Ambient Music: 50 Essential Albums

[D_Davis]

http://i.imgur.com/Ga1Fa.jpg

While thinking about compiling this list, I simply couldn't call it “The 50 Best Ambient Albums,” or some other such nonsense. And that’s for a number of reasons. 1) I don’t consider myself an expert, nor have I heard enough (even though I've heard a ton) to make such a claim. It seems that I discover something new and worthwhile on a weekly basis (I made such a discovery this very day). 2) It’s really hard to put 50 ambient album in some kind of numbered order. Sure, there are albums that are better than other albums, but when it comes down to it, would entry #37 be worse than entry #25? I don’t know. Is drone 1 better than drone 2? How do you rank an hour long tone? Again, some albums are definitely better than others, and the albums closer to the number one spot might be “more essential,” but really I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the albums on this list.

And so what I’ve decided to do is to make a list of 50 Ambient albums that I think are essential to a collection. This could be for someone wanting to get into the genre, or it could be for someone wanting to expand their previously-started catalog. However, any one of these albums would be a welcomed addition to any ambient music collection.

I will say this, though: the top 10 will be my "official top 10."

There will be a large number of newer (post-2000) releases on this list, and here’s why. Since Brian Eno released Ambient 1: Music for Airports, there are have been many, many ambient releases. And over the years, time has served as the best filter, thus the really good stuff from the 1970s and ‘80s, and probably the ‘90s now as well, has risen to the top. And so it’s safe to assume that the older stuff on this list are truly classics, and the albums that really deserve to be here. That’s not to say that there aren’t still hidden gems out there from the past, because there are. The new stuff however is exciting and, well, new. The genre is expanding at a rapid rate thanks to the influx of netlabels and free music. I guess you could look at it this way: in ten years time, if I were to make another list like this, the older the album the better chance there will be of it remaining on the list, while the newer stuff could drop off as trends change and time filters the great from the good.

And now comes the hardest part - what am I talking about when I talk about ambient music? That is a good question. I’ve decided to do a couple of things. First of all, I’ll mainly be avoiding stuff that I think is more beat-orientated, or more in the minimal-electronica/techno sub-genre. That’s not to say that there won’t be examples of more beat-orientated stuff on the list, but I’ll be drawing the line in places that some might find arbitrary.

I’ve also decided to create the Scale of Ambiance to give some kind of indication as to just how “ambient” the album is. A score of a 5 will mean “the most ambient.” With these albums imagine Eno’s Music for Airports, or Steve Roach’s Structures from Silence. These albums have that classic “ambient sound.” A score of a 1 will mean that the album has ambient qualities, but it is more of a hybrid album. An example of this would be Marconi Union’s Distance, with its beats, guitar, and more structured melodies.

And finally, I won’t be writing extensively about each artist or album. There’s not a need for that. I’ll let the music speak for itself, provide links, and offer up only the most minimal of commentary. I mean, after all, how many times can I describe an album as dense, haunting, and atmospheric?

[dreamdead]

Awesome. I love that you're doing this project, and look forward to many new musical discoveries.

I still "crank" the Arcticology album frequently, which I believe you recommended some years ago back. Expecting that kind of consistency again...

[D_Davis]

I still "crank" the Arcticology album frequently, which I believe you recommended some years ago back. Expecting that kind of consistency again...

Yeah. For awhile, Arcticology was very active in the netlabel community. One of the first CC artists I discovered. I haven't heard anything from him in quite awhile. Good stuff though.

[D_Davis]

Artist: Lemongrass
Album(s): Ambient Land 1 & 2
Year(s): 2007/2010
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Piano/Electronic/Drone

http://i.imgur.com/HkXVI.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/RIv7Z.jpg

Two EPs that, when combined together, form an awesome album. And I'm cheating a little bit - this entry only counts as one essential album.

Lemongrass has a wonderfully simply style that is simultaneously playful and melancholy. Ambient Land 1 is happy and warm, while Ambient Land 2 feels more somber and cold. Together these two EPs take the listener on a journey from an earthbound golden field into the vast reaches of the atmosphere.

Tracks:
Polar Nights (http://www.reverbnation.com/artist/song_details/2422691)
Wonderland (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YKLFvy8jy4)

[Russ]

I'll be disappoint if CSG doesn't make the list.

[D_Davis]

I'll be disappoint if CSG doesn't make the list.

Heh....I don't think I can consider myself "essential."

Although I'm really glad that other people do! I had of fans on FB say that CSG should make the list.

If you were to pick a CSG album to be on an essential ambient albums list, which would it be?

[Russ]

Hard to say. I'm a sucker for the intoxicatingly lovely vocal samples utilized in Especially For Them, and I adore the micro-beat ambiance of the Colonial Spa EP, but ultimately I always find myself coming back to the sheer beauty of Darkness and the Light and Behind Clouds. Of course, I haven't heard all of your stuff yet, but trust me, I'm almost as experienced in the ambient realm as you are, and you deserve a spot on a top 50 list, without a doubt. Don't sell yourself short, Daniel.

:)

[D_Davis]

I'll tell you what, Russ. If you want to pick one CSG to consider "essential" and enter it on the list as a guest contributor, following the format above, feel free to do so. :)

[Russ]

Cool. I'm re-listening to Especially For Them again right now and am thoroughly digging it. I could easily go with it. But, I really love your work in general, D, so this is going to be tough. Give me a little while, and save me an honorary spot. I'll give you an essential write-up.

[D_Davis]

Cool. I'm re-listening to Especially For Them again right now and am thoroughly digging it. I could easily go with it. But, I really love your work in general, D, so this is going to be tough. Give me a little while, and save me an honorary spot. I'll give you an essential write-up.

Will do. Especially for Them is a personal favorite of mine, but I cannot listen to it anymore because of the time of my life it reminds me of. It just brings back a flood of memories of my divorce and all kinds of crazy stuff and drama.

[D_Davis]

Artist: Algaia (Gino Fioravanti and John Toso)
Album: Three Organic Experiences
Year: 2003
Scale of Ambience: 4
Style: Meditative/Piano/New Age

http://i.imgur.com/5fVlf.jpg

Algaia, Three Organic Experinces is an album that can be experienced on a variety of different levels. It can be actively engage, and provides for a rewarding listening experience as new sounds and textures are constantly being discovered. It can also be used as a meditative tool, its sounds working in a hypnotic fashion (the artists specialize in meditative music, musical therapy, and other such new age techniques/mumbo jumbo (believe what you will)). The sounds on the album very from treated pianos to unearthly noises, and from various ethnic instruments and voices to natural samples. It is an album that serves a purpose while also being a unique artistic expression.

Tracks:
Seven Ancient Glaciers (edit) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hIEIkDBoYY)
The Mysterious Fish Named Kun (edit) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8OaOqRGEHM)

[D_Davis]

Artist: Cluster and Brian Eno
Album: Cluster & Eno
Year: 1977
Scale of Ambience: 1
Style: Experimental

http://i.imgur.com/2m8U6.jpg

Cluster, a pioneering electronic duo, and Brian Eno teamed up for a few albums in the late 1970s. This is the first of those. While not strictly ambient in nature, it does possess ambient qualities. It's focus is clearly more on rhythmic structure and shorter compositions. One might call the tracks on this album 'miniatures,' and each seems to contain an entire world of themes and motifs.

Tracks:
Fur Luise (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNgAhr0aEho)
Die Bunge (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r8fUF8pMO8)

[D_Davis]

Artist: Marcel Tuerkowsky
Album: Night Tapes
Year: 2006
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Experimental/Loop Based/Electronic

http://i.imgur.com/GW9Fm.jpg

Night Tapes is an excellent example of modern ambient techniques. It is at times noisy and harsh, and at times quiet and tranquil. It mixes elements of modern composition with traditional musicianship, and is evocative of a certain, although mysterious, time and place.

Tracks:
Still Believe in Still (http://ia600201.us.archive.org/10/items/ser007/ser007_01_marcel_tuerkowsky_-_still_believe_in_still.mp3)
De Dodu (http://ia600201.us.archive.org/10/items/ser007/ser007_04_marcel_tuerkowsky_-_de_dodu.mp3)

Full album available for free via Archive.org (http://www.archive.org/details/ser007)

[Glass Co.]

Just listened to that Cluster/Eno album yesterday. Big thumbs up. How did Eno manage to be in so many disparate musical areas/genres in the late 70s/early 80s? I still keep meaning to check out his No Wave compilation.

