well constructed track. It isn't just background music (as my wife often thinks!!)

Nic

nathanroberts1

2006-03-02, 05:37

Cleve

2006-03-02, 06:03

Even 30 years ago, I liked electronic pioneers like Tangerine Dream. I find that, as I grow older, I prefer electronic and ambient more and more. There's many sub-genres of ambient - Dark, Organic, Natural, and others.

There's a good article at Wikipedia on ambient

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambient_music

A few of the artists that I enjoy, in no particular order

Peter Namlook
Tetsu Inouye
Dan Gibson
Steve Roach
Lustmord
Bill Laswell
Matt Borghi
Biosphere
Stars of the Lid
Windy and Carl
Ooi Phoi

There are also many Ambient Internet radio stations that can be enjoyed with the Squeezebox. Here are some of my current Squeezebox Favorites...

Mixing of Particulate Solids Radio 1 - http://147.175.61.250:8000/listen.pls

Mixing of Particulate Solids Radio 2 - http://147.175.84.45:8000/listen.pls

Mixing of Particulate Solids Radio 3 - http://147.175.61.55:8000

These three stations originate from a university in Slovakia, of all places. There's no 'language barrier' since they play almost entirely instrumental/electronic music. Not all three stations are "on the air" at the same time.

Sleepbot Environmental Broadcast - http://www.sleepbot.com/ambience/cgi/listen.cgi/listen.pls

One of the first ambient radio stations I found, and one of my favorites. Unfortunately, it's only a 56 kbps feed - somehow, though, it sounds better than 56k.

The Drone Zone

http://www.somafm.com/dronezone.pls

Soma FM has a wide variety of stations - Check out the others at www.somafm.com

OEM Radio - http://205.188.215.231:8000/listen.pls

More electronica than ambient, but it's one of the stations I frequently listen to.

BlueMars - http://207.200.96.225:8020/listen.pls

The station has been off-line for a couple weeks, but it's running today

Cryosleep - http://207.200.96.225:8022/listen.pls

The 'sister station' of Bluemars, this is "Zero Beat Guaranteed". The website for both stations is www.bluemars.org

ezkcdude

2006-03-02, 06:44

Anyone else? I'm always looking for more.

A friend of mine let me borrow his Sound Lab Sector Nine album ("Artifact"). I'm sure it would be right up your alley. You may also like Boards of Canada.

Mike Anderson

2006-03-02, 09:21

For me, ambient music is extremely involved - you can really listen and pick out the subtle changes and progressions in a well constructed track. It isn't just background music (as my wife often thinks!!)

I agree completely. Thanks for the tips, I will definitely check em out.

Re Boards of Canada, that's been recommended to me a couple times too, I will also check it out.

Pale Blue Ego

2006-03-02, 09:30

I love ambient, but mainly use it for sleep music. Steve Roach, Harold Budd, Eno, etc. I even have a genre named "sleep" that is separate from "ambient", because some of the ambient stuff can be nightmare-inducing if used to crash to.

Love the new music forum

jth

2006-03-02, 09:52

Here's a few more for the list:

Harold Budd / Brian Eno - The Pearl
Labradford - Mi Media Naranja
Brian Eno - Apollo, On Land, Shutov Assembly, and others
Pauline Oliveros / Stuart Dempster / Panaiotis - Deep Listening
Bark Psychosis - Hex
Seefeel

dbuk

2006-03-02, 12:05

I'm currently rediscovering Electronica having set up an SB2 in the bedroom and going to sleep to Soma FM Groovesalad

I'd also recommend the stuff on Warp Records. Aphex Twin, Boards Of Canada, Squarepusher etc. The trouble with Aphex Twin though is he stretches his material, Drukqs and Selected Ambient Works II would make superb single album rather than quite good doubles.

Orbital are always good as well. Any group that samples dialogue from the film Withnail and I is fine with me.

mwphoto

2006-03-02, 12:50

Thanks for the heads up on this, radioIO seems cool, I'm just working on the slimscrobbler plugin, seems like I've got it submitting tracks played on radioio now :) Isn't perl wonderful!

PS the music is good too ;)

Malcolm

radish

2006-03-02, 13:28

A lot of ambient stuff strikes me as rather so-so, but I've seen a few names on this thread I like. My tastes at the more chilled end of the spectrum include Royksopp, Erland Oye, Fischerspooner, Flunk, Cirrus, Frou Frou, Zero 7, Delerium, Conjure One, Tosca, A Reminiscent Drive, Kings of Convenience, Air, Phoenix, Groove Armada and a bunch of others I don't remember right now.

Most of the time, however, I listen to much more upbeat stuff.

dSw

2006-03-02, 13:52

radish

2006-03-02, 14:34

I guess it's like any type of music - the more you look into it the more you find.

Some more artists worth checking out are Christ, Global Communication, Multiplex, Reverbaphon, Schneider TM and To Rococo Rot.

Thanks - I'll take a look. I was re-reading the thread and saw a mention of Aphex Twin. There's a contradiction, I have an Aphex Twin CD single from back in the day which I picked up for $1 and love to bits, but none of the albums I've bought afterwards have lived up to it. And some of his stuff just terrifies me :)

CardinalFang

2006-03-02, 15:54

I'm just dipping my toe into this area, but have been blown away by Four Tet (Rounds). Also the Scandinavian bands Sigur Ros and Mum make sublime atmospheric stuff, if you can live with whispery vocals amongst the ambience. All have come alive in my system since they received the flac -> SB3 treatment.

Defitely agree with Sigur Ros - they're Icelandic by the way and often sing in a made-up language. Robert Fripp and Eno did some good early stuff too, in fact Eno was one of my brother's lecturers at art school. He was a big fan of Sly and Family Stone apparently. Auteche can be a bit difficult to get into, but many people rave about them.

More mainstream groups are Zero 7, Thievery Corporation or for the more light hearted stuff try listening to Mr Scruff or Lemon Jelly. They can be a bit more dance orientated though.

To give you system a good electronica workout try Talvin Singh. There's deep, deep bass and lots of Indian instruments like tablas and sitars. Nitin Sawhney is also similar and good to listen too. Again, they may be a bit too dance-orientated for you.

CardinalFang

2006-03-02, 15:59

Thanks - I'll take a look. I was re-reading the thread and saw a mention of Aphex Twin. There's a contradiction, I have an Aphex Twin CD single from back in the day which I picked up for $1 and love to bits, but none of the albums I've bought afterwards have lived up to it. And some of his stuff just terrifies me :)

You bet - have you seen his video for "come to Daddy"? It's nightmare stuff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Az_7U0-cK0&search=aphex

Mike Anderson

2006-03-03, 20:09

Here's a quirky little album that I've grown to like lately:

William Orbit, "Strange Cargo 3"

autopilot

2006-03-04, 09:58

Sigur Ros are AMAZING, if you like chilled electronica, you must buy thier album (Takk). A dear friend of mine who is from iceland and knows them and she told me to check them out - glad i did!

Some good sugestions here, Lemon jelly, Boards of canada, Zero 7, FSOL, etc.

Other "must have" stuff - AIM, Cinematic Orchestra, Four Tet, Funki Porcini, Minus 8, Quantic.

Most of the decent stuff is from the UK or Europe. Us lucky brits have the Big Chill festival. Thier website is here http://www.bigchill.net/ where they have good reviews etc.

Grumpy_Git

2006-03-04, 10:27

For those of you that like the humorous side of Mr Scruffs music, I'd like to suggest Osymyso, its superb stuff and I've also heard good things about DJ RIKO, DJ Food and DJ Yoda are pretty cool.

autopilot

2006-03-04, 10:34

Also check out anything on the Ninjatune record lable.

Mark Lanctot

2006-03-04, 12:19

I keep coming back to it...I'm mostly into "old school techno".

It all started with a remix on an Electronic single (Disappointed) by 808 State. Then I got into 808 State and it grew from there.

I have some Chemical Brothers stuff (OK but fairly mainstream) as well as Orbital.

Obviously one of my favourite Internet radio stations is Digitally Imported Classic Techno.

Also you guys might want to check out the music (for robots) (http://music.for-robots.com/) "MP3 blog". They are hit-and-miss (mostly miss!) but every once in a while they have something cool.

Skunk

2006-03-04, 21:20

Quoting Mark Lanctot
<Mark.Lanctot.245tfb1141500002 (AT) no-mx (DOT) forums.slimdevices.com>:

>
> I keep coming back to it...I'm mostly into "old school techno".
>
> --
> Mark Lanctot

You should check out LCD Soundsystem. 'disco punk' maybe, moreso than
electronic- but audiophile quality recording, and great live shows
(I've read), with cowbells and stuff. Their self titled album is a two
disc set, the second being a 'bonus disc'. Had they combined the two
into a single disc, it'dve been a real contender. Check out the
cowbells on ->yr' city's a sucker<-, they never fail to make me smile :
)

DjTweed

2006-03-06, 10:51

Not really "Ambient" but Air's "Moon Safari" has to be some of the most amazing music to "Headphone" too.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kr0qoauaiijn

"New Star In The Sky" is my fav. :D

zooropa320

2006-03-07, 20:39

I'm sure I'm beginning to sound like the band's manager or something but this recommendation also fits into this thread for its ambient style:
Mogwai - Mr. Beast

Chris OH

2006-03-08, 13:05

Off to see Sigur Ros again in Manchester this time. For those unfamiliar, I think they are best described as Post Rock (like Mogwai too IMHO)

If you like them try Mono's

"Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined"

They are a Japanese band escribed on All Music as

Tokyo's Mono have matured in a most compelling way. They began shamelessly wearing their influences on their collective sleeve, pushing a heavy brand of distorted guitar scree into the stratosphere of sheer punishing noise. On Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined, the band's third full-length on the brilliant Temporary Residence Limited label, they've transformed themselves into something utterly new.

Others not mentioned yet are Godspeed You Black Emperor if you like this sort of thing try Yanky UXO

Chris

zooropa320

2006-03-08, 14:39

for an interesting graphical view of similar bands along the lines of what allmusic lists, try these sites:
http://www.music-map.com/
http://www.liveplasma.com/

Mono is listed on music-map but not liveplasma

Chris OH

2006-03-08, 15:06

i forgot to say you can find some mono on the Live Music archive

Chris

Cleve

2006-03-08, 20:10

Monday, I received three new ambient CDs - "Windy & Carl - Consciousness", "The Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid" and "Avec Laudenum" by Stars of the Lid. All three albums are on the "Kranky" label. Fine, droning, ambient music.

Kranky's website has lots of info on artists, albums, et al.

www.kranky.net

ezkcdude

2006-03-11, 17:40

Listening to Massive Attack's Mezzanine album right now. It's a must-have.

Skunk

2006-03-11, 20:18

Listening to Massive Attack's Mezzanine album right now. It's a must-have.

Indirectly related, Tricky's Angels With Dirty Faces is one of those albums that sounds better every time my system gets better.

I'll have to 're-buy' Mezzanine. Thanks for reminding me.

What are some other good trip hop artists?

ezkcdude

2006-03-11, 21:26

Indirectly related, Tricky's Angels With Dirty Faces is one of those albums that sounds better every time my system gets better.

I'll have to 're-buy' Mezzanine. Thanks for reminding me.

What are some other good trip hop artists?

