Ambient Music: 50 Essential Albums

[D_Davis]

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



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.

[D_Davis]

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



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

[Russ]

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

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.




Adult cheetah

Hippopotami

[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



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



* 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

[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

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



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
Nostalgia

[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



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

[D_Davis]

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



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
Cloud Fields

[D_Davis]

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



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
Night Fishing

[D_Davis]

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



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
Untitled 7

[D_Davis]

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


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
Metanym
Infinite in all Directions

[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



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.