[D_Davis]

Just listened to that Cluster/Eno album yesterday. Big thumbs up. How did Eno manage to be in so many disparate musical areas/genres in the late 70s/early 80s?

I think in many ways, Eno views music as a job, as work. Just as a carpenter might view doing different jobs at different houses, in different styles. And as a craftsman, he always wants to do the best job he possibly can.

[D_Davis]

Artist: The Orb
Album: Pomme Fritz
Year: 1994
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Dub-techno/Sample-based/Experimental

http://i.imgur.com/qdb36.jpg

The Orb epitomized the 1990s ambient sound. They made a ton of good music, and pretty much defined the chill-room experience of the rave culture. I believe that Pomme Fritz is their crowning masterpiece. It is far and away their most bizarre and difficult album, and it is also their most creative artistic statement. The record label hated, there isn't a single danceable beat on the entire thing, and it is relentlessly weird. It is also overflowing with strange samples that probably haven't ever been sampled before or since. If there is a single word that most perfectly describes Pomme Fritz, it is 'unique.'

Tracks:
Pomme Fritz (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt02XDXtgLE)
We're Pastie to be Grill You (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk_4VhcqPdc)

[D_Davis]

Artist: Aidan Baker
Album: The Sea Swells a Bit
Year: 2006
Scale of Ambience: 1
Style: Guitar/Live Looping/Experimental

http://i.imgur.com/VdQWf.jpg

"The universe is big," is a more definitive, concrete statement than "Adrian Baker is prolific." Baker puts out more albums in a month than some bands do during their entire career. And what's most spectacular is that the majority of them or good; Baker creates interesting, live ambient music that incorporates elements of shoegaze, rock, jazz and drone. Picking one album of his to be considered "essential" is practically an impossible task, but The Sea Swells a Bit is as good as any and my most listened-to album of his.

Tracks:
Davey Jones' Locker (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47J7lyHiDmU)

[D_Davis]

I'll just throw this out there right now in case anyone is waiting in anticipation....

I'm not a fan of Tangerine Dream, and I don't think their music holds up today. I listened to a ton of their stuff over the last few days trying to pick something essential, and I couldn't come up with a single album that I like anymore. There are tracks that I dig (like the first track off of Cyclone), but I don't really care for any full-length albums.

[D_Davis]

Artist: Gavin Bryars Ensemble
Album: The Sinking of the Titanic
Year: 1975
Scale of Ambience: 2
Style: Neo-Classical

http://i.imgur.com/rILbJ.jpg

The Sinking of the Titanic is one of the most emotional and powerful pieces of music ever written. The music, coupled with the subtle sound effects, create a tangible sense of place and atmosphere, and take the listener on a doomed journey to the depths of the sea.

The Sinking of the Titanic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oVMRADOq5s)

[Idioteque Stalker]

The Sinking of the Titanic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oVMRADOq5s)

Heard of this before but never actually listened. It's damn gorgeous. How's the other cut on the album compare?

[D_Davis]

Heard of this before but never actually listened. It's damn gorgeous. How's the other cut on the album compare?

I prefer the longer version. To tell you the truth, I'm a little unsure of the piece's history as to what is the "official" version. The only version I own is the one with the cover I posted - it's the long, full-length CD version.

I do know that the original was released on Eno's Obscure label, and was produced by Eno, but I'm not sure which version that is.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Oh, ok. It's paired with another track of similar length ("Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet") on spotify. Is the "long" version 25 minutes or is it longer? I could dig an hour, Thursday Afternoon style.

[D_Davis]

Oh, ok. It's paired with another track of similar length ("Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet") on spotify. Is the "long" version 25 minutes or is it longer? I could dig an hour, Thursday Afternoon style.

The long version I have is over an hour:

http://www.amazon.com/Bryars-Sinking-Titanic-Barnett-Ensemble/dp/B0000040UW/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1329446555&sr=1-1


There is also a longer version of "Jesus' Blood..." which I have, and it is amazing as well.

I should read up more on the history of these pieces.

[D_Davis]

Artist: Kenji Kawai
Album: Ghost in the Shell OST
Year: 1995
Scale of Ambience: 2
Style: Soundtrack/Percussive

http://i.imgur.com/K2EHk.jpg

The pairing of Mamoru Oshii and Kenji Kawai has produced some of the most interesting marriage of images and sounds ever created; trying to pick one example was an extremely difficult endeavor - other possible choices included the OSTs for Jin-Roh and Patlabor. Kenji's work on the Ghost in the Shell OST is a masterclass in the use of percussion and space in ambient/minimal composition, and the incorporation of the Shinto prayer chanting adds a spiritual element to the music.

Tracks:
Nightstalker (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FsA3wlCjcA)
Chant 2 - Ghost City (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP96CtKCK9Q)

[D_Davis]

Artist: Language of Landscape
Album: Memories Fade Under a Shallow Autumn Snow
Year: 2010
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Piano/Guitar/Lowercase

http://i.imgur.com/SrcdJ.jpg

Chris Tenz, the pianist in this project, was one of the first netlabel artists I discovered while I was getting into CC-licensed music, and he's remained a favorite ever since. I think this is his best ambient-style album. Here he is joined by Cory Zaradur on the guitar and samples, and together they make what can best be described as lowercase music.

The album is available on Bandcamp, pay what you want. (http://languageoflandscape.bandcamp.c om/)

[D_Davis]

Artist: Michael Brook w/ Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois
Album: Hybrid
Year: 1985
Scale of Ambience: 2
Style: Guitar/World Beat/Electroacoustic

http://i.imgur.com/kqr9u.jpg

Michael Brook seems to be the odd man out when it comes to the Eno/Lanois circle of producer-musicians. Or, at the very least, he is the most under the radar. He quietly works away creating some very interesting textures, and also helped to invent (maybe even entirely invented, there is much debate) a system for infinite guitar sustain. His infinite guitar system is first heard on this album - it is an apparatus contained within the guitar, and does not use tape or delay to produce the illusion of infinite sustain.

A mix of four tracks, ending with "Ocean Motion," an absolutely beautiful piece of music. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1_AMVxU5fk&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL33D80415031A32F2)

[D_Davis]

Artist: The KLF
Album: Chill Out
Year: 1990
Scale of Ambience: 4
Style: Environmental Sounds/Atmospheric

http://i.imgur.com/hNJwC.jpg

Of all the albums on this list, The KLF's Chill Out is unique in that it barely contains any actual music or instrument sounds. It is comprised almost-entirely of samples of environmental sounds. Every so often a synth or guitar part breaks through the surface. It truly is a work of ambient art. It also possesses a brilliant sense of irony, evident in the track "Justified and Ancient Seems a Long Time Ago."

The complete album on Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S_lktstwrs)

[Russ]

[B]Artist: The KLF
Album: Chill Out
Year: 1990
Scale of Ambience: 4
Style: Environmental Sounds/Atmospheric

http://i.imgur.com/hNJwC.jpg
Oh, you get big-time rep for this.

[D_Davis]

Oh, you get big-time rep for this.

Hard to believe that it's over 20 years old.

[Russ]

D, for pure environmental sounds (wildlife, actually), I would highly recommend (ex-Cabaret Voltaire and occasional Hafler Trio collaborator) Chris Watson's seminal work, Outside the Circle of Fire, recorded soon after he started doing work on nature documentaries for the BBC. He uses an assortment of microphones to capture his subjects at an amazingly close range. I frequently listen to it just as a beguiling and immersive experience, and would definitely classify the collection of field recordings as an ambient work.


http://www.google.com/url?source=imglanding&ct=img&q=http://static.boomkat.com/images/68591/333.jpg&sa=X&ei=QMg_T-ayE8_ptgeYgNXCBQ&ved=0CAwQ8wc&usg=AFQjCNGmJ-dFcQNBWQqP54g6nieNAm3AmA

Adult cheetah (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lteDfpNr0Y)

Hippopotami (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mH5OD4Q-CQU)

[D_Davis]

Oh, you get big-time rep for this.

Yeah - glad I finally tracked down a copy. Don't know why it's still OOP.

Why the hell is anything OOP these days?