I don't think I've seen Portishead mentioned in this thread, so I'll throw that one out there. Air has been mentioned, and I second (or third) that recommendation.

radish

2006-03-12, 00:05

I'm not 100% sure I'd call them Trip-Hop but I really like Flunk, they have quite a Portishead-like sound, but more acoustic.

dbuk

2006-03-12, 04:41

As far as Trip Hop goes I'd recommend Lamb, Gorecki is an excellent song. The Kruder and Dorfmeister remix of Trans Fatty Acid is outstanding, in fact anything remixed by K&D is superb. It's a pity there's not been a follow up to the K&D sessions. It's so well produced that nine years on it doesn't sound dated.

MKS

2006-03-12, 06:42

My recommendations:
Plaid - Restproof Clockwork
Thievery Corporation - DJ Kicks
ESL Soundtracks - Modular Systems
Saint Germain - Tourist
302Acid - emit005 (Orb-like, very good)
Luke Vibert - Acid for lovers
Luke Vibert & BJ Cole - Stop the panic
David Holmes - Let's get killed

Stuff by LTJ Bukem and his Good Looking / Looking Good labels is very good. Drum and bass, but the more jazzy end of the genre. Nice to listen to.

If you like Aphex Twin, check out Alarm Will Sound "Play the music of the Aphex Twin". Chamber orchestra playing arrangments of Aphex Twin's music. Outstanding musicianship. Alternatively The Bad Plus do a fine version of Flim.

autopilot

2006-03-16, 04:11

The new Nighmares On Wax album just came out this week.

CardinalFang

2006-03-21, 06:06

To give you system a good electronica workout try Talvin Singh. There's deep, deep bass and lots of Indian instruments like tablas and sitars. Nitin Sawhney is also similar and good to listen too. Again, they may be a bit too dance-orientated for you.

Oh, and definitely try some Yello, Swiss studio trickery with a strong dance leaning. They were used a lot for adverts in the 80's with tracks from "Stella", but later albums like "Flag", "The Eye" and "Zebra" have their moments too. Right now I like playing "How How" from "Zebra" for the sampled saxaphones and drum machines - it jumps out of the speakers.

oreillymj

2006-03-21, 08:53

How's about Chicane.
Groove Armada - a bit dancey

The Grid have a really mellow remix of Rollercoaster on one of their albums. it reminds me of the Blade Runner soundtrack.

teanau

2006-03-26, 19:41

one word, murcof

http://www.last.fm/music/Murcof

the martes album is probably his best.

hahaha, ive been thrashing the blade runner sound track recently, "tears in the rain"

ok, ok, i give in more than one word:
freescha
helios
pole

<a little more danceable>
antix
alex under
lusine
monolake
ricardo villalobos

_sam

Skunk

2006-03-26, 23:35

I've found ambient has a place in the car, as a road rage antidote. Also handy when working on the PC, being less distracting than shorter songs with lyrics.

Now Playing:
4. A Green Thought In A Green Shade from Ambient Rituals 2 : Trip into dub by Wave .
Great sounding compilation disc I picked up in the clearance bin a couple days ago for $1.8o :-) At 20cents per song, I see no reason to ever visit the Itunes store.

CardinalFang

2006-03-27, 12:32

Now Playing:
4. A Green Thought In A Green Shade from Ambient Rituals 2 : Trip into dub by Wave

Has anyone mentioned Eno yet? I was into Eno big time in the 70's and have mint copies of Fripp & Eno's No Pussyfooting and Music for Airports.

Paul

ModelCitizen

2006-03-27, 13:43

Forewarner: I have said below what I feel. If I say such and such sound cold (or whatever), this is my opinion and I am aware that others will experience the artists/song differently... but it's pretty onerous to have to state "in my own opinion" or somesuch in every sentence. :-(
----------------------------------

I don't mormally look in this Forum but am glad I did. I love electronic ambient, but am quite particular. Most music I come across now seems to me to be extremely unoriginal, and just retreads old ground (which I guess is not a surprise when you consider how much music is made). Some is just plain ugly and unlistenable (for me much of Aphex Twin for instance). I like to think that all the music I like has some sort of original feature or exhibits an unusual (or at-odds) personality... but one mans junk is another mans pleasure..... and I'm probably wrong anyway.

I'm open minded and constantly listen to new stuff to find new and hidden gems... however, most of the groups recommended to me by people who think they know my taste (and last.fm!) do not seem to pop my cork.... e.g...

Air is nice in a poppy, bland sort of throwaway way, although the overall sound of both Walkie Talkie and Moon Safari is quite lovely and the've made at least three tracks I like a lot. I've really tried to like Boards of Canada but they miss me completely, having no discernable style or grace, or possibly easy subtlety (for me).
I also generally have a problem with beats in this type of music. Virtually all "Chill Music" (Cafe Del mar for instance) seems to me to be lazy, uninventive and include crushingly unoriginal and dull beats.
Apart from originality I like music that feeds my head (whatever state it happends to be in at the time) and am partial to a bit of deep understated bass or lovely evolving sounds. Simple and natural complexity and flow is georgeous.

I am lucky enough to have a fairly brilliant hifi (Naim and Shahinian Arcs) and this does affect what I listen to. I am highly into the quality of sound. The stuff I like sounds fantastic on a good detailed, open and rich hifi... but it's not the same on anything less (for me)..

The most underated and unknown artist in my firnament is Maitreya from the UK (www.councilofnine.co.uk). His (Simon Lomax) album Return to The Mothership takes me on a great journey whenever I listen to it. It is impossible for me not to listen to all of it (and indeed, it should be listened to as a whole as themes re-occur throughout), especially if listening in a "mellow" state of mind. The sound of everything he uses is wonderful. Maitreya's Telluric Waves and .74 are also classics (for me and possibly one other person somewhere!).
Another Council of Nine release that I think is just superb is Christian Høy Knudsen's - Hav. An electronic sea journey (without obvious references to sea noises etc!).

www.Ultimae.com is a label I have a lot of time for. Their Fahrenheit 2 compilation is an all time fave (although the other Fahrenheit compilations are sadly lacking). Carbon Based Lifeforms, Entheogenic, Solar Quest, Asura, Solar Fields have all produced some stunning tracks (and some out and out crap too, but more of that later).

Someone else I really should mention is Simon Posford and Sphongle (Simon Posford and Raja jam, from 70's group Quintessence!). Ambient dub. The album Are You Shpongled gets me every time (and makes me laugh!). From the same stable (sort of Twisted Records/TIP.World, but not anymore) are/were the superb Infinity Project. The best album to track down for a taster is Raja Rams compilation Spaceships of the Imagination - highly recommended.

Solar Quest's Orgship is a must, pure sound, deep base, swirly synthy, long dream tracks.. and just hugely involving.. but the main thing is the really, really pure and georgeous sound (and driven by solar power!).

Peter Namlook's Fax label is also interesting. The labels output is prodigious, but much of it is lazy and probably only sounded good to the producers of it at the time because they were too stoned to tell any better or refine it. However FAX (www.2350.org) has produced some excellent records (when they are good, they are very good):

Ambiant Otaku - Tetsu Inoue
Fires of Ork - Pete Namlook and Gier Jenssen (of Biosphere) - first track especially
Fires of Ork 2 - Pete Namlook and Gier Jenssen (of Biosphere) - first track especially
Dreamfish - Pete Namlook and Mixmaster Morris (Dreamfish 2 is alright too)
Pete Namlook & Klaus Schulze - The Dark Side of the Moog IX (this is the 9th in the series and the best)

FAX likes analogue... and deep bass.. sometimes so deep and powerful that some hifis can't handle it (be warned!).

Which sort of brings me to Biosphere. For me there is little that can beat Biosphere's album Substrata.. takes a bit of getting used to, as it is so unusual, but after a while it really takes you to some strange places. Gier Jenssen is a Norwegian mountain climber (as well as musician and artist) and some of the tracks on this CD can make you feel like you are on top of a snow covered mountain near the North Pole. Patashnik is also good but his later albums have haven't done too much for me (although others I know rate them).

My main beef is that all output from both artists and labels seems so patchy. Most music in this "Ambient Electronic" genre (like any other I guess) seems to me to be extreme rubbish.. but the stuff that does it for me does it like no other music.

Anyway, here's a list of albums I think everyone should hear!

You - Gong (sorry, just had to put that first).
Robert Rich & Brian Lustmord - Stalker [1995] - classic dark ambient from old hippies
Solar Quest - Orgship [Entropic 2001] - pure sound
The Infinity Project - Mystical Experiences [BlueRoom 1995]
The Infinity Project - The Mystery of the Yeti [TIP.World 1996]
VA - Pop Ambient 2001 [Kompakt 2001] (and the 2002, 2003 and 2004 versions)
VA - Raja Jam - Spaceships of the Imagination [TIP.World 2000]
zerO One - protOtype2 [Waveform 2000] - not really ambient, but lovely sounds
Asura - Code Eternity [Infinium 2001]
Biosphere - Substrata (remastered) [Touch 2001]
Biosphere - Patashnik [Apollo 1994]
Carbon Based Lifeforms - Hydroponic Garden [Ultimae 2003]
Celtic Cross - Hicksville [Dragonfly 1998] - not too ambient, by Simon Posford
Christian Høy Knudsen - Hav [Council of Nine 2000] - ambient oceans. Very good indeed.
Digital Mystery Tour - Digital Mystery Tour [Twisted 2001]
Entheogenic - Entheogenic [3DVision 2002]
Gas (Wolfgang Voigt) - Pop [Mille Plateaux 2001] - bit extreme for most
Healer - Wonderground [Flying Rhino 2000] - highly recommended. Lovely sound.
Astral Engineering - Chronoglide [Worm Interface 1994]
Maitreya - From the Mothership [Council of Nine 1999]
Maitreya - Telluric Waves [Council of Nine 2003]
Maitreya - .74 [Council of Nine 2004]
Modular Green - Shellground [Fax 1995] - Fax records
O Yuki Conjugate - Equator [Soleilmoon 1994]
Phonophani - Phonophani [Biophon 1997]
Plaid - Spokes [Warp 2003] - not ambient though!

That'll have to do I guess. You tell I'm a fanatic can't you?

I know most of the radio stations listed above but my faves are:

www.Bluemars.org
Drone Zone
but very especially:
www.paxahau.com - http://207.218.250.55:8800/ - billed as Detroit ambient electronic

Unfortunately even 128k mp3 does not really do it for me on my system though.

Oooh and DrNic, have you come across Spectrasonics Atmosphere?
For me this is the "must have" program for making ambient electronic music.. so many cool long, evolving and detailed patches that you can adjust and refine at will.

I can't believe I've just written all this.
BTW. Brian Eno leaves me completely cold.

MC

Skunk

2006-03-27, 16:20

For me this is the "must have" program for making ambient electronic music.. so many cool long, evolving and detailed patches that you can adjust and refine at will.

I can't believe I've just written all this.
BTW. Brian Eno leaves me completely cold.

MC

I have Brian Eno and David Byrne, +my life in the bush of ghosts+. To me it's funk meets electronica, moreso than trying to be ambient. Mountain of needles does sound pointedly ambient though, so perhaps that's more Eno's style. I can see how David Byrne might be an extraordinarily good influence ;-) It's all the Eno I have to compare, and I haven't heard a lot of ambient either.

