looking for ambient music recommendations

[zabu of nΩd]

I never really thought much of this genre until I heard this artist called Amethystium, which I have subsequently fallen in love with. Their albums are great to chill to, or for getting homework done. Unfortunately, they have a pretty small body of work, so I'm hoping to find other artists like them to add to my collection.

For those who haven't heard Amethystium, I guess it's best described as gentle and unobtrusive music that still has a noticeable beat in the background, and fairly interesting melodies. The tone of the music is generally pretty light and upbeat, and kind of on the mystical side.

I'd prefer stuff that isn't overly sappy like Enya - i.e. no heavy usage of strings or vocals. Also, I'm not really looking for 'psybient' stuff like Shpongle or Infected Mushroom - while Amethystium does have some techno influence, it's not nearly as beat-driven as most psybient seems to be.

If anyone knowledgeable out there can give me some good recommendations, I'd be much appreciative.

 

[Belligerent]

hmmm...well agalloch-the mantle is the perfect album to chill out to.
when studying or when its dark snowy and doomy out and you feel like escaping...it works well

 

[Zhou Tai 04]

Raison D'etre
Atrium Carceri
Letum
Desiderii Marginis
Karl Sanders
Parca Pace
Abruptum
Beyond Sensory Experience

 

[speed]

Stars of a Lid
Coil
Raison D Etre
Aphex Twin
Boards of Canada

 

[LuminousAether]

Raison D'être is a good one for dark ambient. Also I'd really recommend Delerium, especially the albums Spheres II and Stone Tower. They are more ambient pop like Enigma these days and have been for quite awhile, but their old stuff is pure ambient. Also really look into Brian Eno and the Eno / Robert Fripp collaborations.

And if you like the dark ambient stuff, keep looking around for bands such as Dead Voices On Air, Megaptera, and so on.

 

[challenge_everything]

mmm i also recommend raison d'etre and coil, plus latter-day Ulver (particularly Perdition City) and antimatter (project by ex-Anathema bassist Duncan Patterson)

or you could always go with more beat-oriented stuff like portishead or massive attack

 

[dannay]

i have a question.

what is the point of having ambient music?

we all know, people on forums are either young, stupid or not getting any sex, so what are you setting an ambience for?

just wondering...

 

[LuminousAether]

mmm i also recommend raison d'etre and coil, plus latter-day Ulver (particularly Perdition City) and antimatter (project by ex-Anathema bassist Duncan Patterson)

or you could always go with more beat-oriented stuff like portishead or massive attack

Raison d'être and Coil definitely have some ambient stuff, but Perdition City, Antimatter, Portishead, and Massive Attack are all far from ambient.

 

[zabu of nΩd]

Thanks for the recommendations thus far - looks like I've got something to keep me busy for a while. Raison d'être and Coil seem to have the most support, so I'll be sure to check them out.

Just a note, though: I'm not really looking for dark ambient. I prefer my ambient to be free of melancholy, doom-ish stuff. You can go to amethystium.com if you want to hear an example of the kind of style I'm interested in.

Finntroll's Visor om Slutet also has some damn nice ambient tracks. I'm a fan of 'nature noise'.

Oh, and in response to dannay: I'm not looking to 'set an ambience' for anything, I just like having something non-distracting to listen to while doing homework or going to sleep. Metal doesn't quite do it for me. Techno comes close, but is often too energetic. Percussionless ambient music just sounds too empty to me. I like something in-between those two.

Incidentally, I'm into a lot of jazz-oriented rock groups like Steely Dan, Camel, and Soft Machine.

 

[speed]

Raison d'être and Coil definitely have some ambient stuff, but Perdition City, Antimatter, Portishead, and Massive Attack are all far from ambient.

Agreed. However, PErdition City and Massive Attack are all wonderful trip-hop.

I second your rec of Fripp. Amazed I forgot.

 

[Black Core]

The new Nest album: "trails of the unwary" is great. It sounds kinda like Karl Sanders but it is better in my opinion

 

[~ED~]

hey fellas thnx for this, im liking so far what ive heard of all u recommended , great to let it play and do ur work

 

[Black Core]

it's our job

 

[Khaos_McDoom]

Shulman

 

[Khaos_McDoom]

Also, Infected Mushroom is PsyTrance not Psybient

 

[zabu of nΩd]

oh

 

[LuminousAether]

Agreed. However, PErdition City and Massive Attack are all wonderful trip-hop.

I second your rec of Fripp. Amazed I forgot.

Perdition City is one of my favorite albums and Massive Attack is definitely awesome. I also love Portishead and Antimatter, I just wouldn't call them ambient.

 

[Black Core]

Perdition City is one of my favorite albums and Massive Attack is definitely awesome. I also love Portishead and Antimatter, I just wouldn't call them ambient.

Portishead is pretty good but then I'd add the Cranberries as well

 

[Miltbrand]

I´m not an expert on Ambient, but here´s a few albums I like:

Endvra - Great God Pan
Stiff Miners - Vox Celesta
Neptune Towers - Caravans To Empire Algol
Neptune Towers - Transmissions From Empire Algol

 

[TalesOfTerror]

I like Allerseelen though that may be a bit more percussive than you're looking for.
Good amount of variety though.
Or check out some labels =) .
http://www.allrecordlabels.com/db/genres/Ambient.html
http://www.iheartnoise.com/
http://monorailtrespassing.com/
http://www.hospitalproductions.com/
http://www.selfabuserecords.net/home.html