[Russ]

Artist: Carl Sagan's Ghost
Album: At the End of It All
Year: 2009
Scale of Ambience: 4
Style: Atmospheric/Electronic/Drone

http://www.google.com/url?source=imglanding&ct=img&q=http://carlsagansghost.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/attheend-300x300.jpg&sa=X&ei=fvJAT5GxL8y1tweE0-DUBQ&ved=0CAwQ8wc&usg=AFQjCNHpS8z1mzF35lT-N9MsOmroP7WvoQ

If I had to pick a single CSG release to classify as essential it would be this one. I won't pretend to know the circumstances in Daniel's personal life at the time that led to the depth of such brilliance and emotion found on every track, but suffice to say, the result was tangible and, in a word, unforgettable. These tracks have a majestic feel, with sometimes cold and alien moods giving way to lush, organic tones of exquisite warmth and beauty. Back in the 90's, there was an artist who went by the name, The Heavenly Music Corporation. It's a name that only came back into my mind after listening to this album again. I think the connection is appropriate.

Tracks:
Take a Moment (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E7IRHIO0Y8)



* Kudos to Daniel for allowing my guest contribution. And for making such great music.

[Russ]

Hey Daniel, I don't mean to commandeer your thread, but have you heard the new release by Tom Green, Music for Tai Chi yet? I love it. Give it a listen when you have time:

Another Fine Label (http://anotherfineday.bandcamp.com/)

http://f0.bcbits.com/z/12/80/1280130183-1.jpg

[D_Davis]

Hey Daniel, I don't mean to commandeer your thread, but have you heard the new release by Tom Green, Music for Tai Chi yet? I love it. Give it a listen when you have time:

Another Fine Label (http://anotherfineday.bandcamp.com/)



I have not, but I will today.

[D_Davis]

Music for Tai Chi is really nice. There will be a Tom Green album on the list.

[D_Davis]

Artist: Angelo Badalamenti
Album: The Straight Story
Year: 1999
Scale of Ambience: 1
Style: Soundtrack/Americana/Folk

http://i.imgur.com/nnGBM.jpg

The Straight Story is David Lynch's most bizarre film, in that it is his most sweet and endearing and, well, relatively normal. It is also Angelo Badalamenti's best work as a composer; the music here is nothing short of breathtaking. It is emotional and haunting, beautiful and subtle.

Tracks:
Country Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4313kaD2UxA)
Nostalgia (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhes2lZho30)

[Russ]

*grumble*

Gonna run out of rep here...

[D_Davis]

Artist: Pete Namlook
Album: Air II - Traveling Without Moving
Year: 1994
Scale of Ambience: 5
Style: Space Music/Techno/Drone

http://i.imgur.com/I9thL.jpg

Pete Namlook may have been the single most prolific musician of the 1990s. If you were to purchase everything he did during this decade, it would cost you a ton of money because he made dozens and dozens of albums, and most of them now are OOP and very expensive. His label, FAX Records, was an ambient factory, and they all had similar album covers so a collector could quickly browse through the racks and find the new FAX CDs. Air II - Traveling Without Moving has always been my favorite Namlook album. It's just classic '90s ambient.

Track:
Trip 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2W4rXvB4xQ)

[D_Davis]

Artist: Wixel
Album: Clouds
Year: 2009
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Electroacoustic/Drone

http://i.imgur.com/eClLO.jpg

In 2009, experimental/electronic artist Wixel did something remarkable: he released an album a month for the entire year. And what is most amazing is that each of the 12 albums is fantastic. Clouds is the best, and it is a perfect example of the modern ambient music being created by bedroom musicians releasing their art through netlabels and sites like Bandcamp. This is the future of ambient music, and the future is now.

Tracks:
Cloud Formation (http://2009.bandcamp.com/track/cloud-formation)
Cloud Fields (http://2009.bandcamp.com/track/cloud-fields)

[D_Davis]

Artist: Darshan Ambient
Album: Providence
Year: 2002
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Piano/Electronic

http://i.imgur.com/2iKgM.jpg

There are certain albums that I know I'm going to love based on the very first note or chord. This is one of those albums. "Canopy of Stars," is one of the best first tracks on any ambient album I've ever heard. There are only two that I can think of right now that I like better (both to appear later on the list). Providence is made with a perfect mix of acoustic piano and treated electronics, and it is lovely throughout.

Tracks (I can't find a version of "Canopy of Stars" to listen to online):
Soft Land (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvTIy9hZK8g&feature=related)
Night Fishing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5zkCzylbJI)

[D_Davis]

Artist: GAS (Wolfgang Voigt)
Album: Pop
Year: 2000
Scale of Ambience: 4
Style: Loop-based/Drone/Electronic

http://i.imgur.com/qv5JT.jpg

GAS was probably the progenitor of the modern style of loop-based ambient practiced by The Field, Gaston Arevalo, and A Sight Below today. The four albums released under this moniker also probably shaped modern ambient music more than any other. Unfortunately, all four albums are OOP, very expensive, and somewhat hard to track down legit or otherwise. It is possible to find them though, and totally worth it.

Tracks:
Untitled 4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYjwFNUoD-Y)
Untitled 7 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riYRp284shE&feature=related)

[D_Davis]

Artist: John Foxx
Album: The Complete Cathedral Oceans (vol. 1-3)
Year: 1995-2005
Scale of Ambience: 4
Style: Synth/Vocal
http://i.imgur.com/H6NHP.jpg

The Complete Cathedral Oceans is John Foxx's epic masterpiece of synth and vocal based ambient music. Collected here are all three volumes, which, when listened to in its entirety, takes the listener on a journey through mystical places rich with imagined history.

Tracks:
Through Gardens Overgrown (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii0_AvxPyVk)
Metanym (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_T_kFrgPDY&feature=related)
Infinite in all Directions (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXZzG-5s3Pg&feature=related)

[Russ]

Pete Namlook (Air II) - You could easily do a FAX top 50. More from this label to appear, hopefully?

Wixel (Clouds) - Never heard of 'em. Sounds cool, tho.

Darshan Ambient (Providence) - Never heard of this one, either. But I've loved all of their YouTube stuff that I listened to. Thanks for this.

Gas (Pop) - A mainstay of the Em:t stable, and the favorite of many a (OOP) collection. Good pick.

John Foxx (Cathedral Oceans) - I think you and I must be the only John Foxx fans on this board. I have long wanted to invest in The Complete Cathedral Oceans, but have yet to take the plunge. I didn't totally connect with Through Gardens Overgrown, but holy cow, Metanym is like, one of the greatest things ever. Infinite In All Directions is dreamy, so that means I really need to get on the ball and grab this sucker.


You do realize that when you finish this list, I shall post all the remaining lovely essentials that you somehow neglected? :)

[D_Davis]

You do realize that when you finish this list, I shall post all the remaining lovely essentials that you somehow neglected? :)

Good!

I don't think there will be anymore FAX albums on the list.

I can't believe that the entire Em:t catalog is OOP. So much good music, completely lost. It's a real shame, and makes zero sense in these modern times.

[D_Davis]

John Foxx (Cathedral Oceans) - I think you and I must be the only John Foxx fans on this board. I have long wanted to invest in The Complete Cathedral Oceans, but have yet to take the plunge. I didn't totally connect with Through Gardens Overgrown, but holy cow, Metanym is like, one of the greatest things ever. Infinite In All Directions is dreamy, so that means I really need to get on the ball and grab this sucker.


He's amazing, and criminally under appreciated.

[Derek]

Artist: GAS (Wolfgang Voigt)
[B] Album: Pop
Year: 2000

Great pick! I prefer Königsforst and Zauberberg to Pop, but all 3 are fantastic. Dude already had a lifetime pass for starting Kompact as well...

And thanks for this whole thread. There's soooo much I haven't heard - this will be the go-to thread for years when I'm looking for more ambient music.

[D_Davis]

Great pick! I prefer Königsforst and Zauberberg to Pop, but all 3 are fantastic. Dude already had a lifetime pass for starting Kompact as well...

I've only ever heard his GAS stuff - I need to listen to his other projects, and generally learn more about him.


And thanks for this whole thread. There's soooo much I haven't heard - this will be the go-to thread for years when I'm looking for more ambient music.

You're welcome. I'm hoping it is useful.

[D_Davis]

Gas (Pop) - A mainstay of the Em:t stable, and the favorite of many a (OOP) collection. Good pick.



I think that the Em:t Gas is a different Gas. That Gas project was used by Mat Jarvis, who now goes by the name High Skies. He will have an album appearing on this list.

GAS (Pop) is Wolfgang Voight, who, like Derek said, went on to start Kompact.