That being said, I give it more cred as a musical piece than any of the strictly ambient I've heard. The compilation I mentioned a couple posts ago is far more entrancing in the sweetspot, and better able to make my body disappear, and has that lovely round deep enveloping bass, but lacks the fundamental artistic/experimental nature of the Eno/Byrne album I have. I feel like they're doing so much more than using the perfect program. [do not interpret as flame bait, just MHO]

I'm totally with you on the SQ issue, and while we're saying 'not nice' things: I can't listen to Royksopp for a few reasons, but SQ is the main. I will surely check out some of your suggestions, thanks for the great post.

ModelCitizen

2006-03-27, 23:58

I have Brian Eno and David Byrne, +my life in the bush of ghosts+. To me it's funk meets electronica, moreso than trying to be ambient.
I agree. For some reason I never think of it as Ambient/Electronica so didn't mention it (possibly cos I mostly listen to ambient to be drenched in sound, very different than hoping around the room, which is what I'm more likely to do to this album), but it is one of the all-time great albums... so, I'll have to redress: Brian Eno leaves me cold unless he works with David Byrne! :-)
MC

Skunk

2006-03-28, 11:36

Brian Eno leaves me cold unless he works with David Byrne!
MC

I was glad to see a lighthearted response. I felt bad about my comment re: musical cred after posting, especially considering your fondness of said 'perfect apps'.

Your post stirred me to rip Steve Roach, Early Man- which I had only listened to a few times before shelving for tempo/rhythm preferences (sloooow pace, anti rhythm). I'm glad I dug it up, because now that my system is more involving the textures really came alive. It totally helped me further grok your post.

Surely pure electronic music is an art form, as much so as classical music or any other. The last review of Early Man at Amazon was great, referencing a Steve Roach quote: 'his desert island picks include Eno's On Land'- with a comparison drawn between the two 'impressions of a terrestrial environment'.

To me Early Man is to music, what Frank Lloyd Wright is to architecture. Listening loud and in the sweet spot, I couldn't tell if the bird I heard was real or memorex. Either way the chirps blended perfectly into the landscape of the music.

ModelCitizen

2006-03-28, 12:09

Your post stirred me to rip Steve Roach
Sorry, I am (as I said) a bit fanatical, and can come over far too serious, however, I didn't mention Steve Roach (or even Robert Rich who I consider very similar and does the intro and outro on Ultimae's great Fahrenheit Project 2) in my post cos I am a little overwhelmed by their output. There is one Steve Roach CD that I've been meaning to listen to again, and I've just tried to find it but can't. However I did find Steve Roach and Vidna Obmana - Spirit Dome [Projekt 2004], which seems very worthy of some more listens.
Still, for me, in this sort of vein Maitreya hits this sort of mark so much better and quicker (more of a mainline imput, less smoke). Although I prefer Maitreya's first album, Return To The Mothership, it can seem a bit naive to others (especially anyone who has attempted to make electronic music), but the next two are great too and more developed.
But, you are right, with a good sound system this type of music can be appreciated as it is meant to be heard.
MC

ModelCitizen

2006-03-28, 12:18

especially considering your fondness of said 'perfect apps'
To put my comment about Spectrasonics Atmosphere into some sort of context...this app comes with a huge library of absolutely wonderful sounds... I can choose a patch and leave my finger on one key for a long time and love it (slightly depending upon depth of current relaxational state). However, I'm unlikely to appreciate anyone who's made a record doing this!
As you can imagine the ambient music I occasionally attempt to make is crap.. although I'd love to have sufficient time to do justice to making this sort of music. :-)
MC

ModelCitizen

2006-03-28, 12:28

I forgot two really wonderful albums:

VA - Wabi [Flying Rhino 2001] - again, like Solar Quest's Orgship, the sound is just so pure and wonderful. Ooh... some good music too! :-)

VA - Twelve [TIP.World 2001] - check out Hallucinogens (Simon Posford) e. Trancendental.

MC

Skunk

2006-03-28, 12:35

(more of a mainline imput, less smoke)

I'd say you passed fanatical at the last exit, and are heading straight to junkie.

I have wasted many hours playing with fruity loops. The app you describe sounds even more funner. Slightly related, I found it amusing/interesting that Trent Reznor posted* individual split tracks for download into Garage Band or Pro Tools(iirc) to create your own remixes.

*on NIN site

autopilot

2006-03-28, 12:42

Solar Quest's Orgship, now there is a blast from the past. I must dig that out and rip it. Forgot i had that, thanks!

ModelCitizen

2006-03-28, 13:04

Solar Quest's Orgship, now there is a blast from the past. I must dig that out and rip it. Forgot i had that, thanks!
Wow, it's a rare beast now. Took me ages to track down a kosha copy on ebay. The bloke who makes it does not answer any queries like "got any spare copies hanging around" via his web site. :-(
MC

Skunk

2006-03-28, 13:20

The bloke who makes it does not answer any queries like "got any spare copies hanging around" via his web site. :-(
MC

The woes of a solar powered cd reproduction setup, perhaps? Sounds like he's a true artist.

ModelCitizen

2006-03-28, 13:29

The woes of a solar powered cd reproduction setup, perhaps? Sounds like he's a true artist.
Perhaps, I think he was just out of it at some festival in some far flung corner (not being so much of a romantic). :-)
MC

ModelCitizen

2006-03-28, 13:40

http://www.last.fm/user/dbuk/?
Reply With Quote
Just when you want last.fm they are down.
MC

CardinalFang

2006-04-01, 09:59

Brian Eno leaves me cold unless he works with David Byrne! :-)
MC

Have you looked into any of his collaborations with Moebius and Roedelius or Conny Plank? Cluster for example? They're from the 70's and early 80's. I have them on LP, but not sure if CD's exist.

Last.fm has some of their stuff here: http://www.last.fm/tag/eno%20and%20friends

Paul

pettefar

2006-04-06, 07:48

Currently listening to:
Akasha
Kings Of Convenience
Rebecca Clarke

Also Rammstein but I guess that's a different genre....

Nick
Swindon (HiFi from Cambridge and Scotland)

Mike Anderson

2006-04-08, 12:04

I'm really digging this William Orbit album, "Strange Cargo III":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Orbit

Well-produced. Very quirky, but in a catchy, hip electronic way.

Brian Ritchie

2006-04-09, 17:08

[...]I didn't mention Steve Roach (or even Robert Rich who I consider very similar and does the intro and outro on Ultimae's great Fahrenheit Project 4) in my post cos I am a little overwhelmed by their output. There is one Steve Roach CD that I've been meaning to listen to again, and I've just tried to find it but can't. However I did find Steve Roach and Vidna Obmana - Spirit Dome [Projekt 2004], which seems very worthy of some more listens.
[...]
But, you are right, with a good sound system this type of music can be appreciated as it is meant to be heard.
MC
Yes, Steve Roach has a vast output. I have a huge collection of Steve Roach CDs, but still can't quite claim to have the lot! Only a fraction of these (er, 27, SlimServer says) have been ripped for Squeeze-food. Though the albums are often continuous-play affairs that suit Shuffle=album, sometimes I'll shuffle by song, and use cross-fading to smooth the joins - I'm grateful to SlimServer for supporting that!

My particular favourites are "Mystic Chords and Sacred Spaces" and "The Magnificent Void"; both are arythmic, dense washes of sound, though Void is much darker. Not sure they'd be great places to start (of course, depending on where you've come from); I usually steer people towards the Ambient Expanse collaboration, or even Quiet Music (which is much simpler and minimalistic, but he's moved on from there).

He has a large number of more rhythmic releases too, but my tendency to listen late at night rules out most of these! (That said, it's late at night now, and I'm listening to Bill Bruford...) So it's hard for me to single anything out, but maybe Body Electric; and Light Fantastic might do as a good all-rounder.

I'll also second (or multiple) the recommendations for Rich/Lustmord's Stalker, Biosphere's Substrata, Eno's On Land, and for just about anything by Boards of Canada. I love the Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works (both vols), but have hated almost everything else of his I've heard.

I'm going to have to keep a look out for some of the other things mentioned here - lots of things I've never heard *of*, never mind never heard!

-- Brian

GrepZen

2006-04-30, 09:03

I'm really digging this William Orbit album, "Strange Cargo III":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Orbit

Well-produced. Very quirky, but in a catchy, hip electronic way.

after some research:
William O's "Strange Cargo" was a No Speak I.R.S. release.
similarly good music from I.R.S.'s No-Speak are:
[] NS1 Pete Haycock Guitar And Son 1988 IRSD-42100
[] NS2 Wishbone Ash Noveau Calls 1988 IRSD-42101
[] NS3 Stewart Copeland Equalizer/Cliff Hangers 1988 IRSD-42099

TimothyB

2006-05-04, 02:36

You guys make me feel so old!

When I think of electronica, I think of Synergy...

-- T

ModelCitizen

2006-05-07, 03:21

You guys make me feel so old!
When I think of electronica, I think of Synergy...
Who? Well, at least you didn't think of Gary Newman.
MC

TimothyB

2006-05-10, 13:00

Who? Well, at least you didn't think of Gary Newman.
MC

At least.

By the way, was that a serious "Who?" or a kidding "Who?"?

-- T

ModelCitizen

2006-05-10, 13:25

At least.
By the way, was that a serious "Who?" or a kidding "Who?"?
-- T
Ummm... it was serious (goes off to www.allmusic.com).
I've heard of old-timers like Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream and the Doctor Who theme... but Synergy... sorry.
MC

ModelCitizen

2006-05-10, 13:34

<embarrassed>Hmmm... I should have heard of him/them... especially as I have an original MiniMoog at home and he seems to have been a Moog pioneer</embarrassed>
MC

TimothyB

2006-05-10, 22:35

Fifteen years ago or so I had a friend who got a job as a tech for Roland. This was about the time when Midi was just standardizing - before then different manufacturers had different instrument maps, so you had to remap if you wanted to play a midi file on an different synth. I tried playing some Synergy for him, and he just didn't get it. He thought it sounded "old". He didn't see the accomplishment is what Fast had done - pre-Midi, pre-digital.

The layering and texture still holds up today. It's odd that I still listen to Synergy - especially the first two albums - since otherwise I've gone very much into music that doesn't require electricity to make. (I play the Celtic harp.)

-- T
(It's like my neighbor who went to see the Lord of the Rings movies and thought they were unoriginal - being used to all the cliched "derivations" of Tolkien.)

joncourage

2006-05-14, 19:40

don't listen to much of it, but just picked up an album called Rio Lounge by Mulato Beat that I think would qualify. listening to it now, enjoying it.

sugarmonster

2006-05-15, 11:00

I like the genre, although I have to be in the right mood for it. Must admit though that I've not heard of a lot of stuff mentioned here so it's given me a fair amount of of things to go and listen to!

A couple of bands I've not seen mentioned (although we're moving out of the strictly "ambient" arena here)

- Ozric Tentacles. Can't really describe them but psychedelic rock with crazy synths is the closest I can come. They did really weird stuff with rhythm and timing - just as you thought you had something to tap along to they'd go and change it on you.

- Blue man group. Rhythm driven music with very odd instruments. Their debut "Audio" album sounds great as a DVD-A (or if the phrase "multi channel audio" is heresy you can get it as a regular CD too ;-) )

Marc.

Mike Anderson

2006-05-28, 15:43

Just discovered another hidden gem from William Orbit (actually Torch Song) called "Toward the Unknown Region":

http://www.mp3.com/albums/181385/summary.html

I really like this guy's sensibilities - quirky, melodic, extremely catchy.

