Journeys on the cusp between melody and texture
Junior
4,853 Posts
Morning. So, the thrilling combination of quitting smoking, stress at work and the kind of headcold that underlines just how serious man-flu can be has left me with what must be approaching chronic insomnia.
On the nightly trawls through iPhone apps that could possibly, but inevitably don't, assist me reaching slumberland I chanced upon some Ambient radio stations. While enjoyable, these stations seem to be generally playing the same mixture of old (Eno, Tangerine Dream, etc) and what was current when I dallied with the genre in the nineties (FSOL, Selected Ambient Works, Orb).
This got me to thinking - is there still a booming Ambient market today and, if so, any recommendations for what I should be checking out? I'm aware of some of the downtempo stuff on Triangle and the like as well as vapourware but neither of these cover the spacey/cinematic side of things which is what I always loved most about the proper electronic ambient experience. Basically I'm talking more trips to the cosmos and less panpipes in the rainforest.
Any genre recommendations to help my addled brain would be greatly appreciated as well as any tips about similar music I may have skipped over in my voyage to the stars.
On the nightly trawls through iPhone apps that could possibly, but inevitably don't, assist me reaching slumberland I chanced upon some Ambient radio stations. While enjoyable, these stations seem to be generally playing the same mixture of old (Eno, Tangerine Dream, etc) and what was current when I dallied with the genre in the nineties (FSOL, Selected Ambient Works, Orb).
This got me to thinking - is there still a booming Ambient market today and, if so, any recommendations for what I should be checking out? I'm aware of some of the downtempo stuff on Triangle and the like as well as vapourware but neither of these cover the spacey/cinematic side of things which is what I always loved most about the proper electronic ambient experience. Basically I'm talking more trips to the cosmos and less panpipes in the rainforest.
Any genre recommendations to help my addled brain would be greatly appreciated as well as any tips about similar music I may have skipped over in my voyage to the stars.
Comments
Not on yootoob, but Boom Bip - Closed Shoulders (cLOUDDEAD remix) is mellow and strange. 2004.
http://prostopleer.com/#/tracks/5006823v0Hd
Ambient doesn't seem very popular at the moment. There's loads of avant-drone accidental noise cr*p if you surf Boomkat, but I have a radio alarm clock and just move the dial away from the radio stations if I want some white noise with occasional bits of music or news bleeding in-and-out.
Lucky, because I chose a generic 'Euphoric Chill Out' mix from the house music menu, which turned out to be all the bestest bits of Jean Michel Jarre sans any percussion, seamlessly melded to incite maximum relaxation vibration.
:: heartily endorse ::
But back on thread, you'd probably be better of with some Classical steez. Man is out like a light to the sound of the polar bear eyerub innit.
http://soundcloud.com/groups/classical-soundscapes
Dig in. IIRC, Some are nectar, some are a bit all yang and not enough yin, but comprehend, yo, that art reflects life.
Mr. Acker Bilk - Soft Sands (the Chordettes version is dreamy too).
Having a glass of milk and a banana helps me go to sleep.
:
Cheers for the recommendations so far friends, will be trawling suitable sources for iphone friendly versions shortly. It's worth noting that, while I'm as much a fan of the soothing sounds of RL instruments as the next child of the seventies/eighties, for some reason I can only really tap into REM style shenanigans with a more synthetic sound - the more layered with bubbly blips and wooshes the easier my head rests.
Also, while put into perspective by MRI, agree L*o that man-flu is far from a joke and something I doubt I will be laughing about at some future date. Head feels like someone ripped the top off, shat on my brain and then let the resulting faeces slowly work their way out through every facial orifice.
:grin:
And I'm sure the scan found nothing that can't be cured with a clip round the ear/stiff drink.
I haven't listened to Pomme Fritz by The Orb in... shoot, 15 years at least, so I'd take this as a good opportunity to revisit the classics.
RE: Flu. The worse you're suffering, the more manly and testosterone-filled you are. Win win.
Load of the atmospheric intros and bits from Shadow tracks w/out teh beats:
I'm having a series of tests - EEG, MRI, EMG and Nerve Condition for a mysterious complaint whereby I am about 90% numb from about chest bone down.
Best case: trapped nerve or disc problem.
Worst case: something life threatening.
But I'm relaxed about it.
We've all been there, right? Right??!?!
Carry on.
Carry on.
Funny you should mention that.
I survived a heart attack this summer, having foolishly ignored the signs for some time prior to waking up at 4 a.m. one Saturday, feeling like a skip had just fallen on my chest. It turns out one of my coronary arteries was completely blocked, and another 80% blocked. Two ops later (but no glamorous scars), I've lost quite a bit of the weight I've been carrying round for years, I'm drinking less, eating healthier, looking better than I've looked in ages (according to the missus), and couldn't feel less like someone who had a heart attack three months ago. So these things can turn out to be quite positive, y'know.
Whatever the problem is, fella, I do sincerely hope it isn't anything serious. Take care of yourself.
Damn.
Thanks doc and everyone for the kind thoughts.
Contemplating ones potential doom is a bittersweet experience.
One the one hand, sorry for kiddie hurt.
On the other, it would totally fuck up exes who leach off my financial carcass. But who will be so denied. And that's a somewhat not unpleasant thought, albeit karmically bad.
B/w
Who wants any records left over?
There are couple of CD's that are collaborations between pianist Harold Budd and Cocteau Twins guitarist Robin Guthrie. Nice deep spacey sounds, reverbed guitars that barely sound like guitars etc. The two CD's are called "Before the Day Breaks" and "After The Night Falls", definitely check them out.
Budd and Brian Eno did an album called "The Pearl" that is also pretty good, but a little less spacey and more in line with Eno's ambient records. I still like it.
One more good one is a CD called Stargarden - Ambient Excursions, more deep space keyboards and guitars. The guy who made this was the guitarist in a lot of failed hair metal bands in the 80's, he started doing this as a side project and this has outsold any of his rock records by far.
Also, if you go to Pandora you can create stations for these collaborations that have interesting playlists as well.
So much for "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."
As a baby I had a glass rabbit music thing. I would wind it up at the base and then it would spin and play music.
Dibs on the modal and the wizard balls.
Srs doe, it sounds like a nerve ting. I advise man to go to the park with #6 and hang on the bars as much as possible, b/w planking exercises. Have made my back much better after a couple of car crashes and torn ligaments. I bet it makes gurning one out interesting?
http://musicforprogramming.net/
liking the latest one a lot
Am now plugging into the datasettes site, I think these mixes are going to be my friends for a few weeks now.
On more important matters, sorry to hear about teh heart problems Doc but glad you're ok. Skel, extremely confident you're going to come out of this fine but if you need an ear to moan into am always up for a pint (and have abused your patience enough previously).