[Russ]

I think that the Em:t Gas is a different Gas. That Gas project was used by Mat Jarvis, who now goes by the name High Skies. He will have an album appearing on this list.

GAS (Pop) is Wolfgang Voight, who, like Derek said, went on to start Kompact.
Yeah, I suspected as much after I listened to the cut, which doesn't sound very much like Jarvis' project. Still, glad both are making the cut.

[D_Davis]

Artist: Voodoo Child
Album: The End of Everything
Year: 1997
Scale of Ambience: 2
Style: Techno/Electronic

http://i.imgur.com/LmC7T.jpg

Moby's music contains a simplicity that I greatly admire. He also creates some the lushest most beautiful pads I've ever heard. The compositions on The End of Everything seldom change, nor do they contain a single superfluous note - everything is in its perfect place.

Tracks:
All the tracks I want to link to, in hopes of getting people interested in making a purchase, are blocked by WGA and EMI on Youtube.

[D_Davis]

Artist: Telomere
Album: Zoetosis
Year: 2001
Scale of Ambience: 5
Style: Space Music/Drone

http://i.imgur.com/sPiXp.jpg

I'm not a big fan of the space music sub-genre of ambient, which is why you won't see very many albums from the 1980s on this list. However, this album right here is spectacular; there is a little more to it than simply being the music one might hear on a documentary about the Universe. I want to see a SF made with this as the inspiration.

Track
Awakening (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZoTyYT4xDk)

[dreamdead]

Woah. That Telomere track is massive. So anchored, yet willing to wander along the outer edges of its melody. Very nice.

Trying to make the time to write to each of these samples, which is the best environment for letting a song mesh with the mind for me...

[D_Davis]

Woah. That Telomere track is massive. So anchored, yet willing to wander along the outer edges of its melody. Very nice.


Yeah - it's got to be the best example of space music that I've heard. It's substantial.

[D_Davis]

Artist: Thom Brennan
Album: Mist
Year: 2000
Scale of Ambience: 5
Style: Environmental/New Age/Drone

http://i.imgur.com/ApiGg.jpg

One man's ambient masterpiece is another man's new age/spa bore. I'm not going to pretend to be able to separate the two. I used to think it was based on artistic intent - was the artist making an artistic statement, or just music for the sake of making music (ambient); or was he trying to make something to be listened to with a specific purpose (relaxation) and place (new age/spa music). However, Marconi Union came along and was commissioned by a group of sound therapists to create a piece of music to be used for relaxation, and then they ended up creating what I consider to be the single greatest ambient track I've ever heard (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CySNhHVAokQ).

Anyhow, this is about Thom Brennan, and his beautiful album Mist. Yes, you will find this in the new age section of a music store. Yes, they probably play it at spas and yoga studios. And yes, it's also very, very good.

Track:
Pondlife (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oL0M1BIjJc)

[D_Davis]

Artist: Silvercord and Altus
Album: Lullaby
Year: 2006
Scale of Ambience: 5
Style: Electronic

http://i.imgur.com/qubgY.jpg

Silvercord and Altus are two major artists in the realms of the netlabel ambient scene. You don't have to search too hard before you'll be running across their albums. This collaboration, Lullaby, is incredible. The first thing you'll notice is that the first song is *gasp* actually a song, complete with a hummable melody and vocals. From here the album becomes more traditionally ambient, but still takes little side roads back into the world of structured song.

I'm honored to call these two label-mates, and the entire album can be downloaded for free via Earth Mantra. (http://earthmantra.com/release-detail.php?id=120)

Tracks:
For My Beloved Dreaming (http://www.archive.org/download/earman120/01-ForMyBelovedDreaming.mp3)
The Twilight Whispers Her Name (http://www.archive.org/download/earman120/02-TheTwilightWhispersHerName.mp3 )

[D_Davis]

Artist: William Basinski
Album: 982982
Year: 2009
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Experimental

http://i.imgur.com/Faty6.jpg

William Basinksi has made a career out of sampling and creating loops of earlier recorded music. His creations can be challenging at times, but under the right set of circumstances, in the right environment, the repetitious nature of the sounds takes over creates an experience that can only be called hypnotic.

Track:
92982.1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAT6UwdQqrA&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLCABB9B50D3FD4560)

[D_Davis]

Artist: Robert Fripp & Brian Eno
Album: Equatorial Stars
Year: 2004
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Electronic/Guitar/Experimental

http://i.imgur.com/24dLG.jpg

Fripp & Eno, two long-time collaborators helped each other push the boundaries of music technology and sound. Fripp provides the endlessly-sustaining guitar, and Eno provides the treatments and the electronics. The results on this album are less abrasive than on their previous collaborations, which could sometimes be a little too heavy on the high-end of the sonic spectrum.

Track:
Trazed (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmY6YFYH7ts)

[dreamdead]

[B]Artist: William Basinski
Album: 982982
Year: 2009
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Experimental


Listening to this now; it's excellent. If the rest of the tracks are as solid as the sample you posted, I'm sold.

Also, I feel stupid. I had the second Basinski track off that album accidentally playing over the Fripp and Eno track, which created a sense of cacophony that was jarring and disruptive. The Fripp/Eno track plays much better without the accidental juxtaposition. Not as into this style, but I can see why you're a fan.

[D_Davis]

I am constantly playing ambient tracks over one another. I've discovered some very cool mixes this way.

[Derek]

Artist: Robert Fripp & Brian Eno
[B] Album: Equatorial Stars
Year: 2004
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Electronic/Guitar/Experimental


Huh, I've heard/loved their two collaborations from the 70s, but didn't realize they had another one. I'm there.


[B]Artist: William Basinski
Album: 982982
Year: 2009
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Experimental

Have you heard The Disintegration Loops? I love the excerpts I've heard, but have been a bit intimidated by its length. Maybe I'll just do one part a day.

[D_Davis]

Have you heard The Disintegration Loops? I love the excerpts I've heard, but have been a bit intimidated by its length. Maybe I'll just do one part a day.

That's pretty much how I feel. I think the album I chose is far more accessible. I've heard 1 or 2 of the DL albums, but I've never listened to a whole album.

He's got a ton of stuff though. I was also going to pick Melancholia, which is a fantastic album, but decided to go with this one.

[D_Davis]

Huh, I've heard/loved their two collaborations from the 70s, but didn't realize they had another one. I'm there.


I like this newest one the best.

[D_Davis]

Artist: Offsets
Album: Circular Drift
Year: 2009
Scale of Ambience: 2
Style: Electronic

http://i.imgur.com/T9ovj.jpg

Even as a fan of ambient music I will readily admit that a lot of the music in this vast and wide genre sounds the same. And really, that's part of the appeal. If you took a few random ambient compositions from the thousands in my library and played them, there is a good chance that I may not know the artist or the name of the track. One of the ways I used to pick the albums on this list is a simple listening test. I randomized my ambient library and played it in the background while I was at home or work. Anytime a sound or song would do something that grabbed my attention, or something that I particularly liked, I would take note of who the artist was and what album was playing.

Over and over again, this album demanded my attention. Offsets is the colaborative effort of two long-time participants of the netlabel ambient/electronica scene, Benjamin Dauer & Dominic Dixon. It combines elements of electronica and traditional ambient, with Dauer's spacey guitar playing.

The album is available for free via Distance Recordings. (http://distancerecordings.com/dist013)

[dreamdead]

:sad::sad:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/joel_harmon/Pete_rocking_Out20.jpg

:pritch:

[D_Davis]

It's coming back. I've just been sick (AGAIN! dammit) and super busy at work.

[dreamdead]

It's coming back. I've just been sick (AGAIN! dammit) and super busy at work.

Cool. Just wanted you to know that someone's been appreciating all the music and write-ups.

[D_Davis]

Artist: Vangelis
Album: Blade Runner
Year: 1982/1994
Scale of Ambience: 5
Style: Soundtrack

http://i.imgur.com/1hKC7.jpg

The main theme of the Blade Runner soundtrack contains what is probably the most iconic synth patch ever created and recorded. Vangelis' work on this album is nothing short of masterful, and the version released in 1994 is simply incredible in its use of samples and voices from the film; the album captures the entire experience of the film in an audio-only format. I don't know if film scores get any better than this.

Tracks:
Main Titles (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uUyfFvpL9E)
Blade Runner Blues (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdSeQKcrk-s&feature=related)

[Idioteque Stalker]

The Disintegration Loops is by far my most listened to album on iTunes. I seriously fell asleep to dlp 3 every night for almost 2 years. It's unspeakably beautiful, and the disintegration conveys so much meaning. But it's also as ambient as waves on a beach.