(See my above recommendation for his album Strange Cargo 3; Strange Cargo 2 is good too, but you have to get past some of the cheesy synth sounds.)

Cleve

2006-06-17, 14:36

I bought, a few weeks ago, a difficult to obtain CD by a group called "Ishq" - the album is titled "Orchid". There's a 10 minute + track on the album of a song called "Bhakti" that's just an amazing ambient composition - I can listen to it again and again.

A couple other very long songs by Ishq I've only been able to find on high bit rate MP3s(obviously I prefer CD or FLAC) are "Fluid Earth" and "Fire Salamander" - both I highly recommend.

Mike Anderson

2006-06-17, 16:58

^^^ Check out the "Natural Born Chillers" compilation. Ishq does the opening track, a very spacious, lush chillout tune ("Alaya"). There are lots of other good tracks on the album too.

ModelCitizen

2006-06-17, 22:49

I bought, a few weeks ago, a difficult to obtain CD by a group called "Ishq" - the album is titled "Orchid".

I'm quite jealous! I've not managed to get any lossless Ishq stuff at all..... it's rare... I have Timelapse In Mercury, Rainshine in Summerland [Pre-release 2003], Organic Electrified Forms, Orchid and Ixland [Unreleased 2002] in 192 mp3s. :-(

Orchid is the best.

MC

BTW. Ishq is more of a bloke than a group.... :-)

Boxcar

2006-06-29, 12:14

I heard a great track called Inverno off of the La Perla: NOIR cd. You should check it out if you like slow melodic electronica with a hint of jazz.

Mike Anderson

2006-07-08, 19:21

Alright, I'm just going to come out and recommend ANYTHING by William Orbit.

I've had Strange Cargo 2 for a while now:

http://www.answers.com/topic/strange-cargo-2

and it is has really grown on me. At first, I had a hard time dealing with the cheesy synth sounds that appear in certain parts. But the album is so full of awesome melodies, beautiful harmonies and genius counterpoint that I can't help loving it.

It's serious earworm, but the kind you love.

Skunk

2006-07-22, 18:26

It's serious earworm, but the kind you love.

After your parasitic endorsement I won Strange Cargo ii in an online auction.

Tracks one through four remind me a lot of animusic ( http://www.animusic.com/clips/fiber-bundles.html ), with their sterile beats and synthesizer solos. Dia del Muerte, rounding out side A really really sounds like a white guy (or robot) playing latin music, on a computer.

Side B is a nice contrast, darker and more random, giving room to breath. I could listen to this over and over. More importantly not be embarrassed if I had friends over while it was playing, unlike side a ;-)

Seems to me if there were multiple versions of Strange Cargo, a better job would have been done with arrangement. As is I'm afraid this cargo fails to go anywhere, at least for me.

One that's been streaming to my Squeezebox often is The Orb's Cydonia. Nice job they did with the female vocals. Sounds fantastic as well.

Skunk

2006-07-24, 05:22

Which sort of brings me to Biosphere. For me there is little that can beat Biosphere's album Substrata.. takes a bit of getting used to, as it is so unusual, but after a while it really takes you to some strange places. Gier Jenssen is a Norwegian mountain climber (as well as musician and artist) and some of the tracks on this CD can make you feel like you are on top of a snow covered mountain near the North Pole. Patashnik is also good but his later albums have haven't done too much for me (although others I know rate them).

I spotted Biosphere's Cirque in the used section yesterday. What a surprise this album has been. First of all I googled it when I got home. Amazon showed that it was OOP, with only used copies available. One guy wanted $100, two others wanted $40, and those three were the only listings. [I paid $7.99]

Secondly, the reviews at Amazon mentioned a connection to the Christopher McCandless story. I was familiar with this story after reading 'Into the Wild' by Jack Krakeur, which documents McCandless' trek to Alaska in attempt to 'live off the land'. He ended up dying in an abandoned bus 20 miles from a highway, in the summertime. So it goes.

Apparently a cirque is an amphitheater like valley formed by glacial erosion, which is type of land feature McCandless was found in. Beyond that I fail (so far) to make any connection between the album and the story.

Not that the album needs that undercurrent to stand- it's really quite brilliant. Very atmospheric with enough rhythm to keep the album moving- and keep me wanting to hear the next song. I've read that Substrata sounds better, so it's on my must have list now. Anyway, sorry to ramble, but thanks for bringing Biosphere into my world.

ModelCitizen

2006-07-24, 05:43

I've read that Substrata sounds better, so it's on my must have list now. Anyway, sorry to ramble, but thanks for bringing Biosphere into my world.
I'm very glad to have been of service!
When you get hold of a copy of Substrata and have listened to it a few times I'd be very glad to know what you think of it. BTW, if you like Cirque you'll probably like Shenzhou too. Made two years later it's not dissimilar.
At some point try and listen to Maytreya - www.councilofnine.co.uk
BTW. The US based mail order company www.ear-rational.com are a good source of all things electronica and ambient (I have assumed you are US based). If they haven't got something in stock they can usually get it pretty quickly.
MC

Skunk

2006-08-10, 18:05

When you get hold of a copy of Substrata and have listened to it a few times I'd be very glad to know what you think of it.
MC

I got hold of it, actually a couple days after finding Cirque. Must have overlooked it last time because it was in the clearance bin!

So wow, what can I say. All of a sudden, one of the best albums I own- yet not something I'd play for others. Most people aren't blessed with attention spans long enough for ambient, plus other bodies in the room usually negates the low noise floor necessary to fully experience it.

The small craft overhead in the beginning reminds you for a minute of civilization and everything outside the listening room, but after that it's like going camping, on cd. You have to trek through miles of snow, but getting to the cave and listening to the guy talk about his visions makes the trip well worth taking.

The Twin Peaks line ~~Sorry to wake you, I forgot to tell you something...the things I tell you will not be wrong~~ was the perfect sample. To me it alludes to the power of the subconscious, with the album being a great way of tapping in.

happyfishman

2006-08-11, 06:17

Apologies if he's already been mentioned, but I recently came across a guy called David Helpling (can't remember how or why, now). VERY chilled ambient. There are some really nice free tracks (at pretty high quality bit rate) on his website at:

http://www.davidhelpling.com/media.html

I'd also recommend the track "N.A.S.A. Nocturnal Audio Sensory Awakening" by Jam & Spoon off their original Tripomatic Fairytales album. the rest of their stuff is pretty so-so, but that one track really does it for me...

autopilot

2006-08-11, 14:43

I just got back from 4 days at the amazing Big Chill festival here in the UK - http://www.bigchill.net/

Heard so much excellent new music it's hard to know where to start, but i highly recommend that people check out The Heritage Orchestra. A 40+ peice orchestra (with Deodato) playing classic hip hop, dance, electronica and other stuff - one of the most amazing things i have ever heard in my life. Their rendition of '2001' was stunning, but their version of 4hero's 'Les Fleur' is probably one of the greatest things i have ever heard at a music festival, and i have been to many. Someone took this on a camera phone - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmXzIw5Q2fU, although it really does not do it justice by any means (to many people badly singing along).

Jose Gonzalez covering Massive Attack's Teardrop was pretty special too.

Also check out LongRange (Orbital's new band) and Echaskech who recorded thier set here which can be downloaded here - http://www.echaskech.com/wiki/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=25

tscales

2006-08-15, 13:09

hey all,

I'm about to buy my SB3 and have been doing alot of reading.

Thought I'd offer up some music in the mean time. Someone miss typed the name of Soundtribe Sector 9 - good band, very jammy.

My favorite (and the funkiest I've found) - LOTUS!!!!

www.lotusvibes.com

-tim

Mike Anderson

2006-08-21, 22:13

After your parasitic endorsement I won Strange Cargo ii in an online auction.

Tracks one through four remind me a lot of animusic ( http://www.animusic.com/clips/fiber-bundles.html ), with their sterile beats and synthesizer solos. Dia del Muerte, rounding out side A really really sounds like a white guy (or robot) playing latin music, on a computer.

Side B is a nice contrast, darker and more random, giving room to breath. I could listen to this over and over. More importantly not be embarrassed if I had friends over while it was playing, unlike side a ;-)

You have to try to accept the cheesiness of it; when you do, the catchiness of the melodies will take over. Orbit is actually a masterful composer -- listen to the counterpoint and harmony he achieves, it's just amazingly musical.

But yeah, I'd probably be embarassed to play it in front of my friends too.

autopilot

2006-08-22, 01:26

happyfishman

2006-08-22, 03:09

Just got a copy of Hot Chip : The Warning. Brilliant pop electronica. They are makng waves here in the UK, anyone heard them? I'm not sure if they are known elsewhere, but i highly recomend checking them out.

I saw a live clip of them as an up-and-coming new band on one of the music channels a couple of years ago. The track was 'Keep Fallin', I think. Instantly liked their quirkiness, so after an extensive web search I found that they had just released an album (Coming On Strong). Difficult to describe - 80s intelligent electropop of (say) Depeche Mode meets the unpredictable strangeness of Frank Zappa with a bit of gentle indie (Belle & Sebastian/Death Cab for Cutie) thrown in. A good laid-back listen...

They seem to be a popular attraction on the college/university circuit now.

Chris OH

2006-08-22, 15:07

Longrange.

Phil Hartnoll. Saw them at the Big Chill, they're going to be great.

Chris

autopilot

2006-08-22, 16:19

Longrange.

Phil Hartnoll. Saw them at the Big Chill, they're going to be great.

Chris

I was at the Big Chill but missed them. Wish i could get a recording. I have recordings of Coldcut, Echescetch and the mighty Heritage Orchestra. My mate was raving about Longrange, gutted!

aweller

2006-08-25, 13:41

I'll throw some in the melting pot:

Ulrich Schnauss - A Strangely Isolated Place
Ulrich Schnauss - Far Away Trains Passing By
Plaid - Double Figure
Thievery Corporation - [most things!]
Banco de Gaia - Maya [classic]
Gus Gus - Polydistortion

In a similar vein, I'd like to increase my "electro" collection - some "music for robots" that get's me up and jumping. These are the kinda things I have that I want more of:

Audio Bullys - Generation - 05. I wont let you down
Royksopp - The Understanding - 08. Circuit breaker
Plaid - Trainer - CD1 - 03. Slice of cheese

Also, I'd like some "world" influenced electronic with an Asian twang like "Joi".

Cheers, Andy

Philip Meyer

2006-08-25, 14:22

>Banco de Gaia - Maya
I like this one; in fact most Bance de Gaia.

Did you know there is a new album "Farewell Ferengistan"?

Phil

SlimPvC

2006-08-25, 14:24

I'd like to bring my weblog to the attention to those interested in ambient music (of the *droney* kind, not of the *dance* kind). There's lot's of samples to listen to, might get you onto some interesting musical tracks. Here's the link:
http://www.vancooten.com/blog

(Sorry for this promotion, but I could not hold back due to the original nature of this thread).

My last.fm records may show that my beloved squeezebox is quite used to playing all things ambient/electronic.

Peter

glen66

2006-09-02, 06:15

Here's a quirky little album that I've grown to like lately:

William Orbit, "Strange Cargo 3"

Brilliant album, been listening to that for about 7 years now and I'm still not tired of it.

Glen

Mike Anderson

2006-09-28, 19:43

^^^ Thanks for the backup!

I thought I might have squandered my credibility on the William Cargo recommendations given that other poster's reaction.

