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Thread: 10 Classic Ambient Albums

  1. #1

  2. #2
    No Klaus Schulze?

  3. #3
    They've got Global Communication in there, I'm happy

    Kind of amusing though...the article is about ambient and includes the Aphex Twin Selected II...but the "main" image on the article is the Richard D. James album...a decidedly less ambient turn from the man.

    As for no Schulze...there are dozens if not hundreds of other viable titles that could have been included (I'd have dropped in a early classic from Steve Roach like Structures from Silence or maybe Dreamtime Return). Author just picked his 10 faves, I guess. I'd have put Mirage in the list for a KS nod, personally...
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    Member Phlakaton's Avatar
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    This list is invalid without Boards of Canada. I'm kinda surprised GC made that list - I love GC. No Future Sounds of London either?

  5. #5
    He has a more flexible definition of ambient than I do. I do not see TD as an ambient band at all- space, for sure, but not ambient. Ambient, to me, is more subtle and less processor driven.
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    I'm here for the moosic NogbadTheBad's Avatar
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    Need to check these out but yeah TD aren't ambient by any definition I know. Never thought of Boards Of Canada as ambient either, do like their stuff.
    Ian

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  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Phlakaton View Post
    This list is invalid without Boards of Canada. I'm kinda surprised GC made that list - I love GC. No Future Sounds of London either?
    FSOL's classic IMHO was Lifeforms which is an amazingly creative slice of 90's electronica. But it wasn't something I would've expected to find in the chill-out room of a rave either. Not like Orb, at least.

    For me personally, Global Communication's 76:14 is a desert island disc.
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  8. #8
    Progga mogrooves's Avatar
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    No Popol Vuh?

    I'll add the "sonic geographies" of John Luther Adams.
    Hell, they ain't even old-timey ! - Homer Stokes

  9. #9
    I'm here for the moosic NogbadTheBad's Avatar
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    Yeah, PV would fit.
    Ian

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    Gordon Haskell - "You've got to keep the groove in your head and play a load of bollocks instead"
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  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Phlakaton View Post
    This list is invalid without Boards of Canada. I'm kinda surprised GC made that list - I love GC. No Future Sounds of London either?
    I agree about the BoC point, although - as with FSoL - their music is overall arguably too rhythm-based in places to really count as ambient per sè. The GC includion was a welcome surprise, but I'm *really* missing names like Paul Schütze and Anton Fier here.
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  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    I agree about the BoC point, although - as with FSoL - their music is overall arguably too rhythm-based in places to really count as ambient per sè. The GC includion was a welcome surprise, but I'm *really* missing names like Paul Schütze and Anton Fier here.
    Oh wow...Paul Schütze is a great thought. Someone I forget about too often...

    For that matter, I'd probably toss something early from Lustmord into the mix. Classic dark ambient, at least...
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  12. #12
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    Thomas Koner

    Some of William Basinski's works, same for Leyland Kirby and Harold Budd.
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    Those into in ambient music might be interested in this radio programme:

    http://rtrfm.com.au/shows/ambientzone/

  14. #14
    I'm here for the moosic NogbadTheBad's Avatar
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    Harold Budd is great.
    Ian

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    Gordon Haskell - "You've got to keep the groove in your head and play a load of bollocks instead"
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    Member wideopenears's Avatar
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    some cool stuff there...I'm partial to Harold Budd/Eno's Plateaux of Mirrors, my all-time fave ambient thing....though I suppose some may not call it ambient.

  16. #16
    The Pearl is my personal fave Budd album.
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  17. #17
    Boo! walt's Avatar
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    Ben Frost-Steel Wound might qualify, as might Tim Hecker-The Ravedeath.....over to you Mr. Battema.
    "please do not understand me too quickly"-andre gide

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    Member Phlakaton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    I agree about the BoC point, although - as with FSoL - their music is overall arguably too rhythm-based in places to really count as ambient per sè. The GC includion was a welcome surprise, but I'm *really* missing names like Paul Schütze and Anton Fier here.
    Ya... I guess you guys are right on that... too many beats rolling into the BoC.