I also saw him perform a couple years back. The loop was really nice but, no matter how much I strained and how many things he did, I couldn't notice any change at all over the 30 minute set. :|

Can't wait to check out the stuff of his that D posted.

[D_Davis]

The Disintegration Loops is by far my most listened to album on iTunes. I seriously fell asleep to dlp 3 every night for almost 2 years.

That was me with Eno's and Budd's The Pearl.

[D_Davis]

Artist: Harold Budd
Album: The Room
Year: 2000
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Piano/Neo-Classical

http://i.imgur.com/S1epN.jpg

Harold Budd's The Room is a beautiful collection of piano-based ambient compositions. The Room also features a variety of accent sounds and instruments that add perfect accompaniment to Budd's piano, creating a sonic tapestry rich with nuance.

Tracks:
The Room of Corners (http://www.kazaa.com/#%21/Harold-Budd/The-Room/The-Room-Of-Corners)
(Can only find snipits of songs from this album - lame)

[D_Davis]

Artist: High Skies
Album: Sounds of Earth
Year: 2010
Scale of Ambience: 4
Style: Electronic

http://i.imgur.com/qXGHX.jpg

High Skies is Mat Jarvis, the other Gas. Sounds of Earth is a short and stunning EP of bubbling synth-sounds, SF vocal samples, and strange alien landscapes. I imagine this is what being underwater on another planet sounds like.

Track:
The Shape of Things to Come (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Uy5gQ9Y1Xo)

[D_Davis]

Artist: Another Fine Day
Album: Life Before Land
Year: 1994
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Electronic/Dub-Ambient

http://i.imgur.com/1Ov2S.jpg

Life Before Land is Tom Green's iconic ambient album from the heyday of 1990s dub-ambient. As a contributing member of The Orb, Green helped to define the sound of the decade's chill-out rave-scene, and LBL represents this sound as good as any and better than most. It's deep and sticky, whimsical and bubbly, and simply delightful.

Tracks:
Life Before Land (http://anotherfineday.bandcamp.com/track/life-before-land)
Ammonite Spiral (http://anotherfineday.bandcamp.com/track/ammonite-spiral)

[D_Davis]

Artist: Maps and Diagrams
Album: Cubiculo
Year: 2010
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Electronic/Glitch

http://i.imgur.com/KhcUZ.jpg

Tim Martin has been a fixture in the netlabel ambient scene for some time. He records as part of a duo called Hessien, and Maps and Diagrams is his solo project. Cubiculo is a fantastic little EP that perfectly exemplifies one of the popular styles of the day. With simple, looping melodies and subtle sounds, coupled with glitching static and noise, the album is a rich tapestry of sound, brooding and dark, but not oppressive.

Track:
Kopangyang (http://fluiddigital.bandcamp.com/track/kopangyang)

Full album available for free via Bandcamp (http://fluiddigital.bandcamp.com/)

[D_Davis]

Artist: Pole
Album: 1
Year: 1998
Scale of Ambience: 1
Style: Glitch/Dub

http://i.imgur.com/vTMcH.jpg

Pole takes the idea of minimal dub to whole new sub-level. Sometimes the music is barely there at all. It's like listening to a dirty, scratchy record through two feet of concrete, underwater, with ear-plugs. And it's really good. (thanks for the rec, Russ)

Track:
Fragen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWxb2O4JzPI)

[Russ]

Artist: Another Fine Day
Album: Life Before Land
Year: 1994
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Electronic/Dub-Ambient

http://i.imgur.com/1Ov2S.jpg

Life Before Land is Tom Green's iconic ambient album from the heyday of 1990s dub-ambient. As a contributing member of The Orb, Green helped to define the sound of the decade's chill-out rave-scene, and LBL represents this sound as good as any and better than most. It's deep and sticky, whimsical and bubbly, and simply delightful.

Tracks:
Life Before Land (http://anotherfineday.bandcamp.com/track/life-before-land)
Ammonite Spiral (http://anotherfineday.bandcamp.com/track/ammonite-spiral)
This is a favorite of mine and I'm so glad to see it made your list. You know what makes a release like this timeless? I've listened to it consistently since it first came out, even to this very day, and it hasn't reached it's expiration date yet. A bona-fide classic, and rep for its inclusion.

[D_Davis]

This is a favorite of mine and I'm so glad to see it made your list. You know what makes a release like this timeless? I've listened to it consistently since it first came out, even to this very day, and it hasn't reached it's expiration date yet. A bona-fide classic, and rep for its inclusion.

Yeah - it's so good. It's so organic sounding, and so much audio-ground is covered. It's definitely '90s in style, but it doesn't sound dated at all.

[Russ]

Yeah - it's so good. It's so organic sounding, and so much audio-ground is covered. It's definitely '90s in style, but it doesn't sound dated at all.
Unlike The Orb, whose stuff from the same period I still adore, but yeah, I don't listen to their early stuff nearly as much any more.

EDIT: Another sterling pick, with Pole's debut (I think the second album is the best, but this one's great too).

[D_Davis]

Unlike The Orb, whose stuff from the same period I still adore, but yeah, I don't listen to their early stuff nearly as much any more.

Yeah - their early stuff sounds extremely dated now. I mainly listen to their Peel Sessions.

[D_Davis]

EDIT: Another sterling pick, with Pole's debut (I think the second album is the best, but this one's great too).

I recently discovered that all three albums are available as one purchase via Amazon MP3. Such a great deal for a bunch of great music that was OOP for far too long. When you first recommended the stuff to me, it was very hard to come by.

I could have picked 1, 2, or 3, but just ended up going with 1.

[D_Davis]

Artist: Robin Guthrie & Harold Budd
Album: Mysterious Skin OST
Year: 2005
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Guitar/Piano/Soundtrack

http://i.imgur.com/nponf.jpg

Guthrie and Budd first worked together in the mid '80s with The Moon and the Melodies, along with the other members of The Cocteau Twins. Their partnership proved to be a fruitful one, and the two ambient geniuses have created a small handful of stunning albums. However, the soundtrack they wrote and performed for Mysterious Skin is the duo's crowning achievement. I have never seen the film, and I can't even imagine these sounds being paired with anything other than footage of clouds, sunsets, and sunrises.

Tracks:
Neil's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIoZdoNUfsg)
Snowfall (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeYUDPjcbiE)

[D_Davis]

Artist: Solar Quest
Album: Orgship
Year: 1994
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Electronic/Techno

http://i.imgur.com/lpbE8.jpg
Another bona fide classic from the 1990s; Orgship a gem that has risen to the top of chill-out, rave-culture rubbish heap. It's not quite as timeless as Tom Green's Life Before Land, but it is nonetheless an essential album of tribal-infused techno-ambient. I also have the feeling that the track "Singtree" was a big inspiration on Air French Band.

Tracks:
Singtree (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUStkEFD1DU)
Flying Spirals (edit) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwG1DfvLUog&feature=related)

[Russ]

By my count, you're up to 32. I can't wait for the next 8, then I get to see what your top ten consists of.

Btw, love the Solar Quest pick. Singtree is of one of my all-time favorite ambient pieces.

[D_Davis]

Btw, love the Solar Quest pick. Singtree is of one of my all-time favorite ambient pieces.

Just a perfect track. It's almost Floydian.

[D_Davis]

Artist: Patrick O'Hearn
Album: Slow Time
Year: 2005
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: New Age/Electronic

http://i.imgur.com/abQPP.jpg

What makes Patrick O'Hearn's music so special is his ability to mix qualities of neo-classica, new age, and electronic music into something that contains the strengths of each. Slow Time has been an album I've consistently turned to since I first heard it upon its release.

Track:
Let's Move On (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buDSt5Rgvzs)

[D_Davis]

Seven more essential albums, then the top ten.

[D_Davis]

Artist: Ten and Tracer
Album: Mshia-F-Lehkla
Year: 2008
Scale of Ambience: 2
Style: Glitch

http://i.imgur.com/eXnGw.jpg

Ten and Tracer's bizarrely-titled album is a perfect example of the glitch sub-genre. It brushes just against the line of too-glitchy, and never forgets to keep some semblance of a melody; it also doesn't bombard the listener's ears with too many high-pitched sizzles and white noise. It's the kind music your computer makes when you're at work.