Mike Anderson

2006-09-28, 20:34

Well this is pushing the envelope of the genre (it's a little jazzy/funky/dancy/instrument-oriented to be pure electronica), but it's got the same sensibility. Sort of like Thievery Corp, but less popular:

"A Special Album" by Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band. Really, really cool party album.

dlt123

2006-10-01, 14:25

I love Dark Ambient Space music and really like BlueMars and CryoSleep.

I don't think anyone has mentioned the artist Numina. Great Ambient Space music. Check out his stuff... No I am not affiliated with him... Just like his music... You hear his music on BlueMars and CryoSleep all the time and probably didn't know it. He's just a young musician that works during the day and writes his music at night. I like his interesting take on Ambient music.

http://www.numinamusic.com/

Hope you enjoy,
DennisT

Skunk

2006-10-02, 19:16

^^^ Thanks for the backup!

I thought I might have squandered my credibility on the William Cargo recommendations given that other poster's reaction.

FTR, I have Strange Cargo II. I think you mentioned II once and III another time.

Considering I've not deleted it, and usually let the songs play when they come up in random mode- I'll keep an eye out for III.

Anyway- your cred is far from squandered. I appreciate that you started this thread because I've got a whole new list of band names to try recalling while in the record store :-)

Cheers.

kaen

2006-10-04, 04:37

parallax
milieu
boards of canada
gas
biosphere
freescha
ochre
christ.

all highly enjoyable

adamslim

2006-10-04, 09:12

For a slightly leftfield perspective on this thread, what about classical stuff? Much ambient is instrumental, and the classical tunes are ones that have stuck around for hundreds of years; there's a reason for that. There's also some contemporary classical (especially minimalism) that may appeal.

Try checking out some of these:
Bach: cello suites, the well-tempered clavier, Goldberg variations
Messaien: Turangalila
Philip Glass: Glassworks, Koyaanisqatsi
Steve Reich: Drumming, Different Trains
John Taverner: Akathist of Thanksgiving
Schubert: Death and the Maiden

Liking ambient and electronica is indicative that you are willing to concentrate and give stuff time. If you've not tried classical then it's well worth it, as the 'listening experience', as it were, is very comparable.

Adam

Mike Anderson

2006-10-26, 23:57

Much ambient is instrumental, and the classical tunes are ones that have stuck around for hundreds of years; there's a reason for that.

Yes -- I've made the same connection, and I've always wondered whether the best electronica stuff of today could stand the same test of time (if our culture gave it a chance.)

Here's another recent discovery: Sounds from the Ground has a new album out called High Rising:

http://www.waveformhq.com/highrising.html

It's pretty good. Check out their earlier stuff too, e.g. Luminal.

random_tox

2006-10-30, 02:27

...Here's another recent discovery: Sounds from the Ground has a new album out called High Rising...

Oh yeah. Thanks for the heads up on the new SFTG. They must have snuck that out in the last few months since I've made recent Waveform and SFTG purchaces. I managed to scrounge a copy of 'Mosaic' which is slightly different from 'Terra Firma'. These guys are essential listening.

If you like SFTG, you should like Legion Of Green Men. Very dubby and a few more ambient and experimental tracks thrown in. The two full length releases from them really play like a double CD. They are quite creative and play with common references and sounds in different tracks and on both albums. They really makes it fun to listen carefully. They have a track 'Listener Defined Noise Floor' that sounds like a silent track, but the notes explain the intent is that you turn up the volume until you find the music that's is swimming around in the depths of that silence and let the noise from your system contribute to the track. Clever. (Just don't forget to turn things back down before your next selection blows your system.)

random_tox

2006-10-30, 02:42

>Banco de Gaia - Maya
I like this one; in fact most Bance de Gaia.

Did you know there is a new album "Farewell Ferengistan"?

Phil

I found "Farewell Ferengistan" a bit of a letdown compared to other Banco release. It's not bad, a couple great tracks, but he has set a pretty high bar for himself. Wouldn't be without any of his CDs from "Maya" to "Your Are Here". My fave: 3xCD "Last Train To Lhasa".

Philip Meyer

2006-10-30, 12:58

>I found "Farewell Ferengistan" a bit of a letdown compared to other
>Banco release. It's not bad, a couple great tracks, but he has set a
>pretty high bar for himself. Wouldn't be without any of his CDs from
>"Maya" to "Your Are Here". My fave: 3xCD "Last Train To Lhasa".
>
Last Train To Lhasa is my fave too. I've only got the 2xCD - the version with 3 disks is really hard to come by :(

Phil

ModelCitizen

2006-10-30, 14:27

>I've only got the 2xCD - the version with 3 disks is really hard to come by :(
Phil
I found it within five seconds of reading this post, so it can't be that hard. :-)
MC

random_tox

2006-10-30, 16:12

I found it within five seconds of reading this post, so it can't be that hard. :-)
MC

Did you buy it? How much?

I see two copies:
Ebay - GBP 39.95
Discogs - Euro 60

Not hard to find maybe, but over $75 is not what I call easy to come by! Of course unsold offerings only indicates what no one has been willing to pay. About $60 is what I've noticed them actually selling for in the last year. Worth it to me. I even had a CD-r already but had to have the legit item. The 2x is almost as good and easily one of the best $10 someone could put into a music collection.

random_tox

2006-10-30, 17:13

Yo MC,

Looking through your collection listing (nice!) I thought of a couple things.

Miles Davis. I know very little about him but for some reason I'm under the impression that the Trip Hop sound borrows heavily from a Jazz style he pioneered in the late 60s to 70s. What's your take?

Your lone Eurythmics CD grabbed my attention and reminded me that they have a couple GREAT ambient gems stashed on their early synth-pop releases; Sweet Dreams, Touch, and the 1984 OST. Ignoring what anyone may think of their success as a pop rock act or MTV celebrity status, I have to say these three electronic releases are essential. I think several tracks foreshadow the ambient-dub movement of the 90s, and 'This City Never Sleeps' is fantastic.

Several other items deserve comment, but maybe later.

ModelCitizen

2006-10-31, 00:14

Did you buy it? How much?
I see two copies:
Ebay - GBP 39.95
Discogs - Euro 60
errr no I didn't. I downloaded it. I wouldn't consider buying it till I'd heard it. Banco de Gaia are someone about whom I've always thought "I should like them" but never have. So to see a confirmed recommendon for the best Banco do Gaia CD on this thread meant I had to have a look at it.
If I like it (enough) I'll probably try and buy it but if the money I spend is not going in the artist's pocket then I'm in two minds.
MC

random_tox

2006-11-01, 23:34

A few recommendables have arrive in the last week or two. All are sort of global ambient-dub.

After long searching I finally snagged Subsurfing 'Frozen Ants', and Alien Soap Opera 'Second Wave'. Both are hard to find Greg Hunter projects. He used to collaborate with the Orb and you can hear some 'Orbvillion' on 'Frozen Ants'. 'Second Wave' has more live Eastern musicians and less electronic emphasis.
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Subsurfing
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Alien+Soap+Opera

Toires 'Hemisphere'. Overpriced on Ebay since you can find it new for a fair price at smaller European online shops. Spaced-out ambience with chilled bass lines and global rhythms.
http://www.discogs.com/release/164902

Bhakta 'Open Transmission'. Holy shit, was this a treat. One of those CDs you listen to 3 more times in a row after the first listen. The pace ranges, from very chilled to driven dance rhythms. The blend of traditional instruments and electronics is not simply a few global samples mixed in as a gimmick. You hear full-length, sincere, organic, passionate performances by skilled musicians. On top of that Bhakta's arrangement is very complex and dramatic. The title track is a 15 minute trancer that moves through several subtle phases of tension and release but is never cliche. Sounds very much like a Dakini Records release but no, it's on some new-age label in New Mexico. Easy to find cheap, so go buy!
http://www.newearthrecords.com/bio/bhakta.asp

Mike Anderson

2006-11-06, 23:18

autopilot

2006-11-07, 03:36

^^^ Ordered the Bhakta album, I'll let you know what I think of it.

Here's a little gem I just discovered: Lemon Jelly, Lost Horizons:

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/5278800/a/Lost+Horizons.htm

Sort of like Loop Guru, but more musical, and with a great sense of humor. Many of the songs will make you chuckle out loud while tapping your foot.

Lemon Jelly are amazing, quite big(ish) in the UK at one stage and did have a little chart success too. They were one of those groups that for a while every one i knew a couple of years back where going "Wow, have you heard Lemon Jelly yet?" I would love to see them live, they are meant to be brilliant.

I recommend all their stuff, especially 'KY'.

My favourite Lemon Jelly tunes are Nice Weather for Ducks and The Stanton Lick. Alway put a smile on my face :)

ModelCitizen

2006-11-08, 04:29

I don't know if anyone has come across the genre dubstep yet. I've just discovered it and got two albums:

Burial by Burial (Observer review here: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/omm/10bestcds/story/0,,1797281,00.html)
and
Oneiric by Boxcutter (Igloo mag review here: http://www.igloomag.com/doc.php?task=view&id=1304&category=reviews)

It's very dark druggy, simple and slow music with the most amazing bass. Big dollops of deep, phat, low, squelchy and squodgy bass. If you like bass (and your hifi can handle it and you don't have lots of rattling things around the house) then try and give dubstep a listen. As they say... it's about the DARKSIDE.
Not so much dance music as sway music.

A good start might be the Dubstep Allstars series.

MC

Mike Anderson

2006-11-08, 23:41

I ordered the Burial, I'll let you know how I like it.

dSw

2006-11-09, 14:20

Hey guys - just thought I'd recommend BT's newish album - "This Binary Universe".

It is a really interesting album of chilled out sounds and electronica. A reviewer on Amazon describes it as "a bit like Sigur Ros with a bit of Future Sound Of London and Autechre thrown in".

It couldn't be more different to the stuff he did in the mid to late 90's.

Oh, and it comes with a DVD containing the tracks in 5.1 sound, accompanied by some computer animation.

Mike Anderson

2006-11-09, 22:57

I recommend all their stuff, especially 'KY'

I just got it, listened to it only once so far, and I can already tell it's a great album that I'm going to love.

I really go for that mixture of catchy riffs with unorthodox composition and instrumentation (not that conventional instruments are always involved, can't think of a better word for this).

ModelCitizen

2006-11-12, 05:20

I ordered the Burial, I'll let you know how I like it.
Well, I hope you listened to some mp3s first. DubStep may not be to the taste of many sober people and I'd hate to feel responsible for you wasting your money! :-)
MC

Mike Anderson

2006-11-12, 11:56

Well, I hope you listened to some mp3s first. DubStep may not be to the taste of many sober people and I'd hate to feel responsible for you wasting your money! :-)
MC

You're assuming I'm sober.

ModelCitizen

2006-11-12, 12:44

You're assuming I'm sober.
Well, using my yardstick you probably are!
MC

Gavster

2006-11-14, 06:28

Somebody I've not seen mentioned on this thread is Fluke. Absolutely brilliant progressive-electro-rock stylie music. Most is quite upbeat and a little on the more dancy side but still superb nonetheless. Their albums include The 'Electro-rose of Blighty', 'Six Wheels on my Wagon', 'OTT', 'Puppy' ... to name the obviuos ones that come immediately to mind. I'd struggle to pick a favourite.

