Distorted ghosts of past love and futures lost haunt the spaces between these woozy, blown-out guitar loops and the fragmented rhythms of decaying drums machines. Occasional bursts of noise tear through the sedating static of bittersweet nostalgia.
Style: New Age, Ambient Jazz, Progressive Electronic
Vibe: Healing, Woozy, Personal, Ethereal, Soothing, Intimate, Hypnotic, Mellow
Musical Qualities: Atmospheric, Spoken Word, Soft, Slow, Electroacoustic, Field Recordings, Studio-as-an-Instrument
Instrumentation: Saxophone (w/ FX), Synthesizers, Piano, Electric Guitar, Percussion, Violin, Trumpet, Flute
Style: Inner Space Music, Ambient Pop, Tape Music, Minimal Wave
Vibe: Ethereal, Suspenseful, Introspective, Soothing, Nocturnal, Hypnotic, Meditative, Cinematic, Dreamy, Ominous (A2, B2, B3)
Musical Qualities: Pulse, Home Recording, Minimalistic, Atmospheric, Vignettes
Instrumentation: Keyboards, Drum Machine, Vocals, Tape Loops, Electric Guitar, Marimba, Echo
“the chill of loneliness emanates from the blurred, glitchy instrumentation as it entrances you into its wintry and spectral world”
Follow the link for the full review of Tim Hecker’s debut, written by Jack Von Bloeker
Style: Ambient Pop, Progressive Pop (LP1), Ambient (LP2)
Vibe: Ethereal, Introspective, Sombre, Sentimental, Spiritual, Winter, Lush, Meditative, Longing, Soothing
Musical Qualities: Atmospheric, Progressive, Polyphonic, Polyrhythmic, Polished, Ballads
Featuring Laraaji, Shabaka Hutching, Sam Gendel, Jamire Williams, Aaron Shaw, Sharada, Jamael Dean, Nate Mercereau, Jira ><, Adam Rudolph, Devin Daniels
Style: Ambient Jazz, Ambient Beats, New Age
Vibe: Healing, Airy, Soothing, Woozy, Peaceful, Hypnotic, Aquatic, Communal, Spiritual
Musical Qualities: Atmospheric, Improvisation, Beats, Sampling, Sound Sculpture, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Field Recordings
Style: Ambient Blues, Solo Electric Guitar
Vibe: Longing, Soothing, Nocturnal, Impressionistic, Lonely, Meditative, Melancholy, Suspenseful,
Musical Qualities: Sparse, Improvisation (solo), Atmospheric, Instrumental, Lo-fi
Style: Drone, Tape Music, Ambient, Drone-Folk
Vibe: Nocturnal, Haunting, Hypnotic, Ethereal, Meditative, Warm, Nature, Nostalgia
Musical Qualities: Sound Collage, Instrumental, Field Recordings, Collage, Electro-Acoustic, Noisy, Home Recording, Vignettes
Instrumentation: Tapes, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Piano, Drum Machine, Synthesizers, Bass, Keyboard, Percussion, Bass Clarinet (B2)
Style: Drone, Free Improvisation, Ambient
Vibe: Suspenseful, Haunting, Murky, Mysterious, Meditative, Responsive, Noir
Musical Qualities: Lo-Fi, Improvisation, Noisy, Atmospheric, Heavy Reverb
Style: Tape Music, Drone, Ambient
Vibe: Meditative, Dreamy, Quiet Catharsis, Alien, Mysterious, Contemplative, Hypnotic, Mellow, Cosmic
Musical Qualities: Loops, Atmospheric, Repetition, Instrumental, Droney, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Progressive, Improvisation
Style: Dark Ambient, Free Improvisation, Ambient Blues
Vibe: Murky, Meditative, Washy, Haunting, Suspenseful, Mysterious, Ethereal
Musical Attributes: Solo Electric Guitar Improvisation, Sparse, Atmospheric, Slow, Lo-fi
Style: Ambient
Vibe: Enveloping, Intricate, Reflective
Musical Attributes: Atmospheric, Melodic, Sampling, Tape Hiss, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Looping
Style: Ambient
Vibe: Contemplative, Soothing, Sparse, Atmospheric, Warm
Musical Attributes: Improvisation, Electro-acoustic, Studio-as-an-Instrument
Style: Ambient, Progressive Electronic
Vibe: Cosmic, Psychedelic, Exploratory, Atmospheric, Meandering
Released in 2020 on Other People Records
Artist: Nicolas Jaar
Format: LPx2
Style: Progressive Electronic, Ambient Pop, Sound Sculpture
Vibe: Introspective, Mysterious, Nocturnal, Shadowy, Abstract, Dark, Hypnotic, Meditative
Musical Attributes: Electro-Acoustic, Progressive, Digital, Studio-as-an-Instrument
Overview
Bass clarinet, pedal steel guitar, and synthesizer swirling together into a highly immersive and emotive combination of voices. Truly beautiful soundscapes that melt the worry away, with moments of quiet catharsis that I don’t experience very often in ambient music.