Track:
Heart Complaint (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1QvysASl9E)


The netlabel this was released under is switching servers now, and is unavailable. Hopefully it will be back soon. (http://www.tenandtracer.com/mshia.html)

[Russ]

Ten and Tracer
Nice! Very Matmos-y

[Russ]

I have some great essential Ambient albums that I can't wait to drop in this thread...if they don't show up in your top ten, that is.

[D_Davis]

I have some great essential Ambient albums that I can't wait to drop in this thread...if they don't show up in your top ten, that is.

Looking forward to it. It's crazy how much music is out there that I have never heard, and I spend a lot of time listening to and discovering music.

[D_Davis]

Artist: Marconi Union
Album: A Lost Connection
Year: 2008
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Electronic

http://i.imgur.com/yBSK1.jpg

I could have easily put Marconi Union's entire catalog on this list, but I've limited myself to including only two of their albums. They're the best ambient artists working today, and their understanding of sound and how it effects mood and atmosphere is unparalleled; they are master-craftsmen of sound. There is a reason why Brian Eno basically has these guys on retainer for mixing and mastering.

Tracks:
Interiors (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3hRvpGIgTc)
Hinterland (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MYtQXFTRqE)

[D_Davis]

Artist: Tor Lundvall
Album: Under the Shadows of Trees
Year: 2003
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Guitar/Experimental/vocal

http://i.imgur.com/dXTHT.jpg

Tor Lundvall's music and voice are as haunting as they come. This is music for an early morning storm.

Track:
Distant Children (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWmAW70WmcM)

[D_Davis]

Artist: Tom Heasley
Album: On the Sensations of Tone
Year: 2003
Scale of Ambience: 5
Style: Tuba

http://i.imgur.com/gnznG.jpg

Tom Heasley's On the Sensations of Tone is unique among these 50 essential ambient albums, because it is the only one of them to be made entirely on the tuba; actually, I think it's the only album to even include a tuba. The tuba's natural timbre is perfect for drones, and Heasley, along with Robert Rich, added treatments like reverb and loops to the recording creating tones that are rich, warm, and fully encompassing.

Unfortunately, I can't find a place to listen to either of the two tracks on this album. Lame.

[D_Davis]

Artist: Susumu Yokota
Album: Sakura
Year: 2000
Scale of Ambience: 2
Style: Electronic/Treated Guitar
http://i.imgur.com/QiY6w.png

Susumu Yokota's treated guitar tones are really something special, and so is this album. "Saku," the opening track, perfectly sets the tone of the album, and every other track offers up something unique and mesmerizing.

Tracks:
Gekkoh (http://match-cut.org/EhzCXX1kdj8)
Saku (http://match-cut.org/sX5V0rI3Woc)

[D_Davis]

Artist: Wes Willenbring
Album: Somewhere Someone Else
Year: 2000
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Electronic/Piano/Guitar

http://i.imgur.com/S0OQ6.jpg

On Somewhere Someone Else, Wes Willenbring presents to his listeners the sounds of modern decay; this album is the perfect soundtrack to reading J.G. Ballard late at night.

Tracks:
Sometimes (http://weswillenbring.bandcamp.com/track/sometimes)
Reverie (http://weswillenbring.bandcamp.com/album/somewhere-someone-else)

[D_Davis]

Artist: Nobuto Suda
Album: Ecotone
Year: 2010
Scale of Ambience: 4
Style: Drone/Field Recordings

http://i.imgur.com/yffHv.jpg

One moment, stretched for an eternity.

The above phrase can be read as the motto of all drone artists, especially the ones who don't cheat by simply using Paul's Extreme Stretch (like that stupidly-famous Justin Bieber youtube clip that created the false impression that making good drone music is as easy as pressing a button labeled "stretch"). Nobuto Suda takes small moments and makes them last and last, like a perpetual sunrise in which the massive globe of cosmic fire never quite reaches it's zenith.

Tracks:
Fluidity (http://nobutosuda.bandcamp.com/track/fluidity)
Connected Place (http://nobutosuda.bandcamp.com/track/connected-place)

[D_Davis]

And now onto the top 10!

[D_Davis]

So, the top 10. If you only kind of like ambient music and you want to own some albums to listen to, these are the 10 albums to own. If you really love ambient music but don't have one of these albums in your collection, I'd say that your collecting is missing something important. And with that....


#10
Artist: Gaston Arevalo
Album: Habitat
Year: 2010
Scale of Ambience: 4
Style: Drone/Glitch

http://i.imgur.com/sCaqC.jpg

Gaston Arevalo is a master of this style of drone and loop-based, glitchy ambient. His compositions sound dusty and decayed, and both ancient and ultra-modern; its like a form of music discovered many years in the future on a distant planet, left by an ancient race. Unlike many artists working in this modern style, Arevalo embraces the full range of the audio spectrum; in other words he doesn't pierce the ears with an onsluaght oh high-pitched sizzles and white noise, but instead he balances his sound with warm low-end and a full mid-range.

Tracks:
Velero (http://ia600408.us.archive.org/12/items/f_pass009/pass009_-_04_gaston_arevalo_-_velero.mp3)
Travesia (http://ia700408.us.archive.org/12/items/f_pass009/pass009_-_07_gaston_arevalo_-_travesia.mp3)

The entire album is available for free here. (http://www.archive.org/details/f_pass009) Released by one of the premier ambient/electronic netlabels, Passage/Fuselab

[dreamdead]

[B]Artist: Susumu Yokota
Album: Sakura


Of the recent stuff you've posted, this one is my favorite, hands down. There's just an ease and tranquility that roll off of the guitar work. And can you explain what you mean by the magnificence of the guitar tone? Just the echoed, delayed, feel of the chords, or something else.

Looking forward to the top ten!

[D_Davis]

And can you explain what you mean by the magnificence of the guitar tone? Just the echoed, delayed, feel of the chords, or something else.


A lot of what you hear on the album that doesn't sound like guitar, is actually guitar. He's very creative with the way he uses the instrument. That's all I meant. :)

[D_Davis]

#9
Artist: Saffron Slumber
Album: The White Tower
Year: 2008
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Treated Piano/Neo-Classical

http://i.imgur.com/DpmcG.jpg

Saffron Slumber's The White Tower is a monumental achievement of modern piano composition and improvisation. That music this good is freely given away should shame all other similar commercial artists. This is as good as neo-classical gets; it is stark, dense, ultra-modern, haunting, and expertly produced.

Don't listen to a single track. Just download the whole damn record and have your mind blown. (http://www.archive.org/download/Pcr014-SaffronSlumber-TheWhiteTower/Pcr014-SaffronSlumber-TheWhiteTower.zip)

[Russ]

That Gaston Arevalo album is amazing. Saffron Slumber is slightly more impenetrable to me. I like it, but don't love it...yet. Perhaps it's a grower. Excellent start thus far.

[D_Davis]

#8
Artist: Marconi Union
Album: Beautifully Falling Apart
Year: 2011
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Electronic

http://i.imgur.com/3aLy4.jpg

I had a hard time determining what Marconi Union album to include in the top 10. Like I said earlier, I could have easily put all of their albums on this list. But which one is really the best? Should I choose the pop-ambient, more focused Distance; or the stark, urban electronic minimalism of Tokyo? Ultimately I chose this, their newest release. Why? Because of the last three tracks - "Losing the Light," "Beautifully Falling Apart," and "A Shadow of Sparks." Together these three tracks make up some of the best ~20-minutes of ambient music I've ever heard. They're so rich and nuanced in texture, and they sound like nothing else on any of these 50 essential albums.

I fully expect that, at some point, Marconi Union will release an album that will be my all-time favorite ambient album. They are that good, that talented, and that masterful. That they've only been releasing albums since about 2003 is mind-blowing.

Tracks:
Losing the Light (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pTWOr5kx_k)
Beautifully Falling Apart (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei6IoM-3h4o)
A Shadow of Sparks (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxNsjjnbkrE)

[D_Davis]

#7
Artist: John Foxx & Harold Budd
Album: Translucence/Drift Music
Year: 203
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Synth/Treated Piano

http://i.imgur.com/BaBjK.jpg

Foxx and Budd, Budd and Foxx. Two names that have been mentioned here before, and Budd's name will be mentioned multiple times still. What can I say about this double album except that, well, it's absolutely perfect and sublime.