Other artists that are 'up there' for me include:

Banco de Gaia (as already mentioned ... LTtL 3 disc set is a classic and the earlier 'Maya' is a must have). If you're not a die-hard fan then you'd probably want to pick around the other albums.

The Starseeds - Managed to buy their only two albums from Ebay but so glad I did. These are going to be classics in the future.

I also have some early Astralasia which I still have a soft spot for. Although some of their later stuff which I've heard on Pandora can be quite upbeat at times.

Erm, Speedy J - the albums 'Ginger' and 'G-Spot' ...

Global Communication/Link/Jedi Knights (or just about anything by Pritchard or Middleton) ... those guys know how to hit the right spot when it comes to ambient electronica.

DJSasha - AirDrawnDagger ...

Strewth, the list just goes on. 8)

Gavin

Mike Anderson

2006-11-16, 23:15

Bhakta 'Open Transmission'. Holy shit, was this a treat.

It's OK by my tastes, but I'd prefer it to be a little more melodic.

Here's a track you'd really like:

Ya Bouy (Shulman Remix) by Omar Faruk Tekbilek & Steve Shehan. It's on a couple different albums, including Natural Born Chillers.

random_tox

2006-11-17, 13:02

Ya Bouy (Shulman Remix) by Omar Faruk Tekbilek & Steve Shehan.

Thanks for the tip. I'll have to find this. I've got a few Omar tracks and Shulman tracks, all collaborations, and have always intended to pursue more of their stuff.

Kaya Project (Seb Taylor) features Omar on one track. Kaya Project and pretty much all of Interchill Records output is a safe suggestion for this thread.

http://www.discogs.com/artist/Kaya+Project
http://www.discogs.com/label/Interchill+Records

random_tox

2006-11-17, 13:35

Fluke....I'd struggle to pick a favourite.

Easy for me: Risotto. Though all but their earliest (pre Techno Rose) are essential IMO. A favorite band that I've collected extensively. Have all the CD singles.

>>>Banco de Gaia
Oh yeah, I'll second that again and again.

>>>The Starseeds
Mmm, bit dry for me. I'd just recommend Feed You Head 3, if you can find it. A GREAT comp that has my favorite Starseeds tracks. If you must, their CDs are re-issued and available here:
http://www.millenniumrecords.de/index_label.php?label=millennium

Which reminds me, the whole Feed You're Head series is fab. Was on Planet Dog label which spawned some great artists (Banco de Gaia, Timeshard, Eat Static).
http://www.planetdogrecords.com/

>>>I also have some early Astralasia
Always been curious about these guys. Some nice compilation appearances.

>>>Global Communication
Little hit and miss for me. Really like 76:14, but so far can't find anything else I like as much.

Gavster

2006-11-17, 15:08

Which reminds me, the whole Feed You're Head series is fab. Was on Planet Dog label which spawned some great artists (Banco de Gaia, Timeshard, Eat Static).
http://www.planetdogrecords.com/

I'd second that. Ahh, PlanetDog [remembers fondly] ... they have produced some excellent artists over the years. Likewise Warp.

Another interesting set of compilations is the Emit collection ... some of the tracks are a little hit and miss for me but there are one or two gems if you're prepared to be patient. Plus they've been recorded in pseudo-3d sound-field so you get an increased sense of space. I think it's supposed to sound best over headphones.

Mike Anderson

2006-11-17, 21:02

Kaya Project (Seb Taylor) features Omar on one track. Kaya Project and pretty much all of Interchill Records output is a safe suggestion for this thread.

http://www.discogs.com/artist/Kaya+Project
http://www.discogs.com/label/Interchill+Records

I love Kaya Project. I probably recommended them at the start of this thread (or at least I should have).

Mike Anderson

2006-11-24, 19:40

Kaya Project (Seb Taylor) features Omar on one track. Kaya Project and pretty much all of Interchill Records output is a safe suggestion for this thread.

Check out Angel Tears, another Seb Taylor thing in the same vein as Kaya Project -- not *quite* as good as KP, but still worth owning.

Mike Anderson

2006-11-28, 23:49

Mike Anderson

2006-12-04, 23:56

Here's another nice find: Gemini by Sven Van Hees:

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1462490/a/Gemini.htm

A nice mix of jazzy type R&B with electronica. Very, very hipsterish sound.

If you like Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band (A Special Album, and Your New Best Friend, both worth getting) you'll like this (or vice versa).

Just wanted to double my mention of this album, I'm really groovin on it right now. It will also sit well with those who have high-qual rigs, as the production value is exquisite.

The Ralph Myerz stuff is great too.

nsomnia

2006-12-07, 03:27

please allow me add mine, which is more into lounge or often called Ambient-Lounge
these are music i cant live without.
Ambient-Lounge Uptempo, downtempo, play it depends on the mood,
i can party with the uptempo-ist, or chillout with the downtempo-ist, even make love with the eroticist sensual ambient lounge.

Listen to them with ambient environment (abit dark, candle with aroma therapy, nice relaxing sofa, open view to city/sea) plus abit of smoke and a little alcohol, these music will take me fly away.... far away to the third dimension.

here are my collection of more than 400GB purely electronic ambient lounge:
Apollo Four Forty, Dahlia, Kruder&dorfmeister, Quantic, Zino&Tommy, Minus 8, York, Yonderboi, Thievery Corp, Alex, Boozoo Bajou, Nova June, Module, Lamb, Massive Attack, Portishead,Plastyc Buddha, Praful, Blank&Jones, FC Kahuna, Blackfish, Aerosoul, DNote, Tosca, Crustation, Almadrava, Alphawezen, Parov Stelar, Lemon Jelly, Lemongrass, Banco de Gaia, Sofa surfers, Deep dive corp, Saru, Bent, Eliot, Zero 7, Max Melvin, Moby, DB Boulevard, Royksopp, Bliss..
and not forgettin to mention mixed album like: Cafe del Mar, Drizzly chillin, Bar Lounge Classic, Verve, Hi-Fidelity Lounge,

err.. too many to mention.
these are not pure ambient, but its Electronic Ambient-lounge consisting some sensual jazzy, trip-hop (sometimes) nicely mixed for chillin out.

i will definately go to check out what other people have posted previously.
thanks all, keep this great thread going. :) :) :)

Mike Anderson

2006-12-24, 00:39

I think I may have mentioned this already, but even so, I thought I'd give another bump to Natural Selection by Sounds from the Ground.

The production on this album is pristine and wonderfully artful. If you have a high quality set of speakers, you will be well rewarded.

ModelCitizen

2006-12-24, 01:34

ModelCitizen

2006-12-24, 01:43

As you didnn't mention Claude Challe's very wonderful Buddha Bar series I guess it's not classed as lounge. But it's very well produced club/dance (lounge?) with a great melting pot of ethnic influences. All albums are made from bands who played at the Buddha Bar club in Paris. IMHO the first ones are best, but I like them all. There were seven in the series last time I looked.
It's a rare series as it actually makes you feel like you are at an exciting and mysterious club in Paris's red light district with people from all over the world.

It's more conventional electronic music than any of the other recommendations I've made so far (just in case my past recommendations have been a bit extreme for anyone).

MC

PS. Deep Dive Corporation get my vote anyday... but I'd never thought of them as lounge. I've got them tagged as electronic;ambient

please allow me add mine, which is more into lounge or often called Ambient-Lounge
these are music i cant live without.
Ambient-Lounge Uptempo, downtempo, play it depends on the mood,
i can party with the uptempo-ist, or chillout with the downtempo-ist, even make love with the eroticist sensual ambient lounge.

Listen to them with ambient environment (abit dark, candle with aroma therapy, nice relaxing sofa, open view to city/sea) plus abit of smoke and a little alcohol, these music will take me fly away.... far away to the third dimension.

here are my collection of more than 400GB purely electronic ambient lounge:
Apollo Four Forty, Dahlia, Kruder&dorfmeister, Quantic, Zino&Tommy, Minus 8, York, Yonderboi, Thievery Corp, Alex, Boozoo Bajou, Nova June, Module, Lamb, Massive Attack, Portishead,Plastyc Buddha, Praful, Blank&Jones, FC Kahuna, Blackfish, Aerosoul, DNote, Tosca, Crustation, Almadrava, Alphawezen, Parov Stelar, Lemon Jelly, Lemongrass, Banco de Gaia, Sofa surfers, Deep dive corp, Saru, Bent, Eliot, Zero 7, Max Melvin, Moby, DB Boulevard, Royksopp, Bliss..
and not forgettin to mention mixed album like: Cafe del Mar, Drizzly chillin, Bar Lounge Classic, Verve, Hi-Fidelity Lounge,

err.. too many to mention.
these are not pure ambient, but its Electronic Ambient-lounge consisting some sensual jazzy, trip-hop (sometimes) nicely mixed for chillin out.

i will definately go to check out what other people have posted previously.
thanks all, keep this great thread going. :) :) :)

ModelCitizen

2006-12-24, 02:48

Hmmm, sorry, I missed this.
I think Davis's late seventies electronic stuff, and especially the rather underwhelming "Get Up With It" (1975) was supposed to have been influencial on the trip-hop movement. Personally I can't stand the later Davis output and never got on too much with trip-hop so know little.
The lone Eurythmics CD is my wife's! I couldn't stand them either, finding them contrived and predictable, very fake and plastic. At the time I even preferred the Pet Shop boys to them!
MC

Yo MC,
Looking through your collection listing (nice!) I thought of a couple things.
Miles Davis. I know very little about him but for some reason I'm under the impression that the Trip Hop sound borrows heavily from a Jazz style he pioneered in the late 60s to 70s. What's your take?
Your lone Eurythmics CD grabbed my attention and reminded me that they have a couple GREAT ambient gems stashed on their early synth-pop releases; Sweet Dreams, Touch, and the 1984 OST. Ignoring what anyone may think of their success as a pop rock act or MTV celebrity status, I have to say these three electronic releases are essential. I think several tracks foreshadow the ambient-dub movement of the 90s, and 'This City Never Sleeps' is fantastic.
Several other items deserve comment, but maybe later.

ModelCitizen

2006-12-24, 02:59

Hmm,
missed this too. You sound like you like the same sort of music I do. I tend to prefer a very minimum of beats (if any).
Try to get a listen to Maitreya (www.councilofnine.co.uk), by far and away my favourite Space Music artist.

Also, give the radio stations www.paxahau.com (Shoutcast) and Drone Zone (www.somafm.com). They are a lot less repetitive than Bluemars, (but not strictly dedicated Space Music channels).

Am looking for Numina album now, can you recommend one you might think is his/her/it's best?

Cheers

MC

I love Dark Ambient Space music and really like BlueMars and CryoSleep.

I don't think anyone has mentioned the artist Numina. Great Ambient Space music. Check out his stuff... No I am not affiliated with him... Just like his music... You hear his music on BlueMars and CryoSleep all the time and probably didn't know it. He's just a young musician that works during the day and writes his music at night. I like his interesting take on Ambient music.

http://www.numinamusic.com/

Hope you enjoy,
DennisT

smc2911

2006-12-24, 03:53

Also, give the radio stations www.paxahau.com (Shoutcast)
Sounds good! I've added it to the BestElectronic playlist on WikiRadio.

gbruzzo

2006-12-24, 08:56

in any case, here is the link

http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=30911

Mike Anderson

2006-12-24, 11:29

Mike Anderson

2006-12-24, 11:56

I tried to check out paxahau too, but the feed keeps breaking up on me.

smc2911

2006-12-24, 14:12

I tried to check out paxahau too, but the feed keeps breaking up on me.If it's a bandwidth problem there's also a 24kbps (mono) stream.