While escapism is an understandable instinct in times of turmoil, The Spirits Will Shimmer encourages reflection on our current realities rather than turning a blind eye. New Balance’s Jeremy Leasure thoughtfully constructs a sonic cocoon of backwoods ambience from warped banjo improvisations and Casio synth atmospheres, foregoing the vivid lyrical imagery and lush arrangments of past releases. By offering a temporary respite from overstimulation, these meditative mood pieces carve out the space necessary to process the endless stream of information weighing on our hearts and minds.
Originally released in 1972 on CBS Records 2019 Superior Viaduct Reissue Format: LP Style: Free Improvisation, Ambient Jazz, Drone Vibe: Ritualistic, Mysterious, Hypnotic, Open, Meditative, Slow, Psychedelic
Released in 2011 on Software Records Format: LP
Released in 1975 on Island Records Format: LP
Released in 2018 on Friends of Friends Records Format: LP, Clear Vinyl
Originally released in 1972 on Brain Records 2007 Lilith Reissue Format: LP, CD
Released in 2019 on Leaving Records Format: LP
Washes of piano, harp, and other ephemeral sonic artifacts float through Ledesma’s peaceful, almost static atmospheres like a night breeze through the quiet woods.
Released in 2019 on Editions Mego Format: LP
Style: Ambient, Progressive Electronic
Vibe: Suspenseful, Desert, Desolate, Earthy, Mysterious, Eerie, Ethereal, Contemplative, Lonely, Impressionistic
Musical Qualities: Atmospheric, Instrumental, Analogue, Abstract
Originally released as 2 separate releases in 1988 and 1989 on Venture Records 2019 Grönland compilation Format: LPx2
These transcendent drone meditations will envelop you in a dark blanket of fuzzy guitars and blooming synthesizers.
Released in 2011 on Blackest Rainbow Format: LPx2, 180g Ltd. to 750 copies
Doug McComb’s first album as Brokeback is imbued with pastoral Impressionism, experimentalism, and a sense of Zen contentment. The record is mostly centered around his Bass VI, a short-scale bass with six strings that is trebly enough to function in both guitar and bass roles. This versatile instrument is usually wet with chorus and reverb that sculpt a fluid, aquatic tone to complement the slow, tranquil melodies. Outside of some solo pieces Doug is joined by a variety of accompaniment including lap steel guitar, synth, upright bass, Rhodes, vocals from Mary Hansen, and light percussion provided by producer/Tortoise bandmate John McEntire. This is a record that can be appreciated from a passive impressionistic standpoint, as well as under the microscopic attention of an engaged ear. (Follow link for full review)
Recommended for fans of Tortoise or Ennio Morricone’s spaghetti Western soundtracks
On Towards Language, Norweigan trumpeter Arve Henriksen creates a blend of meditative and suspenseful ambient-jazz, demonstrating a more soothing side to his playing than his noisier output with electro-acoustic improvisers Supersilent.
Released in 2018 on Kranky Format: LPx2 Track Notes and Observations A1. This Life (Droney, Climactic, Mournful) Synths slowly dancing around each other in a beautiful sadness, Woozy, pitches bend and release in and out of tune Blooming structure, crescendos into overwhelming climax Disintegrates into a ghostly version of itself with high pitch sounds A2. …
Enveloping blankets of piano and synthesizers that are mostly beautifully soothing, but occasionally venture down shadowy alleyways full of eerie suspense.
Information: Released in 1978 on PVC Records Format: LP
This is what I imagine a black hole might sound like. “Zeit” translates to “Time”, yet time feels completely suspended here, filled instead with vast negative space in which burbling VCS 3 synthesizers, suspenseful organs, and a droning quartet of cellos float in and out. These four sidelong pieces erase all traces of rock or any kind of beat from Tangerine Dream’s sound, leaving ominous space-ambient music in its purest form.
Peaceful drone meditations and mantras for bass clarinet and sitar. The improvisatory melodies are beautifully expressive, exploratory, and blanketed in a soft, soothing reverb.
Album Information: Released in 1997 on Constellation Records Format: LP, includes inserts, a flyer, and a penny smashed by a train
Album Information: Released in 2012 on XL Recordings Format: LPx2
Album Information: Released in 2000 on Constellation Records Recorded November 1999 at the mighty Hôtel2Tango
Performed on acoustic guitar and an early delay pedal, Christopher Idylls is a soothing, reflective way to ease into the morning. It fits somewhere between ambient, new age, and American primitive guitar.
Brian Eno and German kosmiche duo Cluster collaborate on a spacey synthesizer album with diverse moods, including peaceful ambient swells, sinister sequencers, industrial drum machine grooves, and suspenseful piano motifs. The release is mostly instrumental but Eno songs sparingly on a couple tracks. The last track features Can’s Holger Czukay playing some pulsing, harmonic bass grooves
Soothing, cosmic drones constructed with with tape loops, synths, organs, guitars and flute.
A dense fog you can sink into and never want to leave…Glacial, enveloping waves of sound meticulously sculpted from processed organs, piano, and distorted guitar feedback.
Somber ambient-folk with layers of delicate, circular fingerpicking and sparse arrangements of droning harmonium, piano, guitar feedback and the occasional chirping crickets. The soft reverb dampens everything like a light drizzle over the American prairie