Tracks:
Subtext (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVumBS4B2X4)
Some Way Through All the Cities (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5EzKwUuGQY)

[D_Davis]

Saffron Slumber is slightly more impenetrable to me. I like it, but don't love it...yet. Perhaps it's a grower.

It's a very difficult and challenging album. Easily the most challenging album on this entire list. And one that offers up great rewards.

[dreamdead]

I remember you listing Marconi Union in your and Derek's thread. The tracks there were fine. But they just seemed kinda there.

But woah. Marconi Union's "Losing the Light" just hit the midpoint crescendo. That was breathtaking. Definitely gonna listen to this one more actively in the coming days.

[D_Davis]

I remember you listing Marconi Union in your and Derek's thread. The tracks there were fine. But they just seemed kinda there.

But woah. Marconi Union's "Losing the Light" just hit the midpoint crescendo. That was breathtaking. Definitely gonna listen to this one more actively in the coming days.

They're the best new ambient artists working today. However, I usually find that it is only other ambient artists who think so and who talk about them. They could be such impeccable craftsmen that they're more of an artist's artist. As someone who is not making ambient music might think that the music is just kind of there, an ambient artist is like how the hell are they doing that?

[D_Davis]

#6
Artist: Jon Hassell
Album: Last Night the Moon Came Dropping its Clothes in the Street
Year: 2009
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Jazz

http://i.imgur.com/8mWBN.jpg

In the early 1980s, Brian Eno teamed up with experimental trumpet player John Hassell, and together they created a kind of music they called Fourth World. Fourth World music mixes the kinds of rhythms, melodies and harmonies often found in world music (usually from third world countries) with the technology of the first world. Since then, Hassell has continued to explore the regions of the Fourth World sound.

Hassell's trumpet playing is nothing short of astonishing. As the inheritor of Miles Davis' throne, Hassell has continued to push the instrument into entirely new territories, often shaping the sound with a variety of digital and pre/post-effects. Last Night... combines Hassell's trumpeting with a laptop, live bass, guitars, violins, and a wide assortment of acoustic and electronic instruments and sounds, thus creating a kind of music that can only be called unique.

Tracks:
Blue Period
Light on Water (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWD06Fi6hdk)

Also, a live performance. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AYBDmJh4H4)

[D_Davis]

#5
Artist: Bruce Kaphan
Album: Slider: Ambient Excursions for Pedal Steel Guitar
Year: 2001
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Guitar

http://i.imgur.com/sZUjK.jpg

Name an alternative album from the 1990s that has pedal steel guitar on it, and chances are it was played by Bruce Kaphan. And as a member of one of the greatest bands of all time, American Music Club, Kaphan has secured his place in the records of important music.

And with Slider, Kaphan has created a bona fide masterpiece of instrumental music. The pedal steel guitar is my favorite instrument; it is known as the most complex instrument to play - sometimes calling for the guitarist to play with both feet, both knees, both hands, and multiple fingers just to play a single chord - and in the right hands it produces the most beautiful tones I've ever heard.

"Clouds," the opening track, contains my most favorite opening chord in any song on any album. As soon as I hear this chord, my brain focuses and enters a place of musical serenity.

The entire album is simply overflowing with creative energy.

Tracks:
Clouds (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0ltXwB7xRA)
Country & Eastern (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh-6hTxUgMw)

[D_Davis]

#4
Artist: Harold Budd and Brian Eno w/ Daniel Lanois
Album: The Pearl
Year: 1984
Scale of Ambience: 4
Style: Treated Piano

http://i.imgur.com/pwJOx.jpg

The fade-in of Harold Budd's piano on "Late October," The Pearl's opening track, is one of music's most perfect moments. That track is then followed by pure audio bliss with "A Stream With Bright Fish," a composition so fragile and brittle I expect it to unravel, the strands to be swept away like gossamer into the horizon. The Pearl is absolutely brimming with perfect moments.

Tracks:
Late October (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-Zj4LvNvqo)
A Stream With Bright Fish (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj_rkkFdW7M)

[D_Davis]

#3
Artist: Steve Roach
Album: Structures from Silence
Year: 1984
Scale of Ambience: 5
Style: Synth

http://i.imgur.com/0fmTG.jpg

If there was any justice in this world, when you looked up the word 'Ambient' in the dictionary, you would simply see the picture above. Steve Roach's masterpiece is comprised of three tracks, each well over ten-minutes in length, composed of the most beautiful synth sounds ever synthesized.

The middle track, "Quiet Friend," is quite possible the single greatest ambient composition ever recorded. It is as emotional and powerful as any piece of classic music, and as expertly produced as synth-based music gets. This is the bar that all similar music strives for.

Track:
Quiet Friend (quite possible the single greatest ambient track of all time) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz9z8rqsYEs)

[D_Davis]

#2
Artist: Brian Eno w/ Roger Eno and Daniel Lanois
Album: Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks
Year: 1983
Scale of Ambience: 4
Style: Electronic/Guitar/Experimental

http://i.imgur.com/mSfYB.jpg

Originally recorded as a soundtrack for the documentary film For All Mankind, Eno, Eno, and Lanois expanded the recording for the album version. The music on Apollo comprises three distinct kinds of ambient composition: abstract atmospherics, synth-based drones, and guitar-based pieces. The three styles are expertly melded together to create the greatest album of space-inspired music ever recorded.

Tracks:
Weightless (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5PJzpp1UIk)
Matta (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WDbpXpUDAw)

[D_Davis]

#1
Artist: Harold Budd
Album: The Pavilion of Dreams
Year: 1978
Scale of Ambience: 2
Style: Jazz

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/03/Pavilion_of_Dreams.jpg

This is the Sketches of Spain of the ambient world. The music is alive; one can easily imagine the music being performed right outside one's window. It is evocative of a place and a time, but not any certain place or time; it is ambiguous and symbolic; it is nostalgic and modern. It is completely unlike anything else on this list. It was also the beginning of one of music's most important collaborative relationships - Harold Budd and Brian Eno. In other words, this is an important album, and should be in the collection of any one who seriously loves music in all of its shapes and forms.

Tracks:
Bismillahi 'Rrahman 'Rrahim (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1dwbgcW0Fw)
Madrigals of the Rose Angel: Rosetti Noise / The Crystal Garden and a Coda (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SC0BcXSNRk&feature=related)

[Russ]

http://i1.ifrm.com/2898/7/emo/notworthy.gif

[D_Davis]

Were you thinking that Apollo would be #1? For awhile I was, but I just had to go with Pavilion.

Can't wait for Russ's Supplemental to the 50 Essential Ambient Albums List.

[D_Davis]

It's funny how I didn't pick a single Brian Eno solo album, but he's all over the essential list, and appears on 5 of the top 10 in some capacity, either as the main contributor or producer.

[Russ]

Were you thinking that Apollo would be #1?
Let's just say it would have been mine. :)



Essential Ambient Albums, supplemental edition!

Artist: Terre Thaemlitz
Album: Soil
Year: 1995
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Electronic/Experimental/Political


http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff324/astrojester/soilfront.gif

Multimedia artist/activist/wearer of many hats, Terre Thaemlitz, has worked in a wide range of musical styles and is a respected artist of international renown. His forays into the ambient realm are stunning artifacts of a musician with a social conscience. Whether incorporating obscure samples that make a statement on domestic violence (the knowingly titled Cycles) or just kicking back in full on bliss mode (Trucker), Mr. Thaemlitz brought a much needed intelligent approach to the genre at a time when it was threatening to become stale and by-the-numbers.

Trucker, in particular, is an ambient classic and a personal fave.

Cycles (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZnYlt9jxOQ)
Trucker (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGViRrx8Dm4)

[Glass Co.]

Nice list Davis, I've barely listened to any ambient so this is a great list to go to for more recs. One band I have discovered as kind of an entry-level gateway is Global Communication. Interested to hear your thoughts.

[Russ]

More Essential Ambient Albums!

Artist: Biosphere
Album: Substrata
Year: 1997
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Electronic/Drone/Drift

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff324/astrojester/biosphere.jpg

Frankly Daniel, I'm amazed that Norwegian musician Geir Jenssen didn't make your list especially since he's the guy whose work I'm most reminded of when I listen to Carl Sagan's Ghost. The similarities are uncanny, particularly on this release, somewhat removed from his humble ambient-house beginnings, and onto what was eventually coined as "Arctic Ambient". Light on rhythm and heavy on melody, yet also creepy and edgy, this is the stuff of ambient legend (if there were such a thing). Hyberbole aside, this is terrific (and essential) music.