Mike Anderson

2007-01-05, 22:42

OK, this album is awesome, I'm fully in love with it right now:

Lost Art of the Idle Moment, by Carmen Rizzo:

http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Art-Idle-Moment/dp/B000ASDGEE

autopilot

2007-01-06, 04:53

Might be nice if some people could recommend some internet radio stations?

Cheers :)

myth007

2007-01-08, 08:37

hi electronic music listeners,

Recently I stumbled upon the electronic music label Thinner/Autoplate. I'm not sure if it was already mentioned by others in this thread.

From their website:
"Thinner's sound varies between Ambient and Minimal House, mostly wrapped within dubby elements."

Their extensive collection can be found online:
thinner: http://www.thinner.cc/releases.php?label=thn
autoplate: http://www.thinner.cc/releases.php?label=apl

For those of you who are into loungy dub music: Highly recommended - give it a try!

Erik

ModelCitizen

2007-01-08, 11:51

Well, I'm mostly into psytrance ambient more than anything else (definitely not New Age or Lounge) so downloaded their Ambient Mix. I knew I was going to like it as soon as the first couple of low bass notes started to distort my PC speakers. Now my problem is where do I go next. The amount of stuff they've made is just stunning!
Also, I have an aversion to MP3 files and would much prefer lossless (and have just found the lossless shop!).

The ftp site (ftp.scene.org) looks interesting too as it has mp3s from lots of different outfits on it.

So, thanks for this

MC

ModelCitizen

2007-01-08, 13:29

Yup, this Thinner ambient mix sounds so like Maitreya, Gas and Biosphere that I am certain all three artists are used as their reference points. They even seem to use the same synth sounds. However the music is less formed and well thought out. Sill, if I can get this mix in lossless I definitely will. So thanks for that.

This really is a find. Thinner list half my favourite artists as their "friends".

As the original Thinner poster has contributed just this one post to the SlimDevices forums and joined the same day he made the post (today) I am wondering if the post was just gratuitous advertising. But then... who gives a shit.

MC

stovis

2007-01-08, 17:08

Might be nice if some people could recommend some internet radio stations?

Cheers :)

I dig the live365 station Delicious Lo-Fi Lounge:

website: http://radio.freeq.de/

stream:

http://216.235.94.15:20310/play?membername=&session=toddiehh:0&AuthType=NORMAL

Mike Anderson

2007-01-08, 22:27

Radioio Ambient:

http://www.radioio.com/radioioambient.php

Dub Beautiful Collective:

http://www.dub-beautiful.org/

Soma FM and Groove Salad:

http://somafm.com/playlist/groove.html

chiefersone

2007-01-09, 06:47

Does anybody know of any christian ambient channels?

ModelCitizen

2007-01-09, 11:44

Sorry no. I've never heard of ambient Christian music. I wonder how it would differ from say, Pantheist or Athiest ambient music, which I've never heard of either. If you find some please let me know as I'm intrigued.
MC

Skunk

2007-01-09, 12:50

I wonder how it would differ from say, Pantheist or Athiest ambient music, which I've never heard of either. If you find some please let me know as I'm intrigued.
MC

I've found some but can't recommend these two artists based on their sample tracks. Both are more like a film score than good ambient, dark and brooding but pointless- IMHO of course: http://www.soaking.net/xna2.htm

ModelCitizen

2007-01-09, 13:19

Hmmm.. not my cup of tea either, but caused me to Google for pantheist ambient which led me to doom, gloom and death merchants.. which surprised me as I would expect panthiest music to embrace qualities such as realism, optimism, clarity, intelligence, structure and wonder.
MC

myth007

2007-01-11, 05:24

chiefersone

2007-01-11, 05:48

Yup. The Soaking Net has some good stuff on it. Thanks for the lead. Bless you Man

sonofcolin

2007-01-23, 21:58

Late to jump in here, but in terms of ambient/electronica I have to mention what I think are the classics:

1. Selected Ambient works 85-92 - Aphex Twin
2. Microgravity - Biosphere
3. Adventures beyond the ultraworld - Orb

..and the newer stuff (more electronica than ambient):

1. Dark days exit - Felix Laband (this grows on you)
2. Movements - Booka Shade (bumpin and quite trippy)
3. In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country - Boards of Canada (ano bishop rodden!)

Skunk

2007-02-22, 09:57

Yup. The Soaking Net has some good stuff on it. Thanks for the lead. Bless you Man

No problem, thanks for the blessing.

You mentioned getting Johann Johannson's 'ibm 1401, a users manual', after I suggested it in another thread. Are you still enjoying it?

I've found it to be a brilliant combination of music and technology, and one that anyone interested in the two should own. I haven't heard a more artistic album that presents a theme so lucidly yet with so few spoken words. That is what makes me think it's also the perfect ambient album, i.e. it usually takes something verbose like 'The Wall' to provoke so much thought. The 40 stringed instruments illustrate the connection to classical music, which has never been something I have the ability to draw artistic meaning from- but understand how others might.

The ambience is one of sadness to me, having listened to it a lot more now- compared to when I suggested it to you as an album that doesn't stray into 'darkness'. The machine becomes so saddened by being shut down that it declares 'the sun's gone dim, the sky's turned black', as part of its shutdown sequence. Other details like the sound of the machine getting excited while the manual is read aloud, OTOH, make me smile every time I hear it. The album plays out like a good story, causing the listener to become attached to the character- so that they will be sad upon its disappearance.

It sounds pretty simple, but something like Steve Roach's Early Man did nothing to conjure an early man in my mind. Likewise Biosphere's Cirque did nothing to conjure Christopher McCandless' journey into the wild (a theme, I read, but could be wrong), let alone make me feel sad when he died camping in a bus- which I did when I read the book.

ibm1401 a users manual did not leave me scratching my head, reaching for connections to its supposed theme, and as such gets my recommendation from now on as the most artistic album I've ever heard- ambient or not.

ModelCitizen

2007-02-23, 15:43

After reading this I downloaded ibm 1401, a users manual. I listened to the whole thing even though I had to fight really hard not to turn it off after hearing the first few seconds of the strings.
At the end I breathed a sigh of relief. Those dull, pedestrian, overdone, trite and incredibly smaltzy strings just completely killed any enjoyment I might have got from any part of the album. My intense dislike of it took me quite by surprise.
Funny as you and loads of users on the site I got it from really rated it.
Oh well, ever onwards.
MC

Skunk

2007-02-24, 02:09

Hi MC. What's funny is that I had a feeling you wouldn't like it, even though he was previously on the Touch label.

Another humorous bit, a few posts up I used 'film score' in a demeaning way- which 1401 is quintessentially. Rather than being art for art's sake, to me at least, the cliche strings are a means to an end. That's my problem with some of the other ambient I've heard- unique and pleasant sounding means with no appreciable end.

Fleshy pink may not be my favorite color, but I can appreciate it's iconic use in Last Tango In Paris without puking out loud. OTOH, I wouldn't have my buddies over to watch LTIP, nor listen to 1401. My intent was to highlight the connection with technology, and the artful way of presenting it.

As always, I appreciate the input (not being sarcastic), and almost mentioned the other day that I like listening to your lastFM station(s). Must've gotten bits of the stock car playlist earlier yesterday, and was treated to an indy 500 musical reference (beach boys). Is lastFM for uk people or www people?

ModelCitizen

2007-02-24, 02:42

I wanted to like it but the strings just turned my stomach. I'm amazed he was on Touch. Maybe the stuff he did on that label was very different. This album and Christian Fennesz/Biosphere/Hazard et al seem miles apart. 4AD seems a better fit.

I find the Last.fm radio stations rather eccentric. I don't really understand them. If I listen to my own radio station I'm sure I receive tracks I've never played. For instance I never, never play indy but sometimes receive the genre when I listen to my own radio station (perhaps someones uses my hifi when I'm out.. those damn fairies).

An irrelevant aside: in my closed and narrow little view the interesting and original possibities/variations produced by a conventional electric guitar based three/four piece band mostly got used up by the end of the 70s.. or perhaps early 80s?.. and since then it's all been (slight) variations or mostly repetitions on a very well trodden path/theme.
Very occasionally someone will come along and do it with panache and style though (but I've still heard it all before). Franz Ferdinand comes to mind as a recent example.

Yup, the Beach Boys only reference would be from my Racing Playlist. I hope you didn't get too much choral Christmas music.

For yet another take on Ambient try Peter Van Cooten's (user: SlimPvC) angle: http://www.last.fm/user/SlimPvC/. He's active on these forums occasionally and has made some extremely good and inventive mixes for Dutch radio. It's not the sort of Ambient I would normally listen to (although there is some crossover) but I've found one of his mixes (possibly downloadable from his web site or blog - http://www.vancooten.com/blog/ or http//:www.vancooten.com, http://www.vancooten.com/radiobroadcasts/index.htm), Mantra of Walls and Wiring to be irresistable... but it is quite scary. Others are more eeerrr... relaxing (that's not really what I mean at all).

BTW. What is your FM user name... I'll try your radio (as long as I don't get those awful strings!.... :-))?

I thought you lived in North America (Indiana?). Shouldn't you be asleep at the moment? But maybe you live in the true racing capital of the world... Monte Carlo.... :-)

> Is lastFM for uk people or www people?

I don't understand this comment. For me Last.FM is best when North America is asleep as it's so much faster (and no drop outs).

MC

stinkingpig

2007-02-24, 12:14

On 2/24/07, ModelCitizen ...
> I find the Last.fm radio station rather eccentric. I don't really
> understand them. If I listen to my own radio station I very often can't
> see any relationship between the tracks it plays and the music I play.
> For instance I never, never play indy but get it when I listen to my
> own radio (in my closed little view the interesting and original
> possibities/variations produced by a conventional electric guitar based
> three/four piece band mostly got used up by the end of the 70s.. or
> perhaps early 80s?.. and since then it's all been (slight) variations
> or mostly repetitions on a very well trodden path).
>

Last.fm is quite bizarre -- I gave up on it when a bug between their
web service and the audioscrobbler plugin were crashing my slimserver,
and haven't missed it.
>
> Very occasionally someone will come along and do it with panache and
> style though (but I've still heard it all before). Franz Ferdinand
> comes to mind as a recent example.
>

I'm a big indy fan, and tend to find electronica rather dull. I don't
want to start a mine is better argument, but I would point out that
Franz Ferdinand is actually on the boring and poppy end of what's
being done in indy lo-fi rock, at least a peg or two towards the Top40
from The White Stripes. Sorta like Thievery Corporation :) If I were
going to provide an "Intro to Indy" playlist, I'd put in some
Dealership, Eels, Apples In Stereo, Film School, Modest Mouse, Ai
Phoenix, and Camera Obscura. I'd also top it off with the
Tortoise/Bonnie Prince Billy collaboration, The Brave and The Bold.
There'd be a guaranteed love or hate reaction :)

> Yup, the Beach Boys only reference would be from my Racing Playlist. I
> hope you didn't get too much choral Christmas music.

The Beach Boys make my eardrums itch.

--
"I spent all me tin with the ladies drinking gin,
So across the Western ocean I must wander" -- traditional

Skunk

2007-02-24, 13:16

Yup, the Beach Boys only reference would be from my Racing Playlist. I hope you didn't get too much choral Christmas music.

