Space Ambient

Tonto’s Expanding Head Band – Zero Time

Zero Time is an exploratory, psychedelic synth odyssey, created entirely on an expanded Series III Moog, aka T.O.N.T.O. (The Original New Timbral Orchestra). The designers and operators of this powerful, polyphonic synthesizer are Robert Margouleff and synthesist-guru Malcolm Cecil (who may be better known for programming synths on legendary albums by Stevie Wonder and Gil-Scott Heron, in addition to his celestial ambient work). The intricately layered results here feel like a synthetic wilderness, with a wide variety of colors and textures that sound warm, organic, and alive.

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Bitchin Bajas – Bajas Fresh

Features Masaki Batoh, Ben Lamar Gay, Jim Becker,

Style: Space Ambient, Progressive Electronic, Kosmische, New Age

Moods: Meditative, Cosmic, Peaceful, Warm, Intertwined, Hypnotic, Psychedelic

Musical Qualities: Pulse, Instrumental, Progressive, Atmospheric, Washy, Droney

Instrumentation: Analogue Synthesizers, Organ, Bass Clarinet, Flute, Electric Guitar, Percussion, Cornet

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Sand – Golem

Style: Kosmische, Ritualistic Folk, Space Ambient, Psych

Vibe: Primordial, Exploratory, Ancient, Mysterious, Swampy, Ominous, Ritualistic, Desolate, Spacey, Floating, Psychedelic, Eerie

Musical Qualities: Atmospheric, Droney

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Tangerine Dream – Phaedra

While some of their earlier music explored the empty vastness of space, the music on Phaedra seem to discover a swampy alien planet, Pulsing sequencers, dramatic mellotrons, airy flutes, and sweeping synthesizers are drenched in strange echoes and reverbs to create suspenseful alien soundscapes.

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Tangerine Dream – Zeit

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.

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Eno, Roedelius, Moebius – After the Heat

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

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