The dude is brilliant, and I'm a big fan.

Poa Alpina (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG5cPPcLrzg)
The Things I Tell You (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu3R0IGwasU)
Silene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF86zwJ5EzY&feature=related)

[D_Davis]

I'm not a big Biosphere fan, believe it or not. I do like some stuff, but I rarely turn to it when I'm in the mood. I'll definitely check this album out though, on your rec!

[D_Davis]

Nice list Davis, I've barely listened to any ambient so this is a great list to go to for more recs. One band I have discovered as kind of an entry-level gateway is Global Communication. Interested to hear your thoughts.

Thanks! GC is pretty cool, but they're a little too techno for me. I dig some of their stuff though, and I haven't listened a lot of it. What do you really like of theirs?

[D_Davis]

I'm going to total the numbers for my scale of ambience to determine the average of the essential 50. I'm betting it's 2.5-3.

[D_Davis]

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff324/astrojester/soilfront.gif



Really good stuff here.

[D_Davis]

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff324/astrojester/biosphere.jpg



I definitely like this more than the other stuff I've heard, which was far more techno.

[Russ]

Son of Essential Ambient Albums!

Artist: Automaton
Album: Dub Terror Exhaust
Year: 1994
Scale of Ambience: 1
Style: Bass

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff324/astrojester/automaton.jpg

Artist: Possession
Album: Off World One
Year: 1996
Scale of Ambience: 1
Style: African

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff324/astrojester/possession_africandu_101b.jpg

Let me just state for the record, I am NOT the biggest Bill Laswell fan around. Not even close. For as much great work as he's been a part of, he's equally been responsible for a fair amount of crap. Ah, but let's focus for a moment on that great work. As prolific as Laswell is (as a producer, musician, arranger, remixer extraordinaire), I'm guessing he needs no introduction here? Anyways, Mr. Laswell got sucked into that great ambient black hole during the 90's, and he actually acquitted himself quite nicely, especially on the first two Divination Ambient Dub projects, but most notably on the massive deconstruction/remix project on the Axiom Ambient label, Lost in the Translation (which could just as easily find its way on any essential ambient list).

Anyways, the two Laswell-featured albums above (tho, technically as a producer only on Possession, but his fingerprints (and bass playing) are all over that album) represent, imho, the highlights of his ambient endeavors. In the case of these albums, the term ambient should be taken loosely, as both marginally fit that definition, and either could fit equally well within bass culture and/or world culture environs.

That doesn't preclude the fact that both are massively awesome. Enjoy!

Automaton - Astral Altar (The Gateway of Legba) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnUXzYHRGbc)
Possession - Ascending (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tex_tOV2pH8)

[D_Davis]

I thought about including some Bill Laswell simply because of how prolific he is, but I just couldn't think of an entire album that I like enough. I definitely respect him, and I think he's done some great stuff. Also, he's a great bass player.

[Russ]

I definitely like this more than the other stuff I've heard, which was far more techno.
Since I'm more old school ambient (beginning in the 70's, but focusing on the 90's), I had noticed that many of the really good/great ambient releases of the 90's were in fact side projects of the more commercially viable "techno" artists of the time. One paid the rent, the other the soul. Several of my artist picks can probably be traced back to their more dance floor roots. That Biosphere album definitely changed course and sort of redefined his musical persona. Unfortunately, I'm not familiar enough with his body of work to know if it was a career move or a flash-in-the-pan.

[Russ]

Return of the Essential Ambient Albums!

Artist: SETI
Album: Pharos
Year: 1995
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Space/Electronic

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff324/astrojester/pharos.jpg

Now here's an album that take's its theme (the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence) seriously! SETI is comprised of Savvas Ysatis (Omicron) and Taylor Deupree (a major player in the ambient field), and this project faithfully embodied everything a true X-Files fan could want: the Truth is indeed out there, and on this double disc CD, it's out there in the form of radio transmissions, alien-sounding communications, and sampled speech courtesy of Frank Duke, former president of the SETI Institute. I fear this album kind of got lost back in its time of release (partly due to the confusion with Andrew Lagowski's similarly named ambient project, S.E.T.I.), which is a shame. I really love this album, it's long been one of my favorites. I hope others here enjoy it.

Beacon 01 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWhU7eFsICA)
Beacon 05 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwmzJfqSraQ&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=AL94UKMTqg-9CBaRe7C67okVqzHB6-xvhY)

[Glass Co.]

Thanks! GC is pretty cool, but they're a little too techno for me. I dig some of their stuff though, and I haven't listened a lot of it. What do you really like of theirs?

I've only heard their debut album and a few other scattered tracks, but the final track on that album is one of my favourites in the genre:

R_weJgToZIU

[D_Davis]

Cool. Thanks for the track. I like that.

[D_Davis]

SETI, S.E.T.I., Gas, GAS....

Man, ambient musicians need to cut this crap out.

[D_Davis]

Russ, did you ever listen to the Spacetime Continuum album with Terrence Mckenna?

[Russ]

Russ, did you ever listen to the Spacetime Continuum album with Terrence Mckenna?
Many many moons ago, yes. Recollection's rather hazy, tho. Generally, I like Jonah Sharp's output.

[D_Davis]

Many many moons ago, yes. Recollection's rather hazy, tho. Generally, I like Jonah Sharp's output.

Yeah, I used to like his stuff, but not so much any more. His is the kind of 90s sound that I'm just not that into anymore. However, he has made some amazing stuff, and I saw him live a couple of years ago and he was great.

[D_Davis]

BTW, I really dig Substrata. :)

[D_Davis]

For the last few years I think I was getting Biosphere confused with Solar Fields and Carbon-Based Lifeforms. For some reason I always though of Biosphere as being more techno-ambient.

[Russ]

Beyond the Valley of the Ultra-Essential Ambient Albums!

Artist: Woob
Album: 1194
Year: 1994
Scale of Ambience: 3
Style: Sampledelic/Electronic/assorted Loops, Drones & Beats


http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff324/astrojester/woob1194.jpg


Artist: Woob
Album: 4495
Year: 1995
Scale of Ambience: 2
Style: Electronic/Experimental


http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff324/astrojester/Woob2.jpg

Daniel was right when he ranted about his frustration with virtually all of the legendary em:t label's output being out of print. For years, the two Woob releases demanded insane collector's prices...and that was if you could even find them. So what's all the fuss about you might ask? First off, em:t frankly did ambient relases and compilations the right way, immaculately designed and commissioned with a penchant for putting out superb, quallity releases. In this regard, they even stood head and shoulders above Fax, Instinct, Silent, or any other respected ambient label you'd care to mention. These release are highly sought after collectibles made by caring people for caring people. In a perfect world, all releases would emulate the em:t template.

However, greatness always seems to have a short lifespan, and em:t was no different. Such wonderful music, and much of it looking for new life. Paul Frankland, the man behind Woob (arguably the jewel in em:t's crown) took matters into his own hands and put everything up on bandcamp (http://woob.bandcamp.com/) (tho curiously, 4495 is missing). Woob's music always stood out from its labelmates, with its fevered drive to merge an endless bank of samples with electronic music and live instrumentation, topped off with a penchant for bold experimentation. In other words, nobody else sounded quite like Woob. Of course, one of the dangers of relying heavily on sample culture is you run the risk of becoming dated, cliched, or both. Woob's music is not immune to this criticism. However, even though Mr. Frankland may employ vocal chants from World music releases, BBC nature field recordings, dialogue snippets from old films (coincidentally all found on the 32 minute (!) highlight of 1194, On Earth, all of the samples are used intelligently and organically -- nothing seems out of place, and this is one of his strengths.

Woob may not be everyone's cuppa, but anyone wanting to explore the genre further need to at least give this artist a listen.

1194 - On Earth (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18D8_GZtBx4&feature=related)
1194 - Odonna (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e3w4Sg1be4&feature=related)

4495 - Woobed (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqMemT9dvuA)
4495 - Creek (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dgoIJj1EIc)

[D_Davis]

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff324/astrojester/woob1194.jpg


This almost made my list.

I think em:t's focus was on quality, while Fax's focus was on quantity.

[Yxklyx]

Cool thread! The ones I've listened to a lot over the years are Eno's Apollo Atmospheres & Soundtracks and On Land. I'd also classify Trent Reznor's Quake Soundtrack as Ambient - love that one! Will have to check some of these out.