Like Bing Crosby? Speaking of disappointing Touch artists, I found Rosy Parlane- jessamine, and find it incredibly pointless.

There was a lot of stuff I'd really like to track down in there as well. I don't use lastFM (wasn't sure if it was a uk service), but have found I like everything you recommend. I wouldn't be disappointed purchasing anything in your ambient genre, but have not had such good luck in trying to build my own collection, especially not with a tendency towards buying used in local shops.

Yes I'm in the US, and indy reference meant "indy 500" rather than indie music, Jack. I endured three hours of pet sounds trying to get hdcd to work last night.

Skunk

2007-02-24, 14:51

I thought you lived in North America (Indiana?). Shouldn't you be asleep at the moment? But maybe you live in the true racing capital of the world... Monte Carlo.... :-)

Oh this just clicked. I'm thinking maybe you are a true racing fan (which I can't really claim to be), having just now put the slot car gathering and this comment together.

You should come to Indiana for the next F1 race, or at least know you'll have someplace to stay if you do!

SlimPvC

2007-02-24, 15:15

For yet another take on Ambient try Peter Van Cooten's angle: http://www.last.fm/user/SlimPvC/. He's active on these forums occasionally and has made some extremely good and inventive mixes for Dutch radio. It's not the sort of Ambient I would normally listen to (although there is some crossover) but I've found one of his mixes (possibly downloadable from his web site or blog - http://www.vancooten.com/blog/ or http//:www.vancooten.com, http://www.vancooten.com/radiobroadcasts/index.htm, Mantra of Walls and Wiring to be irresistable... but it is quite scary. others are more eeerrr... relaxing (that's not really what I mean at all).

Hey, "Thanks for the Ad", as they say on Myspace :-)
Since these mixes were made for official dutch radio, I'm afraid I cannot make them available for download..I would like to, but this is prohibited due to copyright royalties reasons. However: I know there are some recordings floating around the net, so: seek and ye shall find :-)
I like your description. Ambient should not be only relaxing. It's the cinematographic dynamic tension between tension and relaxation that works best - "dark" vs. "light" etc.

Quite funny to be talking about this in the Slimserver Forums, BTW :-)

ModelCitizen

2007-02-24, 16:16

Like Bing Crosby?
No, Choral like King's College Choir, Cambridge... ... a church (cathederal) choir singing Christmas hymns (Silent night etc). More sublime religious music... ;-/

Speaking of disappointing Touch artists, I found Rosy Parlane- jessamine, and find it incredibly pointless.
I'm sure there are lots. I only listen to Christian Fennesz and Hazard to give my hifi a work out! :-)

There was a lot of stuff I'd really like to track down in there as well. I don't use lastFM (wasn't sure if it was a uk service), but have found I like everything you recommend.
As a result of yours and Jack Coates comments I've looked a bit further into LastFM and also signed up (i.e paid; less than $20 for six months... or so). It's brilliant. I now realise that what I thought was my own radio station was in fact a conglomeration of the tastes of my nearest neighbours (i.e the people with tastes closest to mine). After signing up (paying) i found I could listen to my own radio station and loads of variations.. i.e. my own radio station just plays stuff I've played (submitted to LastFM), my Ambient station just plays stuff i've submitted to LastFM that includes ambient tags... and so on. Of course anyone else can listen to my radio for free (a LastFM user has to actually subscribe/pay to listen to their own radio station but can listen to the stations of any other user for free).

So listening to my own station is just like listening to a random playlist of my whole music collection (or at least all the music I've played since I installed the SlimScrobbler plugin).. similar with my own LastFM Ambient, Progressive Rock, Folk, Blues etc etc stations.

It now all makes sense. It's totally brilliant. Jack... I've never had any problems witht the plugins.. on all versions of SlimServer I've used the plugins has just worked.

So Skunk, if you like the recommendations I've made here then you should sign up to LastFM and listen to my ambient (and possibly electronic) radio station. That will hone my recommedations right down to individual tracks and extend the scope a lot

As to UK and WWW questions. It's a UK company that runs it but there are loads of North Americans and indeed people from all over the world using it... in fact a few too many now.. the service is getting a little flaky at some points during the day... however, subscribing (i.e, paying the paltry amount they ask) seems to sort that out. I very rarely use the LastFM web interface... indeed only to add group, neighbour, genre and my own stations to LastFM Plugin Slimserver interface.

The neighbours radio stuff is really great too as you can listen to the radio stations of people who like pretty much the same music you do... and they always have stuff to offer you've never heard of before... which is then easy to track down.

The only real drawback for me is that the LastFM repository of music does not include a few of my very favourite (and very obscure) artists.. for instance Solar Quest don't exist there.. and I think it's possible Maitreya does not either...

BTW. It is impossible to get Solar Quest's CD Orgship (the only people who can make money out of sales are very rip-off second hand merchants... Orgisms is currently for sale second hand for about $240 on Amazon!) so I have no problems letting you hear it. PM me. I'm sure I can point you to Peter's Mantra too.

Set up an account at LastFM (user name Skunk is not taken, I checked), install SlimScrobbler and the LastFM plugin and set up a huge great seed playlist of all your favourite tracks.. leave running when you're asleep for quicker jack-in to the system.

From what I understand of your listening/buying research habits I'm dead certain you'd find it very useful. If you take it up be sure to add me to your friends.

What I find a little unsettling is just how good the 128k MP3s sound..

MC

ModelCitizen

2007-02-24, 16:28

Oh this just clicked. I'm thinking maybe you are a true racing fan I'm not. The only thing I raced apart from Scalextric was my Audi TT (which I recently wrapped around a tree.. so I don't even race that now).
Thanks for the offer of a place to stay though, bless you.
:-)
MC

stinkingpig

2007-02-24, 18:21

On 2/24/07, ModelCitizen
<ModelCitizen.2mj8jc1172359202 (AT) no-mx (DOT) forums.slimdevices.com> wrote:
....
> It now all makes sense. It's totally brilliant. Jack... I've never had
> any problems witht the plugins.. on all versions of SlimServer I've
> used the plugins has just worked.
....

Yeah, it usually does just work; unfortunately, the times it didn't
were invariably when I was away from the house and unable to deal with
restarting, leaving unhappy wife and kids. Have that happen every day
for nearly two weeks and you'll probably drop the plugins too. This
was just before 6.5.1 was released, using nightlies and working with
the plugin authors, and the best part was that it still crashed even
if I left the AS plugin in place and turned off auto-submission. One
of these days I might try again, but it's just not important enough to
justify even a slight risk of server instability.

The other thing that turned me off is the skewing of taste caused by
Slimserver being used by my entire family. See
http://www.last.fm/user/Stinkingpig/ -- Jack Johnson is way up there
from a one month period last year when my wife listened to nothing
but, and JK Rowling is number one with a bullet because the kids
listen to audiobooks pretty much nonstop. Compilation albums
essentially disappear into the noise at the bottom of the charts, and
there's something funny about Asian characters (Slimserver shows
number 40 as Akira Ikifube, the soundtrack to Godzilla: Destroy All
Monsters, as does every tag editor I've used, but not Last.FM).

And then there's the performance...
--
"I spent all me tin with the ladies drinking gin,
So across the Western ocean I must wander" -- traditional

ModelCitizen

2007-02-25, 00:28

The other thing that turned me off is the skewing of taste caused by
Slimserver being used by my entire family. See
http://www.last.fm/user/Stinkingpig/ -- Jack Johnson is way up there
from a one month period last year when my wife listened to nothing
but, and JK Rowling is number one with a bullet because the kids
listen to audiobooks pretty much nonstop.
Yes, I can easily see how this would piss one off.
I think I'll tell them about the Asian Characters... but I've not experienced the problem yet.

Franz Ferdinand. I think one of the reason's I like them is exactly because they do a have a highly honed and energetic pop sensibility but combined with a sharp intelligence, wit and artistry. I've glanced upon some of the other bands you mention and nor heard this suave combination. I'm always surprised that Franz Ferdinand and The Kaiser Chiefs are lumped together as I find the Kaiser Chiefs to be lumpen proles (who wierdly often sound like 70s punk/alternative band the Buzzcocks) in comparison to the easy eloquence and intelligence of Franz Ferdninand.

I've still heard all the chord changes and melodies of both bands before (many times) though.

I really have no idea how to square this point of view about Indy with my love of Blues though. :-/

Anyway, just what are you doing on this Electronic Ambient thread? :-)

MC

ModelCitizen

2007-02-25, 02:57

Quite funny to be talking about this in the Slimserver Forums, BTW :-)
I'm listening to your personal and loved radio... it'd be great if the ambient stuff didn't keep getting interrupted by James Brown and the like (I've just had Sex machine inserted between two highly chilled ambient tracks!).
MC

SlimPvC

2007-02-25, 03:35

it'd be great if the ambient stuff didn't keep getting interrupted by James Brown and the like MC

Well, thing's could be worse than James Brown I suppose. Fairly broad taste, haha..

Point your slimserver to: http://www.last.fm/listen/usertags/SlimPvC/ambient
instead, and there will be no JB (unless someone tags it as ambient).
Did you know you can preset last.fm stations in the slimserver internet radio settings?

Bye
Peter

ModelCitizen

2007-02-25, 03:52

Did you know you can preset last.fm stations in the slimserver internet radio settings?
Of course you're right. I'm just getting to grips with all this stuff. I've only recently been using LastFM in any depth.
I already have nearly 60 LastFM stations set up in SlimServer. It's getting a bit daft!

BTW.. and I know I should research this at last.fm, but the forums are so slow and the help info so inadequate it's too painful... can I add tags together so, for instance I could create one radio station out of a users ambient and electronic tags... or am I stuck with a single tags for each radio station?
I'm assuming you are an expert Peter! :-)

Sorry, I'm taking this thread rather off topic... I'll stop after this.
MC

stinkingpig

2007-02-25, 08:14

On 2/24/07, ModelCitizen ...
>
> Franz Ferdinand. I think one of the reason's I like them is exactly
> beacuase they do a have a highly honed pop sensibility but combined
> with a sharp intelligence, wit and artistry. I've glanced upon some of
> the other bands you mention and nor heard this suave combination. I'm
> always surprised that Franz Ferdinand and The Kaiser Chiefs are lumped
> together as I find the Kaiser Chiefs to be lumpen proles (who often
> sound just like the Buzzcocks) in comparison to the easy eloquence and
> intelligence of Franz Ferdninand.
>

It's there, it's just harder to hear. FF is too slick and polished for
my tastes, and the music is too same-same. I haven't heard the kind of
deep referencing there is in say, Camera Obscura. Off the top of my
head, check out The False Contender from Let's Get Out of This
Country, and listen for the reference to Valentine's Day is Over from
Billy Bragg's Worker's Playtime

> I've still heard all the chord changes and melodies of both bands
> before (many times) though.
>
> I really have no idea how to square this point of view about Indy with
> my love of Blues though. :-/
>

It's okay to say that some music is boring to you :) I love blues too,
especially John Lee Hooker and Leadbelly.

> Anyway, just what are you doing on this Electronic Ambient thread?
> :-)
>
> MC
>

lol :) When I dropped the General list from my subscription, I started
reading everything again... now it's out the window again. I do listen
to a couple of Brian Eno albums, does that count?

--
"I spent all me tin with the ladies drinking gin,
So across the Western ocean I must wander" -- traditional