  19. #19
    Well, the article initially talked classics but if we wanna just go all in?? Let's do it

    Most of the best Ben Frost is a bit heavier than ambient (By the Throat is still my top pick), but Steel Would is lovely. I'd also say his Solaris collaboration with Daniel Bjarnason is a good pick for ambient, as is his digital-only release 'FAR.'

    BVDub/Brock Van Wey has churned out some exceptional dubby-type ambient in recent years. He tends to get a bit repetitive for my tastes...I have a preference for "I'll Only Break Your Heart" and his solo set "White Clouds Drift On and On."

    Kyle Bobby Dunn sounds like the opening act for Garth Brooks but is actually a wonderfully subdued artist. "Ways of Meaning" is my pick there.

    If you don't mind your ambient with a fair dose of unease, check out some of the stuff that Alessandro Cortoni has done. I've actually got "Risveglio" playing as I type this. He uses a lot of Make Noise modular systems, which are slightly closer in spirit to Buchla-style synthesis than Moog-style stuff. He is also the keys man in Nine Inch Nails.

    Here's one that folks might miss if they don't follow metal: Celestite, by Wolves in the Throne Room. I'm not kidding; this is pure ambient electronic space music bliss, as envisioned by guys who normally make black metal. No drums, no vocals, only a handful of guitar parts...it's all synths, glorious synths.

    Most recent, for those of you who frequent Chez Wayside: Codex, by Ghost Harmonic (which is Benge + John Foxx and violinist Diana Yukawa). From the Wayside blurb: "The five tracks on Codex are linked into one continuous piece, by turns elegant, dark, and gently blissful.")
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    Member Gizmotron's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by battema View Post
    The Pearl is my personal fave Budd album.
    Agreed.

  21. #21
    Hmm.... most of what he has on that list I wouldn't hardly call ambient as there is far too much rhythm going on. For me ambient means an album can literally be put without being a distraction. A true ambient classic is one that works both in that way and holds up when under more close scrutiny (i.e. actually paying attention to it). A few of my classics:

    Tangerine Dream - Zeit
    Michael Stearns - Encounters
    Steve Roach - Structures From Silence
    Vangelis - Soil Festivities

  22. #22
    I'm here for the moosic NogbadTheBad's Avatar
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    I do like John Foxx's stuff. Got a couple of his albums.
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    Gordon Haskell - "You've got to keep the groove in your head and play a load of bollocks instead"
    I blame Wynton, what was the question?
    There are only 10 types of people in the World, those who understand binary and those that don't.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisXymphonia View Post
    Hmm.... most of what he has on that list I wouldn't hardly call ambient as there is far too much rhythm going on. For me ambient means an album can literally be put without being a distraction. A true ambient classic is one that works both in that way and holds up when under more close scrutiny (i.e. actually paying attention to it). A few of my classics:

    Tangerine Dream - Zeit
    Michael Stearns - Encounters
    Steve Roach - Structures From Silence
    Vangelis - Soil Festivities
    Soil Festivities is a good one, as is the soundtrack from Antarctica. Blade Runner not so much - there is too much activity there for me to call it ambient.

    The definition of "melodic ambient" would surely have to be Kitaro.

  24. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by bob_32_116 View Post
    Soil Festivities is a good one, as is the soundtrack from Antarctica. Blade Runner not so much - there is too much activity there for me to call it ambient.
    The 2nd disc on the Blade Runner 25th anniversary CD set is like the Blade Runner Ambient collection...a nice variety of cues and bits that weren't on the original '94 release.

    Soil Festivities is a great pick...the first El Greco is pretty good in terms of mellow ambient.
    If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
    https://battema.bandcamp.com/

    Also, Ephemeral Sun: it's a thing and we like making things that might be your thing: https://ephemeralsun.bandcamp.com

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by NogbadTheBad View Post
    I do like John Foxx's stuff. Got a couple of his albums.
    He has a new-ish one called B-Movie that is pretty interesting.
    If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
    https://battema.bandcamp.com/

    Also, Ephemeral Sun: it's a thing and we like making things that might be your thing: https://ephemeralsun.bandcamp.com

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